ECS GeForce7050M-M (V2.0) Manual

Preface

Copyright

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 2.0A

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.

Trademark Recognition

Microsoft, MS-DOS and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corp.
AMD, 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.

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.

Preface

ii

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, and

• 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

Chapter 2
Installing the Motherboard

Chapter 3
Using BIOS

Chapter 4
Using the Motherboard Software

Chapter 5
Setting Up N VIDIA RAID Conf iguration

Describes features of the
motherboard.

Go to

Describes installation of
motherboard components.

Go to

Provides information on us­ing the BIOS Setup Utility.

Go to

Describes the motherboard
software

Go to

Provides information about
SAT A RAID Setup

Go to

H

H

H

H

H

page 1

page 7

page 27

page 45

page 51

Preface

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ABLE OF CONTENTSABLE OF CONTENTS

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Preface i

iii

Chapter 1

Introducing the Motherboard 1

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

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

Motherboard Components.............................................................4

Chapter 2

Installing the Motherboard 7

Safety Precautions...........................................................................7

Choosing a Computer Case............................................................7

Installing the Motherboard in a Case...........................................7

Checking Jumper Settings..............................................................8

Setting Jumpers.......................................................................8

Checking Jumper Settings.......................................................9

Jumper Settings.......................................................................9

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

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

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

Expansion Slots.....................................................................15

Connecting Optional Devices................................................17

Installing a Hard Disk Drive/CD-ROM/SATA Hard Drive...19

Installing a Floppy Diskette Drive........................................20

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

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

Front Panel Header...............................................................24

1

7 7

7

7 7

Chapter 3 27

Using BIOS 27

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

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

Entering the Setup Utility...................................................27

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

Standard CMOS Setup......................................................29

Advanced Setup.................................................................32

Advanced Chi pset Setup....................................................34

iv

Integrated Peripherals.......................................................35

Power Ma nagement Setup..................................................36

PCI/PnP Configuration......................................................38

PC Health Status................................................................38

Frequency/Voltage Contr ol................................................40

Load Default Settings.......................................................41

Supervisor Password........................................................41

User Password..................................................................4

Save & Exit Setup...............................................................42

Exit Without Saving............................................................42

Updating the BIOS.............................................................43

2

Chapter 4

45 45

45

45 45

Using the Motherboard Software 45

About the Software CD-ROM...............................................................45

Auto-installing under W indows 2000/XP/V ista.........................45

Running Setup....................................................................46

Ma nual Installation.........................................................................50

Utility Software Reference.............................................................50

Chapter 5

51 51

51

51 51

Setting Up NVIDIA RAID Configuration 51

Setting Up a Non-Boota ble RAID Array ......................................51

Setting Up a Bootable RAID Array...............................................53

Chapter 1

Introducing the Motherboard

Introduction

Thank you for choosing the GeForce7050M-M motherboard. This motherboard is a
high performance, enhanced function motherboard that supports socket for

TM

Phenom
Sempron

This motherboard is based on NVIDIA® GeForce7050PV/GeForce7025 for best desk­top platform solution. GeForce7050PV/GeForce7025 is a single-chip, highly inte­grated, high performance HyperTransport peripheral controller, unmatched by any
other single chip-device controller. This motherboard supports up to 16 GB of
system memory with Dual Channel DDR2 800/667/533/400 MHz. High resolution
graphics via one PCI Express x16 slot, 12 USB 2.0 ports (4 USB ports and 4 USB 2.0
headers support additional 8 USB ports) and SATA support with RAID function.

There is an advanced full set of I/O ports in the rear panel, including PS/2 mouse and
keyboard connectors, COM1, VGA1, four USB ports, one LAN port and audio jacks
for microphone, line-in, and 6/8-channel (optional) line-out. This motherboard is
designed in a Micro ATX form factor using a four-layer printed circuit board and
measures 244 mm x 214 mm.

processor (socket AM2+)/AMD AthlonTM 64 X2 Dual-Core/AthlonTM 64/

TM

processors for high-end business or personal desktop markets.

Due to the DRAM maximum size is 2 GB at present, the memory maximum
size we have tested is 4 GB.

AMD

1

Introducing the Motherboard

2

Feature

Processor

This motherboard uses a socket AM2+/AM2 that carries the following features:

• Accommodates AMD Phenom
AMD Athlon

• Supports up to 2000 MT/s HyperTransport

HyperTransportTM Technology is a point-to-point link between two devices, it
enables integrated circuits to exchange information at much higher speeds than
currently available interconnect technologies.

This board supports CPU up to 95W TDP only.

TM

64 X2 Dual-Core/Athlon

TM

processor (socket AM2+)

TM

64/SempronTM processors

TM

(HT) interface Speeds

Chipset

The NVIDIA® GeForce7050PV/GeForce7025 is a single-chip with proven reliabil­ity and performance.

• 1 GHz HyperTransport x16 up and down links to the AM2+/AM2 CPUs

• PCI Express 16-lane link interface for external graphics processors

• PCI 2.3 interface at 33 MHz

• Integrated SATA 3.0 Gb/s Host Controller

• USB 2.0 ports supported

• Fast ATA-133 IDE controller

Memory

•DDR2 800/667/533/400 DDR2 SD RAM with Dual Channel supported

• Accommodates two unbuffered DIMMs

• Up to 8 GB per DIMM with maximum memory size up to 16 GB

Audio (Optional)

The onboard Audio provides the following features:

• 7.1+2 Channel High Definition Audio Codec

• All DACs support 192K/96K/48K/44.1KHz DAC sample rate

•

Software selectable 2.5V/3.75V VREPOUT

• Meets Microsoft WHQL/WLP 2.x audio requirements

• Direct Sound 3D

• 7.1 Channel High Definition Audio Codec

• ADC support 148K/96K sample rate

•

High quality differential CD input

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

• Meets Microsoft WHQL/WLP 2.0 audio requirements

• Direct Sound 3D

• 5.1 Channel High Definition Audio Codec

• ADCs support 44.1/48k/96k sample rate

• Meets Microsoft WHQL/WLP 3.0x audio requirements

• Direct Sound 3D

• 5.1 Channel High Definition Audio Codec

• ADCs support 44.1/48k/96k sample rate

• Meets Microsoft WLP 3.08 Vista premium and mobile PCs audio

requirements

• Direct Sound 3D

TM

compatible

TM

compatible

TM

compatible

TM

compatible

Introducing the Motherboard

Onboard LAN

The onboard LAN provides the following features:

• 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX IEEE 802.3u fast Ethernrt transceiver

• Low-power mode

• MII and 7-wire serial interface

Expansion Options

:

The motherboard comes with the following expansion options:

• One PCI Express x16 for Graphics Interface

• One PCI Express x1 slot

• Two 32-bit PCI v2.3 compliant slots

• One IDE connector supporting up to two IDE devices

• One floppy disk drive interface

• Four 7-pin SATA connectors

This motherboard supports Ultra DMA bus mastering with transfer rates of 133/
100/66/33 Mb/s.

Integrated I/O

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

• Two PS/2 ports for mouse and keyboard

• One serial port

• One VGA port

• Four USB ports

• One LAN port

• Audio jacks for microphone, line-in and 6/8-channel (optional) line-out

3

BIOS Firmware

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

• 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.

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 to 50

°C.

Introducing the Motherboard

4

Motherboard Components

Introducing the Motherboard

Table of Motherboard Components

LABEL COMPONENTS

1. CPU Socket

2. DIMM1~2 240-pin DDR2 SDRAM slots

3. FDD Floppy disk drive connector

4. PWR1 Standard 24-Pin ATX Power connector

5. IDE1 Primary IDE connector

6. SPK1 Speaker header

7. SATA1~4 Serial ATA connectors

8. CLR_CMO S Clea r CMOS jumper

9. PANE L 1 Front Panel Switc h/LED header

10. USBPWR_F Front Panel USB Power Select jumper

11. F_USB1~4* Front Panel USB headers

12. SYS_FAN System cooling fan connector

13. SP DIFO1 SPDIF out header

14. CD_IN Analog Audio Input header

15. F_AUDIO Front Panel Audio header

16. PCI1~2 32-bit add-on card slots

17. PCIEX1 PCI Express x1 slot

18. PCIEX16 PCI Express x16 graphics card slot

19. USBPWR_R Rear USB/PS2 Power Select jumper

20. PWR2 4-pin +12V power connector

21. CPU_FAN CPU cooling fan connector

Socket for AMD Phenom™ processor (socket AM2+)/AMD
Athlon™ 64 X2 Dual-Core/Athlon™ 64/Sempron™ processors

5

“*” stands for optional components.

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

Introducing the Motherboard

6

Memo

Introducing 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 Micro ATX system case. Firstly, 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. Secondly, this motherboard supports one floppy diskette drive and
two enhanced IDE drives. 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 Micro ATX form factor of 244 x 214 mm. Choose a
case that accommodates this form factor.

7

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

8

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

Checking Jumper Settings

This section explains how to set jumpers for correct configuration of the motherboard.

Setting Jumpers

Use the motherboard jumpers to set system configuration options. Jumpers with
more than one pin are numbered. When setting the jumpers, ensure that the jumper
caps are placed on the correct pins.

The illustrations show a 2-pin jumper. When
the jumper cap is placed on both pins, the
jumper is SHORT. If you remove the jumper
cap, or place the jumper cap on just one pin,
the jumper is OPEN.

This illustration shows a 3-pin jumper. Pins
1 and 2 are SHORT

SHORT OPEN

Installing the Motherboard

Checking Jumper Settings

The following illustration shows the location of the motherboard jumpers. Pin 1 is
labeled.

Jumper Settings

9

Jumper Type

CLR_CMOS

USBPWR_R

USBPWR_F

1.

2.

3.

3-pin

3-pin

3-pin

To avoid the system instability after clearing CMOS, we recommend
users to enter the main BIOS setting page to “Load Default Settings”
and then “Save & Exit Setup”.

Make sure the power supply provides enough VCC5_DUAL voltage
before selecting the VCC5_DUAL function.

It is required that users place the USBPWR_F & USBPWR_R cap onto
2-3 pin rather than 1-2 pin as default if you want to wake up the
computer by USB/PS2 KB/Mouse.

Description

CLEAR CMOS

USB Power
Select Jumper

USB Power
Select Jumper

Setting (default)

1-2: NORMAL
2-3: CLEAR

Before clearing the
CMOS, make sure to
turn the system off.

1-2: VCC5
2-3: VCC5_DUAL

1-2: VCC5
2-3: VCC5_DUAL

Installing the Motherboard

1

CLR_CMOS

1

USBPWR_R

1

USBPWR_F

10

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.

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 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.

This motherboard has a Socket AM2+/AM2 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.

Installing the Motherboard

CPU Installation Procedure

The following illustration shows CPU installation components.

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 module

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 CPUFAN connector. This completes the in­stallation.

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.

11

Installing the Motherboard

12

Installing Memory Modules

This motherboard accommodates two 240-pin unbuffered DIMMs and supports DDR2
800

/667/533/400 DDR2 SDRAM. You must install at least one module in any of the

two slots. Each module can be installed with 8 GB of memory; the total memory
capacity is 16 GB.

DDR2 SDRAM memory module table

Memory module Memory Bus

DDR2 400 200 MHz

DDR2 533 266 MHz

DDR2 667 333 MHz

DDR2 800 400 MHz

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.

Installation Procedure

Refer to the following to install the memory modules.

1 This motherboard supports unbuffered DDR2 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.

Installing the Motherboard

Ta ble A: Unbuffered DIMM Support for Socket AM2 CPU

13

DRAM
Speed

DDR2-400 - Any 1T 002F_2F2Fh X011_1222h
DDR2-400 Any Any 2T 002F_2F2Fh X011_1322h
DDR2-533 - Any 1T 002F_2F2Fh X011_1222h

DDR2-533
DDR2-533 SRx8 SRx8 2T 0000_2F2Fh X011_1322h

DDR2-533 DRx8 DRx8 2T 0034_2F2Fh X011_1322h
DDR2-533

DDR2-533
DDR2-667 - Any 1T 0020_2020h X011_1222h

DDR2-667
DDR2-667 SRx8 SRx8 2T 0030_2020h X011_1322h

DDR2-667 DRx8 DRx8 2T 002B_2020h X011_1322h
DDR2-667

DDR2-667
DDR2-800 - Any 2T 0020_2520h X011_3222h

DDR2-800 Any Any 2T 0020_2520h X011_3222h

1. SRx16=Single Rank x16 DIMM
SRx8=Single Rank x8 DIMM
DRx16=Dual Rank x16 DIMM
DRx8=Dual Rank x8 DIMM

1

DIMM1

DIMM21

SRx16 SRx16
SRx16 SRx8

SRx8 SRx16

DRx8 SRx16

SRx16 DRx8

DRx8 SRx8
SRx8 DRx8

SRx16 SRx16
SRx16 SRx8

SRx8 SRx16

DRx8 SRx16

SRx16 DRx8

DRx8 SRx8
SRx8 DRx8

Timing

Address Timing

Mode

Control Register

2T

2T 0038_2F2Fh X011_1322h
2T 0037_2F2Fh X011_1322h

2T

2T 002C_2020h X011_1322h
2T 002A_2020h X011_1322h

002F_2F2Fh

0020_2020h

Output Driver

Compensation

Control Register

X011_1322h

X011_1322h

Installing the Motherboard

14

Ta ble B: DDR2 (memory module) QVL (Qualified V endor List)

The following DDR2 memory modules have been tested and qualified for use with this
motherboard.

Type Size Vendor Module Name

Samsung M378T3354BZ0-CCC K4T51163QB-ZCCC

256 MB

DDR2 400

DDR2 533

DDR2 667

DDR2 800

Samsung M378T3354BZ0-CCC K4T51083QB-GCCC

512 MB

TwinMos msung K4T51083QB-GCCC

Corsair Aeneon AET94F-370
Corsair VC256MB533D2 4PB11D9CHM

Eipida E2508AA-DF-E

256 MB

512 MB

256 MB

512 MB

512 MB

Hynix HY5PS121621
Kingmax Hynix HY5PS121621
Kingston Elpida E5116F-5C-E

Nanya NT5TU32M16AG-37B

Ramaxel Elpida D5116AF-5C-E

Aeneon Aeneon AET93F370 DS
Corsair Samsung K4T51083QB-ZCD5

Eipida 04180WB01

Hynix Hynix HY5PS12821

Infineon HY818T512800AF37 33346778

Kingston Hynix HY5PS12821

PQI PQI PQB2648D38R0701

Ramaxel PC2-4200U-444 LF 6AD11 D9GCT

Samsung K4T51083QF-ZCD5

Twinmos Elpida E5108AB-5C-E

Apacer Eipida E5108AB-5C-E

Geil A016E2864T2AG8AKT5H120001

Infineon HY818T512800AF37 33344539

1 GB

Kingmax KKEA88E4AAKG-37

PQI PQI PQB2648D38R0701

UMAX U2S12D30TP-5C

Infineon HYS64T325001HU-3-A HYB18T256

Ramxel 5NB31 D9DCG

A-DATA AD29608A88-3EG

Apacer AU51GE667C5KBGY

APOGEE AU51082-667P005

Corsair VALUESELECT 32M8CEC

PSC AL6E8E63B-6E1T

GEIL GL2L64M088BA18W

Ramxel 5LB31 D9DCL

Sync MAX 04400WB01 R050008A

Samsung PC35300U-25331-Z K4T56083QF-ZCE6

Twinmos TMM6208G8M30B

Transcend JetRam J12Q3AB-6

Apacer AU01GE667C5KBGY

APOGEE AU51082-667P005

1 GB

1 GB

PQI PQI PQB2648D38R0648

PSC AL7E8E63B-6E1T

Samsung K4T51083QC

UMAX U2S12030TP-6E TBF614-L93G

APOGEE AU51082-800P505

Infineon Infineon HYB18T256 800AF25

PSC AL7E8E63H-8E1

Apacer Apacer AM4B5708BPJS8E0634E

APOGEE AU51082-800P505

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.

15

PCIEX16 Slot

PCIEX1 Slot

PCI1~2 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 x16 slot is used to install an external PCI Express
graphics card that is fully compliant to the PCI Express Base Speci­fication revision 1.1.

The PCI Express x1 slot is fully compliant to the PCI Express Base
Specification revision 1.1 as well.

This motherboard is equipped with two 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.

Installing the Motherboard

16

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 some add-on cards, for example graphics adapters and network
adapters, you have to install drivers and software before you can begin
using the add-on card.

Installing the Motherboard

Connecting Optional Devices

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

F_AUDIO: Front Panel Audio header (Optional)

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

17

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 KEY

9 PORT 2L 10 SENSE2_RETURN

Pin Signal Name

SAT A1~4: Seri al A T A connectors

These connectors are used to support the new Serial ATA devices for the highest date
transfer rates (3.0 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.

Pin Signal Name

1 Ground 2 TX+

3 TX- 4 Ground

5 RX- 6 RX+
7 Ground - -

Pin Signal Name

Installing the Motherboard

18

F_USB1~4: Front Panel USB headers (optional)

The motherboard has four 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.

Pin Signal Name

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 NC Not connected

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.

Function

SPDIFO1: 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.

Pin Signal Name Function

1 SPDIF SPDIF digital output

2 +5VA 5V analog Power

3 Key No pin

4 GND Ground

CD_IN: Analog Audio Input header

Pin Signal Name Function

1 CD_R CD In right channel
2 GND Ground
3 GND Ground
4 CD_L CD In left channel

Installing the Motherboard

Installing a Hard Disk Drive/CD-ROM/SATA Hard Drive

This section describes how to install IDE devices such as a hard disk drive and a CD­ROM drive.

About IDE Devices

Your motherboard has one IDE interface. An IDE ribbon cable supporting two IDE
devices is bundled with the motherboard.

You must orient the cable connector so that the pin1 (color) edge of the
cable corresponds to the pin 1 of the I/O port connector.

IDE1: IDE Connector

This motherboard supports four high data transfer SATA ports with each runs up to

3.0 Gb/s. To get better system performance, we recommend users connect the CD­ROM to the IDE channel, and set up the hard drives on the SATA ports.

IDE devices enclose jumpers or switches used to set the IDE device as MASTER or
SLAVE. Refer to the IDE device user’s manual. Installing two IDE devices on one
cable, ensure that one device is set to MASTER and the other device is set to SLAVE.
The documentation of your IDE device explains how to do this.

19

About SA TA Connectors

Your motherboard features four SATA connectors supporting a total of four 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 ATA 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 the Motherboard

20

Refer to the illustration below for proper installation:

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.

This motherboard supports the “Hot-Plug” function.

Installing a Floppy Diskette Drive

F DD: Floppy Dis k Connector

This connector supports the floppy drive ribbon cable. After connecting the single
end to the onboard floppy connector, connect the remaining plugs on the other end
to the floppy drives correspondingly.

You must orient the cable connector so that the pin 1 (color) edge of
the cable corresponds to the pin 1 of the I/O port connector.

Installing the Motherboard

Connecting I/O Devices

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

PS2 Mouse Use the upper PS/2 port to connect a PS/2 pointing device.

PS2 Keyboard Use the lower PS/2 port to connect a PS/2 keyboard.

Serial Port Use the COM port to connect serial devices such as mice or

(COM1) fax/modems.

VGA1 Port Connect your monitor to the VGA port.
USB Ports Use the USB ports to connect USB devices.

.

LAN Port

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

21

Audio Ports

(optional)

Use the three audio jacks to connect audio devices. The first
jack is for stereo line-in signal. The second jack is for stero
line-out signal. The third jack is for microphone.

This motherboard may adopt 8-channel audio ports that
correspond to the A,B, C, and E port respectively. In addi­tion, all of the 3 ports, B, C, and E provide users with both
right & left channels individually. Users please refer to the
following note for specific port function definition.

A: Center & Woofer D: Line-in

B: Back Surround E: Front Out

C: Side Surround F: Mic_in Rear

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

Installing the Motherboard

22

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 system cooling fan connector to SYS_FAN.
3 Connect the standard power supply connector to PWR1.
4 Connect the auxiliary case power supply connector to PWR2.
5 Connect the case switches and indicator LEDs to the PANEL1.
6 Connec the case speaker cable to SPK1.

1. Connecting 24-pin power cable

The ATX 24-pin connector allows you to connect to ATX v2.x power supply.

With ATX v2.x power supply, users please note
that when installing 24-pin power cable, the
latches of power cable and the PWR1 match
perfectly.

24-pin power cable

2. Connecting 4-pin power cable

The PWR2 power connector is used to provide power to the CPU.

When installing 4-pin power cable, the latches
of power cable and the PWR2 match perfectly.

4-pin power cable

Installing the Motherboard

CPU_FAN: F AN Power Connector

Pin Signal Name Function

1 GND System Ground
2 +12V Power +12V
3 Sense Sensor
4 Control CPU FAN control

Users please note that the fan connector supports the CPU cooling fan of

1.1A ~ 2.2A (26.4W max) at +12V.

SYS_FAN: Syste m Cooling FAN Power Conne ctor

Pin Signal Name Function

1 GND System Ground

2 +12V Power +12V
3 Sense Sensor

PWR1: A TX 24-pin Power Connector

Pin Signal Name Pin Signal Name

1 +3.3V 13 +3.3V

2 +3.3V 14 -12V
3 Ground 15 Ground

4 +5V 16 PS_ON

5 Ground 17 Ground

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

9 +5VSB 21 +5V

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

12 +3.3V 24 Ground

23

PWR2: ATX 12V Power Connector

Pin Signal Name

1 Ground

2 Ground
3 +12V

4 +12V

Installing the Motherboard

24

SPK1: Internal speaker header

Pin Signal Name

1 VCC

2 Key
3 GND

4 Signal

Front Panel Header

The front panel header (PANEL1) provides a standard set of switch and LED headers
commonly found on ATX or Micro ATX cases. Refer to the table below for infor­mation:

Pin Signal Function Pin Signal Function

1 HD_LED_P Hard disk LED (+)

3 HD_LED_N Hard disk LED (-)

5 RST_SW_N Reset Switch (-)

7 RST_SW_P Reset Switch (+)

9 RSVD Reserved

* MSG LED (dual color or single color)

2 FP PWR/SLP *MSG LED (+)

4 FP PWR/SLP *MSG LED (-)

6 PWR_SW_P Power Switch (+)

8 PWR_SW_N Power Switch (-)

10 Key No pin

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.

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.

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.

Installing the Motherboard

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.

25

Installing the Motherboard

26

Memo

Installing the Motherboard

Chapter 3

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.

27

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

Using BIOS

28

Press the delete key to access the BIOS Setup Utility.

CMOS Setup Utility -- Copyright (C) 1985-2005, American Megatrends, Inc.

Standard CMOS Setup

f

Advanced Setup

f

Advanced Chipset Setup

f

Integrated Peripherals

f

Power Management Setup

f

PCI/PnP Setup

f

PC Health Status

f

: Move F10: Save ESC: Exit

mnlk

F1:General Help

v02.58 (C)Copyright 1985-2006, American Mega trends, Inc.

Enter : Select

F9: Optimized Defaults

Frequency/Voltage Control

f

Load Default Settings
Supervisor Password

f

User Password

f

Save & Exit Setup
Exit Without Saving

+/-/: Value

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 triangle
the values for the option. Use the cursor arrow keys to scroll through the items in the
submenu.

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

ff

f.

ff

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.

ff

f) lead to submenus that enable you to change

ff

BIOS Navigation Keys

The BIOS navigation keys are listed below:

KEY FUNCTION

ESC Exits the current menu

mnlk

+/-/PU/PD Modifies the selected field’s values

Enter Select

F9 Loads an optimized setting for better performance
F10 Saves the current configuration and exits setup
F1 Displays a screen that describes all key functions

Scrolls through the items on a menu

Using BIOS

For the purpose of better product maintenances, we reserve the right to
change the BIOS items presented in the manual. The BIOS setup screens
shown in this chapter are for reference only. Please visit our website for

updated manual.

Sta ndard CMOS Setup

This option displays basic information about your system.

CMOS Setup Utility -- Copyright (C) 1985-2005, American Megatrends, Inc.

Date Fri 08/10/2007
Time 00 : 02 : 16

Primary IDE Master Not Detected

f

Primary IDE Slave Not Detected

f
f

SA TA 1 Not Detected

f

SATA 2 Not Detected

f

SA TA 3 Not Detected
SA TA 4 Not Detected

f

IDE BusMaster Enabled

Drive A 1.44 MB 31/2”

AT A (PI) 80Pin Cable Detect Host

: Move

mnlk

F1: General Help

Standard CMOS Setup

Enter : Select

F9: Optimized Defaults

+/-/: Value

User [Enter], [TAB]
or [SHIFT-T AB] to
select a field.

Use [+] or [-] to
configure system Date.

F10: Save ESC: Exit

29

Help Item

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.

Using BIOS

30

Primary IDE Master/Slave, SATA 1~4 (Not Detected)f

Your computer has one IDE channel which can be installed with one or two devices
(Master and Slave). In addition, this motherboard supports four SATA channels and
each channel allows one SATA device to be installed. Use these items to configure
each device on the IDE channel.

CMOS SETUP UTILITY – Copyright (C) 1985-2005, American Megatrends, Inc.

Primary IDE Master

Primary IDE Master

Device : Not Detected

Type Auto

LBA/Large Mode Auto
Block (Multi-Sector Transfer Auto

PIO Mode Auto

DMA Mode Auto

S.M.A.R.T Auto

32Bit Data Transfer Enabled

: Move

mnlk

Enter : Select

F1: General Help

+/-/: Value

F9: Optimized Defaults

F10: Save ESC: Exit

Help Item

Select the type
of device connected
to the system.

Type (Auto)

Use this item to configure the type of the IDE device that you specify. If the feature
is enabled, it will enhance hard disk performance by reading or writing more data
during each transfer.

LBA/Large Mode (Auto)

Use this item to set the LAB/Large mode to enhance hard disk performance by
optimizing the area the hard disk is visited each time.

Block (Multi-Sector Transfer) (Auto)

If the feature is enabled, it will enhance hard disk performance by reading or writing
more data during each transfer.

PIO Mode (Auto)

Use this item to set the PIO mode to enhance hard disk performance by optimizing
the hard disk timing.

DMA Mode (Auto)

DMA capability allows user to improve the transfer-speed and data-integrity for
compatible IDE devices.

S.M.A.R.T. (Auto)

The S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology) system is a
diagnostics technology that monitors and predicts device performance. S.M.A.R.T.
software resides on both the disk drive and the host computer.

32Bit Data Transfer (Enabled)

Use this item to set the onboard SATA-IDE channel to be disabled, IDE, or RAID.

Press <Esc> to return to the Standard CMOS Setup page.

Using BIOS

IDE BusMaster (Enabled)

This item enables or disables the DMA under DOS mode. We recommend you to leave
this item at the default value.

Drive A (1..44 MB 31/2”)

This item defines the characteristics of any diskette drive attached to the system.
You can connect one or two diskette drives.

ATA(PI) 80Pin Cable Detect (Host)

Select the mechanism for detecting 80Pin ATA(PI) cable. The 80Pin cable is required
for UDMA-66 and above.

Press <Esc> to return to the main menu setting page.

31

Using BIOS

32

Advanced Setup

This page sets up more advanced information about your system. Handle this page
with caution. Any changes can affect the operation of your computer.

CMOS Setup Utility - Copyright (C) 1985-2005, American Megatrends, Inc.

HT Frequency Auto
AMD C&Q Enabled
Quick Power on Self T est Enabled
APIC Mode Enabled
1st Boot Device Hard Drive
2nd Boot Device CD/DVD
3rd Boot Device 1st FLOPPY DRIVE
Removable Drives Press Enter

f

Boot Other Device Yes
Boot Up Numlock Status On
Display Logo Enabled

HT Frequency (Anto)

This item enables users to manually set up the HyperTransport frequency, ranging
from Auto, 1x, to 5x.

AMD C&Q (Enabled)

This item helps the system to lower the frequency when CPU idles. When the
frequency decreases, the temperature will drop automatically as well.

Quick Power on Self Test (Enabled)

Enable this item to shorten the power on testing (POST) and have your system start
up faster. You might like to enable this item after you are confident that your system
hardware is operating smoothly.

APIC Mode (Enabled)

This item allows you to enable or disable the APCI (Advanced Programmable Inter­rupt Controller) mode. APIC provides symmetric multi-processing (SMP) for sys­tems, allowing support for up to 60 processors.

1st/2nd/3rd Boot Device (Hard Drive/CD/DVD/1st FLOPPY DRIVE)

Use this item to determine the device order the computer used to look for an
operating system to load at start-up time. The devices showed here will be different
depending on the exact devices installed on your motherboard.

Advanced Setup

: Move

mnlk

F1:General Help

Enter : Select

F10: Save ESC: Exit+/-/: Value

F9: Optimized Defaults

Help Item

SouthBrigde to K8(CPU)
frequency selection
by CPU capability

Using BIOS

f Removable Drives (Press Enter)

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

CMOS Setup Utility - Copyright (C) 1985-2005, American Megatrends, Inc.

Removable Drives

33

Removable Drives

1st Drive 1st FLOPPY DRIVE

Enter : Select

: Move

mnlk

F1:General Help

F9: Optimized Defaults

F10: Save ESC: Exit+/-/: Value

Help Item

Specifies the boot
sequence from the
available devices.

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

Boot Other Device (Yes)

When enabled, the system searches all other possible locations for an operating
system if it fails to find one in the devices specified under the First, Second, and
Third boot devices.

Boot Up Numlock Status (On)

This item defines if the keyboard Num Lock key is active when your system is
started.

Display Logo (Enabled)

When enabled, this will show a full screen company logo on the boot up screen. Select
disabled when you want to show POST messages during boot up.

Press <Esc> to return to the main menu setting page.

Using BIOS

34

Advanced Chipset Setup

This page sets up more advanced information about your system. Handle this page
with caution. Any changes can affect the operation of your computer.

CMOS Setup Utility - Copyright (C) 1985-2005, American Megatrends, Inc.

Dram Frequency Auto
Dram Timing Auto
VGA Share Memory Auto
VGA Share Memory V alue 64MB

mnlk

Dram Frequency (Auto)

This item enables users to adjust the DRAM frequency. The default setting is auto and
we recommend users leave the setting unchanged. Modify it at will may cause the
system to be unstable.

DRAM Timing (Auto)

This item allows you to enable or disable the DRAM timing defined by the Serial
Presence Detect electrical. Users please note that if setting this item to auto, the
following two items are not available.

VGA Share Memory (Auto)

This item lets you allocate a portion of the main memory for the onboard VGA
display application.

VGA Share Memory Value (64MB)

This item displays the VGA Share Memory Value.

Advanced Chipset Setup

Enter : Select

: Move

F1:General Help

F9: Optimized Defaults

Help Item

Select the DRAM
Frequency programming
method. If Auto,
the DRAM speed will
be based on SPDs.
If limit, the DRAM spe
will not exceed the
specified value. If
Manual, the the DRAM s
specified will be
programmed regardless
of SPD.

F10: Save ESC: Exit+/-/: Value

Press <Esc> to return to the main menu setting page.

Using BIOS

Integrated Peripherals

This page sets up some parameters for peripheral devices connected to the system.

CMOS Setup Utility - Copyright (C) 1985-2005, American Megatrends, Inc.

Onboard IDE Controller Enabled

OnChip S-ATA Controller Enabled
SAT A Mode Select SATA Mode

nVidia RAID Setup Press Enter

f

Legacy USB Support Enabled
USB Controller Enabled
Onboard AUDIO Function Auto
Onboard LAN Function Auto
Onboard LAN Boot ROM Disabled
Onboard Floppy Controller Enabled

OnBoard IDE Controller (Enabled)

Use this item to enable or disable the onboard IDE interface.

Onboard S-ATA Controller (Enabled)

This item allows you to enable or disable the onboard SATA controller.

Integrated Peripherals

Enter : Select

: Move

mnlk

F1:General Help

F9: Optimized Defaults

F10: Save ESC: Exit+/-/: Value

Help Item

Options

Disabled
Enabled

35

SATA Mode select (SATA Mode)

Use this item to select the mode of the Serial ATA.

X

nVidia RAID Setup (Press Enter)

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

CMOS Setup Utility - Copyright (C) 1985-2005, American Megatrends, Inc.

RAID Setup

mnlk

nVidia RAID Setup

Enter : Select

: Move

F1:General Help

F9: Optimized Defaults

F10: Save ESC: Exit+/-/: Value

Using BIOS

Help Item

36

Legacy USB Support (Enabled)

Use this item to enable or disable support for legacy USB devices. Setting to Auto
allows the system to detect the presence of USB device at startup. If detected, the
USB controller legacy mode is enabled. If no USB device is detected, the legacy USB
support is disabled.

USB Controller (Enabled)

This item enables the USB controller. Leave this at the default “Enabled” if you want
to connect USB devices to your computer.

Onboard AUDIO Function (Auto)

Use this item to enable or disable the onboard audio device.

OnBoard LAN Function (Auto)

Use this item to enable or disable the onboard LAN function.

OnBoard LAN Boot ROM (Disabled)

Use this item to enable or disable the booting from the onboard LAN or a network
add-in card with a remote boot ROM installed.

OnBoard Floppy Controller (Enabled)

Use this item to enable or disable the onboard floppy disk drive interface.

Press <Esc> to return to the main menu setting page.

Power Management Setup

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

CMOS Setup Utility - Copyright (C) 1985-2005, American Megatrends, Inc.

AC Power Loss by IO Power Off
ACPI Suspend Type S3 (STR)
Soft-off by PWR-BTTN Instant Off
Resume By PCI/PCI-E/Lan PME Enabled
Resume By USB Enabled
Resume By PS2 KB (S3) Disabled
Resume By PS2 MS (S3) Enabled
Resume By RTC Alarm Disabled

Power Management Setup

Enter : Select

: Move

mnlk

F1:General Help

F9: Optimized Defaults

F10: Save ESC: Exit+/-/: Value

Using BIOS

Help Item

Power Off
Power On
Last State

AC Power Loss by IO (Power Off)

This item defines how the system will act after AC power loss during system opera­tion. When you set to Off, it will keep the system in Off state until the power button
is pressed.

ACPI Suspend Type (S3(STR))

Use this item to define how your system suspends. In the default, S3, the suspend
mode is a suspend to RAM, i.e, the system shuts down with the exception of a refresh
current to the system memory.

Soft-Off By PWR-BTTN (Instant Off)

Under ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power management Interface) you can
create a software power down. In a software power down, the system can be resumed
by Wake Up Alarms. This item lets you install a software power down that is con­trolled by the power button on your system. If the item is set to Instant-Off, then the
power button causes a software power down. If the item is set to Delay 4 Sec, then
you have to hold the power button down for four seconds to cause a software power
down.

Resume by PCI/PCI-E/Lan PME (Enabled)

These items specify whether the system will be awakened from power saving modes
when activity or input signal of the specified hardware peripheral or component is
detected.

Resume By USB (Enabled)

This item allows you to enable/disable the USB device wakeup function from S3/S4
mode.

Resume By PS2 KB (S3) (Disabled)

This item enable or disable you to allow keyboard activity to awaken the system
from power saving mode.

Resume By PS2 MS (S3) (Enabled)

This item enable or disable you to allow mouse activity to awaken the system from
power saving mode.

Resume By RTC Alarm (Disabled)

The system can be turned off with a software command. If you enable this item, the
system can automatically resume at a fixed time based on the system’s RTC (realtime
clock). Use the items below this one to set the date and time of the wake-up alarm.
You must use an ATX power supply in order to use this feature.

37

Press <Esc> to return to the main menu setting page.

Using BIOS

38

PCI / PnP Configuration

This page sets up some parameters for devices installed on the PCI bus and those
utilizing the system plug and play capability.

CMOS Setup Utility - Copyright (C) 1985-2005, American Megatrends, Inc.

Allocate IRQ to PCI VGA Yes
Init Display First

mnlk

Allocate IRQ to PCI VGA (Yes)

If this item is enabled, an IRQ will be assigned to the PCI VGA graphics system. You
set this value to No to free up an IRQ.

Init Display First (PCI)

Use this item to select which graphics controller to use as the primary boot devices.

PCI / PnP Configuration

PCI

Enter : Select

: Move

F1:General Help

F9: Optimized Defaults

Help Item

YES: Assigns IRQ to
PCI VGA card if card
requests IRQ.
NO: Does not assign
IRQ to PCI VGA card
even if card requests
an IRQ.

F10: Save ESC: Exit+/-/: Value

Press <Esc> to return to the main menu setting page.

PC Health Status

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

CMOS Setup Utility - Copyright (C) 1985-2005, American Megatrends, Inc.

-=- System Hardware Monitor-=­ Smart Fan Function Press Enter

f

Shutdown Temperature Disabled
Warning Temperature Disabled

CPU Core :1.344V
VDIMM :1.872V
CPU Fan Speed :3358 RPM
CPU Tcontrol :40°C/104°F
System Temperature :35°C/95°F

mnlk

PC Health Status

Enter : Select

: Move

F1:General Help

Help Item

F10: Save ESC: Exit+/-/: Value

F9: Optimized Defaults

Using BIOS

Smart Fan Function

f

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

CMOS Setup Utility - Copyright (C) 1985-2005, American Megatrends, Inc.
Smart Fan Function

39

°C

Help Item

Options

Disabled
Enabled

SMART Fan Control Enabled
SMART Fan Start PWM value 40
SMART Fan start TEMP. (
DeltaT +3
SMART Fan Slope PWM value 4 PWM value/

mnlk

°C) 50

Enter : Select

: Move

F1:General Help

F10: Save ESC: Exit+/-/: Value

F9: Optimized Defaults

SMART Fan Control (Enabled)

This item allows you to enable or disable the control of the system fan speed by
changing the fan voltage.

SMART Fan start PWM value (40)

This item is used to set the start PWM value of the smart fan.

SMART Fan start TEMP. (50)

This item is used to set the start temperature of the smart fan.

DeltaT (+3)

This item specifies the range that controls CPU temperature and keeps it
from going so high or so low when smart fan works.

Smart FAN Slope PWM value (4 PWM value)

This item is used to set the Slope Select PWM of the smart fan.

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

Shutdown Temperature (Disabled)

This item nables you to set the maximum temperature the system can reach before
powering down.

Warning Temperature (Disabled)

This item enables or disables the warning temperature.

Using BIOS

40

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.

• CPU Core

• VDIMM

• CPU Fan Speed

• CPU Tcontrol

• System Temperature

Press <Esc> to return to the main menu setting page.

Frequency/Voltage Control

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.

CMOS Setup Utility - Copyright (C) 1985-2005, American Megatrends, Inc.

Frequency/Voltage Control

Auto Detect DIMM/PCI CIK Enabled
CPU/LDT Spread Spectrum 0.50% H. Kiss Down
PCIE Spread Spectrum Linear Down
SAT A Sprea d Spectrum Linear Down
iGUP Spread Spectrum 3.00% Triangular Ce

Enter : Select

mnlk

: Move

F1:General Help

F10: Save ESC: Exit+/-/: Value

F9: Optimized Defaults

Help item

Options

Disabled
Enabled

Auto Detect DIMM/PCI Clk (Enabled)

When this item is enabled, BIOS will disable the clock signal of free DIMM/PCI slots.

CPU/LDT Spread Spectrum (0.5% H. Kiss Down)

This item, when enabled, can significantly reduce the EMI (Electromagnetic Inter­ference) generated by the CPU/LDT.

PCIE Spread Spectrum (Linear Down)

This item, when enabled, can significantly reduce the EMI (Electromagnetic Inter­ference) generated by the PCIE.

SATA Spread Spectrum (Linear Down)

This item, when enabled, can significantly reduce the EMI (Electromagnetic Inter­ference) generated by SATA.

Using BIOS

iGPU Spread Spectrum (3.00% Triangular Ce)

This item, when enabled, can significantly reduce the EMI (Electromagnetic Inter­ference) generated by the iGPU.

Press <Esc> to return to the main menu setting page.

Load Default Settings

This option opens a dialog box to ask if you are sure to install optimized defaults or
not. You select [OK], and then <Enter>, the Setup Utility loads all default values; or
select [Cancel], and then <Enter>, the Setup Utility does not load default values.

Supervisor Password

This page helps you install or change a password.

CMOS Setup Utility - Copyright (C) 1985-2005, American Megatrends, Inc.

Supervisor Password

41

Supervisor Password :Not Installed

Change Supervisor Password Press Enter

Enter : Select

mnlk

: Move

F1:General Help

F10: Save ESC: Exit+/-/: Value

F9: Optimized Defaults

Help item

Install or Change the
password.

Supervisor Password (Not Installed)

This item indicates whether a supervisor password has been set. If the password has
been installed, Installed displays. If not, Not Installed displays.

Change Supervisor Password (Press Enter)

You can select this option and press <Enter> to access the sub menu. You can use the
sub menu to change the supervisor password.

Press <Esc> to return to the main menu setting page.

Using BIOS

42

User Password

This page helps you install or change a password.

CMOS Setup Utility - Copyright (C) 1985-2005, American Megatrends, Inc.

User Password

User Password : Not Installed

Change User Password Press Enter

Enter : Select

: Move

mnlk

F1:General Help

F9: Optimized Defaults

F10: Save ESC: Exit+/-/: Value

Help item

Install or Change the
password.

User Password (Not Installed)

This item indicates whether a user password has been set. If the password has been
installed, Installed displays. If not, Not Installed displays.

Change User Password (Press Enter)

You can select this option and press <Enter> to access the sub menu. You can use the
sub menu to change the supervisor password.

Press <Esc> to return to the main menu setting page.

Save & Exit Setup

Highlight this item and press <Enter> to save the changes that you have made in the
Setup Utility and exit the Setup Utility. When the Save and Exit dialog box appears,
select [OK] to save and exit, or select [Cancel] to return to the main menu.

Exit Without Saving

Highlight this item and press <Enter> to discard any changes that you have made in
the Setup Utility and exit the Setup Utility. When the Exit Without Saving dialog
box appears, select [OK] to discard changes and exit, or select [Cancel] to return to
the main menu.

If you have made settings that you do not want to save, use the “Exit
Without Saving” item and select [OK] to discard any changes you have
made.

Using BIOS

Updating the BIOS

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

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 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 the se f iles to the system diskette you created in Step 3.

5 Turn off your computer and insert the system diskette in your computer’s

diskette drive. (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 floppy diskette drive first.)

6 At the A:\ prompt, type the Flash Utility program n ame and the file name

of the new bios and then press <Enter>. Example: AMINF340.EXE

040706.ROM

7 When the installation is complete, remove the floppy diskette from the

diskette drive 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.

43

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

Using BIOS

44

Memo

Using BIOS

Chapter 4

Using the Motherboard Software

About the Software CD-ROM

The support software 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, INSTALL.TXT,
or something similar. These files may contain important information that is not
included in this manual.

Never try to install all software from folder that is not specified for use with

1.
your motherboard.

The notice of Intel HD audio installation (optional): The Intel High Defi-

2.
nition 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 CD.
Please log on to
us;901105#appliesto for more information.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-

Auto-installing under W indows 2000/XP/Vista

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

If the Auto-install 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 CD-ROM disc loads automatically under Windows 2000/XP/
Vista. When you insert the CD-ROM disc in the CD-ROM drive, the autorun feature
will automatically bring up the install screen. The screen has three buttons on it,
Setup, Browse CD and Exit.

45

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

Using the Motherboard Software

46

Setup Tab

Setup

Browse CD

Exit The EXIT button closes the Auto Setup window.

Application Tab

Lists the software utilities that are available on the CD.

Read Me Tab

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

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

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

Before installing the software from Windows Explorer, look for a file
named README.TXT, INSTALL.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, such as Windows 2000/XP/Vista. Always go to the correct
folder for the kind of OS you are using.

In install the software, execute a file named SETUP.EXE or
INSTALL.EXE by double-clicking the file and then following the
instructions on the screen.

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.

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:

47

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

1. 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.

2. During the Windows Vista Driver Auto Setup Procedure, users should
use one of the following two methods to install the driver after the
system restart.

Using the Motherboard Software

48

Method 1. Run Reboot Setup

Windows Vista will block startup programs by default when installing drivers after the
system restart. You must select taskbar icon Run Blocked Program and run Reboot
Setup to install the next driver, until you finish all drivers installation.

Method 2. Disable UAC (User Account Control)

* For administrator account only. Standard user account can only use Method 1.

Disable Vista UAC function before installing drivers, then use CD driver to install
drivers, it will continue to install drivers after system restart without running blocked

programs.

Follow these instructions to Disable Vista UAC function:

1. Go to Control Panel.

Using the Motherboard Software

2. Select Classic View.

3. Set User Account.

49

4. Select Turn User Account Control on or off and press Continue.

Using the Motherboard Software

50

5. Disable User Account Control (UAC) to help protect your computer item and
press OK, then press Restart Now. Then you can restart your computer and continue to
drivers without running blocked programs.

install

Manual Installation

Insert the CD in the 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 CD for available software.

This concludes Chapter 4.

Using the Motherboard Software

Chapter 5

Setting Up NVIDIA RAID Configuration

There are two ways to setup NVIDIA RAID Configuration: one is to create a RAID
1 Array for backup or a RAID 0 Array for increased performance just by adding
additional disk array without changing the original OS (Non-Bootable RAID Array);
while the other is to configure the RAID Array disks when reinstalling the OS

(Bootable RAID Array).

Setting Up a Non-Boota ble RAID Array

RAID arrays can be created/deleted using both MediaShield RAID BIOS and the
MediaShield RAID Manager from Windows. This section only covers basic BIOS
setup required for non-bootable array. See the section "Setting Up a Bootable RAID
Array” for instructions on configuring the RAID array in BIOS. See sections on using
the MediaShield RAID Manager for details on configuring non-bootable RAID from
Windows.

Setting Up the BIOS

1

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

51

Figure 1.1 BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main Window

2

Use the arrow keys to select Integrated Peripherals (see Figure 1.1), then
press Enter.

The Integrated Peripherals window appears.

Figure 1.2 Integrated Peripherals Window

NVIDIA RAID Configuration

52

From the Integrated Peripherals Window, globally set SATA Mode select to

3

RAID Mode (see Figure 1.2).

Press F10 to save the configuration and exit (F10 is the navigation key to

4

save the current configuration and exit setup in BIOS setting).

The PC reboots.

Installing the NVIDIA RAID Software Under Windows

This section describes how to run the setup application and install the RAID soft­ware.

Start the nForce Setup program to open the NVIDIA Windows nForce

1

Drivers page.

Figure 1.3 nForce Driver Installation Window

2 Select the modules that you want to install.

Make sure that the “NVIDIA IDE Driver” is selected.
You must install the NVIDIA IDE driver in order to enable NVIDIA RAID.

3

If you do not install the NVIDIA IDE driver, NVIDIA RAID will not be
enabled.

Click Next and then follow the instructions.After the installation is com-

4

pleted, be sure to reboot the PC.

After the reboot, initialize the newly created array.

5

NVIDIA RAID Configuration

Setting Up a Bootable RAID Array

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

Setting Up the BIOS

1

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

Figure 1.4 BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main Screen

2

Use the arrow keys to select Integrated Peripherals (see Figure 1.4), then
press Enter.

The Integrated Peripherals screen (or a screen similar to it) appears.

53

Figure 1.5 Integrated Peripherals Screen

3

From the Integrated Peripherals Window, globally set SATA Mode select to
RAID Mode (see Figure 1.5).

NVIDIA RAID Configuration

54

Press F10 to save the configuration and exit.

4

The PC reboots.

Enter the RAID BIOS Setup by pressing F10 when prompted, and proceed

5

to set up the NVIDIA RAID BIOS as described in the next section.

Configuring the NVIDIA RAID BIOS

The NVIDIA 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:

Wait until you see the RAID software prompting you to press F10.

1

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 F10 before the
screen disappears (see Figure 1.6).

Figure 1.6

2

Press F10 to enter Define a New Array page.

NVIDIA RAID Configuration

The NVIDIA RAID Utility—Define a New Array screen appears (Figure

1.7).

Figure 1.7 MediaShield BIOS

By default, RAID Mode is set to Mirroring and Striping Block is set to Optimal.

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 down arrow key until the mode that you want appears in the RAID
Mode box—either Mirroring, Striping, Spanning, Stripe Mirroring or RAID

5.
Note: Not all RAID levels are supported on all platforms. And enough Hard

disks are required to complete the RAID configuration.

• Selecting the Striping Block Size

Striping 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 between 4 KB and 128 KB (4, 8, 16, 32, 64,
and 128 KB)

Assigning the Disks

The disks that you enabled from the RAID Config BIOS setup page appear in the Free
Disks block. These are the drives that are available for use as RAID array disks.

To designate a free disk to be used as a RAID array disk,

Tab to the Free Disks section.

1

The first disk in the list is selected
Move it from the Free Disks block to the Array Disks block by pressing the

2

right-arrow key (—>).
The first disk in the list is moved, and the next disk in the list is selected and

ready to be moved.
Continue pressing the right-arrow key (—>) until all the disks that you want

3

to use as RAID array disks appear in the Array Disks block.

NVIDIA RAID Configuration

55

56

Figure 1.8 illustrates the Define a New Array screen after one disk have been
assigned as RAID 0 array disk.

Figure 1.8 MediaShield BIOS—Array Disks Assigned

Completing the RAID BIOS Setup

After assigning your RAID array disk, press F7.

1

The Clear disk array prompt appears.

Figure 1.9 Clear Disk Data Prompt

NVIDIA RAID Configuration

Press Y to clear the disk data.

2

The Array List screen appears, where you can review the RAID arrays that
you have set up.

Figure 1.10 Array List Window

Use the arrow keys to select the array that you want to set up, then press B

3

to specify the array as bootable.
Press Enter to view and verify details.

4

The Array Detail screen shows various information about the array that you
selected, such as Striping Block used, RAID Mode, Striping Width, Disk
Model Name, and disk capacity.

If you want to mark this disk as empty and wipe out all its contents, press C.

5

57

At the prompt, press Y to wipe out all the data, otherwise press N.

6

Press Enter again to go back to the previous screen and then press F10 to exit

7

the RAID setup.

NVIDIA RAID Configuration

58

Installing the RAID Drivers

Your system may come with a Windows install CD that already includes NVIDIA
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 NVIDIA 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.

Copy all files in "…\IDE\WinXP\sataraid" to a floppy disk. (For Windows

1

2000, substitute "Win2K" in the path.)
After you complete the RAID BIOS setup, boot from the Windows CD.

2

The Windows Setup program starts.
Press F6 and wait a few moments for the Windows Setup screen to

3

appear.

Figure 1.11 Windows Setup—Specify Devices

Specify the NVIDIA drivers.

4

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

The following Windows Setup screen appears:

Figure 1.12 Windows Setup—Selected SCSI Adapter

NVIDIA RAID Configuration

b Select “NVIDIA RAID CLASS DRIVER (required)” and then press Enter.

c Press S again at the Specify Devices screen, then press Enter.

d Select “NVIDIA NForce Storage Controller (required)” and then press
Enter.

The following Windows Setup screen appears listing both drivers:.

Figure 1.13 Windows Setup—NVIDIA drives listed

5

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.

6

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 MediaShield RAID
Management tool.

59

Note:

This concludes chapter 5.

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.

NVIDIA RAID Configuration

60

Memo

NVIDIA RAID Configuration