Asrock Z97E-ITX/ac User Manual

Version 1.2

Published October 2014

Copyright©2014 ASRock INC. All rights reserved.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this documentation 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 documentation may or may not
be registered trademarks or copyrights of their respective companies, and are used
only for identication or explanation and to the owners’ benet, without intent to

infringe.

Disclaimer:

Specications and information contained in this documentation are furnished for
informational 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 documentation.

With respect to the contents of this documentation, ASRock does not provide
warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including but not limited to
the implied warranties or conditions of merchantability or tness for a particular
purpose.

In no event shall ASRock, its directors, ocers, employees, or agents be liable for
any indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages (including damages for
loss of prots, 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 documentation or product.

is 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

e 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 ww w.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate”

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

e terms HDMI™ and HDMI High-Denition Multimedia Interface, and the HDMI
logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing LLC in the United
States and other countries.

Manufactured under license under U.S. Patent Nos: 5,956,674; 5,974,380; 6,487,535;

7,003,467 & other U.S. and worldwide patents issued & pending. DTS, the Symbol, &

DTS and the Symbol together is a registered trademark & DTS Connect, DTS Interactive,

DTS Neo:PC are trademarks of DTS, Inc. Product includes soware.

© DTS, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction 1

1.1 Package Contents 1

1.2 Specications 2

1.3 Motherboard Layout 6

1.4 I/O Panel 9

1.5 WiFi-802.11ac Module and ASRock WiFi 2.4/5 GHz Antenna 11

Chapter 2 Installation 12

2.1 Installing the CPU 13

2.2 Installing the CPU Fan and Heatsink 16

2.3 Installing Memory Modules (DIMM) 17

2.4 Expansion Slots (PCI Express Slots) 19

2.5 Jumpers Setup 20

2.6 Onboard Headers and Connectors 21

2.7 Using the HDMI-In Port 25

2.8 M.2_SSD (NGFF) Module Installation Guide 28

Chapter 3 Software and Utilities Operation 30

3.1 Installing Drivers 30

3.2 A-Tuning 31

3.3 Intel® Rapid Start Technology 37

3.4 Intel® Smart Connect Technology 42

3.5 ASRock APP Shop 47

3.5.1 UI Overview 47

3.5.2 Apps 48

3.5.3 BIOS & Drivers 51

3.5.4 Setting 52

3.6 Start8 53

Chapter 4 UEFI SETUP UTILITY 56

4.1 Introduction 56

4.1.1 UEFI Menu Bar 56

4.1.2 Navigation Keys 57

4.2 Main Screen 58

4.3 OC Tweaker Screen 59

4.4 Advanced Screen 68

4.4.1 CPU Conguration 69

4.4.2 Chipset Conguration 71

4.4.3 Storage Conguration 73

4.4.4 Intel® Rapid Start Technology 75

4.4.5 Intel® Smart Connect Technology 76

4.4.6 Super IO Conguration 77

4.4.7 ACPI Conguration 78

4.4.8 USB Conguration 80

4.4.9 Trusted Computing 82

4.5 Tools 83

4.6 Hardware Health Event Monitoring Screen 86

4.7 Boot Screen 87

4.8 Security Screen 90

4.9 Exit Screen 91

Chapter 1 Introduction

ank you for purchasing ASRock Z97E-ITX/ac 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 contains the introduction of the motherboard

and step-by-step installation guides. Chapter 3 contains the operation guide of the

soware and utilities. Chapter 4 contains the conguration guide of the BIOS setup.

Becau se the motherboard specications and the BIOS soware might be updated, the
content of this manual will be subject to change without notice. In ca se any modica­tions of this manual occur, the updated version will be available on ASRock’s website
without further notice. If you require technical suppor t related to this motherboard,
please visit our website for spe cic information about the model you are using. You
may nd the l atest VGA cards and CPU support list on ASRock ’s website a s well.
ASRock website http://www.a srock .com.

1.1 Package Contents

ASRock Z97E-ITX /ac Motherboard (Mini-ITX Form Factor)

•

ASRock Z97E-ITX /ac Quick Installation Guide

•

ASRock Z97E-ITX /ac Support CD

•

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

•

1 x I/O Panel Shield

•

1 x ASRock WiFi 2.4/5 GHz Antenna

•

1 x Screw for M.2_SSD (NGFF) Socket 3

•

1 x Stando for M.2_ SSD (NGFF) Socket 3

•

Z97E-ITX/ac

English

1

1.2 Specications

Platform

CPU

Chipset

Memory

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Mini-ITX Form Factor

High Density Glass Fabric PCB

Supports 5th Generation Intel® CoreTM i7/i5/i3/Pentium®/

Celeron® Processors (Socket 1150)

Supports New 4th and 4th Generation Intel® Xeon®/CoreTM i7/

i5/i3/Pentium®/Celeron® Processors (Socket 1150)

Digi Power design

6 Power Phase design

Supports Intel® Turbo Boost 2.0 Technology

Supports Intel® K-Series unlocked CPUs

Supports ASRock BCLK Full-range Overclocking

Intel® Z97

Dual Channel DDR3 Memory Technology

2 x DDR3 DIMM Slots

Supports DDR3 3200+(OC)/2933(OC)/2800(OC)/2400(OC)

/2133(OC)/1866(OC)/1600/1333/1066 non-ECC, un-buered

memory

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

Supports Intel® Extreme Memory Prole (XMP) 1.3 / 1.2

15 Gold Contact in DIMM Slots

English

2

Expansion
Slot

Graphics

1 x PCI Express 3.0 x16 Slot (PCIE1: x16 mode)

•

1 x mini-PCI Express Slot: For WiFi + BT Module

•

15Gold Finger in VGA PCIe Slot (PCIE1)

•

Intel® HD Graphics Built-in Visuals and the VGA outputs can

•

be supported only with processors which are GPU integrated.

Supports Intel® HD Graphics Built-in Visuals : Intel® Quick

•

Sync Video with AVC, MVC (S3D) and MPEG-2 Full

HW Encode1, Intel® InTruTM 3D, Intel® Clear Video HD

Technology, Intel® InsiderTM, Intel® HD Graphics 4400/4600

Pixel Shader 5.0, DirectX 11.1

•

Max. shared memory 1792MB

•

ree graphics output options: DVI-I, HDMI and DisplayPort

•

1.2

Audio

Supports Triple Monitor

•

Supports HDMI with max. resolution up to 4K x 2K

•

(4096x2160) @ 24Hz

Supports DVI-I with ma x. resolution up to 1920x1200 @

•

60Hz

Supports DisplayPort 1.2 with max. resolution up to 4K x 2K

•

(4096x2160) @ 24Hz or 4K x 2K (3840x2160) @ 60Hz

Supports Auto Lip Sync, Deep Color (12bpc), xvYCC and

•

HBR (High Bit Rate Audio) with HDMI Port (Compliant

HDMI monitor is required)

Supports HDCP with DVI-I, HDMI and DisplayPort 1.2

•

Ports

Supports Full HD 1080p Blu-ray (BD) playback with DVI-I,

•

HDMI and DisplayPort 1.2 Ports

7.1 CH HD Audio with Content Protection (Realtek ALC1150

•

Audio Codec)

Premium Blu-ray Audio support

•

Supports Surge Protection (ASRock Full Spike Protection)

•

Nichicon Fine Gold Series Audio Caps

•

TI® NE5532 Premium Headset Amplier (Supports up to 600

•

Ohm headsets)

Supports DTS Connect

•

Z97E-ITX/ac

LAN

Wireless
LAN

Gigabit LAN 10/100/1000 Mb/s

•

Giga PHY Intel® I218V

•

Supports Intel® Remote Wake Technolog y

•

Supports Wake-On-LAN

•

Supports Lightning/ESD Protection (ASRock Full Spike

•

Protection)

Supports Energy Ecient Ethernet 802.3az

•

Supports PXE

•

Supports IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac

•

Supports Dual-Band (2.4/5 GHz)

•

Supports High speed wireless connection up to 867Mbps

•

2 antennas to support 2 (Transmit) x 2 (Receive) diversit y

•

technolog y

English

3

Rear Panel
I/O

Storage

Supports Bluetooth 4.0 / 3.0 + High speed class II

•

1 x PS/2 Mouse/Keyboard Port

•

1 x DVI-I Port

•

1 x HDMI-Out Port

•

1 x HDMI-In Port

•

1 x DisplayPort 1.2

•

1 x Optica l SPDIF Out Port

•

2 x USB 2.0 Ports (Supports ESD Protection (ASRock Full

•

Spike Protection))

4 x USB 3.0 Ports (Supports ESD Protection (ASRock Full

•

Spike Protection))

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

•

LED)

1 x Clear CMOS Switch

•

HD Audio Jacks: Rear Speaker / Central / Bass / Line in /

•

Front Speaker / Microphone

6 x SATA3 6.0 Gb/s Connectors, support RAID (RAID 0,

•

RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10, Intel Rapid Storage Technology

13 and Intel Smart Response Technology), NCQ, AHCI and

Hot Plug

1 x SATA Express Connector (shared with SATA3_4,

•

SATA3_5 and M.2_ SSD (NGFF) Socket 3)

* Support to be announced

1 x M.2_SSD (NGFF) Socket 3, supports M.2 SATA3 6.0 Gb/s

•

module and M.2 PCI Express module up to Gen2 x2 (10 Gb/s)

English

4

Connector

1 x Chassis Intrusion Header

•

1 x TPM Header

•

1 x CPU Fan Connector (4-pin)

•

1 x Chassis Fan Connector (4-pin)

•

1 x 24 pin ATX Power Connector

•

1 x 8 pin 12V Power Connector (Hi-Density Power

•

Connector)

1 x Front Panel Audio Connector

•

2 x USB 2.0 Headers (support 4 USB 2.0 ports) (Supports ESD

•

Protection (ASRock Full Spike Protection))

1 x USB 3.0 Header (Supports 2 USB 3.0 ports) (Supports ESD

•

Protection (ASRock Full Spike Protection))

BIOS
Feature

Hardware
Monitor

OS

Certica­tions

64Mb AMI UEFI Legal BIOS with multilingual GUI support

•

ACPI 1.1 Compliant wake up events

•

SMBIOS 2.3.1 support

•

CPU, DRAM, PCH 1.05V, PCH 1.5V Voltage multi-adjust-

•

ment

CPU/Chassis temperature sensing

•

CPU/Chassis Fan Tachometer

•

CPU/Chassis Quiet Fan (Auto adjust chassis fan speed by

•

CPU temperature)

CPU/Chassis Fan multi-speed control

•

CASE OPEN detection

•

Voltage monitoring: +12V, +5V, +3.3V, CPU Vcore

•

Microso® Windows® 8.1 32-bit / 8.1 64-bit / 8 32-bit / 8 64-

•

bit / 7 32-bit / 7 64-bit

FCC, CE, WHQL

•

ErP/EuP ready (ErP/EuP ready power supply is required)

•

Z97E-ITX/ac

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

Please realize that the re is a certain r isk involved with overclo cking, including adju st­ing the setting in the BIOS, applying Untied Ove rclocking Technology, or using third­party o verclocking tools. Overclocking may aect your system’s stability, or even c ause
damage to the components and dev ices of your system. It should be done at your own
risk and expense. We are not responsible for possible damage cau sed by overclocking.

Due to limitation, the actual memory size may be less than 4GB for the reservation
for system usage under Windows® 32- bit operating systems . Windows® 64-bit operat­ing systems do not have such limitations. You can use ASRock XFast RAM to utilize
the memory that Windows® cannot use.

English

5

1.3 Motherboard Layout

Intel

Z97

PCIE 1

DDR3_A1 (64 bit , 24 0- pi n mo du le )

DDR3_B1 (64 bit , 24 0- pi n mo du le )

64M b
BIO S

HDLED RESET

PLED PWR BTN

PANEL1

1

1

HD_AU DIO1

CHA_FA N1

CPU_FA N1

USB 2 .0
T: USB1
B: US B2

DVI1

HDMI

DP_1

CLRCB TN1

USB 3 .0
T: USB1
B: US B2

HDM I_IN

Top:
RJ- 45

USB 3 .0
T: USB3
B: US B4

Top:

CTR BA SS

Cent er:

REAR S PK

Bott om:

Opti cal

SPDI F

Top:

LINE I N

Cent er:

FRON T

Bott om:

MIC IN

MPC IE1

WiF i-802 .11ac

Mod ule

ATXPWR1

Ro HS

Z9 7 E -ITX/ a c

AUDIO
CODEC

ATX12V1

SATA3_2

SATA3_3

CMOS

Batt ery

USB3_5 _6

1

TPMS1

1

SPEAKER1

CLRMOS1

1

USB_5_ 61USB_3_ 4

1

1

CI1

PS2

Keyb oard

/Mou se

SATA3_0

SATA3_1

SATA3_4_ 5

English

6

Z97E-ITX/ac

M2

English

7

No. Description

1 CPU Fan Connector (CPU_FAN1)

2 ATX 12V Power Connector (ATX12V1)

3 2 x 240-pin DDR3 DIMM Slots (DDR3_A1, DDR3_B1)

4 ATX Power Connector (ATXPWR1)

5 Chassis Fan Connector (CHA_FAN1)

6 USB 3.0 Header (USB3_5_6)

7 TPM Header (TPMS1)

8 Chassis Intrusion Header (CI1)

9 System Panel Header (PANEL1)

10 Clear CMOS Jumper (CLRCMOS1)

11 Chassis Speaker Header (SPEAKER1)

12 SATA3 and SATA Express Connectors (SATA3_4 _5)

13 SATA3 Connector (SATA3_1)

14 SATA3 Connector (SATA3_3)

15 SATA3 Connector (SATA3_2)

16 SATA3 Connector (SATA3_0)

17 USB 2.0 Header (USB_3_4)

18 USB 2.0 Header (USB_5_6)

19 Front Panel Audio Header (HD_AUDIO1)

English

8

1.4 I/O Panel

1 2 3 754

No. Description No. Description

1 USB 2.0 Ports (USB_1_2) 10 Microphone (Pink)

2 Antenna Ports 11 Optical SPDIF Out Port

3 DisplayPort 1.2 12 USB 3.0 Ports (USB3_3_4)

4 USB 3.0 Ports (USB3_1_2) 13 HDMI-In Port

5 LAN RJ-45 Port* 14 Clear CMOS Switch

6 Central / Bass (Orange) 15 HDMI-Out Port

7 Rear Speaker (Black) 16 DVI-I Port

8 Line In (Light Blue) 17 PS/2 Mouse/Keyboard Port

9 Front Speaker (Lime)**

Z97E-ITX/ac

698

1011121314151617

English

9

* ere are two LEDs on each LAN port. Please refer to the table below for the LAN port LED indications .

ACT/LINK L ED

SPEED LE D

LAN Por t

Activity / Link LED Speed LED

Status Description Status Description

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

** If you use a 2- channel speaker, plea se connect the speake r’s plug into “Front Speaker Jack”. See the table below

for connection d etails in accordance w ith the type of speaker you use.

English

Audio Output

Channels

Front Speaker

(No. 9)

Rear Speaker

(No. 7)

Central / Bass

(No. 6)

2 V -- -- --
4 V V -- --
6 V V V --
8 V V V V

To enable Multi-Streaming, you need to connect a front panel audio cable to the front
panel au dio header. Aer re starting your computer, you will nd the “Mixe r” tool
on your system. Pl ease select “Mixer ToolBox” , click “En able playback multi­streaming”, and click “ok”. Choose “2CH”, “4CH”, “6CH”, or “8CH” and the n you are
allowe d to sele ct “Realtek HDA Pr imary output ” to use the Rear Speaker, Central/
Bass, and Front Speake r, or select “Realtek HDA Audio 2nd output” to use the front
panel au dio.

Line In

(No. 8)

10

Z97E-ITX/ac

1.5 WiFi-802.11ac Module and ASRock WiFi 2.4/5 GHz Antenna

WiFi-802.11ac + BT Module

is motherboard comes with an exclusive WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac + BT v4.0

module that oers support for WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac connectivity standards and

Bluetooth v4.0. WiFi + BT module is an easy-to-use wireless local area network

(WLAN) adapter to support WiFi + BT. Bluetooth v4.0 standard features Smart

Ready technology that adds a whole new class of functionality into the mobile

devices. BT 4.0 also includes Low Energy Technology and ensures extraordinar y

low power consumption for PCs. e 2T2R WiFi solution sets a WiFi high speed

standard and oers max link rate up to 867Mbps.

* e transmission speed may vary according to the environment.

* e WiFi + BT module is supported under Windows® 8.1 / 8.1 64-bit / 8 / 8 64-bit /

7 / 7 64-bit only.

WiFi + BT Module

Antenna Ports

ASRock WiFi 2.4/5 GHz Antenna

English

11

Chapter 2 Installation

is is a Mini-ITX form factor motherboard. Before you install the motherboard,

study the conguration of your chassis to ensure that the motherboard ts into it.

Pre-installation Precautions

Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard components

or change any motherboard settings.

Make sure to unplug the power cord before installing or removing the motherboard

•

components. Failure to do so may cause physical injuries and damages to motherboard

components.

In order to avoid damage from static electricity to the motherboard’s components,

•

NEVER place your motherboard directly on a carpet. Also remember to use a grounded

wrist strap or touch a safety grounded object before you handle the components.

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

•

Whenever you uninstall any components, place them on a grounded anti-static pad or

•

in the bag that comes with the components.

When placing screws to secure the motherboard to the chassis, please do not over-

•

tighten the screws! Doing so may damage the motherboard.

English

12

2.1 Installing the CPU

1. Before you inser t the 1150-Pin CPU into the socket, please check if the PnP cap is on
the socket, if the CPU surfa ce is unclean, or if there are any bent pins in the socket.
Do not force to insert the CPU into the socket if above situation is found. Otherwise,
the CPU will be seriously damaged .

2. Unplug all power cables before installing the CPU.

1

Z97E-ITX/ac

A

B

2

English

13

4

5

3

14

English

Please save and replace the cover if the processor i s removed. e cover must be placed
if you wish to retur n the motherboard for aer service.

Z97E-ITX/ac

15

English

2.2 Installing the CPU Fan and Heatsink

1 2

English

16

N

FA

_

U

P

C

2.3 Installing Memory Modules (DIMM)

is motherboard provides two 240-pin DDR3 (Double Data Rate 3) DIMM slots,

and supports Dual Channel Memory Technology.

1. For dual channel conguration, you always need to install identical (the same

brand, speed , size and chip-type) DDR3 DIMM pairs.

2. It is unable to activate Dual Channel Memory Technology with only one memory
module instal led.

3. It is not allowed to install a DDR or DDR2 memory module into a DDR3 slot;
otherwise , this motherboard and DIM M may be damaged.

e DIMM only ts in one correct orientation. It will cause permanent dam age to
the mothe rboard and the DIMM if you force the DIMM into the slot at incor rect
orientation .

Z97E-ITX/ac

17

English

1

2

3

18

English

2.4 Expansion Slots (PCI Express Slots)

ere is 1 PCI Express slot and 1 mini-PCI Express slot on the motherboard.

Before installing an ex pansion card, please make sure that the power supply is
switched o or the power cord is unplugged. Plea se read the documentation of the
expan sion card and mak e necessary hardware settings for the card before you start
the installation.

PCIe slot:

PCIE1 (PCIe 3.0 x16 slot) is used for PCI Express x16 lane width graphics cards.

mini-PCIe slot:

MPCIE1 (mini-PCIe slot) is used for WiFi module.

Z97E-ITX/ac

19

English

2.5 Jumpers Setup

e illustration shows how jumpers are setup. When the jumper cap is placed on

the pins, the jumper is “Short”. If no jumper cap is placed on the pins, the jumper

is “Open”. e illustration shows a 3-pin jumper whose pin1 and pin2 are “Short”

when a jumper cap is placed on these 2 pins.

English

Clear CMOS Jumper

(CLRCMOS1)

(see p.6, No. 10)

CLRCMOS1 allows you to clear the data in CMOS. e data in CMOS includes

system setup information such as system password, date, time, and system setup

parameters. To clear and reset the system parameters to default setup, please

turn o the computer and unplug the power cord, then use a jumper cap to short

the pins on CLRCMOS1 for 3 seconds. Please remember to remove the jumper

cap aer clearing the CMOS. If you need to clear the CMOS when you just nish

updating the BIOS, you must boot up the system rst, and then shut it down

before you do the clear-CMOS action.

1. e Clear CMOS Switch has the same function a s the Clear CMOS jumper.

2. If you clear the CMOS, the case open may be detected. Please adjust the BIOS option
“Clear Status” to clear the record of previou s chassis intrusion status.

2-pin Jumper

Short: Clear CMOS

Open: Default

20

2.6 Onboard Headers and Connectors

Onboard headers and connectors are NOT jumpers. Do NOT place jumper caps over
these header s and connectors. Placing jumper caps over the headers and connectors
will cause permanent damage to the motherboard.

Z97E-ITX/ac

System Panel Header

(9-pin PANEL1)

(see p.6, No. 9)

PWRBTN (Power Switch):

Connec t to the power switch on the chassi s front panel. You may congure the way to
turn o your system using the power switch.

RESET (Reset Switch):

Connec t to the reset switch on the chassi s front panel. P ress the reset sw itch to restart
the computer if the compute r freezes and fails to perform a normal restart.

PLED (Syste m Power LED):

Connec t to the power status indicator on the chassis front panel. e LED i s on when
the system is ope rating. e LED keeps blinking when the system i s in S1/S3 sleep state.
e LED is o when the system i s in S4 sle ep state or powered o (S5).

HDLED (Ha rd Drive Activity LED):

Connec t to the hard drive ac tivity LED on the chassis front panel. e LED is on when
the hard dr ive is reading or w riting data.

e front panel de sign may dier by chassis. A front pane l module mainly consists
of power switch , reset switch, power LED, hard dr ive activity LED, speak er and etc.
When connecting your chassis front panel module to this head er, make sure the wire
assig nments and the pin assig nments are matched correctly.

1

PLE D+

PLE D-

HDL ED-

HDL ED+

PWR BTN#

GND

RES ET#

GND

GND

Connect the power

switch, reset switch and

system status indicator on

the chassis to this header

according to the pin

assignments below. Note

the positive and negative

pins before connecting

the cables.

21

English

Serial ATA3 Connectors

(SATA3_0:

see p.6, No. 16)

(SATA3_1:

see p.6, No. 13)

(SATA3_2:

see p.6, No. 15)

(SATA3_3:

see p.6, No. 14)

(SATA3_4:

see p.6, No. 12)

(SATA3_5:

see p.6, No. 12)

ese six SATA3

connectors support SATA

data cables for internal

SATA3_5SATA3_4

SATA3_0SATA3_2

SATA3_1SATA3_3

storage devices with up to

6.0 Gb/s data transfer rate.

e SATA3_4, SATA3_5

are shared with the SATA

Express connector.

English

22

Serial ATA Express

Connector

(SATAE:

see p.6, No. 12)

USB 2.0 Headers

(9-pin USB3_4)

(see p.6, No. 17)

(9-pin USB5_6)

(see p.6, No. 18)

USB 3.0 Headers

(19-pin USB3_5_6)

(see p.6, No. 6)

USB _PW R

1

USB _PW R

Vbus

IntA _PA_SS RX-

IntA _PA_SS RX+

IntA _PA_SS TX-

IntA _PA_SS TX+

IntA _PA_D-

IntA _PA_D+

Please connect either

SATA or PCIe storage

devices to this connector.

e SATA Express

connector is shared with

the SATA3_4, SATA3_5

and the M.2_ SSD (NGFF)

Socket 3.

*e SATA Express

interface is a combination

of SATAE, SATA3_4, and

SATA3_5.

P-

P+

GND

DUM MY

GND

P+

P-

Besides two USB 2.0 ports

on the I/O panel, there

are two headers on this

motherboard. Each USB

2.0 header can support

two ports.

VbusVbus

IntA _PB_S SRX-

IntA _PB_S SRX+

GND

IntA _PB_S STX-

GND

IntA _PB_S STX+

GND

IntA _PB_D -

GND

IntA _PB_D +

Dumm y

1

Besides four USB 3.0

ports on the I/O panel,

there is one header on this

motherboard. Each USB

3.0 header can support

two ports.

Z97E-ITX/ac

FAN_S PEED

FAN_S PEED_ CONTR OL

+12V

GND

4

3

2

1

Front Panel Audio Header

(9-pin HD_AUDIO1)

(see p.6, No. 19)

1. High Denition Audio supports Jack Sensing, but the panel wire on the chassis must
suppor t HDA to function correctly. Please follow the instructions in our manual and
chassis manual to install your syste m.

2. If you use an AC’97 audio panel, please install it to the f ront panel audio header by
the steps below:
A. Connect Mic_IN (MIC) to MIC2_ L.
B. Conne ct Audio_R (RIN) to OUT2_R and Audio_ L (LIN) to OUT2_ L.
C. Connect Ground (GND) to Ground (GND).
D. MIC_ RET and OUT_RET are for the HD audio panel only. You don’t need to
connec t them for the AC’97 audio panel.
E. To activate the front mic, go to the “FrontMic” Tab in the Realtek Control panel
and adju st “Recording Volume”.

Chassis Speaker Header

(4-pin SPEAKER1)

(see p.6, No. 11)

DUM MY

1

+5V

SPE AKER

DUM MY

is header is for

connecting audio devices

to the front audio panel.

Please connect the chassis

speaker to this header.

Chassis Fan Connector

(4-pin CHA_FAN1)

(see p.6, No. 5)

CPU Fan Connector

(4-pin CPU_FAN1)

(see p.6, No. 1)

DUM MY

CHA _FAN_S PEED

FAN_ VOLTAGE _CO NTROL

GND

Please connect fan cable

to the fan connector and

match the black wire to

the ground pin.

If you

plan to connect a 3-Pin

CPU fan, please connect it

to Pin 1-3.

is motherboard pro-

vides a 4-Pin CPU fan

(Quiet Fan) connector.

English

23

ATX Power Connector

(24-pin ATXPWR1)

(see p.6, No. 4)

24

12

is motherboard pro-

vides a 24-pin ATX power

connector. To use a 20-pin

ATX power supply, please

plug it along Pin 1 and Pin

1

13

13.

ATX 12V Power

Connector

(8-pin ATX12V1)

(see p.6, No. 2)

Chassis Intrusion Header

(2-pin CI1)

(see p.6, No. 8)

TPM Header

(17-pin TPMS1)

(see p.6, No. 7)

5

1

is motherboard pro-

vides an 8-pin ATX 12V

power connector. To use a

8

4

4-pin ATX power supply,

please plug it along Pin 1

and Pin 5.

1

Sig nal

GND

is motherboard

supports CASE OPEN

detection feature that

detects if the chassis cove

has been removed. is

feature requires a chassis

with chassis intrusion

detection design.

is connector supports

Trusted Platform Module

(TPM) system, which can

securely store keys, digital

PCI RST#

certicates, passwords,

FRA ME

PCI CLK

and data. A TPM system

also helps enhance

network securit y, protects

digital identities, and

ensures platform integrity.

English

24

2.7 Using the HDMI-In Port

e HDMI-In port on this motherboard lets you easily switch between PC screen

(on-board VGA) and external video source on the same monitor. is function

saves you the hassle of switching cables back and forth when you want to display

the screen of another device, such as smartphone, tablet, camcorder, DVD player, or

another PC, onto the PC monitor.

Another useful feature of this function is that external video source can be viewed

even when your PC is in standby mode or powered o. For example, you can play

smartphone games or watch tablet video on your PC screen.

Z97E-ITX/ac

0
.

3

USB
0
.

3

USB

English

25

0
.

3

USB
0
.

3

USB

Connection Diagram

English

26

HDMI

Adapter

Power Sourc e

Step 1

Connect your monitor to the HDMI-Out port on the motherboard via an HDMI

cable.

Step 2

Connect an external devices with HDMI output to the HDMI-In port on the

motherboard via an HDMI cable.

Step 3

Double-click the “A-Tuning“ icon on the desktop and nd "HDMI-IN"

function in "Tools" tab.

Drag the switch right or le to enable Onboard (on-board PC screen) or HDMI

(HDMI-In Source).

or

Use the hotkey to switch between on-board PC screen or HDMI-In Source.

Z97E-ITX/ac

To change the hotkey, click the tex tbox next to “Hotkey:” and enter the action for the
key.

1. If there is no v ideo displayed on your monitor, make sure that the cables are
properly connected and m ake sure that “Deep S5” option in BIOS SETU P is set to
[Disable].

2. If required , connect a power source to th e adapter that lets the smartphone/tablet
output HDMI signal.

English

27

2.8 M.2_SSD (NGFF) Module Installation Guide

The M.2, also known as the Next Generat ion Form Factor (NGFF), is a small size and

versatile card edge connector that aims to replace mPCIe and mSATA. The M.2_SSD

(NGFF) Socket 3 can accommodate either a M.2 SATA3 6.0 Gb/s module or a M.2 PCI

Express module up to Gen 2 x 2 (10 Gb/s). Please be noted that the M.2_SSD (NGFF)

Socket 3 is shared with the SATA Express connector; you can only choose either the M.2_

SSD (NGFF) Socket 3 or the SATA Express connector to use.

*e M.2 _SSD (NGFF) Socket 3 supports SSD drives. Please note that the WiFi or other

non-SSD M.2 modules are not supported.

Installing the M.2_SSD (NGFF) Module

Step 1

is motherboard supports M.2 _SSD

(NGFF) module type 2230 and 2242

only. Prepare a proper PCB lent h of

module, the screw and the stando.

Step 2

Depending on the PCB type and

2

1

length of your M.2_SSD (NGFF)

module, nd the corresponding nut

location to be used.

English

28

A

B

No. 1 2

Nut Location A B

PCB Length 3cm 4.2cm

Module Type Type2230 Type 2242

Z97E-ITX/ac

Step 3

e stando is placed at the nut

location B by default. Sk ip Step 4 and

B

B

A

A

A

B

go straight to Step 5 if your M.2_SSD

(NGFF) module is type 2242. If your

M.2_SSD (NGFF) module is type

2230, go to Step 4.

Step 4

Peel o the yellow protective lm on

the nut location A. Hand tighten the

stando into the nut location A on

the motherboard.

Step 5

Align and gently insert the M.2

(NGFF) SSD module into the M.2

slot. Please be aware that the M.2

(NGFF) SSD module only ts in one

orientation.

AB

Step 6

Tighten the screw with a screwdriver

to secure the module into place.

Please do not overtighten the screw

AB

as this might damage the module.

For the latest updates of M.2_SSD (NFGG) module support list, please visit our website for

details: http://www.asrock.com

English

29

Chapter 3 Software and Utilities Operation

3.1 Installing Drivers

e Support CD that comes with the motherboard contains necessary drivers and

useful utilities that enhance the motherboard’s features.

Running The Support CD

To begin using the support CD, insert the CD into your CD-ROM drive. e CD

automatically displays the Main Menu if “AUTORUN” is enabled in your computer.

If the Main Menu does not appear automatically, locate and double click on the le

“ASRSETUP.EXE” in the Support CD to display the menu.

Drivers Menu

e drivers compatible to your system will be auto-detected and listed on the

support CD driver page. Please click Install All or follow the order from top to

bottom to install those required drivers. erefore, the drivers you install can work

properly.

Utilities Menu

e Utilities Menu shows the application soware that the motherboard supports.

Click on a specic item then follow the installation wizard to insta ll it.

To improve Windows 7 compatibility, please download and install the following hot
x provided by Microso.
“KB2720599”: http://support.microso.com/ kb/2720599/en-us

English

30

3.2 A-Tuning

A-Tuning is ASRock’s multi purpose soware suite with a new interface, more new

features and improved utilities, including XFast R AM, Dehumidier, Good Night

LED, FAN-Tastic Tuning, OC Tweaker and a whole lot more.

3.2.1 Installing A-Tuning

When you install the all-in-one driver to your system from ASRock’s support CD,

A-Tuning will be auto-installed as well. Aer the installation, you will nd the icon

“A-Tuning“ on your desktop. Double-click the “A-Tuning“ icon, A-Tuning

main menu will pop up.

3.2.2 Using A-Tuning

ere are six sections in A-Tuning main menu: Operation Mode, Tools, OC

Tweaker, System Info, Live Update, Tech Service and Settings.

Operation Mode

Choose an operation mode for your computer.

Z97E-ITX/ac

31

English

Tools

Various tools and utilities.

XFast RAM

Boost the system’s performance and extend the HDD’s or SDD’s lifespan! Create a

hidden partition, then assign which les should be stored in the RAM drive.

XFast LAN

Boost the speed of your internet connection! Select a specic mode for making the

designated program's priority highest.

English

32

Fast Boot

Fast Boot minimizes your computer's boot time. Please note that Ultra Fast mode

is only supported by Windows 8.1/8 and the VBIOS must support UEFI GOP if you

are using an external graphics card.

OMG

Schedule the starting and ending hours of Internet access granted to other users.

Place X marks on the time table to disable the Internet.

Good Night LED

Switch o the Power/HDD LEDs when the system is on, and automatically switch

o the Power and Keyboard LEDs when the system enters into Standby/Hibernation

mode.

FAN-Tastic Tuning

Congure up to ve dierent fan speeds using the graph. e fans will automatically

shi to the next speed level when the assigned temperature is met.

Dehumidier

Prevent motherboard damages due to dampness. Enable this function and

congure the period of time until the computer powers on, and the duration of the

dehumidifying process.

USB Key

Plug in the USB Key and let your computer log in to windows automatically!

OC DNA

OC DNA is an unique soware which helps to save your OC settings as a prole.

en you can send this OC setting prole to the friends.

Disk Health Report

Disk Health Report is a hard disk health monitoring utility that displays detailed

HDD information, such as hard disk model, serial number, rmware, power on

count, power on hours, S.M.A.R.T. values, current temperature, etc. HDD, SSD

and optical disk drives are all supported. e health status block displays Good

(in green color), Caution (in yellow color) or Bad (in red color). Click on the health

status icon to congure settings for an alert to be triggered.

Z97E-ITX/ac

33

English

OC Tweaker

Congurations for overclocking the system.

System Info

View information about the system.

*e System Browser tab may not appear for certain models.

English

34

Live Update

Check for newer versions of BIOS or drivers.

Tech Service

Contact Tech Service if you have problems with your computer. Please leave your

contact information along with details of the problem.

Z97E-ITX/ac

English

35

Settings

Congure ASRock A-Tuning. Click to select "Auto run at Windows Startup" if you

want A-Tuning to be launched when you start up the Windows operating system.

English

36

3.3 Intel® Rapid Start Technology

Intel® Rapid Start Technolog y enables your system to wake up faster from deep

sleep, saving time and power consumption. Feel secure to know that your system

will resume to working condition even if an unexpected power loss happens while

the PC is in sleep mode.

3.3.1 System Requirements

•Conrm whether your motherboard supports this feature.

•Operating system: Microso Windows 8.1/8/7 (32- or 64-bit edition)

•Set the SATA mode to AHCI. If Windows 8.1/8/7 is already installed under

IDE mode, directly changing the SATA mode to AHCI may cause Windows

8/7 to crash while booting. If your system is not in AHCI mode, please follow

the instructions below.

ere are certa in risks. Please backup any important data before oper ating to avoid
loss.

1. Press Win + R simultaneously in Windows 8/7, type "Regedit" into the word

box then click OK.

Z97E-ITX/ac

2. Enter into HKEY_LOCAL _MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\

msahci in Windows Registry Editor. Double click on the value Start and

change the value from 3 into 0. Click on OK.

English

37

English

3. Exit the Registry Editor window and restart the computer.

4. Press F2 to enter BIOS, then go to Advanced > Storage Conguration and

change SATA Mode to AHCI. Press F10 to save changes and exit.

5. Enter Windows 8/7. Windows will discover the new device and install AHCI

drivers automatically.

3.3.2 Setup Guide

Conguring Rapid Start

Step 1

Run ASRock Rapid Start utility from Start -> All Programs -> ASRock Utility.

Step 2

If you have more than one hard drives in your system, you must select one, then

choose the Partition Size desired for your hidden partition and click on Create. e

system will automatically create a hidden partition according to your settings. If

there are SSD’s installed into your system, it is recommended to create the partition

on the SSD.

38

Step 3

When prompted to restart aer the setup, click Yes to reboot.

Z97E-ITX/ac

Step 4

Double-click the Intel® Rapid Start Technology Manager icon in the Windows

system tray.

English

39

Step 5

Make sure Rapid Start is on. Drag the slider to congure the time. For example, if

the timer value is set to ten minutes, the system will enable Rapid Start mode aer

entering sleep state for ten minutes. If the timer is set to 0 minutes, Windows will

immediately enable Rapid Start mode as it enters sleep state.

English

40

Using Rapid Start

1. You may shut down the computer without terminating the applications or les

you are executing currently. Click on Windows Start > the arrow next to Shut

down, and click on Sleep.

2. Windows system will enter sleep state.

3. According to your settings in Rapid Start Technology Manager, the system

will automatically wake up and enable Rapid Start mode aer entering sleep

state for a period of time. e power of the computer in Rapid Start mode can

be cut o, it will not cause data loss of the programs or les you were executing

before entering sleep state.

4. When you wish to continue to use the computer just hit the power button, the

system will rapidly return to Windows, the programs and les which you were

using before entering sleep state will be accessible immediately.

Z97E-ITX/ac

41

English

3.4 Intel® Smart Connect Technology

Intel® Smart Connect Technology is a feature that periodically wakes your computer

from Windows® sleep state to refresh email or social networking applications. It

saves your waiting time and keeps the content always up-to-date.

3.4.1 System Requirements

•Conrm whether your motherboard supports this feature.

•Operating system: Microso Windows 8.1/8/7 (32- or 64-bit edition)

•Set the SATA mode to AHCI. If Windows 8.1/8/7 is already installed under

IDE mode, directly changing the SATA mode to AHCI may cause Windows

8/7 to crash while booting. If your system is not in AHCI mode, please follow

the instructions below.

ere are certa in risks. Please backup any important data before oper ating to avoid
loss.

1. Press Win + R simultaneously in Windows 8/7, type "Regedit" into the word

box then click OK.

English

42

2. Enter into HKEY_LOCAL _MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\

msahci in Windows Registry Editor. Double click on the value Start and

change the value from 3 into 0. Click on OK.

3.4.2 Setup Guide

Installing ASRock Smart Connect Utility

Step 1

Install ASRock Smart Connect Utility, which is located in the folder at the following

path of the Support CD: \ ASRock Utility > Smart Connect.

Z97E-ITX/ac

Step 2

Once installed, run ASRock Smart Connect from your desktop or go to Windows

Start -> All Programs -> ASRock Utility.

English

43

Step 3

Click the Add button. Take Foxmail as an example, add Foxmail to the Application

list.

Step 4

Select Foxmail from the Application List, then click the arrow pointing right to add

this application to the Smart Connect List.

English

44

Step 5

Click Apply to enable Smart Connect.

Step 6

Double-click the Intel® Smart Connect Technology Manager icon in the

Windows system tray.

Step 7

Drag the slider to congure how oen the system will connect to the network to

download updates. Shorter durations will provide more frequent updates, but may

cause more power consumption.

Z97E-ITX/ac

Using Smart Connect

1. Keep the applications which you wish to connect to the internet and receive

updates while the system is in sleep state running. Foxmail for instance, keep

Foxmail running.

2. Click on Windows Start -> the arrow next to Shut down, and click on Sleep.

3. Windows system will enter sleep state.

English

45

4. e system will wake up from sleep state periodica lly, and then start to update

Foxmail. e screen will not display anything so the computer can maintain

minimum power usage. Aerwards, the system will automatically return to

sleep state again.

5. Upon wak ing up the system, you will nd the new mail that were sent to you

during sleep state are already updated and ready to be read in Foxmail.

English

46

3.5 ASRock APP Shop

e ASRock APP Shop is an online store for purchasing and downloading soware

applications for your ASRock computer. You can install various apps and support

utilities quickly and easily, and optimize your system and keep your motherboard

up to date simply with a few clicks.

Z97E-ITX/ac

Double-click

*You need to be connected to the Internet to download apps f rom the ASRock APP Shop.

on your desktop to access ASRock APP Shop utility.

3.5.1 UI Overview

Category Panel

Information Panel

Category Panel: e category panel contains several category tabs or buttons that

when selected the information panel below displays the relative information.

Hot News

Information Panel: e information panel in the center displays data about the

currently selected category and allows users to perform job-related tasks.

Hot News: e hot news section displays the various latest news. Click on the image

to visit the website of the selected news and know more.

English

47

3.5.2 Apps

When the "Apps" tab is selected, you will see all the available apps on screen for you

to download.

Installing an App

Step 1

Find the app you want to install.

e most recommended app appears on the le side of the screen. e other various

apps are shown on the right. Please scroll up and down to see more apps listed.

English

48

You can check the price of the app and whether you have already intalled it or not.

- e red icon displays the price or "Free" if the app is free of charge.

- e green "Installed" icon means the app is installed on your computer.

Step 2

Click on the app icon to see more details about the selected app.

Step 3

Z97E-ITX/ac

If you want to install the app, click on the red icon

Step 4

When installation completes, you can nd the green "Installed " icon appears on the

upper right corner.

to start downloading.

To uninstall it, simply click on the trash can icon .
*e trash icon may not appear for certain apps.

English

49

Upgrading an App

You can only upgrade the apps you have already installed. When there is an

available new version for your app, you will nd the mark of "New Version"

appears below the installed app icon.

Step 1

Click on the app icon to see more details.

Step 2

English

50

Click on the yellow icon

to start upgrading.

3.5.3 BIOS & Drivers

Installing BIOS or Drivers

When the "BIOS & Drivers" tab is selected, you will see a list of recommended or

critical updates for the BIOS or drivers. Please update them all soon.

Z97E-ITX/ac

Step 1

Please check the item information before update. Click on

Step 2

Click to select one or more items you want to update.

Step 3

Click Update to start the update process.

to see more details.

English

51

3.5.4 Setting

In the "Setting" page, you can change the language, select the server location, and

determine if you want to automatically run the ASRock APP Shop on Windows

startup.

English

52

3.6 Start8

For those Windows 8 users who miss the Start Menu, Start8 is an ideal solution that

brings back the familiar Start Menu along with added customizations for greater

eciency.

3.6.1 Installing Start8

Install Sta rt8, which is located in the folder at the following path of the Support CD:

\ ASRock Uti lity > Start8.

3.6.2 Conguring Start8

Style

Z97E-ITX/ac

Select between the Windows 7 style and Windows 8 style Start Menu. en select

the theme of the Start Menu and customize the style of the Start icon.

English

53

Congure

Congure provides conguration options, including icon sizes, which shortcuts you

want Start Menu to display, quick access to recently used apps, the functionality of

the power button, and more.

Control

English

54

Control lets you congure what a click on the start button or a press on the

Windows key does.

Desktop

Z97E-ITX/ac

Desktop a llows you to disable the hot corners when you are working on the desktop.

It also lets you choose whether or not the system boots directly into desktop mode

and bypass the Metro user interface.

About

Displays information about Start8.

English

55

Chapter 4 UEFI SETUP UTILITY

4.1 Introduction

is section explains how to use the UEFI SETUP UTILITY to congure your

system. You may run the UEFI SETUP UTILITY by pressing <F2> or <Del> right

aer you power on the computer, other wise, the Power-On-Self-Test (POST) will

continue with its test routines. If you wish to enter the UEFI SETUP UTILITY aer

POST, restart the system by pressing <Ctl> + <Alt> + <Delete>, or by pressing the

reset button on the system chassis. You may also restart by turning the system o

and then back on.

Becau se the UEFI soware is constantly being upd ated, the following UEFI setup
screens and de scriptions are for reference purpose only, and they may not exactly
match what you see on your scre en.

4.1.1 UEFI Menu Bar

e top of the screen has a menu bar with the following selections:

English

56

Main

OC Tweaker

Advanced

Tool

H/W Monitor

Boot

Security

Exit

For setting system time/date information

For overclocking congurations

For advanced system congurations

Useful tools

Displays current hardware status

For conguring boot settings and boot priority

For security settings

Exit the current screen or the UEFI Setup Utility

4.1.2 Navigation Keys

Use < > key or < > key to choose among the selections on the menu bar, and

use < > key or < > key to move the cursor up or down to select items, then

press <Enter> to get into the sub screen. You can also use the mouse to click your

required item.

Please check the following table for the descriptions of each navigation key.

Navigation Key(s) Description

Z97E-ITX/ac

+ / -

<Tab>

<PGUP>

<PGDN>

<HOME>

<END>

<F1>

<F7>

<F9>

<F10>

<F12>

<ESC>

To change option for the selected items

Switch to next function

Go to the previous page

Go to the next page

Go to the top of the screen

Go to the bottom of the screen

To display the General Help Screen

Discard changes and exit the SETUP UTILITY

Load optimal default values for all the settings

Save changes and exit the SETUP UTILITY

Print screen

Jump to the Exit Screen or exit the current screen

57

English

4.2 Main Screen

When you enter the UEFI SETUP UTILITY, the Main screen will appear and

display the system overview.

Favorite

Display your collection of BIOS items. Press F5 to add/remove your favorite items.

Active Page on Entry

Select the default page when entering the UEFI setup utility.

English

58

Full HD UEFI

When [Auto] is selected, the resolution will be set to 1920 x 1080 if the monitor

supports Full HD resolution. If the monitor does not support Full HD resolution,

then the resolution will be set to 1024 x 768. When [Disable] is selected, the

resolution will be set to 1024 x 768 directly.

UEFI Guide

UEFI Guide is a quick tutorial for ASRock 's UEFI setup Utility. You may abort the

tutorial by pressing "ESC".

4.3 OC Tweaker Screen

In the OC Tweaker screen, you can set up overclocking features.

Z97E-ITX/ac

Becau se the UEFI soware is constantly being upd ated, the following UEFI setup
screens and de scriptions are for reference purpose only, and they may not exactly
match what you see on your scre en.

Advanced Turbo

You can use this option to increase your system performance. is option appears only

when your CPU supports this function. is option appears only when you adopt K-Series

CPU.

Load Optimized CPU OC Setting

You can use this option to load optimized CPU overclocking setting. Please note that

overclocking may cause damage to your CPU and motherboard. It should be done at your

own risk and expense. is option appears only when you adopt K-Series CPU.

Load Optimized GPU OC Setting

You can use this option to load optimized GPU overclocking setting. Please note that

overclocking may cause damage to your GPU and motherboard. It should be done at your

own risk and expense. is option appears only when you adopt K-Series CPU.

English

59

CPU Conguration

CPU Ratio

e CPU speed is determined by the CPU Ratio multiplied with the BCLK.

Increasing the CPU Ratio will increase the internal CPU clock speed without

aecting the clock speed of other components.

CPU Cache Ratio

e CPU Interna l Bus Speed Ratio. e maximum should be the same as the CPU

Ratio.

BCLK/PCIE Frequency

e CPU speed is determined by the CPU Ratio multiplied with the BCLK.

Increasing the BCLK will increase the internal CPU clock speed but also aect the

clock speed of other components.

Spread Spectrum

Enable Spread Spectrum to reduce electromagnetic interference for passing EMI

tests. Disable to achieve higher clock speeds when overclocking.

CPU OC Fixed Mode

CPU OC x mode allows you to keep the max CPU ratio as your setting without

throttling. Please note that overclocking may cause damage to your CPU and

motherboard. It should be done at your own risk and expense.

English

60

Intel SpeedStep Technology

Intel SpeedStep technology allows processors to switch between multiple frequen-

cies and voltage points for better power saving and heat dissipation.

Intel Turbo Boost Technology

Intel Turbo Boost Technology enables the processor to run above its base operating

frequency when the operating system requests the highest performance state.

Filter PLL Frequency

CPU BCLK Filter Frequency. Choose 1.6 for better overclocking capabilities.

Long Duration Power Limit

Congure Package Power Limit 1 in watts. When the limit is exceeded, the CPU

ratio will be lowered aer a period of time. A lower limit can protect the CPU and

save power, while a higher limit may improve performance.

Long Duration Maintained

Congure the period of time until the CPU ratio is lowered when the Long

Duration Power Limit is exceeded.

Short Duration Power Limit

Congure Package Power Limit 2 in watts. When the limit is exceeded, the CPU

ratio will be lowered immediately. A lower limit can protect the CPU and save

power, while a higher limit may improve performance.

Primary Plane Current Limit

Congure the current limit of the CPU under Turbo Mode in ampere. A lower

limit can protect the CPU and save power, while a higher limit may improve

performance.

GT Frequency

Congure the frequency of the integrated GPU.

GT Voltage Mode

Auto: For optimized settings.

Adaptive: Add voltage to the integrated GPU when the system is under heavy load.

Z97E-ITX/ac

Override: e voltage is xed.

GT Adaptive Voltage

Congure the voltage added to the integrated GPU when the system is under heavy

load.

GT Voltage Oset

Congure the xed voltage added to the integrated GPU.

DRAM Timing Conguration

Load XMP Setting

Load XMP settings to overclock the DDR3 memory and perform beyond standard

specications.

DRAM Reference Clock

Select Auto for optimized settings.

DRAM Frequency

If [Auto] is selected, the motherboard will detect the memory module(s) inserted

English

61

and assign the appropriate frequency automatically.

DRAM Performance Mode

Choose high performance mode to increase memory performance. Use default

settings for better system stability.

DRAM Conguration

English

62

DRAM Tweaker

Fine tune the DRAM settings by leaving marks in checkboxes. Click OK to conrm and

apply your new settings.

CAS# Latency (tCL)

e time between sending a column address to the memory and the beginning of the data

in response.

RAS# to CAS# Delay (tRCD)

e number of clock cycles required between the opening of a row of memory and

accessing columns within it.

Row Precharge Time (tRP)

e number of clock cycles required between the issuing of the precharge command

and opening the next row.

Z97E-ITX/ac

RAS# Active Time (tRAS)

e number of clock cycles required between a bank active command and issuing the

precharge command.

Command Rate (CR)

e delay between when a memor y chip is selected and when the rst active command can

be issued.

Write Recovery Time (tWR)

e amount of delay that must elapse aer the completion of a valid write operation,

before an active bank can be precharged.

Refresh Cycle Time (tRFC)

e number of clocks from a Refresh command until the rst Activate command to

the same rank.

RAS to RAS Delay (tRRD)

e number of clocks between two rows activated in dierent banks of the same

rank.

Write to Read Delay (tWTR)

e number of clocks between the last valid write operation and the next read

command to the same internal bank.

Read to Precharge (tRTP)

e number of clocks that are inserted between a read command to a row pre-

charge command to the same rank.

Four Activate Window (tFAW)

e time window in which four activates are allowed the same rank.

CAS Write Latency (tCWL)

Congure CAS Write Latency.

tREFI

Congure refresh cycles at an average periodic interval.

tCKE

Congure the period of time the DDR3 initiates a minimum of one refresh

command internally once it enters Self-Refresh mode.

English

63

tRDRD

Congure between module read to read delay.

tRDRDDR

Congure between module read to read delay from dierent ranks.

tRDRDDD

Use this to change DRAM tRWSR Auto/Manual settings. e default is [Auto].

tWRRD

Congure between module write to read delay.

tWRRDDR

Congure between module write to read delay from dierent ranks.

tWRRDDD

Use this to change DRAM tRRSR Auto/Manual settings. e default is [Auto].

Congure between module write to read delay from dierent DIMMs.

tWRWR

Congure between module write to write delay.

tWRWRDR

Congure between module write to write delay from dierent ranks.

English

64

tWRWRDD

Congure between module write to write delay from dierent DIMMs.

tRDWR

Congure between module read to write delay.

tRDWRDR

Congure between module read to write delay from dierent ranks.

tRDWRDD

Congure between module read to write delay from dierent DIMMs.

RTL (CHA)

Congure round trip latency for channel A.

RTL (CHB)

Congure round trip latency for channel B.

IO-L (CHA)

Congure IO latency for channel A.

IO-L (CHB)

Congure IO latency for channel B.

ODT WR (CHA)

Congure the memory on die termination resistors' WR for channel A.

ODT WR (CHB)

Congure the memory on die termination resistors' WR for channel B.

ODT NOM (CHA)

Use this to change ODT (CHA) Auto/Manual settings. e default is [Auto].

ODT NOM (CHB)

Use this to change ODT (CHB) Auto/Manual settings. e default is [Auto].

Z97E-ITX/ac

Command Tri State

Enable for DRAM power saving.

MRC Fast Boot

Enable Memory Fast Boot to skip DRAM memory training for booting faster.

DIMM Exit Mode

Select Slow Exit to reduce power consumption, or Fast Exit for better performance.

FIVR Conguration

FIVR Switch Frequency Signature

Select whether to boost or lower the FIVR Switch Frequency.

FIVR Switch Frequency Oset

Congure the percentage of frequency boost or deduction.

Vcore Override Voltage

Add voltage to the Vcore when the system is under heavy load.

English

65

Vcore Voltage Additional Oset

Congure the dynamic Vcore voltage added to the Vcore.

CPU Cache Override Voltage

Add voltage to the CPU Cache when the system is under heavy load.

CPU Cache Voltage Oset

Congure the voltage for the CPU Cache. Setting the voltage higher may increase

system stability when overclocking.

System Agent Voltage Oset

Congure the voltage for the System Agent. Setting the voltage higher may increase system

stability when overclocking.

CPU Analog IO Voltage Oset

CPU I/O Analog Voltage.

CPU Digital IO Voltage Oset

CPU I/O Digital Voltage.

CPU Integrated VR Faults

Disable FIVR Faults to raise the threshold to trigger CPU over current protection

and over voltage protection for better overclocking capabilities.

English

66

CPU Integrated VR Eciency Mode

Enable FIVR Eciency Management for power saving. Disable for better

performance and overclocking capabilities.

Voltage Conguration

CPU Input Voltage

Congure the voltage for the CPU.

CPU Load-Line Calibration

CPU Load-Line Calibration helps prevent CPU voltage droop when the system is

under heav y load.

CPU Input Oset

e xed externa l voltage input to the CPU.

DRAM Voltage

Use this to congure DRAM Voltage.

PCH 1.05V Voltage

Chipset 1.05V Voltage. Use default settings for best performance.

PCH 1.5V Voltage

I/O 1.5V Voltage. Use default settings for best performance.

Z97E-ITX/ac

67

English

4.4 Advanced Screen

In this section, you may set the congurations for the following items: CPU

Conguration, Chipset Conguration, Storage Conguration, Intel® Rapid Start

Technology, Intel® Smart Connect Technology, Super IO Conguration, ACPI Con-

guration, USB Conguration and Trusted Computing.

English

68

Setting wrong values in this sec tion may cause the system to malfunction.

4.4.1 CPU Conguration

Active Processor Cores

Select the number of cores to enable in each processor package.

Z97E-ITX/ac

CPU C States Support

Enable CPU C States Support for power saving. It is recommended to keep C3, C6

and C7 all enabled for better power saving.

Enhanced Halt State (C1E)

Enable Enhanced Halt State (C1E) for lower power consumption.

CPU C3 State Support

Enable C3 sleep state for lower power consumption.

CPU C6 State Support

Enable C6 deep sleep state for lower power consumption.

CPU C7 State Support

Enable C7 deep sleep state for lower power consumption.

Package C State Support

Enable CPU, PCIe, Memory, Graphics C State Support for power saving.

English

69

CPU Thermal Throttling

Enable CPU internal thermal control mechanisms to keep the CPU from overheat-

ing.

No-Execute Memory Protection

Processors with No-Execution Memory Protection Technology may prevent certain

classes of malicious buer overow attacks.

Intel Virtualization Technology

Intel Virtualization Technology allows a platform to run multiple operating systems

and applications in independent partitions, so that one computer system can

function as multiple virtual systems.

Hardware Prefetcher

Automatically prefetch data and code for the processor. Enable for better

performance.

Adjacent Cache Line Prefetch

Automatically prefetch the subsequent cache line while retrieving the currently

requested cache line. Enable for better performance.

English

70

4.4.2 Chipset Conguration

Primary Graphics Adapter

Select a primary VGA.

Z97E-ITX/ac

VT-d

Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O helps your virtual machine

monitor better utilize hardware by improving application compatibility and

reliability, and providing additional levels of manageability, security, isolation, and

I/O performance.

PCIE1 Link Speed

Select the link speed for PCIE1.

Share Memory

Congure the size of memory that is allocated to the integrated graphics processor

when the system boots up.

IGPU Multi-Monitor

Select disable to disable the integrated graphics when an external graphics card is

installed. Select enable to keep the integrated graphics enabled at all times.

Render Standby

Power down the render unit when the GPU is idle for lower power consumption.

English

71

Onboard HD Audio

Enable/disable onboard HD audio. Set to Auto to enable onboard HD audio and

automatically disable it when a sound card is installed.

Front Panel

Enable/disable front panel HD audio.

Onboard HDMI HD Audio

Enable audio for the onboard digital outputs.

Onboard LAN

Enable or disable the onboard network interface controller.

Deep Sleep

Congure deep sleep mode for power saving when the computer is shut down.

Restore on AC/Power Loss

Select the power state aer a power failure. If [Power O] is selected, the power will

remain o when the power recovers. If [Power On] is selected, the system will start

to boot up when the power recovers.

Good Night LED

By enabling Good Night LED, the Power/HDD LEDs will be switched o when the

system is on. It will also automatically switch o the Power and Keyboard LEDs

when the system enters into Standby/Hibernation mode.

English

72

WAN1 Radio

Enable or disable the connectivity of the WiFi module.

4.4.3 Storage Conguration

SATA Controller(s)

Enable/disable the SATA controllers.

Z97E-ITX/ac

SATA Mode Selection

IDE: For better compatibility.

AHCI: Supports new features that improve performance.

RAID: Combine multiple disk drives into a logical unit.

AHCI (Advanc ed Host Controll er Interface) supports NCQ and other new feature s
that will improve SATA disk per formance but IDE mode does not have these advan­tages.

SATA Aggressive Link Power Management

SATA Aggressive Link Power Management allows SATA devices to enter a low

power state during periods of inactivity to save power. It is only supported by AHCI

mode.

Dynamic Storage Accelerator

Keep this option enabled for higher HDD and SDD I/O performance, lower latency and

English

73

increased system responsiveness.

Hard Disk S.M.A.R.T.

S.M.A.R.T stands for Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technolog y. It is a

monitoring system for computer hard disk drives to detect and report on various

indicators of reliability.

M2_2/SATA3_4, SATA3_5 Switch

Auto: M2_2/SATA3_4, SATA3_5 auto switch

Force_SATA: Switch to SATA3_4, SATA3_5

Force_M2_2: Switch to M2_2

English

74

4.4.4 Intel® Rapid Start Technology

Intel® Rapid Start Technology

Intel® Rapid Start Technolog y is a new zero power hibernation mode which allows

users to resume in just 5-6 seconds.

Z97E-ITX/ac

75

English

4.4.5 Intel® Smart Connect Technology

Intel® Smart Connect Technology

Intel® Smart Connect Technology automatically updates your email and social
networks, such as Twitter, Facebook, etc. while the computer is in sleep mode.

English

76

4.4.6 Super IO Conguration

PS2 Y-Cable

Z97E-ITX/ac

Enable the PS2 Y-Cable or set this option to Auto.

English

77

4.4.7 ACPI Conguration

Suspend to RAM

Select disable for ACPI suspend type S1. It is recommended to select auto for ACPI

S3 power saving.

Check Ready Bit

Enable to enter the operating system aer S3 only when the hard disk is ready, this

is recommended for better system stability.

English

78

ACPI HPET Table

Enable the High Precision Event Timer for better performance and to pass WHQL

tests.

PS/2 Keyboard Power On

Allow the system to be waked up by a PS/2 Keyboard.

PCIE Devices Power On

Allow the system to be waked up by a PCIE device and enable wake on LAN.

Wake From Onboard LAN

Allow the system to be waked up by the onboard LAN.

RTC Alarm Power On

Allow the system to be waked up by the rea l time clock alarm. Set it to By OS to let

it be handled by your operating system.

USB Keyboard/Remote Power On

Allow the system to be waked up by an USB keyboard or remote controller.

USB Mouse Power On

Allow the system to be waked up by an USB mouse.

Z97E-ITX/ac

79

English

4.4.8 USB Conguration

USB Controller

Enable or disable all the USB ports.

Intel USB 3.0 Mode

Select Intel® USB 3.0 controller mode. Set [Smart Auto] to keep the USB 3.0 driver

enabled aer rebooting (USB 3.0 is enabled in BIOS). Set [Auto] to automatically

enable the USB 3.0 driver aer entering the OS (USB 3.0 is disabled in BIOS). Set

[Enabled] to keep the USB 3.0 driver enabled (Must install driver to use USB devices

under Windows® 7). Set [Disabled] to disable the USB 3.0 ports.

English

80

Legacy USB Support

Enable or disable Legacy OS Support for USB 2.0 devices. If you encounter USB

compatibility issues it is recommended to disable legacy USB support. Select UEFI

Setup Only to support USB devices under the UEFI setup and Windows/Linux

operating systems only.

Legacy USB 3.0 Support

Enable or disable Legacy OS Support for USB 3.0 devices. If you encounter USB

compatibility issues it is recommended to disable legacy USB support. Select UEFI

Setup Only to support USB devices under the UEFI setup and Windows/Linux

operating systems only.

USB Compatibility Patch

If your USB devices (i.e. USB mouse or storage) encounter compatibility problems,

please enable this option to x it. Please note that aer enabling this option, it is

normal that the system will postpone booting up aer pressing the power button.

Z97E-ITX/ac

81

English

4.4.9 Trusted Computing

Security Device Support

Enable or disable BIOS support for security device.

English

82

4.5 Tools

System Browser

ASRock System Browser shows the overview of your current PC and the devices

connected.

Z97E-ITX/ac

OMG (Online Management Guard)

Administrators are able to establish an internet curfew or restrict internet access

at specied times via OMG. You may schedule the starting and ending hours of

internet access granted to other users. In order to prevent users from bypassing

OMG, guest accounts without permission to modify the system time are required.

UEFI Tech Service

Contact ASRock Tech Service if you are having trouble with your PC. Please setup

network conguration before using UEFI Tech Service.

Easy RAID Installer

Easy R AID Installer helps you to copy the R AID driver from the support CD to

your USB storage device. Aer copying the drivers please change the SATA mode to

RAID, then you can start installing the operating system in RAID mode.

Easy Driver Installer

For users that don’t have an optical disk drive to install the drivers from our support

English

83

CD, Easy Driver Installer is a handy tool in the UEFI that installs the LAN driver

to your system via an USB storage device, then downloads and installs the other

required drivers automatically.

Instant Flash

Save UEFI les in your USB storage device and run Instant Flash to update your

UEFI.

Internet Flash

ASRock Internet Flash downloads and updates the latest UEFI rmware version

from our servers for you. Please setup network conguration before using Internet

Flash.

*For BIOS backup and recovery purpose, it is recommended to plug in your USB

pen drive before using this function.

Network Conguration

Use this to congure internet connection settings for Internet Flash.

English

84

Internet Setting

Enable or disable sound eects in the setup utility.

UEFI Download Server

Select a server to download the UEFI rmware.

Dehumidier Function

If Dehumidier Function is enabled, the computer will power on automatically to

dehumidify the system aer entering S4/S5 state.

Dehumidier Period

Congure the period of time until the computer powers on and enables

Dehumidier aer entering S4/S5 state.

Dehumidier Duration

Congure the duration of the dehumidifying process before it returns to S4/S5

state.

Dehumidier CPU Fan Setting

Congure the speed of the CPU fan while Dehumidier is enabled. e higher the

value, the faster the fan speed.

Max: 255

Min: 1

Save User Default

Type a prole name and press enter to save your settings as user default.

Z97E-ITX/ac

Load User Default

Load previously saved user defaults.

English

85

4.6 Hardware Health Event Monitoring Screen

is section allows you to monitor the status of the hardware on your system,

including the parameters of the CPU temperature, motherboard temperature, fan

speed and voltage.

CPU Fan 1 Setting

Select a fan mode for CPU Fan 1, or choose Customize to set 5 CPU temperatures

and assign a respective fan speed for each temperature.

English

86

Chassis Fan 1 Setting

Select a fan mode for Chassis Fan 1, or choose Customize to set 5 CPU temperatures

and assign a respective fan speed for each temperature.

Over Temperature Protection

When Over Temperature Protection is enabled, the system automatically shuts

down when the motherboard is overheated.

Case Open Feature

Enable or disable Case Open Feature to detect whether the chassis cover has been

removed.

4.7 Boot Screen

is section displays the available devices on your system for you to congure the

boot settings and the boot priority.

Fast Boot

Fast Boot minimizes your computer's boot time. In fast mode you may not boot

from an USB storage device. Ultra Fast mode is only supported by Windows 8.1/8

and the VBIOS must support UEFI GOP if you are using an external graphics card.

Please notice that Ultra Fast mode will boot so fast that the only way to enter this

UEFI Setup Utility is to Clear CMOS or run the Restart to UEFI utility in Windows.

Z97E-ITX/ac

Boot From Onboard LAN

Allow the system to be waked up by the onboard LAN.

Setup Prompt Timeout

Congure the number of seconds to wait for the setup hot key.

Bootup Num-Lock

Select whether Num Lock should be turned on or o when the system boots up.

Boot Beep

Select whether the Boot Beep should be turned on or o when the system boots up. Please

note that a buzzer is needed.

English

87

Full Screen Logo

Enable to display the boot logo or disable to show normal POST messages.

AddOn ROM Display

Enable AddOn ROM Display to see the AddOn ROM messages or congure the

AddOn ROM if you've enabled Full Screen Logo. Disable for faster boot speed.

Boot Failure Guard

If the computer fails to boot for a number of times the system automatically restores

the default settings.

Boot Failure Guard Count

Congure the number of attempts to boot until the system automatically restores

the default settings.

CSM (Compatibility Support Module)

English

88

CSM

Enable to launch the Compatibility Support Module. Please do not disable unless

you’re running a WHCK test. If you are using Windows 8.1/8 64-bit and all of your

devices support UEFI, you may also disable CSM for faster boot speed.

Launch PXE OpROM Policy

Select UEFI only to run those that support UEFI option ROM only. Select Legacy

only to run those that support legacy option ROM only. Do not launch?

Launch Storage OpROM Policy

Select UEFI only to run those that support UEFI option ROM only. Select Legacy

only to run those that support legacy option ROM only. Do not launch?

Launch Video OpROM Policy

Select UEFI only to run those that support UEFI option ROM only. Select Legacy

only to run those that support legacy option ROM only. Do not launch?

Z97E-ITX/ac

89

English

4.8 Security Screen

In this section you may set or change the supervisor/user password for the system.

You may also clear the user password.

Supervisor Password

Set or change the password for the administrator account. Only the administrator

has authority to change the settings in the UEFI Setup Utility. Leave it blank and

press enter to remove the password.

English

90

User Password

Set or change the password for the user account. Users are unable to change the

settings in the UEFI Setup Utility. Leave it blank and press enter to remove the

password.

Secure Boot

Enable to support Windows 8.1 / 8 Secure Boot.

4.9 Exit Screen

Save Changes and Exit

When you select this option the following message, “Save conguration changes

and exit setup?” will pop out. Select [OK] to save changes and exit the UEFI SETUP

UTILITY.

Z97E-ITX/ac

Discard Changes and Exit

When you select this option the following message, “Discard changes and exit

setup?” will pop out. Select [OK] to exit the UEFI SETUP UTILITY without saving

any changes.

Discard Changes

When you select this option the following message, “Discard changes?” will pop

out. Select [OK] to discard all changes.

Load UEFI Defaults

Load UEFI default values for a ll options. e F9 key can be used for this operation.

Launch EFI Shell from lesystem device

Copy shellx64.e to the root directory to launch EFI Shell.

English

91

Contact Information

If you need to contact ASRock or want to know more about ASRock, you’re welcome

to visit ASRock’s website at http://ww w.asrock.com; or you may contact your dealer

for further information. For technical questions, please submit a support request

form at http://www.asrock.com/support/tsd.asp

ASRock Incorporation

2F., No.37, Sec. 2, Jhongyang S. Rd., Beitou District,

Taipei City 112, Taiwan (R.O.C.)

ASRock EUROPE B.V.

Bijsterhuizen 3151

6604 LV Wijchen

e Netherlands

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

ASRock America, Inc.

13848 Magnolia Ave, Chino, CA91710

U.S.A.

Phone: [phone]

English

92

Fax: [phone]