Asus p8h77-m User Manual

P8H77-M

Motherboard

E7974

Third Edition (V3)

December 2012

Copyright © 2012 ASUSTeK Computer Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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

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You may obtain the complete corresponding source code (as defined 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

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or

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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.

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ii

Contents

Safety information......................................................................................	vii
About this guide.........................................................................................	vii
P8H77-M specifications summary.............................................................	ix

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	DIGI+ VRM Digital Power Desigh....................................	1-3
	1.3.3	ASUS Exclusive Features...............................................	1-3
	1.3.4	ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution.........................................	1-4
	1.3.5	ASUS EZ DIY..................................................................	1-5
	1.3.6	Other special features.....................................................	1-5
1.4	Before you proceed......................................................................		1-7
1.5	Motherboard overview.................................................................		1-8
	1.5.1	Placement direction.........................................................	1-8
	1.5.2	Screw holes.....................................................................	1-8
	1.5.3	Motherboard layout..........................................................	1-9
	1.5.4	Layout contents...............................................................	1-9
1.6	Central Processing Unit (CPU)..................................................		1-10
	1.6.1	CPU installation..............................................................	1-11
	1.6.2	CPU heatsink and fan assembly installation.................	1-13
1.7	System memory..........................................................................		1-15
	1.7.1	Overview........................................................................	1-15
	1.7.2	Memory configurations..................................................	1-16
	1.7.3	Installing a DIMM...........................................................	1-24
1.8	Expansion slots..........................................................................		1-25
	1.8.1	Installing an expansion card..........................................	1-25
	1.8.2	Configuring an expansion card......................................	1-25
	1.8.3	PCI slot..........................................................................	1-25
	1.8.4	PCI Express 2.0 x1 slot.................................................	1-25
	1.8.5	PCI Express 2.0 x16 slots.............................................	1-25
	1.8.6	PCI Express 3.0 x16 slot...............................................	1-26

iii

Contents

	1.8.7	Interrupt assignments ....................................................	1-26
1.9	Jumpers	.......................................................................................	1-27
1.10	Connectors..................................................................................		1-28
	1.10.1 ..................................................	Rear panel connectors	1-28
	1.10.2 ........................................................	Internal connectors	1-29
1.11	Onboard .......................................................................switches		1-38
1.12	Onboard .............................................................................LEDs		1-39
1.13	Software ........................................................................support		1-40
	1.13.1 .......................................	Installing an operating system	1-40
	1.13.2 ...............................................	Support DVD information	1-40
1.14	Introduction to Intel® 2012 Desktop responsiveness technologies....
1-41

1.14.1System Requirements for Intel® 2012 Desktop responsiveness

	technologies..................................................................................		1-41
	1.14.2	Intel® Smart Response Technology...............................	1-43
	1.14.3	Intel® Rapid Start Technology........................................	1-44
	1.14.4	Intel® Smart Connect Technology..................................	1-50
Chapter 2		BIOS information
2.1	Managing and updating your BIOS.............................................		2-1
	2.1.1	ASUS Update utility.........................................................	2-1
	2.1.2	ASUS EZ Flash 2............................................................	2-2
	2.1.3	ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility.......................................	2-3
	2.1.4	ASUS BIOS Updater.......................................................	2-4
2.2	BIOS setup program.....................................................................		2-6
2.3	Main menu...................................................................................		2-10
	2.3.1	System Language [English]...........................................	2-10
	2.3.2	System Date [Day xx/xx/xxxx].......................................	2-10
	2.3.3	System Time [xx:xx:xx]..................................................	2-10
	2.3.4	Security..........................................................................	2-10
2.4	Ai Tweaker menu........................................................................		2-12
	2.4.1	Ai Overclock Tuner [Auto]..............................................	2-13
	2.4.2	Memory Frequency [Auto].............................................	2-13
	2.4.3	EPU Power Saving Mode [Disabled].............................	2-13
	2.4.4	GPU Boost [OK]............................................................	2-13

iv

Contents

	2.4.5	DRAM Timing Control....................................................	2-13
	2.4.6	CPU Power Management..............................................	2-13
	2.4.7	DIGI+ VRM....................................................................	2-14
	2.4.8	CPU Voltage [Offset Mode]............................................	2-16
	2.4.9	DRAM Voltage [Auto].....................................................	2-16
	2.4.10	VCCSA Voltage [Auto]...................................................	2-16
	2.4.11	PCH Voltage [Auto]........................................................	2-16
	2.4.12	CPU PLL Voltage [Auto]................................................	2-16
2.5	Advanced menu..........................................................................		2-17
	2.5.1	CPU Configuration.........................................................	2-17
	2.5.2	PCH Configuration.........................................................	2-18
	2.5.3	SATA Configuration........................................................	2-19
	2.5.4	System Agent Configuration..........................................	2-19
	2.5.5	USB Configuration.........................................................	2-20
	2.5.6	Onboard Devices Configuration....................................	2-20
	2.5.7	APM...............................................................................	2-22
	2.5.8	Network Stack...............................................................	2-22
2.6	Monitor menu..............................................................................		2-23
	2.6.1	CPU Temperature / MB Temperature [xxxºC/xxxºF]......	2-23

2.6.2CPU / Chassis Fan Speed [xxxx RPM] or [Ignore] / [N/A]2-23

	2.6.3	CPU Voltage, 3.3V Voltage, 5V Voltage, 12V Voltage...	2-23
	2.6.4	CPU Q-Fan Control [Enabled].......................................	2-24
	2.6.5	Chassis Fan Speed Low Limit [600 RPM].....................	2-24
	2.6.6	Anti Surge Support [Enabled]........................................	2-24
2.7	Boot menu...................................................................................		2-25
	2.7.1	Bootup NumLock State [On]..........................................	2-25
	2.7.2	Full Screen Logo [Enabled]...........................................	2-25
	2.7.3	Wait for ‘F1’ If Error [Enabled]........................................	2-25
	2.7.4	Option ROM Messages [Force BIOS]...........................	2-26
	2.7.5	Setup Mode [EZ Mode]..................................................	2-26
	2.7.6	UEFI/Legacy Boot [Enabled both UEFI and Legacy]....	2-26
	2.7.7	PCI ROM Priority [Legacy ROM]...................................	2-26
	2.7.8	Boot Option Priorities.....................................................	2-26
	2.7.9	Boot Override................................................................	2-26

Contents

2.8	Tools menu..................................................................................		2-27
	2.8.1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 Utility.................................................		2-27
	2.8.2	ASUS O.C. Profile.........................................................	2-27
	2.8.3	ASUS SPD Information.................................................	2-27
2.9	Exit menu.....................................................................................		2-28

Appendices

Notices.......................................................................................................

A-1

vi

Safety information

Electrical safety

•To prevent electric shock hazard, disconnect the power cable from the electric 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 fix it by yourself. Contact a qualified 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 that 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 qualified service technician or your retailer.

About this guide

This user guide contains the information you need when installing and configuring the motherboard.

How this guide is organized

This guide contains the following parts:

•Chapter 1: Product introduction

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

•Chapter 2: BIOS information

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

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.

Where to find 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 flyers, that may have been added by your dealer. These documents are not part of the standard package.

Typography

Bold text	Indicates a menu or an item to select.
Italics	Used to emphasize a word or a phrase.
<Key>	Keys enclosed in the less-than and greater-than sign means
	that you must press the enclosed key.
	Example: <Enter> means that you must press the Enter or
	Return key.
<Key1>+<Key2>+<Key3>	If you must press two or more keys simultaneously, the key
	names are linked with a plus sign (+).
	Example: <Ctrl>+<Alt>+<D>

viii

P8H77-M specifications summary

CPU

Chipset

Memory

Expansion slots

Graphics

Multi-GPU support

LGA1155 socket for Intel® Second/Third Generation Core™ i7 / Core™ i5 / Core™ i3, Pentium®, and Celeron® processors

Supports 32nm and 22nm CPU

Supports Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2.0

*The Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 support depends on the CPU types.

**Refer to www.asus.com for Intel® CPU support list.

Intel® H77 Express Chipset

Dual-channel memory architecture

-4 x 240-pin DIMM sockets support unbuffered non-ECC DDR3 2200 (O.C.)*/2133 (O.C.)*/2000 (O.C.)*/1866 (O.C.)*

/1600/1333/1066 MHz memory modules

-Supports up to 32GB* system memory

-Support Intel® Extreme Memory Profile (XMP)

* DDR3 1600 MHz and higher memory frequency is supported by Intel® third generation processors.

**Due to the CPU behavior, DDR3 2133/1866 MHz memory module will run at DDR3 2000/1800 MHz as default.

***The Max. 32GB memory capacity can be supported with DIMMs of 8GB (or above). ASUS will update QVL once the DIMMs are available on market.

****Refer to www.asus.com for the Memory QVL (Qualified

Vendors Lists).

*****When you install a total memory of 4GB capacity

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.

1 x PCI Express 3.0*/2.0 x16 slot [blue] (at x16 mode)

1 x PCI Express 2.0 x16 slot [black] (at x4 mode, compatible with PCIe x1, x2, and x4 devices)

1 x PCI Express 2.0 x1 slot

1 x PCI slot

* Intel® Third Generation Core™ processors support PCIe 3.0.

Integrated Graphics Processor - Intel® HD Graphics support Mult-VGA output support: HDMI, DVI, RGB port

-Supports HDMI with max.resolution 1920 x 1200 @60Hz

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

-Supports RGB with max.resolution 2048 x 1536 @75Hz

Supports Intel® Tru 3D/Quick Sync Video/Clear Video HD Technology/Insider™

Maximum shared memory of 1696 MB

Supports AMD® Quad-CPU CrossFireX™ Technology Supports LucidLogix® Virtu MVP Technology*

* LucidLogix® Virtu MVP supports Windows® 7.

(continued on the next page)

ix

P8H77-M specifications summary

Storage

LAN

Audio

USB

ASUS Exclusive overclocking features

Rear panel ports

Intel® H77 Express Chipset:

-2 x Serial ATA 6Gb/s connectors (gray) with RAID 0, 1, 5, 10 support

-4 x Serial ATA 3Gb/s connectors (blue) with RAID 0, 1, 5, 10 support

-Supports Intel® Smart Response Technology, Intel® Rapid Start Technology, Intel® Smart Connect Technology*

*Supports Intel® Core processors under Windows® 7 operating system.

Realtek® 8111F Gigabit LAN controller

Realtek® ALC887 8-channel* High-Definition Audio CODEC

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

-Optical S/PDIF out ports at back I/O

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

Intel® H77 Express Chipset:

-Supports ASUS USB 3.0 Boost UASP Mode*

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

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

-10 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports (6 ports at mid-board, 4 ports at back panel)

*The USB 3.0 ports only support Windows® 7 or later versions. UASP standard only supports Windows® 8.

Precision Tweaker 2:

-vCore: Adjustable CPU voltage at 0.005V increment

-vCCSA: 191-step system agent voltage control

-vDRAM Bus: 191-step memory voltage control

-vPCH: 191-step chipset voltage control

-iGPU: 127-step iGPU voltage control

-vCPU_PLL: 1-step CPU & PCH PLL voltage control

1 x PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse port

1 x Optical S/PDIF out port

1 x HDMI port

1 x DVI port

1 x RGB port

1 x LAN (RJ-45) port

2 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports

4 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports

3 x 8-channel Audio jacks

(continued on the next page)

P8H77-M specifications summary

ASUS Special	ASUS DIGI+VRM
features	-	Digital Power Control: Digital Power Design for the CPU
		and iGPU
	- ASUS 4+1+1 Power Phase Design
	ASUS Protect 3.0 Technology
	-	ASUS EPU
	- Anti-Surge Protection
	-	Low EMI Solution
	-	100% Solid Capacitors
	ASUS Exclusive Features
	- Network iControl featuring instant network bandwidth for
		top network program in use.
	- USB 3.0 Boost featuring the latest USB 3.0 UASP standard
	- Disk Unlocker featuring 3TB+HDD support
	-	GPU Boost
	-	TurboV
	-	AI Suite II
	-	ASUS ESD
	-	MemOK!
	ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution
	- ASUS Fanless Design: Stylish Heatsink solution
	-	ASUS Fan Xpert
	ASUS EZ DIY
	- ASUS UEFI BIOS EZ Mode featuring user-friendly
		interface
	- ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3
	- ASUS EZ Flash 2
	-	ASUS MyLogo 2
Internal connectors	1 x USB 3.0/2.0 connector supports additional 2 USB ports
	3 x USB 2.0/1.1 connectors support additional 6 USB ports
	2 x SATA 6.0 Gb/s connectors (gray)
	4 x SATA 3.0 Gb/s connectors (blue)
	1 x 4-pin CPU fan connector

1 x 3-pin Chassis fan connector

1 x Front panel audio connector

1 x S/PDIF Out connector

1 x 24-pin EATX Power connector

1 x 8-pin EATX 12V Power connector

1 x System panel connector

1 x MemOK! button

1 x Clear CMOS jumper

1 x COM connector

1 X LPT connector

1 x TPM connector

(continued on the next page)

xi

P8H77-M specifications summary

BIOS features

Manageability

Accessories

Support DVD

Form factor

64 Mb Flash ROM, UEFI BIOS, PnP, DMI v2.0, WfM2.0, SMBIOS v2.6, ACPI v2.0, Multi-language BIOS, ASUS EZ Flash 2, ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3, F12 PrintScreen, F3 Shortcyt Function, and ASUS DRAM SPD (Serial Presence Detect) memory information

WfM 2.0, DMI 2.0, WOL by PME, PXE

2 x Serial ATA 6.0 Gb/s cables

1 x I/O shield

1 x User Manual

1 x Support DVD

Drivers

ASUS Update

ASUS Utilities

Anti-virus software (OEM version)

uATX form factor: 9.6 in x 9.6 in (24.5 cm x 24.5 cm)

* Specifications are subject to change without notice.

xii

Chapter 1

Product introduction

1.1Welcome!

Thank you for buying an ASUS® P8H77-M 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.

1.2Package contents

Check your motherboard package for the following items.

Motherboard	ASUS P8H77-M motherboard
Cables	2 x Serial ATA 6.0Gb/s cables
Accessories	1 x I/O shield
Application DVD	ASUS motherboard support DVD
Documentation	User Manual

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

ASUS P8H77-M

1-1

1.3Special features

1.3.1Product highlights

LGA1155 socket for Intel® 3rd/2nd Generation Core™ i7 / Core™ i5 / Core™ i3 / Pentium® / Celeron® Processors

This motherboard supports Intel® 3rd/2nd generation Core™ i7 / i5 / i3 / Pentium® / Celeron® processors in the LGA1155 package, with iGPU, memory and PCI Express controllers integrated to support onboard graphics output with dedicated chipsets, 2-channel (4 DIMMs) DDR3 memory and 16 PCI Express 3.0/2.0 lanes. This provides great graphics performance. Intel® 3rd / 2nd generation Core™ i7 / i5 / i3 / Pentium® / Celeron® processors are among the most powerful and energy efficient CPUs in the world.

Intel® H77 Express Chipset

The Intel® H77 Express Chipset is a single-chipset designed to support the 1155 socket Intel® 3rd / 2nd generation Core™ i7 / i5 / i3 / Pentium® / Celeron® processors. It provides improved performance by utilizing serial point-to-point links, allowing increased bandwidth and stability.

Additionally, H77 chipset provides 4 USB 3.0 ports for 10 times faster data retrieval speed. Moreover, Intel® H77 Express Chipset can also enable iGPU function, letting users enjoy the latest Intel® integrated graphic performance.

Dual-Channel DDR3 2200(O.C.)* /2133(O.C.)* /2000(O.C.)* /1866(O.C.)* / 1600 / 1333 / 1066 MHz Support

The motherboard supports DDR3 memory that features data transfer rates of DDR3 2200(O.

C.)* /2133(O.C.)* /2000(O.C.)* /1866(O.C.)* / 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.

*Due to the CPU behavior, DDR3 2133/1866MHz memory module will run at DDR3 2000/1800MHz frequency as default.

**DDR3 1600MHz and higher memory frequency is supported by Intel® 3rd generation processors.

PCI Express® 3.0

PCI Express® 3.0 (PCIe 3.0) is the latest PCI Express bus standard with improved encoding schemes that provide twice the performance of the current PCIe 2.0. The total bandwidth for a x16 link reaches a maximum of 32Gb/s, double the 16 Gb/s of PCIe 2.0 (in x16 mode). As such, PCIe 3.0 provides userss an unprecendented data speeds, combined with the convenience and seamless transition offerred by complete backward compatibility with PCIe 1.0 and PCIe 2.0 devices. PCIe 3.0 will become a must-have feature for users who wish to

improve and optimize graphic performance, as well as have the latest technology available to them.

* PCI 3.0 speed is supported by Intel® 3rd generation CoreTM processors.

S/PDIF out connector at the back I/O

This motherboard provides convenient connectivity to external home theater audio systems via the optical S/PDIF (SONY-PHILIPS Digital Interface) out connecor at the back I/O. The

1-2	Chapter 1: Product introduction

S/PDIF transfers digital audio without converting it to analog format and keeps the best signal quality.

Gigabit LAN solution

The onboard LAN controller is a highly integrated Gb LAN controller. It is enhanced with an

ACPI management function to provide efficient power management for advanced operating systems.

8-channel high definition audio

The onboard 8-channel HD audio (High Definition Audio, previously codenamed Azalia) CODEC enables high-quality 192KHz/24-bit audio output and jack-detect feature that automatically detects and identifies what types of peripherals are plugged into the audio I/O jacks and notifies users of inappropriate connection, which means there will be no more confusion of Line-in, Line-out, and Mic jacks.

100% All High-quality Conductive Polymer Capacitors

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

Complete USB 3.0 Integration

ASUS facilitates the strategic USB 3.0 accessibility for both the front and rear panel – 4 USB 3.0 ports in total. Experience the latest plug & play connectivity at speeds up to 10 times faster than USB 2.0. P8H77-M affords greater convenience to high speed connectivity.

1.3.2DIGI+ VRM Digital Power Desigh

All-new digital CPU power controls work perfectly together to match digital power signal

(SVID) requests from the CPU, with ultra-fast sensing and response efficiently delivering precision power. Accurate delivery reduces waste, and provides more stable CPU Vcore voltages. Users can adjust CPU PWM voltages and frequencies for various overclocking scenarios, with accurate input through UEFI BIOS tuning or the exclusive ASUS interface. This proprietary design increases overclocking headroom to push performance to its full potential.

ASUS EPU

Energy Efficiency All Around

Tap into the world’s first 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.

1.3.3ASUS Exclusive Features

USB 3.0 Boost

Faster USB 3.0 Transmission with UASP

New ASUS USB 3.0 Boost technology supports UASP (USB Attached SCSI Protocol), the latest USB 3.0 standard. With USB 3.0 Boost technology, a USB device’s transmission speed is significantly increased up to 170%, adding to an already impressive fast USB 3.0 transfer speed. ASUS software automatically accelerates data speeds for compatible USB 3.0 peripherals without the need for any user interaction.

ASUS P8H77-M

1-3

Network iControl

Real-time Network Bandwidth Control

With a single-click on/off button, the application currently in use has its data and network bandwidth prioritized over other programs. Moreover, you can prioritize your favorite software easily by configuring profiles through the intuitive user interface. Within the profile, programs can be pre-scheduled to run in a specific time period to avoid network congestion and long-waits on downloads. Auto PPPoE network connection provides a one-step setup for enhanced online convenience. Overall, it’s an intuitive network bandwidth control center.

GPU Boost

Go to the Limit with iGPU Level Up!

GPU Boost accelerates the integrated GPU for extreme graphics performance. The userfriendly interface facilitates flexible frequency adjustments. It easily delivers stable systemlevel upgrades for every use.

MemOK!

Any Memory is A-OK!

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

AI Suite II

One-stop Access to Innovative ASUS Features

With its user-friendly interface, ASUS AI Suite II consolidates all the exclusive ASUS features into one simple to use software package. It allows you to supervise overclocking, energy management, fan speed control, and voltage and sensor readings. This all-in-one software offers diverse and ease to use functions, with no need to switch back and forth between different utilities.

ASUS TurboV

Easy, Real-Time O.C. Tunings

Feel the adrenaline rush of real-time OC-now a reality with the ASUS TurboV. This easy OC tool allows you to overclock without exiting or rebooting the OS; and its user-friendly interface makes overclock with just a few clicks away. Moreover, the ASUS OC profiles in TurboV

provides the best O.C. settings in different scenarios.

1.3.4ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution

Fanless Design: stylish heatsink solution

The Wing Heatsink features a 0-dB thermal solution that offers users a noiseless PC environment. The beautifully curved fins not only upgrade the visual enjoyment for motherboard users, but also effectively cools down hot airflows generated by the PCH chipset. Combined with usability and aesthetics, the ASUS Wing Heatsink will give users an extremely silent and cooling experience with the elegant appearance!.

1-4	Chapter 1: Product introduction

ASUS 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 profiles offer flexible controls of fan speed to achieve a quiet and cool environment.

1.3.5ASUS EZ DIY

ASUS UEFI BIOS (EZ Mode)

Flexible and Easy BIOS Interface

ASUS UEFI BIOS offers the first mouse-controlled graphical BIOS designed with selectable modes, providing a user-friendly interface that goes beyond the traditional keyboard-only controls. It also fully-utilizes 2.2TB and larger hard drives in 64-bit operating systems with native support.

ASUS exclusive interface

EZ Mode displays frequently-accessed info. Users can choose system performance settings, and drag and drop boot priorities. Advanced Mode for performance enthusiasts includes detailed DRAM settings via a dedicated memory info page for complete insight.

New upgrade! Quick and easy information for enhanced system control

-F12 BIOS snapshot hotkey for sharing UEFI information and troubleshooting

-New F3 Shortcut for most accessed information

-ASUS DRAM SPD (Serial Presence Detect) information for accessing memory information, detecting faulty DIMMs, and helping with difficult POST situations.

ASUS EZ-Flash 2

Simply update BIOS from a USB flash disk before entering the OS

EZ Flash 2 is a user-friendly BIOS update utility. Simply launch this tool and update BIOS from a USB flash disk before entering the OS. You can update your BIOS only in a few clicks without preparing an additional floppy diskette or using an OS-based flash utility.

1.3.6Other special features

LucidLogix® Virtu MVP™

LucidLogix® Virtu MVP featuring HyperFormance™ Technology boosts your discrete graphics card up to 60% beyond its original performance. Designed for Intel® processor graphics

and Windows® 7 PCs, it perfectly combines the performance of discrete graphics cards with fast computing iGPU. Also with the newly designed Virtual Sync, users can enjoy a smoother gaming experience by eliminating tearing artifacts. LucidLogix® Virtu MVP could also dynamically assign tasks to the best available graphics resource, based on power,

performance and system load. This allows users to fully utilize 3x faster video conversion with

Intel® Quick Sync Video 2.0 technology while retaining high-end 3D rendering and gaming performance, provided by both NVIDIA® and AMD graphic cards. When the discrete graphics card is not required, power consumption goes automatically down to near zero, making the system more environmentally-friendly. For users searching for perfection, LucidLogix Virtu

MVP provides great graphical performance and the best flexibility and efficiency.

*LucidLogix® Virtu Universal MVP™ supports Windows® 7 operating system.

**Intel® Quick Sync Video feature is supported by 3rd/2nd generation Intel® Core™ processor family.

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HDMI Support

Enjoy Full HD 1080p Multimedia Home-Theater Entertainment

High Definition Multimedia Surface (HDMI) is a set of digital video standards that delivers mulit-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 efficiency requirement in regards to energy consumptions. This is in line with ASUS vision of creating environment-friendly and energy-efficient products through product design and innovation to reduce carbon footprint of the product and thus mitigate environmental impacts.

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1.4Before 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.

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1.5Motherboard overview

Before you install the motherboard, study the configuration of your chassis to ensure that the motherboard fits into it.

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

1.5.1Placement direction

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

1.5.2Screw holes

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

Do not overtighten the screws! Doing so can damage the motherboard.

Place this side towards

the rear of the chassis

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Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.5.3Motherboard layout

1	2	3	1		4
			24.4cm(9.6in)

KB_USB3_34			CPU_FAN				TPM
	DIGI
	+VRM
HDMI
ASM
1442	EATX12V
VGADVI		LGA1155	240(64bit,A1DIMM-pin module)	240(64bit,A2DIMM-pin module)	240(64bit,B1DIMM-pin module)	240(64bit,B2DIMM-pin module)	MemOK!
							EATXPWR
SPDIF_O
							DRAM_LED
LAN3_12			DDR3	DDR3	DDR3	DDR3

CHA_FAN

34

LAN_USB12

Lithium Cell

USB3

AUDIO

CMOS Power

RTL

PCIEX16_1

8111F

P8H77-M

ICS

9LRS4206

PCIEX1_1

ASM

1083

CLRTC

Intel®

SATA6G_2 SATA6G_1

Super

I/O

H77

PCI1

64Mb

BIOS

SB_PWR

PCIEX16_2

VIA

SATA3G_2 SATA3G_1

1708S

SPDIF_OUT

LPT

COM1

USB910

USB78

USB56

PANEL

SATA3G_4 SATA3G_3

AAFP

18

17

16

15

14

13

5

6

7

2

24.4cm(9.6in) 8

9

10

11

12

1.5.4Layout contents

Connectors/Jumpers/Slots/LED		Page	Connectors/Jumpers/Slots/LED
1.	CPU and Chassis fan connectors (4-pin CPU_FAN,	1-34	10.	Standby Power LED (SB_PWR)
	3-pin CHA_FAN)

Page

1-39

	2.	ATX power connectors (24-pin EATXPWR, 8-pin	1-35	11.	Intel® H77 Serial ATA 6.0GB/s connectors	1-30
		EATX12V)			(7-pin SATA6G_1~2 [gray])
3.		Intel® CPU socket	1-10	12.	Intel® H77 Serial ATA 3.0GB/s connectors	1-31
					(7-pin SATA3G_1~2 [blue])
	4.	DDR3 DIMM sockets	1-15	13.	System panel connector (20-8 pin PANEL)	1-36
	5.	TPM connector (20-1 pin TPM)	1-37	14.	USB 2.0 connectors (10-1 pin USB56, USB78,	1-32
					USB910)
	6.	MemOK! switch	1-38	15.	Serial port connectors (10-1 pin COM1)	1-33
	7	DRAM LED	1-39	16.	LPT connector (26-1 pin LPT)	1-37
	8.	USB 3.0 connector (20-1 pin USB3_34)	1-32	17.	Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin AAFP)	1-29
9.		Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC)	1-27	18.	Digital audio connector (4-1 pin SPDIF_OUT)	1-33

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1.6Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The motherboard comes with a surface mount LGA1155 socket designed for the Intel® Second/Third Generation Core™ i7 / Core™ i5 / Core™ i3/ Pentium®/ Celeron® processors.

Unplug all power cables before installing the CPU.

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

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

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

LGA1155 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.

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1.6.1CPU installation

The LGA1156 CPU is incompatible with the LGA1155 socket. DO NOT install a LGA1156 CPU on the LGA1155 socket.

1

A

B

2

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3 4 C

A

5

1-12	Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.6.2CPU heatsink and fan assembly installation

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

To install the CPU heatsink and fan assembly

1 A 2

B

B

A

3

4

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To uninstall the CPU heatsink and fan assembly

1

2

A

B

B

A

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1.7System memory

1.7.1Overview

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

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

The figure illustrates the location of the DDR3 DIMM sockets:

DIMM_A1 DIMM_A2

DIMM_B1 DIMM_B2

Channel

Sockets

Channel A

DIMM_A1 and DIMM_A2

Channel B

DIMM_B1 and DIMM_B2

P8H77-M

P8H77-M 240-pin DDR3 DIMM sockets

Recommended memory configurations

One DIMM:

We recommend you install one memory module in either of the blue slots (DIMM_A2 or DIMM_B2) to get better performance.

Two DIMMs (dual-channel operation):

Four DIMMs (dual-channel operation):

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1.7.2Memory configurations

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

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

•According to Intel CPU specification, 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:

-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.

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

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

•For system stability, use a more efficient memory cooling system to support a full memory load (4 DIMMs) or overclocking condition.

• ASUS exclusively provides hyper DIMM support function.

• Hyper DIMM support is subject to the physical characteristics of individual CPUs.

• Visit the ASUS website at www.asus.com for the latest QVL.

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P8H77-M Motherboard Qualified Vendors List (QVL)

DDR3-2400MHz capability

Vendors	Part No.	Size	SS/	Chip	Chip	Timing	Voltage	DIMM socket support (Optional)
			DS	Brand	NO.			1 DIMM	2 DIMMs	4 DIMMs
CORSAIR	CMGTX8(XMP)	8GB (2GBx4)	SS	-	-	10-12-10-27	1.65V	•	•	•
G.SKILL	F3-19200CL11Q-	16GB (4x4GB)	DS	-	-	11-11-11-31	1.65V	•	•
	16GBZHD(XMP)
G.SKILL	F3-19200CL9D-4GBPIS(XMP)	4GB (2x2GB)	DS	-	-	9-11-9-28	1.65V	•	•	•
GEIL	GET34GB2400C9DC(XMP)	2GB	DS	-	-	9-11-9-27	1.65V	•	•	•
KINGMAX	FLLE88F-C8KKAA HAIS(XMP)	2GB	SS	-	-	10-11-10-30	1.8V	•	•	•
Transcend	TX2400KLU-4GK(427652)(XMP)	4GB (2x2GB)	SS	-	-	-	1.65V	•	•	•
Transcend	TX2400KLU-4GK (381850)(XMP)	4GB (2x2GB)	SS	-	-	9	1.65V	•	•	•
Transcend	TX2400KLU-4GK(374243)(XMP)	4GB (2x2GB)	DS	-	-	9	1.65V	•	•	•
PATRIOT	PVV34G2400C9K(XMP)	4GB (2x2GB)	DS	-	-	9-11-9-27	1.65V	•	•

DDR3-2250MHz capability

Vendors	Part No.	Size	SS/	Chip	Chip	Timing	Voltage	DIMM socket support
								(Optional)
			DS	Brand	NO.			1 DIMM	2 DIMMs 4 DIMMs
KINGMAX	KHX2250C9D3T1K2/4GX(XMP)	4GB (2x2GB)	DS	-	-	-	1.65V	•	•	•

DDR3-2200MHz capability

Vendors	Part No.	Size	SS/	Chip	Chip	Timing	Voltage	DIMM socket support
								(Optional)
			DS	Brand	NO.			1 DIMM	2 DIMMs 4 DIMMs
G.SKILL	F3-17600CL8D-4GBPS(XMP)	4GB	DS	-	-	8-8-8-24	1.65V
		(2X2GB)
GEIL	GET34GB2200C9DC(XMP)	2GB	DS	-	-	9-10-9-28	1.65V	•	•	•
GEIL	GET38GB2200C9ADC(XMP)	4GB	DS	-	-	9-11-9-28	1.65V	•
KINGMAX	FLKE85F-B8KJAA-FEIS(XMP)	2GB	DS	-	-	-	-	•	•	•
KINGMAX	FLKE85F-B8KHA EEIH(XMP)	4GB	DS	-	-	-	1.5V-1.7V	•
		(2X2GB)
KINGMAX	FLKE85F-B8KJA FEIH(XMP)	4GB (2x2GB)	DS	-	-	-	1.5V-1.7V	•	•	•

DDR3-2133MHz capability

	Vendors	Part No.	Size	SS/	Chip	Chip	Timing	Voltage	DIMM socket support
									(Optional)
				DS	Brand	NO.			1 DIMM	2 DIMMs 4 DIMMs
	A-DATA	AX3U2133GC2G9B-DG2(XMP)	2GB	SS	-	-	9-11-9-27	1.55-1.75V	•	•	•
	CORSAIR	CMT16GX3M4X2133C9(XMP	16GB	DS	-	-	9-11-10-27	1.50V	•	•	•
		1.3)	(4x4GB)
	CORSAIR	CMT4GX3M2A2133C9(XMP)	4GB (2x2GB)	DS	-	-	9-10-9-24	1.65V	•	•	•
	CORSAIR	CMT4GX3M2B2133C9(XMP)	4GB (2GBx2)	DS	-	-	9-10-9-27	1.5V	•	•	•
	G.SKILL	F3-17000CL9Q-16GBZH(XMP)	16GB	DS	-	-	9-11-10-28	1.65V	•	•	•
			(4GBx4)
	GEIL	GE34GB2133C9DC(XMP)	2GB	DS	-	-	9-9-9-28	1.65V	•	•
	GEIL	GU34GB2133C9DC(XMP)	4GB (2x2GB)	DS	-	-	9-9-9-28	1.65V	•	•	•
	KINGSTON	KHX2133C9AD3T1K2/	4GB (2x2GB)	DS	-	-	-	1.65V	•	•	•
		4GX(XMP)
	KINGSTON	KHX2133C9AD3X2K2/	4GB (2x2GB)	DS	-	-	9-11-9-27	1.65V	•	•	•
		4GX(XMP)
	KINGSTON	KHX2133C9AD3T1K4/	8GB (4x2GB)	DS	-	-	9-11-9-27	1.65V	•	•	•
		8GX(XMP)
	KINGSTON	KHX2133C9AD3T1FK4/	8GB (4x2GB)	DS	-	-	-	1.65V	•	•	•
		8GX(XMP)

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