ECS A75F-A User Manual

Preface

This publication, including all photographs, illustrations and software, is protected under international copyright laws, with all rights reserved. Neither this manual, nor any of the material contained herein, may be reproduced without written consent of the author.

Version 2.0

Disclaimer

The information in this document is subject to change without notice. The manufacturer makes no representations or warranties with respect to the contents hereof and specifically disclaims any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose. The manufacturer reserves the right to revise this publication and to make changes from time to time in the content hereof without obligation of the manufacturer to notify any person of such revision or changes.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.

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

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

Shielded interconnect cables and a shielded AC power cable must be employed with this equipment to ensure compliance with the pertinent RF emission limits governing this device. Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the system’s manufacturer could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

Trademark Recognition

Microsoft, MS-DOS and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corp. AMD, Llano, Phenom, Athlon, Sempron and Duron are registered trademarks of

AMD Corporation. Other product names used in this manual are the properties of their respective

owners and are acknowledged.

Preface

Declaration of Conformity

This device complies with part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the following conditions:

• This device may not cause harmful interference.

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

Canadian Department of Communications

This class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interferencecausing Equipment Regulations.

Cet appareil numérique de la classe B respecte toutes les exigences du Réglement sur le matériel brouilieur du Canada.

About the Manual

The manual consists of the following:

Chapter 1 Introducing the Motherboard

Describes features of the motherboard. Go to

page 1

Describes installation of motherboard components.

Go to

page 9

Provides information on using the BIOS Setup Utility.

Go to

page 27

Describes the motherboard software Go to

page 53

Provides information about SATA RAID Setup

Go to

page 61

Chapter 6 Setting Up AMD A75 RAID

Configuration

page 69

Chapter 7 T rouble Shooting

Provides basic troubleshooting tips Go to

Chapter 2 Installing the Motherboard

Chapter 3 Using BIOS

Chapter 4 Using the Motherboard Software

page 57

Chapter 5

Describes the ATI CrossFire

Technol-

ogy

Go to

CrossFire

T echnology [AMD

Dual Graphics] Support

iii

ABLE OF CONTENTSABLE OF CONTENTS

ABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface i

Chapter 1 1

Introducing the Motherboard 1

Introduction............................................................................................1

Feature.....................................................................................................2

Motherboard Components...................................................................6

Chapter 2

Installing the Motherboard 9

Safety Precautions...............................................................................9

Choosing a Computer Case..................................................................9

Installing the Motherboard in a Case.................................................9

Installing Hardware.........................................................................10

Installing the Processor....................................................................10

Installing Memory Modules...........................................................12

Expansion Slots.............................................................................14

Connecting Optional Devices........................................................16

Installing a SATA Har d Drive........................................................20

Connecting I/O Devices......................................................................21

Connecting Case Components...........................................................22

Front Panel Header.......................................................................25

Chapter 3

27 27

Using BIOS 27

About the Setup Utility .................................................................... 27

The Standard Configuration..........................................................27

Entering the Setup Utilities............................................................27

Resetting the Default CMOS Values............................................28

Using BIOS........................................................................................28

BIOS Navigation Key....................................................................29

Main Menu....................................................................................31

Advanced Menu............................................................................32

Chipset Menu................................................................................43

M.I.B III (MB Intelligent BIOS III) Menu.........................................45

Boot Menu......................................................................................47

Security Menu...............................................................................48

Save & Exit Menu..........................................................................49

Updating the BIOS.........................................................................51

Chapter 4

53 53

Using the Motherboard Software 53

About the Software DVD-ROM/CD-ROM.......................................53

Auto-installing under W indows XP/V ista/7.....................................53

Running Setup...............................................................................54

Manual Installation..........................................................................56

Utility Software Reference...............................................................56

Chapter 6

61 61

Setting Up AMD A75 RAID Configuration 61

Setting Up a Bootable RAID Array....................................................61

Chapter 7

69 69

Trouble Shooting 69

Start up problems during assembly .................................................69

Start up problems after prolong use..................................................70

Maintenance and care tips.................................................................70

Basic Troubleshooting Flowchart.....................................................71

Chapter 5

57 57

CrossFireTM [AMD Dual Graphics] T echnology Support 57

CrossFireTM T echnology ..................................................................57

Introducing the Motherboard

Chapter 1

Introducing the Motherboard

Introduction

Thank you for choosing the A75F-A motherboard. This motherboard is a high performance, enhanced function motherboard that supports socket FM1 for AMD

Llano processors for high-end business or personal desktop markets.

There is an advanced full set of I/O ports in the rear panel, including one PS/2 mouse and keyboard combo connector, one HDMI port, one D-sub(VGA) port, one DVI port, four USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, one Giga LAN port, one eSATA 6Gb/s Port, one Clear CMOS Button, one optical SPDIFO port and audio jacks for microphone, line-in and 8-ch line-out.

The motherboard is based on AMD A75 (Hudson D3) express chipset for best desktop platform. A75 is a single-chip, highly integrated, high performance HyperTransport peripheral controller, unmatched by any other single chip-device controller. The memory controller supports DDR3 memory DIMM frequencies of 2400(OC)/

2133 (OC)/1866/1600*1. It supports four DDR3 slots with maximum memory size

of 32 GB. Two PCI Express x16 slots*2, intended for Graphics Interface, are fully compliant to the PCI Express Gen2 (version 2.0). In addition, two PCI Express x1 slots and three PCI slots are supported.

It integrates USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 interface, supporting up to ten USB 2.0 ports(four USB 2.0 ports and three USB 2.0 headers support additional six USB 2.0 ports) and four USB 3.0 ports(two USB 3.0 ports at rear panel and one USB 3.0 header supports two USB 3.0 ports). The gray USB 2.0 header provides EZ charger technology, please refer to chapter 2 parts of Front Panel USB 2.0 headers to check the detail information. This motherboard integrates a Serial ATA host controller, supporting five SATA ports with maximum transfer rate up to 6Gb/s each.

*1. Due to the limitation of AMD CPU spec, please refer to Memory QVL for more information.

*2. The 2nd one(PCIEx16_S) runs at x4.

Audio

• 7.1+2 Channel High Definition Audio Codec

• Meets Microsoft WLP3.x (Windows Logo Program) audio requirements

• All DACs supports 44.1k/48k/96k/192kHz sample rate

• Software selectable 2.5V/3.2V/4.0V VREFOUT

• Direct Sound 3D. compatible

• Power Support: Digital: 3.3V; Analog: 5.0V

Feature

Processor

• Accommodates AMD Llano processors

• Supports CPU up to 100W TDP

This motherboard uses a socket FM1 that carries the following features:

The AMD A75 (Hudson D3) chipset is based on an innovative and scalable architecture with proven reliability and performance.

Chipset

Memory

• Supports 2400(OC)/2133 (OC)/1866/1600 DDR3 SDRAM with Dualchannel architecture

• Accommodates four unbuffered DIMMs

• Up to 8 GB per DIMM with maximum memory size up to 32 GB

Introducing the Motherboard

• Supports two PCI-Express x16 Gen2 slots(the 2nd one runs at x4)

• Supports two PCI Express x1 slots

• Compliant with PCI 2.3 specification at 33 MHz

• Supports five Serial ATA devices which speeds up to 6 Gb/s and one eSATA at rear panel

• Integrated USB 3.0 Host Controller supporting up to four USB 3.0 ports

• Integrated USB 2.0 Host Controller supporting up to ten USB 2.0 ports

• Supports integrated RAID 0,1 and RAID 10 functionality across all 6 ports (RAID 10 requires use of 4 or more SATA ports)

• Supports ACPI states S3, S4 and S5

Onboard LAN

The onboard LAN provides the following features:

• Supports PCI ExpressTM 2.0

• Integrated 10/100/1000 transceiver

• Wake-on-LAN and remote wake-up support

Expansion Options

• Two PCI Express x16 slots for Graphics Interface(the 2nd one runs at x4)

• Two PCI Express x1 slots

• Three 32-bit PCI v2.3 compliant slots

• Five 7-pin SATA connectors

Integrated I/O

The motherboard has a full set of I/O ports and connectors:

• One PS/2 keyboard and mouse combo connector

• Four USB 2.0 ports

• One VGA port

• One DVI port

• One HDMI port

• Two USB 3.0 blue ports

• One RJ45 LAN port

• One eSATA port

• One Clear CMOS Button

• One optical SPDIFO port and audio jacks for microphone, line-in and

8-ch line-out

BIOS Firmware

• Power management

• Wake-up alarms

• CPU parameters

• CPU and memory timing

The firmware can also be used to set parameters for different processor clock speeds.

The motherboard uses AMI BIOS that enables users to configure many system features including the following:

1. Some hardware specifications and software items are subject to change

without prior notice.

2. Due to chipset limitation, we recommend that motherboard be operated in

the ambiance between 0 and 50°C.

The motherboard comes with the following expansion options:

Introducing the Motherboard

• AMD A75 (Hudson D3)

• FM1 for AMD Llano processors

• Supports CPU up to 100W TDP

• Dual-channel DDR3 memory architecture

• 4 x 240-pin DDR3 DIMM sockets support up to 32 GB

• Supports 2400(OC)/2133 (OC)/1866/1600 DDR3 SDRAM

• 2 x PCI Express Gen2 x16 slots(the 2nd one runs at x4)

• 2 x PCI Express x1 slots

• 3 x PCI slots

• Supported by AMD A75 (Hudson D3)

-5 x Serial ATA 6.0 Gb/s Host Controllers

-1 x eSATA 6.0Gb/s devices

• ALC892 8-Ch High Definition audio CODEC

• Compliant with HD audio specification

• Realtek 81 11E VL-CG Gigabit Lan

• 1 x D-sub (VGA) port

• 1 x HDMI port

• 1 x PS/2 keyboard and mouse combo connector

• 4 x USB 2.0 ports

• 2 x USB 3.0 blue ports

• 1 x RJ45 LAN port

• 1 x DVI Port

• 1 x eSATA Port

• 1 x Clear CMOS Button

• 1 x optical SPDIFO port and audio jacks for microphone, linein and 8-ch line-out

• 1 x 24-pin ATX Power Supply connector

• 1 x 8-pin ATX Power Supply connector

• 1 x 4-pin CPU_FAN connector

• 1 x 3-pin SYS_FAN connector

• 1 x 3-pin PWR_FAN connector

• 3 x USB 2.0 headers support additional 6 USB 2.0 ports (F_USB1 supports EZ charger)

• 1 x USB 3.0 header support additional 2 USB 3.0 ports

• 5 x Serial ATA 6Gb/s connectors

• 1 x COM header

• 1 x LPT header

• 1 x Front panel audio header

• 1 x Speaker header

• 1 x Front panel switch/LED header

• 1 x SPDIF out header

Chipset Memory

Expansion Slots

Storage

Audio

LAN Rear Panel I/O

Internal I/O Connectors & Headers

CPU

Specifications

Introducing the Motherboard

• AMI BIOS with 32Mb SPI Flash ROM

• Supports Multi-language BIOS Utility

• Supports ECS M.I.B III Utility

System BIOS

Form Factor • A TX Size, 305mm x 220mm

• Support eBLU

• Support eDLU

• Support eSF

• Support EZ Charger

• Support UEFI BIOS GUI

• Support eOC

AP Support

Introducing the Motherboard

Motherboard Components

Introducing the Motherboard

Table of Motherboard Components

This concludes Chapter 1. The next chapter explains how to install the motherboard.

LABE

COMPONENTS

1. CPU Socket Socket FM1 for AMD Llano processors

2. CPU_FAN CPU cooling fan connector

3. DDR3_1~4 240-pin DDR3 SDRAM slots

4. ATX_POWER Standard 24-pin ATX power connector

5. SYS_FAN System cooling fan connector

6. PWR_FAN Power cooling fan connector

7. SATA1~5 Serial ATA 6.0 Gb/s connectors

8. F_USB1

Front panel USB 2.0 header（with EZ Charge function）

9. F_USB2~3 Front panel USB 2.0 headers

10. USB3F Front panel USB 3.0 header

11. F_PANEL Front panel switch/LED header

12. LPT Onboard parallel port header

13. SPK Speaker header

14. SPDIFO SPDIF out header

15. COM Onboard serial port header

16. PCI1~3 32-bit add-on card slots

17. PCIEX16_S PCI Express x 4 slot

18. PCIE1~2 PCI Express x1 slots

19. PCIEX16 PCI Express slot for graphics interface

20. F_AUDIO Front panel audio header

21. ATX12V 8-pin +12V power connector

Introducing the Motherboard

Memo

Installing the Motherboard

Chapter 2

Installing the Motherboard

Safety Precautions

• Follow these safety precautions when installing the motherboard

• Wear a grounding strap attached to a grounded device to avoid damage from static electricity

• Discharge static electricity by touching the metal case of a safely grounded object before working on the motherboard

• Leave components in the static-proof bags they came in

• Hold all circuit boards by the edges. Do not bend circuit boards

Choosing a Computer Case

There are many types of computer cases on the market. The motherboard complies with the specifications for the ATX system case. Some features on the motherboard are implemented by cabling connectors on the motherboard to indicators and switches on the system case. Make sure that your case supports all the features required. Make sure that your case has sufficient power and space for all drives that you intend to install.

Most cases have a choice of I/O templates in the rear panel. Make sure that the I/O template in the case matches the I/O ports installed on the rear edge of the motherboard.

This motherboard carries an ATX form factor of 305 X 220 mm. Choose a case that accommodates this form factor.

Installing the Motherboard in a Case

Refer to the following illustration and instructions for installing the motherboard in a case.

Most system cases have mounting brackets installed in the case, which correspond the holes in the motherboard. Place the motherboard over the mounting brackets and secure the motherboard onto the mounting brackets with screws.

Ensure that your case has an I/O template that supports the I/O ports and expansion slots on your motherboard.

Installing the Motherboard

Installing Hardware

Installing the Processor

Caution: When installing a CPU heatsink and cooling fan make sure that you DO NOT scratch the motherboard or any of the surface-mount resistors with the clip of the cooling fan. If the clip of the cooling fan scrapes across the motherboard, you may cause serious damage to the motherboard or its components.

On most motherboards, there are small surface-mount resistors near the processor socket, which may be damaged if the cooling fan is carelessly installed.

Avoid using cooling fans with sharp edges on the fan casing and the clips. Also, install the cooling fan in a well-lit work area so that you can clearly see the motherboard and processor socket.

Do not over-tighten the screws as this can stress the motherboard.

Installing the Motherboard

This motherboard has a socket FM1 processor socket. When choosing a processor, consider the performance requirements of the system. Performance is based on the processor design, the clock speed and system bus frequency of the processor, and the quantity of internal cache memory and external cache memory.

Before installing the Processor

This motherboard automatically determines the CPU clock frequency and system bus frequency for the processor. You may be able to change these settings by making changes to jumpers on the motherboard, or changing the settings in the system Setup Utility. We strongly recommend that you do not over-clock processors or other components to run faster than their rated speed.

Warning:

1. Over-clocking components can adversely affect the reliability of the system and introduce errors into your system. Over-clocking can permanently damage the motherboard by generating excess heat in components that are run beyond the rated limits.

2. Always remove the AC power by unplugging the power cord from the power outlet before installing or removing the motherboard or other hardware components.

Installing the Motherboard

1 Install your CPU. Pull up the lever away from

the socket and lift up to 90-degree angle.

2 Locate the CPU cut edge (the corner with

the pin hold noticeably missing). Align and insert the CPU correctly.

3 Press the lever down and apply thermal

grease on top of the CPU.

4 Put the CPU Fan down on the retention mod-

ule and snap the four retention legs of the cooling fan into place.

5 Flip the levers over to lock the heat sink in

place and connect the CPU cooling Fan power cable to the CPU FAN connector. This completes the installation.

CPU Installation Procedure

The following illustration shows CPU installation components.

To achieve better airflow rates and heat dissipation, we suggest that you use a high quality fan with 4800 rpm at least. CPU fan and heatsink installation procedures may vary with the type of CPU fan/heatsink supplied. The form and size of fan/heatsink may also vary.

Installing Memory Modules

This motherboard accommodates four memory modules. It can support four 240-pin DDR3 2400(OC)/2133 (OC)/1866/1600. The total memory capacity is 32 GB.

DDR3 SDRAM memory module table

Do not remove any memory module from its antistatic packaging until you are ready to install it on the motherboard. Handle the modules only by their edges. Do not touch the components or metal parts. Always wear a grounding strap when you handle the modules.

You must install at least one module in any of the four slots. Each module can be installed with 8 GB of memory.

Memory module Memory Bus

DDR3 1600 800 MHz

1. Due to the limitation of AMD CPU spec, please refer to Memory QVL for more information.

DDR3 1866 933 MHz

DDR3 2133 1067 MHz

* For reference only

DDR3 2400 1200 MHz

Installing the Motherboard

Installation Procedure

Refer to the following to install the memory modules.

1 This motherboard supports unbuffered DDR3 SDRAM only. 2 Push the latches on each side of the DIMM slot down. 3 Align the memory module with the slot. The DIMM slots are keyed with

notches and the DIMMs are keyed with cutouts so that they can only be installed correctly.

4 Check that the cutouts on the DIMM module edge connector match the

notches in the DIMM slot.

5 Install the DIMM module into the slot and press it firmly down until it

seats correctly. The slot latches are levered upwards and latch on to the edges of the DIMM.

6 Install any remaining DIMM modules.

For best performance and compatibility, we recommend that users install DIMMs in the sequence of DIMM3, DIMM1, DIMM4 and DIMM2.

* For reference only

Installing the Motherboard

Expansion Slots

Installing Add-on Cards

The slots on this motherboard are designed to hold expansion cards and connect them to the system bus. Expansion slots are a means of adding or enhancing the motherboard’s features and capabilities. With these efficient facilities, you can increase the motherboard’s capabilities by adding hardware that performs tasks that are not part of the basic system.

PCIEX16_S Slot

PCI1~3 Slots

This motherboard are equipped with three standard PCI slots. PCI stands for Peripheral Component Interconnect and is a bus standard for expansion cards, which for the most part, is a supplement of the older ISA bus standard. The PCI slots on this board are PCI v2.3 compliant.

The PCI Express x1 slots are fully compliant to the PCI Express Gen2 (version 2.0).

PCIE1~2 Slots

Before installing an add-on card, check the documentation for the card carefully. If the card is not Plug and Play, you may have to manually configure the card before installation.

The PCI Express x4 slot is fully compliant to the PCI Express Base Specification revision 2.0.

The PCI Express x16 slot is used to install external PCI Express graphics cards that are fully compliant to the PCI Express Gen2 (version 2.0).

PCIEX16 Slot

Installing the Motherboard

Follow these instructions to install an add-on card:

1 Remove a blanking plate from the system case corresponding to the

slot you are going to use.

2 Install the edge connector of the add-on card into the expansion slot.

Ensure that the edge connector is correctly seated in the slot.

3 Secure the metal bracket of the card to the system case with a screw.

* For reference only

Installing the Motherboard

SPDIFO: SPDIF out header

This is an optional header that provides an S/PDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interface) output to digital multimedia device through optical fiber or coaxial connector.

Connecting Optional Devices

Refer to the following for information on connecting the motherboard’s optional devices:

SA T A1~5: Serial A T A connectors

These connectors are used to support the new Serial ATA devices for the highest data transfer rates (6.0 Gb/s), simpler disk drive cabling and easier PC assembly. It eliminates limitations of the current Parallel ATA interface. But maintains register compatibility and software compatibility with Parallel ATA.

1 Ground 2 TX+

3 TX- 4 Ground

5 RX- 6 RX+

7 Ground - -

Pin Signal Name

2 +5VA 5V analog Power

3 Key No pin

4 GND Ground

Pin Signal Name Function

1 SPDIF SPDIF digital output

Installing the Motherboard

F_AUDIO: Front Panel Audio header

This header allows the user to install auxiliary front-oriented microphone and lineout ports for easier access.

F_USB1~3: Front Panel USB 2.0 headers

The motherboard has six USB ports installed on the rear edge I/O port array. Additionally, some computer cases have USB ports at the front of the case. If you have this kind of case, use auxiliary USB connector to connect the front-mounted ports to the motherboard.

Please make sure that the USB cable has the same pin assignment as indicated above. A different pin assignment may cause damage or system hang-up.

1 USBPWR Front Panel USB Power 2 USBPWR Front Panel USB Power

3 USB_FP_P0- USB Port 0 Negative Signal

4 USB_FP_P1- USB Port 1 Negative Signal 5 USB_FP_P0+ USB Port 0 Positive Signal

6 USB_FP_P1+ USB Port 1 Positive Signal 7 GND Ground

8 GND Ground

9 Key No pin

10 USB_FP_OC0 Overcurrent signal

Function

Pin Signal Name

Pin Signal Name Function

1 PORT 1L 2 AUD_GND

3 PORT 1R 4 PRESENCE# 5 PORT 2R 6 SENSE1_RETURN 7 SENSE_SEND 8 K EY

Pin Signal Name

9 PORT 2L 10 SENSE2_RETURN

Pin Signal Name

Unlike F_USB2~3 in this mainboard, F_USB1 supports EZ Charger technology (optional), provides 1A current than general USB port in off mode for USB devices. It is useful and excellent, especially for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices that need a large amount of current for faster recharging within less time.

Installing the Motherboard

1 Vbus Front Panel USB Power

2 IntA_P1_SSRX- USB3 ICC Port1 SuperSpeed Rx-

3 IntA_P2_SSRX+ USB3 ICC Port1 SuperSpeed Rx+

4 GND GND

5 IntA_P1_SSTX- USB3 ICC Port1 SuperSpeed Tx- 6 IntA_P1_SSTX+ USB3 ICC Port1 SuperSpeed Tx+

7 GND GND 8 IntA_P1_D- USB3 ICC Port1 D-

9 IntA_P1_D+ USB3 ICC Port1 D+

10 ID USBOC- Over Current Protection

Pin Signal Name Function

USB3F: Front Panel USB 3.0 header

This Motherboard implements one USB 3.0 header supporting 2 extra front USB 3.0 ports, which delivers 5Gb/s transfer rate.

11 IntA_P2_D+ USB3 ICC Port2 D+

12 IntA_P2_D- USB3 ICC Port2 D- 13 GND GND

Please make sure that the USB cable has the same pin assignment as indicated above. A different pin assignment may cause damage or system hang-up.

15 IntA_P2_SSTX- USB3 ICC Port2 SuperSpeed Tx- 16 GND GND

17 IntA_P2_SSRX+ USB3 ICC Port2 SuperSpeed Rx+

18 IntA_P2_SSRX- USB3 ICC Port2 SuperSpeed Rx-

19 Vbus Front Panel USB Power

14 IntA_P2_SSTX+ USB3 ICC Port2 SuperSpeed Tx+

COM: Onboard serial port header

Connect a serial port extension bracket to this header to add a second serial port to your system.

1 DCDB Data Carrier Detect 2 SINB Serial Input 3 SOUTB UART B Serial Output

4 DTRB UART B Data Terminal Ready 5 GND Ground 6 DSRB Data Set Ready

7 RTSB RART B Request to Send 8 CTSB Clear to Send

9 RI Ring Indicator

10 Key No pin

Pin Signal Name Function

Installing the Motherboard

1 STB 14 AFD 2 PD0 15 ERR 3 PD1 16 PRNINIT

4 PD2 17 SUN

Pin Signal Name

5 PD3 18 GND

6 PD4 19 GND1

7 PD5 20 GND2 8 PD6 21 GND3

9 PD7 22 GND4

10 ACK 23 GND5

11 BUSY 24 GND6

12 PE 25 GND7

13 SLCT 26 NC

LPT : Onboard parallel port header

This is a header that can be used to connect to the printer, scanner or other devices.

Installing the Motherboard

About SA T A Connectors

Your motherboard features five SATA connectors supporting a total of five drives. SATA refers to Serial ATA (Advanced Technology Attachment) is the standard interface for the IDE hard drives which are currently used in most PCs. These connectors are well designed and will only fit in one orientation. Locate the SATA connectors on the motherboard and follow the illustration below to install the SATA hard drives.

Installing Serial A T A Hard Drives

To install the Serial ATA (SATA) hard drives, use the SATA cable that supports the Serial ATA protocol. This SATA cable comes with an SATA power cable. You can connect either end of the SATA cable to the SATA hard drive or the connector on the motherboard.

SATA cable (optional)

SATA power cable (optional)

Installing a SA T A Hard Drive

This section describes how to install a SATA hard drive.

Refer to the illustration below for proper installation:

This motherboard supports the “Hot-Plug” function.

1 Attach either cable end to the connector on the motherboard. 2 Attach the other cable end to the SATA hard drive. 3 Attach the SATA power cable to the SATA hard drive and connect the

other end to the power supply.

* For reference only

Installing the Motherboard

Connecting I/O Devices

The backplane of the motherboard has the following I/O ports:

USB 3.0 Ports Use the USB 3.0 ports to connect USB3.0 devices.

Connect an RJ-45 jack to the LAN port to connect your computer to the network.

eSATA Port

Use this port to connect to external SATA boxor Serial ATA port multiplier.

Before connecting the eSATA cables, make sure to turn off the power of the external enclosure.

PS/2 mouse and keyboard combo connector

CLR_COMS_BTN Use the CLR_CMOS button to clear CMOS.

Audio Ports Use the audio jacks to connect audio devices. The C port is

for stereo line-in signal, while the E port is for microphone in signal. This motherboard supports audio devices that correspond to the A, B and D port respectively. In addition, all of the 3 ports, B, and D provide users with both right & left channels individually. Users please refer to the following note for specific port function definition.

This jack connects to external optical digital audio output devices.

Optical SPDIF Output

The above port definition can be changed to audio input or audio output by changing the driver utility setting.

A: Center & Woofer D: Front Out B: Back Surround E: Mic_in Rear C: Line-in -

Connect the PS/2 Keyboard or PS/2 Mouse to the PS/2 combo port.

USB 2.0 Ports Use the USB 2.0 ports to connect USB 2.0 devices.

VGA Port

DVI Port

Connect your monitor to the VGA port.

Use the DVI port to connect the monitor.

HDMI Port Connect the HDMI port to the HDMI devices.

LAN Port

Installing the Motherboard

Connecting Case Components

After you have installed the motherboard into a case, you can begin connecting the motherboard components. Refer to the following:

1 Connect the CPU cooling fan cable to CPU_FAN. 2 Connect the standard power supply connector to ATX_POWER. 3 Connect the case switches and indicator LEDs to the PANEL. 4 Connect the system cooling fan connector to SYS_FAN. 5 Connect the auxiliary case power supply connector to ATX12V. 6 Connect the power cooling fan connector to PWR_FAN. 7 Connect the case speaker cable to SPK.

Users please note that the 24-pin power cable can be connected to the ATX_POWER connector.

With ATX v2.x power supply, users please note that when installing 24-pin power cable, the latches of power cable and the ATX_POWER match perfectly.

Connecting 24-pin power cable

24-pin power cable

* For reference only

Installing the Motherboard

CPU_F AN: Cooling FAN Power Connector

Users please note that the fan connector supports the CPU cooling fan of 1.1A~2.2A (26.4W max.) at +12V.

