Asus H87M-PLUS User Manual

H87M-PLUS

Motherboard

E8528
Second Edition

July 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,
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means, except documentation kept by the purchaser for backup purposes, without the express written
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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

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ii

Contents

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

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

H87M-PLUS specications summary ....................................................................... ix

Package contents ...................................................................................................... xii

Installation tools and components ......................................................................... xiii

Chapter 1: Product Introduction

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

1.1.1 Product highlights

1.1.2 5X Protection

1.1.3 ASUS Exclusive Features ...........................................................

1.1.4 ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution .....................................................

1.1.5 ASUS EZ DIY ..............................................................................

1.1.6 Other special features .................................................................

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

1.2.1 Before you proceed .....................................................................

1.2.2 Motherboard layout .....................................................................

1.2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ...................................................

1.2.4 System memory ..........................................................................

1.2.5 Expansion slots .........................................................................

1.2.6 Jumpers ....................................................................................

1.2.7 Onboard buttons and switches

1.2.8 Onboard LEDs ..........................................................................

1.2.9 Internal connectors

........................................................................ 1-1

............................................................................... 1-2

.................................................. 1-14

.................................................................... 1-16

1-3

1-4

1-4

1-5

1-5

1-5

1-6

1-8

1-9

1-11

1-13

1-15

Chapter 2: Basic installation

2.1 Building your PC system...........................................................................2-1

2.1.1 Motherboard installation ..............................................................

2.1.2 CPU installation

2.1.3 CPU heatsink and fan assembly installation ...............................

2.1.4 DIMM installation

2.1.5 ATX Power connection ................................................................

2.1.6 SATA device connection ..............................................................

2.1.7 Front I/O Connector ....................................................................

2.1.8 Expansion Card installation

2.2 Motherboard rear and audio connections .............................................

2.2.1 Rear I/O connection ..................................................................

2.2.2 Audio I/O connections ...............................................................

2.3 Starting up for the rst time ....................................................................

........................................................................... 2-3

......................................................................... 2-6

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

2-1

2-4

2-7

2-8

2-9

2-11

2-11

2-13

2-15

iii

2.4 Turning off the computer ......................................................................... 2-15

Chapter 3: BIOS setup

3.1 Knowing BIOS ............................................................................................3-1

3.2 BIOS setup program ..................................................................................

3.2.1 EZ Mode

3.2.2 Advanced Mode ..........................................................................

3.3 My Favorites ...............................................................................................

3.4 Main menu ..................................................................................................

3.5 Ai Tweaker menu ........................................................................................

3.6 Advanced menu .......................................................................................

3.6.1 CPU Conguration ....................................................................

3.6.2 PCH Conguration ....................................................................

3.6.3 SATA Conguration ...................................................................

3.6.4 System Agent Conguration

3.6.5 USB Conguration ....................................................................

3.6.6 Platform Misc Conguration ......................................................

3.6.7 Onboard Devices Conguration ................................................

3.6.8 APM ..........................................................................................

3.6.9 Network Stack ...........................................................................

3.7 Monitor menu ...........................................................................................

3.8 Boot menu ................................................................................................

3.9 Tools menu ...............................................................................................

3.9.1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 Utility ............................................................

3.9.2 ASUS O.C. Prole .....................................................................

3.9.3 ASUS SPD Information .............................................................

3.10 Exit menu ..................................................................................................

3.11 Updating BIOS ..........................................................................................

...................................................................................... 3-3

...................................................... 3-27

3-2

3-4

3-6

3-7

3-9

3-21

3-22

3-24

3-26

3-29

3-30

3-30

3-32

3-33

3-34

3-37

3-43

3-43

3-43

3-44

3-45

3-46

Chapter 4: Software support

4.1 Installing an operating system .................................................................4-1

4.2 Support DVD information ..........................................................................

4.2.1 Running the support DVD ...........................................................

4.2.2 Obtaining the software manuals

4.3 Software information .................................................................................

4.3.1 AI Suite 3

4.3.2 DIGI+ VRM ..................................................................................

4.3.3 EPU .............................................................................................

4.3.4 TurboV EVO ................................................................................

iv

..................................................................................... 4-3

.................................................. 4-2

4-1

4-1

4-3

4-5

4-6

4-7

4.3.5 Fan Xpert 2 .................................................................................4-9

4.3.6 USB 3.0 Boost

4.3.7 Network iControl

4.3.8 EZ Update .................................................................................

4.3.9 System Information ...................................................................

4.3.10 Audio congurations

........................................................................... 4-11

........................................................................ 4-12

4-13

4-13

.................................................................. 4-15

Chapter 5: RAID support

5.1 RAID congurations ..................................................................................5-1

5.1.1 RAID denitions ..........................................................................

5.1.2 Installing Serial ATA hard disks ...................................................

5.1.3 Setting the RAID item in BIOS ....................................................

5.1.4 Intel

5.2 Creating a RAID driver disk

®

Rapid Storage Technology Option ROM utility ..................5-3

....................................................................... 5-7

5.2.1 Creating a RAID driver disk without entering the OS ..................

5.2.2 Creating a RAID driver disk in Windows

5.2.3 Installing the RAID driver during Windows

®

.................................... 5-8

®

OS installation ........ 5-8

5-1

5-2

5-2

5-7

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. It includes description of the switches, jumpers, and connectors on the
motherboard.

• Chapter 2: Basic installation

This chapter lists the hardware setup procedures that you have to perform when
installing system components.

• Chapter 3: BIOS setup

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

• Chapter 4: Software support

This chapter describes the contents of the support DVD that comes with the
motherboard package and the software.

• Chapter 5: RAID support

This chapter describes the RAID congurations.

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

H87M-PLUS specications summary

CPU LGA1150 socket for the 4th Generation Intel® Core™ i7/ i5 / i3, Pentium®,

and 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.

www.asus.com for Intel® CPU support list.

** Refer to

Chipset Intel® H87 Express Chipset

Memory 4 x DIMMs, max. 32GB, DDR3 1600 / 1333 /1066MHz, non-ECC, un-

buffered memory

Dual-channel memory architecture

Supports Intel® Extreme Memory Prole (XMP)

* Hyper DIMM support is subject to the physical characteristics of individual

CPUs. Some hyper DIMMs only support one DIMM per channel. Please refer to

Memory QVL (Qualied Vendors List) for details.

** Due to Intel

*** Refer to

®

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

chipset limitation, the DDR3 1600MHz and higher memory modules

www.asus.com or this user manual for the Memory QVL (Qualied

Vendors List).

Expansion slots 1 x PCI Express 3.0/2.0 x16 slot [yellow] (at x16 mode)

1 x PCI Express 2.0 x16 slot [dark brown] (at x4 mode, compatible with

PCIe x1, and x4 devices)

2 x PCI slots

VGA Integrated Graphics Processor - Intel® HD Graphics support

Multi-VGA output support: HDMI / DVI / RGB port

Supports HDMI with max. resolution of 4096 x 2160 @24Hz / 2560 x 1600

@60Hz

Supports DVI with max. resolution of 1920 x 1200 @60Hz

Supports RGB with max. resolution of 1920 x 1200 @60Hz

Maximum shared memory 1024MB

Multi-GPU support Supports AMD® CrossFireX™ Technology

Storage

Intel® H87 Express Chipset with RAID 0, 1, 5, 10 and Intel®
Rapid Storage Technology 12 support

- 6 x SATA 6.0 Gb/s ports (yellow)

- Supports Intel
Technology, and Intel® Smart Connect Technology*

* These functions will work depending on the CPU installed.

LAN Realtek® 8111G Gigabit LAN controller

Audio Realtek® ALC887 8-channel high denition audio CODEC

- Supports Jack-Detection, multi-streaming and front panel jack­retasking

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

output

®

Smart Response Technology, Intel® Rapid Start

(continued on the next page)

ix

H87M-PLUS specications summary

USB

ASUS unique
features

Intel® H87 Express Chipset - supports ASUS USB 3.0 Boost

- 2 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports at mid-board for front panel support

- 4 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports at rear panel (blue)

- 8 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports (6 ports at mid-board, 2 ports at rear panel)

ASUS 5X Protection

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

ASUS DIGI+ VRM

- ASUS DIGI+ VRM: Digital Power Design for the CPU and iGPU

- ASUS 4 Phase Power Design

ASUS Fuse Protection

- Enhanced DRAM overcurrent protection and short circuit damage protection.

ASUS ESD Guards

- Enhanced ESD protection for extended component lifespan.

ASUS High-Quality 5K Solid Capacitors

- 2.5x Long Lifespan with excellent durability

ASUS Extra Durable Stainless Steel Back I/O

- 3 x More durable corrosion-resistant coating.

ASUS Exclusive Features

- ASUS EPU

- ASUS Network iControl* featuring instant network bandwidth domination for
top network program in use

- ASUS USB 3.0 Boost

- AI Charger

- ASUS GPU Boost

- ASUS MemOK!

- AI Suite 3

- Anti Surge protection

ASUS Q-Design

- ASUS Q-Slot

- ASUS Q-DIMM

ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution

- ASUS Fanless Design: Stylish Heatsink

- ASUS Fan Xpert 2 featuring Fan Auto Tuning function for optimized speed

control, providing an exclusive tailored fan speed setting for each fan

ASUS EZ DIY

- ASUS UEFI BIOS EZ Mode featuring friendly graphics user interface

- ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3

- ASUS EZ Flash 2

* The ASUS Network iControl feature does not support Windows® XP/Vista operating

systems.

(continued on the next page)

x

H87M-PLUS specications summary

Back Panel I/O
Ports

Internal I/O
connectors

BIOS features 64 Mb Flash ROM, UEFI AMI BIOS, Green, PnP, DMI 2.0, WfM 2.0, SM

Manageability WfM 2.0, DMI 2.0, WOL by PME, WOR by PME, PXE

Support DVD
contents

Form factor uATX form factor: 9.6 in. x 8.6 in. (24.4 cm x 21.9 cm)

1 x PS/2 mouse / keyboard combo port

1 x HDMI port

1 x DVI-D port

1 x RGB port

1 x LAN (RJ-45) port

4 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports

2 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports

3 x audio jacks support 8-channel

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

3 x USB 2.0/1.1 connectors support additional 6 USB 2.0/1.1 ports

6 x SATA 6.0 Gb/s connectors

1 x 4-pin CPU Fan connector

2 x 4-pin Chassis Fan connectors

1 x Front panel audio connector (AAFP)

1 x S/PDIF out header

1 x 24-pin EATX Power connector

1 x 8-pin EATX 12V Power connector

1 x MemOK! button

1 x LPT button

1 x System Panel

1 x Clear CMOS jumper

1 x TPM header

1 x COM port

BIOS 2.7, ACPI 2.0a, Multi-language BIOS, ASUS EZ Flash 2, ASUS
CrashFree BIOS 3, F3 Shortcut function, My Favorites, Quick Note, Last

Modied Log, F12 PrintScreen function, and ASUS DRAM SPD (Serial

Presence Detect) memory information

Drivers

ASUS Utilities

EZ Update

Anti-virus software (OEM version)

Specications are subject to change without notice.

xi

H87M-PLUS

User Manual

Package contents

Check your motherboard package for the following items

ASUS H87M-PLUS motherboard

2 x Serial ATA 6.0 Gb/s cables 1 x ASUS I/O shield

User manual Support DVD

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

• The illustrations above are for reference only. Actual product specications may vary

with different models.

xii

Installation tools and components

1 bag of screws Philips (cross) screwdriver

PC chassis Power supply unit

Intel® LGA1150 CPU Intel® LGA1150 compatible CPU Fan

DIMM SATA hard disk drive

SATA optical disc drive (optional) Graphics card (optional)

The tools and components in the table above are not included in the motherboard package.

xiii

xiv

Chapter 1: Product Introduction

Product introduction

1.1 Special features

1

1.1.1 Product highlights

LGA1150 socket for 4th Generation Intel® Core™ i7, Intel® Core™ i5, Intel®
Core™ i3, Pentium®, and Celeron® Processors

This motherboard supports Intel® 4th generation Core i7/i5/i3, Pentium®, and Celeron®
processors in the LGA1150 package. It provides great graphics and system performance with
its GPU, dual-channel DDR3 memory slots, and PCI Express 2.0/3.0 expansion slots.

Intel® H87 Express Chipset

Intel® H87 Express Chipset is a single-chipset that supports the 1150 socket 4th generation
Intel® Core™ i7, Intel® Core™ i5, Intel® Core™ i3, Pentium® and Celeron® processors. It

utilizes the serial point-to-point links, which increases bandwidth and enhances the system’s

performance. It natively supports up to six USB 3.0 ports for up to ten times faster transfer
rate than USB 2.0 and enables the iGPU function for Intel® integrated graphics performance.

PCI Express® 3.0

PCI Express® 3.0 (PCIe 3.0) is the PCI Express bus standard that provides twice the
performance and speed of PCIe 2.0. It provides an optimal graphics performance,
unprecedented data speed, and seamless transition with its complete backward compatibility
to PCIe 1.0/2.0 devices.

Dual-Channel DDR3 1600 / 1333 /1066MHz Support

The motherboard supports the dual-channel DDR3 memory that features data transfer rates

of DDR3 1600 / 1333 /1066MHz to boost the system’s performance, and to meet the higher

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

* Hyper DIMM support is subject to the physical characteristics of individual CPUs. Some hyper DIMMs only

support one DIMM per channel.

** Due to Intel

*** Refer to www.asus.com or this user manual for the Memory QVL (Qualied Vendors List)

Intel® Smart Response Technology

Intel® Smart Response Technology, an important part of Green ASUS eco-friendly computing,
reduces load and wait time, eliminates unecessary hard drive spin thus lowering power
usage, and uses an installed SSD (requires 18.6 GB available space) as a cache for
frequently accessed data or applications. It combines SSD performance and hard drive
capacity, operating up to six times faster than a hard-drive-only system to boost the system’s
overall performance.

* 4th generation Intel® Core™ processors support Intel® Smart Response Technology.

** An operating system must be installed on the HDD to launch Intel® Smart Response Technology.

*** The SSD is reserved for caching function.

®

maximum transfer rate of DDR3 1600MHz.

chipset limitation, DDR3 1600MHz and higher memory modules on XMP mode will run at the

Chapter 1

ASUS H87M-PLUS

1-1

Quad-GPU CrossFireX™ Support

This motherboard features the most powerful Intel® H87 platform that optimizes PCIe
allocation in multi-GPU CrossFireX™ solution, giving you a brand-new gaming enjoyment.

Intel® Smart Connect Technology

Intel® Smart Connect Technology allows your system to receive updates for your web
applications in real-time even when your system is in sleep mode. This saves wait time for

applications to update and sync with the cloud for a more efcient computing experience.

Intel® Rapid Start Technology

Intel® Rapid Start Technology allows your computer to quickly resume from a low-power
hibernate state in seconds. Saving your system memory to the designated SSD, it provides
your computer a faster wake-up response time, while still keeping the energy use low.

1.1.2 5X Protection

5X Protection

ASUS motherboard guards your PC with 5X PROTECTION. We use components like
ESD uits tested to strict standards that elimiinate electrostatic interference, polyswitches
(resettable fuses) around DRAM slots to prevent overcurrent and short-circuit damage, and
a corrosion-resistant back I/O shield. All examples of ASUS providing the best possible
reliability and durability.

DIGI+VRM

Voltage regulator modules (VRMs) are among the most essential motherboard components.
A good VRM intelligently delivers CPU power based on actual needs at any given time.
Quickly-changing digital signal (SVID) requests from the CPU may prove too much for

generic VRMs, and ASUS was rst with digital controllers featuring faster sensing and

respnse to deliver precise CPU power on demand. This great accuracy reduces energy
waste and improves system stability.

ASUS DRAM Fuse

Onboard polyswitch (resettable fuse) prevents overcurrent and short-circuit damage. This
extends beyond I/O ports to DRAM to safeguard the system and device lifespan.

ASUS ESD Guards

Electrostatic discharges (ESD) can happen suddenly, and their damaging effects are often
underestimated. ASUS ESD Guards offer an active protective circuit design that ensures
electrostatic discharges are properly grounded, providing prolonged component longevity.

Chapter 1

ASUS High-Quality 5K Solid Capacitors

ASUS high-quality solid state capacitors assure a 5000-hour lifespan - equivalent to 2.5 times
longer than traditional capacitors. All capacitors pass testing under temperatures as high
as 105 degrees and meet Japanese industrial standards to provide excellent durability and
ehanced thermal capacity.

1-2

Chapter 1: Product introduction

ASUS Stainless Steel Back I/O

ASUS motherboard back I/O panels are made from strong and corrosion-resistant stainless
steel, which is bonded with a thin layer of chromium oxide to enhance anti-corrosive
properties. Passing 72-hour spray salt endurance tests, ASUS stainless steel back I/O panels
have a usage life three times longer compared to ordinary panels.

1.1.3 ASUS Exclusive Features

ASUS EPU

Tap into the world’s rst real-time PC power saving chip through a simple onboard switch or
Ai Suite II utility. Get total system-wide energy optimization by automatically detecting current

PC loadings and intelligently moderating power consumption. This also reduces fan noise
and extends component longevity.

GPU Boost

GPU Boost accelerates the integrated GPU for extreme graphics performance, facilitates

exible frequency adjustments, and easily delivers stable system-level upgrades for every

use.

USB 3.0 Boost

ASUS USB 3.0 Boost, which supports USB 3.0 standard UASP (USB Attached SCSI

Protocol), signicantly increases a USB device’s transfer speed up to 170% faster than the

already impressive USB3.0 transfer speed. It automatically accelerates data speeds for
compatible USB 3.0 peripherals without the need for any user interaction.

Network iControl

Network iControl is an intuitive one-step network control center that makes it easier for you to
manage your bandwidth and allows you to set, monitor, and schedule the bandwidth priorities
for your network programs. It allows you to automatically connect to a PPPoE network for a
more convenient online experience.

ASUS H87M-PLUS

Chapter 1

1-3

MemOK!

MemOK!, the remarkable memory rescue tool, allows you to simply press a button to
patch memory issues, ensure memory boot compatibility, determine fail-safe settings, and
dramatically improve the system’s bootup.

AI Suite 3

With its user-friendly interface, ASUS AI Suite 3 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 and helpful utilities.

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).

1.1.4 ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution

ASUS Fanless Design - Heat-pipe solution

The stylish heatsink features a 0-dB thermal solution that offers you a noiseless PC
environment. The heatsink design also lowers the temperature of the chipset and power

phase area through high efcient heat-exchange. Combined with usability and aesthetics,

the ASUS stylish heatsink will give you an extremely silent and cooling experience with its
elegant appearance.

ASUS Fan Xpert 2

ASUS Fan Xpert 2 provides customizable settings for a cooler and quieter computing

environment. With its Fan Auto Tuning feature, ASUS Fan Xpert 2 automatically detects

and tweaks all fan speeds, and provides you with optimized fan settings based on the fans’
specications and positions.

1.1.5 ASUS EZ DIY

ASUS UEFI BIOS

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 UEFI 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:

• New My Favorite function allows you to quickly access the frequently used items

Chapter 1

• New Quick Note function allows you to take notes in the BIOS environment

• New log reminder allows you to view all your modied settings

1-4

Chapter 1: Product introduction

• 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.

ASUS Q-Design

ASUS Q-Design enhances your DIY experience. All of Q-Slot and Q-DIMM design speed up
and simplify the DIY process.

1.1.6 Other special features

HDMI Support

High Denition Multimedia Surface (HDMI) is a set of digital video standards that delivers

multi-channel audio and uncompressed digital video for full HD 1080p visuals through a
single cable. Supporting HDCP copy protection such as HD DVD and blu-ray discs, HDMI
provides you with the highest quality home theater experience.

ErP Ready

The motherboard is European Union’s Energy-related Products (ErP) ready, and ErP requires

products to meet certain energy efciency requirement in regards to energy consumptions.
This is in line with ASUS vision of creating environment-friendly and energy-efcient products

through product design and innovation to reduce carbon footprint of the product and thus
mitigate environmental impacts.

1.2 Motherboard overview

1.2.1 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.

ASUS H87M-PLUS

Chapter 1

1-5

1.2.2 Motherboard layout

H87M-PLUS

PCIEX16_1

PCIEX16_2

PCI1

PCI2

RTL

8111G

ASM
1442

USB910 USB1112 USB1314

AAFP

EATXPWR

CPU_FAN

BATTERY

Super

I/O

ALC
887

ASM
1083

KBMS_USB78

DVI_VGA

8MB
BIOS

SB_PWR

CLRTC

21.9cm(8.6in)

DDR3 DIMM_A1 (64bit, 240-pin module)

DDR3 DIMM_A2 (64bit, 240-pin module)

DDR3 DIMM_B1 (64bit, 240-pin module)

DDR3 DIMM_B2 (64bit, 240-pin module)

PANEL

SATA6G_1SATA6G_2

SATA6G_3 SATA6G_4

SATA6G_5 SATA6G_6

AUDIO

LAN_USB3_34

USB3_56

HDMI

CHA_FAN2

CHA_FAN1

SPDIF_OUT

24.4cm(9.6in)

DRAM_LED

MemOK!

LGA1150

DIGI

+VRM

COM

EATX12V

USB3_12

TPM

LPT

Intel

®

H87

21 3 41 65

1215

11

13

14

16

8

7

2

9

10

17

Chapter 1

1-6

Refer to 1.2.9 Internal connectors and 2.2.1 Rear I/O connection for more information
about rear panel connectors and internal connectors.

Chapter 1: Product introduction

Layout contents

Connectors/Jumpers/Slots Page

1. CPU and chassis fan connectors (4-pin CPU_FAN, 4-pin CHA_FAN1/2) 1-19

2. ATX power connectors (24-pin EATXPWR, 8-pin EATX12V)

3. LGA1150 CPU socket

4. DDR3 DIMM slots

5. TPM header (20-1 pin TPM)

6. MemOK! button

7. Serial port connector (10-1 pin COM)

8. DRAM LED (DRAM_LED)

9. LPT connector (26-1 pin LPT)

10. USB 3.0 connector (20-1 pin USB3_12)

®

11. Intel

12. Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC)

13. System panel connector (20-8 pin PANEL)

14. USB 2.0 connectors (10-1 pin USB910, USB1112, USB1314)

15. Standby power LED (SB_PWR)

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

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

H87 Serial ATA 6.0 Gb/s connectors (7-pin SATA6G_1-6) 1-16

1-20

1-8

1-9

1-20

1-14

1-17

1-15

1-16

1-17

1-13

1-21

1-18

1-15

1-19

1-18

ASUS H87M-PLUS

Chapter 1

1-7

1.2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU)

H87M-PLUS

H87M-PLUS CPU socket LGA1150

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

• Ensure that all power cables are unplugged before installing the CPU.

• Ensure that you install the correct CPU designed for LGA1150 only. DO NOT install a
CPU designed for LGA1155 and LGA1156 sockets on the LGA1150 socket.

• 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.

Chapter 1

1-8

Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.2.4 System memory

H87M-PLUS

H87M-PLUS 240-pin DDR3 DIMM sockets

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

A DDR3 module is notched differently from a DDR or DDR2 module. DO NOT install a DDR
or DDR2 memory module to the DDR3 slot.

Recommended memory congurations

ASUS H87M-PLUS

Chapter 1

1-9

Memory congurations

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

Chapter 1

• 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.

• According to Intel CPU spec, DIMM voltage below 1.65V is recommended to protect
the CPU.

• Always install DIMMs with the same CAS latency. For optimum compatibility, we
recommend that you obtain memory modules from the same vendor.

• 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:

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

b) Install a 64-bit Windows

®

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

®

OS.

motherboard.

c) For more details, refer to the Microsoft

®

support site at http://support.microsoft.

com/kb/929605/en-us.

• This motherboard does not support DIMMs made up of 512Mb (64MB) chips or less
(Memory chip capacity counts in Megabit, 8 Megabit/Mb = 1 Megabyte/MB).

• 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 3.5 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 (4 DIMMs) or overclocking condition.

• Memory modules with memory frequency higher than 2133MHz and their
corresponding timing or the loaded XMP prole is not the JEDEC memory standard.

The stability and compatibility of the memory modules depend on the CPU’s
capabilities and other installed devices.

• Always install the DIMMS with the same CAS Latency. For an optimum compatibility,
we recommend that you install memory modules of the same version or data code (D/
C) from the same vendor. Check with the vendor to get the correct memory modules.

• ASUS exclusively provides hyper DIMM support function.

• Hyper DIMM support is subject to the physical characteristics of individual CPUs. Load
the X.M.P. or D.O.C.P. settings in the BIOS for the hyper DIMM support.

• Visit the ASUS website for the latest QVL.

1-10

Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.2.5 Expansion slots

H87M-PLUS

PCIEX16_1

PCIEX16_2

PCI1

PCI2

EATX12V

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

Slot No. Slot Description

1 PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16_1 slot (at x16 mode)

2 PCI_1 slot

3 PCI_2 slot

4 PCIe 2.0 x16_2 slot (run at x4 mode, compatible with PCIe x1 and x4 devices)

ASUS H87M-PLUS

Chapter 1

1-11

PCIe Express operating mode

VGA conguration

Single VGA/PCIe card x16 (single VGA recommended) N/A

Dual VGA/PCIe card x16 x4

• In single VGA card mode, use the PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16_1 slot (yellow) for a PCI Express
x16 graphics card to get better performance.

• We recommend that you provide sufcient power when running CrossFireX™ mode.

• Connect a chassis fan to the motherboard connector labeled CHA_FAN1/2 when
using multiple graphics cards for better thermal environment.

PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16_1 PCIe 2.0 x16_2

IRQ assignments for this motherboard

A B C D E F G H

PCIe x16_1 shared – – – – – – –

PCIe x16_2 shared – – – – – – –
Intel SATA Controller – – – shared – – – –
Realtek LAN – – shared – – – – –
Intel xHCI – – – – – shared – –

Intel EHCI 1 – – – – – – – shared

Intel EHCI 2 – – – – shared – – –

HD Audio – – – – – – shared –

Chapter 1

1-12

Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.2.6 Jumpers

H87M-PLUS

H87M-PLUS Clear RTC RAM

2 2 3

Normal

(Default)

Clear RTC

CLRTC

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.

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
data.

<Del> key during the boot process and enter BIOS setup to reenter

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

• You do not need to clear the RTC when the system hangs due to overclocking. For

ASUS H87M-PLUS

again to clear the CMOS RTC RAM data. After clearing the CMOS, reinstall the
battery.

system failure due to overclocking, use the CPU Parameter Recall (C.P.R) feature.
Shut down and reboot the system so the BIOS can automatically reset parameter
settings to default values.

Chapter 1

1-13

1.2.7 Onboard buttons and switches

H87M-PLUS

H87M-PLUS MemOK! switch

Onboard switches and buttons allow you to ne-tune performance when working on a bare or

open-case system. This is ideal for overclockers and gamers who continually change settings
to enhance system performance.

1. MemOK! button

Installing DIMMs that are not compatible with the motherboard may cause system
boot failure, and the DRAM_LED near the MemOK! switch lights continuously. Press
and hold the MemOK! button until the DRAM_LED starts blinking to begin automatic
memory compatibility tuning for successful boot.

Chapter 1

• Refer to section 1.2.8 Onboard LEDs for the exact location of the DRAM_LED.

• The DRAM_LED also lights up when the DIMM is not properly installed. Turn off the
system and reinstall the DIMM before using the MemOK! function.

• The MemOK! switch does not function under Windows

• During the tuning process, the system loads and tests failsafe memory settings. It
takes about 30 seconds for the system to test one set of failsafe settings. If the test
fails, the system reboots and test the next set of failsafe settings. The blinking speed
of the DRAM_LED increases, indicating different test processes.

• Due to memory tuning requirement, the system automatically reboots when each
timing set is tested. If the installed DIMMs still fail to boot after the whole tuning
process, the DRAM_LED lights continuously. Replace the DIMMs with ones

recommended in the Memory QVL (Qualied Vendors Lists) in this user manual or on

the ASUS website at www.asus.com.

• If you turn off the computer and replace DIMMs during the tuning process, the system
continues memory tuning after turning on the computer. To stop memory tuning, turn
off the computer and unplug the power cord for about 5–10 seconds.

• If your system fails to boot up due to BIOS overclocking, press the MemOK! switch
to boot and load the BIOS default settings. A message will appear during POST
reminding you that the BIOS has been restored to its default settings.

• We recommend that you download and update to the latest BIOS version from the
ASUS website at www.asus.com after using the MemOK! function.

®

OS environment.

1-14

Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.2.8 Onboard LEDs

SB_PWR

ON

Standby Power

Powered Off

OFF

H87M-PLUS

H87M-PLUS Onboard LED

H87M-PLUS

H87M-PLUS DRAM LED

DRAM LED

1. 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.

2. DRAM LED

DRAM LED checks the DRAM in sequence during motherboard booting process. If an
error is found , the LED next to the error device will continue lighting until the problem
is solved. This user-friendly design provides an intuitional way to locate the root
problem within a second.

ASUS H87M-PLUS

Chapter 1

1-15

1.2.9 Internal connectors

SATA6G_5

GND

RSATA_RXP5

RSATA_RXN5

GND

RSATA_TXN5

RSATA_TXP5

GND

SATA6G_6

GND

RSATA_RXP6

RSATA_RXN6

GND

RSATA_TXN6

RSATA_TXP6

GND

H87M-PLUS

H87M-PLUS SATA 6.0Gb/s connectors

GND

RSATA_TXP3

RSATA_TXN3

GND

RSATA_RXN3

RSATA_RXP3

GND

SATA6G_4SATA6G_3

GND

RSATA_TXP4

RSATA_TXN4

GND

RSATA_RXN4

RSATA_RXP4

GND

GND

RSATA_TXP1

RSATA_TXN1

GND

RSATA_RXN1

RSATA_RXP1

GND

SATA6G_2SATA6G_1

GND

RSATA_TXP2

RSATA_TXN2

GND

RSATA_RXN2

RSATA_RXP2

GND

H87M-PLUS

H87M-PLUS Parallel Port Connector

LPT

PIN 1

SLCT
PE
BUSY
ACK#
PD7
PD6
PD5
PD4
PD3
PD2
PD1
PD0
STB#

GND
GND
GND
GND
GND
GND
GND
GND

SLIN#

INIT#

ERR#

AFD

1. Intel® H87 Serial ATA 6.0 Gb/s connectors (7-pin SATA6G_1-6)

These connectors connect to Serial ATA 6.0 Gb/s hard disk drives via Serial ATA 6.0
Gb/s signal cables.

If you installed Serial ATA hard disk drives, you can create a RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10

conguration with the Intel® Rapid Storage Technology through the onboard Intel® H87

chipset.

• These connectors are set to [AHCI Mode] by default. If you intend to create a Serial
ATA RAID set using these connectors, set the SATA Mode item in the BIOS to [RAID
Mode]. Refer to section 3.6.3 SATA Conguration for details.

• Before creating a RAID set, refer to section
bundled in the motherboard support DVD.

• When using hot-plug and NCQ, set the type of the SATA connectors in the BIOS to

[AHCI]. See section 3.6.3 SATA Conguration for details.

5.1 RAID congurations or the manual

2. LPT connector (26-1 pin LPT)

The LPT (Line Printing Terminal) connector supports devices such as a printer. LPT

standardizes as IEEE 1284, which is the parallel port interface on IBM PC-compatible

computers.

Chapter 1

1-16

Chapter 1: Product introduction