AT or ATX

[shaunywhite]

What is the best way to determine whether the motherboard is ATX or not?

[Randy_tx]

Well.....the best way I guess is to open the case and look at the type of connector the power supply uses...A single piece connector is always ATX, dual connectors are always AT. Having said that, the quickest way I have found is that I have never seen an AT motherboard with the Printer (LPT) module built in to the motherboard and I've never seen an ATX motherboard WITHOUT it built in. The most obvious way is to inspect the motherboard or look it up at the mfg's website.

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Will XP save Me ?

[tjaymadison]

Yep. Like Randy said, the port setup on the rear is usually the best hint without opening the case.

AT's usually have their ports, especially USB and PS/2, on the back plane near the video card connector.

ATX's have that stacked arrangement like this (when mobo is horizontal):

Mouse...........Printer
.........USB
Kybd...USB..COM1..Com2

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"I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question."
-- Charles Babbage, mathematician, computer pioneer, analytical engine designer (1791-1871)
-- (Question: 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?')

[This message has been edited by tjaymadison (edited 05-17-2001).]

[yawningdog]

Whoa! I've always just looked at the keyboard connector. ATs don't have PS2 connectors, or so I've always thought. Am I wrong?

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Make everything as simple as possible, but no simpler.

[tjaymadison]

Some newer AT mobo's have USB and PS/2 headers on the board, and you
hook up a cable and expansion-slot cover that has the port(s) on it.

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"I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question."
-- Charles Babbage, mathematician, computer pioneer, analytical engine designer (1791-1871)
-- (Question: 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?')

[theoutlaw2001]

I have the same problem. My power supply has two cables going to the motherboard, but they connect onto a single slot on the board. Also, I have all my ports laid out in a line. Is this AT? Which is better?

[Paleo Pete]

Some early AT boards did have PS/2 mouse plugs, I have 2 of 'em. One is a Packard Bell, the other an Epson.

AT motherboards will have the memory slots parallel to the component slots, (ISA, PCI) and a single plug that the two main power cables plug into. The two cables are on the power supply. ATX will have only one main power cable from the power supply.

ATX boards usually have the memory slots perpendicular to the component slots, and the CPU will be in a location near the memory that places it in the path of airflow, while AT boards will have the CPU at the end of the ISA slots, where it doesn't sit in the air path.

AT Board
http://www.zing.com/picture/pba851f63c7c08dd40ec2b3d25ad50be1/ff428090.jpg.orig.jpg

ATX Board
http://www.zing.com/picture/p691aba03216ab9f1c3d034c2a51d4f27/ff42808e.jpg.orig.jpg


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