Asus M5A97 User Manual

Motherboard

M5A97

E6441

First Edition (V1) May 2011

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 may contain copyrighted software that is licensed under the General Public License (“GPL”) and under the Lesser General Public License Version (“LGPL”). The GPL and LGPL licensed code in this product is distributed without any warranty. Copies of these licenses are included in this product.

You may obtain the complete corresponding source code (as dened in the GPL) for the GPL Software,

and/or the complete corresponding source code of the LGPL Software (with the complete machinereadable “work that uses the Library”) for a period of three years after our last shipment of the product including the GPL Software and/or LGPL Software, which will be no earlier than December 1, 2011, 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

Notices.........................................................................................................................vi

Safety information ..................................................................................................... vii

About this guide ....................................................................................................... viii

M5A97 specications summary ................................................................................. x

Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.1 Welcome! .................................................................................................... 1-1

1.2 Package contents

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

1.3 Special features

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

1.3.1 Product highlights

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

1.3.2 DIP (Dual Intelligent Processors) - TPU (TurboV Processing Unit) &

EPU (Energy Processing Unit) .................................................... 1-3

1.3.3 ASUS Innovative Design .............................................................

1-3

1.3.4 ASUS unique features

................................................................. 1-3

Chapter 2: Hardware information

2.1 Before you proceed ...................................................................................2-1

2.2 Motherboard overview ...............................................................................

2-2

2.2.1 Motherboard layout .....................................................................

2-2

2.2.2 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ...................................................

2-4

2.2.3 System memory ..........................................................................

2-5

2.2.4 Expansion slots .........................................................................

2-11

2.2.5 Jumper ......................................................................................

2-13

2.2.6 Onboard switches .....................................................................

2-14

2.2.7 Onboard LEDs ..........................................................................

2-15

2.2.8 Internal connectors

.................................................................... 2-16

2.3 Building your computer system .............................................................

2-21

2.3.1 Additional tools and components to build a PC system ............

2-21

2.3.2 CPU installation

......................................................................... 2-22

2.3.3 CPU heatsink and fan assembly installation .............................

2-23

2.3.4 DIMM installation

....................................................................... 2-26

2.3.5 Motherboard installation ............................................................

2-27

2.3.6 ATX Power connection ..............................................................

2-29

2.3.7 SATA device connection ............................................................

2-30

2.3.8 Expansion Card installation

....................................................... 2-31

2.3.9 Rear panel connection ..............................................................

2-32

2.3.10 Audio I/O connections ...............................................................

2-34

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

2-36

2.5 Turning off the computer .........................................................................

2-36

Contents

Chapter 3: BIOS setup

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

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

3-1

3.2.1 EZ Mode

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

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

3-3

3.3 Main menu ..................................................................................................

3-5

3.4 Ai Tweaker menu ........................................................................................

3-7

3.5 Advanced menu .......................................................................................

3-14

3.5.1 CPU Conguration ....................................................................

3-14

3.5.2 North Bridge Conguration

........................................................ 3-15

3.5.3 SATA Conguration ...................................................................

3-16

3.5.4 USB Conguration ....................................................................

3-17

3.5.5 CPU Core On/Off Function .......................................................

3-18

3.5.6 Onboard Devices Conguration ................................................

3-19

3.5.7 APM ..........................................................................................

3-20

3.6 Monitor menu ...........................................................................................

3-21

3.7 Boot menu ................................................................................................

3-24

3.8 Tools menu ...............................................................................................

3-26

3.8.1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 ......................................................................

3-26

3.8.2 ASUS SPD Information .............................................................

3-26

3.8.3 ASUS O.C. Prole .....................................................................

3-26

3.9 Exit menu ..................................................................................................

3-27

3.10 Updating BIOS ..........................................................................................

3-28

3.10.1 ASUS Update utility

................................................................... 3-28

3.10.2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility .............................................................

3-31

3.10.3 ASUS BIOS Updater .................................................................

3-32

Chapter 4: Software support

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

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

4-1

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

4-1

4.2.2 Obtaining the software manuals

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

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

4-3

4.3.1 AI Suite II

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

4.3.2 TurboV EVO ................................................................................

4-4

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

4-8

4.3.4 FAN Xpert

.................................................................................... 4-9

4.3.5 Probe II

...................................................................................... 4-10

4.3.6 Ai Charger+ ...............................................................................

4-11

4.3.7 Audio congurations

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

4.4 RAID congurations ................................................................................4-13

4.4.1 RAID denitions ........................................................................

4-13

4.4.2 Installing Serial ATA hard disks .................................................

4-14

4.4.3 Setting the RAID item in BIOS ..................................................

4-14

4.4.4 AMD

Option ROM Utility .......................................................... 4-15

4.5 Creating a RAID driver disk

..................................................................... 4-18

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

4-18

4.5.2 Creating a RAID driver disk in Windows

................................. 4-18

4.5.3 Installing the RAID driver during Windows

OS installation ...... 4-18

4.5.4 Using a USB oppy disk drive ...................................................

4-19

Chapter 5: Multiple GPU technology support

5.1 ATI® CrossFireX™ technology .................................................................. 5-1

5.1.1 Requirements ..............................................................................

5-1

5.1.2 Before you begin .........................................................................

5-1

5.1.3 Installing two CrossFireX™ graphics cards ................................

5-2

5.1.4 Installing the device drivers .........................................................

5-3

5.1.5 Enabling the ATI

CrossFireX™ technology ...............................5-3

Contents

Federal Communications Commission Statement

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

• This device may not cause harmful interference, and

• This device must accept any interference received including interference that may cause undesired operation.

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed

and used in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions, may cause harmful interference

to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

•

Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

• Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

Canadian Department of Communications Statement

This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications.

This class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.

The use of shielded cables for connection of the monitor to the graphics card is required

to assure compliance with FCC regulations. Changes or modications to this unit not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority

to operate this equipment.

Notices

vii

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.

REACH

Complying with the REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals) regulatory framework, we published the chemical substances in our products at ASUS REACH website at http://csr.asus.com/english/REACH.htm.

DO NOT throw the motherboard in municipal waste. This product has been designed to enable proper reuse of parts and recycling. This symbol of the crossed out wheeled bin indicates that the product (electrical and electronic equipment) should not be placed in municipal waste. Check local regulations for disposal of electronic products.

DO NOT throw the mercury-containing button cell battery in municipal waste. This symbol of the crossed out wheeled bin indicates that the battery should not be placed in municipal waste.

viii

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: Hardware information

This chapter lists the hardware setup procedures that you have to perform when installing system components. It includes description of the switches, jumpers, and connectors on the motherboard.

• 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: Multiple GPU technology support

This chapter describes the ATI® CrossFireX™ feature and shows the graphics card installation procedures.

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.

Typography

Bold text Indicates a menu or an item to select.

Italic

s 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 (+).

Example: <Ctrl> + <Alt> + <Del>

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.

M5A97 specications summary

(continued on the next page)

CPU AMD

Socket AM3+ for AMD® FX™ series processors up to 8-core

Compatible with AMD

Socket AM3 for AMD® Phenom™ II / Athlon™ II / Sempron™ 100 Series Processors AMD® 140W CPU Support AMD® Cool ‘n’ Quiet™ Technology Supports 32nm AM3+ CPU * Refer to www.asus.com for the AMD® CPU support list

Chipset AMD® 970 / SB950

System bus Up to 4800 MT/s HyperTransport™ 3.0

Memory 4 x DIMM, max. 32 GB, DDR3 2133 (O.C.) / 1866 / 1600 /

1333 / 1066 MHz, ECC / non-ECC, un-buffered memory Dual channel memory architecture * Due to CPU spec., AMD® 100 series CPUs support up to DDR3

1066MHz. With ASUS design, this motherboard can support up to DDR3 1333MHz.

** Refer to www.asus.com for the latest Memory QVL (Qualied

Vendors List).

*** When you install a total memory of 4GB or more, Windows

32-bit 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.

Multi-GPU Support Supports ATI® Quad-GPU CrossFireXTM Technology

Expansion slots 2 x PCI Express 2.0 x16 slots (Blue @x16 speed; Black @x4 speed)

2 x PCI Express 2.0 x1 slots 2 x PCI slots

Storage AMD® SB950 Chipset:

- 6 x SATA 6.0 Gb/s ports with RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 support

LAN Realtek® 8111E Gigabit LAN controller

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

- Supports Jack-Detection, Multi-Streaming, and Front Panel Jack-Retasking

- Optical S/PDIF Out port at back I/O

- ASUS Noise Filter

USB AMD® SB950 Chipset:

- 12 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports (6 ports at midboard, 6 ports at the back panel) ASMedia USB 3.0 controller:

- 2 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports at back panel (blue)

(continued on the next page)

M5A97 specications summary

ASUS unique features ASUS Dual Intelligent Processors:

ASUS EPU

- EPU ASUS TPU

- Auto Tuning, TurboV

ASUS Power Design

- 4 + 2 Phase Power Design

ASUS Exclusive Features

- ASUS UEFI BISO EZ Mode featuring friendly graphics user interface

- MemOK!

- AI Suite II

- Ai Charger+

ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution

- ASUS Fanless Design: Heat sink solution

- ASUS Fan Xpert

ASUS EZ DIY

- ASUS O.C. Prole

- ASUS EZ Flash 2

ASUS MyLogo 2™

- Precision Tweaker 2

- Multi-language BIOS

ASUS Q-Design

- ASUS Q-Slot

ASUS exclusive overclocking features

Precision Tweaker 2

- vCore: Adjustable CPU voltage at 0.00625V increment

- vDDNB: Adjustable CPU/NB voltage at 0.00625V increment

- vNB: Adjustable NB voltage at 0.00625V increment

- vNB HT bus: Adjustable HT voltage at 0.00625V increment

- vDRAM bus: Adjustable DRAM voltage at 0.00625V increment

- vSB: Adjustable SB voltage at 0.00500V increment SFS (Stepless Frequency Selection)

- Internal Base Clock tuning from 100MHz up to 600MHz at 1MHz increment

- PCI Express frequency tuning from 100MHz up to 150MHz at 1MHz increment

Overclocking protection

- ASUS C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)

Back panel I/O ports 1 x PS/2 keyboard (Purple)

1 x PS/2 mouse (Green) 1 x Optical S/PDIF Output 1 x LAN (RJ45) port 6 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports 2 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports (blue) 8-channel audio I/O ports

xii

*Specications are subject to change without notice.

M5A97 specications summary

Internal I/O connectors 3 x USB 2.0/1.1 connectors support additional 6 USB ports

1 x COM connector 6 x SATA 6.0 Gb/s connectors 1 x CPU fan connector (4-pin) 2 x Chassis fan connectors (2 x 4-pin) 1 x S/PDIF Out header 1 x MemOK! button 1 x Front panel audio connector 1 x System panel connector 1 x Power Fan connector (1 x 3-pin) 1 x Clear CMOS jumper 1 x 24-pin EATX Power connector 1 x 8-pin EATX 12V Power connector

BIOS features 32 Mb Flash ROM, UEFI BIOS, PnP, DMI 2.0, WfM 2.0,

SM BIOS 2.5, ACPI 2.0a, Multi-language BIOS, ASUS EZ Flash 2

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

Support DVD contents Drivers

ASUS utilities ASUS Update Anti-virus software (OEM version)

Accessories 2 x Serial ATA 6.0 Gb/s cables

1 x I/O Shield 1 x User Manual

Form factor ATX form factor: 12 in. x 9 in. (30.5 cm x 22.9 cm)

ASUS M5A97 1-1

Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Product introduction

Chapter 1

1.1 Welcome!

Thank you for buying an ASUS® M5A97 motherboard!

The motherboard delivers a host of new features and latest technologies, making it another standout in the long line of ASUS quality motherboards!

Before you start installing the motherboard, and hardware devices on it, check the items in your package with the list below.

1.2 Package contents

Check your motherboard package for the following items.

• 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.

User Manual

ASUS M5A97 motherboard User guide Support DVD

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

1-2 Chapter 1: Product Introduction

Chapter 1

1.3 Special features

1.3.1 Product highlights

AMD® FX™ / Phenom™ II / Athlon™ II / Sempron™ 100 series CPU support

This motherboard supports AMD® Socket AM3+ multi-core processors with unique L3 cache and delivers better overclocking capabilities with less power consumption. It features dual-channel DDR3 memory support and accelerates data transfer rate up to 5200MT/s via HyperTransport™ 3.0-based system bus. This motherboard also supports AMD® CPUs in the new 32nm manufacturing process.

AMD® 970 Chipset

AMD® 970 Chipset is designed to support up to 4800MT/s HyperTransport™ 3.0 (HT 3.0)

interface speed and PCI Express™ 2.0 x16 graphics. It is optimized with AMD®’s latest AM3+

and multi-core CPUs to provide excellent system performance and overclocking capabilities.

DDR3 2133(O.C.)/1866/1600/1333/1066 support

This motherboard supports DDR3 memory that features data transfer rates of

2133(O.C.)/1866/1600/1333/1066 MHz to meet the higher bandwidth requirements of

the latest 3D graphics, multimedia, and Internet applications. The dual-channel DDR3 architecture enlarges the bandwidth of your system memory to boost system performance.

AMD® SB950 Chipset

The AMD® SB950 Southbridge natively supports the next generation SATA 6.0 Gb/s data transfer rate and PCI Express 2.0 interface.

AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet Technology

This motherboard supports the AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet technology which monitors system

operation and automatically adjusts CPU voltage and frequency for a cool and quiet operating environment.

True USB 3.0 Support

Experience ultra-fast data transfers at 4.8 Gb/s with USB 3.0–the latest connectivity standard. Built to connect easily with next-generation components and peripherals, USB 3.0 transfers data 10X faster and is also backward compatible with USB 2.0 components.

Serial ATA 6.0 Gb/s technology

The AMD® SB950 chipset natively supports the next generation SATA 6.0 Gb/s data transfer rate, enhances scalability, provides faster data retrieval, and doubles the bandwidth of the current bus systems.

ATI Quad-GPU CrossFireX™ Support

ATI's CrossFireX™ boosts image quality along with rendering speed, eliminating the need to scale down screen resolution to get high quality images. CrossFireX™ allows

higher antialiasing, anisotropic ltering, shading and texture settings. Adjust your display congurations, experiment with the 3D settings, and check the effects with a real-time 3D-

rendered previews within ATI Catalyst™ Control Center.

ASUS M5A97 1-3

Chapter 1

ErP ready

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

requires products to meet certain energy efciency requirements 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.

1.3.2 DIP (Dual Intelligent Processors) - TPU (TurboV Processing Unit) & EPU (Energy Processing Unit)

TPU

Unleash your performance with AI Suite II utility. ASUS Auto tuning feature can intelligently

optimize the system for fast, yet stable clock speeds, and the TurboV gives you the freedom to adjust CPU frequencies and ratios to optimize performance under varied system

conditions.

EPU

The ASUS EPU (Energy Processing Unit) provides total system power management by detecting current PC loadings and intelligently moderating power usage for critical PC components in real-time–helping save power and money!

1.3.3 ASUS Innovative Design

MemOK!

MemOK! quickly ensures memory boot compatibility. This remarkable memory rescue tool requires a mere push of the button to patch memory issues. MemOK! determines failsafe settings and dramatically improves your system boot success. Get your system up and running in no time.

1.3.4 ASUS unique features

ASUS Power Solutions

ASUS Power solutions intelligently and automatically provide balanced computing power and energy consumption.

ASUS Quiet Thermal Solutions

ASUS Quiet Thermal solution makes system more stable and enhances the overclocking capability.

Fan Xpert

ASUS Fan Xpert intelligently allows you to adjust the CPU fan speed according to different ambient temperatures caused by different climate conditions in different

geographic regions and your PC’s loading. The built-in variety of useful proles offer exible controls of fan speed to achieve a quiet and cool environment.

1-4 Chapter 1: Product Introduction

Chapter 1

Fanless Design: stylish heatsink solution

The stylish heatsink features a 0-dB thermal solution that offers users a noiseless PC environment. Not only the beautiful shape upgrades the visual enjoyment for motherboard users, but also the heatsink design 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 users an extremely silent and cooling experience with the elegant appearance!

ASUS EZ DIY

ASUS EZ DIY feature collection provides you with easy ways to install computer components, update the BIOS or back up your favorite settings.

ASUS UEFI BIOS (EZ Mode)

The new ASUS UEFI BIOS is an Unied Extensible Firmware Interface that offers

a user-friendly interface that goes beyond traditional keyboard-only BIOS control to

enable more exible and convenient mouse input. Users can easily navigate the new

UEFI BIOS with the same smoothness as their operating system. It natively supports

hard drives larger than 2.2TB in 64-bit, with full storage space utilization, helping

deliver far more exciting computing than traditional BIOS version. The exclusive EZ Mode displays frequently-accessed setup info. while the Advanced Mode is for experienced performance enthusiasts that demand far more intricate system settings.

ASUS EZ-Flash 2

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

using a bootable oppy disk or an OS-based utility.

ASUS MyLogo2™

This feature allows you to convert your favorite photo into a 256-color boot logo for a more colorful and vivid image on your screen.

ASUS O.C. Prole

The motherboard features the ASUS O.C. Prole that allows you to conveniently store

or load multiple BIOS settings. The BIOS settings can be stored in the CMOS or a

separate le, giving you the freedom to share and distribute your favorite settings.

Precision Tweaker 2

Allows you to ne-tune the VCore / VDDNB voltage in 0.00625V steps and DRAM

voltage in 0.00625V steps to achieve the most precise setting for the ultimate

overclocking conguration.

C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)

The BIOS C.P.R. feature automatically restores the CPU default settings when the system hangs due to overclocking failure. C.P.R. eliminates the need to open the system chassis and clear the RTC data. Simply shut down and reboot the system, and the BIOS automatically restores the CPU parameters to their default settings.

ASUS M5A97 2-1

Chapter 2

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.

Chapter 2: Hardware information

Chapter 2

2-2 Chapter 2: Hardware information

Chapter 2

2.2.1 Motherboard layout

Refer to

2.2.8 Connectors

for more information about rear panel connectors and internal

connectors.

2.2 Motherboard overview

M5A97

PCIEX16_1

PCIEX16_2

PCIEX1_1

PCIEX1_2

PCI1

PCI2

USB910 USB78

USB1112

PANEL

SPDIF_OUT

AAFP

CPU_FANCHA_FAN2 PWR_FAN

CHA_FAN1

Lithium Cell

CMOS Power

Super

I/O

AUDIO

ALC 887

ASM 1042

EPU

RTL

8111E

ICS

9LPRS477

COM1

KBMS

32Mb BIOS

SB_PWR

CLRTC

22.9cm(9.0in)

30.5cm(12.0in)

AMD

SB950

AMD

970

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)

LAN1_USB12

USB34

SPDIF_O2

SATA6G_1 SATA6G_3

SATA6G_2 SATA6G_4

SATA6G_6

SATA6G_5

EATX12V

EATXPWR

USB3_12

USB56

MemOK!

DRAM_LED

SOCKET AM3+

TPU

1 2 413

121314 11 10 9

ASUS M5A97 2-3

Chapter 2

Connectors/Jumpers/Slots Page

1. CPU and chassis fan connectors (4-pin CPU_FAN, 4-pin CHA_FAN1/2, 3-pin PWR_FAN)

2-18

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

2-19

3. AM3+ CPU Socket

2-4

4. DDR3 DIMM slots

2-5

DRAM LED (DRAM_LED) 2-15

MemOK! switch 2-14

AMD® SB950 Serial ATA 6.0 Gb/s connectors (7-pin SATA6G_1~6) 2-16

Standby power LED (SB_PWR) 2-15

System panel connector (20-8 pin PANEL) 2-20

10.

Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC) 2-13

11.

USB connectors (10-1 pin USB78, USB910, USB1112) 2-17

12.

Serial port connector (10-1 pin COM1) 2-16

13.

Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin AAFP) 2-17

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

2-18

Layout contents

2-4 Chapter 2: Hardware information

Chapter 2

2.2.2 Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The motherboard comes with an AM3+/AM3 socket designed for AMD® FX™ Series / Phenom™ II / Athlon™ II / Sempron™ 100 Series Processors.

M5A97

M5A97 CPU socket AM3+

ASUS M5A97 2-5

Chapter 2

2.2.3 System memory

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

Recommended memory congurations

M5A97

M5A97 240-pin DDR3 DIMM sockets

DIMM_A1

DIMM_A2

DIMM_B1

DIMM_B2

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.

2-6 Chapter 2: Hardware information

Chapter 2

Memory congurations

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

• 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

3.4 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 (4 DIMMs) or overclocking condition.

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

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

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

• AMD

FX™ Series CPU on this motherboard supports up to DDR3 1866MHz as its

standard memory frequency.

• Due to CPU spec., AMD

100 series CPUs support up to DDR3 1066MHz. With ASUS

design, this motherboard can support up to DDR3 1333MHz.

• When overclocking, some AMD CPU models may not support DDR3 1600 MHz or

higher frequency DIMMs.

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

motherboard. 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).

Visit the ASUS website for the latest QVL.

ASUS M5A97 2-7

Chapter 2

M5A97 Motherboard Qualied Vendors Lists (QVL) DDR3 2000MHz capability for AMD AM3+ CPU

M5A97 Motherboard Qualied Vendors Lists (QVL) DDR3 1866MHz capability for AMD AM3+ CPU

M5A97 Motherboard Qualied Vendors Lists (QVL) DDR3 1800MHz capability for AMD AM3+ CPU

Vendors Part No. Size SS/DS

Chip Brand

Chip NO.

Timing Voltage

DIMM socket support (Optional)

1 DIMM 2 DIMM 4 DIMM

A-DATA AX3U2000GC4G9B(XMP) 4GB DS - - 9-11-9-27 1.55~1.75 • • •

CORSAIR

CMT6GX3M3A2000C8(XMP) 6GB ( 3x 2GB )

- -

8-9-8-24 1.65

•

G.SKILL F3-16000CL9T-6GBPS(XMP) 6GB(3 x 2GB) DS - - 9-9-9-24 1.65 • •

G.SKILL F3-16000CL7Q-8GBFLS(XMP) 8GB(4 x 2GB) DS - - 7-9-7-24 1.65 • • •

Vendors Part No. Size

SS/DSChip

Brand

Chip NO.

Timing Voltage

DIMM socket support (Optional)

1 DIMM 2 DIMM 4 DIMM

CORSAIR CMZ8GX3M2A1866C9(XMP) 8GB ( 2x 4GB ) DS - - 9-10-9-27 1.5 • • •

KINGSTON KHX1866C9D3T1K3/3GX(XMP) 3GB ( 3x 1GB ) SS - - - 1.65 • • •

OCZ OCZ3G1866LV4GK 4GB ( 2x 2GB ) DS - - 10-10-10 1.65 • •

Super Talent W1866UX2G8(XMP) 2GB(2 x 1GB) SS - - 8-8-8-24 - • • •

Vendors Part No. Size SS/DS

Chip Brand

Chip NO.

Timing Voltage

DIMM socket support (Optional)

1 DIMM 2 DIMM 4 DIMM

G.SKILL F3-14400CL6D-4GBFLS(XMP) 4GB(2 x 2GB) DS - - 6-8-6-24 1.65 • • •

KINGSTON

KHX1800C9D3T1K3/ 6GX(XMP)

6GB(3 x 2GB) DS - - - 1.65 • • •

M5A97 Motherboard Qualied Vendors Lists (QVL) DDR3 1600MHz capability for AMD AM3+ CPU

Vendors Part No. Size

SS/DSChip

Brand

Chip NO.

Timing Voltage

DIMM socket support (Optional)

2 DIMM 4 DIMM

A-DATA AX3U1600GC4G9(XMP) 4GB DS - - 9-9-9-24 1.55~1.75 • •

A-DATA AX3U1600XC4G79(XMP) 4GB DS - - 7-9-7-21 1.55~1.75 • •

CORSAIR CMZ8GX3M2A1600C8(XMP) 8GB ( 2x 4GB ) DS - - 8-8-8-24 1.5 • •

CORSAIR CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9(XMP) 8GB ( 2x 4GB ) DS - - 9-9-9-24 1.5 • •

Crucial BL12864BN1608.8FF(XMP) 2GB( 2x 1GB ) SS - - 8-8-8-24 1.65 • •

Crucial BL25664BN1608.16FF(XMP) 2GB DS - - 8-8-8-24 1.65 • •

G.SKILL F3-12800CL9D-8GBRL(XMP) 8GB ( 2x 4GB ) DS - - 9-9-9-24 1.5 • •

G.SKILL

F3-12800CL8D8GBECO(XMP)

8GB ( 2x4GB ) DS - - 8-8-8-24 1.35 • •

KINGSTON KHX1600C9D3K3/6GX(XMP) 6GB ( 3x 2GB ) DS - - 9 1.65 • •

Kingston

KHX1600C9D3T1BK3/ 6GX(XMP)

6GB ( 3x 2GB ) DS - - 9 1.65 • •

2-8 Chapter 2: Hardware information

Chapter 2

M5A97 Motherboard Qualied Vendors Lists (QVL) DDR3 2000MHz capability for AMD AM3 CPU

Vendors Part No. Size

SS/DSChip

Brand

Chip NO. Timing Voltage

DIMM socket support (Optional)

1 DIMM 2 DIMM 4 DIMM

A-DATA AX3U2000GC4G9B(XMP) 4GB DS - - 9-11-9-27 1.55~1.75 •

CORSAIR CMT6GX3M3A2000C8(XMP)

6GB ( 3x 2GB ) DS

- 8-9-8-24

1.65

• •

G.SKILL F3-16000CL9T-6GBTD(XMP) 6GB(3 x 2GB) DS - - 9-9-9-24 1.6 •

G.SKILL F3-16000CL7Q-8GBFLS(XMP) 8GB(4 x 2GB) DS - - 7-9-7-24 1.65 • •

GEIL GUP34GB2000C9DC(XMP) 4GB ( 2x 2GB ) DS - - 9-9-9-28 1.65 • •

KINGSTON KHX2000C9AD3W1K2/4GX(XMP) 4GB ( 2x 2GB ) DS - - 9 1.65 • •

Transcend TX2000KLN-8GK (388375)(XMP) 4GB DS - - 1.6 •

AEXEA AXA3ES4GK2000LG28V(XMP)

4GB ( 2x 2GB ) DS

- -

1.65

• •

Silicon Power SP002GBLYU200S02(XMP) 2GB DS - - - - • •

Team TXD32048M2000C9-L(XMP) 2GB DS Team

T3D1288 RT-20

9-9-9-24 1.6 •

M5A97 Motherboard Qualied Vendors Lists (QVL) DDR3 1866MHz capability for AMD AM3 CPU

Vendors Part No. Size

SS/DSChip

Brand

Chip NO. Timing Voltage

DIMM socket support (Optional)

1 DIMM 2 DIMM 4 DIMM

G.SKILL F3-15000CL9D-4GBTD(XMP) 4GB(2 x 2GB) DS - - 9-9-9-24 1.65 •

G.SKILL F3-14900CL9D-8GBSR(XMP) 8GB ( 2x 4GB ) DS - - 9-10-9-28 1.5 • •

KINGSTON KHX1866C9D3T1K3/3GX(XMP) 3GB ( 3x 1GB ) SS - - - 1.65 • •

KINGSTON KHX1866C9D3T1K3/6GX(XMP) 6GB(3 x 2GB) DS - - 9 1.65 •

OCZ OCZ3G1866LV4GK 4GB ( 2x 2GB ) DS - - 10-10-10 1.65 • •

OCZ OCZ3RPR1866C9LV6GK 6GB(3 x 2GB) DS - - 9-9-9 1.65 •

Super Talent W1866UX2G8(XMP) 2GB(2 x 1GB) SS - - 8-8-8-24 - •

Team TXD32048M1866C9(XMP) 2GB DS Team T3D1288RT-16 9-9-9-24 1.65 • • •

M5A97 Motherboard Qualied Vendors Lists (QVL) DDR3 1800MHz capability for AMD AM3 CPU

Vendors Part No. Size

SS/DSChip

Brand

Chip NO. Timing Voltage

DIMM socket support (Optional)

1 DIMM 2 DIMM 4 DIMM

G.SKILL F3-14400CL6D-4GBFLS(XMP) 4GB(2 x 2GB) DS - - 6-8-6-24 1.65 • •

G.SKILL F3-14400CL9D-4GBRL(XMP) 4GB(2 x 2GB) DS - - 9-9-9-24 1.6 • • •

KINGSTON KHX1800C9D3T1K3/6GX(XMP) 6GB(3 x 2GB) DS - - - 1.65 • •

ASUS M5A97 2-9

Chapter 2

M5A97 Motherboard Qualied Vendors Lists (QVL) DDR3 1600MHz capability for AMD AM3 CPU

Vendors Part No. Size

SS/DSChip

Brand

Chip NO. Timing Voltage

DIMM socket support (Optional)

2 DIMM 4 DIMM

A-DATA AX3U1600GC4G9(XMP) 4GB DS - - 9-9-9-24 1.55~1.75 • •

A-DATA AX3U1600XC4G79(XMP)

4GB DS

- 7-9-7-21

1.55~1.75

• •

CORSAIR CMZ16GX3M4A1600C9(XMP) 16GB ( 4x 4GB ) DS - - 9-9-9-24 1.5 • •

CORSAIR CMP6GX3M3A1600C8(XMP) 6GB ( 3x 2GB ) DS - - 8-8-8-24 1.65 • •

Crucial BL12864BN1608.8FF(XMP) 2GB( 2x 1GB ) SS - - 8-8-8-24 1.65 • •

Crucial BL25664BN1608.16FF(XMP) 2GB DS - - 8-8-8-24 1.65 • •

G.SKILL F3-12800CL9D-4GBNQ(XMP) 4GB ( 2x 2GB ) DS - - 9-9-9-24 1.5 • •

G.SKILL

F3-12800CL8D-8GBECO(XMP) 8GB ( 2x4GB )

DS -

8-8-8-24 1.35

•

GEIL GUP34GB1600C7DC(XMP) 4GB ( 2x 2GB ) DS - - 7-7-7-24 1.6 • •

GEIL GVP38GB1600C8QC(XMP) 8GB ( 4x 2GB ) DS - - 8-8-8-28 1.6 • •

KINGMAX FLGD45F-B8MF7(XMP) 1GB SS - - - • •

Kingston KHX1600C9D3T1BK3/6GX(XMP) 6GB ( 3x 2GB ) DS - - 9 1.65 • •

OCZ OCZ3G16004GK 4GB ( 2x 2GB ) DS - - 8-8-8 1.7 •

OCZ

OCZ3BE1600C8LV4GK

4GB( 2x 2GB ) DS

- -

8-8-8

1.65 •

•

Super Talent WP160UX4G9(XMP) 4GB(2 x 2GB) DS - - 9 - • •

Super Talent WB160UX6G8(XMP) 6GB(3 x 2GB) DS - - 8 - •

AEXEA AXA3PS2G1600S18V(XMP) 2GB DS - - - 1.65 •

Asint SLZ3128M8-EGJ1D(XMP) 2GB DS Asint

3128M8GJ1D

- - • •

EK Memory EKM324L28BP8-I16(XMP) 4GB( 2x 2GB ) DS - - 9 - • •

EK Memory EKM324L28BP8-I16(XMP) 4GB(2 x 2GB) DS - - 9 - • •

Elixir M2P2G64CB8HC9N-DG(XMP) 2GB DS - - - - • •

GoodRam GR1600D364L9/2G 2GB DS GoodRam

GF1008 KC-JN

- - • •

KINGTIGER KTG2G1600PG3(XMP) 2GB DS - - - - • •

Mushkin 996805(XMP) 4GB ( 2x 2GB ) DS - - 6-8-6-24 1.65 • •

Mushkin 998805(XMP) 6GB ( 3x 2GB ) DS - - 6-8-6-24 1.65 •

Patriot PX7312G1600LLK(XMP) 12GB ( 3x 4GB ) DS - - 8-9-8-24 1.65 •

Patriot PX538G1600LLK(XMP) 8GB ( 2x 4GB ) DS - - 8-9-8-24 1.65 • •

Team TXD32048M1600HC8-D(XMP) 2GB DS Team

T3D1288 RT-16

8-8-8-24 1.65 • •

M5A97 Motherboard Qualied Vendors Lists (QVL) DDR3 1333MHz capability for AMD AM3 CPU

Vendors Part No. Size

SS/ DS

Chip Brand Chip NO. Timing Voltage

DIMM socket support (Optional)

2 DIMM 4 DIMM

A-DATA AXDU1333GC2G9(XMP) 2GB SS - - 9-9-9-24 1.25~1.35 • •

A-DATA AD63I1C1624EV 4GB DS A-DATA 3CCA-1509A - - • •

Apacer 78.01GC6.9L0 1GB SS Apacer AM5D5808DEJSBG 9 - • •

Apacer 78.B1GDE.9L10C 4GB DS Apacer AM5D5908CEHSBG 9 - • •

CORSAIR TW3X4G1333C9A

4GB ( 2x 2GB )

DS - - 9-9-9-24 1.5 • •

CORSAIR

CMX8GX3M2A1333C9 (XMP)

8GB ( 2x 4GB )

DS - - 9-9-9-24 1.5 •

Crucial

BL25664BN1337.16FF (XMP)

2GB DS - - 7-7-7-24 1.65 •

Crucial CT25664BA1339.16FF 2GB DS MICRON D9KPT 9 - • •

ELPIDA EBJ10UE8BDF0-DJ-F 1GB SS ELPIDA J1108BDSE-DJ-F - - • •

ELPIDA EBJ20UF8BCF0-DJ-F 2GB SS Elpida J2108BCSE-DJ-F - - • •

G.SKILL

F3-10666CL8D-4GBHK (XMP)

4GB ( 2x 2GB )

DS - - 8-8-8-21 1.5 • •

G.SKILL F3-10666CL9D-8GBXL

8GB ( 2x 4GB )

DS - - 9-9-9-24 1.5 • •

GEIL GET316GB1333C9QC

16GB ( 4x 4GB )

DS - - 9-9-9-24 1.5 • •

GEIL GVP38GB1333C7QC

8GB ( 4x 2GB )

DS - - 7-7-7-24 1.5 • •

2-10 Chapter 2: Hardware information

Chapter 2

Side(s): SS - Single-sided DS - Double-sided DIMM support:

• 1 DIMM: Supports one (1) module inserted into any slot as Single-channel memory

conguration. We suggest that you install the module into A2 slot.

•

2 DIMMs: Supports two (2) modules inserted into either the blue slots or the black slots

as one pair of Dual-channel memory conguration. We suggest that you install the modules into slots A2 and B2 for better compatibility.

• 4 DIMMs: Supports four (4) modules inserted into both the blue and black slots as two

pairs of Dual-channel memory conguration.

• When overclocking, some AMD CPU models may not support DDR3 1600 or higher frequency DIMMs.

• Visit the ASUS website for the latest QVL.

Vendors Part No. Size

SS / DS

Chip Brand Chip NO. Timing Voltage

DI MM soc ket sup por t (Optional)

2 DIMM 4 DIMM

Hynix HMT325U6BFR8C-H9 2GB SS Hynix H5TQ2G83BFR - - • •

Hynix HMT351U6BFR8C-H9 4GB DS Hynix H5TQ2G83BFR - - • •

KINGMAX FLFE85F-C8KM9 2GB SS Kingmax KFC8FNMXF-BXX-15A - - • •

KINGMAX FLFF65F-C8KM9 4GB DS Kingmax KFC8FNMXF-BXX-15A - - • •

Kingston

KHX1333C9D3UK2/4GX (XMP)

4GB ( 2x 2GB )

DS - - 9 1.25 • •

KINGSTON KVR1333D3N9K2/4G

4GB ( 2x 2GB )

DS KINGSTON D1288JEMFPGD9U - 1.5 • •

MICRON MT8JTF25664AZ-1G4D1 2GB SS Micron D9LGK - - • •

MICRON

MT16JTF51264AZ1G4D1

4GB

DS Micron

D9LGK

- -

• •

OCZ OCZ3G1333LV4GK

4GB ( 2x 2GB )

DS - - 9-9-9 1.65 • •

OCZ OCZ3G1333LV8GK

8GB ( 2x 4GB )

DS - - 9-9-9 1.65 •

PSC PC310600U-9-10-A0 1GB SS PSC A3P1GF3FGF - - • •

PSC PC310600U-9-10-B0 2GB DS PSC A3P1GF3FGF - - • •

SAMSUNG M378B5273DH0-CH9 4GB DS Samsung K4B2G08460 - - • •

SAMSUNG M378B1G73AH0-CH9 8GB DS SAMSUNG K4B4G0846A-HCH9 - - • •

Transcend

TS256MLK64V3N (566577)

2GB SS Hynix H5TQ2G83BFR 9 - • •

Transcend

TS512MLK64V3N (574831)

4GB DS Micron D9LGK 9 - • •

ACTICA ACT4GHU64B8H1333H 4GB DS Hynix H5TQ2G83AFR - - •

ACTICA ACT4GHU72D8H1333H 4GB DS Hynix H5TQ2G83AFR(ECC) - - • •

BUFFALO D3U1333-2G 2GB DS Elpida J1108BFBG-DJ-F - • •

BUFFALO D3U1333-4G 4GB DS NANYA NT5CB256M8BN-CG - • •

EK Memory EKM324L28BP8-I13

4GB(2 x 2GB)

DS - - 9 - • •

Elixir M2F2G64CB88D7N-CG 2GB SS Elixir M2CB2G8BDN-CG - - • •

Elixir M2F4G64CB8HD5N-CG 4GB DS Elixir M2CB2G8BDN-CG - - • •

GoodRam GR1333D364L9/2G 2GB DS Qimonda IDSH1G-03A1F1C-13H - - • •

KINGTIGER F10DA2T1680 2GB DS KINGTIGER

KTG1333PS1208NST

-C9

- - • •

KINGTIGER KTG2G1333PG3 2GB DS - - - - • •

Patriot PSD32G13332 2GB DS Prtriot PM128M8D3BU-15 9 - • •

Patriot PGS34G1333LLKA

4GB(2 x 2GB)

DS - - 7-7-7-20 1.7 • •

Silicon Power SP001GBLTE133S01 1GB SS NANYA NT5CB128M8AN-CG - - • •

Silicon Power SP002GBLTE133S01 2GB DS NANYA NT5CB128M8AN-CG - - • •

Team

TXD31024M1333C7 (XMP)

1GB SS Team T3D1288LT-13 7-7-7-21 1.75 • •

Team

TXD32048M1333C7-D (XMP)

2GB DS Team T3D1288LT-13 7-7-7-21 1.5-1.6 • •

ASUS M5A97 2-11

Chapter 2

2.2.4 Expansion slots

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

M5A97

Slot No. Slot Description

1 PCIe 2.0 x16_1 slot [blue] (at x16 mode)

2 PCIe 2.0 x1_1 slot

3 PCIe 2.0 x1_2 slot

4 PCIe 2.0 x16_2 slot [black] (at x4 mode)

5 PCI slot 1

6 PCI slot 2

VGA conguration

PCI Express operating mode

PCIe 2.0 x16_1 PCIe 2.0 x16_2

Single VGA/PCIe card

x16 (Recommend for single VGA)

N/A

Dual VGA/PCIe card

x16 x4

2-12 Chapter 2: Hardware information

Chapter 2

IRQ assignments for this motherboard

A B C D E F G H

PCIE x16_1 shared – – – – – – – PCIE x16_2 – – – – – – – shared PCIE x16_3 shared – – – – – – – PCIE x16_4 shared

– – – – – – –

PCI Slot1

– – – –

shared –

– – PCI Slot2 – – – – – shared – – Realtek 8111E (LAN)

– –

shared

– –

– ASM USB3.0 – – shared – – – – –

Onchip SATA Controller – – – shared – – – –

Onchip USB1

– –

shared –

– –

–

Onchip USB2 –

– shared

– – – – –

Onchip Azalia shared – – – – – – –

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

• In CrossFireX™ mode, use the PCIe 2.0 x16_1 and PCIe 2.0 x16_2 slots for PCI Express x16 graphics cards 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. See page 2-18 for details.

ASUS M5A97 2-13

Chapter 2

2.2.5 Jumper

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 <Del> key during the boot process and enter BIOS setup to re-enter 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 C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall) feature. Shut down and reboot the system so the BIOS can automatically reset parameter settings to default values.

M5A97

M5A97 Clear RTC RAM

1 2 2 3

Normal

(Default)

Clear RTC

CLRTC

2-14 Chapter 2: Hardware information

Chapter 2

2.2.6 Onboard switches

Onboard switches 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! switch

Installing DIMMs that are incompatible with the motherboard may cause system boot failure, and the DRAM_LED near the MemOK! switch lights continuously. Press and hold the MemOK! switch until the DRAM_LED starts blinking to begin automatic memory compatibility tuning for successful boot.

• Refer to section

2.2.7 Onboard LEDs

for the exact location of the DRAM_LED.

• The DRAM_LED also lights 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

OS environment.

• 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 fail to boot due to BIOS overclocking, press the MemOK! switch to boot and load 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.

M5A97

M5A97 MemOK! switch

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