ASRock A790GX 128M User Manual

A790GX/128M

User Manual

Version 1.0

Published January 2009

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 Minimum Hardware Requirement for 1080p Blu-ray (BD) /

HD-DVD Playback Support ......................................................... 10

1.4 1080p Blu-ray (BD) / HD-DVD Films Which Pass Our Lab Test . 11

1.5 Motherboard Layout ................................................................... 12

1.6 I/O Panel .................................................................................... 13

2.2.

InstallationInstallation

Installation

2.2.

InstallationInstallation

Pre-installation Precautions ................................................................ 15

2.1 CPU Installation ......................................................................... 16

2.2 Installation of CPU Fan and Heatsink ......................................... 16

2.3 Installation of Memory Modules (DIMM) .................................... 17

2.4 Expansion Slots (PCI and PCI Express Slots) ........................... 19

2.5 Multi Monitor and Surround Display Features ............................ 20

2.6 ATITM CrossFireXTM Operation Guide .......................................... 23

2.7 ATITM Hybrid CrossFireXTM Operation Guide ............................... 27

2.8 Jumpers Setup .......................................................................... 29

2.9 Onboard Headers and Connectors ............................................. 30

2.10 HDMI_SPDIF Header Connection Guide .................................... 35

2.11 SATAII Hard Disk Setup Guide ................................................... 36

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

Installation ................................................................................. 37

2.13 Hot Plug and Hot Swap Functions for SATA / SATAII HDDs ....... 37

2.14 SATA / SATAII HDD Hot Plug Feature and Operation Guide ....... 38

2.15 Driver Installation Guide ............................................................. 40

2.16 Installing Windows® XP / XP 64-bit / VistaTM / Vista

With RAID Functions ................................................................. 40

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

2.16.2 Installing Windows® VistaTM / Vista

2.17 Installing Windows® XP / XP 64-bit / VistaTM / Vista

Without RAID Functions ............................................................ 42

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

2.17.2 Installing Windows® VistaTM / Vista

2.18 Untied Overclocking Technology ................................................ 43

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

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

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

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

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

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

64-bit

Functions ................................................................ 40

Functions ...................................................................... 41

Functions ...................................................................... 42

Functions ...................................................................... 43

64-bit With RAID

64-bit

64-bit Without RAID

5 5

15 15

3.3.

BIOS SBIOS S

BIOS S

3.3.

BIOS SBIOS S

3.1 Introduction ................................................................................ 44

3.2 Main Screen .............................................................................. 45

3.3 Smart Screen ............................................................................ 46

3.4 Advanced Screen ....................................................................... 47

3.5 Hardware Health Event Monitoring Screen ................................. 60

3.6 Boot Screen .............................................................................. 61

3.7 Security Screen ......................................................................... 62

3.8 Exit Screen................................................................................ 63

4.4.

Software SupportSoftware Support

Software Support

4.4.

Software SupportSoftware Support

4.1 Install Operating System ........................................................... 64

4.2 Support CD Information .............................................................. 64

ETUP UTILITYETUP UTILITY

ETUP UTILITY

ETUP UTILITYETUP UTILITY

3.1.1 BIOS Menu Bar ............................................................... 44

3.1.2 Navigation Keys .............................................................. 45

3.4.1 CPU Configuration ........................................................... 47

3.4.2 Chipset Configuration ...................................................... 52

3.4.3 ACPI Configuration .......................................................... 54

3.4.4 IDE Configuration............................................................. 55

3.4.5 PCIPnP Configuration ...................................................... 57

3.4.6 Floppy Configuration ........................................................ 58

3.4.7 Super IO Configuration .................................................... 58

3.4.8 USB Configuration ........................................................... 59

3.6.1 Boot Settings Configuration ............................................. 61

4.2.1 Running Support CD ........................................................ 64

4.2.2 Drivers Menu .... ......... .............. .......... ......... .............. ....... 64

4.2.3 Utilities Menu .................................................................. 64

4.2.4 Contact Information .......................................................... 64

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

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

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

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

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

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

44 44

64 64

1.1.

IntroductionIntroduction

Introduction

1.1.

IntroductionIntroduction

Thank you for purchasing ASRock A790GX/128M motherboard, a reliable motherboard

produced under ASRock’s consistently stringent quality control. It delivers excellent

performance with robust design conforming to ASRock’s commitment 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

ackack

1.1

1.11.1

1 x ASRock A790GX/128M Motherboard

(ATX Form Factor: 12.0-in x 8.4-in, 30.5 cm x 21.3 cm)

1 x ASRock A790GX/128M Quick Installation Guide 2 x ASRock A790GX/128M Support CD

1 x Ultra ATA 66/100/133 IDE Ribbon Cable (80-conductor)

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

1 x Serial ATA (SATA) HDD Power Cable (Optional)

1 x I/O Panel Shield

age Contentsage Contents

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http://www.asrock.com

1.21.2

SpecificationsSpecifications

1.2

Specifications

1.21.2

SpecificationsSpecifications

Platform - ATX Form Factor: 12.0-in x 8.4-in, 30.5 cm x 21.3 cm

- Solid Capacitor for CPU power

CPU - Support for Socket AM2+ / AM2 processors: AMD Phenom

FX / Phenom / Athlon 64 FX / Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core / Athlon

X2 Dual-Core / Athlon 64 / Sempron processor

- AM3 CPU Ready

- Supports CPU up to 140W

- Supports AMD OverDriveTM with ACC feature (Advanced Clock

Calibration)

- AMD LIVE!TM Ready

- 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 790GX

- Southbridge: AMD SB750

Memory - Dual Channel DDR2 Memory Technology (see CAUTION 2)

- 4 x DDR2 DIMM slots

- Support DDR2 1066/800/667/533 non-ECC, un-buffered memory (see CAUTION 3)

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

Expansion Slot - 2 x PCI Express 2.0 x16 slots

(green @ x16 mode, orange @ x4 mode)

- 1 x PCI Express 2.0 x1 slot

- 2 x PCI slots

- Supports ATITM CrossFireXTM and Hybrid CrossFireX

Graphics - Integrated AMD Radeon HD 3300 graphics

- DX10 class iGPU, Pixel Shader 4.0

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

- Integrated 128MB side port memory for iGPU

- Dual VGA Output: support DVI-D and D-Sub ports by

independent display controllers

- Supports HDCP function with DVI-D port

- Supports Full HD 1080p Blu-ray (BD) / HD-DVD playback (see CAUTION 6)

Audio - 7.1 CH Windows

(VIA® VT1708S Audio Codec)

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

- Realtek RTL8111DL

- Supports Wake-On-LAN

VistaTM Premium Level HD Audio

Rear Panel I/O I/O Panel

- 1 x PS/2 Mouse Port

- 1 x PS/2 Keyboard Port

- 1 x VGA/D-Sub Port

- 1 x VGA/DVI-D Port

- 1 x Optical SPDIF Out Port

- 4 x Ready-to-Use USB 2.0 Ports

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

- HD Audio Jack: Side Speaker/Rear Speaker/Central/Bass/ Line in/Front Speaker/Microphone (see CAUTION 7)

Connector - 6 x Serial ATAII 3.0Gb/s connectors, support RAID (RAID 0,

RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10 and JBOD), NCQ, AHCI and “Hot Plug” functions (see CAUTION 8)

- 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

- 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) (see CAUTION 9)

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, DRAM, NB Voltage Multi-adjustment

- Supports Smart BIOS

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

OverDriveTM Utility, AMD Live! Explorer, AMD Fusion

Unique Feature - ASRock OC Tuner (see CAUTION 10)

- Intelligent Energy Saver (see CAUTION 11)

- Instant Boot

- Hybrid Booster:

- CPU Frequency Stepless Control (see CAUTION 12)

- ASRock U-COP (see CAUTION 13)

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

- ASRock AM2 Boost: ASRock Patented Technology to boost

memory performance up to 12.5% (see CAUTION 14 ) Hardware - CPU Temperature Sensing Monitor - Chassis Temperature Sensing

- CPU/Chassis/NB/Power Fan Tachometer

- CPU Quiet Fan

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

OS - Microsoft

Vista

Certifications - FCC, CE, Microsoft

* 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.

Windows® XP / XP Media Center / XP 64-bit /

/ VistaTM 64-bit compliant

WHQL Certificated

CAUTION!

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

tied Overclocking Technology” on page 43 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 17 for proper

installation.

3. Whether 1066MHz memory speed is supported depends on the AM2+ CPU

you adopt. If you want to adopt DDR2 1066 memory module on this

motherboard, please refer to the memory support list on our website for

the compatible memory modules.

ASRock website http://www.asrock.com

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

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

and Windows

bit with 64-bit CPU, there is no such limitation.

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. 1080p Blu-ray (BD) / HD-DVD playback support on this motherboard re-

quires the proper hardware configuration. Please refer to page 10 and 11

for the minimum hardware requirement and the passed 1080p Blu-ray

(BD) / HD-DVD films in our lab test.

VistaTM. For Windows® XP 64-bit and Windows® VistaTM 64-

7. 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 13 for

proper connection.

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

Hard Disk Setup Guide” on page 36 to adjust your SATAII hard disk drive to

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

directly.

9. Power Management for USB 2.0 works fine under Microsoft® Windows

VistaTM 64-bit / VistaTM / XP 64-bit / XP SP1 or SP2.

10. 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:

11. 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

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

mended to perform over-clocking. Frequencies other than the recom-

mended 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. This motherboard supports ASRock AM2 Boost overclocking technology. If

you enable this function in the BIOS setup, the memory performance will

improve up to 12.5%, but the effect still depends on the AM2 CPU you

adopt. Enabling this function will overclock the chipset/CPU reference clock.

However, we can not guarantee the system stability for all CPU/DRAM

configurations. If your system is unstable after AM2 Boost function is enabled,

it may not be applicative to your system. You may choose to disable this

function for keeping the stability of your system.

http://www.asrock.com

1.31.3

Minimum Hardware Requirement for 1080p Blu-rayMinimum Hardware Requirement for 1080p Blu-ray

1.3

Minimum Hardware Requirement for 1080p Blu-ray

1.31.3

Minimum Hardware Requirement for 1080p Blu-rayMinimum Hardware Requirement for 1080p Blu-ray

(BD) / HD(BD) / HD

(BD) / HD

(BD) / HD(BD) / HD

1080p Blu-ray (BD) / HD-DVD playback support on this motherboard

requires the proper hardware configuration. Please refer to below table

for the minimum hardware requirement.

CPU AMD Sempron Dual Core 2100

VGA Onboard VGA with DVI-D port

Memory Dual Channel DDR2 533, 1GB x 2

Suggested OS Windows

* If you need to use CyberLink PowerDVD Ultra version 7.3, we suggest to disable

Hardware Acceleration function for better playback performance and compatibility.

After executing CyberLink PowerDVD Ultra program, please follow below steps to

disable Hardware Acceleration function.

A. Right-click the main page of CyberLink PowerDVD Ultra program.

B. Click “Configuration”.

C. Select “Video”.

D. Click “Enable hardware acceleration (ATI Avivo)” to remove the “V” mark in

this item.

E. Click “OK” to save the change.

* Currently, 1080p Blu-ray (BD) / HD-DVD playback is only supported under Windows

VistaTM / VistaTM 64-bit OS. If you install Windows® XP / XP 64-bit OS, the function of

1080p Blu-ray (BD) / HD-DVD playback is not available, please visit our website for

AMD 790GX VGA driver update in the future.

ASRock website

-D-D

VD Playback SupporVD Playback Suppor

-D

VD Playback Suppor

-D-D

VD Playback SupporVD Playback Suppor

VistaTM or Windows® VistaTM 64

http://www.asrock.com

1010

1.41.4

1.4

1.41.4

assed 1080p Blu-ray (BD) / HDassed 1080p Blu-ray (BD) / HD

assed 1080p Blu-ray (BD) / HD

assed 1080p Blu-ray (BD) / HDassed 1080p Blu-ray (BD) / HD

estest

est

estest

DVD Film Name Format Producer

Type

Blu-ray SWORDFISH VC-1 WB

DVD UNDERWORLD EVOLUTION MPEG-2 SONY

THE LAST STAND MPEG-4-AVC FOX

CASINO ROYALE MPEG-4-AVC SONY

THE LEAGUE OF MPEG-4-AVC FOX

EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN

HD- KING KONG VC-1 UNIVERSAL

DVD NEW ORLEANS CONCERT MPEG-2 WEA

THE INTERPRETER MPEG-4-AVC UNIVERSAL

* MPEG-4-AVC mentioned above refers to the same format of H.264.

* Above passed films are tested under below configuration.

Items Configurations

CPU AMD Sempron Dual Core 2100

VGA Onboard VGA with DVI-D port

Memory Dual Channel DDR2 533, 1GB x 2

OS Windows® VistaTM or Windows® VistaTM 64

Playback Software CyberLink PowerDVD Ultra (Version 7.3 or above)

DVD Player Pioneer BDR-101A / LG GBW-H10N (BD)

HP HD100 (HD-DVD)

-D-D

-D

-D-D

VD FVD F

VD F

VD FVD F

ilms in Our Lilms in Our L

ilms in Our L

ilms in Our Lilms in Our L

abab

1111

1.5 Motherboard Layout1.5 Motherboard Layout

1.5 Motherboard Layout

1.5 Motherboard Layout1.5 Motherboard Layout

ATX12V1

PCI Express2.0

Sideport memory128MB

Keyboard

Mouse

PS2

PS2_USB_PW1

DVI_CON1

VGA1

SPDIF_O1

USB2.0 T:USB2 B:USB3

USB2.0

Top:

T: US B0

RJ-45

B:USB1

Top:

SIDE SPK

Bottom:

CTR BASS

Center:

REAR SPK

Bottom:

MIC IN

Top:

LINE IN

Center:

FRONT

RoHS

PWR_FAN1

LAN PHY

Super

I/O

HDMI_SPDIF1

AUDIO CODEC

CD1

HD_AUDIO1

A790GX/128M

PCIE3

FLOPPY1

COM1

PCI1

CrossFireX

PCI2

21.3cm (8.4-in)

AMD

790GX

Chipset

PCIE1

PCIE2

CMOS

BATTERY

HT3.0

CLRCMOS1

IR1

SOCKET AM2

AM2+

Hybrid CrossFire

8Mb BIOS

USB10_11

CPU_FAN1

140W CPU

FSB2.6GHz

DDR2 1066

Dual Channel

NB_FAN1

AMD

SB750

Chipset

USB8_9

USB6_7

232425

FSB800

DDRII_2(64 bit, 240-pinmodule)

DDRII_1(64 bit, 240-pinmodule)

CHA_FAN1

SPEAKER1

SATAII_1

SATAII_2

FSB800

DDRII_3(64 bit, 240-pinmodule)

SATAII_5

DDRII_4(64 bit, 240-pinmodule)

RAID

PLEDPWRBTN

HDLED RESET

IDE1

30.5cm (12.0-in)

10 11

13 14

SATAII_6

16 17

SATAII_3

SATAII_4

PANEL1

1 PS2_USB_PW1 Jumper 21 Chassis Speaker Header 2 ATX 12V Power Connector (ATX12V1) (SPEAKER 1, Purple) 3 CPU Heatsink Retention Module 22 Chassis Fan Connector (CHA_FAN1) 4 AM2 940-Pin CPU Socket 23 USB 2.0 Header (USB8_9, Blue) 5 CPU Fan Connector (CPU_FAN1) 24 USB 2.0 Header (USB6_7, Blue) 6 2 x 240-pin DDR2 DIMM Slots 25 SPI Flash Memory (8Mb)

(Dual Channel A: DDRII_1, DDRII_2; Yellow) 26 USB 2.0 Header (USB10_11, Blue)

7 2 x 240-pin DDR2 DIMM Slots 27 Infrared Module Header (IR1)

(Dual Channel B: DDRII_3, DDRII_4; Orange) 28 Floppy Connector (FLOPPY1) 8 ATX Power Connector (ATXPWR1) 29 Serial Port Connector (COM1) 9 Primary IDE Connector (IDE1, Blue) 30 Front Panel Audio Header 10 North Bridge Fan Connector (NB_FAN1) (HD_AUDIO1, Lime) 11 Clear CMOS Jumper (CLRCMOS1) 31 Internal Audio Connector: CD1 (Black) 12 PCI Express x1 Slot (PCIE3; Green) 32 HDMI_SPDIF Header 13 Southbridge Controller (HDMI_SPDIF1, Yellow) 14 Fifth SATAII Connector (SATAII_5, Red) 33 PCI Slots (PCI1- 2) 15 Sixth SATAII Connector (SATAII_6, Red) 34 PCI Express 2.0 x16 Slot 16 Primary SATAII Connector (SATAII_1, Red) (PCIE2; Orange) 17 Third SATAII Connector (SATAII_3, Red) 35 PCI Express 2.0 x16 Slot (PCIE1; Green) 18 Fourth SATAII Connector (SATAII_4, Red) 36 Northbridge Controller 19 System Panel Header (PANEL1, Orange) 37 Power Fan Connector (PWR_FAN1) 20 Secondary SATAII Connector (SATAII_2, Red)

1212

1.61.6

1.6

1.61.6

I/O PI/O P

I/O P

I/O PI/O P

anelanel

anel

anelanel

1 PS/2 Mouse Port (Green) ** 8 Front Speaker (Lime) 2 VGA/D-Sub Port 9 Microphone (Pink)

* 3 LAN RJ-45 Port 10 USB 2.0 Ports (USB01)

4 Side Speaker (Gray) 11 USB 2.0 Ports (USB23) 5 Rear Speaker (Black) 12 Optical SPDIF Out Port 6 Central / Bass (Orange) 13 VGA/DVI-D Port 7 Line In (Light Blue) 14 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

Off No Activity Off 10Mbps connection

Blinking Data Activity Orange 100Mbps connection

LAN Port LED Indications

Green 1Gbps connection

ACT/LINK LED

SPEED LED

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 Conne ction

Audio Output Channels Front Speaker Rear Speaker Central / Bass Side Speaker

(No. 8) (No. 5) (No. 6) (No. 4)

2 V -- -- --

4VV----

6VVV--

8VVVV

1313

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 “VIA HD Audio Deck” tool on

your system. Please follow below instructions according to the OS you install. For Windows

Please click “VIA HD Audio Deck” icon , and click “Speaker”. Then you are allowed to

select “2 Channel”, “4 Channel”, “6 Channel” or “8 Channel”. Click “Power” to save your

change. For Windows

Please click “VIA HD Audio Deck” icon , and click “Advanced Options” on the left side

on the bottom. In “Advanced Options” screen, select “Independent Headphone”, and click

“OK” to save your change.

If you enable Multi-Streaming function, Side Speaker function will be disabled. You can only

choose to enable either Multi-Streaming function or Side Speaker function.

XP / XP 64-bit OS:

VistaTM / VistaTM 64-bit OS:

1414

2.2.

InstallationInstallation

Installation

2.2.

InstallationInstallation

This is an ATX form factor (12.0-in x 8.4-in, 30.5 cm x 21.3 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.

1515

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 12, No. 5). For proper

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

and the heatsink.

1616

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 DDR2 (Double Data Rate 2) 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)

DDR2 DIMM pair in the slots of the same color. In other words, you have to install identical DDR2 DIMM pair in Dual Channel A (DDRII_1 and DDRII_2; Yellow slots; see p.12 No.6) or identical DDR2 DIMM pair in Dual Channel B (DDRII_3 and

DDRII_4; Orange slots; see p.12 No.7), so that Dual Channel Memory Technology

can be activated. This motherboard also allows you to install four DDR2 DIMMs for dual channel configuration, and please install identical DDR2 DIMMs in all four

slots. You may refer to the Dual Channel Memory Configuration Table below.

Dual Channel Memory Configurations

DDRII_1 D DRII_2 DDRII_3 DDRII_4

(Yellow Slot) (Yellow Slot) (Orange Slot) (Orange Slot)

(1) Populated Populated - -

(2) - - Populated Populated

(3)* Populated Populated Populated Populated

* For the configuration (3), please install identical DDR2 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 yellow

slots (DDRII_1 and DDRII_2), or in the set of orange slots (DDRII_3

and DDRII_4).

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

in the DDR2 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 DDRII_1

and DDRII_3, it is unable to activate the Dual Channel Memory

Technology .

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

otherwise, this motherboard and DIMM may be damaged.

5. If you adopt DDR2 1066 memory modules on this motherboard, it

is recommended to install them on DDRII_3 and DDRII_4 slots.

1717

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.

1818

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 2 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 (PCIE x16 slot; Green) is used for PCI Express x16 lane width

graphics cards, or used to install PCI Express graphics cards to support

CrossFireXTM function.

PCIE2 (PCIE x16 slot; Orange) is used for PCI Express x1 lane width

cards, such as Gigabit LAN card, SATA2 card, etc., or used to install PCI

Express graphics cards to support CrossFireXTM function.

PCIE3 (PCIE x1 slot; Green) is used for PCI Express cards with x1 lane

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

1. If you plan to install only one PCI Express VGA card on this

motherboard, please install it on PCIE1 slot (Green).

2. For the information of the compatible CrossFireXTM Mode PCI

Express VGA cards and CrossFireX

refer to “CrossFireX

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.

Operation Guide” on page 23.

setup procedures, please

1919

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 dual VGA output

support (DVI-D and D-Sub), 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 and D-Sub to support dual VGA

output so that DVI-D and D-sub 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, and connect

D-Sub monitor cable to VGA/D-Sub port on the I/O panel.

VGA/D-Sub port

VGA/D VI-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.

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.

2020

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ASRock A790GX 128M User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual