ISA may refer to any of the following:
DIMM (dual in-line memory module) slots are the place on your motherboard where the RAM goes. As such, you may also see DIMM slots referred to as “RAM slots.”. The more DIMM slots your motherboard has, the more RAM you can install. ISA: The most ancient type of expansion slot is the ISA, which stands for (get this) Industry Standard Architecture.That’s because it never really had a name until another, better type of expansion slot came along. ISA slots hang around to be compatible with older expansion cards.
1. Short for Industry Standard Architecture, ISA was introduced by IBM and headed by Mark Dean. ISA was originally an 8-bit computer bus that was later expanded to a 16-bit bus in 1984. When this bus was originally released, it was a proprietary bus, which allowed only IBM to create peripherals and the actual interface. However, in the early 1980s other manufacturers were creating the bus.
In 1993, Intel and Microsoft introduced a PnP ISA bus that allowed the computer to automatically detect and setup computer ISA peripherals, such as a modem or sound card. Using the PnP technology, an end-user would have the capability of connecting a device and not having to configure the device using jumpers or dip switches.
All modern computers no longer have ISA slots and instead utilizing PCI slots. Below is an example an ISA expansion card and ISA slot it connects into on the motherboard.
How can I add an ISA card if I don't have an ISA slot?
Pc Isa Slot
To connect an ISA card to a computer, the motherboard must have an ISA slot. As mentioned above, today's computers no longer come with ISA expansion slots and most modern operating systems no longer support ISA. If your motherboard does not have an ISA expansion slot, we recommend getting a more modern card that your motherboard supports.
Related pages
Isa Expansion Slot
2. Short for instruction set architecture, see our instruction set definition for further information on this term.
Isa Slot Adapter
16-bit, Bus, Computer acronyms, EISA, Expansion slot, Hardware terms, MCA, Motherboard terms