what is PCI ? Explain PCI

PCI

Short for peripheral component interconnect, PCI was introduced by Intel in 1992. The PCI bus came in both 32-bit (133 MBps) and 64-bit versions and was used to attach hardware to a computer. Although commonly used in computers from the late 1990s to the early 2000s, PCI has since been replaced with PCI Express.

Revisions came in 1993 to version 2.0, and in 1995 to PCI 2.1, as an expansion to the ISA bus. Unlike ISA and other earlier expansion cards, PCI follows the PnP specification and therefore did not require any jumpersor dip switches.

PCI overview

The picture below shows an example of what PCI slots look like on a motherboard. As you can see, there are three PCI slots: PCI4, PCI5, and PCI6, as well as a CNR slot.

Examples of PCI devices

·         Modem

·         Network card

·         Sound card

·         Video card

PCI device drivers

If you are looking for PCI drivers, you most likely need to download them for a specific PCI device. For example, if you need a PCI Ethernet adapter driver, you should install the drivers for the network card. See our driversoverview for a listing of drivers for various devices.

How many PCI slots are on a motherboard?

The number of PCI slots depend on the manufacturer and model of the motherboard. Today, very few motherboards come with any PCI slots as they have been replaced by PCI-E. Those motherboards that do come with PCI slots will generally have between one and three PCI slots.

How can I add a PCI card if I don't have a PCI slot?

To connect a PCI card to a computer the motherboard must have a PCI slot. As mentioned above, some of today's computers no longer come with a PCI expansion slot. If your motherboard does not have a PCI expansion slot, we recommend getting a more modern card that your motherboard supports.