ASRock 880GXHU3-128M User Manual

880GXHU3/128M

User Manual

Version 1.0

Published November 2010

No part of this manual may be reproduced, transcribed, transmitted, or translated in

any language, in any form or by any means, except duplication of documentation by

the purchaser for backup purpose, without written consent of ASRock Inc.

Products and corporate names appearing in this manual may or may not be regis-

tered trademarks or copyrights of their respective companies, and are used only for

identification or explanation and to the owners’ benefit, without intent to infringe.

Disclaimer:Disclaimer:

Disclaimer:

Disclaimer:Disclaimer:

Specifications and information contained in this manual are furnished for informa-

tional use only and subject to change without notice, and should not be constructed

as a commitment by ASRock. ASRock assumes no responsibility for any errors or

omissions that may appear in this manual.

With respect to the contents of this manual, ASRock does not provide warranty of

any kind, either expressed or implied, including but not limited to the implied warran-

ties or conditions of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

In no event shall ASRock, its directors, officers, employees, or agents be liable for

any indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages (including damages for

loss of profits, loss of business, loss of data, interruption of business and the like),

even if ASRock has been advised of the possibility of such damages arising from any

defect or error in the manual or product.

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the

following two conditions:

(1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and

(2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that

may cause undesired operation.

CALIFORNIA, USA ONLY

The Lithium battery adopted on this motherboard contains Perchlorate, a toxic

substance controlled in Perchlorate Best Management Practices (BMP) regulations

passed by the California Legislature. When you discard the Lithium battery in

California, USA, please follow the related regulations in advance.

“Perchlorate Material-special handling may apply, see

www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate”

ASRock Website: http://www.asrock.com

ContentsContents

Contents

ContentsContents

1.1.

IntroductionIntroduction

Introduction

1.1.

IntroductionIntroduction

1.1 Package Contents ..................................................................... 5

1.2 Specifications ............................................................................ 6

1.3 Motherboard Layout ................................................................. 11

1.4 I/O Panel .................................................................................... 12

2.2.

InstallationInstallation

Installation

2.2.

InstallationInstallation

Pre-installation Precautions ............................................................... 13

2.1 CPU Installation ......................................................................... 14

2.2 Installation of CPU Fan and Heatsink ....................................... 14

2.3 Installation of Memory Modules (DIMM) .................................... 15

2.4 Expansion Slots (PCI and PCI Express Slots) .......................... 17

2.5 Dual Monitor and Surround Display Features .......................... 18

2.6 ATITM Hybrid CrossFireXTM Operation Guide............................. 21

2.7 Jumpers Setup .......................................................................... 23

2.8 Onboard Headers and Connectors.......................................... 24

2.9 SATAII Hard Disk Setup Guide .................................................. 29

2.10 Serial ATA (SATA) / Serial ATAII (SATAII) Hard Disks

Installation ................................................................................. 30

2.11 Hot Plug and Hot Swap Functions for SATA / SATAII HDDs .... 30

2.12 SATA / SATAII HDD Hot Plug Feature and Operation Guide ....... 31

2.13 Driver Installation Guide ............................................................ 33

2.14 Installing Windows® 7 / 7 64-bit / VistaTM / Vista

XP 64-bit With RAID Functions ................................................. 33

2.14.1 Installing Windows® XP / XP 64-bit With RAID

2.14.2 Installing Windows® 7 / 7 64-bit / VistaTM / Vista

2.15 Installing Windows® 7 / 7 64-bit / VistaTM / Vista

XP 64-bit Without RAID Functions ............................................ 35

2.15.1 Installing Windows® XP / XP 64-bit Without RAID

2.15.2 Installing Windows® 7 / 7 64-bit / VistaTM / Vista

2.16 Untied Overclocking Technology .............................................. 37

........................................................................................................................

............................................................

........................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................

..............................................................

............................................................................................................................

64-bit / XP /

Functions .................................................................... 33

With RAID Functions ..................................................... 34

Functions ...................................................................... 35

Without RAID Functions ................................................ 36

64-bit / XP /

64-bit

5 5

13 13

3.3.

BIOS SBIOS S

BIOS S

3.3.

BIOS SBIOS S

3.1 Introduction ............................................................................... 38

3.2 Main Screen .............................................................................. 39

3.3 OC Tweaker Screen ................................................................. 40

3.4 Advanced Screen .................................................................... 48

3.5 Hardware Health Event Monitoring Screen ............................. 57

3.6 Boot Screen .............................................................................. 58

3.7 Security Screen ........................................................................ 59

3.8 Exit Screen ............................................................................... 60

4.4.

Software SupportSoftware Support

Software Support

4.4.

Software SupportSoftware Support

4.1 Install Operating System ........................................................... 61

4.2 Support CD Information ............................................................. 61

ETUP UTILITYETUP UTILITY

ETUP UTILITY

ETUP UTILITYETUP UTILITY

3.1.1 BIOS Menu Bar ............................................................... 38

3.1.2 Navigation Keys ............................................................. 39

3.4.1 CPU Configuration .......................................................... 49

3.4.2 Chipset Configuration ..................................................... 50

3.4.3 ACPI Configuration ......................................................... 51

3.4.4 Storage Configuration .................................................... 52

3.4.5 PCIPnP Configuration ...................................................... 54

3.4.6 Floppy Configuration ...................................................... 54

3.4.7 Super IO Configuration ................................................... 55

3.4.8 USB Configuration .......................................................... 56

3.6.1 Boot Settings Configuration ........................................... 58

4.2.1 Running Support CD ....................................................... 61

4.2.2 Drivers Menu .................................................................. 61

4.2.3 Utilities Menu ................................................................... 61

4.2.4 Contact Information ........................................................ 61

......................................................................................................

...................................................

......................................................................................................

...................................................

......................................................................................................

38 38

61 61

1.1.

IntroductionIntroduction

Introduction

1.1.

IntroductionIntroduction

Thank you for purchasing ASRock 880GXHU3/128M motherboard, a reliable

motherboard produced under ASRock’s consistently stringent quality control. It de-

livers excellent performance with robust design conforming to ASRock’s commit-

ment to quality and endurance.

In this manual, chapter 1 and 2 contain introduction of the motherboard and step-by-step

guide to the hardware installation. Chapter 3 and 4 contain the configuration guide to

BIOS setup and information of the Support CD.

Because the motherboard specifications and the BIOS software might be

updated, the content of this manual will be subject to change without

notice. In case any modifications of this manual occur, the updated

version will be available on ASRock website without further notice. You

may find the latest VGA cards and CPU support lists on ASRock website

as well. ASRock website

If you require technical support related to this motherboard, please visit

our website for specific information about the model you are using.

www.asrock.com/support/index.asp

1.11.1

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1.1

1.11.1

ASRock 880GXHU3/128M Motherboard

(ATX Form Factor: 12.0-in x 8.8-in, 30.5 cm x 22.4 cm)

ASRock 880GXHU3/128M Quick Installation Guide ASRock 880GXHU3/128M Support CD

2 x Serial ATA (SATA) Data Cables (Optional)

1 x I/O Panel Shield

age Contentsage Contents

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age Contentsage Contents

http://www.asrock.com

1.21.2

SpecificationsSpecifications

1.2

Specifications

1.21.2

SpecificationsSpecifications

Platform - ATX Form Factor: 12.0-in x 8.8-in, 30.5 cm x 22.4 cm

- All Solid Capacitor design

CPU - Support for Socket AM3 processors: AMD Phenom

X4 / X3 / X2 (except 920 / 940) / Athlon II X4 / X3 / X2 /

Sempron processors

- Six-Core CPU Ready

- Supports CPU up to 140W

- Supports AMD OverDriveTM with ACC feature (Advanced

Clock Calibration)

- V4 + 1 Power Phase Design

- Supports AMD’s Cool ‘n’ QuietTM Technology

- FSB 2600 MHz (5.2 GT/s)

- Supports Untied Overclocking Technology (see CAUTION 1)

- Supports Hyper-Transport 3.0 (HT 3.0) Technology

Chipset - Northbridge: AMD 880G

- Southbridge: AMD SB710

Memory - Dual Channel DDR3 Memory Technology (see CAUTION 2)

- 4 x DDR3 DIMM slots

- Support DDR3 1800(OC)/1600(OC)/1333/1066/800 non-ECC, un-buffered memory (see CAUTION 3)

- Max. capacity of system memory: 16GB (see CAUTION 4)

Expansion Slot - 1 x PCI Express 2.0 x16 slot (blue @ x16 mode)

- 2 x PCI Express 2.0 x1 slots

- 3 x PCI slots

- Supports ATITM Hybrid CrossFireX

Graphics - Integrated AMD Radeon HD 4250 graphics

- DX10.1 class iGPU, Shader Model 4.1

- Max. shared memory 512MB (see CAUTION 5)

- Integrated 128MB side port memory for iGPU

- Three VGA Output options: D-Sub, DVI-D and HDMI

- Supports HDMI Technology with max. resolution up to

1920x1200 (1080P)

- Supports Dual-link DVI with max. resolution up to 2560x1600

@ 75Hz

- Supports D-Sub with max. resolution up to 2048x1536

@ 85Hz

- Supports HDCP function with DVI and HDMI ports

- Supports Full HD 1080p Blu-ray (BD) / HD-DVD playback

with DVI and HDMI ports

II X6 /

Audio - 7.1 CH HD Audio with Content Protection

(Realtek ALC892 Audio Codec)

- Premium Blu-ray audio support

LAN - PCIE x1 Gigabit LAN 10/100/1000 Mb/s

- Realtek RTL8111DL

- Supports Wake-On-LAN

Rear Panel I/O I/O Panel

- 1 x PS/2 Keyboard Port

- 1 x VGA/D-Sub Port

- 1 x VGA/DVI-D Port

- 1 x HDMI Port

- 1 x Optical SPDIF Out Port

- 5 x Ready-to-Use USB 2.0 Ports

- 1 x eSATAII Connector

- 1 x Ready-to-Use USB 3.0 Port

- 1 x RJ-45 LAN Port with LED (ACT/LINK LED and SPEED LED)

- HD Audio Jack: Rear Speaker/Central/Bass/Line in/ Front Speaker/Microphone (see CAUTION 6)

USB 3.0 - 1 x USB 3.0 port by Fresco FL1000G, supports USB 3.0 up to

5Gb/s

Connector - 5 x Serial ATAII 3.0Gb/s connectors, support RAID (RAID 0,

RAID 1, RAID 10 and JBOD), NCQ, AHCI and “Hot Plug” functions (see CAUTION 7)

- 1 x ATA133 IDE connector (supports 2 x IDE devices)

- 1 x Floppy connector

- 1 x IR header

- 1 x COM port header

- 1 x HDMI_SPDIF header

- 1 x Power LED header

- CPU/Chassis/NB/Power FAN connector

- 24 pin ATX power connector

- 8 pin 12V power connector

- CD in header

- Front panel audio connector

- 3 x USB 2.0 headers (support 6 USB 2.0 ports)

BIOS Feature - 8Mb AMI BIOS

- AMI Legal BIOS

- Supports “Plug and Play”

- ACPI 1.1 Compliance Wake Up Events

- Supports jumperfree

- SMBIOS 2.3.1 Support

- CPU, VCCM, NB, SB Voltage Multi-adjustment

Support CD - Drivers, Utilities, AntiVirus Software (Trial Version), AMD

OverDriveTM Utility, AMD Live! Explorer, AMD Fusion, ASRock

Software Suite (CyberLink DVD Suite - OEM and Trial;

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi MB - Trial)

Unique Feature - ASRock OC Tuner (see CAUTION 8)

- Intelligent Energy Saver (see CAUTION 9)

- Instant Boot

- ASRock Instant Flash (see CAUTION 10)

- ASRock OC DNA (see CAUTION 11)

- Hybrid Booster:

- CPU Frequency Stepless Control (see CAUTION 12)

- ASRock U-COP (see CAUTION 13)

- Boot Failure Guard (B.F.G.)

- Turbo 40 / Turbo 50 GPU Overclocking

Hardware - CPU Temperature Sensing Monitor - Chassis Temperature Sensing

- CPU/Chassis/NB/Power Fan Tachometer

- CPU Quiet Fan

- CPU/Chassis Fan Multi-Speed Control

- Voltage Monitoring: +12V, +5V, +3.3V, Vcore

OS - Microsoft

Windows® 7 / 7 64-bit / Vista

/ VistaTM 64-bit

/ XP / XP Media Center / XP 64-bit compliant

Certifications - FCC, CE, WHQL

- ErP/EuP Ready (ErP/EuP ready power supply is required) (see CAUTION 14)

* For detailed product information, please visit our website: http://www.asrock.com

WARNING

Please realize that there is a certain risk involved with overclocking, including adjusting

the setting in the BIOS, applying Untied Overclocking Technology, or using the third-

party overclocking tools. Overclocking may affect your system stability, or even

cause damage to the components and devices of your system. It should be done at

your own risk and expense. We are not responsible for possible damage caused by

overclocking.

CAUTION!

1. This motherboard supports Untied Overclocking Technology. Please read “Un-

tied Overclocking Technology” on page 37 for details.

2. This motherboard supports Dual Channel Memory Technology. Before you

implement Dual Channel Memory Technology, make sure to read the

installation guide of memory modules on page 15 for proper installation.

3. Whether 1800/1600MHz memory speed is supported depends on the AM3

CPU you adopt. If you want to adopt DDR3 1800/1600 memory module

on this motherboard, please refer to the memory support list on our

website for the compatible memory modules.

ASRock website

4. Due to the operating system limitation, the actual memory size may be

less than 4GB for the reservation for system usage under Windows® 7 /

/ XP. For Windows® OS with 64-bit CPU, there is no such limitation.

Vista

5. The maximum shared memory size is defined by the chipset vendor and

is subject to change. Please check AMD website for the latest information.

6. For microphone input, this motherboard supports both stereo and mono modes.

For audio output, this motherboard supports 2-channel, 4-channel, 6-channel,

and 8-channel modes. Please check the table on page 12 for proper connection.

7. Before installing SATAII hard disk to SATAII connector, please read the “SATAII

Hard Disk Setup Guide” on page 29 to adjust your SATAII hard disk drive to

SATAII mode. You can also connect SATA hard disk to SATAII connector

directly.

8. It is a user-friendly ASRock overclocking tool which allows you to surveil

your system by hardware monitor function and overclock your hardware

devices to get the best system performance under Windows

environment. Please visit our website for the operation procedures of

ASRock OC Tuner. ASRock website:

9. Featuring an advanced proprietary hardware and software design,

Intelligent Energy Saver is a revolutionary technology that delivers

unparalleled power savings. The voltage regulator can reduce the

number of output phases to improve efficiency when the CPU cores are

idle. In other words, it is able to provide exceptional power saving and

improve power efficiency without sacrificing computing performance. To

use Intelligent Energy Saver function, please enable Cool ‘n’ Quiet option

in the BIOS setup in advance. Please visit our website for the operation

procedures of Intelligent Energy Saver.

ASRock website: http://www.asrock.com

http://www.asrock.com

10. ASRock Instant Flash is a BIOS flash utility embedded in Flash ROM.

This convenient BIOS update tool allows you to update system BIOS

without entering operating systems first like MS-DOS or Windows®. With

this utility, you can press <F6> key during the POST or press <F2> key to

BIOS setup menu to access ASRock Instant Flash. Just launch this tool

and save the new BIOS file to your USB flash drive, floppy disk or hard

drive, then you can update your BIOS only in a few clicks without prepar-

ing an additional floppy diskette or other complicated flash utility. Please

be noted that the USB flash drive or hard drive must use FAT32/16/12 file

system.

11. The software name itself – OC DNA literally tells you what it is capable of.

OC DNA, an exclusive utility developed by ASRock, provides a conve-

nient way for the user to record the OC settings and share with others. It

helps you to save your overclocking record under the operating system

and simplifies the complicated recording process of overclocking settings.

With OC DNA, you can save your OC settings as a profile and share with

your friends! Your friends then can load the OC profile to their own system

to get the same OC settings as yours! Please be noticed that the OC

profile can only be shared and worked on the same motherboard.

12. Although this motherboard offers stepless control, it is not recommended

to perform over-clocking. Frequencies other than the recommended CPU

bus frequencies may cause the instability of the system or damage the

CPU.

13. While CPU overheat is detected, the system will automatically shutdown.

Before you resume the system, please check if the CPU fan on the

motherboard functions properly and unplug the power cord, then plug it

back again. To improve heat dissipation, remember to spray thermal

grease between the CPU and the heatsink when you install the PC system.

14. EuP, stands for Energy Using Product, was a provision regulated by

European Union to define the power consumption for the completed system.

According to EuP, the total AC power of the completed system shall be

under 1.00W in off mode condition. To meet EuP standard, an EuP ready

motherboard and an EuP ready power supply are required. According to

Intel’s suggestion, the EuP ready power supply must meet the standard of

5v standby power efficiency is higher than 50% under 100 mA current

consumption. For EuP ready power supply selection, we recommend you

checking with the power supply manufacturer for more details.

1010

1.3 Motherboard Layout1.3 Motherboard Layout

1.3 Motherboard Layout

1.3 Motherboard Layout1.3 Motherboard Layout

Keyboard

PS2

VGA1

HDMI1

eSATAII_1

USB3.0: USB1

Bottom:

Optical

SPDIF

Bottom:

MIC IN

38 37

USB2.0 T:U SB 2 B:USB3

USB2.0 T:U SB 4 B:USB5

USB2.0: USB0

DVI_CON1

RJ-45LAN

CTR BASS

Center:

REAR SPK

LINE IN

Center:

FRONT

PS2_USB_PW1

USB_PW2

Top:

LAN PHY

Designed inTaipei

ATX12V1

CPU_FAN1

PWR_FAN1

PCIE1

PCI Express2.0

PCIE3

Super

I/O

HDMI_SPDIF1

HD_AUDIO1

Hybrid CrossFire

CD1

FLOPPY1

COM1

AUDIO CODEC

33 32

22.4cm (8.8-in)

Six-Core CPUReady

AMD

880G

Chipset

880GXHU3/128M

PCIE2

CMOS

BATTERY

ErP/EuPReady

USB 3.0

PCI1

PCI2

PCI3

CLRCMOS1

USB10_11

SOCKET AM3

IR1

8Mb BIOS

USB8_9

DX10.1

AM3

40W CPU 1

DDR3_A1(64 bit, 240-pinmodule)

HT3.0

Phenom II FSB2.6GHz D DR31800

Dual Channel

NB_FAN1

IDE1

AMD

SB710

Chipset

USB_PW1

SATAII_5(PORT4) SATAII_3(PORT 2) SATAII_1(PORT 0)

USB6_7

25262728

FSB800

DDR3_B1(64 bit, 240-pinmodule)

RoHS

PANEL1

PLEDPWRBTN

HDLED RESET

PLED1

FSB800

DDR3_B2(64 bit, 240-pinmodule)

DDR3_A2(64 bit, 240-pinmodule)

SPEAKER1

SATAII_4(PORT3) SATAII_2(PORT 1)

21222324

30.5cm (12.0-in)

CHA_FAN2

CHA_FAN1

17 18

SATA36Gb/s

1 PS2_USB_PW1 Jumper 21 SA T AII Conne ctor (SA TAII_3 (PORT 2), Blue) 2 CPU Fan Connector (CPU_FAN1) 22 Power LED Header (PLED1) 3 ATX 12V Power Connector (ATX12V1) 23 SAT AII Connector (SA T AII_5 (PORT 4), Blue) 4 AM3 CPU Socket 24 USB_PW1 Jumper 5 CPU Heatsink Retention Module 25 USB 2.0 Header (USB6_7, Blue) 6 2 x 240-pin DDR3 DIMM Slots 26 USB 2.0 Header (USB8_9, Blue)

(Dual Channel A: DDR3_A1, DDR3_B1; Blue) 27 USB 2.0 Header (USB10_11, Blue)

7 2 x 240-pin DDR3 DIMM Slots 28 Infrared Module Header (IR1)

(Dual Channel B: DDR3_A2, DDR3_B2; White) 29 Floppy Connector (FLOPPY1) 8 ATX Power Connector (A TXPW R1) 30 Serial Port Connector (COM1) 9 Northbridge Fan Connector (NB_FAN1) 31 Front Panel Audio Header 10 Primary IDE Connector (IDE1, Blue) (HD_AUDIO1, White) 11 Clear CMOS Jumper (CLRCMOS1) 32 Internal Audio Connector: CD1 (Black) 12 SPI Flash Memory (8Mb) 33 HDMI_SPDIF Header 13 Southbridge Controller (HDMI_SPDIF1, White) 14 System Panel Header (P ANEL1, White) 34 PCI Slots (PCI1-3) 15 Chassis Fan Connector (CHA_FAN2) 35 PCI Express 2.0 x1 Slot (PCIE3; White) 16 Chassis Fan Connector (CHA_FAN1) 36 PCI Express 2.0 x16 Slot (PCIE2; Blue) 17 Chassis Speaker Header (SPEAKER 1, White) 37 PCI Express 2.0 x1 Slot (PCIE1; White) 18 SATAII Connector (SATAII_2 (PORT 1), Blue) 38 Northbridge Controller 19 SATAII Connector (SATAII_1 (PORT 0), Blue) 39 Power Fan Connector (PWR_FAN1) 20 SATAII Connector (SATAII_4 (PORT 3), Blue) 40 USB_PW2 Jumper

1111

1.41.4

I/O PanelI/O Panel

1.4

I/O Panel

1.41.4

I/O PanelI/O Panel

ACT/LINK LED

SPEED LED

1 USB 2.0 Ports (USB23) ** 9 Front Speaker (Lime) 2 VGA/D-Sub Port 10 Microphone (Pink) 3 USB 2.0 Ports (USB45) 11 USB 2.0 Port (USB0)

* 4 LAN RJ-45 Port 12 USB 3.0 Port (USB1)

5 Central / Bass (Orange) 13 eSATAII Port (eSA T AII_1) 6 Rear Speaker (Black) 14 V GA/HDMI Port 7 Optical SPDIF Out Port 15 VGA/DVI-D Port 8 Line In (Light Blue) 16 PS/2 Keyboard Port (Purple)

* There are two LED next to the LAN port. Please refer to the table below for the LAN port LED indications.

Activity/Link LED SPEED LED

Status Description Status Description

LAN Port LED Indications

Off No Link Off 10Mbps connection Blinking Data Activity Orange 100Mbps connection On Link Green 1Gbps connection

LAN Port

** If you use 2-channel speaker, please connect the speaker’s plug into “Front Speaker Jack”.

See the table below for connection details in accordance with the type of speaker you use.

TABLE for Audio Output Connection

Audio Output Channels Front Speaker Rear Speaker Central / Bass Line In

(No. 9) (No. 6) (No. 5) (No. 8) 2 V -- -- -4VV---6VVV-8VVVV

To enable Multi-Streaming function, you need to connect a front panel audio cable to the front

panel audio header. After restarting your computer, you will find “Mixer” tool on your system. Please select “Mixer ToolBox” , click “Enable playback multi-streaming”, and click

“ok”. Choose “2CH”, “4CH”, “6CH”, or “8CH” and then you are allowed to select “Realtek HDA Primary output” to use Rear Speaker, Central/Bass, and Front Speaker, or select “Realtek HDA Audio 2nd output” to use front panel audio.

1212

2.2.

InstallationInstallation

Installation

2.2.

InstallationInstallation

This is an ATX Form Factor (12.0-in x 8.8-in, 30.5 cm x 22.4 cm) motherboard.

Before you install the motherboard, study the configuration of your chassis to en-

sure that the motherboard fits into it.

Pre-installation PrecautionsPre-installation Precautions

Pre-installation Precautions

Pre-installation PrecautionsPre-installation Precautions

Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard

components or change any motherboard settings.

Before you install or remove any component, ensure that the

power is switched off or the power cord is detached from the

power supply. Failure to do so may cause severe damage to the

motherboard, peripherals, and/or components.

1. Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any

component.

2. To avoid damaging the motherboard components due to static

electricity, NEVER place your motherboard directly on the carpet or

the like. Also remember to use a grounded wrist strap or touch a

safety grounded object before you handle components.

3. Hold components by the edges and do not touch the ICs.

4. Whenever you uninstall any component, place it on a grounded anti-

static pad or in the bag that comes with the component.

5. When placing screws into the screw holes to secure the motherboard

to the chassis, please do not over-tighten the screws! Doing so may

damage the motherboard.

1313

2.12.1

CPU InstallationCPU Installation

2.1

CPU Installation

2.12.1

CPU InstallationCPU Installation

Step 1. Unlock the socket by lifting the lever up to a 90

angle.

Step 2. Position the CPU directly above the socket such that the CPU corner with

the golden triangle matches the socket corner with a small triangle.

Step 3. Carefully insert the CPU into the socket until it fits in place.

The CPU fits only in one correct orientation. DO NOT force the CPU

into the socket to avoid bending of the pins.

Step 4. When the CPU is in place, press it firmly on the socket while you push

down the socket lever to secure the CPU. The lever clicks on the side tab

to indicate that it is locked.

Lever 90° Up

CPU Golden Triangle

Socker Corner Small Triangle

STEP 1: Lift Up The Socket Lever

2.22.2

Installation of CPU Fan and HeatsinkInstallation of CPU Fan and Heatsink

2.2

Installation of CPU Fan and Heatsink

2.22.2

Installation of CPU Fan and HeatsinkInstallation of CPU Fan and Heatsink

STEP 2 / STEP 3: Match The CPU Golden Triangle To The Socket Corner Small Triangle

STEP 4: Push Down And Lock The Socket Lever

After you install the CPU into this motherboard, it is necessary to install a

larger heatsink and cooling fan to dissipate heat. You also need to spray

thermal grease between the CPU and the heatsink to improve heat

dissipation. Make sure that the CPU and the heatsink are securely fas-

tened and in good contact with each other. Then connect the CPU fan to

the CPU FAN connector (CPU_FAN1, see Page 11, No. 2). For proper

installation, please kindly refer to the instruction manuals of the CPU fan

and the heatsink.

1414

2.3 Installation of Memory Modules (DIMM)2.3 Installation of Memory Modules (DIMM)

2.3 Installation of Memory Modules (DIMM)

2.3 Installation of Memory Modules (DIMM)2.3 Installation of Memory Modules (DIMM)

This motherboard provides four 240-pin DDR3 (Double Data Rate 3) DIMM slots,

and supports Dual Channel Memory Technology. For dual channel configuration, you always need to install identical (the same brand, speed, size and chip-type)

DDR3 DIMM pair in the slots of the same color. In other words, you have to install identical DDR3 DIMM pair in Dual Channel A (DDR3_A1 and DDR3_B1; Blue slots; see p.11 No.6) or identical DDR3 DIMM pair in Dual Channel B (DDR3_A2

and DDR3_B2; White slots; see p.11 No.7), so that Dual Channel Memory Tech-

nology can be activated. This motherboard also allows you to install four DDR3 DIMMs for dual channel configuration, and please install identical DDR3 DIMMs

in all four slots. You may refer to the Dual Channel Memory Configuration Table

below.

Dual Channel Memory Configurations

DDR3_A1 DDR3_B1 DDR3_A2 DDR3_B2

(Blue Slot) (Blue Slot) (White Slot) (White Slot)

(1) Populated Populated - -

(2) - - Populated Populated

(3)* Populated Populated Populated Populated

* For the configuration (3), please install identical DDR3 DIMMs in all four slots.

1. If you want to install two memory modules, for optimal compatibility

and reliability, it is recommended to install them in the slots of the

same color. In other words, install them either in the set of blue

slots (DDR3_A1 and DDR3_B1), or in the set of white slots

(DDR3_A2 and DDR3_B2).

2. If only one memory module or three memory modules are installed

in the DDR3 DIMM slots on this motherboard, it is unable to acti-

vate the Dual Channel Memory Technology.

3. If a pair of memory modules is NOT installed in the same Dual

Channel, for example, installing a pair of memory modules in

DDR3_A1 and DDR3_A2, it is unable to activate the Dual Channel

Memory Technology .

4. It is not allowed to install a DDR or DDR2 memory module into

DDR3 slot; otherwise, this motherboard and DIMM may be

damaged.

5. If you adopt DDR3 1800/1600 memory modules on this motherboard,

it is recommended to install them on DDR3_A2 and DDR3_B2 slots.

1515

Installing a DIMMInstalling a DIMM

Installing a DIMM

Installing a DIMMInstalling a DIMM

Please make sure to disconnect power supply before adding or

removing DIMMs or the system components.

Step 1. Unlock a DIMM slot by pressing the retaining clips outward.

Step 2. Align a DIMM on the slot such that the notch on the DIMM matches the break

on the slot.

notch break

notch

break

The DIMM only fits in one correct orientation. It will cause permanent

damage to the motherboard and the DIMM if you force the DIMM into the slot

at incorrect orientation.

Step 3. Firmly insert the DIMM into the slot until the retaining clips at both ends fully

snap back in place and the DIMM is properly seated.

1616

2.4 Expansion Slots (PCI and PCI Express Slots)2.4 Expansion Slots (PCI and PCI Express Slots)

2.4 Expansion Slots (PCI and PCI Express Slots)

2.4 Expansion Slots (PCI and PCI Express Slots)2.4 Expansion Slots (PCI and PCI Express Slots)

There are 3 PCI slots and 3 PCI Express slots on this motherboard. PCI Slots: PCI slots are used to install expansion cards that have the 32-bit PCI

interface.

PCIE Slots:

PCIE1 / PCIE3 (PCIE x1 slot; White) is used for PCI Express cards with

x1 lane width cards, such as Gigabit LAN card and SATA2 card.

PCIE2 (PCIE x16 slot; Blue) is used for PCI Express x16 lane width

graphics cards.

Installing an expansion cardInstalling an expansion card

Installing an expansion card

Installing an expansion cardInstalling an expansion card

Step 1. Before installing the expansion card, please make sure that the power

supply is switched off or the power cord is unplugged. Please read the

documentation of the expansion card and make necessary hardware

settings for the card before you start the installation.

Step 2. Remove the system unit cover (if your motherboard is already installed in a

chassis).

Step 3. Remove the bracket facing the slot that you intend to use. Keep the screws

for later use.

Step 4. Align the card connector with the slot and press firmly until the card is

completely seated on the slot.

Step 5. Fasten the card to the chassis with screws.

Step 6. Replace the system cover.

1717

2.5 Dual Monitor and Surround Display Features2.5 Dual Monitor and Surround Display Features

2.5 Dual Monitor and Surround Display Features

2.5 Dual Monitor and Surround Display Features2.5 Dual Monitor and Surround Display Features

Dual Monitor Feature

This motherboard supports dual monitor feature. With the internal VGA output

support (DVI-D, D-Sub and HDMI), you can easily enjoy the benefits of dual monitor

feature without installing any add-on VGA card to this motherboard. This

motherboard also provides independent display controllers for DVI-D, D-Sub and

HDMI to support dual VGA output so that DVI-D, D-sub and HDMI can drive same or

different display contents.

To enable dual monitor feature, please follow the below steps:

1. Connect DVI-D monitor cable to VGA/DVI-D port on the I/O panel, connect D-Sub

monitor cable to VGA/D-Sub port on the I/O panel, or connect HDMI monitor

cable to HDMI port on the I/O panel.

VGA/D-Sub port

VGA/DVI-D port

2. If you have installed onboard VGA driver from our support CD to your system

already, you can freely enjoy the benefits of dual monitor function after your

system boots. If you haven’t installed onboard VGA driver yet, please install

onboard VGA driver from our support CD to your system and restart your

computer. Then you can start to use dual monitor function on this motherboard.

1. DVI-D and HDMI ports cannot function at the same time. When one of

them is enabled, the other one will be disabled.

2. When you playback HDCP-protected video from Blu-ray (BD) or

HD-DVD disc, the content will be displayed only in one of the two

monitors instead of both monitors.

HDMI port

1818

Surround Display Feature

This motherboard supports surround display upgrade. With the internal VGA

output support (DVI-D, D-Sub and HDMI) and external add-on PCI Express VGA

cards, you can easily enjoy the benefits of surround display feature.

Please refer to the following steps to set up a surround display environment:

1. Install the ATITM PCI Express VGA card on PCIE2 slot. Please refer to page 17 for

proper expansion card installation procedures for details.

2. Connect DVI-D monitor cable to VGA/DVI-D port on the I/O panel, connect D-Sub

monitor cable to VGA/D-Sub port on the I/O panel, or connect HDMI monitor

cable to HDMI port on the I/O panel. Then connect other monitor cables to the

corresponding connectors of the add-on PCI Express VGA card on PCIE2 slot.

3. Boot your system. Press <F2> to enter BIOS setup. Enter “Share Memory”

option to adjust the memory capability to [32MB], [64MB], [128MB] [256MB] or

[512MB] to enable the function of VGA/D-sub. Please make sure that the value

you select is less than the total capability of the system memory. If you do not

adjust the BIOS setup, the default value of “Share Memory”, [Auto], will disable

VGA/D-Sub function when the add-on VGA card is inserted to this

motherboard.

4. Install the onboard VGA driver and the add-on PCI Express VGA card driver to

your system. If you have installed the drivers already, there is no need to install

them again.

5. Set up a multi-monitor display.

For Windows® XP / XP 64-bit OS:

Right click the desktop, choose “Properties”, and select the “Settings” tab

so that you can adjust the parameters of the multi-monitor according to the

steps below.

A. Click the “Identify” button to display a large number on each monitor.

B. Right-click the display icon in the Display Properties dialog that you wish

to be your primary monitor, and then select “Primary”. When you use

multiple monitors with your card, one monitor will always be Primary,

and all additional monitors will be designated as Secondary.

C. Select the display icon identified by the number 2.

D. Click “Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor”.

E. Right-click the display icon and select “Attached”, if necessary.

F. Set the “Screen Resolution” and “Color Quality” as appropriate for the

second monitor. Click “Apply” or “OK” to apply these new values.

G. Repeat steps C through E for the diaplay icon identified by the number

one, two, three and four.

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+ 42 hidden pages

ASRock 880GXHU3-128M User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual