AOpen AX6BP-OV User Manual

Chapter 1

Overview

AX6B Plus is a new generation Pentium II based system board that features an

onboard Adaptec AIC-7880 SCSI chip. It utilizes Intel 82440BX AGPset on
ATX PCI/ISA platform. This AGPset is designed for Pentium II CPU, and

supports new architectures such as high speed AGP graphic port, SDRAM,
Ultra DMA/33, Bus master IDE and USB port. It has four Dual in-line Memory
Module (DIMM) that allow to install SDRAM memory and expand up to a
maximum of 1GB. Since the cache is on the Pentium II CPU card (connector
SLOT1), there is no second level cache onboard. Also, AX6B Plus uses 2M bit
Flash ROM BIOS to reserve for future new functions.

Not only above features, AX6B Plus also implements many special features as
following.

Jumper-less Design Pentium II VID signal and SMbus clock generator provide
CPU voltage auto-detection and allows user to set CPU frequency through
CMOS setup, no jumper or switch is needed. The correct CPU information is
saved into EEPROM, with these technologies, the disadvantages of Pentium
base jumper-less design are eliminated. There will be no worry of wrong CPU
voltage detection and no need to re-open the housing if CMOS battery loss.
The only jumper left is to clear CMOS, which is a safety hook if you forget the
password.

Battery-less Motherboard AX6B Plus implements EEPROM and special
circuit (patent applied) that allows you to save your current CPU and CMOS
Setup configurations without the need of battery. The RTC (real time clock) can
also keep running as long as power cord is plugged. If you lose your CMOS
data by accident, you can just reload the CMOS configurations from EEPROM
and the system will recover as usual.

Suspend To Hard Drive "Immediately" turns on system and goes back to the
original screen before power down. You can resume your original work directly
from hard disk without go through the Win95 booting process and run your
application again. Suspend to Hard Drive saves your current work (system
status, memory image) into hard disk. Note that you have to use VESA

1-1

Overview

compatible PCI VGA, Sound Blaster compatible sound card with APM driver,
for Suspend to Hard Drive to work properly.

Zero Voltage Modem Wake Up In conjunction with ATX soft power On/Off, it
is possible to have system totally power off and wakeup to automatically
answer a phone call such as answering machine or to send/receive fax. The
most important break through is not only external box modem but also internal
modem card can be used to support Modem Wake Up. The AX6B Plus and
MP56 internal modem card implement special circuit (patent applied) to make
sure the modem card work properly without any power.

LAN Wake Up This feature is very similar as Modem Wake Up, but it is through
local area network. To use LAN Wake Up function, you must have a network
card that supports this feature and also need to install a network management
software, such as ADM.

RTC Wake Up Timer The Wake Up Timer is more like an alarm, which wakes
up and power on your system at a pre-defined time for specific application. It
can be set to wake up everyday or on specific date within a month. The
date/time accurate is second.

High Efficient Synchronous Switching Regulator Most of the current
switching designs are Asynchronous mode, which from the technical point of
view, still consumes very high power as well as heat. AX6B Plus implements
high efficient synchronous switching design that the temperature of MOS FET
is far less than Schottky diode of Asynchronous design.

Over Current Protection Circuit The Over Current Protection was very
popular implemented on the Baby AT or ATX 3.3V/5V/12V switching power
supply. But unfortunately, the new generation Pentium II CPU uses different
voltage that have regulator to transfer 5V to CPU voltage (for example, 2.8V),
and make 5V over current protection useless. AX6B Plus with switching
regulator onboard support CPU over current protection, in conjunction with

3.3V/5V/12V power supply provide the full line over current protection.
CPU and Housing Fan Monitoring AX6B Plus has one more "fan monitoring"

function to prevent system overheat. There are two fan connectors, one is for
CPU and the other can be an extra housing fan. The system will report and
alarm fan malfunction though utility software such as Hardware Monitor utility
(Small Icon for Hardware Monitoring).

CPU Thermal Protection AX6B Plus has a special thermal detection circuit to
have warning through application software when the temperature is higher than
a predefined value.

System Voltage Monitoring Further more, AX6B Plus implements a voltage
monitoring system, As you turn on your system, this smart design will continue
to monitor your system working voltage. If any of the system voltage is over the
component's standard. There will be alarm though utility software such as

1-2

Overview

Hardware Monitor utility (Small Icon for Hardware Monitoring) for a warning to
user.

Full-range CPU core voltage This motherboard supports the CPU core
voltage from 1.3V to 3.5V, that can be applied to various CPU type in future.

FCC DoC certificate AX6B Plus has passed FCC DoC test. The radiation is
very low, you can use any kind of housing.

Sound Blaster Link The SB-LINK connector can be used to link Creative PCI
sound card. If you have a Creative PCI sound card installed, it is necessary to
link the card to this connector for compatibility issue under DOS environment.

Powerful utility softwares supported AOpen Bonus Pack bundled CD
contains many useful utilities, such as ADM (Advanced Desktop Manager),
AOchip, Hardware Monitor utility, AcePhone, EasyAxess, Suspend to Hard
Drive utility, and BIOS flash utility.

Multi-language BIOS This breakthrough will help you set BIOS items without
the language barrier.

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Overview

1.1 Specifications

Form Factor
Board Size
CPU
System Memory

Second-level Cache
Chipset
Expansion Slots
Serial Port

Parallel Port

Floppy Interface

IDE Interface

SCSI
USB Interface

PS/2 Mouse
Keyboard
RTC and Battery

BIOS

ATX
305 mm x 244 mm
Intel Pentium II Processor
SDRAM or Registered SDRAM, 168-pin DIMM x4,

maximum 1GB.
On the CPU card (Slot1 connector)
Intel 82440BX AGPset
ISA x3, PCI x4 and AGP x1
Two serial ports UART 16C550 compatible, and the

3rd UART for IR function.
One parallel port supports standard parallel port (SPP),

enhanced parallel port (EPP) or extended capabilities
port (ECP).

Floppy interface supports 3.5 inches drives with
720KB, 1.44MB or 2.88MB format or 5.25 inches
drives with 360KB, 1.2MB format

Dual-channel IDE interface support maximum 4 IDE
hard disks or CDROM, mode 4 , bus master hard disk
drives and Ultra DMA/33 mode hard drives are also
supported.

Adaptec AIC-7880 onboard.
Two USB ports supported by USB bracket, the BIOS

also supports USB driver to simulate legacy keyboard.
Mini-Din PS/2 mouse connector onboard.
Mini-Din PS/2 keyboard connector onboard.
RTC within Intel PIIX4E chipset. Lithium (CR-2032)

battery is an option, no battery is needed if power cord
is plugged.

AWARD Plug-and-Play, 2M bit Flash ROM BIOS.
Multi-language versions supported.

1-4