1 GND System Ground 2 +12V Power +12V

3 Sense Sensor 4 PWM CPU FAN control

Function

Pin Signal Name

A TX_POWER: A TX 24-pin Power Connector

1 +3.3V 13 +3.3V

2 +3.3V 14 -12V

3 Ground 15 COM

4 +5V 16 PS_ON

5 Ground 17 COM

6 +5V 18 COM 7 Ground 19 COM 8 PWRGD 20 -5V

9 +5VSB 21 +5V

10 +12V 22 +5V 11 +12V 23 +5V

12 +3.3V 24 COM

Pin Signal Name Pin Signal Name

When installing 4-pin power cable, the latch falls on the left side of the

ATX12V connector.

4-pin power cable

Users please note that the 8-pin and 4-pin power cables can both be connected to the ATX12V connector.

When installing 8-pin power cable, the latches of power cable and the ATX12V

connector match perfectly.

Connecting 8/4-pin power cable

8-pin power cable

* For reference only

Installing the Motherboard

SYS_F AN: FAN Power Connector

Pin Signal Name Function

1 GND System Ground 2 +12V Power +12V 3 Sense Sensor

A TX12V : A TX 12V Power Connector

Pin Signal Name

4 Ground

3 Ground

2 Ground

1 Ground

Pin Signal Name

5 +12V

6 +12V

7 +12V

8 +12V

PWR_FAN: F AN Power Connector

Pin Signal Name Function

1 GND System Ground 2 +12V Power +12V 3 Sense Sensor

SPK: Internal speaker

Pin Signal Name

1 VCC 2 Key 3 NC 4 Signal

Installing the Motherboard

Reset Switch

Supporting the reset function requires connecting pin 5 and 7 to a momentarycontact switch that is normally open. When the switch is closed, the board resets and runs POST.

Power Switch

Supporting the power on/off function requires connecting pins 6 and 8 to a momentary-contact switch that is normally open. The switch should maintain contact for at least 50 ms to signal the power supply to switch on or off. The time requirement is due to internal de-bounce circuitry. After receiving a power on/off signal, at least two seconds elapses before the power supply recognizes another on/off signal.

This concludes Chapter 2. The next chapter covers the BIOS.

Front Panel Header

The front panel header (F_PANEL) provides a standard set of switch and LED headers commonly found on ATX or Micro ATX cases. Refer to the table below for information:

Power/Sleep/Message waiting LED

Connecting pins 2 and 4 to a single or dual-color, front panel mounted LED provides power on/off, sleep, and message waiting indication.

Hard Drive Activity LED

Connecting pins 1 and 3 to a front panel mounted LED provides visual indication that data is being read from or written to the hard drive. For the LED to function properly, an IDE drive should be connected to the onboard IDE interface. The LED will also show activity for devices connected to the SCSI (hard drive activity LED) connector.

Pin Signal Function Pin Signal Function

1 HD_LED_P Hard disk LED (+)

2 FP PWR/SLP *MSG LED (+)

3 HD_LED_N Hard disk LED (-)

5 RST_SW_N Reset Switch (-)

7 RST_SW_P Reset Switch (+)

9 RSVD Reserved

4 FP PWR/SLP *MSG LED (-)

6 PWR_SW_P Power Switch (+)

8 PWR_SW_N Power Switch (-)

10 Key No pin

* MSG LED (dual color or single color)

Installing the Motherboard

Memo

Using BIOS

About the Setup Utility

The computer uses the latest “American Megatrends Inc. ” BIOS with support for Windows Plug and Play. The CMOS chip on the motherboard contains the ROM setup instructions for configuring the motherboard BIOS.

The BIOS (Basic Input and Output System) Setup Utility displays the system’s configuration status and provides you with options to set system parameters. The parameters are stored in battery-backed-up CMOS RAM that saves this information when the power is turned off. When the system is turned back on, the system is configured with the values you stored in CMOS.

The BIOS Setup Utility enables you to configure:

• Hard drives, diskette drives and peripherals

• Video display type and display options

• Password protection from unauthorized use

• Power Management features

The settings made in the Setup Utility affect how the computer performs. Before using the Setup Utility, ensure that you understand the Setup Utility options.

This chapter provides explanations for Setup Utility options.

The Standard Configuration

A standard configuration has already been set in the Setup Utility. However, we recommend that you read this chapter in case you need to make any changes in the future.

This Setup Utility should be used:

• when changing the system configuration

• when a configuration error is detected and you are prompted to make changes to the Setup Utility

• when trying to resolve IRQ conflicts

• when making changes to the Power Management configuration

• when changing the password or making other changes to the Security Setup

Entering the Setup Utility

When you power on the system, BIOS enters the Power-On Self Test (POST) routines. POST is a series of built-in diagnostics performed by the BIOS. After the POST routines are completed, the following message appears:

Press DEL to enter SETUP

Chapter 3

Using BIOS

Press the delete key to access BIOS Setup Utility.

Using BIOS

When you start the Setup Utility, the main menu appears. The main menu of the Setup Utility displays a list of the options that are available. A highlight indicates which option is currently selected. Use the cursor arrow keys to move the highlight to other options. When an option is highlighted, execute the option by pressing <Enter>.

Some options lead to pop-up dialog boxes that prompt you to verify that you wish to execute that option. Other options lead to dialog boxes that prompt you for information.

Some options (marked with a icon ) lead to submenus that enable you to change the values for the option. Use the cursor arrow keys to scroll through the items in the submenu.

Resetting the Default CMOS Values

When powering on for the first time, the POST screen may show a “CMOS Settings Wrong” message. This standard message will appear following a clear CMOS data at factory by the manufacturer. You simply need to Load Default Settings to reset the default CMOS values.

Note: Changes to system hardware such as different CPU, memories, etc. may also trigger this message.

Using BIOS

The default BIOS setting for this motherboard apply for most conditions with optimum performance. We do not suggest users change the default values in the BIOS setup and take no responsibility to any damage caused by changing the BIOS settings.

BIOS Navigation Keys

The BIOS navigation keys are listed below:

KEY FUNCTION

Scrolls through the items on a menu

+/- Change Opt.

F2 Previous Value F3 Optimized Defaults

F1 General Help

ESC Exits the current menu



Enter Select

In this manual, default values are enclosed in parenthesis. Submenu items are denoted by a icon .

F4 Save & Exit

1. For the purpose of better product maintenance, the manufacture reserves the right to change the BIOS items presented in this manual. The BIOS setup screens shown in this chapter are for reference only and may differ from the actual BIOS. Please visit the manufacture’s website for updated manual.

Select the language icon and press <Enter> or double click the left key of the mouse to display the following screen. Then you can choose the language which displays in the following screen.

Language

2. In this Gui BIOS, you can operate by mouse or keyboard. Click : select item; Double click: enter; Right click: exit.

Using BIOS

Select the default icon and press <Enter> or double click the left key of the mouse to display the following screen. Then you can load optimized defaults or not.

Default

Select the boot icon and press <Enter> or double click the left key of the mouse to display the following screen. Then you can choose the boot device.

Boot

Using BIOS

Main Menu

Select the advanced icon and press <Enter> or double click the left key of the mouse to display the following screen.

Advanced

Date & Time

The Date and Time items show the current date and time on the computer. If you are running a Windows OS, these items are automatically updated whenever you make changes to the Windows Date and Time Properties utility.

System Language (English)

This item is used to set system language.

This menu shows the information of BIOS and enables you to set the system language, date and time.

Choose the system default language

Main Advanced Chipset M.I.B III Boot Security Exit

+/- : Change Opt.

Enter/Dbl Click : Select





: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

BIOS Information System Language English

System Date Fri 01/04/2008 System Time 17:50:58

Using BIOS

The Advanced menu items allow you to change the settings for the CPU and other system.

Advanced Menu

Launch PXE OpROM (Disabled)

The item enables or disables launch PXE Option ROM.

Choose the system default language

Main Advanced Chipset M.I.B III Boot Security Exit

+/- : Change Opt.

Enter/Dbl Click : Select





: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Legacy OpROM Support

Launch PXE OpROM Disabled

LAN Configuration PC Health Status Power Management Setup ACPI Settings CPU Configuration SAT A Configuration USB Configuration

Super IO Configuration

Using BIOS

Onboard LAN Controller (Enabled)

Use this item to enable or disable the Onboard LAN.

LAN Configuration

The item in the menu shows the LAN-related information that the BIOS automatically detects.

Press <Esc> to return to the Advanced Menu page.

Enable or Disabe Onboard LAN

Main Advanced Chipset M.I.B III Boot Security Exit

+/- : Change Opt.

Enter/Dbl Click : Select





: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

LAN Configuration

Onboard LAN Controller Enabled

Using BIOS

PC Health Status

On motherboards support hardware monitoring, this item lets you monitor the parameters for critical voltages, temperatures and fan speeds.

Scroll to this item and press <Enter> to view the following screen:

Smart Fan Function

This item enables you to define the CPU/system/power temperature by smartly adjusting the CPU/system/power Fan. When it is set at certain temperature, the CPU/system/power Fan PWM value will change accordingly.

CPU/SYS/PWR Smart Fan Control (Enabled)

Main Advanced Chipset M.I.B III Boot Security Exit

+/- : Change Opt.

Enter/Dbl Click : Select





: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Smart Fan Function

CPU Tctl : +128 CPU FAN : 2654 RPM SYS FAN : N/A PWR FAN : N/A CPU Vcore : +1.336 V NB Voltage : +2.464 V DIMM Voltage : +1.544 V

Main Advanced Chipset M.I.B III Boot Security Exit

+/- : Change Opt.

Enter/Dbl Click : Select





: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

CPU Smart Fan Control Enabled

Smart Fan Mode Normal

High Limit Temperature 60 Low Limit Temperature 37 High Limit PWM 200 Low Limit PWM 56

SYS Smart Fan Control Enabled Smart Fan Mode Normal

High Limit Temperature 60 Low Limit Temperature 37 High Limit PWM 200 Low Limit PWM 56

PWR Smart Fan Control Enabled Smart Fan Mode Normal

High Limit Temperature 60 Low Limit Temperature 37 High Limit PWM 200 Low Limit PWM 56

Using BIOS

Smart Fan Mode (Normal)

This item allows you to select the fan mode (Normal, Quiet, Silent, or Manual) for a better operation environment. If you choose Normal mode, the fan speed will be auto adjusted depending on the CPU temperature. If you choose Quite mode, the fan speed will be auto minimized for quiet environment. If you choose Silent mode, the fan speed will be auto restricted to make system more quietly. If you choose Manual mode, the fan speed will be adjust depending on users’ parameters.

• CPU Tctl

• CPU FAN

• SYS FAN

• PWR FAN

• CPU Vcore

• NB Voltage

• DIMM Voltage

System Component Characteristics

These items display the monitoring of the overall inboard hardware health events, such as System & CPU temperature, CPU & DIMM voltage, CPU & system fan speed,... etc.

Press <Esc> to return to the Advanced Menu page.

Press <Esc> to return to the PC Health Status page.

Using BIOS

Power Management Setup

This page sets up some parameters for system power management operation.

Resume By PCI/PCI-E/Lan PME (Disabled)

The system can be turned off with a software command. If you enable this item, the system can automatically resume if there is an incoming call on the PCI Modem or PCI LAN card. You must use an ATX power supply in order to use this feature. Use this item to do wake-up action if inserting the PCI card.

Resume By USB (S3) (Disabled)

This item allows you to enable/disable the USB device wakeup function from S3 mode.

EUP Support (Enabled)

This item allows user to enable or disable EUP support.

Press <Esc> to return to the Advanced Menu page.

Resume By RING (Disabled)

An input signal on the serial Ring Indicator (RI) line (in other words, an incoming call on the modem) awakens the system from a soft off state.

Power LED Type (Dual Color LED)

This item shows the type of the Power LED.

Resume By PS2 MS (S3) (Disabled)

This item enables or disables you to allow PS2 mouse activity to awaken the system from power saving mode.

Resume By PS2 KB (S3) (Disabled)

This item enables or disables you to allow PS2 keyboard activity to awaken the system from power saving mode.

Main Advanced Chipset M.I.B III Boot Security Exit

+/- : Change Opt.

Enter/Dbl Click : Select





: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Power Management Setup

Resume By Ring Disabled

Resume By PCI/PCI-E/Lan PME Disabled Resume By USB (S3) Disabled Resume By PS2 KB (S3) Disabled Resume By PS2 MS (S3) Disabled EUP Function Enabled Power LED Type Dual Color LED

About Resume by Ring

Using BIOS

ACPI Configuration

The item in the menu shows the highest ACPI sleep state when the system enters suspend.

ACPI Sleep State (S3(Suspend to RAM))

This item allows user to enter the ACPI S3 (Suspend to RAM) Sleep State(default).

Press <Esc> to return to the Advanced Menu page.

Main Advanced Chipset M.I.B III Boot Security Exit

+/- : Change Opt.

Enter/Dbl Click : Select





: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

ACPI Setting ACPI Sleep State S3 (Suspend to RAM)

Select the highest ACPI sleep state the system will enter when the Suspend button is pressed.

Using BIOS

CPU Configuration

The item in the menu shows the CPU.

Dual Core Running @ 2400 MHz 1375 mV

This item shows the information of the current CPU Frequency & Voltage.

Max Speed (2400 MHz) Intended Speed (2400 MHz)

This item shows the maximum & intended speed of the CPU.

Microcode Patch Level (300000f)

This item shows the Microcode revision.

L1 Instruction Cache (64KB/2-way)

This item shows CPU L1 Instruction Cache.

L2 Cache (1024KB/2-way)

This item shows CPU L2 Cache.

No L3 Cache Present

This item shows CPU L3 Cache.

L1 Data Cache (64KB/2-way)

This item shows CPU L1 Data Cache.

C6Mode (Disabled)

This item enables or disables the C6 mode.

CPB Mode (Auto)

This item is used to set the CPB mode.

AMD C&Q (Enabled)

This item enables or disables the CPU C&Q Function.

SB Clock Spread Spectrum (Enabled)

This item enables or disables the SB Clock Spread Spectrum.

Press <Esc> to return to the Advanced Menu page.

Main Advanced Chipset M.I.B III Boot Security Exit

+/- : Change Opt.

Enter/Dbl Click : Select





: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Enable/disable C6

CPU Configuration Node0: AMD Engineering Sample Duad Core Running @ 2400 MHz 1375 mV Max Speed: 2400 MHZ Intended Speed: 2400 MHZ Microcode Patch Level: 300000f

--------- Cache per Core --------L1 Instruction Cache: 64 KB/2-way L1 Data Cache: 64KB/2-way L2 Cache: 1024KB/2-way No L3 Cache Present

C6 Mode Disabled

CPB Mode Auto AMD C&Q Enabled SB Spread Spectrum Enabled

Using BIOS

SA T A Configuration

Use this item to show the mode of serial-ATA configuration options.

Serial-ATA Controller (Enabled)

Use this item to select the Serial-ATA controller options: Disabled, Compatible, Enabled.

SATA Port1~5 (Not Present)

This motherboard supports five SATA channels and each channel allows one SATA device to be installed. Use these items to configure each device on the SATA channel, and each channel allows one SATA device to be installed. Use these items to configure each device on the SATA channel.

Press <Esc> to return to the Advanced Menu page.

SATA Mode (IDE)

Use this item to select SATA mode.

Main Advanced Chipset M.I.B III Boot Security Exit

+/- : Change Opt.

Enter/Dbl Click : Select





: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

SAT A Configuration

Serial-ATA Controller Enabled

SATA Mode IDE SATA Port1 Not Present SATA Port2 Not Present SATA Port3 Not Present SATA Port4 Not Present SATA Port5 Not Present eSATA Not Present

eSATA (Not Present)

Use this item to configure eSATA device on the eSATA channel.

(1) IDE Mode. (2) RAID Mode. (3) AHCI Mode.

Using BIOS

Legacy USB Support (Enabled)

Use this item to enable or disable support for legacy USB devices.

Press <Esc> to return to the Advanced Menu page.

All USB Devices (Enabled)

Use this item to enable or disable all USB devices.

USB Configuration

Use this item to show the information of USB configuration.

Main Advanced Chipset M.I.B III Boot Security Exit

+/- : Change Opt.

Enter/Dbl Click : Select





: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

USB Configuration

All USB Devices Enabled

Legacy USB Support Enabled

Using BIOS

Super IO Configuration

Use this item to show the information of Super IO configuration.

Serial Port 0 Configuration

Scroll to this item and press <Enter> to view the following screen:

Serial Port (Enabled)

This item allows you to enable or disable serial port.

Device Settings (IO=3F8h; IRQ=4)

This item shows the information of the device settings.

Change Settings (Auto)

Use this item to change device settings.

Press <Esc> to return to the Super IO Configuration page.

Set Parameters of Serial Port 0 (COMA)

Main Advanced Chipset M.I.B III Boot Security Exit

+/- : Change Opt.

Enter/Dbl Click : Select





: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Super IO Configuration Serial Port 0 Configuration

Parallel Port Configuration

Main Advanced Chipset M.I.B III Boot Security Exit

+/- : Change Opt.

Enter/Dbl Click : Select





: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Serial Port 0 Configuration

Serial Port Enabled Device Settings IO=3F8h; IRQ=4;

Change Settings Auto

Enabled or Diabled Serial Port (COM)

Using BIOS

Parallel Port Configuration

Scroll to this item and press <Enter> to view the following screen:

Parallel Port (Enabled)

This item allows you to enable or disable parallel port.

Device Settings (IO=378h; IRQ=5;)

This item shows the information of the device settings.

Change Settings (Auto)

Use this item to change device settings.

Device Mode (Standard and Bi-dir ...)

This item shows the information of the device mode.

Press <Esc> to return to the Super IO Configuration page.

Press <Esc> to return to the Advanced Menu page.

Main Advanced Chipset M.I.B III Boot Security Exit

+/- : Change Opt.

Enter/Dbl Click : Select





: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Enable or Disable Parallel Port (LPT/LPTE)

Parallel Port Configuration Parallel Port Enabled

Devic e Se tti ngs IO=378h; IRQ=5;

Change Settings Auto Device Mode Standard and Bi-dir...

Using BIOS

North Bridge

Scroll to this item and press <Enter> and view the following screen:

IGD Memory (Auto)

This item shows the information of the IGD(Internal Graphics device) memory.

The chipset menu items allow you to change the settings for the North Bridge chipset, South Bridge chipset and other system.

Chipset Menu

Press <Esc> to return to the chipset menu page.

North Bridge Parameters

Main Advanced Chipset M.I.B III Boot Security Exit

+/- : Change Opt.

Enter/Dbl Click : Select





: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

North Bridge

South Bridge

Main Advanced Chipset M.I.B III Boot Security Exit

+/- : Change Opt.

Enter/Dbl Click : Select





: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

IGD Share Memory Size

North Chipset Configuration

IGD Memory Auto

CrossFire Disable Initate Graphic Adapter PCI Express

CrossFire (Disable)

This item allows you to enable or disable crossfire function.

Initate Graphic Adapter (PCI Express)

This item allows you to select graphics controller to use as the primary boot device.

Using BIOS

South Bridge

Scroll to this item and press <Enter> to view the following screen.

Restore AC Power Loss (Power Off)

This item specifies what state to go to when power is re-applied after a power failure (G3 state).

Azalia HD Audio (Enabled)

This item enables or disables Azalia HD audio.

Press <Esc> to return to the chipset menu page.

Azalia Internal HDMI codec (Enabled)

This item enables or disables Azalia Internal HDMI codec.

Main Advanced Chipset M.I.B III Boot Security Exit

+/- : Change Opt.

Enter/Dbl Click : Select





: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Enabled/Disabled Azalia HD Audio

SB Chipset Configuration

Azalia HD Audio Enabled

Azalia Internal HDMI codec Enabled Restore AC Power Loss Power Off

Using BIOS

This page enables you to set the clock speed and system bus for your system. The clock speed and system bus are determined by the kind of processor you have installed in your system.

M.I.B III (MB Intelligent BIOS III) Menu

Memory Clock (Auto)

This item is used to set the memory clock.

Memory Mode (Auto)

This item is used to set the memory Mode.

RAS# to CAS# Delay(tRCD) (N/A)

This item specifies the RAS# to CAS# delay to Rd/Wr command to the same bank.

RAS# Active Time(tRAS) (N/A)

This item specifies the RAS# active time.

Row Precharge Time(tRP) (N/A)

This item specifies Row precharge to Active or Auto-Refresh of the same bank.

CAS#Latency(tcl) (N/A)

This item determines the operation of DDR SDRAM memory CAS(colulmn address strobe). It is recommanded that you leave this item at the default value. The 2T setting requires faster memory that specifically supports this mode.

Main Advanced Chipset M.I.B III Boot Security Exit

+/- : Change Opt.

Enter/Dbl Click : Select





: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

F1: General Help F2: Previous Values

This Option Allows User to select different Memory Clock. Default value is 400Mhz.

F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Memory Clock Auto

Memory Mode Auto

CAS# Latency (tCL) N/A RAS# to CAS# Delay (tRCD) N/A Row Precharge Time (tRP) N/A RAS# Active Time (tRAS) N/A

CPU Over-clocking Func. Disabled Spread Spectrum Disabled CPU Voltage Default VDIMM Voltage Default NB Voltage Default

CPU Over-clocking Func. (Enabled)

This item decides the CPU over-clocking function installed in your system. If the over-clocking fails, please turn off the system power. And then, hold the PageUp key (similar to the Clear CMOS function) and turn on the power, the BIOS will

recover the safe default.

Spread Spectrum (Disabled)

If you enable spread spectrum, it can significantly reduce the EMI (Electro-Magnetic Interference) generated by the system.

CPU Voltage (Default)

This item allows users to adjust the CPU voltage.

Using BIOS

VDIMM Voltage (Default)

This item allows users to adjust the VDIMM voltage.

NB Voltage (Default)

This item allows users to adjust the North Bridge voltage.

Using BIOS

This page enables you to set the keyboard NumLock state.

Boot Menu

Boot Configuration

This item shows the information of the Boot Configuration.

Bootup NumLock State (On)

This item enables you to select NumLock state.

Boot Option Priorities

This item enables you to set boot option priorities.

Boot Option #1 (UEFI: Sony Storage...)

These items set the system boot order.

Boot Option #2 (Sony Storage Media...)

These items set the system boot order.

Main Advanced Chipset M.I.B III Boot Security Exit

+/- : Change Opt.

Enter/Dbl Click : Select





: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

F1: General Help F2: Previous Values

Select the keyboard NumLock state

F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Boot Configuration Bootup NumLock State On Boot Option Priorities

Boot Option #1 UEFI: Sony Storage... Boot Option #2 Sony Storage Media...

USB Device BBS Priorities

This item allows you to select USB Device BBS priorities.

Using BIOS

This page enables you to set setup administrator password and user password.

Security Menu

Administrator Password

Press <Enter> to setup administrator password.

Main Advanced Chipset M.I.B III Boot Security Exit

+/- : Change Opt.

Enter/Dbl Click : Select





: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

F1: General Help F2: Previous Values

Set Setup Administrator Password

F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Administrator Password

Using BIOS

Save Options

This item enables you to save the options that you have made.

Save Changes

This item enables you to save the changes that you have made.

Discard Changes

This item enables you to discard any changes that you have made.

Restore Defaults

This item enables you to restore the system defaults.

Save as User Defaults

This item enables you to save the changes that you have made as user defaults.

Restore User Defaults

This item enables you to restore user defaults to all the setup options.

Save Changes and Exit

This item enables you to exit system setup after saving the changes.

Discard Changes and Exit

This item enables you to exit system setup without saving any changes.

Save Changes and Reset

This item enables you to reset the system setup after saving the changes.

Discard Changes and Reset

This item enables you to reset system setup without saving any changes.

This page enables you to exit system setup after saving or without saving the changes.

Save & Exit Menu

Main Advanced Chipset M.I.B III Boot Security Exit

+/- : Change Opt.

Enter/Dbl Click : Select





: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

F1: General Help F2: Previous Values

Restore/Load Default values for all the setup options.

F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Back to EZ Mode Save Changes and Exit

Discard Changes and Exit Save Changes and Reset Discard Changes and Reset

Save Options

Save Changes Discard Changes

Restore Defaults

Save as User Defaults Restore User Defaults

Boot Override

SA TA: Sony Storage Media 1.00 Sony Storage Media 1.00

Back to EZ Mode

This item enables you to back to EZ mode.

Using BIOS

Boot Override

Use this item enables you to set the device order.

Main Advanced Chipset M.I.B III Boot Security Exit

+/- : Change Opt.

Enter/Dbl Click : Select





: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

F1: General Help F2: Previous Values

Restore/Load Default values for all the setup options.

F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Back to EZ Mode Save Changes and Exit

Discard Changes and Exit Save Changes and Reset Discard Changes and Reset

Save Options

Save Changes Discard Changes

Restore Defaults

Save as User Defaults Restore User Defaults

Boot Override

SA TA: Sony Storage Media 1.00 Sony Storage Media 1.00

Load Optimized Defaults

Y es No

Load Optimized Defaults?

Main Advanced Chipset M.I.B III Boot Security Exit

+/- : Change Opt.

Enter/Dbl Click : Select





: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

F1: General Help F2: Previous Values

Restore/Load Default values for all the setup options.

F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Back to EZ Mode Save Changes and Exit

Discard Changes and Exit Save Changes and Reset Discard Changes and Reset

Save Options

Save Changes Discard Changes

Restore Defaults

Save as User Defaults Restore User Defaults

Boot Override

SA TA: Sony Storage Media 1.00 Sony Storage Media 1.00

Save & Exit Setup

Y es No

Save configuratin and exit?

Using BIOS

Updating the BIOS

You can download and install updated BIOS for this motherboard from the manufacturer’s Website. New BIOS provides support for new peripherals, improvements in performance, or fixes for known bugs. Install new BIOS as follows:

This concludes Chapter 3. Refer to the next chapter for information on the software supplied with the motherboard.

1 If your motherboard has a BIOS protection jumper, change the setting to

allow BIOS flashing.

2 If your motherboard has an item called Firmware Write Protect in Ad-

vanced BIOS features, disable it. (Firmware Write Protect prevents BIOS from being overwritten.)

3 Prepare a bootable device or create a bootable system disk. (Refer to

Windows online help for information on creating a bootable system disk.)

4 Download the Flash Utility and new BIOS file from the manufacturer’s

Web site. Copy these files to the bootable device.

5 Turn off your computer and insert the bootable device in your com-

puter. (You might need to run the Setup Utility and change the boot priority items on the Advanced BIOS Features Setup page, to force your computer to boot from the bootable device first.)

6 At the C:\ or A:\ prompt, type the Flash Utility program name and the file

name of the new BIOS and then press <Enter>. Example: AFUDOS.EXE

040706.ROM

7 When the installation is complete, remove the bootable device from the

computer and restart your computer. If your motherboard has a Flash BIOS jumper, reset the jumper to protect the newly installed BIOS from being overwritten. The computer will restart automatically.

Using BIOS

Memo

Using the Motherboard Software

Chapter 4

Using the Motherboard Software

Auto-installing under W indows XP/Vista/7

The Auto-install DVD-ROM/CD-ROM makes it easy for you to install the drivers and software for your motherboard.

If the Auto-install DVD-ROM/CD-ROM does not work on your system, you can still install drivers through the file manager for your OS (for example, Windows Explorer). Refer to the Utility Folder Installation Notes later in this chapter.

The support software DVD-ROM/CD-ROM disc loads automatically under Windows XP/Vista/7. When you insert the DVD-ROM/CD-ROM disc in the DVD-ROM/CDROM drive, the autorun feature will automatically bring up the install screen. The screen has four buttons on it, Setup, Utilities, Browse CD and Exit.

If the opening screen does not appear; double-click the file “setup.exe” in the root directory.

About the Software DVD-ROM/CD-ROM

The support software DVD-ROM/CD-ROM that is included in the motherboard package contains all the drivers and utility programs needed to properly run the bundled products. Below you can find a brief description of each software program, and the location for your motherboard version. More information on some programs is available in a README file, located in the same directory as the software. Before installing any software, always inspect the folder for files named README.TXT or something similar. These files may contain important information that is not included in this manual.

2. The notice of Intel HD Audio Installation (optional): The Intel High Definition audio functionality unexpectedly quits working in Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 or Windows XP Professional x64 Edition. Users need to download and install the update packages from the Microsoft Download Center “before” installing HD audio driver bundled in the driver disk. Please log on to http://support.microsoft.com/ default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;901105#appliesto for more information.

1. Never try to install all software from folder that is not specified for use with your motherboard.

* For reference only

Using the Motherboard Software

Drivers

Setup

Click the Setup button to run the software installation program. Select from the menu which software you want to install.

Browse CD

The Browse CD button is the standard Windows command that allows you to open Windows Explorer and show the contents of the support disk.

Before installing the software from Windows Explorer, look for a file named README.TXT or something similar. This file may contain important information to help you install the software correctly.

Some software is installed in separate folders for different operating systems.

In installing the software, execute a file named SETUP.EXE by doubleclicking the file and then following the instructions on the screen.

Exit

The EXIT button closes the Auto Setup window.

Utilities

Lists the software utilities that are available on the disk.

Information

Displays the path for all software and drivers available on the disk.

Running Setup

Follow these instructions to install device drivers and software for the motherboard:

1. Click Setup. The installation program begins:

The following screens are examples only. The screens and driver lists will be different according to the motherboard you are installing.

The motherboard identification is located in the upper left-hand corner.

Utilities

Click the Utilities button to display the application software and other software utilities that are available on the disk. Select the sofware you want to install then follow installation procedure.

Using the Motherboard Software

2. Click Next. The following screen appears:

3. Check the box next to the items you want to install. The default options are recom-

mended.

4. Click Next run the Installation Wizard. An item installation screen appears:

5. Follow the instructions on the screen to install the items.

Drivers and software are automatically installed in sequence. Follow the onscreen instructions, confirm commands and allow the computer to restart a few times to complete the installation.

Using the Motherboard Software

Manual Installation

Insert the disk in the DVD-ROM/CD-ROM drive and locate the PATH.DOC file in the root directory. This file contains the information needed to locate the drivers for your motherboard.

Look for the chipset and motherboard model; then browse to the directory and path to begin installing the drivers. Most drivers have a setup program (SETUP.EXE) that automatically detects your operating system before installation. Other drivers have the setup program located in the operating system subfolder.

If the driver you want to install does not have a setup program, browse to the operating system subfolder and locate the readme text file (README.TXT or README.DOC) for information on installing the driver or software for your operating system.

Utility Software Reference

All the utility software available from this page is Windows compliant. They are provided only for the convenience of the customer. The following software is furnished under license and may only be used or copied in accordance with the terms of the license.

These software(s) are subject to change at anytime without prior notice. Please refer to the support disk for available software.

Windows Vista/7 will appear below UAC (User Account Control) message after the system restart. You must select “Allow” to install the next driver.

Continue this process to complete the drivers installation.

CrossFireTM Technology [AMD Dual Graphics] Support

Chapter 5

CrossFireTM Technology (AMD Dual Graphics) Support

CrossFire

Technology

The CrossFireTM technology provides significant display performance boost to AMD-based systems by inserting the external PCI Express graphics card and enabling both the discrete GPU and the AMD A75 graphics core to render simultaneously in Hybrid CrossFireTM mode.

Follow the steps below to start the CrossFireTM technology.

1. Insert a graphics card (which can be used for CrossFireTM technology, such as HD6670 series) into the PCIEX16 slot.

Make sure that the card is properly seated on the slot.

2. For CrossFireTM, you must enter the BIOS, set the Initate Graphic Adapter in Advanced Menu to IGD. Then press F4 to save the configuration and exit the BIOS.

* For reference only

CrossFire

Technology [AMD Dual Graphics] Support

3. Set the CrossFire in Advanced Menu to Enabled. Then press F4 to save the configuration and exit the BIOS.

4. Click with your right mouse button on My Computer, then click the option Manage and choose the Device Manager, finally, click the Display Adapters. The following screen appears. Be sure that the External ATI graphics (ATI Radeon HD

6670) and Onboard graphics (Radeon HD 6530D or HD6550D) are both displaying in the Display adapters.

CrossFireTM Technology [AMD Dual Graphics] Support

5. Enter AMD VISION Engine Control Center, you can see the option of CrossFireTM, click it and select Enable CrossFireTM, then CrossFireTM starts.

To disable CrossFireTM, please make sure to cancel Enable CrossFireTM in Catalyst Control Center firstly.

Please reference latest AMD Dual Graphics® Technology Graphic Card support list on AMD official website and subject to change without notice.

CrossFire

Technology [AMD Dual Graphics] Support

Recommendation

1.The APU in the A75 platform delivers a discrete-class of graphics performance and enables leading GPU compute capability

-Adding a discrete GPU is optional to extend graphics and GPU compute capacity

2.For optimal performance uplift, AMD recommends Dual Graphics (CrossFire

Technology) combinations of

-A4 and Discrete GPU model Radeon HD6450

-A6 and Discrete GPU model Radeon HD6570

-A8 and Discrete GPU model Radeon HD6570 or HD6670

3.AMD recommends a balanced system memory configuration of at least 4GB of 1333-DDR3 (2GB x 2GB). Single channel and unbalanced memory configuration can promise both APU and Dual Graphics performance.

4.CrossFireTM Technology (AMD Dual Graphics) Support on OS Windows 7 only due to the limitation by AMD.

AMD RAID Configuration

Setting Up a bootable RAID Array

This section explains how to configure a bootable AMD RAID array.

Setting Up the BIOS

Use the arrow keys to select Advanced menu (see Figure 1.1), then select SATA Configuration and press Enter.

Figure 1.2 SATA Configuration Screen

Use the arrow keys to select the SATA Configuration (see Figure 1.2) and globally set SATA Configuration to RAID.

Start your computer, then press Delete to enter the BIOS setup. The BIOS CMOS Setup Utility screen appears.

Chapter 6

Setting Up AMD A75 RAID Configuration

Main Advanced Chipset M.I.B III Boot Security Exit

+/- : Change Opt.

Enter/Dbl Click : Select

: Select Screen

F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

SAT A Configuration

Serial-ATA Controller Enabled

SATA Mode IDE SATA Port1 HL-DT -STDVD-RA ATAPI SATA Port2 ST3500413AS (500.1G SATA Port3 Not Present SATA Port4 Not Present SATA Port5 Not Present eSATA Not Present

(1) IDE Mode. (2) RAID Mode. (3) AHCI Mode.

Figure 1.1 BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main Screen

/Click: Select Item

AMD RAID Configuration

Enter the RAID BIOS Setup by pressing Ctrl-F when prompted, and proceed to set up the AMD RAID BIOS as described in the next section.

The PC reboots.

Press F4 to save the configuration and exit.

Configuring the AMD RAID BIOS (Windows XP Installation)

The AMD RAID BIOS set up lets you choose the RAID type and which hard drives you want to make part of the array.

Entering the RAID BIOS Setup:

1 Wait until you see the RAID software prompting you to press Ctrl-F.

The RAID prompt appears as part of the system POST and boot process prior to loading of the OS. You have a few seconds to press Ctrl-F before the screen disappears.

Press Ctrl-F.

The Main Menu screen appears (Figure 1.3).

Figure 1.3 Main Menu

View Drive Assignments..................[ 1 ]

Define LD..........................................[ 2 ]

Define LD..........................................[ 3 ]

Controller Configuration...................[ 4 ]

Press 1..4 to Select Option [ESC] Exit

[ Main Menu ]

[ Keys Available ]

AMD RAID Configuration

Select [2], then select LD 1 in the following page.

The Define LD Menu screen appears (Figure 1.4).

Figure 1.4 Define LD Menu

Using the Define a New Array Screen

If necessary, press the tab key to move from field to field until the appropriate field is highlighted.

• Selecting the RAID Mode

By default, this is set to Mirroring. To change to a different RAID mode, press the spacebar until the mode that you want appears in the RAID Mode box—RAID0/1/10/JBOD.

Note: Not all RAID levels are supported on all platforms.

Stripe block size is given in kilobytes, and affects how data is arranged on the disk. It is recommended to leave this value at the default Optimal, which is 64KB, but the values can be 64 KB and 128 KB. When choose RAID 1, the Stripe block size is unchangable.

• Selecting the Stripe Block Size

Note: If you want to use the function of the following RAID Mode, you have to install enough HDD.

RAID READY (1 piece of HDD); RAID 0, 1, JBOD (2 or more pieces of HDD); RAID 0+1 (4 pieces of HDD)

[

m] Up [

n] Down [ESC] Exit [Space] Change Option [Ctrl-Y] Save

[ Define LD Menu ]

[ Keys Available ]

LD No RAID Mode Total Drv LD 1 RAID 0 0 Stripe Block : 64 KB Past Init : OFF

Gigabyte Boundary : ON Cache Mode : WriteThru

Channel : ID Drive Model Capacity (MB) Assignment 3 : Mas WDC WD3200AAJS-22B4 320073 N 4 : Mas WDC WD1600JS-22NVB1 160042 N

[ Drives Assignments ]

AMD RAID Configuration

Figure 1.5 illustrates the Define a New Array screen after two disks have been assigned as RAID 0 array disks.

Figure 1.5 FastBuild Utility—Array Disks Assigned

Assigning the Disks

1. Select the Assignment to Y to designate a free disk to be used as a RAID array disk.

2. Press Ctrl-Y to save the configuration and exit.

The Define LD Menu screen appears (Figure 1.6).

Figure 1.6 Define LD Menu

[

m] Up [

n] Down [ESC] Exit [Space] Change Option [Ctrl-Y] Save

[ Define LD Menu ]

[ Keys Available ]

LD No RAID Mode Total Drv LD 1 RAID 0 2 Stripe Block : 64 KB Past Init : OFF

Gigabyte Boundary : ON Cache Mode : WriteThru

Channel : ID Drive Model Capacity (MB) Assignment 3 : Mas WDC WD3200AAJS-22B4 320073 Y 4 : Mas WDC WD1600JS-22NVB1 160042 Y

[ Drives Assignments ]

[

m] Up [

n] Down [ESC] Exit [Space] Change Option [Ctrl-Y] Save

[ Define LD Menu ]

[ Keys Available ]

LD No RAID Mode T otal Drv Capacity(MB) Status LD 1 RAID 0 2 318000 Functional

LD 2 ---- ---- ------ ---LD 3 ---- ---- ------ ---LD 4 ---- ---- ------ ---LD 5 ---- ---- ------ ---LD 6 ---- ---- ------ ---LD 7 ---- ---- ------ ---LD 8 ---- ---- ------ ----

AMD RAID Configuration

Figure 1.7 Main Menu

Press ESC to exit.

Press Y to reboot.

The Main Menu screen appears (Figure 1.7).

Figure 1.8

The following screen appears (Figure 1.8).

View Drive Assignments..................[ 1 ]

Define LD..........................................[ 2 ]

Define LD..........................................[ 3 ]

Controller Configuration...................[ 4 ]

Press 1..4 to Select Option [ESC] Exit

[ Main Menu ]

[ Keys Available ]

System is going to REBOOT! Are Y ou Sure? Y - Reboot / Any Key - Back

ID Mode Size TRACK-MAPPING ST ATUS 1 2+0 RAID 0 318000M 38661/255/63 Functional

2 ASUS DVD-E818A T

Press <Ctrl-F> to enter FastBuild (tm) Utility..._

AMD RAID Configuration

Copy all files in "...\RAID\ATI\A75\Floppy\Win3264" to a floppy disk.

After you complete the RAID BIOS setup, boot from the Windows CD.

Figure 1.10 Windows Setup—Specify Devices

Installing the RAID Drivers

Your system may come with a Windows install CD that already includes AMD RAID drivers. If so, then this section is not relevant.

If that is not the case (or you are trying to install a new version of Windows), then you will need an AMD RAID driver F6 install floppy. Check to see if one came with your system. If not, you can create one by downloading the appropriate driver package and following the steps in this section.

Press F6 and wait a few moments for the Windows Setup screen to appear.

The Windows Setup program starts.

a Insert the floppy that has the RAID driver, press S, then press Enter.

Specify the AMD drivers.

Figure 1.9

Press F6 if you need to install a third party SCSI or RAID driver...

Windows Setup

---------

S=Specify Additional Devices ENTER=Continue F3=Exit

Windows Setup Setup could not determine the type of one or more mass storage devices.

installed in your system, or you have chosen to manually specify an adapter. Currently, Setup will load support for the following mass storage device(s).

<none> * T o specify additional SCSI adapters, CD-ROM drivers, or special

disk controllers for use with Windows, including those for which you have a device support disk from a mass storag device manufacturer, press S.

* If you do not have any device support disks from a mass storage device manufacturer, or do not want to specify additional mass storage devices for use with Windows, press ENTER.

AMD RAID Configuration

b Select “ATI AHCI Compatible RAID Controller-x86 platform” and press Enter for 32-bit OS or Select “ATI AHCI Compatible RAID Controller-x64 platform” and press Enter for 64-bit OS.

The following Windows Setup screen appears listing both drivers:.

Figure 1.12 Windows Setup—AMD drives listed

Press Enter to continue with Windows XP Installation. Be sure to leave the floppy disk inserted in the floppy drive until the blue

screen portion of Windows XP installation is completed, then take out the floppy.

Follow the instructions on how to install Windows XP. After Windows XP is completely installed, it is recommended that you

install the ForceWare software in order to access the FastBuild RAID Management tool.

Note:

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.

Figure 1.11 Windows Setup—Selected SCSI Adapter

The following Windows Setup screen appears:

ENTER=Select F3=Exit

Windows Setup

---------

Y ou have chosen to configure a SCSI Adapter for use with windows£¬ using a device support disk provided bu an adapter manufacturer.

Select the SCSI Adapter you want from the following list, or press ESC to return to the previous screen.

S=Specify Additional Devices ENTER=Continue F3=Exit

Windows Setup

---------

Setup will load support for the following mass storage device(s): A TI AHCI Compatible RAID Controller-x86 platform * T o specify additional SCSI adapters, CD-ROM drivers, or special

disk controllers for use with Windows, including those for which you have a device support disk from a mass storag device manufacturer, press S.

* If you do not have any device support disks from a mass storage device manufacturer, or do not want to specify additional mass storage devices for use with Windows, press ENTER.

AMD RAID Configuration

Memo

Trouble Shooting

Chapter 7

Trouble Shooting

Start up problems during assembly

After assembling the PC for the first time you may experience some start up problems. Before calling for technical support or returning for warranty, this chapter may help to address some of the common questions using some basic troubleshooting tips.

a) System does not power up and the fans are not running.

1.Disassemble the PC to remove the VGA adaptor card, DDR memory, LAN, USB and other peripherals including keyboard and mouse. Leave only the motherboard, CPU with CPU cooler and power supply connected. Turn on again to see if the CPU and power supply fans are running.

2. Make sure to remove any unused screws or other metal objects such as screwdrivers from the inside PC case. This is to prevent damage from short circuit.

3. Check the CPU FAN connector is connected to the motherboard.

4. For Intel platforms check the pins on the CPU socket for damage or bent. A bent pin may cause failure to boot and sometimes permanent damage from short circuit.

5. Check the 12V power connector is connected to the motherboard.

6. Check that the 12V power & ATX connectors are fully inserted into the motherboard connectors. Make sure the latches of the cable and connector are locked into place.

b) Power is on, fans are running but there is no display

1. Make sure the monitor is turned on and the monitor cable is properly connected to the PC.

2. Check the VGA adapter card (if applicable) is inserted properly.

3. Listen for beep sounds. If you are using internal PC speaker make sure it is connected. a. continuous 3 short beeps : memory not detected b. 1 long beep and 8 short beeps : VGA not detected

c) The PC suddenly shuts down while booting up.

1. The CPU may experience overheating so it will shutdown to protect itself. Ensure the CPU fan is working properly.

Trouble Shooting

Your computer, like any electrical appliance, requires proper care and maintenance. Here are some basic PC care tips to help prolong the life of the motherboard and keep it running as best as it can.

1. Keep your computer in a well ventilated area. Leave some space between the PC and the wall for sufficient airflow.

2. Keep your computer in a cool dry place. Avoid dusty areas, direct sunlight

Start up problems after prolong use

After a prolong period of use your PC may experience start up problems again. This may be caused by breakdown of devices connected to the motherboard such as HDD, CPU fan, etc. The following tips may help to revive the PC or identify the cause of failure.

1. Clear the CMOS values using the CLR_CMOS jumper. Refer to CLR_CMOS jumper in Chapter 2 for Checking Jumper Settings in this user manual. When completed, follow up with a Load Optimised Default in the BIOS setup.

2. Check the CPU cooler fan for dust. Long term accumulation of dust will reduce its effectiveness to cool the processor. Clean the cooler or replace a new one if necessary.

3. Check that the 12V power & ATX connectors are fully inserted into the motherboard connectors. Make sure the latches of the cable and connector are locked into place.

4. Remove the hard drive, optical drive or DDR memory to determine which of these component may be at fault.

and areas of high moisture content.

3. Routinely clean the CPU cooler fan to remove dust and hair.

4. In places of hot and humid weather you should turn on your computer once every other week to circulate the air and prevent damage from humidity.

5. Add more memory to your computer if possible. This not only speeds up the system but also reduces the loading of your hard drive to prolong its life span.

6. If possible, ensure the power cord has an earth ground pin directly from the wall outlet. This will reduce voltage fluctuation that may damage sensitive devices.

Maintenance and care tips

2. From the BIOS setting, try to disable the Smartfan function to let the fan run at default speed. Doing a Load Optimised Default will also disable the Smartfan.

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Basic Troubleshooting Flowchart

Trouble Shooting

Memo

ECS A75F-A User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual