ASRock N68-GS3 FX Owner's Manual

N68-GS3 FX /

N68-S3 FX

User Manual

Version 1.0

Published September 2011

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 (N68-GS3 FX / N68-S3 FX) ........................ 11

1.4 I/O Panel (N68-GS3 FX) ............................................................. 12

1.5 I/O Panel (N68-S3 FX) ............................................................... 13

2.2.

InstallationInstallation

Installation

2.2.

InstallationInstallation

Pre-installation Precautions ................................................................ 14

2.1 CPU Installation ......................................................................... 15

2.2 Installation of CPU Fan and Heatsink ......................................... 15

2.3 Installation of Memory Modules (DIMM) .................................... 16

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

2.5 Easy Multi Monitor Feature........................................................ 18

2.6 Jumpers Setup .......................................................................... 19

2.7 Onboard Headers and Connectors ............................................. 20

2.8 SATAII Hard Disk Setup Guide ................................................... 24

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

Installation ................................................................................. 25

2.10 Hot Plug and Hot Swap Functions for SATA / SATAII HDDs ....... 25

2.11 SATA / SATAII HDD Hot Plug Feature and Operation Guide ....... 26

2.12 Driver Installation Guide ............................................................. 28

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

XP 64-bit Without RAID Functions ............................................. 28

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

XP 64-bit With RAID Functions .................................................. 28

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

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

2.15 Untied Overclocking Technology ................................................ 30

3.3.

BIOS SBIOS S

BIOS S

3.3.

BIOS SBIOS S

3.1 Introduction ................................................................................ 31

3.2 Main Screen .............................................................................. 32

3.3 OC Tweaker Screen .. ................................................................. 33

3.4 Advanced Screen ....................................................................... 38

ETUP UTILITYETUP UTILITY

ETUP UTILITY

ETUP UTILITYETUP UTILITY

3.1.1 BIOS Menu Bar ............................................................... 31

3.1.2 Navigation Keys .............................................................. 32

3.4.1 CPU Configuration .......................................................... 39

3.4.2 Chipset Configuration ...................................................... 40

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

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

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

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

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

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

64-bit / XP /

Functions ...................................................................... 28

Vista

64-bit With RAID Functions ............................... 29

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

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

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

5 5

14 14

31 31

3.4.3 ACPI Configuration .......................................................... 41

3.4.4 Storage Configuration ...................................................... 42

3.4.5 PCIPnP Configuration ...................................................... 44

3.4.6 Floppy Configuration ........................................................ 45

3.4.7 Super IO Configuration .................................................... 45

3.4.8 USB Configuration ........................................................... 47

3.5 Hardware Health Event Monitoring Screen ................................. 48

3.6 Boot Screen .............................................................................. 49

3.6.1 Boot Settings Configuration ............................................. 49

3.7 Security Screen ......................................................................... 50

3.8 Exit Screen ................................................................................ 51

4.4.

Software SupportSoftware Support

Software Support

4.4.

Software SupportSoftware Support

4.1 Install Operating System ........................................................... 52

4.2 Support CD Information .............................................................. 52

4.2.1 Running Support CD ........................................................ 52

4.2.2 Drivers Menu .... ......... .......... ......... .......... ......... ................ 52

4.2.3 Utilities Menu .................................................................. 52

4.2.4 Contact Information .......................................................... 52

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

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

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

52 52

1.1.

IntroductionIntroduction

Introduction

1.1.

IntroductionIntroduction

Thank you for purchasing ASRock N68-GS3 FX / N68-S3 FX 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 qual-

ity 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

One ASRock N68-GS3 FX / N68-S3 FX Motherboard

(Micro ATX Form Factor: 9.6-in x 7.0-in, 24.4 cm x 17.8 cm)

One ASRock N68-GS3 FX / N68-S3 FX Quick Installation Guide One ASRock N68-GS3 FX / N68-S3 FX Support CD

Two Serial ATA (SATA) Data Cables (Optional)

One I/O Panel Shield

age Contentsage Contents

ack

age Contents

ackack

age Contentsage Contents

http://www.asrock.com

1.21.2

SpecificationsSpecifications

1.2

Specifications

1.21.2

SpecificationsSpecifications

Platform - Micro ATX Form Factor: 9.6-in x 7.0-in, 24.4 cm x 17.8 cm CPU - Support for Socket AM3+ processors (see CAUTION 1)

- Support for AM3 processors: AMD PhenomTM II X6 / X4 / X3 /

X2 (except 920 / 940) / Athlon II X4 / X3 / X2 / Sempron processors (see CAUTION 2)

- Supports 8-Core CPU

- Supports UCC feature (Unlock CPU Core) (see CAUTION 3)

- Supports AMD’s Cool ‘n’ QuietTM Technology

- FSB 1000 MHz (2.0 GT/s)

- Supports Untied Overclocking Technology (see CAUTION 4)

- Supports Hyper-Transport Technology

Chipset - NVIDIA Memory - Dual Channel DDR3 Memory Technology (see CAUTION 5)

Expansion Slot - 1 x PCI Express x16 slot

Graphics - Integrated NVIDIA

Audio - 5.1 CH HD Audio (VIA LAN - N68-GS3 FX

Rear Panel I/O I/O Panel

GeForce 7025 / nForce 630a

- 2 x DDR3 DIMM slots

- Support DDR3 1600/1333/1066/800 non-ECC, un-buffered memory (see CAUTION 6)

- Max. capacity of system memory: 8GB (see CAUTION 7)

- 1 x PCI Express x1 slot

- 2 x PCI slots

- DX9.0 VGA, Pixel Shader 3.0

- Max. shared memory 256MB (see CAUTION 8)

- Supports D-Sub with max. resolution up to 1920x1440

@ 60Hz

Realtek Giga PHY RTL8211CL, speed 10/100/1000 Mb/s

- N68-S3 FX

Realtek PHY RTL8201EL, speed 10/100 Mb/s

- Supports Wake-On-LAN

- Supports PXE

- 1 x PS/2 Mouse Port

- 1 x PS/2 Keyboard Port

- 1 x Serial Port: COM1

- 1 x VGA Port

- 4 x Ready-to-Use USB 2.0 Ports

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

GeForce 7025 graphics

VT1705 Audio Codec)

- HD Audio Jack: Line in / Front Speaker / Microphone

Connector - 4 x SATA2 3.0Gb/s connectors, support RAID (RAID 0, RAID 1,

RAID 0+1, RAID 5, JBOD), NCQ and “Hot Plug” functions (see CAUTION 9)

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

- 1 x Floppy connector

- 1 x Print port header

- CPU/Chassis FAN connector

- 24 pin ATX power connector

- 4 pin 12V power connector

- Front panel audio header

- 2 x USB 2.0 headers (support 4 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 Voltage Multi-adjustment

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

MediaEspresso 6.5 Trial, ASRock Software Suite (CyberLink

DVD Suite - OEM and Trial; Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi MB -

Trial; ASRock MAGIX Multimedia Suite - OEM)

Unique Feature - ASRock OC Tuner (see CAUTION 10)

- ASRock Intelligent Energy Saver (see CAUTION 1 1)

- ASRock Instant Boot

- ASRock Instant Flash (see CAUTION 12)

- ASRock OC DNA (see CAUTION 13)

- ASRock APP Charger (see CAUTION 14)

- ASRock SmartView (see CAUTION 15)

- ASRock XFast USB (see CAUTION 16)

- ASRock XFast LAN (see CAUTION 17)

- Hybrid Booster:

- CPU Frequency Stepless Control (see CAUTION 18)

- ASRock U-COP (see CAUTION 19)

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

Hardware - CPU Temperature Sensing Monitor - Chassis Temperature Sensing

- CPU Fan Tachometer

- Chassis Fan Tachometer

- CPU Quiet Fan

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

OS - Microsoft

Windows® 7 / 7 64-bit / Vista

/ VistaTM 64-bit

/ XP / XP 64-bit compliant

Certifications - FCC, CE, WHQL

* 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. If you adopt AM3+ CPU and install Windows® XP OS, you need to use the

external graphics card.

2. This motherboard supports CPU up to 95W. Please refer to our website for

CPU support list. ASRock website

3. ASRock UCC (Unlock CPU Core) feature simplifies AMD CPU activation. As

long as a simple switch of the BIOS option “ASRock UCC”, you can unlock

the extra CPU core to enjoy an instant performance boost. When UCC

feature is enabled, the dual-core or triple-core CPU will boost to the quad-

core CPU, and some CPU, including quad-core CPU, can also increase L3

cache size up to 6MB, which means you can enjoy the upgrade CPU perfor-

mance with a better price. Please be noted that UCC feature is supported

with AM3/AM3+ CPU only, and in addition, not every AM3/AM3+ CPU can

support this function because some CPU’s hidden core may be

malfunctioned.

4. This motherboard supports Untied Overclocking Technology. Please read

“Untied Overclocking Technology” on page 30 for details.

5. 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 16 for proper

installation.

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

AM3+ CPU you adopt. If you want to adopt DDR3 1600 memory module

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

website for the compatible memory modules.

ASRock website

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

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

Vista

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

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

and is subject to change. Please check NVIDIA® website for the latest

information.

http://www.asrock.com

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

Hard Disk Setup Guide” on page 24 to adjust your SATAII hard disk drive to

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

directly.

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. 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

preparing 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.

13. 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.

http://www.asrock.com

14. If you desire a faster, less restricted way of charging your Apple devices,

such as iPhone/iPod/iPad Touch, ASRock has prepared a wonderful

solution for you - ASRock APP Charger. Simply installing the APP Charger

driver, it makes your iPhone charged much quickly from your computer

and up to 40% faster than before. ASRock APP Charger allows you to

quickly charge many Apple devices simultaneously and even supports

continuous charging when your PC enters into Standby mode (S1), Sus-

pend to RAM (S3), hibernation mode (S4) or power off (S5). With APP

Charger driver installed, you can easily enjoy the marvelous charging

experience than ever.

ASRock website: http://www.asrock.com/Feature/AppCharger/index.asp

15. SmartView, a new function of internet browser, is the smart start page for

IE that combines your most visited web sites, your history, your Facebook

friends and your real-time newsfeed into an enhanced view for a more

personal Internet experience. ASRock motherboards are exclusively

equipped with the SmartView utility that helps you keep in touch with

friends on-the-go. To use SmartView feature, please make sure your OS

version is Windows

version is IE8.

ASRock website: http://www.asrock.com/Feature/SmartView/index.asp

16. ASRock XFast USB can boost USB storage device performance. The

performance may depend on the property of the device.

17. ASRock XFast LAN provides a faster internet access, which includes

below benefits. LAN Application Prioritization: You can configure your

application priority ideally and/or add new programs. Lower Latency in

Game: After setting online game priority higher, it can lower the latency

in game. Traffic Shaping: You can watch Youtube HD video and down-

load files simultaneously. Real-Time Analysis of Your Data: With the

status window, you can easily recognize which data streams you are

currently transferring.

18. 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.

19. 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.

7 / 7 64 bit / VistaTM / VistaTM 64 bit, and your browser

1010

1.3 Motherboard L1.3 Motherboard L

1.3 Motherboard L

1.3 Motherboard L1.3 Motherboard L

Keyboard

Mouse

PS2

PS2_USB_PWR1

COM1

CPU_FAN1

VGA1

USB 2.0 T: U SB 2 B: USB3

USB 2.0 T: U SB 0 B: USB1

MIC IN

Bottom:

Center:

FRONT

Super

Support 8-CoreCPU

Top: RJ-45

Top:

LINE IN

ATX12V1

LAN PHY

I/O

AUDIO CODEC

HD_AUDIO1

FLOPPY1

ayout (N68-ayout (N68-

ayout (N68-

ayout (N68-ayout (N68-

17.8cm (7.0-in)

DDR3_B1 (64bit, 240-pin module)

Dual Channel

DDR3_A1 (64bit, 240-pin module)

Phenom II

PCIE1

PCIE2

PCI1

PCI2

LPT1

GS3 FX / N68-S3 FX)GS3 FX / N68-S3 FX)

GS3 FX / N68-S3 FX)

GS3 FX / N68-S3 FX)GS3 FX / N68-S3 FX)

FSB800

AM3+

DDR3 1600

SOCKET AM3

Designed in Taipei

RoHS

1920

NVIDIA

GeForce

7025 /

nForce

PANEL1

PLED PWRBTN

HDLED RESET

630a

(PORT0.0)

SATAII_1

(PORT1.0)

(PORT1.1) (PORT0.1)

SATAII_3

SATAII_4 SATAII_2

CMOS

BATTERY

CLRCMOS1

USB4_5

USB_PWR2

RoHS

USB6_7

SPEAKER1

IDE1

8Mb BIOS

CHA_FAN1

24.4cm (9.6-in)

ATX PWR 1

7 8

11 12 13

1 PS2_USB_PWR1 Jumper 15 Chassis Speaker Header 2 CPU Fan Connector (CPU_FAN1) (SPEAKER 1, White) 3 2 x 240-pin DDR3 DIMM Slots 16 USB_PWR2 Jumper

(Dual Channel: DDR3_A1, DDR3_B1; Blue) 17 USB 2.0 Header (USB6_7, Blue) 4 ATX Power Connector (ATXPWR1) 18 System Panel Header (PANEL1, White) 5 SAT AII Connector (SA T AII_2 (PORT 0.1)) 19 Print Port Header (LPT1, White) 6 Primary IDE Connector (IDE1, Blue) 20 Floppy Connector (FLOPPY1) 7 SATAII Connector (SAT AII_4 (PORT 1.1)) 21 Front Panel Audio Header 8 SATAII Connector (SAT AII_3 (PORT 1.0)) (HD_AUDIO1, Lime) 9 SATAII Connector (SAT AII_1 (PORT 0.0)) 22 PCI Slots (PCI1- 2) 10 SPI Flash Memory (4Mb) 23 PCI Express x16 Slot (PCIE2) 11 NVIDIA GeForce 7025 / nForce 630a 24 PCI Express x1 Slot (PCIE1) 12 Chassis Fan Connector (CHA_FAN1) 25 ATX 12V Power Conne ctor (A TX12V1) 13 Clear CMOS Jumper (CLRCMOS1) 26 CPU Heatsink Retention Module 14 USB 2.0 Header (USB4_5, Blue) 27 AM3 CPU Socket

1111

1.41.4

1.4

1.41.4

I/O PI/O P

I/O P

I/O PI/O P

anel (N68-anel (N68-

anel (N68-

anel (N68-anel (N68-

GS3 FX)GS3 FX)

GS3 FX)

GS3 FX)GS3 FX)

910

1 PS/2 Mouse Port (Green) 6 USB 2.0 Ports (USB01)

* 2 RJ-45 Port 7 USB 2.0 Ports (USB23)

3 Line In (Light Blue) 8 VGA Port 4 Front Speaker (Lime) 9 COM Port 5 Microphone (Pink) 10 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 Activity Off 10Mbps connection Blinking Data Activity Orange 100Mbps connection

Green 1Gbps connection

ACT/LINK LED

LAN Port

SPEED LED

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” or “4 Channel”. Click “Power” to save your change. For Windows® 7 / 7 64-bit / VistaTM / VistaTM 64-bit OS: 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.

XP / XP 64-bit OS:

1212

1.51.5

1.5

1.51.5

I/O PI/O P

anel (N68-S3 FX)anel (N68-S3 FX)

I/O P

anel (N68-S3 FX)

I/O PI/O P

anel (N68-S3 FX)anel (N68-S3 FX)

910

1 PS/2 Mouse Port (Green) 6 USB 2.0 Ports (USB01)

* 2 RJ-45 Port 7 USB 2.0 Ports (USB23)

3 Line In (Light Blue) 8 VGA Port 4 Front Speaker (Lime) 9 COM Port 5 Microphone (Pink) 10 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 Activity Off 10Mbps connection Blinking Data Activity Orange 100Mbps connection

ACT/LINK LED

LAN Port

SPEED LED

on the bottom. In “Advanced Options” screen, select “Independent Headphone”, and click “OK” to save your change.

XP / XP 64-bit OS:

1313

2.2.

InstallationInstallation

Installation

2.2.

InstallationInstallation

This is a Micro ATX form factor (9.6-in x 7.0-in, 24.4 cm x 17.8 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.

1414

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.

1515

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)

N68-GS3 FX / N68-S3 FX motherboard provides two 240-pin DDR3 (Double Data Rate 3)

DIMM slots, and supports Dual Channel Memory Technology. For dual channel configuration, you always need to install two identical (the same brand, speed, size and

chip-type) memory modules in the DDR3 DIMM slots to activate Dual Channel Memory

Technology. Otherwise, it will operate at single channel mode.

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

DDR3 slot;otherwise, this motherboard and DIMM may be damaged.

2. If you install only one memory module or two non-identical memory

modules, it is unable to activate the Dual Channel Memory Technology.

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.

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+ 36 hidden pages

ASRock N68-GS3 FX Owner's Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual