ASUS E8521 User Manual

Motherboard

H87I-PLUS

E8521 Second Edition

July 2013

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 MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL ASUS, ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF BUSINESS, LOSS OF USE OR DATA, INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS AND THE LIKE), EVEN IF ASUS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES ARISING FROM ANY DEFECT OR ERROR IN THIS MANUAL OR PRODUCT.

SPECIFICATIONS AND INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL ARE FURNISHED FOR INFORMATIONAL USE ONLY, AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE, AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY ASUS. ASUS ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS OR INACCURACIES THAT MAY APPEAR IN THIS MANUAL, INCLUDING THE PRODUCTS AND SOFTWARE DESCRIBED IN IT.

Products and corporate names appearing in this manual 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.

Offer to Provide Source Code of Certain Software

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 applicable law. Copies of these licenses are included in this product.

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

where you want to have it shipped to, by sending a request to:

ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Legal Compliance Dept. 15 Li Te Rd., Beitou, Taipei 112 Taiwan

In your request please provide the name, model number and version, as stated in the About Box of the product for which you wish to obtain the corresponding source code and your contact details so that we can coordinate the terms and cost of shipment with you.

The source code will be distributed WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY and licensed under the same license as the corresponding binary/object code.

This offer is valid to anyone in receipt of this information. ASUSTeK is eager to duly provide complete source code as required under various Free Open Source

Software licenses. If however you encounter any problems in obtaining the full corresponding source code we would be much obliged if you give us a notication to the email address gpl@asus.com, stating the product and describing the problem (please DO NOT send large attachments such as source code archives, etc. to this email address).

iii

Contents

Safety information ...................................................................................................... iv

About this guide ......................................................................................................... iv

Package contents ....................................................................................................... vi

H87I-PLUS specications summary ......................................................................... vi

Product introduction

1.1 Before you proceed ...................................................................................... 1-1

1.2 Motherboard overview .................................................................................

1-1

1.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ....................................................................

1-3

1.4 System memory ............................................................................................

1-6

1.5 Expansion slots ............................................................................................

1-8

1.6 Jumpers

.......................................................................................................1-10

1.7 Connectors ..................................................................................................

1-11

1.8 Onboard LEDs ............................................................................................

1-18

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

1-19

BIOS information

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

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

2-6

2.3 My Favorites

................................................................................................ 2-10

2.4 Main menu ...................................................................................................

2-11

2.5 Ai Tweaker menu ........................................................................................

2-13

2.6 Advanced menu ..........................................................................................

2-24

2.7 Monitor menu ..............................................................................................

2-33

2.8 Boot menu ...................................................................................................

2-36

2.9 Tools menu ..................................................................................................

2-42

2.10 Exit menu ....................................................................................................

2-43

Appendices

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

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

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.

•

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.

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

Used to emphasize a word or a phrase.

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

means that you must press the enclosed key.

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

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

names are linked with a plus sign (+).

(continued on the next page)

H87I-PLUS specications summary

CPU LGA1150 socket for Intel® 4th Generation CoreTM i7/ i5 / i3, Pentium®,

Celeron® Processors

Supports 22nm CPU

Supports Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2.0*

* The Intel

Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 support depends on the CPU types.

** Refer to www.asus.com for Intel

CPU support list.

Chipset Intel® H87 Express Chipset

Memory 2 x U-DIMM, max. 16GB DDR3 1600/1333/1066MHz, non-ECC, unbuffered

memory modules

Dual-channel memory architecture

* The maximum 16GB memory capacity can be supported with 8GB 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).

*** Due to Intel® chipset limitation, DDR3 1600MHz and higher memory modules on

XMP mode will run at the maximum transfer rate of DDR3 1600MHz.

Graphics Multi-VGA output support: HDMI/DVI/D-Sub port

- Supports HDMI with max. resolution 4096 x 2304@24Hz / 2560 x 1600@60Hz

- Supports DVI with max. resolution 1920 x1200@60Hz

- Supports D-Sub with max. resolution 1920x1200@60Hz

* Max. UMA Memory: 1024MB

Expansion slots

1 x PCI Express 3.0/2.0 x16 slot

Storage

Intel® H87 Express Chipset:

- 6 x Serial ATA 6Gb/s connectors (yellow)

- Support RAID 0, 1, 5, 10 mode

LAN

Intel® I217 Gigabit LAN Controller

Audio Realtek® ALC887 8-Channel High Denition Audio CODEC

* Use a chassis with HD audio module in the front panel to support a 8-

channel audio output

Package contents

Check your motherboard package for the following items.

Motherboard ASUS H87I-PLUS motherboard

Cables 2 x Serial ATA 6.0 Gb/s cables

Accessories 1 x I/O Shield

Application DVD Support DVD

Documentation User Guide

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

vii

H87I-PLUS specications summary

USB 6 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports (4 ports at back panel, [blue], 2 ports at mid-board)

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

ASUS unique features

ASUS 5X Protection

- ASUS motherboards safeguard your PC with 5X Protection: DIGI+VRM, DRAM Fuse, ESD Guards, High-Quality 5K-Hour Solid Capacitors, and Stainless Steel Back I/O to ensure the best quality, reliability, and durability

ASUS Digital Power Design

- ASUS Digital Power Control: Digital Power Design for CPU and iGPU

- ASUS 3 Phase Power Design

ASUS DRAM Fuse

- Enhanced DRAM overcurrent protection and short circuit damage prevention

ASUS ESD Guards

- Strong ESD protection for extended component lifespan

ASUS High-Quality 5K-Hour Solid Capacitors

- 2.5x Long Lifespan with excellent durability

ASUS Stainless Steel Back I/O

- 3x More durable corrosion-resistant coating

ASUS Exclusive Features:

- ASUS USB 3.0 Boost featuring speedy USB 3.0 transmission

- ASUS Network iControl

- ASUS Ai Charger

- ASUS UEFI BIOS EZ Mode featuring friendly graphics user interface

- ASUS AI Suite 3

- ASUS GPU Boost

- ASUS Anti-surge

ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution:

- ASUS Fan Xpert

ASUS EZ DIY:

- ASUS My Logo2

- ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3

- ASUS EZ Flash 2

Back Panel I/O ports

1 x PS/2 keyboard/mouse combo port

1 x HDMI port

1 x DVI-D port

1 x D-Sub port

1 x Optical S/PDIF Output port

1 x LAN (RJ-45) port

4 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports

4 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports

3 Audio jack(s)

(continued on the next page)

viii

H87I-PLUS specications summary

Specications are subject to change without notice.

Internal I/O connectors/ buttons/switches

1 x USB 3.0/2.0 connector supports additional 2 USB 3.0/2.0 ports (19-pin)

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

6 x SATA 6.0Gb/s connectors (yellow)

1 x CPU fan connector (4-pin)

1 x Chassis fan connector (4-pin)

1 x Front panel audio connector

1 x S/PDIF Out connector

1 x System panel connector (10-1pin)

1 x 24-pin EATX power connector

1 x 4-pin ATX 12V poweer connector

1 x Clear CMOS jumper

1 x Speaker header

BIOS features 64 Mb Flash ROM, AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI 2.0, WfM 2.0, SM BIOS 2.5, ACPI

2.0a

Manageability

WOL by PME, PXE

Support DVD Drivers

ASUS utilities

EZ Update

Anti-virus software (OEM version)

Form factor

Mini-ITX form factor: 6.7 in x 6.7 in (17.0cm x 17.0 cm)

ASUS H87I-PLUS

1-1

Product introduction

1.1 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, ensure that the ATX power supply is switched off or the power cord is detached from the power supply. Failure to do so may cause severe damage to the motherboard, peripherals, or components.

1.2 Motherboard overview

Before you install the motherboard, study the conguration of your chassis to ensure that the motherboard ts into it.

Ensure that you unplug the power cord before installing or removing the motherboard. Failure to do so can cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components.

1.2.1 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.

1.2.2 Screw holes

Place four 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.

1-2

Chapter 1: Product introduction

H87I-PLUS

Place this side towards

the rear of the chassis

1.2.3 Motherboard layout

S U L P

I 7 8

PCIEX16

Super

I/O

F_PANEL

AAFP

ATX12V

EATXPWR

CPU_FANCHA_FAN

USB1112

USB78

USB910

USB34

Intel I217

ASM 1442

ALC

887

8MB

BIOS

SB_PWR

17cm(6.7in)

Intel

H87

SATA_6

SATA_5SATA_2

SATA_1

SATA_4SATA_3

SPDIF_OUT

SPEAKER

DDR3 DIMMA1 (64bit, 240-pin module)

DDR3 DIMMB1 (64bit, 240-pin module)

CLRTC

LGA1150

AUDIO

SPDIFO

_HDMI

LAN_USB12

KBMS_USB56

DVI_VGA

USB1314

DIGI

+VRM

BATTERY

621 3 4

1112

7 8

ASUS H87I-PLUS

1-3

1.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU)

This motherboard comes with a surface mount LGA1150 socket designed for the Intel® 4th generation Core™ i7 / Core™ i5 / Core™ i3, Pentium® , Celeron® processors.

H87I-PLUS

H87I-PLUS CPU socket LGA1150

1.2.4 Layout contents

Connectors/Jumpers/Slots/LED Page

1. Onboard LED (SB_PWR) 1-18

2. USB 3.0 connector (20-1 pin USB_1314) 1-16

3. ATX power connectors (24-pin EATXPWR, 4-pin ATX12V) 1-15

4. Intel® LGA1150 CPU socket 1-3

5. CPU and chassis fan connectors (4-pin CPU_FAN, 4-pin CHA_FAN) 1-14

6. Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC) ) 1-10

7. DDR3 DIMM slots 1-6

8. Speaker connector (4-pin SPEAKER) 1-15

9. System panel connector (10-1 pin F_PANEL) 1-17

10. Intel® H87 Serial ATA 6.0Gb/s connector (7-pin SATA6G_1~6 [yellow]) 1-14

11. Digital audio connector (4-1 pin SPDIF_OUT) 1-13

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

13. USB 2.0 connectors (10-1 pin USB78, 1112) 1-16

Unplug all power cables before installing the CPU.

• Upon purchase of the motherboard, ensure that the PnP cap is on the socket and the socket contacts are not bent. Contact your retailer immediately if the PnP cap is missing, or if you see any damage to the PnP cap/socket contacts/motherboard components. ASUS will shoulder the cost of repair only if the damage is shipment/ transit-related.

• Keep the cap after installing the motherboard. ASUS will process Return Merchandise

Authorization (RMA) requests only if the motherboard comes with the cap on the

LGA1150 socket.

• The product warranty does not cover damage to the socket contacts resulting from incorrect CPU installation/removal, or misplacement/loss/incorrect removal of the PnP cap.

1-4

Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.3.1 Installing the CPU

ASUS H87I-PLUS

1-5

1.3.2 CPU heatsink and fan assembly installation

To install the CPU heatsink and fan assembly

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

3 4

1-6

Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.4 System memory

1.4.1 Overview

This motherboard comes with two Double Data Rate 3 (DDR3) Dual Inline Memory Module (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

H87I-PLUS

H87I-PLUS 240-pin DDR3 DIMM sockets

DIMM_A1

DIMM_B1

1.4.2 Memory congurations

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

To uninstall the CPU heatsink and fan assembly

ASUS H87I-PLUS

1-7

• 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.

• Due to Intel

chipset limitation, DDR3 1600MHz and higher memory modules on XMP

mode will run at the maximum transfer rate of DDR3 1600MHz.

• 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

OS, when you install 4GB 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:

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

OS.

- Install a 64-bit Windows

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

motherboard.

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

• Memory modules with memory frequency higher than 2133 MHz and its corresponding timing or the loaded X.M.P. Prole is not the JEDEC memory standard. The stability and compatibility of these memory modules depend on the CPU’s capabilities and

other installed devices.

• The maximum 16GB memory capacity can be supported with 8GB 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 2.5 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.

• Refer to

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

1.4.3 Installing a DIMM

Unplug the power supply before adding or removing DIMMs or other system components. Failure to do so can cause severe damage to both the motherboard and the components.

1. Press the retaining clips outward to unlock a DIMM socket.

2. Align a DIMM on the socket such that the notch on the DIMM matches the DIMM slot key on the socket.

1-8

Chapter 1: Product introduction

A DIMM is keyed with a notch so that it ts in only one direction. DO NOT force a DIMM into

a socket in the wrong direction to avoid damaging the DIMM.

3. Firmly insert the DIMM into the socket until the retaining clips snap back in place and the DIMM is properly seated.

1.4.4 Removing a DIMM

To remove a DIMM:

1. Simultaneously press the retaining clips outward to unlock the DIMM.

2. Remove the DIMM from the socket.

Support the DIMM lightly with

your ngers when pressing the

retaining clips. The DIMM might

get damaged when it ips out

with extra force.

1.5 Expansion slots

In the future, you may need to install expansion cards. The following sub-sections describe the slots and the expansion cards that they support.

Unplug the power cord before adding or removing expansion cards. Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components.

DIMM notch

DIMM slot key

Unlocked retaining clip

Locked Retaining Clip

DIMM notch

ASUS H87I-PLUS

1-9

1.5.1 Installing an expansion card

To install an expansion card:

1. Before installing the expansion card, read the documentation that came with it and make the necessary hardware settings for the card.

2. Remove the system unit cover (if your motherboard is already installed in a chassis).

3. Remove the bracket opposite the slot that you intend to use. Keep the screw for later use.

4. Align the card connector with the slot and press rmly until the card is completely

seated on the slot.

5. Secure the card to the chassis with the screw you removed earlier.

6. Replace the system cover.

1.5.2 Conguring an expansion card

After installing the expansion card, congure it by adjusting the software settings.

1. Turn on the system and change the necessary BIOS settings, if any. See Chapter 2 for information on BIOS setup.

2. Assign an IRQ to the card.

3. Install the software drivers for the expansion card.

When using PCI cards on shared slots, ensure that the drivers support “Share IRQ” or that

the cards do not need IRQ assignments. Otherwise, conicts will arise between the two PCI

groups, making the system unstable and the card inoperable.

1.5.3 PCI Express x16 slot

This motherboard supports two PCI Express x16 graphics cards that comply with the PCI

Express specications.

IRQ assignments for this motherboard

A B C D E F G H

PCIe x16 shared - - - - - - -

Intel I217 (LAN) - - - - shared - - -

On Chip SATA - - - shared - - - -

On Chip USB EHCI 1/2 - - - - shared - - -

On Chip USB XHCI - - - - - shared - HD Audio - - - - - - shared -

1-10

Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.6 Jumpers

Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC)

This jumper allows you to clear the Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM in CMOS. You can clear the CMOS memory of date, time, and system setup parameters by erasing the CMOS RTC RAM data. The onboard button cell battery powers the RAM data in CMOS, which include system setup information such as system passwords.

H87I-PLUS

H87I-PLUS Clear RTC RAM

1 2 2 3

Normal

(Default)

Clear RTC

CLRTC

To erase the RTC RAM:

1. Turn OFF the computer and unplug the power cord.

2. Move the jumper cap from pins 1-2 (default) to pins 2-3. Keep the cap on pins 2-3 for about 5-10 seconds, then move the cap back to pins 1-2.

3. Plug the power cord and turn ON the computer.

4. Hold down the <Del> key during the boot process and enter BIOS setup to reenter data.

Except when clearing the RTC RAM, never remove the cap on CLRTC jumper default position. Removing the cap will cause system boot failure!

• If the steps above do not help, remove the onboard battery and move the jumper again to clear the CMOS RTC RAM data. After clearing the CMOS, reinstall the battery.

• You do not need to clear the RTC when the system hangs due to overclocking. For system failure due to overclocking, use the CPU Parameter Recall (C.P.R.) feature. Shut down and reboot the system, then the BIOS automatically resets parameter settings to default values.

ASUS H87I-PLUS

1-11

1.7 Connectors

1.7.1 Rear panel connectors

1. PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse combo port. This port is for a PS/2 keyboard/mouse.

2. Optical S/PDIF Out port.

This port connects an external audio output device via an

optical S/PDIF cable

3. Video Graphics Adapter (VGA) port. This 15-pin port is for a VGA monitor or other

VGA-compatible devices.

4. LAN (RJ-45) port.

This port allows Gigabit connection to a Local Area Network (LAN)

through a network hub. Refer to the table below for the LAN port LED indications.

10 9

5 6

LAN port

Speed

LED

Activity Link

LED

LAN port LED indications

5. Line In port (light blue). This port connects the tape, CD, DVD player, or other audio

sources.

6. Line Out port (lime)

. This port connects a headphone or a speaker. In 4-channel, 6-

channel, and 8-channel congurations, the function of this port becomes Front Speaker

Out.

7. Microphone port (pink)

. This port connects a microphone.

To congure an 8-channel audio output:

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

output.

Activity/Link LED Speed LED Status Description Status Description

Off No link OFF 10Mbps connection Orange Linked ORANGE 100Mbps connection Orange (Blinking) Data activity GREEN 1Gbps connection Orange (Blinking

then steady)

Ready to wake up from S5 mode

1-12

Chapter 1: Product introduction

8. USB 2.0 ports 1 and 2. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports are for USB

2.0/1.1 devices.

9. USB 3.0 ports 1 and 2.

These two 9-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports connect to

USB 3.0/2.0 devices.

10. USB 3.0 ports 3 and 4.

These two 9-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports connect to

USB 3.0/2.0 devices.

• Due to USB 3.0 controller limitations, USB 3.0 devices can only be used under a Windows® OS environment and after USB 3.0 driver installation.

• The plugged USB 3.0 device may run on xHCI or EHCI mode, depending on the

operating system’s setting.

• USB 3.0 devices can only be used for data storage.

• We strongly recommend that you connect USB 3.0 devices to USB 3.0 ports for faster and better performance from your USB 3.0 devices.

• Due to the design of the Intel

8 series chipset, all USB devices connected to the

USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports are controlled by the xHCI controller. Some legacy USB

devices must update their rmware for better compatibility.

• Intel display architecture design supports the following maximum supported pixel clocks (Pixel Clock = H total x V Total x Frame Rate (Screen refresh rate)):

- HDMI port: 300 MHz

- DVI port: 165 MHz

- VGA port: 180 MHz

11. DVI-D port. This port is for any DVI-D compatible device. DVI-D can’t be converted to

output RGB Signal to CRT and isn’t compatible with DVI-I.

12. HDMI port.

This port is for a High-Denition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) connector,

and is HDCP compliant allowing playback of HD DVD, Blu-ray, and other protected content.

13. USB 2.0 ports 1 and 2

. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports are for USB

2.0/1.1 devices.

Audio 2, 4, 6, or 8-channel conguration

Port

Headset

2-channel

4-channel 6-channel 8-channel

Light Blue (Rear panel) Line In Rear Speaker Out Rear Speaker Out Rear Speaker Out Lime (Rear panel) Line Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out Pink (Rear panel) Mic In Mic In Bass/Center Bass/Center Lime (Front panel) - - - Side Speaker Out

ASUS H87I-PLUS

1-13

1.7.2 Internal connectors

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

This connector is for a chassis-mounted front panel audio I/O module that supports either HD Audio or legacy AC`97 audio standard. Connect one end of the front panel audio I/O module cable to this connector.

• We recommend that you connect a high-denition front panel audio module to this connector to avail of the motherboard’s high-denition audio capability.

• If you want to connect a high-denition front panel audio module to this connector,

set the Front Panel Type item in the BIOS setup to [HD]. If you want to connect an

AC’97 front panel audio module to this connector, set the item to [AC97]. By default,

this connector is set to [HD]. See section 2.6.7 Onboard Devices Conguration for details.

H87I-PLUS

H87I-PLUS Front panel audio connector

AAFP

AGNDNCSENSE1_RETUR

SENSE2_RETUR

PORT1 L

PORT1 R

PORT2 R

SENSE_SEND

PORT2 L

HD-audio-compliant

pin definition

PIN 1

AGNDNCNC

MIC2

MICPWR

Line out_R

Line out_L

Legacy AC’97

compliant definition

The S/PDIF module is purchased separately.

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

This connector is for an additional Sony/Philips Digital Interface (S/PDIF) port. Connect the S/PDIF Out module cable to this connector, then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis.

H87I-PLUS

H87I-PLUS Digital audio connector

SPDIF_OUT

+5V

SPDIFOUT

GND

1-14

Chapter 1: Product introduction

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

Connect the fan cables to the fan connectors on the motherboard, ensuring that the black wire of each cable matches the ground pin of the connector.

Do not forget to connect the fan cables to the fan connectors. Insufcient air ow inside

the system may damage the motherboard components. These are not jumpers! Do not place jumper caps on the fan connectors! The CPU_FAN connector supports a CPU fan of maximum 1A (12 W) fan power.

Only the 4-pin CPU fan supports the ASUS Fan Xpert 2 feature.

H87I-PLUS

H87I-PLUS Fan connectors

CPU_FAN

CPU FAN PWM

CPU FAN IN

CPU FAN PWR

GND

CHA_FAN

CHA FAN PWM

CHA FAN IN

CHA FAN PWR

GND

4. Intel® H87 Serial ATA 6.0Gb/s connector (7-pin SATA6G_1~6 [yellow])

This connector connects to Serial ATA 6.0 Gb/s hard disk drives via Serial ATA 6.0 Gb/s signal cables.

When using hot-plug and NCQ, set the SATA Mode Selection item in the BIOS to [AHCI]. See section 2.6.3 SATA Conguration for details.

H87I-PLUS

H87I-PLUS SATA 6.0Gb/s connectors

SATA3

GND RSATA_TXP3 RSATA_TXN3

GND

RSATA_RXN3 RSATA_RXP3

GND

SATA4

GND RSATA_TXP4 RSATA_TXN4

GND

RSATA_RXN4 RSATA_RXP4

GND

SATA1

GND RSATA_TXP1 RSATA_TXN1

GND RSATA_RXN1 RSATA_RXP1

GND

SATA2

GND RSATA_TXP2 RSATA_TXN2

GND RSATA_RXN2 RSATA_RXP2

GND

SATA5

GND RSATA_TXP5 RSATA_TXN5

GND RSATA_RXN5 RSATA_RXP5

GND

SATA6

GND RSATA_TXP6 RSATA_TXN6

GND RSATA_RXN6 RSATA_RXP6

GND

ASUS H87I-PLUS

1-15

•

We recommend that you use an ATX 12V Specication 2.0-compliant power supply

unit (PSU) with a minimum of 300W power rating. This PSU type has 24-pin and 4-pin power plugs.

•

DO NOT forget to connect the 4-pin ATX +12V power plug. Otherwise, the system will not boot up.

• We recommend that you use a PSU with higher power output when conguring a

system with more power-consuming devices or when you intend to install additional devices. The system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is inadequate.

•

If you are uncertain about the minimum power supply requirement for your system, refer to the Recommended Power Supply Wattage Calculator at http://support.asus. com/PowerSupplyCalculator/PSCalculator.aspx?SLanguage=en-us for details.

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

These connectors are for ATX power supply plugs. The power supply plugs are

designed to t these connectors in only one orientation. Find the proper orientation and push down rmly until the connectors completely t.

H87I-PLUS

H87I-PLUS ATX power connectors

ATX12V

PIN 1

+12V DC +12V DC

GND GND

EATXPWR

PIN 1

GND +5 Volts +5 Volts +5 Volts

-5 Volts GND GND GND PSON# GND

-12 Volts +3 Volts

+3 Volts

+12 Volts +12 Volts

+5V Standby

Power OK

GND

+5 Volts

GND

+5 Volts

GND +3 Volts +3 Volts

6. Speaker connector (4-pin SPEAKER)

The 4-pin connector is for the chassis-mounted system warning speaker. The speaker allows you to hear system beeps and warnings.

Speaker Out

GND GND

+5V

SPEAKER

PIN 1

H87I-PLUS

H87I-PLUS Speaker Out connector

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