Asus A55-C User Manual

A55-C

Motherboard

E7917
First Edition
January 2013

Copyright © 2013 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. All Rights Reserved.

No part of this manual, including the products and software described in it, may be reproduced,
transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form or by any
means, except documentation kept by the purchaser for backup purposes, without the express written
permission of ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (“ASUS”).

Product warranty or service will not be extended if: (1) the product is repaired, modied or altered, unless
such repair, modication of alteration is authorized in writing by ASUS; or (2) the serial number of the

product is defaced or missing.
ASUS PROVIDES THIS MANUAL “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS
OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF
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DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL,
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SPECIFICATIONS AND INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL ARE FURNISHED FOR
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This product contains copyrighted software that is licensed under the General Public License (“GPL”),
under the Lesser General Public License Version (“LGPL”) and/or other Free Open Source Software
Licenses. Such software in this product is distributed without any warranty to the extent permitted by the
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Where the applicable license entitles you to the source code of such software and/or other additional data,
you may obtain it for a period of three years after our last shipment of the product, either
(1) for free by downloading it from http://support.asus.com/download
or
(2) for the cost of reproduction and shipment, which is dependent on the preferred carrier and the location
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In your request please provide the name, model number and version, as stated in the About Box of the
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The source code will be distributed WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY and licensed under the same license as
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This offer is valid to anyone in receipt of this information.
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the product and describing the problem (please DO NOT send large attachments such as source code
archives, etc. to this email address).

ii

Contents

Safety information ...................................................................................................... vi

About this guide ........................................................................................................ vii

A55-C specications summary ................................................................................. ix

Package contents ....................................................................................................... xi

Product introduction

1.1 Special features ............................................................................................ 1-1

1.1.1 Product highlights ...........................................................................

1.1.2 ASUS Exclusive Features ...............................................................

1.2 Before you proceed ......................................................................................

1.3 Motherboard overview .................................................................................

1.3.1 Placement direction ........................................................................

1.3.2 Screw holes ....................................................................................

1.3.3 Motherboard layout .........................................................................

1.3.4 Layout contents ...............................................................................

1.4 Accelerated Processing Unit (APU) ............................................................

1.4.1 APU installation ...............................................................................

1.4.2 APU heatsink and fan assembly installation ...................................

1.5 System memory ..........................................................................................

1.5.1 Overview .......................................................................................

1.5.2 Memory congurations ..................................................................

1.5.3 Installing a DIMM ..........................................................................

1.6 Expansion slots ..........................................................................................

1.6.1 Installing an expansion card .........................................................

1.6.2 Conguring an expansion card .....................................................

1.6.3 PCI slots ........................................................................................

1.6.4 PCI Express x1 slots .....................................................................

1.6.5 PCI Express x16 slot .....................................................................

1.7 Jumpers

1.8 Connectors ..................................................................................................

1.8.1 Rear panel ports ...........................................................................

1.8.2 Internal connectors .......................................................................

1.9 Software support ........................................................................................

1.9.1 Installing an operating system ......................................................

1.9.2 Support DVD information ..............................................................

.......................................................................................................1-18

1-1

1-1

1-3

1-4

1-4

1-4

1-5

1-6

1-6

1-7

1-8

1-10

1-10

1-10

1-15

1-16

1-16

1-16

1-16

1-16

1-16

1-20

1-20

1-22

1-28

1-28

1-28

iii

BIOS information

2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS .............................................................2-1

2.1.1 ASUS Update utility ........................................................................

2.1.2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 ............................................................................

2.1.3 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility ......................................................

2.1.4 ASUS BIOS Updater .......................................................................

2.2 BIOS setup program .....................................................................................

2.3 Main menu ...................................................................................................

2.3.1 System Language [English] ..........................................................

2.3.2 System Date [Day xx/xx/xxxx] .......................................................

2.3.3 System Time [xx:xx:xx] .................................................................

2.3.4 Security .........................................................................................

2.4 Ai Tweaker menu ........................................................................................

2.4.1 Ai Overclock Tuner [Auto] .............................................................

2.4.2 Memory Frequency [Auto] .............................................................

2.4.3 EPU Power Saving Mode [Disabled] ............................................

2.4.4 DIGI+ VRM ....................................................................................

2.5 Advanced menu ..........................................................................................

2.5.1 CPU Conguration ........................................................................

2.5.2 SATA Conguration .......................................................................

2.5.3 USB Conguration ........................................................................

2.5.4 NB Conguration ...........................................................................

2.5.5 Onboard Devices Conguration ....................................................

2.5.6 APM ..............................................................................................

2.5.7 Network Stack ...............................................................................

2.6 Monitor menu ..............................................................................................

2.6.1 CPU Temperature / MB Temperature [xxxºC/xxxºF]

2.6.2 CPU / Chassis fan Speed [xxxx RPM] or [Ignore] / [N/A] ..............

2.6.3 CPU Q-Fan Control [Enabled] ......................................................

2.6.4 CPU Voltage, 3.3V Voltage, 5V Voltage, 12V Voltage ..................

...................... 2-20

2-1

2-2

2-3

2-4

2-6

2-10

2-10

2-10

2-10

2-10

2-12

2-12

2-12

2-12

2-13

2-14

2-14

2-15

2-16

2-16

2-17

2-18

2-19

2-20

2-20

2-20

2-21

iv

2.7 Boot menu ................................................................................................... 2-22

2.7.1 Fast Boot [Enabled] ......................................................................

2.7.2 Full Screen Logo [Enabled] ...........................................................

2.7.3 Post Delay Time [3 sec] ................................................................

2.7.4 Bootup NumLock State [On] .........................................................

2.7.5 Wait for ‘F1’ If Error [Enabled] .......................................................

2.7.6 Option ROM Messages [Force BIOS] ...........................................

2.7.7 Interrupt 19 Capture [Postponed] ..................................................

2.7.8 Setup Mode [EZ Mode] .................................................................

2.7.9 CSM (Compatibility Support Module) ............................................

2.7.10 Secure Boot ..................................................................................

2.7.11 Boot Option Priorities ....................................................................

2.7.12 Boot Override ................................................................................

2.8 Tools menu ..................................................................................................

2.8.1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 Utility ................................................................

2.8.2 ASUS SPD Information .................................................................

2.8.3 ASUS O.C. Prole .........................................................................

2.9 Exit menu ....................................................................................................

2-23

2-23

2-24

2-24

2-24

2-24

2-24

2-24

2-24

2-25

2-26

2-26

2-27

2-27

2-27

2-27

2-28

Appendices

Notices ..................................................................................................................... A-1

ASUS contact information ...................................................................................... A-3

v

Safety information

Electrical safety

To prevent electrical shock hazard, disconnect the power cable from the electrical outlet

•
before relocating the system.

When adding or removing devices to or from the system, ensure that the power cables

•
for the devices are unplugged before the signal cables are connected. If possible,
disconnect all power cables from the existing system before you add a device.

Before connecting or removing signal cables from the motherboard, ensure that all

•
power cables are unplugged.

Seek professional assistance before using an adapter or extension cord. These devices

•
could interrupt the grounding circuit.

Ensure that your power supply is set to the correct voltage in your area. If you are not

•
sure about the voltage of the electrical outlet you are using, contact your local power
company.

If the power supply is broken, do not try to x it by yourself. Contact a qualied service

•
technician or your retailer.

Operation safety

Before installing the motherboard and adding devices on it, carefully read all the manuals

•
that came with the package.

Before using the product, ensure all cables are correctly connected and the power

•
cables are not damaged. If you detect any damage, contact your dealer immediately.

To avoid short circuits, keep paper clips, screws, and staples away from connectors,

•
slots, sockets and circuitry.

Avoid dust, humidity, and temperature extremes. Do not place the product in any area

•
where it may become wet.

Place the product on a stable surface.

•

If you encounter technical problems with the product, contact a qualied service

•
technician or your retailer.

vi

About this guide

This user guide contains the information you need when installing and conguring the

motherboard.

How this guide is organized

This guide contains the following parts:

• Chapter 1: Product introduction

This chapter describes the features of the motherboard and the new technology it
supports.

• Chapter 2: BIOS information

This chapter tells how to change system settings through the BIOS Setup menus.
Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided.

Where to nd more information

Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product and software
updates.

1. ASUS websites

The ASUS website provides updated information on ASUS hardware and software
products. Refer to the ASUS contact information.

2. Optional documentation

Your product package may include optional documentation, such as warranty yers,

that may have been added by your dealer. These documents are not part of the
standard package.

vii

Conventions used in this guide

To ensure that you perform certain tasks properly, take note of the following symbols used
throughout this manual.

DANGER/WARNING: Information to prevent injury to yourself when trying to
complete a task.

CAUTION: Information to prevent damage to the components when trying to
complete a task

IMPORTANT: Instructions that you MUST follow to complete a task. .

NOTE: Tips and additional information to help you complete a task.

Typography

Bold text Indicates a menu or an item to select.

Italics

<Key> Keys enclosed in the less-than and greater-than sign

<Key1> + <Key2> + <Key3> If you must press two or more keys simultaneously, the key

Used to emphasize a word or a phrase.

means that you must press the enclosed key.

Example: <Enter> means that you must press the Enter or
Return key.

names are linked with a plus sign (+).

viii

A55-C specications summary

APU FM2 socket for AMD® A-Series Accelerated Processor Unit (APU) with AMD

Radeon™ HD 7000 Series graphics, up to 4 CPU cores

Supports AMD® Turbo Core Technology 3.0

• The AMD® Turbo Core Technology 3.0 support depends on the APU types.

• Refer to

www.asus.com for the AMD® APU support list.

Chipset AMD® A55 FCH

Memory 2 x 240-pin DIMM slots support a maximum 32GB unbuffered non-ECC

DDR3 1866/1600/1333/1066 MHz memory modules

Dual-channel memory architecture

• The maximum 32GB memory capacity can be supported with 16GB or above
DIMMs. ASUS will update the memory QVL once the DIMMs are available in the
market.

• Refer to

www.asus.com for the latest Memory QVL (Qualied Vendors List).

• When you install a total memory of 4GB capacity or more, Windows
operating system may only recognize less than 3GB. We recommend a
maximum of 3GB system memory if you are using a Windows® 32-bit operating
system.

®

32-bit

Graphics Integrated AMD® Radeon™ HD 7000 series graphics in Trinity APU

VGA output support: D-Sub port

- Supports D-Sub with a maximum resolution of 1920x1600@60Hz

- Supports Microsoft® DirectX 11

- Maximum shared memory of 2GB

- Supports AMD® Dual Graphics technology

* Refer to

www.amd.com for a list of discrete GPUs that support Dual

Graphics.

Expansion slots 1 x PCIe 2.0 x16 slot

3 x PCIe 2.0 x1 slots

3 x PCI slots

Storage / RAID AMD® A55 FCH:

- 6 x Serial ATA 3.0Gb/s connectors with RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 10 and

JBOD support

LAN Realtek® 8111F PCIe Gigabit LAN controller

Audio Realtek

®

ALC887 8-channel High Denition Audio CODEC

USB AMD® A55 FCH:

- 10 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports (6 ports at the rear panel, 4 ports at the front panel)

(continued on the next page)

ix

A55-C specications summary

ASUS unique
features

Special features 100% All high-quality conductive polymer

Back Panel I/O
ports

Internal I/O
connectors /
buttons / switches

BIOS 64Mb Flash ROM, UEFI BIOS, PnP, DMI 2.0, WfM 2.0, ACPI 2.0a, SM

Support DVD Drivers

Form Factor ATX form factor: 12.0 in x 8.1 in (30.5 cm x 20.6 cm)

ASUS Exclusive Features

- ASUS iCafe Memory Anti-theft

- ASUS AI Suite II

- AI Charger

- ASUS UEFI BIOS

ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution

- Stylish heatsink solution

- ASUS Q-Fan

ASUS EZ DIY

- ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3

- ASUS EZ Flash 2

- ASUS MyLogo 2™

1 x PS/2 mouse port

1 x PS/2 keyboard port

1 x D-Sub

1 x COM

1 x LAN (RJ-45) port

6 x USB 2.0 ports

3 x audio jacks

2 x USB 2.0/1.1 connectors support additional 4 USB 2.0/1.1 ports

6 x SATA 3.0Gb/s connectors

1 x CPU fan connector

1 x Chassis fan connector

1 x Speaker connector

1 x High-denition front panel audio connector

1 x Chassis intrusion connector

1 x 10-pin System panel connector

1 x 24-pin EATX power connector

1 x 4-pin ATX 12V power connector

BIOS 2.6

ASUS Update

ASUS utilities

Anti-Virus software (OEM version)

Specications are subject to change without notice.

x

Package contents

A55-C

PCIEX16

PCIEX1_3

PCIEX1_2

PCIEX1_1

PCI2

PCI1

PCI3

AAFP

CPU_FAN

CHA_FAN

BATTERY

Super

I/O

AUDIO

ALC
887

EPU

KBMS

64Mb
BIOS

CLRTCCHASSIS

SPEAKER

USBPW7~10

KBPWR

USBPW1~6

AMD

®

A55

RTL
8111F

DDR3 DIMM_A1 (64bit, 240-pin module)

DDR3 DIMM_B1 (64bit, 240-pin module)

LAN_USB12

USB56

USB34

SATA3G_2 SATA3G_4 SATA3G_6

SATA3G_1 SATA3G_3 SATA3G_5

SOCKET FM2

ATX12V

EATXPWR

VGA

COM

USB910 USB78

F_PANEL

User Guide

Check your motherboard package for the following items.

ASUS A55-C motherboard

1 x I/O Shield User Manual Support DVD

• If any of the above items is damaged or missing, contact your retailer.

• The illustrated items above are for reference only. Actual product specications may

vary with different models.

2 x Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s

cables

xi

xii

Product introduction

1

1.1 Special features

1.1.1 Product highlights

AMD® A-series accelerated processors with AMD® Radeon™ HD 7000 series
graphics

This motherboard supports AMD® A-series accelerated processors with AMD® Radeon™
HD 7000 series graphics. This revolutionary APU (Accelerated Processing Unit) combines

processing power and advanced DirectX 11 graphics in one small, energy-efcient design

that provides accelerated performance and an industry-leading visual experience. It features
Dual-channel DDR3 memory support and data transfer rates up to 5GT/s.

AMD® A55 FCH chipset

AMD® A55 FCH is designed to support up to 5GT/s interface speed and AMD® CrossFireX™
multi-GPU technology. It also supports 6 x SATA 3.0Gb/s ports.

100% All High-quality Conductive Polymer Capacitors

This motherboard uses all high-quality conductive polymer capacitors for durability, improved
lifespan, and enhanced thermal capacity.

1.1.2 ASUS Exclusive Features

ASUS UEFI BIOS (EZ Mode)

ASUS UEFI BIOS, a UEFI compliant architecture, offers the rst mouse-controlled intuitive

graphical BIOS interface that goes beyond the traditional keyboard-only BIOS controls,

providing you with more exibility, convenience, and easier navigation than the traditional

BIOS versions. It offers you dual selectable modes and native support for hard drives larger
than 2.2 TB.

ASUS UEFI BIOS includes the following new features:

• F12 BIOS snapshot hotkey

• F3 Shortcut for most accessed information

• ASUS DRAM SPD (Serial Presence Detect) information for detecting faulty DIMMs,

and helping with difcult POST situations.

ASUS A55-C

1-1

AI Suite II

ASUS AI Suite II integrates several ASUS utilities and allows you to launch and operate these

utilities simultaneously. It allows you to congure overclocking settings, adjust frequencies

and related voltage settings, remotely control the system via a mobile device, and other
tasks.

Ai Charger

ASUS Ai Charger is ASUS’ fast-charging software that supports the Apple iPod, iPhone, and
iPad.

• Check your USB mobile device if it fully supports the BC 1.1 standard.

• The actual charging speed may vary with your USB device.

ASUS EZ Flash 2

ASUS EZ Flash 2 is a user-friendly utility that allows you to update the BIOS without using a

bootable oppy disk or an OS-based utility.

ASUS MyLogo2™

Turn your favorite photos into 256-color boot logos to personalize your system.

ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3

ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 is an auto-recovery tool that allows you to restore a corrupted BIOS

le using the bundled support DVD or a USB ash disk that contains the BIOS le.

1-2

Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.2 Before you proceed

Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard components or change
any motherboard settings.

• Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any component.

• Before handling components, use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded
object or a metal object, such as the power supply case, to avoid damaging them due
to static electricity.

• Hold components by the edges to avoid touching the ICs on them.

• Whenever you uninstall any component, place it on a grounded antistatic pad or in the
bag that came with the component.

• Before you install or remove any component, switch off the ATX power supply and
detach its power cord. Failure to do so may cause severe damage to the motherboard,
peripherals, or components.

ASUS A55-C

1-3

1.3 Motherboard overview

A55-C

1.3.1 Placement direction

When installing the motherboard, ensure that you place it into the chassis in the correct
orientation. The edge with external ports goes to the rear part of the chassis as indicated in
the image below.

1.3.2 Screw holes

Place six screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the motherboard to the chassis.

DO NOT overtighten the screws! Doing so can damage the motherboard.

Place this side towards
the rear of the chassis.

1-4

Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.3.3 Motherboard layout

A55-C

PCIEX16

PCIEX1_3

PCIEX1_2

PCIEX1_1

PCI2

PCI1

PCI3

AAFP

CPU_FAN

CHA_FAN

BATTERY

Super

I/O

AUDIO

ALC
887

EPU

KBMS

64Mb
BIOS

CLRTCCHASSIS

SPEAKER

USBPW7~10

KBPWR

USBPW1~6

20.6cm(8.1in)

30.5cm(12.0in)

AMD

®

A55

RTL

8111F

DDR3 DIMM_A1 (64bit, 240-pin module)

DDR3 DIMM_B1 (64bit, 240-pin module)

LAN_USB12

USB56

USB34

SATA3G_2 SATA3G_4 SATA3G_6

SATA3G_1 SATA3G_3 SATA3G_5

SOCKET FM2

ATX12V

EATXPWR

VGA

COM

USB910 USB78

F_PANEL

1 432 65 4

3

13 12 10 89112

7

ASUS A55-C

1-5

1.3.4 Layout contents

A55-C

A55-C CPU socket FM2

Connectors/Jumpers/Slots/LED Page

1. Keyboard power (3-pin KBPWR) 1-19

2. USB device wake-up (3-pin USBPW1~6, and 3-pin USBPW7~10)

3. ATX power connectors (24-pin EATXPWR, 4-pin ATX12V)

4. CPU and chassis fan connectors (4-pin CPU_FAN, and 3-pin CHA_FAN)

5. AMD FM2 socket

6. DDR3 DIMM slots

7. SATA 3.0Gb/s connectors (7-pin SATA3G_1~6)

8. Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC)

9. Chassis intrusion connector (4-pin CHASSIS)

10. Speaker connector (4-pin SPEAKER)

11. Front panel (10-pin F_PANEL)

12. USB 2.0 connectors (10-1 pin USB78, USB910)

13. Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin AAFP)

1-19

1-23

1-22

1-6

1-10

1-24

1-18

1-26

1-27

1-25

1-27

1-26

1.4 Accelerated Processing Unit (APU)

This motherboard comes with an FM2 socket designed for AMD® A-series accelerated
processors with AMD® Radeon™ HD 7000 series graphics.

Ensure that you use an APU designed for the FM2 socket. The APU ts in only one

correct orientation. DO NOT force the APU into the socket to prevent bending the pins and
damaging the APU!

1-6

Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.4.1 APU installation

1

2

43

ASUS A55-C

1-7

1.4.2 APU heatsink and fan assembly installation

Apply the Thermal Interface Material
to the APU heatsink and APU before
you install the heatsink and fan if
necessary.

To install the APU heatsink and fan assembly

1

2

53 4

1-8

Chapter 1: Product introduction

To uninstall the APU heatsink and fan assembly

1

3

2

4

5

ASUS A55-C

1-9

1.5 System memory

A55-C

A55-C 240-pin DDR3 DIMM sockets

DIMM_A1

DIMM_B1

1.5.1 Overview

This motherboard comes with four Double Data Rate 3 (DDR3) Dual Inline Memory Modules
(DIMM) sockets.

A DDR3 module has the same physical dimensions as a DDR2 DIMM but is notched
differently to prevent installation on a DDR2 DIMM socket. DDR3 modules are developed for
better performance with less power consumption.

The gure illustrates the location of the DDR3 DIMM sockets:

Channel Sockets

Channel A DIMM_A1

Channel B DIMM_B1

1.5.2 Memory congurations

You may install 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, and 16GB unbuffered non-ECC DDR3 DIMMs into the
DIMM sockets.

• You may install varying memory sizes in Channel A and Channel B. The system maps
the total size of the lower-sized channel for the dual-channel conguration. Any excess
memory from the higher-sized channel is then mapped for single-channel operation.

• We recommend that you install the memory modules on the blue slots for better
overclocking capability.

• Always install DIMMs with the same CAS latency. For optimal compatibility, we
recommend that you install memory modules of the same version or date code (D/C)
from the same vendor. Check with the retailer to get the correct memory modules.

• Due to the memory address limitation on 32-bit Windows
or more memory on the motherboard, the actual usable memory for the OS can be
about 3GB or less. For effective use of memory, we recommend that you do any of the
following:

- Install a maximum of 3GB system memory if you are using a 32-bit Windows

OS.

- Use a 64-bit Windows

motherboard.

• This motherboard does not support DIMMs made up of 512Mb (64MB) chips or less.

• The maximum 32GB memory capacity can be supported with 16GB or above DIMMs.
ASUS will update the memory QVL once the DIMMs are available in the market.

®

OS if you want to install 4GB or more memory on the

®

OS, when you install 4GB

®

1-10

Chapter 1: Product introduction