Asus A55M-A User Manual

A55M-A Series

• A55M-A

• A55M-A/USB3

Motherboard

E7969
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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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,
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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

A55M-A Series specications summary .................................................................. ix

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

Product introduction

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

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

1.1.2 ASUS DIGI+ VRM ...........................................................................

1.1.3 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 slot .........................................................................................

1.6.4 PCI Express x1 slot .......................................................................

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

.......................................................................................................1-20

1-1

1-1

1-2

1-4

1-5

1-5

1-5

1-6

1-7

1-7

1-8

1-9

1-11

1-11

1-12

1-17

1-18

1-18

1-18

1-18

1-18

1-18

1-22

1-22

1-23

1-29

1-29

1-29

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 APU Multiplier [Auto] .....................................................................

2.4.4

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

2.4.6 DRAM Timing Control ...................................................................

2.4.7 APU Voltage [Offset Mode] ...........................................................

2.4.8 DRAM Voltage [Auto] ....................................................................

2.4.9 SB 1.1V Voltage [Auto] .................................................................

2.4.10 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 Voltage, 3.3V Voltage, 5V Voltage, 12V Voltage ..................

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

2.6.5 Anti Surge Support [Auto] .............................................................

NB Frequency [Auto] .....................................................................2-13

...................... 2-23

2-1

2-2

2-3

2-4

2-6

2-10

2-10

2-10

2-10

2-10

2-12

2-13

2-13

2-13

2-13

2-14

2-14

2-14

2-14

2-15

2-16

2-16

2-18

2-19

2-19

2-20

2-21

2-22

2-23

2-23

2-23

2-23

2-24

iv

2.7 Boot menu ................................................................................................... 2-25

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 Parameters ..........................................................................

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

2-26

2-26

2-27

2-27

2-27

2-27

2-27

2-27

2-28

2-28

2-29

2-29

2-30

2-30

2-30

2-30

2-31

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

A55M-A Series specications summary

APU AMD Socket FM2 A-series/Athlon™ Series Processors

AMD® Turbo Core Technology 3.0 support

Microsoft® DirectX® 11 support

• Refer to www.asus.com for the AMD® APU support list.

Chipset AMD® A55 FCH (Hudson D2)

Memory 2 x 240-pin DIMM3 slots support maximum 32GB unbuffered non-ECC

Graphics Integrated AMD® Radeon™ HD 7000 Series Graphics in the A-Series APU

Expansion slots 1 x PCIe 2.0 x16 slot

Storage / RAID AMD® A55 FCH:

LAN Realtek® 8111F PCIe Gigabit LAN controller

Audio Realtek

USB A55M-A/USB3

DDR3 1866 / 1600 / 1333 / 1066 MHz memory modules

Dual-channel memory architecture

Supports AMD Memory Prole (AMP) memory

• 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.

®

Supports HDMI with a maximum resolution of 1920x1080@60Hz

Supports Dual-link DVI with a maximum resolution of 2560x1600@60Hz

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

AMD® Dual Graphics technology support*

Maximum shared memory of 2GB

Supports Microsoft® DirectX 11

• Refer to http://www.amd.com/us/products/technologies/dual-graphics/
Pages/dual-graphics.aspx#3 for the discrete GPUs which support Dual Graphics

technology.

1 x PCIe 2.0 x1 slots

1 x PCI slot

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

and JBOD congurations

®

ALC887-VD 8-channel High Denition Audio CODEC

• Use a chassis with HD audio module in the front panel to support an 8-channel
audio output.

ASMedia 1042

- 2 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports at the back panel

AMD® A55 FCH:

- 6 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports (4 ports at the mid-board, 2 ports at the back
panel)

A55M-A

AMD® A55 FCH:

- 8 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports (4 ports at the mid-board, 4 ports at the back
panel)

32-bit

(continued on the next page)

ix

A55M-A Series specications summary

ASUS unique
features

Back Panel I/O
ports

Internal I/O
connectors /
buttons / switches

BIOS 32 Mb Flash ROM, UEFI AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI 2.0, WfM 2.0, SM BIOS

Support DVD Drivers

Form factor uATX form factor: 23.6cm x 18.8cm

ASUS USB 3.0 Boost (A55M-A/USB3 only)

DIGI+ Power Control: Digital Power Design for the APU

ASUS 3+2 Phase Power Design

Network iControl

ASUS EPU

ASUS AI Suite II

ASUS UEFI BIOS EZ Mode

ASUS Anti-Surge Protection

ASUS Fan Xpert

ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3

ASUS Fanless Design: Stylish Heatsink Solution

ASUS ESD

ASUS EZ Flash 2

ASUS MyLogo 2™

100% All high-quality conductive polymer

1 x PS/2 mouse port (green)

1 x PS/2 keyboard port (purple)

1 x HDMI port

1 x DVI port

1 x D-Sub output port

1 x LAN (RJ-45) port

2 x USB 3.0 ports and 2 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports (A55M-A/USB3 only)

4 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports (A55M-A only)

8-channel audio I/O ports (3-jack)

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 System panel connector

1 x Internal Speaker connector

1 x CPU fan connector (4-pin)

1 x S/PDIF output connector

1 x Chassis fan connector (3-pin)

1 x High-denition front panel audio connector

1 x 24-pin EATX power connector

1 x 4-pin ATX 12V power connector

2.6, ACPI 2.0a, Multi-language BIOS

ASUS Update

ASUS utilities

Anti-Virus software (OEM version)

Specications are subject to change without notice.

x

Package contents

A55M-A/USB3

PCIEX16

PCIEX1_1

PCI1

F_PANEL

SPEAKER

CLRTC

USBPWF

KB_USBWB

USB56

USB34

AAFP

SPDIF_OUT

ATX12V

EATXPWR

CPU_FAN CHA_FAN

BATTERY

Super

I/O

ALC
887

RTL

8111F

ASM
1042

32Mb
BIOS

SB_PWR

AMD

®

A55

DDR3 DIMM_A1 (64bit, 240-pin module)

DDR3 DIMM_B1 (64bit, 240-pin module)

SATA6G_5 SATA6G_6

SATA6G_3 SATA6G_4

SATA6G_1 SATA6G_2

AUDIO

KBMS

LAN1_USB12

USB1112

HDMI

DVI_VGA

SOCKET FM2

DIGI

+VRM

User Guide

Check your motherboard package for the following items.

ASUS A55M-A Series motherboard

2 x Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s

cables

1 x I/O Shield User Guide Support DVD

• A55M-A Series motherboards include A55M-A and A55M-A/USB3 models. The
package contents vary from models.

• 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.

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 to

enable accelerated performance and an industry-leading visual experience. It features Dual­channel DDR3 memory support and accelerated data transfer rates of up to 5GT/s.

AMD® A55 FCH chipset

AMD® A55 FCH is designed to support up to 5GT/s interface speed and 6 x SATA 3.0Gb/s
ports.

Dual-Channel DDR3 1866 / 1600 / 1333 / 1066 MHz Support

This motherboard supports dual-channel DDR3 memory with data transfer rates of DDR3

1866 / 1600 / 1333 / 1066 MHz to boost the system’s performance, and to meet the higher

bandwidth requirements of 3D graphics, multimedia, and Internet applications.

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 DIGI+ VRM

DIGI+POWER CONTROL: Digital Power Design for the APU*

ASUS motherboards using the AMD® A55 chipset employ precise digital voltage regulation
for the APU, called DIGI+ VRM (Voltage Regulation Modules) digital power design. The APU
voltage is adjusted either through carefully developed automated modes, or by using user-

dened proles. The result is that DIGI+ VRM technology ensures better energy efciency

and precise power delivery. Boosted by world-renowned ASUS quality, DIGI+ VRM creates
an ideal computing platform for a diverse range of applications, from gaming to multimedia

or ofce work and heavy multitasking. Engineered and tested to assure unmitigated
performance, ASUS A55 boards with DIGI+ VRM remain efcient and accurate for reliable

performance in every scenario.

* DIGI+ VRM features are also available in FM2 socket compatible CPUs

ASUS A55M-A Series

1-1

1.1.3 ASUS Exclusive Features

ASUS Network iControl

With a single-click on/off button, the application currently in use has its data and network

badndwidth prioritized over other programs. Moreover, you can prioritize your favorite
software easily by conguring proles through the inuitive user interface. Within the prole,
programs can be prescheduled to run during a specic time period to avoid network

congestion and long-waits for downloads. Auto PPPoE network connection povides a one­step setup for enhanced online convenience. Overall, it’s an intuitive network bandwidth
control center.

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 easy to navigate EFI BIOS than the

traditional BIOS versions. It offers you with 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 detecting faulty DIMMs, and

helping with difcult POST situations.

EPU

EPU (Energy Processing Unit), the world’s rst real-time system power-saving chip,

automatically detects the current system load and intelligently moderates power usage.

It offers a total system-wide energy optimization, reduces fan noise, and extends the

component’s lifespan.

ASUS Anti-Surge Protection

This special design protects expensive devices and the motherboard from damage caused
by power surges from switching power supply unit (PSU).

AI Suite II

With its user interface, ASUS AI Suite II integrates several ASUS utilities and allows you to

launch and operate these utilities simultaneously. It allows you to congure the overclocking

settings, adjust the frequencies and related voltages, remotely control the system via a
mobile device, and other easy-to-use helpful utilities.

ASUS Fan Xpert

ASUS Fan Xpert intelligently allows you to adjust the CPU fan speed based on different
ambient temperatures, resulting in a quiet and cool computing environment.

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.

1-2

Chapter 1: Product introduction

ASUS MyLogo2™

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

ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3

ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 allows you to restore a corrupted BIOS le from a USB storage
device that contains the BIOS le.

USB 3.0 Boost (A55M-A/USB3 only)

With USB 3.0 Boost technology, a USB device’s transmission speed is signicantly

increased, adding to an already impressive USB 3.0 transfer speed. ASUS software
automatically accelerates data speeds for compatible USB 3.0 peripherals without the need
for any user interaction.

ASUS A55M-A Series

1-3

1.2 Before you proceed

SB_PWR

ON

Standby Power

Powered Off

OFF

A55M-A/USB3

A55M-A/USB3 Onboard LED

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.

Standby Power LED

The motherboard comes with a standby power LED that lights up to indicate that the system
is ON, in sleep mode, or in soft-off mode. This is a reminder that you should shut down
the system and unplug the power cable before removing or plugging in any motherboard
component. The illustration below shows the location of the onboard LED.

1-4

Chapter 1: Product introduction

A55M-A/USB3

1.3 Motherboard overview

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.

ASUS A55M-A Series

1-5

1.3.3 Motherboard layout

A55M-A/USB3

PCIEX16

PCIEX1_1

PCI1

F_PANEL

SPEAKER

CLRTC

USBPWF

KB_USBWB

USB56

USB34

AAFP

SPDIF_OUT

ATX12V

EATXPWR

CPU_FAN CHA_FAN

BATTERY

Super

I/O

ALC
887

RTL

8111F

ASM
1042

32Mb
BIOS

SB_PWR

23.6cm(9.3in)

AMD

®

A55

DDR3 DIMM_A1 (64bit, 240-pin module)

DDR3 DIMM_B1 (64bit, 240-pin module)

SATA6G_5 SATA6G_6

SATA6G_3 SATA6G_4

SATA6G_1 SATA6G_2

AUDIO

KBMS

LAN1_USB12

USB1112

HDMI

18.8cm(7.4in)

DVI_VGA

SOCKET FM2

DIGI

+VRM

321 54

6

7

2

891011121314

A55M-A Series motherboards include A55M-A and A55M-A/USB3 models. The package
contents vary between models. The layout illustrations in this user guide are for A55M­A/USB3 only.

1-6

Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.3.4 Layout contents

A55M-A/USB3

A55M-A/USB3 CPU socket FM2

Connectors/Jumpers/Slots/LED Page

1. Keyboard power (3-pin KB_USBPWB) 1-21

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

3. AMD FM2 socket

4. CPU fan connector (4-pin CPU_FAN) and Chassis fan connector (3-pin CHA_FAN)

5. DDR3 DIMM slots

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

7. System panel connector (10-1 pin F_PANEL)

8. Speaker connector (4-pin SPEAKER)

9. Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC)

10. USB 2.0 connectors (10-1 pin USB56, USB34)

11. USB device wake-up (3-pin USBPWF)

12. Digital audio connector (4-1 pin SPDIF_OUT)

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

14. Standby power LED (SB_PWR)

1-24

1-7

1-23

1-11

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1-4

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 a 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!

ASUS A55M-A Series

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1.4.1 APU installation

1

2

43

1-8

Chapter 1: Product introduction

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

ASUS A55M-A Series

1-9

To uninstall the APU heatsink and fan assembly

1

3

2

4

5

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Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.5 System memory

A55M-A/USB3

A55M-A/USB3 240-pin DDR3 DIMM sockets

DIMM_A1

DIMM_B1

1.5.1 Overview

This motherboard comes with two 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

ASUS A55M-A Series

1-11

1.5.2 Memory congurations

You may install 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB 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.

• 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

®

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

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.

• The default memory operation frequency is dependent on its Serial Presence Detect
(SPD), which is the standard way of accessing information from a memory module.
Under the default state, some memory modules for overclocking may operate at a
lower frequency than the vendor-marked value. To operate at the vendor-marked
or at a higher frequency, refer to section 2.4 Ai Tweaker menu for manual memory
frequency adjustment.

• For system stability, use a more efcient memory cooling system to support a full

memory load (2 DIMMs) or overclocking condition.

®

OS, when you install 4GB

®

A55M-A Series Motherboard Qualied Vendors Lists (QVL)

DDR3 1866 MHz capability

Vendors Part No. Size SS/DS

CORSAIR CMT6GX3MA1866C9(XMP) 6GB(3 x 2GB) DS - - 9-9-9-24 1.65V • •
CORSAIR CMZ8GX3M2A1866C9(XMP) 8GB(2 x 4GB) DS - - 9-10-9-27 1.50V • •
G.SKILL F3-14900CL9Q-16GBZL(XMP1.3) 16GB(4GB x 4) DS - - 9-10-9-28 1.5V • •
G.SKILL F3-14900CL10Q2-64GBZLD(XMP1.3) 64GB(8GB x 8) DS - - 10-11-10-30 1.5V • •
KINGSTON KHX1866C9D3K4/16GX(XMP) 16GB(4GB x 4) DS - - - 1.65V • •
KINGSTON KHX1866C9D3T1K3/6GX(XMP) 6GB(3 x 2GB) DS - - - 1.65V • •
KINGSTON KHX1866C11D3P1K2/8G 8GB(4GB x 2) DS - - - 1.5V • •
KINGSTON KHX1866C9D3K2/8GX(XMP) 8GB(4GB x 2) DS - - - 1.65V • •

1-12

Chip

Chip NO. Timing Voltage

Brand

Chapter 1: Product introduction

DIMM socket
support (Optional)

1 DIMM 2 DIMMs