Vrm

Intel®440GX AGPset Platform Reference Design

Ultra I/O Component

This page shows the Ultra I/O component. The RTC may optionally be used. An Infra Red Header Port is also optional.

AGP Connector

This page shows the AGP connector. In this design, AGP INTA and INTB are connected to the PCI INTA and INTB through a buffer/driver. The interrupt signals are open-collector, and pulled up to

VCC3.3.

PCI Connectors

22-23

These pages show the PCI connectors. In this design, four PCI connectors are used. AD 26, 27, 29 and 31 are the preferred lines for the PCI slot IDSELs.

ISA Connectors	24
This page shows the ISA connectors.
PCI IDE Connectors	25

This page shows the IDE Connectors. No special logic is required to support Ultra DMA/33 hard drives.

USB Headers

This page shows the USB Headers. Note, the voltage divider on the open circuit signals provides logic level transitions for the PIIX4E. Note the placement requirements for the capacitors and series resistors at the bottom left.

Flash BIOS Component

This page shows the 28F002BC-T Flash BIOS component which provides 128K bytes of BIOS memory. A jumper is used to provide the option for allowing the BIOS to be programmed in the system for BIOS upgrades and/or for programming plug and play information into the Flash device.

Note that a 2 Meg Flash device may be required for certain applications (motherboard devices such as graphics, SCSI or LAN).

Parallel Port/ Serial and Floppy/ Keyboard & Mouse	28-30
Nothing new here.
VRM	31

The top of this page shows the voltage regulator modules (VRM 8.2) connectors. The VRM 8.2 module provides 5V to VCCcore voltage conversion for the processor. The bottom of this page shows two voltage regulators, one for generating the 1.5V GTL+ terminating voltage (VTT), the other is a 2.5V regulator. The VTT generation circuit must be able to provide about 5.0 amps of current under worst case conditions. Note: that two LT1587-1.5s (@ 3A) are recommended.

Intel®440GX AGPset Design Guide

A-3

440GX specifications

The Intel 440GX chipset was launched in 1997 as part of Intel's series of chipsets known as the 440 family, and it served as a critical component for various Pentium II and Pentium III-based motherboard architectures. Specifically designed for the second generation of Intel’s processors, the 440GX delivered enhanced performance and supported a range of important technologies that defined PC architectures of its time.

One of the main features of the Intel 440GX was its support for a 100 MHz front-side bus (FSB), which significantly improved data transfer rates between the CPU and the memory subsystem. This advancement allowed the 440GX to accommodate both the original Pentium II processors as well as the later Pentium III chips, providing compatibility and flexibility for system builders and consumers alike.

The 440GX chipset included an integrated AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) controller, which supported AGP 2x speeds. This enabled high-performance graphics cards to be utilized effectively, delivering many enhanced graphics capabilities for gaming and multimedia applications. The AGP interface was crucial at the time as it offered a dedicated pathway for graphics data, increasing bandwidth compared to traditional PCI slots.

In terms of memory support, the 440GX could address up to 512 MB of SDRAM, allowing systems built with this chipset to run comfortably with sufficient memory for the era’s demanding applications. The memory controller was capable of supporting both single and double-sided DIMMs, which provided versatility in memory configuration for system builders.

Another notable feature of the Intel 440GX was its support for multi-processor configurations through its Dual Processors support feature. This allowed enterprise and workstation computers to leverage the performance advantages of multiple CPUs, making the chipset suitable for business and professional environments where multitasking and high-performance computing were essential.

On the connectivity front, the chipset supported up to six PCI slots, enhancing peripheral device integration and expansion capabilities. It also included integrated IDE controllers, facilitating connections for hard drives and CD-ROM devices.

Overall, the Intel 440GX chipset represented a balanced combination of performance, flexibility, and technology advancements for its time. Its introduction helped establish a foundation for subsequent advancements in PC technology and set the stage for more powerful computing systems in the years to come.

Intel 440GX manual Vrm

Models: 440GX