Page 1
GA-8I955X Royal/
GA-8I955X Pro
Intel® Pentium® Processor Extreme Edition
Intel® Pentium® D / Pentium® 4 LGA775 Processor Motherboard
User's Manual
Rev. 1105
12ME-8I955XRO-1105
* The WEEE marking on the product indicates this product must not be disposed of with user's other household waste
and must be handed over to a designated collection point for the recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment!!
* The WEEE marking applies only in European Union's member states.
Page 2
April 18, 2005
GA-8I955X Royal
Motherboard
April 18, 2005
GA-8I955X Royal
Motherboard
Page 3
May 6, 2005
GA-8I955X Pro
Motherboard
May 6, 2005
GA-8I955X Pro
Motherboard
Page 4
Copyright
© 2005 GIGA-BYTE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD. All rights reserved.
The trademarks mentioned in the manual are legally registered to their respective companies.
Notice
The written content provided with this product is the property of Gigabyte.
No part of this manual may be reproduced, copied, translated, or transmitted in any form or by any
means without Gigabyte's prior written permission. Specifications and features are subject to
change without prior notice.
Product Manual Classification
In order to assist in the use of this product, Gigabyte has categorized the user manual in the
following:
For quick installation, please refer to the "Hardware Installation Guide" included with the
product.
For detailed product information and specifications, please carefully read the
"Product User Manual".
For detailed information related to Gigabyte's unique features, please go to "Technology
Guide" section on Gigabyte's website to read or download the information you need.
For more product details, please click onto Gigabyte's website at www.gigabyte.com.tw
Page 5
Table of Contents
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard Layout ................................................. 7
Block Diagram ................................................................................................................ 8
Chapter 1 Hardware Installation ..................................................................................... 9
1-1 Considerations Prior to Installation .................................................................... 9
1-2 Feature Summary .......................................................................................... 10
1-3 Installation of the CPU and Heatsink .............................................................. 12
1-3-1 Installation of the CPU ......................................................................................... 12
1-3-2 Installation of the Heatsink .................................................................................. 13
1-4 Installing/Removing Cool-Plus (Northbridge Cooling Fan) .............................. 14
1-5 Installation of Memory .................................................................................... 14
1-6 Installation of Expansion Cards ...................................................................... 16
1-7 Installation of U-Plus DPS (Universal Plus Dual Power System) ................. 17
1-8 I/O Back Panel Introduction ........................................................................... 18
1-9 Connectors Introduction .................................................................................. 19
Chapter 2 BIOS Setup ................................................................................................ 29
The Main Menu (For example: BIOS Ver. : GA-8I955X Royal F6c) ........................ 30
2-1 Standard CMOS Features ............................................................................. 32
2-2 Advanced BIOS Features .............................................................................. 34
2-3 Integrated Peripherals ..................................................................................... 36
2-4 Power Management Setup ............................................................................. 39
2-5 PnP/PCI Configurations ................................................................................. 40
2-6 PC Health Status ........................................................................................... 41
2-7 MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.) ....................................................................... 43
2-8 Select Language ............................................................................................. 46
2-9 Load Fail-Safe Defaults ................................................................................... 46
2-10 Load Optimized Defaults ................................................................................. 46
2-11 Set Supervisor/User Password ..................................................................... 47
2-12 Save & Exit Setup ......................................................................................... 48
2-13 Exit Without Saving ....................................................................................... 48
Only for GA-8I955X Royal.
- 5 -
Page 6
Chapter 3 Drivers Installation ...................................................................................... 49
3-1 Install Chipset Drivers .................................................................................... 49
3-2 Software Applications ..................................................................................... 50
3-3 Driver CD Information .................................................................................... 50
3-4 Hardware Information ..................................................................................... 51
3-5 Contact Us ..................................................................................................... 51
Chapter 4 Appendix ................................................................................................... 53
4-1 Unique Software Utilities ................................................................................ 53
4-1-1 EasyTune 5 Introduction ..................................................................................... 54
4-1-2 Xpress Recovery2 Introduction ......................................................................... 55
4-1-3 Flash BIOS Method Introduction ........................................................................ 57
4-1-4 Serial ATA BIOS Setting Utility Introduction ...................................................... 68
4-1-5 Introduction of Designed for Dolby® Master StudioTM........................................ 75
4-1-6 2- / 4- / 6- / 8- Channel Audio Function Introduction ...................................... 77
4-2 Troubleshooting ............................................................................................... 82
Only for GA-8I955X Royal.
- 6 -
Page 7
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard Layout
SPDIF_O
SPDIFO_OPT
KB_MS
LPT
COMA
USB
LAN2
USB
LAN1
AUDIO1
AUDIO2
F_AUDIO
Broadcom
5751 / 5789 phy
CODEC
CD_IN
RF_ID
VRM_CONN
Broadcom
5751 phy
PCIE_16
PCI1
PCI2
PCI3
PCIE_1
PCIE_2
ATX_12V_2X4
NB_FAN
Sil3132
LGA775
CLR_CMOS
F1_1394
®
Intel
955X
SN081BA3
F2_1394
BATTERY
SN082AA2
F_USB
CPU_FAN
IT8712F
GA-8I955X Royal (Pro)
DDRII3
DDRII4
Main
BIOS
Backup
BIOS
SYS_FAN
IDE2
IDE3
DDRII1
®
Intel
ICH7R
IT8212F
DDRII2
ATX
PWR_FAN
FDD
IDE1
CI
SATAII3
SATAII2
SATAII1
SATAII0
F_PANEL
SPDIF_I
GREEN_USB
ESATAII0
ESATAII1
Only for GA-8I955X Royal. Only for GA-8I955X Pro.
- 7 -
PWR_LED
Page 8
Block Diagram
PCI-ECLK
(100MHz)
PCI Express x16
LGA775
Processor
CPUCLK+/-(266/200/133MHz)
Host
Interface
DDRII 888
(Note 1)
/667
(Note 2)
/533MHz DIMM
PCI Express Bus
PCI-ECLK
(100MHz)
2 PCI Express x 1
3 PCI
LAN
RJ45
Broadcom
5789
x1
PCI Bus
SN082AA2
SN081BA3
3 IEEE1394b
x1
LAN1
RJ45
Broadcom
5751
x1
x1
LAN2
RJ45
Broadcom
5751
x1
x1
SiI3132
2 SATA 3Gb/s
IT8212F
®
Intel
955X
®
Intel
ICH7R
CODEC
MIC
Line-In
Line-Out
SPDIF In
Side Speaker Out
Surround Speaker Out
Dual Channel Memory
MCHCLK (266/200/133MHz)
66MHz
33MHz
14.318MHz
48MHz
Dual BIOS
4 SATA 3Gb/s
ATA33/66/100 IDE
Channel
IT 8712F
8 USB
Ports
SPDIF Out
24MHz
33MHz
PS/2 KB/Mouse
Floppy
LPT Port
COM Port
PCICLK(33MHz)
ATA33/66/100/133 IDE Channel
Center/Subwoofer Speaker Out
(Note 1) DDR II memory can be overclocked to 888MHz (must be used with a 1066MHz FSB
processor) through overclocking in BIOS. Go to GIGABYTE's website for more information
about the supported DDR II memory modules for this feature.
(Note 2) To use a DDR II 667 memory module on the motherboard, you must install an 800/1066MHz
FSB processor.
Only for GA-8I955X Royal. Only for GA-8I955X Pro.
- 8 -
Page 9
Chapter 1 Hardware Installation
1-1 Considerations Prior to Installation
Preparing Your Computer
The motherboard contains numerous delicate electronic circuits and components which can
become damaged as a result of electrostatic discharge (ESD). Thus, prior to installation, please
follow the instructions below:
1. Please turn off the computer and unplug its power cord.
2. When handling the motherboard, avoid touching any metal leads or connectors.
3. It is best to wear an electrostatic discharge (ESD) cuff when handling electronic components
(CPU, RAM).
4. Prior to installing the electronic components, please have these items on top of an antistatic pad or
within a electrostatic shielding container.
5. Please verify that the power supply is switched off before unplugging the power supply connector
from the motherboard.
Installation Notices
1. Prior to installation, please do not remove the stickers on the motherboard. These stickers are required
for warranty validation.
2. Prior to the installation of the motherboard or any hardware, please first carefully read the information
in the provided manual.
3. Before using the product, please verify that all cables and power connectors are connected.
4. To prevent damage to the motherboard, please do not allow screws to come in contact with the
motherboard circuit or its components.
5. Please make sure there are no leftover screws or metal components placed on the motherboard or
within the computer casing.
6. Please do not place the computer system on an uneven surface.
7. Turning on the computer power during the installation process can lead to damage to system
components as well as physical harm to the user.
8. If you are uncertain about any installation steps or have a problem related to the use of the product,
please consult a certified computer technician.
English
Instances of Non-Warranty
1. Damage due to natural disaster, accident or human cause.
2. Damage as a result of violating the conditions recommended in the user manual.
3. Damage due to improper installation.
4. Damage due to use of uncertified components.
5. Damage due to use exceeding the permitted parameters.
6. Product determined to be an unofficial Gigabyte product.
Hardware Installation- 9 -
Page 10
English
1-2 Feature Summary
Motherboard GA-8I955X Royal or GA-8I955X Pro
CPU Supports LGA775 Intel® Pentium® Processor Extreme Edition/ Pentium® D /
Pentium® 4
Supports 1066/800/533MHz FSB
L2 cache varies with CPU
Chipset Northbridge: Intel® 955X Chipset
Southbridge: Intel® ICH7R
Supported on the Win 2000/XP operating systems
Memory 4 DDR II DIMM memory slots (supports up to 8GB memory)
Supports dual channel DDR II 888
Supports 1.8V DDR II DIMM
Supports ECC/non-ECC type DRAM
Slots 1 PCI Express x 16 slot
2 PCI Express x 1 slots
3 PCI slots
IDE Connections 1 port from ICH7R (IDE1) (UDMA 33/ATA 66/ATA 100), allows connection of
2 IDE devices
- Supported on the Win 2000/XP operating systems
2 ports from IT8212F (IDE2/IDE3)(UDMA 33/ATA 66/ATA 100/ATA 133),
allows connection of 4 IDE devices
FDD Connections 1 FDD connection, allows connection of 2 FDD devices
Onboard SATA 3Gb/s 4 ports from ICH7R controller (SATAII0, SATAII1, SATAII2, SATAII3)
- Supported on the Win 2000/XP operating systems
2 ports from Sil3132 controller (ESATAII0, ESATAII1)
- Supported on the Win 2000/XP/Server 2003 operating systems
Peripherals 1 parallel port supporting Normal/EPP/ECP mode
1 Serial port (COMA)
8 USB 2.0/1.1 ports (rear x 4, front x 4 via cable)
1 front audio connector
3 IEEE1394b ports (requires cable)
1 PS/2 keyboard port
1 PS/2 mouse port
Onboard Audio ALC882M /ALC882 CODEC
High Definition Audio
Supports 2 / 4 / 6 / 8 channel audio
Supports Line In ; Line Out (Front Speaker Out) ; MIC ; Surround Speaker
Out (Rear Speaker Out) ; Center/Subwoofer Speaker Out ; Side Speaker
Out connection
(Note 1) For further CPU support information, please go to GIGABYTE's website.
(Note 2) Due to standard PC architecture, a certain amount of memory is reserved for system usage
and therefore the actual memory size is less than the stated amount. For example, 8 GB of
memory size will instead be shown as 7.xxGB memory during system startup.
(Note 3) DDR II memory can be overclocked to 888MHz (must be used with a 1066MHz FSB
processor) through overclocking in BIOS. Go to GIGABYTE's website for more information
about the supported DDR II memory modules for this feature.
(Note 4) To use a DDR II 667 memory module on the motherboard, you must install an 800/1066MHz
FSB processor.
(Note 5) Only supports ATAPI mode for HDD.
Only for GA-8I955X Royal. Only for GA-8I955X Pro.
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 10 -
(Note 1)
(Note 3)/
(Note 5)
667
(Note 4)
/533 unbuffered DIMM
(Note 2)
Page 11
Onboard Audio SPDIF In connection
Onboard LAN Onboard Broadcom 5751 chip (10/100/1000 Mbit) (LAN1/LAN2)
I/O Control IT8712F
Hardware Monitor System voltage detection
Onboard IDE RAID Onboard GigaRAID IT8212F chip
Onboard SATA 3Gb/s Onboard Intel® ICH7R chipset
RAID - supports data striping (RAID 0), mirroring (RAID 1), striping + mirroring
BIOS Use of licensed AWARD BIOS
Additional Features Supports U-Plus DPS
Overclocking Over Voltage via BIOS (FSB/DDR II/PCIE/CPU)
Form Factor ATX form factor; 30.5cm x 24.4cm
SPDIF Out connection (coaxial+optical)
CD In connection
Supported on the Win 2000/XP operating systems
Onboard Broadcom 5789 chip (10/100/1000 Mbit)
2 RJ45 ports
Supported on the Win 2000/XP operating systems
CPU temperature detection
CPU / System / Power fan speed detection
CPU warning temperature
CPU / System/ Power fan failure warning
CPU smart fan control
- supports data striping (RAID 0) or mirroring (RAID 1) or striping +
mirroring (RAID 0+1) function
- supports JBOD function
- supports concurrent dual ATA133 IDE controller operation
- supports ATAPI mode for HDD
- supports IDE bus master operation
- supports ATA133/RAID mode switch by BIOS
- displays status and error checking messages during boot-up
- mirroring supports automatic background rebuilds
- features LBA and Extended Interrupt 13 drive translation in controller
onboard BIOS
(RAID 0+1), or RAID 5
- supports data transfer rate of up to 300 MB/s
- supports a maximum of 4 SATA 3Gb/s connections
- supported on the Win 2000/XP operating systems
Onboard Sil3132 chip
- supports data striping (RAID 0) or mirroring (RAID 1)
- supports data transfer rate of up to 300 MB/s
- supports hot plugging function
- supports a maximum of 2 SATA 3Gb/s connections
- supported on the Win 2000/XP/Server 2003 operating systems
Supports Dual BIOS/Q-Flash/Multilanguage BIOS
Supports @BIOS
Supports EasyTune 5
Over Clock via BIOS (CPU/DDR II/PCIE)
(Note 6)
English
(Note 6) EasyTune 5 functions may vary depending on different motherboards.
Only for GA-8I955X Royal. Only for GA-8I955X Pro.
Hardware Installation- 11 -
Page 12
English
1-3 Installation of the CPU and Heatsink
Before installing the CPU, please comply with the following conditions:
1. Please make sure that the motherboard supports the CPU.
2. Please take note of the one indented corner of the CPU. If you install the CPU in the wrong
direction, the CPU will not insert properly. If this occurs, please change the insert direction
of the CPU.
3. Please add an even layer of heat sink paste between the CPU and heatsink.
4. Please make sure the heatsink is installed on the CPU prior to system use, otherwise
overheating and permanent damage of the CPU may occur.
5. Please set the CPU host frequency in accordance with the processor specifications. It is not
recommended that the system bus frequency be set beyond hardware specifications since it
does not meet the required standards for the peripherals. If you wish to set the frequency
beyond the proper specifications, please do so according to your hardware specifications
including the CPU, graphics card, memory, hard drive, etc.
HT functionality requirement content :
Enabling the functionality of Hyper-Threading Technology for your computer system requires all
of the following platform components:
- CPU: An Intel® Pentium 4 Processor with HT Technology
- Chipset: An Intel® Chipset that supports HT Technology
- BIOS: A BIOS that supports HT Technology and has it enabled
- OS: An operation system that has optimizations for HT Technology
1-3-1 Installation of the CPU
Metal Lever
Fig. 1
Gently lift the metal
lever located on the
CPU socket to the
upright position.
Fig. 2
Remove the plastic
covering on the CPU
socket.
Fig. 3
Notice the small gold
colored triangle located
on the edge of the CPU
socket. Align the
indented corner of the
CPU with the triangle and gently insert the CPU into
position. (Grasping the CPU firmly between your
thumb and forefinger, carefully place it into the socket
in a straight and downwards motion. Avoid twisting or
bending motions that might cause damage to the CPU
during installation.)
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 12 -
Fig. 4
Once the CPU is
properly inserted,
please replace the
load plate and
push the metal lever
back into its original
position.
Page 13
1-3-2 Installation of the Heatsink
English
Male Push Pin
The top of Female Push Pin
Female Push Pin
Fig.1
Please apply an even layer of heatsink paste on
the surface of the installed CPU.
Fig. 3
Place the heatsink atop the CPU and make sure
the push pins aim to the pin hole on the
motherboard.Pressing down the push pins
diagonally.
Fig. 5
Please check the back of motherboard after
installing. If the push pin is inserted as the picture,
the installation is complete.
Fig. 2
(Turning the push pin along the direction of arrow is
to remove the heatsink, on the contrary, is to install.)
Please note the direction of arrow sign on the male
push pin doesn't face inwards before installation. (This
instruction is only for Intel boxed fan)
Fig. 4
Please make sure the Male and Female push pin are
joined closely. (for detailed installation instructions,
please refer to the heatsink installation section of the
user manual)
Fig. 6
Finally, please attach the power connector of the
heatsink to the CPU fan header located on the
motherboard.
The heatsink may adhere to the CPU as a result of hardening of the heatsink paste.To prevent
such an occurrence, it is suggested that either thermal tape rather than heat sink paste be used for
heat dissipation or using extreme care when removing the heatsink.
Hardware Installation- 13 -
Page 14
1-4 Installing/Removing Cool-Plus (Northbridge Cooling Fan)
English
Fig.1
To attach Cool-Plus to
a heatsink, align the
extensions on both
sides with the grooves
in the heatsink as
shown. Firmly press
down until it snaps into
position.
Fig.3
Before proceeding, first check to make sure that the fan's power cable is
disconnected. Then, while applying pressure to the top of the fan, carefully
use a screwdriver to dislodge the extension on one side.
Exerting too much pressure on the fan during removal might
cause the side extensions to break-off.
Fig.2
Once the fan is properly affixed onto the
heatsink, plug the
power cable into the
NB_FAN connector.
1-5 Installation of Memory
Before installing the memory modules, please comply with the following conditions:
1. Please make sure that the memory used is supported by the motherboard. It is
recommended that memory of similar capacity, specifications and brand be used.
2. Before installing or removing memory modules, please make sure that the computer
power is switched off to prevent hardware damage.
3. Memory modules have a foolproof insertion design. A memory module can be installed
in only one direction. If you are unable to insert the module, please switch the direction.
The motherboard supports DDR II memory modules, whereby BIOS will automatically detect memory
capacity and specifications. Memory modules are designed so that they can be inserted only in one
direction. The memory capacity used can differ with each slot.
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 14 -
Notch
DDR II
Page 15
Fig.1
The DIMM socket has a notch, so the DIMM memory module can only
fit in one direction. Insert the DIMM memory module vertically into the
DIMM socket. Then push it down.
Fig.2
Close the plastic clip at both edges of the DIMM sockets to lock the
DIMM module.
Reverse the installation steps when you wish to remove the DIMM
module.
Dual Channel DDR II
GA-8I955X Royal/Pro supports the Dual Channel Technology. After operating the Dual Channel Technology, the bandwidth of Memory Bus will double.
English
If you want to operate the Dual Channel Technology, please note the following explanations due to the
limitation of Intel chipset specifications.
1. Dual channel memory cannot be used if one or three DDR II memory modules are installed.
2. To enable Dual Channel mode with 2 or 4 memory modules, it is recommended to use
memory modules of identical brand, size, chips, and speed.
We'll strongly recommend our user to slot two DDR II memory modules into the DIMMs of the same
color in order for Dual Channel Technology to work.
The following table is for Dual Channel Technology combination: (DS: Double Side, SS: Single Side)
DDR II 1 DDR II 2 DDR II 3 DDR II 4
2 memory modules
4 memory modules
DS/SS X DS/SS X
X DS/SS X DS/SS
DS/SS DS/SS DS/SS DS/SS
Hardware Installation- 15 -
Page 16
English
1-6 Installation of Expansion Cards
You can install your expansion card by following the steps outlined below:
1. Read the related expansion card's instruction document before install the expansion card into the
computer.
2. Remove your computer's chassis cover, screws and slot bracket from the computer.
3. Press the expansion card firmly into expansion slot in motherboard.
4. Be sure the metal contacts on the card are indeed seated in the slot.
5. Replace the screw to secure the slot bracket of the expansion card.
6. Replace your computer's chassis cover.
7. Power on the computer, if necessary, setup BIOS utility of expansion card from BIOS.
8. Install related driver from the operating system.
Installing a PCI Express x 16 expansion card:
Please align the VGA card to the onboard
PCI Express x 16 slot and press firmly
down on the slot. Make sure your VGA
card is locked by the latch at the end of
the PCI Express x 16 slot. When you try
uninstall the VGA card, please gently
press the latch as the picture to the left
shows to release the card.
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 16 -
Page 17
1-7 Installation of U-Plus DPS (Universal Plus Dual Power System)
The U-Plus Dual Power System (U-Plus D.P.S.) is a revolutionary eight-phase power circuit built for
ultimate system protection. Designed to withstand varying current levels and changes, the U-Plus DPS
provides an immensely durable and stable power circuit to the CPU for solid system stability. These
characteristics make it the ideal companion with the latest LGA775 Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor as well
as future Intel® processors. As well, 4 blue LED's are mounted on the U-Plus D.P.S. for intelligent
indication of system loading.
The U-Plus DPS can work in a Dual Power System:
Parallel Mode-U-Plus DPS and motherboard CPU power can work
simultaneously, providing a total of 8-phase power
circuit.
How to install U-Plus DPS?
1. The U-Plus DPS socket (VRM_CONN) has a notch, so the U-Plus DPS can only fit in one direction.
2. Insert the U-Plus DPS vertically into the socket and then push it down.
3. Fix the U-Plus DPS on the motherbard with the clip.
4. Reverse the installation steps if you want to remove the U-Plus DPS.
English
Only for GA-8I955X Royal.
Hardware Installation- 17 -
Page 18
English
1-8 I/O Back Panel Introduction
PS/2 Keyboard and PS/2 Mouse Connector
To install a PS/2 port keyboard and mouse, plug the mouse to the upper port (green) and the keyboard
to the lower port (purple).
Parallel Port
The parallel port allows connection of a printer, scanner and other peripheral devices.
SPDIF_O (COATIAL)
The SPDIF coaxial output port is capable of providing digital audio to external speakers or
compressed AC3 data to an external Dolby Digital Decoder via a coaxial cable.
SPDIFO_OPT (OPTICAL)
The SPDIF optical output port is capable of providing digital audio to external speakers or compressed AC3 data to an external Dolby Digital Decoder via an optical cable.
COMA (Serial Port)
Connects to serial-based mouse or data processing devices.
LAN Port 2 / LAN Port 1
The provided Internet connection is Gigabit Ethernet (PCI Express Gigabit), providing data transfer
speeds of 10/100/1000Mbps.
USB port
Before you connect your device(s) into USB connector(s), please make sure your device(s) such
as USB keyboard, mouse, scanner, zip, speaker...etc. have a standard USB interface. Also make
sureyour OS supports USB controller. If your OS does not support USB controller, please contact
OS vendor for possible patch or driver upgrade. For more information please contact your OS or
device(s) vendors.
Line In
The default Line In jack. Devices like CD-ROM, walkman etc. can be connected to Line In jack.
Line Out (Front Speaker Out)
The default Line Out (Front Speaker Out) jack. Stereo speakers, earphone or front surround
speakers can be connected to Line Out (Front Speaker Out) jack .
MIC In
The default MIC In jack. Microphone must be connected to MIC In jack.
Surround Speaker Out (Rear Speaker Out)
The default Surround Speaker Out (Rear Speaker Out) jack. Rear surround speakers can be
connected to Surround Speaker Out (Rear Speaker Out) jack.
Only for GA-8I955X Royal.
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 18 -
Page 19
Center/Subwoofer Speaker Out
The default Center/Subwoofer Speaker Out jack. Center/Subwoofer speakers can be connected to
Center/Subwoofer Speaker Out jack.
Side Speaker Out
The default Side Speaker Out jack. Surround side speakers can be connected to Side Speaker Out
jack.
In addition to the default speakers settings, the ~ audio jacks can be reconfigured to
perform different functions via the audio software. Only microphones still MUST be connected
to the default Mic In jack ( ). Please refer to the 2-/4-/6-/8- channel audio setup steps for
detailed software configuration information.
1-9 Connectors Introduction
13
2
5
English
6
12
13
14
18
1) ATX_12V_2X4
2) ATX (Power Connector)
3) CPU_FAN
4) SYS_FAN
5) PWR_FAN
6) NB_FAN
7) FDD
8) IDE1/IDE2/IDE3
9) SATAII0/SATAII1/SATAII2/SATAII3
10) ESATAII0/ESATAII1
11) F_PANEL
Only for GA-8I955X Royal.
7
8
19
21
17
9
4
11
20
10
1516
8
12) F_AUDIO
13) CD_IN
14) SPDIF_I
15) F_USB/GREEN_USB
16) F1_1394 / F2_1394
17) CLR_CMOS
18) RF_ID
19) C I
20) PWR_LED
21) BAT
Hardware Installation- 19 -
Page 20
English
1/2) ATX_12V_2X4/ATX (Power Connector)
With the use of the power connector, the power supply can supply enough stable power to all
the components on the motherboard. Before connecting the power connector, please make sure
that all components and devices are properly installed. Align the power connector with its
proper location on the motherboard and connect tightly.
The ATX 12V (2x4) power connector mainly supplies power to the CPU. If the ATX 12V (2x4)
power connector is not connected, the system will not start. To install a power supply
providing ATX 12V (2x2) power connector, please connect the ATX 12V power connector to
the Pin 3, 4, 7, 8 of the onboard ATX_12V_2X4 power connector according to the pin definitions.
Important Use of a power supply providing an ATX 12V (2x4) power connector is recommended by processor manufacturer when using Intel Pentium D Extreme Edition processor.
Caution! Please use a power supply that is able to handle the system voltage requirements. It
is recommended that a power supply that can withstand high power consumption be used
(300W or greater). If a power supply is used that does not provide the required power, the result
can lead to an unstable system or a system that is unable to start. If you use a power supply
that provides a 24-pin ATX or 2x4 pin ATX 12V power connector, please remove the small
cover on the power connector on the motherboard before plugging in the power cord; otherwise,
please do not remove it.
Pin No. Definition
1 GND
2 GND
14
58
3 GND
4 GND
5 +12V
6 +12V
7 +12V
8 +12V
13
24
1
12
Pin No. Definition
1 3.3V
2 3.3V
3 GND
4 +5V
5 GND
6 +5V
7 GND
8 Power Good
9 5V SB(stand by +5V)
10 +12V
11 +12V(Only for 24-pin ATX)
12 3.3V(Only for 24-pin ATX)
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 20 -
Pin No. Definition
13 3.3V
14 -12V
15 GND
16 PS_ON(soft On/Off)
17 GND
18 GND
19 GND
20 -5V
21 +5V
22 +5V
23 +5V (Only for 24-pin ATX)
24 GN D(Only for 24-pin ATX)
Page 21
3/4/5) CPU_FAN / SYS_FAN/ PWR_FAN (Cooler Fan Power Connector)
The cooler fan power connector supplies a +12V power voltage via a 3-pin/4-pin (only for
CPU_FAN) power connector and possesses a foolproof connection design.
Most coolers are designed with color-coded power connector wires. A red power connector wire
indicates a positive connection and requires a +12V power voltage. The black connector wire is
the ground wire (GND).
Please remember to connect the power to the cooler to prevent system overheating and failure.
Caution!
Please remember to connect the power to the CPU fan to prevent CPU overheating and failure.
English
1
CPU_FAN
1
SYS_FAN
1
PWR_FAN
Pin No. Definition
1 GND
2 +12V
3 Sense
4 Speed Control
(Only for CPU_FAN)
6) NB_FAN (Chip Fan Power Connector)
If you installed wrong direction, the chip fan will not work. Sometimes will damage the chip fan.
(Usually black cable is GND)
Pin No. Definition
1 +12V
1
2 GND
Hardware Installation- 21 -
Page 22
English
7) FDD (Floppy Connector)
The FDD connector is used to connect the FDD cable while the other end of the cable connects to the
FDD drive. The types of FDD drives supported are: 360KB, 720KB, 1.2MB, 1.44MB and 2.88MB.
Please connect the red power connector wire to the pin1 position.
34
2
33
1
8) IDE1/IDE2/IDE3 (IDE Connector)
An IDE device connects to the computer via an IDE connector. One IDE connector can connect
to one IDE cable, and the single IDE cable can then connect to two IDE devices (hard drive or
optical drive). If you wish to connect two IDE devices, please set the jumper on one IDE device
as Master and the other as Slave (for information on settings, please refer to the instructions
located on the IDE device).
To ensure that an IDE CD-ROM drive can work properly, please attach it to the IDE 1 connector.
3940
2
IDE2/3
1
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 22 -
12
IDE1
40
39
Page 23
9) SATAII0/1/2/3 (SATA 3Gb/s Connectors, Controlled by ICH7R)
10) ESATAII0/1 (SATA 3Gb/s Connectors, Controlled by Sil3132)
SATA 3Gb/s can provide up to 300MB/s transfer rate. Please refer to the BIOS setting for the SATA
3Gb/s and install the proper driver in order to work properly.
English
71
1 GND
2 TXP
Pin No. Definition
17
SATAII
(controlled by ICH7R)
3 TXN
4 GND
5 RXN
6 RXP
7 GND
1
7
ESATAII
(controlled by Sil3132)
Only for GA-8I955X Royal.
11) F_PANEL (Front Panel Jumper)
Please connect the power LED, PC speaker, reset switch and power switch etc of your chassis front
panel to the F_PANEL connector according to the pin assignment below.
19
PW-
MSG-
20
NC
RES+
RES-
HD-
HD+
12
Speaker Connector
Power Switch
Message LED/
Power/
Sleep LED
SPEAK-
SPEAK+
PW+
MSG+
Reset Switch
IDE Hard Disk
Active LED
HD (IDE Hard Disk Active LED) (Blue) Pin 1: LED anode(+)
Pin 2: LED cathode(-)
SPEAK (Speaker Connector) (Amber) Pin 1: Power
Pin 2- Pin 3: NC
Pin 4: Data(-)
RES (Reset Switch) (Green) Open: Normal
Close: Reset Hardware System
PW (Power Switch) (Red) Open: Normal
Close: Power On/Off
MSG(Message LED/Power/Sleep LED) Pin 1: LED anode(+)
(Yellow) Pin 2: LED cathode(-)
NC ( Purple) NC
Hardware Installation- 23 -
Page 24
English
12) F_AUDIO (Front Audio Connector)
This connector supports either HD (High Definition) or AC97 front panel audio module. If you wish
to use the front audio function, connect the front panel audio module to this connector. Check the pin
assignments carefully while you connect the front panel audio module. Incorrect connection
between the module and connector will make the audio device unable to work or even damage it.
For optional front panel audio module, please contact your chassis manufacturer.
2
By default, the audio driver is configured to support HD Audio. To connect an AC97 front
panel audio module to this connector, please refer to the instructions on Page 82 about
the software settings.
13) CD_IN (CD IN)
Connect CD-ROM or DVD-ROM audio out to the connector.
HD Audio:
Pin No. Definition
1 MIC2_L
2 GND
3 MIC2_R
910
4 -ACZ_DET
5 Line2_R
1
6 FSENSE1
7 FAUOIO_JD
8 No Pin
9 LINE2_L
10 FSENSE2
1
AC'97 Audio:
Pin No. Definition
1 MIC
2 GND
3 MIC Power
4NC
5 Line Out (R)
6NC
7NC
8 No Pin
9 Line Out (L)
10 NC
Pin No. Definition
1 CD-L
2 GND
3 GND
4 CD-R
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 24 -
Page 25
14) SPDIF_I (SPDIF In)
Use SPDIF IN feature only when your device has digital output function. Be careful with the polarity
of the SPDIF_I connector. Check the pin assignment carefully while you connect the SPDIF
cable, incorrect connection between the cable and connector will make the device unable to work
or even damage it. For optional SPDIF cable, please contact your local dealer.
English
1
Pin No. Definition
1 Power
2 SPDIFI
3 GND
15) F_USB/GREEN_ USB (Front USB Connector)
Be careful with the polarity of the front USB connector. Check the pin assignments carefully while
you connect the front USB cable, incorrect connection between the cable and connector will make
the device unable to work or even damage it. For optional front USB cable, please contact your
local dealer. The GREEN_USB connector provides no standby power when system is off and
it does not support USB device to wake up from S3 mode. Users who wish to shut down the
standby power
the GREEN_USB connector via the optional front USB cable.
(note)
for their USB devices during system power-off can connect the devices to
Pin No. Definition
1 Power
2
10
1
9
2 Power
3 USB DX-
4 USB Dy-
5 USB DX+
6 USB Dy+
7 GND
8 GND
9 No Pin
10 NC
(Note) When the standby power is shut down, USB devices (example: optical mouses) will not light
on during system power-off.
Hardware Installation- 25 -
Page 26
English
16) F1_1394/F2_1394 (IEEE 1394 Connectors)
Serial interface standard set by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, which has features
like high speed, highbandwidth and hot plug. Be careful with the polarity of the IEEE1394 connector.
Check the pin assignment carefully while you connect the IEEE1394 cable, incorrect connection
between the cable and connector will make the device unable to work or even damage it. For
optional IEEE1394 cable, please contact your local dealer. IEEE1394b can approach the maximum
speed to 800Mb/S, but the speed can be achieved only when you use particular IEEE1394b cable.
2
F2_1394
2
F1_1394
1
Pin No. Definition
1 TPA0+
2 TPA0-
3 GND
4 GND
5 TPB0+
6 TPB0-
7 No Pin
8 Power
9 Power
10 GND
10
9
1
Pin No. Definition
1 Power
2 Power
3 TPA1+
4 TPA1-
5 GND
6 GND
7 TPB1+
8 TPB1-
9 Power
10 Power
11 TPA2+
12 TPA2-
13 GND
14 No Pin
15 TPB2+
16 TPB2-
17) CLR_CMOS (Clear CMOS)
You may clear the CMOS data to its default values by this header. To clear CMOS, temporarily
short 1-2 pin. Default doesn't include the jumper to prevent from improper use of this header.
16
15
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 26 -
Open: Normal
1
Short: Clear CMOS
1
Page 27
18) RF_ID
This connector allows you to connect external devices to use extra function. Check the pin
assignments before you connect the external device cable. Please contact your nearest
dealer for the optional GIGABYTE external device.
Pin No. Definition
1
1 Power
2 RFID_RI-
3 RF_TXD
4 RF_RXD
5NC
6 GND
19) CI (Chassis Intrusion, Case Open)
This 2-pin connector allows your system to detect if the chassis cover is removed. You can
check the "Case Open" status in BIOS Setup.
English
Pin No. Definition
1 Signal
1
2 GND
Hardware Installation- 27 -
Page 28
English
20) PWR_LED
PWR_LED is connected with the system power indicator to indicate whether the system is on/off.
It will blink when the system enters suspend mode.
Pin No. Definition
1 MPD+
1
2 MPD-
3 MPD-
21) BAT(Battery)
If you want to erase CMOS...
1. Turn OFF the computer and unplug the power cord.
2. Take out the battery gently and put it aside for about 10 minutes.
(Or you can use a metal object to connect the positive and negative pins in the battery holder to makethem short for one
minute.)
3. Re-install the battery.
4. Plug the power cord and turn ON the computer.
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 28 -
Danger of explosion if battery is incorrectly replaced.
Replace only with the same or equivalent type
recommended by the manufacturer.
Dispose of used batteries according to the manufacturer's
instructions.
Page 29
Chapter 2 BIOS Setup
BIOS (Basic Input and Output System) includes a CMOS SETUP utility which allows user to configure
required settings or to activate certain system features.
The CMOS SETUP saves the configuration in the CMOS SRAM of the motherboard.
When the power is turned off, the battery on the motherboard supplies the necessary power to the CMOS
SRAM.
When the power is turned on, pushing the <Del> button during the BIOS POST (Power-On Self Test) will
take you to the CMOS SETUP screen. You can enter the BIOS setup screen by pressing "Ctrl + F1".
When setting up BIOS for the first time, it is recommended that you save the current BIOS to a disk in the
event that BIOS needs to be reset to its original settings. If you wish to upgrade to a new BIOS, either
GIGABYTE's Q-Flash or @BIOS utility can be used.
Q-Flash allows the user to quickly and easily update or backup BIOS without entering the operating system.
@BIOS is a Windows-based utility that does not require users to boot to DOS before upgrading BIOS but
directly download and update BIOS from the Internet.
CONTROL KEYS
< > < > < > < > Move to select item
<Enter> Select Item
<Esc> Main Menu - Quit and not save changes into CMOS Status Page Setup Menu
and Option Page Setup Menu - Exit current page and return to Main Menu
<Page Up> Increase the numeric value or make changes
<Page Down> Decrease the numeric value or make changes
<F1> General help, only for Status Page Setup Menu and Option Page Setup Menu
<F2> Item Help
<F3> Select Language
<F5> Restore the previous CMOS value from CMOS, only for Option Page Setup
Menu
<F6> Load the fail-safe default CMOS value from BIOS default table
<F7> Load the Optimized Defaults
<F8> Dual BIOS/Q-Flash utility
<F9> System Information
<F10> Save all the CMOS changes, only for Main Menu
English
Main Menu
The on-line description of the highlighted setup function is displayed at the bottom of the screen.
Status Page Setup Menu / Option Page Setup Menu
Press F1 to pop up a small help window that describes the appropriate keys to use and the possible selections for the highlighted item. To exit the Help Window press <Esc>.
BIOS Setup- 29 -
Page 30
English
The BIOS Setup menus described in this chapter are for reference only and may differ from the
exact settings for your motherboard.
The Main Menu (For example: BIOS Ver. : GA-8I955X Royal F6c)
Once you enter Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility, the Main Menu (as figure below) will appear on the
screen. Use arrow keys to select among the items and press <Enter> to accept or enter the sub-menu.
CMOS Setup Utility-Copyright (C) 1984-2005 Award Software
` Standard CMOS Features
` Advanced BIOS Features
` Integrated Peripherals
` Power Management Setup
` PnP/PCI Configurations
` PC Health Status
` MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
ESC: Quit F3: Change Language
F8: Dual BIOS/Q-Flash F10: Save & Exit Setup
Time, Date, Hard Disk Type...
If you can't find the setting you want, please press "Ctrl+F1" to search the advanced option hidden.
Please Load Optimized Defaults in the BIOS when somehow the system works not stable as usual.
This action makes the system reset to the default for stability.
Standard CMOS Features
This setup page includes all the items in standard compatible BIOS.
Advanced BIOS Features
This setup page includes all the items of Award special enhanced features.
Integrated Peripherals
This setup page includes all onboard peripherals.
Power Management Setup
This setup page includes all the items of Green function features.
PnP/PCI Configuration
This setup page includes all the configurations of PCI & PnP ISA resources.
PC Health Status
This setup page is the System auto detect Temperature, voltage, fan, speed.
MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
This setup page is control CPU clock and frequency ratio.
Select Language
This setup page is to select multi languages.
Load Fail-Safe Defaults
Fail-Safe Defaults indicates the value of the system parameters which the system would be in safe
configuration.
Select Language
Load Fail-Safe Defaults
Load Optimized Defaults
Set Supervisor Password
Set User Password
Save & Exit Setup
Exit Without Saving
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 30 -
Page 31
Load Optimized Defaults
Optimized Defaults indicates the value of the system parameters which the system would be in
best performance configuration.
Set Supervisor Password
Change, set, or disable password. It allows you to limit access to the system and Setup, or just
to Setup.
Set User Password
Change, set, or disable password. It allows you to limit access to the system.
Save & Exit Setup
Save CMOS value settings to CMOS and exit setup.
Exit Without Saving
Abandon all CMOS value changes and exit setup.
English
BIOS Setup- 31 -
Page 32
English
2-1 Standard CMOS Features
CMOS Setup Utility-Copyright (C) 1984-2005 Award Software
Date (mm:dd:yy) Wed , Oct 27 2004
Time (hh:mm:ss) 22:31:24
` IDE Channel 0 Master [None]
` IDE Channel 0 Slave [None]
Drive A [1.44M, 3.5"]
Drive B [None]
Floppy 3 Mode Support [Disabled]
Halt On [All, But Keyboard]
Base Memory 640K
Extended Memory 511M
Total Memory 512M
KLJI: Move Enter: Select +/-/PU/PD: Value F10: Save ESC: Exit F1: General Help
F3: Language F5: Previous Values F6: Fail-Safe Defaults F7: Optimized Defaults
Date
The date format is <week>, <month>, <day>, <year>.
Week The week, from Sun to Sat, determined by the BIOS and is display only
Month The month, Jan. Through Dec.
Day The day, from 1 to 31 (or the maximum allowed in the month)
Year The year, from 1999 through 2098
Time
The times format in <hour> <minute> <second>. The time is calculated base on the 24-hour militarytime clock. For example, 1 p.m. is 13:00:00.
IDE Channel 0 Master, Slave
IDE HDD Auto-Detection Press "Enter" to select this option for automatic device detection.
IDE Device Setup. You can use one of three methods:
• Auto Allows BIOS to automatically detect IDE devices during POST(default)
• None Select this if no IDE devices are used and the system will skip the automatic
detection step and allow for faster system start up.
• Manual User can manually input the correct settings.
Access Mode Use this to set the access mode for the hard drive. The four options are:
CHS/LBA/Large/Auto(default:Auto)
Capacity Capacity of currently installed hard disk.
Hard drive information should be labeled on the outside drive casing. Enter the appropriate option
based on this information.
Cylinder Number of cylinders
Head Number of heads
Precomp Write precomp
Landing Zone Landing zone
Sector Number of sectors
If a hard disk has not been installed, select NONE and press <Enter>.
Standard CMOS Features
Item Help
Menu Level`
Change the day, month,
year
<Week>
Sun. to Sat.
<Month>
Jan. to Dec.
<Day>
1 to 31 (or maximum
allowed in the month)
<Year>
1999 to 2098
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 32 -
Page 33
Drive A / Drive B
The category identifies the types of floppy disk drive A or drive B that has been installed in the computer.
None No floppy drive installed.
360K, 5.25" 5.25 inch PC-type standard drive; 360K byte capacity.
1.2M, 5.25" 5.25 inch AT-type high-density drive; 1.2M byte capacity.
(3.5 inch when 3 Mode is Enabled).
720K, 3.5" 3.5 inch double-sided drive; 720K byte capacity.
1.44M, 3.5" 3.5 inch double-sided drive; 1.44M byte capacity.
2.88M, 3.5" 3.5 inch double-sided drive; 2.88M byte capacity.
Floppy 3 Mode Support (for Japan Area)
Disabled Normal Floppy Drive. (Default value)
Drive A Drive A is 3 mode Floppy Drive.
Drive B Drive B is 3 mode Floppy Drive.
Both Drive A & B are 3 mode Floppy Drives.
Halt on
The category determines whether the computer will stop if an error is detected during power up.
No Errors The system boot will not stop for any error that may be detected and you
will be prompted.
All Errors Whenever the BIOS detects a non-fatal error the system will be stopped.
All, But Keyboard The system boot will not stop for a keyboard error; it will stop for all other
errors. (Default value)
All, But Diskette The system boot will not stop for a disk error; it will stop for all other errors.
All, But Disk/Key The system boot will not stop for a keyboard or disk error; it will stop for all
other errors.
Memory
The category is display-only which is determined by POST (Power On Self Test) of the BIOS.
Base Memory
The POST of the BIOS will determine the amount of base (or conventional) memory installed in the
system.
The value of the base memory is typically 512K for systems with 512K memory installed on the
motherboard, or 640K for systems with 640K or more memory installed on the motherboard.
Extended Memory
The BIOS determines how much extended memory is present during the POST.
This is the amount of memory located above 1 MB in the CPU's memory address map.
Total Memory
This item displays the memory size that used.
English
BIOS Setup- 33 -
Page 34
English
2-2 Advanced BIOS Features
CMOS Setup Utility-Copyright (C) 1984-2005 Award Software
` Hard Disk Boot Priority [Press Enter]
First Boot Device [Floppy]
Second Boot Device [Hard Disk]
Third Boot Device [CDROM]
Password Check [Setup]
CPU Hyper-Threading # [Enabled]
Limit CPUID Max. to 3 [Disabled]
No-Execute Memory Protect
CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E)
CPU Thermal Monitor 2(TM2)
CPU EIST Function
DRAM Data Integrity Mode [Non-ECC]
KLJI: Move Enter: Select +/-/PU/PD: Value F10: Save ESC: Exit F1: General Help
F3: Language F5: Previous Values F6: Fail-Safe Defaults F7: Optimized Defaults
(Note)
(Note)
(Note)
" # " System will detect automatically and show up when you install the Intel® Pentium® 4
processor with HT Technology.
Hard Disk Boot Priority
Select boot sequence for onboard(or add-on cards) SCSI, RAID, etc.
Use < > or < > to select a device, then press<+> to move it up, or <-> to move it down the list.
Press <ESC> to exit this menu.
First / Second / Third Boot Device
Floppy Select your boot device priority by Floppy.
LS120 Select your boot device priority by LS120.
Hard Disk Select your boot device priority by Hard Disk.
CDROM Select your boot device priority by CDROM.
ZIP Select your boot device priority by ZIP.
USB-FDD Select your boot device priority by USB-FDD.
USB-ZIP Select your boot device priority by USB-ZIP.
USB-CDROM Select your boot device priority by USB-CDROM.
USB-HDD Select your boot device priority by USB-HDD.
LAN Select your boot device priority by LAN.
Disabled Disable this function.
Password Check
Setup The system will boot but will not access to Setup page if the correct
password is not entered at the prompt. (Default value)
System The system will not boot and will not access to Setup page if the correct
password is not entered at the prompt.
Advanced BIOS Features
(Note)
[Enabled]
[Enabled]
[Enabled]
[Enabled]
Item Help
Menu Level`
Select Hard Disk Boot
Device Priority
(Note) This item will show up when you install a processor that supports this function.
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 34 -
Page 35
CPU Hyper-Threading
Enabled Enables CPU Hyper Threading Feature. Please note that this feature is only
working for operating system with multi processors mode supported. (Default
value)
Disabled Disables CPU Hyper Threading.
Limit CPUID Max. to 3
Enabled Limit CPUID Maximum value to 3 when use older OS like NT4.
Disabled Disables CPUID Limit for windows XP.(Default value)
No-Execute Memory Protect
Enabled Enable No-Execute Memory Protect function.(Default value)
Disabled Disable No-Execute Memory Protect function.
CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E)
Enabled Enable CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E) function.(Default value)
Disabled Disable CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E) function.
CPU Thermal Monitor 2 (TM2)
Enabled Enable CPU Thermal Monitor 2 (TM2) function.(Default value)
Disabled Disable CPU Thermal Monitor 2 (TM2) function.
CPU EIST Function
Enabled Enable CPU EIST function.(Default value)
Disabled Disable CPU EIST function.
(Note)
(Note)
(Note)
(Note)
DRAM Data Integrity Mode
ECC Enable Memory Error Checking and Correction feature when all installed
DIMMs are 72bits width.
Non-ECC Set DRAM Data Integrity Mode to Non-ECC. (Default value)
English
(Note) This item will show up when you install a processor that supports this function.
BIOS Setup- 35 -
Page 36
English
2-3 Integrated Peripherals
CMOS Setup Utility-Copyright (C) 1984-2005 Award Software
On-Chip Primary PCI IDE [Enabled]
On-Chip Secondary PCI IDE [Enabled]
SATA RAID/AHCI Mode [RAID]
x On-Chip SATA Mode Auto
x PATA IDE Set to Ch.1 Master/Slave
SATA Port 0/2 Set to Ch.2 Master/Slave
SATA Port 1/3 Set to Ch.3 Master/Slave
USB Controller [Enabled]
USB 2.0 Controller [Enabled]
USB Keyboard Support [Disabled]
USB Mouse Support [Disabled]
Azalia Codec [Auto]
Onboard H/W 1394 [Enabled]
Onboard H/W SATA1 [Enabled]
H/W SATA Function1 [RAID]
Onboard H/W GigaRAID [Enabled]
GigaRAID Function [RAID]
Onboard H/W LAN1 [Enabled]
Onboard H/W LAN21 [Enabled]
KLJI: Move Enter: Select +/-/PU/PD: Value F10: Save ESC: Exit F1: General Help
F3: Language F5: Previous Values F6: Fail-Safe Defaults F7: Optimized Defaults
Integrated Peripherals
Item Help
Menu Level`
If a hard disk
controller card is
used, set at Disabled.
[Enabled]
Enable on-chip IDE
Port.
[Disabled]
Disable on-chip IDE
Port.
CMOS Setup Utility-Copyright (C) 1984-2005 Award Software
Onboard LAN1 Boot ROM [Disabled]
Onboard LAN2 Boot ROM1 [Disabled]
Onboard Serial Port 1 [3F8/IRQ4]
i-Lock [Enabled]
Onboard Parallel Port [378/IRQ7]
Parallel Port Mode [SPP]
x ECP Mode Use DMA 3
KLJI: Move Enter: Select +/-/PU/PD: Value F10: Save ESC: Exit F1: General Help
F3: Language F5: Previous Values F6: Fail-Safe Defaults F7: Optimized Defaults
Integrated Peripherals
Item Help
Menu Level`
On-Chip Primary PCI IDE
Enabled Enable onboard 1st channel IDE port. (Default value)
Disabled Disable onboard 1st channel IDE port.
On-Chip Secondary PCI IDE
Enabled Enable onboard 2nd channel IDE port. (Default value)
Disabled Disable onboard 2nd channel IDE port.
SATA RAID / AHCI Mode
RAID Set the onboard SATA controller to RAID mode. (Default value)
AHCI Set the onboard SATA controller to AHCI mode. Advanced Host Controller Inter-
face (AHCI) is an interface specification that allows the storage driver to enable
advanced Serial ATA features such as Native Command Queuing and hot plug.
For more details about AHCI, please visit Intel's website.
Disabled Set the onboard SATA controller to IDE mode.
Only for GA-8I955X Royal.
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 36 -
Page 37
On-Chip SATA Mode
Disabled Disable this function.
Auto BIOS will detect automatically. (Default value)
Combined Set On-Chip SATA mode to Combined, you can use up to 4 HDDs on the
motherboard; 2 for SATA and the other for PATA IDE.
Enhanced Set On-Chip SATA mode to Enhanced, the motherboard allows up to 6 HDDs
to use.
Non-Combined Set On-Chip SATA mode to Non-Combined, SATA will be simulated to PATA
mode.
PATA IDE Set to
Ch.1 Master/Slave Set PATA IDE to Ch. 1 Master/Slave. (Default value)
Ch.0 Master/Slave Set PATA IDE to Ch. 0 Master/Slave.
SATA Port 0/2 Set to
This value will be automatically made by the setting "On-Chip SATA Mode" and "PATA IDE Set
to". If PATA IDE were set to Ch. 1 Master/Slave, this function will auto set to Ch. 0 Master/Slave.
SATA Port 1/3 Set to
This value will be automatically made by the setting "On-Chip SATA Mode" and "PATA IDE Set
to". If PATA IDE were set to Ch. 0 Master/Slave, this function will auto set to Ch. 1 Master/Slave.
USB Controller
Enabled Enable USB controller. (Default value)
Disabled Disable USB controller.
USB 2.0 Controller
Disable this function if you are not using onboard USB 2.0 feature.
Enabled Enable USB 2.0 controller. (Default value)
Disabled Disable USB 2.0 controller.
USB Keyboard Support
Enabled Enable USB keyboard support.
Disabled Disable USB keyboard support. (Default value)
USB Mouse Support
Enabled Enable USB mouse support.
Disabled Disable USB mouse support. (Default value)
Azalia Codec
Auto Auto detect Azalia audio function. (Default value)
Disabled Disable Azalia audio function.
Onboard H/W 1394
Enabled Enable onboard IEEE 1394 function. (Default value)
Disabled Disable this function.
Onboard H/W SATA
Enabled Enable onboard H/W SATA function. (Default value)
Disabled Disable this function.
H/W SATA Function
RAID Set onboard H/W SATA function as RAID. (Default value)
BASE Set onboard H/W SATA function as BASE(ATA).
Only for GA-8I955X Royal.
BIOS Setup- 37 -
English
Page 38
English
Onboard H/W GigaRAID
Enabled Enable onboard H/W GigaRAID function. (Default value)
Disabled Disable this function.
GigaRAID Function
RAID Set onboard H/W GigaRAID function as RAID. (Default value)
ATA Set onboard H/W GigaRAID function as ATA.
Onboard H/W LAN1 (LAN1 port)
Enabled Enable onboard H/W LAN1 function. (Default value)
Disabled Disable this function.
Onboard H/W LAN2 (LAN2 port)
Enabled Enable onboard H/W LAN2 function. (Default value)
Disabled Disable this function.
Onboard LAN1 Boot ROM (LAN1 port)
This function decide whether to invoke the boot ROM of the onboard LAN1 chip.
Enabled Enable this function.
Disabled Disable this function. (Default value)
Onboard LAN2 Boot ROM (LAN2 port)
This function decide whether to invoke the boot ROM of the onboard LAN2 chip.
Enabled Enable this function.
Disabled Disable this function. (Default value)
Onboard Serial Port 1
Auto BIOS will automatically setup the port 1 address.
3F8/IRQ4 Enable onboard Serial port 1 and address is 3F8/IRQ4. (Default value)
2F8/IRQ3 Enable onboard Serial port 1 and address is 2F8/IRQ3.
3E8/IRQ4 Enable onboard Serial port 1 and address is 3E8/IRQ4.
2E8/IRQ3 Enable onboard Serial port 1 and address is 2E8/IRQ3.
Disabled Disable onboard Serial port 1.
i-Lock
Enabled Enable the i-Lock function. (Default value)
Disabled Disable the i-Lock function.
Onboard Parallel Port
Disabled Disable onboard LPT port.
378/IRQ7 Enable onboard LPT port and address is 378/IRQ7. (Default value)
278/IRQ5 Enable onboard LPT port and address is 278/IRQ5.
3BC/IRQ7 Enable onboard LPT port and address is 3BC/IRQ7.
Parallel Port Mode
SPP Using Parallel port as Standard Parallel Port. (Default value)
EPP Using Parallel port as Enhanced Parallel Port.
ECP Using Parallel port as Extended Capabilities Port.
ECP+EPP Using Parallel port as ECP & EPP mode.
ECP Mode Use DMA
3 Set ECP Mode Use DMA to 3. (Default value)
1 Set ECP Mode Use DMA to 1.
Only for GA-8I955X Royal.
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 38 -
Page 39
2-4 Power Management Setup
CMOS Setup Utility-Copyright (C) 1984-2005 Award Software
ACPI Suspend Type [S1(POS)]
Soft-Off by PWR-BTTN [Instant-Off]
PME Event Wake Up [Enabled]
Power On by Ring [Enabled]
Resume by Alarm [Disabled]
x Date (of Month) Alarm Everyday
x Time (hh:mm:ss) Alarm 0 : 0 : 0
Power On By Mouse [Disabled]
Power On By Keyboard [Disabled]
x KB Power ON Password Enter
AC BACK Function [Soft-Off]
KLJI: Move Enter: Select +/-/PU/PD: Value F10: Save ESC: Exit F1: General Help
F3: Language F5: Previous Values F6: Fail-Safe Defaults F7: Optimized Defaults
ACPI Suspend Type
S1(POS) Set ACPI suspend type to S1/POS(Power On Suspend). (Default value)
S3(STR) Set ACPI suspend type to S3/STR(Suspend To RAM).
Soft-Off by PWR-BTTN
Instant-Off Press power button then Power off instantly. (Default value)
Delay 4 Sec. Press power button 4 seconds to Power off. Enter suspend if button is pressed less
than 4 seconds.
PME Event Wake Up
Disabled Disable this function.
Enabled Enable PME Event Wake up. (Default value)
Power On by Ring
Disabled Disable Power on by Ring function.
Enabled Enable Power on by Ring function. (Default value)
Resume by Alarm
You can set "Resume by Alarm" item to enabled and key in Date/Time to power on system.
Disabled Disable this function. (Default value)
Enabled Enable alarm function to POWER ON system.
If Resume by Alarm is Enabled.
Date (of Month) Alarm : Everyday, 1~31
Time (hh: mm: ss) Alarm : (0~23) : (0~59) : (0~59)
Power On By Mouse
Disabled Disabled this function. (Default value)
Double Click Double click on PS/2 mouse left button to power on the system.
Power Management Setup
Item Help
Menu Level`
[S1]
Set suspend type to
Power On Suspend under
ACPI OS
[S3]
Set suspend type to
Suspend to RAM under
ACPI OS
English
BIOS Setup- 39 -
Page 40
English
Power On By Keyboard
Password Enter from 1 to 5 characters to set the Keyboard Power On Password.
Disabled Disabled this function. (Default value)
Keyboard 98 If your keyboard have "POWER Key" button, you can press the key to power on
the system.
KB Power ON Password
When "Power On by Keyboard" set at Password, you can set the password here.
Enter Input password (from 1 to 5 characters) and press Enter to set the Keyboard
Power On password.
AC BACK Function
Soft-Off When AC-power back to the system, the system will be in "Off" state.
(Default value)
Full-On When AC-power back to the system, the system always in "On" state.
Memory When AC-power back to the system, the system will return to the Last state
before AC-power off.
2-5 PnP/PCI Configurations
CMOS Setup Utility-Copyright (C) 1984-2005 Award Software
PCI 1 IRQ Assignment [Auto]
PCI 2 IRQ Assignment [Auto]
PCI 3 IRQ Assignment [Auto]
PnP/PCI Configurations
Item Help
Menu Level`
Device(s) using this
INT:
KLJI: Move Enter: Select +/-/PU/PD: Value F10: Save ESC: Exit F1: General Help
F3: Language F5: Previous Values F6: Fail-Safe Defaults F7: Optimized Defaults
PCI 1 IRQ Assignment
Auto Auto assign IRQ to PCI 1. (Default value)
3,4,5,7,9,10,11,12,14,15 Set IRQ 3,4,5,7,9,10,11,12,14,15 to PCI 1.
PCI 2 IRQ Assignment
Auto Auto assign IRQ to PCI 2. (Default value)
3,4,5,7,9,10,11,12,14,15 Set IRQ 3,4,5,7,9,10,11,12,14,15 to PCI 2.
PCI 3 IRQ Assignment
Auto Auto assign IRQ to PCI 3. (Default value)
3,4,5,7,9,10,11,12,14,15 Set IRQ 3,4,5,7,9,10,11,12,14,15 to PCI 3.
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 40 -
Page 41
2-6 PC Health Status
CMOS Setup Utility-Copyright (C) 1984-2005 Award Software
Reset Case Open Status [Disabled]
Case Opened No
Vcore OK
DDRV OK
+3.3V OK
+12V OK
Current CPU Temperature 33oC
Current CPU FAN Speed 4687 RPM
Current POWER FAN Speed 0 RPM
Current SYSTEM FAN Speed 0 RPM
CPU Warning Temperature [Disabled]
CPU FAN Fail Warning [Disabled]
POWER FAN Fail Warning [Disabled]
SYSTEM FAN Fail Warning [Disabled]
CPU Smart FAN Control [Enabled]
CPU Smart FAN Mode [Auto]
KLJI: Move Enter: Select +/-/PU/PD: Value F10: Save ESC: Exit F1: General Help
F3: Language F5: Previous Values F6: Fail-Safe Defaults F7: Optimized Defaults
Reset Case Open Status
Disabled Don't reset case open status. (Default value)
Enabled Clear case open status at next boot.
Case Opened
If the case is closed, "Case Opened" will show "No". If the case has been opened, "Case Opened"
will show "Yes". If you want to reset "Case Opened" value, set "Reset Case Open Status" to
Enabled then save BIOS setup and restart your system.
Current Voltage(V) Vcore / DDRV / +3.3V / +12V
Detect system's voltage status automatically.
Current CPU Temperature
Detect CPU temperature automatically.
Current CPU/POWER/SYSTEM FAN Speed (RPM)
Detect CPU/POWER/SYSTEM fan speed status automatically.
CPU Warning Temperature
60oC / 140oF Monitor CPU temperature at 60oC / 140oF.
70oC / 158oF Monitor CPU temperature at 70oC / 158oF.
80oC / 176oF Monitor CPU temperature at 80oC / 176oF.
90oC / 194oF Monitor CPU temperature at 90oC / 194oF.
Disabled Disable this function. (Default value)
CPU/POWER/SYSTEM FAN Fail Warning
Disabled Disable fan fail warning function. (Default value)
Enabled Enable fan fail warning function.
PC Health Status
Item Help
Menu Level`
English
BIOS Setup- 41 -
Page 42
English
CPU Smart FAN Control
Disabled Disable this function.
Enabled When this function is enabled, CPU fan will run at different speed depending on
CPU temperature. Users can adjust the fan speed with Easy Tune based on
their requirements. (Default value)
CPU Smart FAN Mode
This option is available only when CPU Smart FAN Control is enabled.
Auto BIOS autodetects the type of CPU fan you installed and sets the optimal CPU Smart
FAN control mode for it. (Default value)
Voltage Set to Voltage when you use a CPU fan with a 3-pin fan power cable.
PWM Set to PWM when you use a CPU fan with a 4-pin fan power cable.
In fact, the Voltage option can be used for CPU fans with 3-pin or 4-pin power cables. However,
some 4-pin CPU fan power cables are not designed following Intel 4-wire fans PWM control
specifications. With such CPU fans, selecting PWM will not effectively reduce the fan speed.
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 42 -
Page 43
2-7 MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
CMOS Setup Utility-Copyright (C) 1984-2005 Award Software
(Note)
C.A.M.
CPU Clock Ratio
Robust Graphics Booster [Auto]
C.I.A. 2 [Disabled]
CPU Host Clock Control [Disabled]
x CPU Host Frequency(Mhz) 200
x PCI Express Frequency(Mhz) Auto
System Memory Multiplier [Auto]
Memory Frequency (Mhz) 533
DIMM OverVoltage Control [Normal]
PCI-E OverVoltage Control [Normal]
FSB OverVoltage Control [Normal]
CPU Voltage Control [Normal]
Normal CPU Vcore 1.3875V
KLJI: Move Enter: Select +/-/PU/PD: Value F10: Save ESC: Exit F1: General Help
(Note)
F3: Language F5: Previous Values F6: Fail-Safe Defaults F7: Optimized Defaults
Incorrect using these features may cause your system broken. For power end-user use only.
(Note)
C.A.M.
High Set clock ratio for frequency-locked CPU to High. (Default value)
Low Set clock ratio for frequency-locked CPU to Low.
CPU Clock Ratio
(Note)
This setup option will automatically assign by CPU detection.
The option will display "Locked" and read only if the CPU ratio is not changeable.
Robust Graphics Booster
Select the options can enhance the VGA graphics card bandwidth to get higher performance.
Auto Set Robust Graphics Booster to Auto. (Default value)
Fast Set Robust Graphics Booster to Fast.
Turbo Set Robust Graphics Booster to Turbo.
C.I.A.2
C.I.A.2 (CPU Intelligent Accelerator 2) is designed to detect CPU loading during software program
executing, and automatically adjust CPU computing power to maximize system performance.
Disabled Disable this function. (Default value)
Cruise Set C.I.A.2 to Cruise. Automatically increase CPU frequency(5%,7%) by CPU
loading.
Sports Set C.I.A.2 to Sports. Automatically increase CPU frequency(7%,9%) by CPU
loading.
Racing Set C.I.A.2 to Racing. Automatically increase CPU frequency(9%,11%) by CPU
loading.
Turbo Set C.I.A.2 to Turbo. Automatically increase CPU frequency(15,17%) by CPU
loading.
(Note) This item will show up when you install a processor that supports this function.
MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
[High]
[15X]
Item Help
Menu Level`
CPU Adjustable Multipli
er
Set Clock Ratio For
Frequency-locked CPU
BIOS Setup- 43 -
English
Page 44
English
Full Thrust Set C.I.A.2 to Full Thrust. Automatically increase CPU frequency(17%,19%) by
CPU loading.
Warning: Stability is highly dependent on system components.
CPU Host Clock Control
Disabled Disable CPU Host Clock Control. (Default value)
Enabled Enable CPU Host Clock Control.
CPU Host Frequency(Mhz)
100Mhz ~ 600Mhz Set CPU Host Clock from 100Mhz to 600Mhz.
The actual range depends on the CPU you install. If you use a 533Mhz FSB processor, please set
CPU Host Frequency to 133Mhz. If you use an 800Mhz FSB processor, please set CPU Host
Frequency to 200Mhz.If you use a 1066Mhz FSB processor, please set CPU Host Frequency
to 266Mhz.
PCI Express Frequency(Mhz)
Auto Set PCI Express frequency automatically. (Default value)
90Mhz ~ 150Mhz Set PCI Express frequency from 90Mhz to 150Mhz.
System Memory Multiplier
Wrong frequency may make system can't boot, clear CMOS to overcome wrong frequency issue.
for FSB(Front Side Bus) frequency=533Mhz,
3.00 Memory Frequency = Host clock X 3.00.
4.00 Memory Frequency = Host clock X 4.00.
2.00 Memory Frequency = Host clock X 2.00.
2.66 Memory Frequency = Host clock X 2.66.
3.33 Memory Frequency = Host clock X 3.33.
1.50 Memory Frequency = Host clock X 1.50.
2.0- Memory Frequency = Host clock X 2.0-.
2.50 Memory Frequency = Host clock X 2.50.
Auto Set Memory frequency by DRAM SPD data. (Default value)
for FSB(Front Side Bus) frequency=800MHz,
2.00 Memory Frequency = Host clock X 2.00.
2.66 Memory Frequency = Host clock X 2.66.
3.33 Memory Frequency = Host clock X 3.33.
3.00 Memory Frequency = Host clock X 3.00.
4.00 Memory Frequency = Host clock X 4.00.
1.50 Memory Frequency = Host clock X 1.50.
2.0- Memory Frequency = Host clock X 2.0-.
2.50 Memory Frequency = Host clock X 2.50.
Auto Set Memory frequency by DRAM SPD data. (Default value)
for FSB(Front Side Bus) frequency=1066MHz,
1.50 Memory Frequency = Host clock X 1.50.
2.00 Memory Frequency = Host clock X 2.00.
2.50 Memory Frequency = Host clock X 2.50.
2.0+ Memory Frequency = Host clock X 2.0+.
2.66 Memory Frequency = Host clock X 2.66.
3.33 Memory Frequency = Host clock X 3.33.
3.00 Memory Frequency = Host clock X 3.00.
4.00 Memory Frequency = Host clock X 4.00.
Auto Set Memory frequency by DRAM SPD data. (Default value)
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 44 -
Page 45
Memory Frequency (Mhz)
The values depend on CPU Host Frequency(Mhz) and System Memory Multiplier setting.
DIMM OverVoltage Control
Normal Set DIMM OverVoltage Control to Normal. (Default value)
+0.1V Set DIMM OverVoltage Control to +0.1V.
+0.2V Set DIMM OverVoltage Control to +0.2V.
+0.3V Set DIMM OverVoltage Control to +0.3V.
+0.4V Set DIMM OverVoltage Control to +0.4V.
+0.5V Set DIMM OverVoltage Control to +0.5V.
+0.6V Set DIMM OverVoltage Control to +0.6V.
PCI-E OverVoltage Control
Normal Set PCI-E OverVoltrage Control to Normal. (Default value)
+0.05V Set PCI-E OverVoltrage Control to +0.05V.
+0.10V Set PCI-E OverVoltrage Control to +0.10V.
+0.15V Set PCI-E OverVoltrage Control to +0.15V.
+0.20V Set PCI-E OverVoltrage Control to +0.20V.
+0.25V Set PCI-E OverVoltrage Control to +0.25V.
+0.30V Set PCI-E OverVoltrage Control to +0.30V.
+0.35V Set PCI-E OverVoltrage Control to +0.35V.
FSB OverVoltage Control
Normal Set FSB OverVoltrage Control to Normal. (Default value)
+0.05V Set FSB OverVoltrage Control to +0.05V.
+0.10V Set FSB OverVoltrage Control to +0.10V.
+0.15V Set FSB OverVoltrage Control to +0.15V.
+0.20V Set FSB OverVoltrage Control to +0.20V.
+0.25V Set FSB OverVoltrage Control to +0.25V.
+0.30V Set FSB OverVoltrage Control to +0.30V.
+0.35V Set FSB OverVoltrage Control to +0.35V.
CPU Voltage Control
Supports adjustable CPU Vcore from 0.8375V to 1.6000V. (Default value: Normal)
Normal CPU Vcore
Display your CPU's normal voltage.
English
BIOS Setup- 45 -
Page 46
English
2-8 Select Language
CMOS Setup Utility-Copyright (C) 1984-2005 Award Software
` Standard CMOS Features
` Advanced BIOS Features
` Integrated Peripherals
` Power Management Setup
` PnP/PCI Configurations
` PC Health Status
` MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
ESC: Quit F3: Change Language
F8: Dual BIOS/Q-Flash F10: Save & Exit Setup
Multi-language supports 3 languages. There are English, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese.
Select Language
Load Fail-Safe Defaults
Load Optimized Defaults
Set Supervisor Password
Set User Password
Save & Exit Setup
Exit Without Saving
2-9 Load Fail-Safe Defaults
CMOS Setup Utility-Copyright (C) 1984-2005 Award Software
` Standard CMOS Features
` Advanced BIOS Features
` Integrated Peripherals
` Power Management Setup
` PnP/PCI Configurations
` PC Health Status
` MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
Esc: Quit F3: Change Language
F8: Dual BIOS/Q-Flash F10: Save & Exit Setup
Load Fail-Safe Defaults (Y/N)? N
Load Fail-Safe Defaults
Select Language
Load Fail-Safe Defaults
Load Optimized Defaults
Set Supervisor Password
Set User Password
Save & Exit Setup
Exit Without Saving
Fail-Safe defaults contain the most appropriate values of the system parameters that allow minimum
system performance.
2-10 Load Optimized Defaults
CMOS Setup Utility-Copyright (C) 1984-2005 Award Software
` Standard CMOS Features
` Advanced BIOS Features
` Integrated Peripherals
` Power Management Setup
` PnP/PCI Configurations
` PC Health Status
` MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
Esc: Quit F3: Change Language
F8: Dual BIOS/Q-Flash F10: Save & Exit Setup
Load Optimized Defaults (Y/N)? N
Load Optimized Defaults
Select Language
Load Fail-Safe Defaults
Load Optimized Defaults
Set Supervisor Password
Set User Password
Save & Exit Setup
Exit Without Saving
Selecting this field loads the factory defaults for BIOS and Chipset Features which the system automatically detects.
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 46 -
Page 47
2-11 Set Supervisor/User Password
CMOS Setup Utility-Copyright (C) 1984-2005 Award Software
` Standard CMOS Features
` Advanced BIOS Features
` Integrated Peripherals
` Power Management Setup
` PnP/PCI Configurations
` PC Health Status
` MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
Esc: Quit F3: Change Language
F8: Dual BIOS/Q-Flash F10: Save & Exit Setup
Enter Password:
Change/Set/Disable Password
When you select this function, the following message will appear at the center of the screen to assist
you in creating a password.
Type the password, up to eight characters, and press <Enter>. You will be asked to confirm the
password. Type the password again and press <Enter>. You may also press <Esc> to abort the
selection and not enter a password.
To disable password, just press <Enter> when you are prompted to enter password. A message
"PASSWORD DISABLED" will appear to confirm the password being disabled. Once the password is
disabled, the system will boot and you can enter Setup freely.
The BIOS Setup program allows you to specify two separate passwords:
SUPERVISOR PASSWORD and a USER PASSWORD. When disabled, anyone may access all BIOS
Setup program function. When enabled, the Supervisor password is required for entering the BIOS
Setup program and having full configuration fields, the User password is required to access only basic
items.
If you select "System" at "Password Check" in Advance BIOS Features Menu, you will be prompted
for the password every time the system is rebooted or any time you try to enter Setup Menu.
If you select "Setup" at "Password Check" in Advance BIOS Features Menu, you will be prompted only
when you try to enter Setup.
Select Language
Load Fail-Safe Defaults
Load Optimized Defaults
Set Supervisor Password
Set User Password
Save & Exit Setup
Exit Without Saving
English
BIOS Setup- 47 -
Page 48
English
2-12 Save & Exit Setup
CMOS Setup Utility-Copyright (C) 1984-2005 Award Software
` Standard CMOS Features
` Advanced BIOS Features
` Integrated Peripherals
` Power Management Setup
` PnP/PCI Configurations
` PC Health Status
` MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
Esc: Quit F3: Change Language
F8: Dual BIOS/Q-Flash F10: Save & Exit Setup
Save to CMOS and EXIT (Y/N)? Y
Save & Exit Setup
Select Language
Load Fail-Safe Defaults
Load Optimized Defaults
Set Supervisor Password
Set User Password
Save & Exit Setup
Exit Without Saving
Type "Y" will quit the Setup Utility and save the user setup value to RTC CMOS.
Type "N" will return to Setup Utility.
2-13 Exit Without Saving
CMOS Setup Utility-Copyright (C) 1984-2005 Award Software
` Standard CMOS Features
` Advanced BIOS Features
` Integrated Peripherals
` Power Management Setup
` PnP/PCI Configurations
` PC Health Status
` MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
Esc: Quit F3: Change Language
F8: Dual BIOS/Q-Flash F10: Save & Exit Setup
Quit Without Saving (Y/N)? N
Abandon all Data
Select Language
Load Fail-Safe Defaults
Load Optimized Defaults
Set Supervisor Password
Set User Password
Save & Exit Setup
Exit Without Saving
Type "Y" will quit the Setup Utility without saving to RTC CMOS.
Type "N" will return to Setup Utility.
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 48 -
Page 49
Chapter 3Drivers Installation
Pictures below are shown in Windows XP.
Insert the driver CD-title that came with your motherboard into your CD-ROM drive, the driver
CD-title will auto start and show the installation guide. If not, please double click the CD-ROM
device icon in "My computer", and execute the Run.exe.
3-1 Install Chipset Drivers
After insert the driver CD, "Xpress Install" will scan automatically the system and then list all the drivers that
recommended to install. Please pick the item that you want and press "install" followed the item; or you can
press "Xpress Install" to install all items defaulted.
English
Some device drivers will restart your system automatically. After restarting
your system the "Xpress Install" will continue to install other drivers.
System will reboot automatically after install the drivers, afterward you can
install others application.
For USB2.0 driver support under Windows XP operating system, please
use Windows Service Pack. After install Windows Service Pack, it will show
a question mark "?" in "Universal Serial Bus controller" under "Device
Manager". Please remove the question mark and restart the system (System
will auto-detect the right USB2.0 driver).
Drivers Installation- 49 -
Page 50
English
3-2 Software Applications
This page displays all the tools that Gigabyte developed and some free software, you can choose anyone
you want and press "install" to install them.
3-3 Driver CD Information
This page lists the contents of software and drivers in this CD-title.
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 50 -
Page 51
3-4 Hardware Information
This page lists all device you have for this motherboard.
3-5 Contact Us
Please see the last page for details.
English
Drivers Installation- 51 -
Page 52
English
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 52 -
Page 53
Chapter 4 Appendix
4-1 Unique Software Utilities
(Not all model support these Unique Software Utilities, please check your MB features.)
U-PLUS D.P.S. (Universal Plus Dual Power System)
The U-Plus Dual Power System (U-Plus DPS) is a revolutionary eight-phase power circuit
built for ultimate system protection. Designed to withstand varying current levels and
changes, the U-Plus D.P.S. provides an immensely durable and stable power circuit to the
CPU for solid system stability. These characteristics make it the ideal companion with the
latest LGA775 Intel
blue LED's are mounted on the U-Plus D.P.S. for intelligent indication of system loading.
M.I.T. (Motherboard Intelligent Tweaker)
Motherboard Intelligent Tweaker (M.I.T.) allows user to access and change BIOS feature
settings with relative speed and ease. Through GIGABYTE M.I.T. feature the user is no
longer required to switch into different modes within BIOS setup in order to change system
settings such as the CPU system bus, memory timings or to enabled Gigabyte's unique
C.I.A. 2 and M.I.B. 2 features. M.I.T.'s integration of all platform performance settings into
a single mode now gives any user the ability to control and enhance their computer system
to the desired level.
C.I.A.2 (CPU Intelligent Accelerator 2)
GIGABYTE CPU Intelligent Accelerator 2(C.I.A. 2) is designed to automatically adjust CPU
computing power to maximize system performance. When enabled, the program detects
the current CPU loading and automatically accelerates the CPU computing performance to
allow for a faster and smoother execution of programs. When the function is disabled, the
CPU is returned to its initial status.
M.I.B.2 (Memory Intelligent Booster 2)
Built on the original M.I.B., the new Memory Intelligent Booster 2 (M.I.B. 2) is designed
especially to maximize memory performance and boost memory bandwidth up to 10%.
With added branded memory module information, users are able to optimize memory
performance by selecting from a recommended memory module list.
®
Pentium® 4 Processor as well as future Intel® processors. As well, 4
English
S.O.S. (System Overclock Saver)
System Overclock Saver (S.O.S.) is a unique feature that eliminates system boot-up errors
resulting from system over-enhancement by the user. With GIGABYTE's proprietary
S.O.S. feature, users no longer need to open up the PC chassis and short-circuit the "Clear
CMOS" pins or the battery on the motherboard to reset the system back to factory default
settings. Instead, S.O.S. automatically resets the overclocked system settings back to their
factory defaults to provide a more user-friendly and reliable platform for users.
Download Center
Download Center allows users to quickly download and update their BIOS as well as the
latest drivers for their system. Download Center automatically runs a system check of the
user PC and provides the user with the current system information as well as displaying a
detailed list of all new drivers with the option for download.
C.O.M. (Corporate Online Management)
A web-based system management tool that allows system hardware information such as CPU,
memory, graphics card, etc. to be monitored and controlled via the Internet, C.O.M. allows
corporate MIS engineers to easily maintain corporate computers such as providing the most
up-to-date drivers and BIOS.(Do not use C.O.M. and @BIOS at the same time.)
Appendix- 53 -
Page 54
English
4-1-1 EasyTune 5 Introduction
EasyTune 5 presents the most convenient Windows based system performance enhancement and
manageability utility. Featuring several powerful yet easy to use tools such as 1) Overclocking for enhancing
system performance, 2) C.I.A. and M.I.B. for special enhancement for CPU and Memory, 3) Smart-Fan
control for managing fan speed control of both CPU cooling fan and North-Bridge Chipset cooling fan, 4) PC
health for monitoring system status.
User Interface Overview
Button / Display Description
1. Overclocking Enters the Overclocking setting page
2. C.I.A./C.I.A.2 and M.I.B./M.I.B.2 Enters the C.I.A./2 and M.I.B./2 setting page
3. Smart-Fan Enters the Smart-Fan setting page
4. PC Health Enters the PC Health setting page
5. GO Confirmation and Execution button
6. "Easy Mode" & "Advance Mode" Toggles between Easy and Advance Mode
7. Display screen Display panel of CPU frequency
8. Function display LEDs Shows the current functions status
9. GIGABYTE Logo Log on to GIGABYTE website
10. Help button Display EasyTuneTM 5 Help file
11. Exit or Minimize button Quit or Minimize EasyTuneTM 5 software
(Note)
(Note) EasyTune 5 functions may vary depending on different motherboards.
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 54 -
Page 55
4-1-2 Xpress Recovery2 Introduction
Xpress Recovery2 is designed to provide quick backup and restoration of hard disk data. Supporting Microsoft operating systems including
Windows XP/2000/NT/98/Me and DOS, and file systems including
FAT16, FAT32, and NTFS, Xpress Recovery2 is able to back up data
on hard disks on PATA and SATA IDE controllers. After Xpress Recovery2 is executed from CD-ROM
for the first time, it will stay permanent in your hard disk. If you wish to run Xpress Recovery2 later, you
can simply press F9 during system bootup to enter Xpress Recovery2 without the CD-ROM.
System requirements:
1. Intel x86 platforms
2. At least 64M bytes of system memory
3. VESA-supported VGA cards
How to use the Xpress Recovery2
Initial access by booting from CD-ROM and subsequent access by pressing the F9 key:
Steps: After entering BIOS Setup, go to Advanced BIOS Feature and set to boot from CD-ROM. Save
the settings and exit the BIOS Setup. Insert the provided driver CD into your CD-ROM drive. Upon
system restart, the message which says "Boot from CD/DVD:" will appear in the bottom left corner
of the screen. Press any key to enter Xpress Recovery2.
After the steps above are completed, subsequent access to Xpress Recovery2 can be made
by simply pressing the <F9> key during system power-on.
.
.
Boot from CD/DVD:
Press any key to startup XpressRecovery2.....
Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG, An Energy Star Ally
Copyright (C) 1984-2005, Award Software, Inc.
Intel 955 BIOS for 8I955X Royal F5a
.
.
.
.
<DEL>:BIOS Setup/Q-Flash, <F9>: Xpress Recovery2, <F12>For Boot Menu
11/07/2005-I955-6A79HG0GC-00
Boot from CD/DVD:
<F9> Xpress Recovery2
English
1. If you have already entered Xpress Recovery2 by booting from the CD-ROM, you can
enter Xpress Recovery2 by pressing the <F9> key in the future.
2. System storage capacity and the reading/writing speed of the hard disk will affect
the data backup speed.
3. It is recommended that Xpress Recovery2 be immediately installed once you complete installations of OS and all required drivers as well as software.
Appendix- 55 -
Page 56
English
The Main Screen of Xpress Recovery2
1. RESTORE:
Restore the backed-up data to your hard disk.
(This button will not appear if there is no backup
file.)
2. BACKUP:
Back up data from hard disk.
3. REMOVE:
Remove previously-created backup files
to release disk space.
(This button will not appear if there is no backup
file.)
4. REBOOT:
Exit the main screen and restart the system.
Limitations:
1. Not compatible to Xpress Recovery.
2. For the use of Xpress Recovery2, a primary partition must be reserved.
3. Xpress Recovery2 will store the backup file at the end of the hard disk, so free space available
on the hard disk for the backup file must be allocated in advance. (A minimum 4GB is recommended but the actual space is dependent on the size of the data to be backed up)
4. Capable of backing up hard disks installed with Windows operating systems including DOS and
Windows XP/2000/NT/9x/Me.
5. USB hard disks are currently not supported.
6. Does not support RAID/AHCI (class code 0104/0106) hard disks.
7. Capable of backing up and restoring only the first physical hard disk.
Hard disks detection sequence is as follows:
a. PATA IDE primary channel
b. PATA IDE secondary channel
c. SATA IDE channel 1
d. SATA IDE channel 2
e. SATA IDE channel 3
f. SATA IDE channel 4
Precautions:
1. When using hard disks with more than 128G under Windows 2000, be sure to execute the
EnableBigLba.exe program from the driver CD before data backup.
2. It is normal that data backup takes longer time than data restoration.
3. Xpress Recovery2 is compliant with the GPL regulations.
4. On a few motherboards based on Nvidia chipsets, BIOS update is required for Xpress Recovery2
to correctly identify RAID and SATA IDE mode. Please contact your motherboard manufacturer.
5. Xpress Recovery2 supports only PATA hard disks and not SATA hard disks on the following
motherboards (As this is a BIOS-related issue, it can be solved by BIOS update)
GA-K8U
GA-K8U-9
GA-K8NXP-SLI
GA-K8N Ultra-SLI
GA-K8N Pro-SLI
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 56 -
GA-K8NXP-9
GA-K8N Ultra-9
GA-K8NF-9 (PCB Ver. 1.0)
GA-K8NE (PCB Ver. 1.0)
GA-K8NMF-9
GA-8N-SLI Royal
GA-8N-SLI Pro
GA-8N-SLI
Page 57
4-1-3 Flash BIOS Method Introduction
A. What is Dual BIOS Technology?
Dual BIOS means that there are two system BIOS (ROM) on the
motherboard, one is the Main BIOS and the other is Backup BIOS.
Under the normal circumstances, the system works on the Main BIOS. If the Main BIOS is corrupted or
damaged, the Backup BIOS can take over while the system is powered on. This means that your PC will still
be able to run stably as if nothing has happened in your BIOS.
B. How to use Dual BIOS and Q-Flash Utility?
a. After power on the computer, pressing <Del> immediately during POST (Power On Self Test) it will allow
you to enter Award BIOS CMOS SETUP, then press <F8> to enter Flash utility.
CMOS Setup Utility-Copyright (C) 1984-2004 Award Software
Standard CMOS Features
Advanced BIOS Features
Integrated Peripherals
Power Management Setup
PnP/PCI Configurations
PC Health Status
MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
ESC: Quit : Select Item
F8: Dual BIOS/Q-Flash F10: Save & Exit Setup
Time, Date, Hard Disk Type...
b. Dual BIOS / Q-Flash Programming Utility
Load Fail-Safe Defaults
Load Optimized Defaults
Set Supervisor Password
Set User Password
Save & Exit Setup
Exit Without Saving
English
Boot From................................................. Main Bios
Dual BIOS Utility V1.33
Main ROM Type/Size............................... SST 49LF004A 512K
Backup ROM Type/Size........................... SST 49LF004A 512K
Wide Range Protection Disable
Boot From Main Bios
Auto Recovery Enable
Halt On Error Disable
Keep DMI Data Enable
Copy Main ROM Data to Backup
Load Default Settings
Save Settings to CMOS
Q-Flash Utility
Update Main BIOS from Floppy
Update Backup BIOS from Floppy
Save Main BIOS to Floppy
Save Backup BIOS to Floppy
PgDn/PgUp: Modify : Move ESC: Reset F10: Power Off
Appendix- 57 -
Page 58
English
c. Dual BIOS Item explanation:
Wide Range Protection: Disable(Default), Enable
Status 1:
If any failure (ex. Update ESCD failure, checksum error or reset? occurs in the Main BIOS, just before the
Operating System is loaded and after the power is on, and that the Wide Range Protection is set to "Enable",
the PC will boot from Backup BIOS automatically.
Status 2:
If the ROM BIOS on peripherals cards(ex. SCSI Cards, LAN Cards,..) emits signals torequest restart of the
system after the user make any alteration on it, the boot up BIOS will not be changed to the Backup BIOS.
Boot From : Main BIOS(Default), Backup BIOS
Status 1:
The user can set to boot from main BIOS or Backup BIOS.
Status 2:
If one of the main BIOS or the Backup BIOS fails, this item "Boot From : Main BIOS(Default)" will
become gray and will not be changed by user.
Auto Recovery : Enable(Default), Disable
When one of the Main BIOS or Backup BIOS occurs checksum failure, the working BIOS will automatically
recover the BIOS of checksum failure.
(In the Power Management Setup of the BIOS Setting, if ACPI Suspend Type is set to Suspend to RAM, the
Auto Recovery will be set to Enable automatically.)
(If you want to enter the BIOS setting, please press "Del" key when the boot screen appears.)
Halt On Error : Disable(Default), Enable
If the BIOS occurs a checksum error or the Main BIOS occurs a WIDE RANGE PROTECTION error and Halt
On Error set to Enable, the PC will show messages on the boot screen, and the system will pause and wait
for the user's instruction.
If Auto Recovery :Disable, it will show <or the other key to continue.>
If Auto Recovery :Enable, it will show <or the other key to Auto Recover.>
Keep DMI Data : Enable(Default), Disable
Enable: The DMI data won't be replaced by flashing new BIOS.(recommend)
Disable: The DMI data will be replaced by flashing new BIOS.
Copy Main ROM Data to Backup
(If you boot from Backup ROM, this item will change to Copy Backup ROM Data to Main)
Auto recovery message:
BIOS Recovery: Main to Backup
The means that the Main BIOS works normally and could automatically recover the Backup BIOS.
BIOS Recovery: Backup to Main
The means that the Backup BIOS works normally and could automatically recover the Main BIOS.
(This auto recovery utility is set by system automatically and can’t be changed by user.)
Load Default Settings
Load dual BIOS default value.
Save Settings to CMOS
Save revised setting.
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 58 -
Page 59
Method 1 : Q-FlashTM Utility
Q-FlashTM is a BIOS flash utility embedded in Flash ROM. With this utility,
users only have to stay in the BIOS menu when they want to update
BIOS. Q-FlashTM allows users to flash BIOS without any utility in DOS or
Windows. Using Q-FlashTM indicating no more fooling around with any complicated instructions and
operating system since it is in the BIOS menu.
Please note that because updating BIOS has potential risk, please do it with caution!! We are
sorry that Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd is not responsible for damages of system because of
incorrect manipulation of updating BIOS to avoid any claims from end-users.
Before You Begin:
Before you start updating BIOS with the Q-FlashTM utility, please follow the steps below first.
1. Download the latest BIOS for your motherboard from Gigabyte's website.
2. Extract the BIOS file downloaded and save the BIOS file (the one with model name.Fxx. For example,
8KNXPU.Fba) to a floppy disk.
3. Reboot your PC and press Del to enter BIOS menu.
The BIOS upgrading guides below are separated into two parts.
If your motherboard has dual-BIOS, please refer to Part One.
If your motherboard has single-BIOS, please refer to Part Two.
Part One:
Updating BIOS with Q-Flash
Some of Gigabyte motherboards are equipped with dual BIOS. In the BIOS menu of the motherboards
supporting Q-Flash and Dual BIOS, the Q-Flash utility and Dual BIOS utility are combined in the same
screen. This section only deals with how to use Q-Flash utility.
In the following sections, we take GA-8KNXP Ultra as the example to guide you how to flash BIOS
from an older version to the latest version. For example, from Fa3 to Fba.
TM
Utility on Dual BIOS Motherboards.
English
The BIOS file is Fa3
before updating
Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG, An Energy Star Ally
Copyright (C) 1984-2003, Award Software, Inc.
Intel i875P AGPset BIOS for 8KNXP Ultra Fa3
Check System Health OK , VCore = 1.5250
Main Processor : Intel Pentium(R) 4 1.6GHz (133x12)
<CPUID : 0F27 Patch ID : 0027>
Memory Testing : 131072K OK
Memory Frequency 266 MHz in Single Channel
Primary Master : FUJITSU MPE3170AT ED-03-08
Primary Slave : None
Secondary Master : CREATIVEDVD-RM DVD1242E BC101
Secondary Slave : None
Press DEL to enter SETUP / Dual BIOS / Q-Flash / F9 For Xpress Recovery
08/07/2003-i875P-6A79BG03C-00
Appendix- 59 -
Page 60
English
Entering the Q-FlashTM utility:
Step1: To use Q-Flash utility, you must press Del in the boot screen to enter BIOS menu.
CMOS Setup Utility-Copyright (C) 1984-2004 Award Software
Standard CMOS Features
Advanced BIOS Features
Integrated Peripherals
Power Management Setup
PnP/PCI Configurations
PC Health Status
MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
ESC: Quit F3: Change Language
F8: Dual BIOS/Q-Flash F10: Save & Exit Setup
Time, Date, Hard Disk Type...
Select Language
Load Fail-Safe Defaults
Load Optimized Defaults
Set Supervisor Password
Set User Password
Save & Exit Setup
Exit Without Saving
Step 2: Press F8 button on your keyboard and then Y button to enter the Dual BIOS/Q-Flash utility.
Exploring the Q-FlashTM / Dual BIOS utility screen
The Q-Flash / Dual BIOS utility screen consists of the following key components.
Task menu for
Dual BIOS
utility
Task menu for
TM
utility
Q-Flash
Boot From...................................... Main Bios
Main ROM Type/Size...................... SST 49LF004A 512K
Backup ROM Type/Size.................. SST 49LF004A 512K
Wide Range Protection Disable
Copy Main ROM Data to Backup
Enter : Run :Move ESC:Reset F10:Power Off
Dual BIOS Utility
Boot From Main Bios
Auto Recovery Enable
Halt On Error Disable
Load Default Settings
Save Settings to CMOS
Q-Flash Utility
Load Main BIOS from Floppy
Load Backup BIOS from Floppy
Save Main BIOS to Floppy
Save Backup BIOS to Floppy
Dual BIOS utility bar
Q-FlashTM utility title
bar
Action bar
Task menu for Dual BIOS utility:
Contains the names of eight tasks and two item showing information about the BIOS ROM type. Blocking a
task and pressing Enter key on your keyboard to enable execution of the task.
Task menu for Q-Flash utility:
Contains the names of four tasks. Blocking a task and pressing Enter key on your keyboard to enable execution of the task.
Action bar:
Contains the names of four actions needed to operate the Q-Flash/Dual BIOS utility. Pressing the buttons
mentioned on your keyboards to perform these actions.
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 60 -
Page 61
Using the Q-FlashTM utility:
This section tells you how to update BIOS using the Q-Flash utility. As described in the "Before you begin"
section above, you must prepare a floppy disk having the BIOS file for your motherboard and insert it to your
computer. If you have already put the floppy disk into your system and have entered the Q-Flash utility,
please follow the steps below to flash BIOS.
Steps:
1. Press arrow buttons on your keyboard to move the light bar to "Load Main BIOS from Floppy" item in
the Q-Flash menu and press Enter button.
Later, you will see a box pop up showing the BIOS files you previously downloaded to the floppy disk.
If you want to save the current BIOS for backup purpose, you can begin Step 1 with "Save Main
BIOS to Floppy" item.
2. Move to the BIOS file you want to flash and press Enter.
In this example, we only download one BIOS file to the floppy disk so only one BIOS file,
8KNXPU.Fba, is listed.
Please confirm again you have the correct BIOS file for your motherboard.
Boot From...................................... Main Bios
Main ROM Type/Size...................... SST 49LF004A 512K
Backup ROM Type/Size.................. SST 49LF004A 512K
Wide Range Protection Disable
8KNXPU.Fba 512K
Total size : 1.39M Free size : 911.50K
Copy Main ROM Data to Backup
F5 : Refresh DEL : Delete
Enter : Run :Move ESC:Reset F10:Power Off
After pressing Enter, you'll then see the progress of reading the BIOS file from the floppy disk.
Boot From...................................... Main Bios
Main ROM Type/Size...................... SST 49LF004A 512K
Backup ROM Type/Size.................. SST 49LF004A 512K
Wide Range Protection Disable
Reading BIOS file from floppy ...
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.....................
Copy Main ROM Data to Backup
Don't Turn Off Power or Reset System
Enter : Run :Move ESC:Reset F10:Power Off
After BIOS file is read, you'll see a confirmation dialog box asking you "Are you sure to update BIOS?"
Dual BIOS Utility
1 file(s) found
Boot From Main Bios
Auto Recovery Enable
Halt On Error Disable
Load Default Settings
Save Settings to CMOS
Q-Flash Utility
Load Main BIOS from Floppy
Load Backup BIOS from Floppy
Save Main BIOS to Floppy
Save Backup BIOS to Floppy
Dual BIOS Utility
Boot From Main Bios
Auto Recovery Enable
Halt On Error Disable
Load Default Settings
Save Settings to CMOS
Q-Flash Utility
Load Main BIOS from Floppy
Load Backup BIOS from Floppy
Save Main BIOS to Floppy
Save Backup BIOS to Floppy
BIOS file in the floppy
disk.
Do not trun off power or
reset your system at this
stage!!
Appendix- 61 -
English
Page 62
3. Press Y button on your keyboard after you are sure to update BIOS.
Then it will begin to update BIOS. The progress of updating BIOS will be displayed.
English
Please do not take out the floppy disk when it begins flashing BIOS.
4. Press any keys to return to the Q-Flash menu when the BIOS updating procedure is completed.
Boot From...................................... Main Bios
Main ROM Type/Size...................... SST 49LF004A 512K
Backup ROM Type/Size.................. SST 49LF004A 512K
Wide Range Protection Disable
Copy Main ROM Data to Backup
Enter : Run :Move ESC:Reset F10:Power Off
Dual BIOS Utility
Boot From Main Bios
Auto Recovery Enable
!! Copy BIOS completed - Pass !!
Halt On Error Disable
Please press any key to continue
Load Default Settings
Save Settings to CMOS
Q-Flash Utility
Load Main BIOS from Floppy
Load Backup BIOS from Floppy
Save Main BIOS to Floppy
Save Backup BIOS to Floppy
You can repeat Step 1 to
4 to flash the backup
BIOS, too.
5. Press Esc and then Y button to exit the Q-Flash utility. The computer will restart automatically after
you exit Q-Flash.
Boot From...................................... Main Bios
Main ROM Type/Size...................... SST 49LF004A 512K
Backup ROM Type/Size.................. SST 49LF004A 512K
Wide Range Protection Disable
Copy Main ROM Data to Backup
Enter : Run :Move ESC:Reset F10:Power Off
Dual BIOS Utility
Boot From Main Bios
Auto Recovery Enable
Are you sure to RESET ?
Halt On Error Disable
[Enter] to continure or [Esc] to abort...
Load Default Settings
Save Settings to CMOS
Q-Flash Utility
Load Main BIOS from Floppy
Load Backup BIOS from Floppy
Save Main BIOS to Floppy
Save Backup BIOS to Floppy
After system reboots, you may find the BIOS version on your boot screen becomes the one you flashed.
Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG, An Energy Star Ally
Copyright (C) 1984-2003, Award Software, Inc.
The BIOS file
becomes Fba after
updating.
Intel i875P AGPset BIOS for 8KNXP Ultra Fba
Check System Health OK , VCore = 1.5250
Main Processor : Intel Pentium(R) 4 1.6GHz (133x12)
<CPUID : 0F27 Patch ID : 0027>
Memory Testing : 131072K OK
Memory Frequency 266 MHz in Single Channel
Primary Master : FUJITSU MPE3170AT ED-03-08
Primary Slave : None
Secondary Master : CREATIVEDVD-RM DVD1242E BC101
Secondary Slave : None
Press DEL to enter SETUP / Dual BIOS / Q-Flash / F9 For Xpress Recovery
09/23/2003-i875P-6A79BG03C-00
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 62 -
Page 63
6. Press Del to enter BIOS menu after system reboots. When you are in BIOS menu, move to
Load Fail-Safe Defaults item and press Enter to load BIOS Fail-Safe Defaults. Normally the system
redetects all devices after BIOS has been upgraded. Therefore, we highly recommend reloading the
BIOS defaults after BIOS has been upgraded.
CMOS Setup Utility-Copyright (C) 1984-2004 Award Software
Standard CMOS Features
Advanced BIOS Features
Integrated Peripherals
Power Management Setup
PnP/PCI Configurations
PC Health Status
MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
ESC: Quit F3: Change Language
F8: Dual BIOS/Q-Flash F10: Save & Exit Setup
Load Fail-Safe Defaults (Y/N)? Y
Time, Date, Hard Disk Type...
Select Language
Load Fail-Safe Defaults
Load Optimized Defaults
Set Supervisor Password
Set User Password
Save & Exit Setup
Exit Without Saving
Press Y on your keyboard to load defaults.
7. Select Save & Exit Setup item to save the settings to CMOS and exit the BIOS menu.
System will reboot after you exit the BIOS menu. The procedure is completed.
CMOS Setup Utility-Copyright (C) 1984-2004 Award Software
Standard CMOS Features
Advanced BIOS Features
Integrated Peripherals
Power Management Setup
PnP/PCI Configurations
PC Health Status
MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
ESC: Quit F3: Change Language
F8: Dual BIOS/Q-Flash F10: Save & Exit Setup
Save to CMOS and EXIT (Y/N)? Y
Time, Date, Hard Disk Type...
Select Language
Load Fail-Safe Defaults
Load Optimized Defaults
Set Supervisor Password
Set User Password
Save & Exit Setup
Exit Without Saving
English
Press Y on your keyboard to save and exit.
Part Two:
Updating BIOS with Q-Flash
This part guides users of single-BIOS motherboards how to update BIOS using the Q-Flash
Standard CMOS Features
Advanced BIOS Features
Integrated Peripherals
Power Management Setup
PnP/PCI Configurations
PC Health Status
MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
ESC: Quit F3: Change Language
F8: Q-Flash F10: Save & Exit Setup
TM
Utility on Single-BIOS Motherboards.
CMOS Setup Utility-Copyright (C) 1984-2004 Award Software
Top Performance
Load Fail-Safe Defaults
Load Optimized Defaults
Set Supervisor Password
Set User Password
Save & Exit Setup
Exit Without Saving
Time, Date, Hard Disk Type...
TM
utility.
Appendix- 63 -
Page 64
English
Exploring the Q-FlashTM utility screen
The Q-FlashBIOS utility screen consists of the following key components.
Q-FlashTM utility bar
Action bar
Task menu for
TM
utility
Q-Flash
Flash Type/Size.................................SST 49LF003A 256K
Enter : Run :Move ESC:Reset F10:Power Off
Q-Flash Utility V1.30
Keep DMI Data Enable
Update BIOS from Floppy
Save BIOS to Floppy
Task menu for Q-Flash utility:
Contains the names of three tasks. Blocking a task and pressing Enter key on your keyboard to enable
execution of the task.
Action bar:
Contains the names of four actions needed to operate the Q-Flash utility. Pressing the buttons mentioned on
your keyboards to perform these actions.
Using the Q-FlashTM utility:
This section tells you how to update BIOS using the Q-Flash utility. As described in the "Before you begin"
section above, you must prepare a floppy disk having the BIOS file for your motherboard and insert it to your
computer. If you have already put the floppy disk into your system and have entered the Q-Flash utility,
please follow the steps below to flash BIOS.
Steps:
1. Press arrow buttons on your keyboard to move the light bar to "Update BIOS from Floppy" item in the
Q-Flash menu and press Enter button.
Later, you will see a box pop up showing the BIOS files you previously downloaded to the floppy disk.
If you want to save the current BIOS for backup purpose, you can begin Step 1 with "Save BIOS
to Floppy" item.
2. Move to the BIOS file you want to flash and press Enter.
In this example, we only download one BIOS file to the floppy disk so only one BIOS file,
8GE800.F4, is listed.
Please confirm again you have the correct BIOS file for your motherboard.
Flash Type/Size.................................SST 49LF003A 256K
8GE800.F4 256K
Total size : 1.39M Free size : 1.14M
Enter : Run :Move ESC:Reset F10:Power Off
F5 : Refresh DEL : Delete
Q-Flash Utility V1.30
1 file(s) found
Keep DMI Data Enable
Update BIOS from Floppy
Save BIOS to Floppy
BIOS file in the floppy
disk.
Flash Type/Size.................................SST 49LF003A 256K
Reading BIOS file from floppy ...
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.....................
Enter : Run :Move ESC:Reset F10:Power Off
Don't Turn Off Power or Reset System
Q-Flash Utility V1.30
Keep DMI Data Enable
Update BIOS from Floppy
Save BIOS to Floppy
Do not trun off power or
reset your system at
this stage!!
After BIOS file is read, you'll see a confirmation dialog box asking you "Are you sure to update BIOS?"
Please do not take out the floppy disk when it begins flashing BIOS.
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 64 -
Page 65
3. Press Y button on your keyboard after you are sure to update BIOS.
Then it will begin to update BIOS. The progress of updating BIOS will be shown at the same time.
Flash Type/Size.................................SST 49LF003A 256K
Enter : Run :Move ESC:Reset F10:Power Off
Don't Turn Off Power or Reset System
Q-Flash Utility V1.30
Keep DMI Data Enable
Updating BIOS Now
Update BIOS from Floppy
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.........................
Save BIOS to Floppy
Do not trun off power or
reset your system
at this stage!!
4. Press any keys to return to the Q-Flash menu when the BIOS updating procedure is completed.
English
Flash Type/Size.................................SST 49LF003A 256K
Enter : Run :Move ESC:Reset F10:Power Off
Q-Flash Utility V1.30
Keep DMI Data Enable
!! Copy BIOS completed - Pass !!
Update BIOS from Floppy
Save BIOS to Floppy
Please press any key to continue
5. Press Esc and then Y button to exit the Q-Flash utility. The computer will restart automatically after
you exit Q-Flash.
Flash Type/Size.................................SST 49LF003A 256K
Enter : Run :Move ESC:Reset F10:Power Off
Q-Flash Utility V1.30
Keep DMI Data Enable
Are you sure to RESET ?
Update BIOS from Floppy
Save BIOS to Floppy
[Enter] to continure or [Esc] to abort...
After system reboots, you may find the BIOS version on your boot screen becomes the one you flashed.
Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG, An Energy Star Ally
Copyright (C) 1984-2003, Award Software, Inc.
The BIOS file
becomes F4 after
updating
Intel 845GE AGPSet BIOS for 8GE800 F4
Check System Health OK
Main Processor : Intel Pentium(R) 4 1.7GHz (100x17.0)
<CPUID : 0F0A Patch ID : 0009>
Memory Testing : 122880K OK + 8192K Shared Memory
Primary Master : FUJITSU MPE3170AT ED-03-08
Primary Slave : None
Secondary Master : CREATIVEDVD-RM DVD1242E BC101
Secondary Slave : None
Press DEL to enter SETUP / Q-Flash
03/18/2003-I845GE-6A69YG01C-00
6. Press Del to enter BIOS menu after system reboots and "Load BIOS Fail-Safe Defaults". See how
to Load BIOS Fail-Safe Defaults, please kindly refer to Step 6 to 7 in Part One.
Congratulation!! You have updated BIOS successfully!!
Appendix- 65 -
Page 66
English
Method 2 : @BIOSTM Utility
If you do not have a DOS startup disk, we recommend that you use the
new @BIOS utility. @BIOS allows users to update their BIOS under
Windows. Just select the desired @BIOS server to download the latest
version of BIOS.
Fig 1. Installing the @BIOS utility Fig 2. Installation complete and run @BIOS
Click Start/ Programs/ GIGABYTE/@BIOS
Select @BIOS item than click Install
Fig 3. The @BIOS utility Fig 4. Select the desired @BIOS server
Click "" Click "Update New BIOS"
1. Methods and steps:
I. Update BIOS through Internet
a. Click "Internet Update" icon
b. Click "Update New BIOS" icon
c. Select @BIOSTM sever
d. Select the exact model name on your motherboard
e. System will automatically download and update the BIOS.
II. Update BIOS NOT through Internet:
a. Do not click "Internet Update" icon
b. Click "Update New BIOS"
c. Please select "All Files" in dialog box while opening the old file.
d. Please search for BIOS unzip file, downloading from internet or any other methods (such as:
8I955XRO.F1).
e. Complete update process following the instruction.
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 66 -
Page 67
III. Save BIOS
In the very beginning, there is "Save Current BIOS" icon shown in dialog box. It means to save the
current BIOS version.
IV. Check out supported motherboard and Flash ROM:
In the very beginning, there is "About this program" icon shown in dialog box. It can help you check out
which kind of motherboard and which brand of Flash ROM are supported.
2. Note:
I. In method I, if it shows two or more motherboard's model names to be selected, please make
sure your motherboard's model name again. Selecting wrong model name will cause the
system unbooted.
II. In method II, be sure that motherboard's model name in BIOS unzip file are the same as your
motherboard's. Otherwise, your system won't boot.
III. In method I, if the BIOS file you need cannot be found in @BIOSTM server, please go onto
Gigabyte's web site for downloading and updating it according to method II.
IV. Please note that any interruption during updating will cause system unbooted.
V. Do not use @BIOS and C.O.M. (Corporate Online Management) at the same time.
English
Appendix- 67 -
Page 68
English
4-1-4 Serial ATA BIOS Setting Utility Introduction
RAID Levels
RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) is a method of combining two hard disk drives into one logical
unit. The advantage of an Array is to provide better performance or data fault tolerance. Fault tolerance is
achieved through data redundant operation, where if one drives fails, a mirrored copy of the data can be
found on another drive. This can prevent data loss if the operating system fails or hangs. The individual disk
drives in an array are called members. The configuration information of each member is recorded in the
reserved sector that identifies the drive as a member. All disk members in a formed disk array are recognized
as a single physical drive to the operating system.
Hard disk drives can be combined together through a few different methods. The different methods are
referred to as different RAID levels. Different RAID levels represent different performance levels, security
levels and implementation costs. The RAID levels which the Intel® ICH7R chipset supports are RAID 0
, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, and RAID 5.
RAID 0 (Striping)
RAID 0 reads and writes sectors of data interleaved between multiple drives. If any disk member fails, it
affects the entire array. The disk array data capacity is equal to the number of drive members times the
capacity of the smallest member. The Intel RAID striping block size can be set from 4KB to 128KB. RAID
0 does not support fault tolerance.
RAID 1 (Mirroring)
RAID 1 writes duplicate data onto a pair of drives and reads both sets of data in parallel. If one of the
mirrored drives suffers a mechanical failure or does not respond, the remaining drive will continue to function.
Due to redundancy, the drive capacity of the array is the capacity of the smallest drive. Under a RAID 1
setup, an extra drive called the spare drive can be attached. Such a drive will be activated to replace a failed
drive that is part of a mirrored array. Due to the fault tolerance, if any RAID 1 drive fails, data access will not
be affected as long as there are other working drives in the array.
RAID 0+1 (Striping + Mirroring)
RAID 0+1 combines the performance of data striping (RAID 0) and the fault tolerance of disk mirroring
(RAID 1). Data is striped across multiple drives and duplicated on another set of drives.
RAID 5 (Striping with Parity)
RAID 5 provides good fault tolerance and allows for overlapped I/O operations. Under a RAID 5 setup,
data and parity information are equally distributed to each disk member in the array. If any one of the
drives fails, the remaining drive will continue to function. After replacing the failed drive, you can rebuild
the data from the remaining data and parity. Only one drive can be safely crash without any data loss.
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 68 -
Page 69
Please follow the steps below to construct a complete RAID array:
1) Have ready your hard drives for RAID construction.
Note: To achieve best performance, it is recommended that the hard drives used are of similar make
and storage capacity.
2) Please attach the hard drive connectors to their appropriate location on the motherboard ie. IDE, SCSI,
or SATA.
3) Enter the motherboard BIOS and locate RAID setup (Please refer to the section on Integrated Peripherals).
4) Enter RAID setup in the BIOS and select the RAID type (For instance, enter Ctrl + I to select Intel RAID;
Ctrl + S to select Silicon Image).
5) Complete driver installation.
6) Complete RAID utility installation.
More information on steps 4 and 5 is provided. (For more detailed setup information, please visit "Support\
Motherboard\ Technology Guide section" on our website at http:\\www.gigabyte.com.tw to read or download
the information you need.) Sections below introduce the steps to configure Intel and Promise RAID BIOS
.
A. Configuring the Intel RAID BIOS
The Intel RAID BIOS setup lets you choose the RAID array type and which hard drives you want to make part
of the array.
Entering the RAID BIOS Setup
1. After rebooting your computer, wait until you see the RAID software prompting you to press Ctrl + I. The
RAID prompt appears as part of the system POST and boot process prior to loading the OS. You have a few
seconds to press Ctrl + I before the window disappears.
Intel(R) Matrix Storage Manager option ROM V5.0.0.1011 ICH7R wRAID5
Copyright(C) 2003-04 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reversed.
RAID Volumes :
None Defined.
Physical Disks :
Port Driver Model Serial # Size Type/Status(Vol ID)
0 ST3120026AS 3JT354CP 111.7GB Non-RAID Disk
1 ST3120026AS 3JT329JX 111.7GB Non-RAID Disk
Press <CTRL - I> to enter Configuration Utility
English
Press Ctrl + I. The Intel RAID Utility - Create RAID Volume window appears (as Figure below).
Intel(R) Matrix Storage Manager option ROM V5.0.0.1011 ICH7R wRAID5
Copyright(C) 2003-04 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reversed.
RAID Volumes :
None Defined.
Physical Disks :
Port Driver Model Serial # Size Type/Status(Vol ID)
0 ST3120026AS 3JT329JX 111.7GB Non-RAID Disk
1 ST3120026AS 3JT354CP 111.7GB Non-RAID Disk
[]-Select [ESC]-Exit [ENTER]-Select Menu
[ MAIN MENU ]
1. Create RAID Volume
2. Delete RAID Volume
3. Reset Disks to Non-RAID
4. Exit
[ DISK/VOLUME INFORMATION ]
Appendix- 69 -
Page 70
English
Create RAID Volume
Press Enter under Create RAID Volume to set up RAID.
Intel(R) Matrix Storage Manager option ROM V5.0.0.1011 ICH7R wRAID5
Copyright(C) 2003-04 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reversed.
Enter a string between 1 and 16 characters in length that can be used
to uniquely identify the RAID volume. This name is case sensitive and
[]-Change [TAB]-Next [ESC]-Previous Menu [ENTER]-Select
After entering the Create Volume Menu, you can set disk name with 1~16 letters (letters cannot be
special characters) under Name item.
After setting disk name, press Enter to select RAID Level.
Intel(R) Matrix Storage Manager option ROM V5.0.0.1011 ICH7R wRAID5
Copyright(C) 2003-04 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reversed.
RAID0- Data striped across multiple physical drives for performance.
RAID1- Data mirrored across multiple physical drives for redundancy.
RAID0+1- Striped volume whose segments are RAID 1 volumes. Requires
four hard drives. Functionally equivalent to RAID 0+1.
RAID5- Data and parity striped across three or more physical drives
[ CREATE VOLUME MENU ]
Name : RAID_Volume0
RAID Level : RAID0(Stripe)
Disks : Select Disks
Strip Size : 128KB
Capacity : 223.5 GB
RAID Level : RAID0(Stripe)
Strip Size : 128KB
Capacity : 223.5 GB
Choose the RAID level best suited to your usage model.
for performance and redundancy.
Create Volume
[ HELP ]
can not contain special characters.
[ CREATE VOLUME MENU ]
Name : RAID_Volume0
Disks : Select Disks
Create Volume
[ HELP ]
[]-Change [TAB]-Next [ESC]-Previous Menu [ENTER]-Select
There are four RAID levels: RAID0(Stripe), RAID1(Mirror), RAID 0+1 (Striping + Mirroring) and RAID5.
After selecting the RAID level, press Enter to select Strip Size.
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 70 -
Page 71
The KB is a unit of Strip Size. You can set disk block size with this item.
The disk block size can be set from 4KB to 128KB. After you set disk block size, press Enter to set
disk Capacity.
Intel(R) Matrix Storage Manager option ROM V5.0.0.1011 ICH7R wRAID5
Copyright(C) 2003-04 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reversed.
[]-Change [TAB]-Next [ESC]-Previous Menu [ENTER]-Select
Intel(R) Matrix Storage Manager option ROM V5.0.0.1011 ICH7R wRAID5
Copyright(C) 2003-04 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reversed.
[ CREATE VOLUME MENU ]
Name : RAID_Volume0
RAID Level : RAID0(Stripe)
Disks : Select Disks
Strip Size : 128KB
Capacity : 223.5 GB
RAID Level : RAID0(Stripe)
Strip Size : 128KB
Capacity : 223.5 GB
Create Volume
[ HELP ]
The following are typical values:
RAID 0 - 128KB
RAID 1 - 64KB
RAID 5 - 64KB
[ CREATE VOLUME MENU ]
Name : RAID_Volume0
Disks : Select Disks
Create Volume
[ HELP ]
English
Enter the volume capacity. The default value indicates the
maximum volume capacity using the selected disks. If less
than the maximum capacity is chosen, creation of a second
volume is needed to utilize the remaining space.
[]-Change [TAB]-Next [ESC]-Previous Menu [ENTER]-Select
Press Enter to enter Create Volume after setting disk capacity.
Appendix- 71 -
Page 72
English
Press Enter under the Create Volume item.
Intel(R) Matrix Storage Manager option ROM V5.0.0.1011 ICH7R wRAID5
Copyright(C) 2003-04 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reversed.
[]-Change [TAB]-Next [ESC]-Previous Menu [ENTER]-Select
[ CREATE VOLUME MENU ]
Name : RAID_Volume0
RAID Level : RAID0(Stripe)
Disks : Select Disks
Strip Size : 128KB
Capacity : 223.5 GB
Press "ENTER" to Create the specified volume
Create Volume
[ HELP ]
An alert bar will be displayed warning you that all data on selected disks will be lost. Please press Y
to complete the set-up of RAID.
Intel(R) Matrix Storage Manager option ROM V5.0.0.1011 ICH7R wRAID5
Copyright(C) 2003-04 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reversed.
WARNING : ALL DATA ON SELECTED DISKS WILL BE LOST.
[ CREATE VOLUME MENU ]
Name : RAID_Volume0
RAID Level : RAID0(Stripe)
Disks : Select Disks
Strip Size : 128KB
Capacity : 223.5 GB
Are you sure you want to creat this volume? (Y/N) :
Create Volume
[ HELP ]
Press "ENTER" to Create the specified volume
[]-Change [TAB]-Next [ESC]-Previous Menu [ENTER]-Select
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 72 -
Page 73
After the completion, you will see the detailed information about the RAID, such as RAID level, disk
block size, disk name and disk capacity, etc.
Intel(R) Matrix Storage Manager option ROM V5.0.0.1011 ICH7R wRAID5
Copyright(C) 2003-04 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reversed.
RAID Volumes :
ID Name Level Strip Size Status
Bootable
0 RAID_Volume0 RAID(Stripe) 128KB 223.5GB Normal Yes
Physical Disks :
Port Driver Model Serial # Size Type/Status(Vol ID)
0 ST3120026AS 3JT329JX 111.7GB Member Disk(0)
1 ST3120026AS 3JT354CP 111.7GB Member Disk(0)
[]-Select [ESC]-Exit [ENTER]-Select Menu
[ MAIN MENU ]
1. Create RAID Volume
2. Delete RAID Volume
3. Reset Disks to Non-RAID
4. Exit
[ DISK/VOLUME INFORMATION ]
Delete RAID Volume
If you want to delete a RAID volume, please select the Delete RAID Volume option. Press Enter key
and follow the instructions on the screen.
Intel(R) Matrix Storage Manager option ROM V5.0.0.1011 ICH7R wRAID5
Copyright(C) 2003-04 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reversed.
RAID Volumes :
ID Name Level Strip Size Status
Bootable
0 RAID_Volume0 RAID(Stripe) 128KB 223.5GB Normal Yes
Physical Disks :
Port Driver Model Serial # Size Type/Status(Vol ID)
0 ST3120026AS 3JT329JX 111.7GB Member Disk(0)
1 ST3120026AS 3JT354CP 111.7GB Member Disk(0)
[ MAIN MENU ]
1. Create RAID Volume
2. Delete RAID Volume
3. Reset Disks to Non-RAID
4. Exit
[ DISK/VOLUME INFORMATION ]
English
[]-Select [ESC]-Exit [ENTER]-Select Menu
Appendix- 73 -
Page 74
English
Installing the RAID drivers
To install operating system onto a serial ATA hard disk successfully, you need to install the SATA
controller driver during OS installation. Without the driver, the hard disk may not be recognized during
the Windows setup process. First of all, copy the driver for the SATA controller from the motherboard
driver CD-ROM to a floppy disk. See the instructions below about how to copy the driver in MS-DOS
(Note1)
mode
Step 1: Insert the prepared startup disk and motherboard driver CD-ROM in your system. Boot from the
startup disk. Once at the A:\> prompt, change to the CD-ROM drive (example: D:\>). At the D:\>
prompt, type the following two commands. Press ENTER after each command (Fig.1):
cd bootdrv
menu
Step 2: When the controller menu (Fig.2) appears, remove the startup disk and insert the blank formatted
disk. Select the controller driver by pressing the corresponding letter from the menu. Your system will
then automatically zip and transfer this driver file to the floppy disk. Press 0 to exit when finished.
. Prepare a startup disk that has CD-ROM support and a blank formatted floppy disk.
(Note 2)
Fig.1
Fig. 2
Step 3: After completing the steps, boot from the Windows installation disk to install the RAID drivers.
Press F6 as soon as you see the "Press F6 if you need to install a third party SCSI or RAID driver"
message, then supply serial ATA controller driver by this floppy disk. Follow the on-screen instructions
to complete the installation.
(Each time you add a new hard drive to a RAID array, the RAID driver will have to be installed under
Windows once for that hard drive. After that, the driver will not have to be installed.)
(Note 1): For users without a startup disk.
Use an alternative system and insert the GIGABYTE motherboard driver CD-ROM. From the
CD-ROM drive (example: D:\) double click the MENU.exe file in the BootDrv folder. A
command prompt window will open similar to that in Fig. 2.
(Note 2):In the menu list, Intel Matrix Storage Manager is Intel ICH7R chipset.
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 74 -
Page 75
4-1-5 Introduction of Designed for Dolby® Master Studio
Motherboards that feature the Designed for Dolby Master Studio deliver the ultimate
Dolby audio presentation capabilities.
The Designed for Dolby® Master StudioTM logo helps consumers identify motherboards
that have been developed and tested to meet Dolby Laboratories' rigorous audio
specifications, ensuring they can deliver the highest-quality Dolby audio entertainment experience,
rivaling entertainment experiences from advanced consumer electronics.
TM
Technologies Provided with Designed for Dolby Master Studio Motherboards:
- Dolby Digital EX
- Dolby Digital Live
- Dolby Pro Logic IIx
- Dolby Headphone
- Dolby Virtual Speaker
Dolby Digital EX*
Dolby Digital EX takes the Dolby Digital 5.1-channel setup one step further with an additional center
surround channel (reproduced through one or two speakers) for extra dimensional detail and an
enveloping surround sound effect. If your home theater system has a receiver or preamp/processor
with Dolby Digital EX decoding and speakers to support 6.1 or 7.1 playback, you can hear Surround
EX soundtracks as they were meant to be heard, with the increased realism created by the extra
surround channel.
Dolby Digital Live
A real-time encoding technology, Dolby Digital Live converts any audio signal into a Dolby Digital
bitstream for transport and playback through a home theater system. With it, your PC or game console
can be hooked up to your Dolby Digital-equipped audio/video receiver or digital speaker system via a
single digital connection, eliminating the confusion of multiple cables and ensuring the integrity of the
audio signal.
English
Dolby Pro Logic IIx
With Dolby Pro Logic IIx, any movie, CD, TV program or video game can be enjoyed through this
enhanced surround sound technology. Dolby Pro Logic IIx is the first and only technology to expand
any existing stereo- or 5.1-channel audio for a 6.1- or 7.1- channel playback, creating a seamless,
natural surround soundfield that immerses you in the entertainment experience.
Dolby Headphone
Dolby Headphone technology allows users to wear any set of headphones and listen to music, watch
movies, or play video games with the dramatic surround effects of a 5.1-channel soundtrack. Listeners
can enjoy the spacious, natural soundfield for hours.
* Dolby Digital EX support provided via Dolby Pro Logic IIx
Only for GA-8I955X Royal.
Appendix- 75 -
Page 76
English
Dolby Virtual Speaker
Dolby® Virtual Speaker technology simulates a highly realistic 5.1-speaker surround sound listening
environment from as few as two speakers. More than a simple "expanded stereo" performance, Dolby
Virtual Speaker incorporates highly advanced algorithms and extensive room-modeling technologies to
reproduce the sonic spectrum and dynamics of a properly placed 5.1-speaker system in a room
environment.
Designed for Dolby® Master StudioTM at Glance
- Dolby 7.1-Channel Surround Sound
Delivers the ultimate set of Dolby audio presentation capabilities, with support for up to
7.1 channels of surround sound.
- 100 Percent Compatibility
Compatible with your favorite playback applications, including Windows Media® Player,
iTunes®, Musicmatch®, DVD players, streaming media players, personal video recorder
(PVR)/TV tuners, and personal media libraries.
- Integration
Designed for Dolby Master Studio motherboards are built to Dolby Laboratories' audio connectivity specifications, making them ready for seamless integration with home theater sound
systems.
- Technologies Work Seamlessly Together
Dolby Headphone and Dolby Virtual Speaker were engineered to work in concert with Dolby
Digital and Dolby Pro Logic IIx. This way, you can access the full potential of your entire
library of music, games, movies, and more.
- Unified Audio Controls
Audio controls for all Dolby premier technologies are now centralized in one user interface.
How to enable Dolby Master Studio features
After installation of the audio driver, please access the Audio Control Panel. At the center bottom, you
should find the Dolby control button as shown below. Click the button to enable the feature you need.
If you wish to access advanced controls for each Dolby effect, please click the tool button .
Dolby Control Button
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 76 -
Page 77
4-1-6 2- / 4- / 6- / 8- Channel Audio Function
Introduction
This motherboard provides 6 audio connector. You are able to use
2-/4-/6-/8-channnels audio feature by audio software selection.
The default speaker settings for the 6 audio jacks are
as shown in the picture to the right. The jack
retasking capability supported by HD Audio allows
users to change the function for each audio jack by
the audio software provided. For example, if a rear
speaker is plugged into the center/subwoofer
speaker out jack, you can change the center/
Line In
Line Out
(Front Speaker Out)
Mic In
subwoofer speaker out jack to fucntion as a rear
speaker out jack via the audio software.Please
follow the steps to install the function. (Following
pictures are in Windows XP)
Note that if you wish to connect a microphone, you MUST connect it to the default Mic In jack
for the microphone to work correctly.
HD Audio
With multiple built-in high quality digital-to-analog converters (DACs) that support audio output at up to
192 kHz/24-bit quality and multi-streaming applications, HD Audio is able to handle multiple audio
streams (in and out) simultaneously. Multi-channel audio experiences have become a reality so you
can, for instance, listen to MP3 music, have an Internet chat, make a telephone call over the Internet,
and etc. all at the same time.
Rear Speaker Out
Center/Subwoofer
Speaker Out
Side Speaker
Out
English
Stereo Speakers Connection and Settings:
We recommend that you use the speaker with amplifier to acquire the best sound effect if the stereo output
is applied.
STEP 1 :
After installation of the audio driver, you should find
an Audio Manager icon in your system tray (you
can also find the icon in Control Panel). Doubleclick the icon to open the Audio Control Panel.
Appendix- 77 -
Page 78
English
STEP 2:
In the Audio Control Panel, click the Audio I/O
tab. In the upper left list, click 2CH Speaker.
STEP 3:
After a speaker or headphone is plugged into the
rear Line Out jack, a small window will pop up and
ask you what type of equipment is connected.
Choose Headphone or Line Out depending on
the device connected and click OK. The 2-channel audio setup is completed.
4 Channel Audio Setup
STEP 1 :
After installation of the audio driver, you should find
an Audio Manager icon in your system tray (you
can also find the icon in Control Panel). Doubleclick the icon to open the Audio Control Panel.
STEP 2:
In the Audio Control Panel, click the Audio I/O
tab. In the upper left list, click 4CH Speaker.
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 78 -
Page 79
STEP 3:
After plugging in 4-channel speakers to the rear
speaker jacks, a small window will pop up and
ask you what type of equipment is connected.
Choose a device depending on the type of speaker
connected (4-channel audio consists of Front
Speaker Out (Line Out) and Rear Speaker Out) and
then click OK. The 4-channel audio setup is
completed.
6 Channel Audio Setup
STEP 1 :
After installation of the audio driver, you should find
an Audio Manager icon in your system tray (you
can also find the icon in Control Panel). Doubleclick the icon to open the Audio Control Panel.
STEP 2:
In the Audio Control Panel, click the Audio I/O
tab. In the upper left list, click 6CH Speaker.
English
STEP 3:
After plugging in 6-channel speakers to the rear
speaker jacks, a small window will pop up and
ask you what type of equipment is connected.
Choose a device depending on the type of speaker
connected (6-channel audio consists of Front
Speaker Out (Line Out), Rear Speaker Out, and
Center/Subwoofer Speaker Out) then click OK.
The 6-channel audio setup is completed.
Appendix- 79 -
Page 80
English
8 Channel Audio Setup
STEP 1 :
After installation of the audio driver, you should find
an Audio Manager icon in your system tray (you
can also find the icon in Control Panel). Doubleclick the icon to open the Audio Control Panel.
STEP 2:
In the Audio Control Panel, click the Audio I/O
tab. In the upper left list, click 8CH Speaker.
STEP 3:
After plugging in 8-channel speakers to the rear
speaker jacks, a small window will pop up and
ask you what type of equipment is connected.
Choose a device depending on the type of speaker
connected (8-channel audio consists of Front
Speaker Out (Line Out), Rear Speaker Out, Center/Subwoofer Speaker Out, and Side Speaker Out)
then click OK. The 8-channel audio setup is
completed.
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 80 -
Page 81
Sound Effect Configuration:
At the Sound Effect menu, users can adjust sound
option settings as desired.
AC'97 Audio Configuration:
To enable the front panel audio connector to support AC97 Audio mode, go to the Audio Control
Panel and click the Audio I/O tab. In the ANA-
LOG area, click the Tool icon and then select the
Disable front panel jack detection check box.
This action completes the AC'97 Audio configuration.
English
Appendix- 81 -
Page 82
English
4-2 Troubleshooting
Below is a collection of general asked questions. To check general asked questions based on a specific
motherboard model, please log on to www.gigabyte.com.tw
Question 1: I cannot see some options that were included in previous BIOS after updating BIOS. Why?
Answer: Some advanced options are hidden in new BIOS version. Please press Ctrl and F1 keys after
entering BIOS menu and you will be able to see these options.
Questions 2: Why is the light of my keyboard/optical mouse still on after computer shuts down?
Answer: In some boards, a small amount of electricity is kept on standby after computer shuts down
and that's why the light is still on.
Question 3: How do I clear CMOS?
Answer: If your board has a Clear CMOS jumper, please refer to the Clear CMOS steps in the manual.
If your board doesn't have such jumper, you can take off the on-board battery to leak voltage to clear
CMOS. Please refer to the steps below:
Steps:
1. Turn off power.
2. Disconnect the power cord from MB.
3. Take out the battery gently and put it aside for about 10 minutes (Or you can use a metal object
to connect the positive and negative pins in the battery holder to makethem short for one
minute).
4. Re-insert the battery to the battery holder.
5. Connect power cord to MB again and turn on power.
6. Press Del to enter BIOS and load Fail-Safe Defaults(or load Optimized Defaults).
7. Save changes and reboot the system.
Question 4: Why do I still get a weak sound after turning up the speaker to the maximum volume?
Answer: Please make sure the speaker you are using is equipped with an internal amplifier. If not,
please change another speaker with power/amplifier and try again later.
Question 5: Sometimes I hear different continuous beeps from computer after system boots up. What do
these beeps usually stand for?
Answer: The beep codes below may help you identify the possible computer problems. However,
they are only for reference purposes. The situations might differ from case to case.
AMI BIOS Beep Codes
*
Computer gives 1 short beep when system boots successfully.
*Except for beep code 8, these codes are always fatal.
1 beep Refresh failure
2 beeps Parity error
3 beeps Base 64K memory failure
4 beeps Timer not operational
5 beeps Processor error
6 beeps 8042 - gate A20 failure
7 beeps Processor exception interrupt error
8 beeps Display memory read/write failure
9 beeps ROM checksum error
10 beeps CMOS shutdown register read/write error
11 beeps Cache memory bad
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 82 -
AWARD BIOS Beep Codes
1 short: System boots successfully
2 short: CMOS setting error
1 long 1 short: DRAM or M/B error
1 long 2 short: Monitor or display card
error
1 long 3 short: Keyboard error
1 long 9 short: BIOS ROM error
Continuous long beeps: DRAM error
Continuous short beeps: Power error
Page 83
English
Appendix- 83 -
Page 84
English
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 84 -
Page 85
English
Appendix- 85 -
Page 86
English
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 86 -
Page 87
Contact Us
English
Taiwan (Headquarters)
GIGA-BYTE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
Address: No.6, Bau Chiang Road, Hsin-Tien, Taipei 231,
Taiwan
TEL: +886-2-8912-4888
FAX: +886-2-8912-4003
Tech. Support :
http://tw.giga-byte.com/TechSupport/ServiceCenter.htm
Non-Tech. Support(Sales/Marketing) :
http://ggts.gigabyte.com.tw/nontech.asp
WEB address (English): http://www.gigabyte.com.tw
WEB address (Chinese): http://chinese.giga-byte.com
U.S.A.
G.B.T. INC.
TEL: +1-626-854-9338
FAX: +1-626-854-9339
Tech. Support :
http://tw.giga-byte.com/TechSupport/ServiceCenter.htm
Non-Tech. Support(Sales/Marketing) :
http://ggts.gigabyte.com.tw/nontech.asp
WEB address : http://www.giga-byte.com
Germany
G.B.T. TECHNOLOGY TRADING GMBH
Tech. Support :
http://tw.giga-byte.com/TechSupport/ServiceCenter.htm
Non-Tech. Support(Sales/Marketing) :
http://ggts.gigabyte.com.tw/nontech.asp
WEB address : http://www.gigabyte.de
Japan
NIPPON GIGA-BYTE CORPORATION
WEB address : http://www.gigabyte.co.jp
Singapore
GIGA-BYTE SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.
Tech. Support :
http://tw.giga-byte.com/TechSupport/ServiceCenter.htm
Non-Tech. Support(Sales/Marketing) :
http://ggts.gigabyte.com.tw/nontech.asp
WEB address: http://www.gigabyte.com.sg
U.K.
G.B.T. TECH. CO., LTD.
Tech. Support :
http://tw.giga-byte.com/TechSupport/ServiceCenter.htm
Non-Tech. Support(Sales/Marketing) :
http://ggts.gigabyte.com.tw/nontech.asp
WEB address : http://uk.giga-byte.com
The Netherlands
GIGA-BYTE TECHNOLOGY B.V.
Tech. Support :
http://tw.giga-byte.com/TechSupport/ServiceCenter.htm
Non-Tech. Support(Sales/Marketing) :
http://ggts.gigabyte.com.tw/nontech.asp
WEB address : http://www.giga-byte.nl
Appendix- 87 -
Page 88
English
China
NINGBO G.B.T. TECH. TRADING CO., LTD.
Tech. Support :
http://tw.giga-byte.com/TechSupport/ServiceCenter.htm
Non-Tech. Support(Sales/Marketing) :
http://ggts.gigabyte.com.tw/nontech.asp
WEB address : http://www.gigabyte.com.cn
Shanghai
TEL: +86-021-63410999
FAX: +86-021-63410100
Beijing
TEL: +86-10-62102838
FAX: +86-10-62102848
Wuhan
TEL: +86-27-87851061
FAX: +86-27-87851330
GuangZhou
TEL: +86-20-87586074
FAX: +86-20-85517843
Chengdu
TEL: +86-28-85236930
FAX: +86-28-85256822
Xian
TEL: +86-29-85531943
FAX: +86-29-85539821
Shenyang
TEL: +86-24-23960918
FAX: +86-24-23960918-809
Australia
GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY PTY. LTD.
Tech. Support :
http://tw.giga-byte.com/TechSupport/ServiceCenter.htm
Non-Tech. Support(Sales/Marketing) :
http://ggts.gigabyte.com.tw/nontech.asp
WEB address : http://www.giga-byte.com.au
France
GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY FRANCE S.A.R.L.
Tech. Support :
http://tw.giga-byte.com/TechSupport/ServiceCenter.htm
Non-Tech. Support(Sales/Marketing) :
http://ggts.gigabyte.com.tw/nontech.asp
WEB address : http://www.gigabyte.fr
Russia
Moscow Representative Office Of GIGA-BYTE Technology Co.,
Ltd.
Tech. Support :
http://tw.giga-byte.com/TechSupport/ServiceCenter.htm
Non-Tech. Support(Sales/Marketing) :
http://ggts.gigabyte.com.tw/nontech.asp
WEB address : http://www.gigabyte.ru
Poland
Office of GIGA-BYTE TECHNOLOGY Co., Ltd. in POLAND
Tech. Support :
http://tw.giga-byte.com/TechSupport/ServiceCenter.htm
Non-Tech. Support(Sales/Marketing) :
http://ggts.gigabyte.com.tw/nontech.asp
WEB address : http://www.gigabyte.pl
Serbia & Montenegro
Representative Office Of GIGA-BYTE Technology Co., Ltd. in
SERBIA & MONTENEGRO
Tech. Support :
http://tw.giga-byte.com/TechSupport/ServiceCenter.htm
Non-Tech. Support(Sales/Marketing) :
http://ggts.gigabyte.com.tw/nontech.asp
WEB address: http://www.gigabyte.co.yu
Czech Republic
Representative Office Of GIGA-BYTE Technology Co., Ltd. in
CZECH REPUBLIC
Tech. Support :
http://tw.giga-byte.com/TechSupport/ServiceCenter.htm
Non-Tech. Support(Sales/Marketing) :
http://ggts.gigabyte.com.tw/nontech.asp
WEB address: http://www.gigabyte.cz
Romania
Representative Office Of GIGA-BYTE Technology Co., Ltd. in
Romania
Tech. Support :
http://tw.giga-byte.com/TechSupport/ServiceCenter.htm
Non-Tech. Support(Sales/Marketing) :
http://ggts.gigabyte.com.tw/nontech.asp
WEB address: http://www.gigabyte.com.ro
GA-8I955X Royal/GA-8I955X Pro Motherboard - 88 -
Loading...