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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 1.0
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.
Trademark Recognition
Microsoft, MS-DOS and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corp.
AMD, 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.
i
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
Page 4
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 Interference-causing
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
H
page 1
Chapter 2
Installing the Motherboard
Chapter 3
Using BIOS
Chapter 4
Using the Motherboard Software
Chapter 5
VIA VT8237 SA T A RAID Setup Guide
Preface
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 SATA RAID
Setup
Go to
H
H
H
H
page 7
page 25
page 45
page 49
Page 5
TT
ABLE OF CONTENTSABLE OF CONTENTS
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ABLE OF CONTENTS
TT
ABLE OF CONTENTSABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface i
iii
Chapter 1
Introducing the Motherboard 1
Introduction................................................................................................1
Features.......................................................................................................2
Motherboard Components.......................................................................4
1
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
Connecting Case Components...............................................................10
Front Panel Connector.................................................................12
Installing Hardware...................................................................................13
Installing the Processor...............................................................13
Installing Memory Modules.........................................................14
Installing a Hard Disk Drive/CD-ROM/SATA Hard Drive........18
Installing a Floppy Diskette Drive...............................................20
Installing Add-on Cards..............................................................20
Connecting Optional Devices......................................................22
Connecting I/O Devices..........................................................................24
7 7
7
7 7
Chapter 3
Using BIOS 25
About the Setup Utility............................................................................25
The Standard Configuration........................................................25
Entering the Setup Utility..............................................................25
Updating the BIOS.......................................................................27
Using BIOS................................................................................................27
Standard CMOS Features...........................................................28
Advanced BIOS Features.............................................................30
Advanced Chipset Features.........................................................32
25 25
25
25 25
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iv
Integrated Peripherals.................................................................35
Power Management Setup...........................................................38
PNP/PCI Configurations.............................................................40
PC Health Status..........................................................................41
Frequency/Voltage Contr ol..........................................................42
Load Fail-Safe Defaults................................................................43
Load Optimized Defaults.............................................................43
Set Supervisor/User Password....................................................43
Save & Exit Setup Option.............................................................44
Exit Without Saving......................................................................44
Chapter 4
45 45
45
45 45
Using the Motherboard Software 45
About the Software CD-ROM................................................................45
Auto-installing under Windows 98/ME/2000/XP................................45
Running Setup..............................................................................46
Manual Installation..................................................................................48
Utility Software Reference.......................................................................48
Chapter 5
49 49
49
49 49
VIA VT8237 SATA RAID Setup Guide 49
VIA RAID Configurations.......................................................................49
Installing RAID Software & Drives.......................................................56
Using VIA RAID T ool.............................................................................58
Multi-Language Translation
Page 7
Chapter 1
Introducing the Motherboard
Introduction
Thank you for choosing K8M800-M2 motherboard of great performance and with enhanced function. The K8M800-M2 is designed to fit the AMD K8 processors in the 754pin package. Two 184 pin unbuffered DDR SDRAM DIMM sockets support up to 2 GB in
total memory. Based on the uATX form factor, this motherboard incorporates the following chipsets: K8M800 chipset family Northbridge and VT8237 Southbridge chipsets.
The K8M800 Northbridge features the Hyper Transport Technology to transfer of 1600
MT/s, 1200 MT/s, 800 MT/s or 400 MT/s each direction simultaneously, providing a total
maximum data transfer bandwidth of 6.4GB/sec. The AGP controller is AGP v3.0 compliant
8X/4X transfer mode with up to 2.1 GB/sec data transfer rate. The K8M800 Northbridge
interconnects to the South Bridge through the high speed 8X 66 MHz (533 MB/sec) V-Link
interface.
The VT8237 Southbridge is a highly integrated peripheral controller, it includes an integrated keyboard controller with PS2 mouse support, two-channel Serial ATA/RAID hard
disk controller, master mode enhanced Parallel IDE controller with full scatter/gather
capability and extension to UltraDMA-133/100/66 for 133/100/66 MB/sec transfer rate,
integrated USB 2.0 interface and OnNow/ACPI compliant advanced configuration and
power management interface. The VT8237 features outstanding expansion capibility such
as, three PCI slots with PCI v2.2 compliant and one optional CNR slot. The VT8237
integrated Fast Ethernet controller with standard MII interface to an external PHY for 10/
100Mb Base-T Ethernet.
There is an advanced full set of I/O ports in the rear panel, including PS/2 mouse and
keyboard connectors, COM1, LPT1, four USB ports at the rear I/O and 2 headers onboard
, one LAN port (optional), and audio jacks for microphone, line-in, and line-out. This
motherboard is designed in an uATX form factor using a four-layer printed circuit board and
measures 244 mm x 244 mm.
1
Introducing the Motherboard
Page 8
2
Feature
Processor
K8M800-M2 uses a 754-pin socket that carries the following features:
• Supports AMD K8 processors with HyperTransport Technology
HyperTransport 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.
Chipset
The VIA K8M800 Northbridge (NB) and VIA VT8237 Southbridge (SB) chipset is based
on an innovative and scalable architecture with proven reliability and performance.
K8M800 (NB)
VT8237 (SB)
• 800/600/400/200 MHz clock rates with “Double Data Rate”style operation for 1600/1200/800/400 MT/s in both directions simultaneously
• Supports 66 MHz, 8X/4X transfer modes, V-Link Host interface with total bandwidth of 533 MB/sec
• AGP v3.0 compliant with 8X/4X transfer mode with Fast
Write support
• Supports 16-bit 66 MHz V-Link Host interface with total
bandwidth of 1066 MB/s
• Compliant with PCI 2.2 specification at 33 MHz, supporting
up to 6 PCI masters
• Integrated Dual channel UltraDMA 133/100/66 Master Mode
EIDE Controller
• USB 2.0 Controller, supporting for 8 USB 2.0/1.1 ports
• Integrated keyboard Controller with PS2 mouse support
Memory
• Supports DDR400/333/266/200 memory types
• Accommodates two unbuffered 2.5V 184-pin DDR SDRAM DIMM sockets
• A total maximum capacity 2 GB
AC’97 Audio CODEC
The AC’97 Audio CODEC is compliant with the AC’97 2.3 specification that provides
8bit/16bit mono/stereo PCM data format support. Features include support for 32-byte
line-buffers for each SGD channel and digital S/PDIF IN/OUT.
Introducing the Motherboard
Page 9
Expansion Options
The motherboard comes with the following expansion options:
• Three 32-bit PCI slots
• One AGP slot
• Two IDE connectors which support four IDE devices
• One floppy disk drive interface
• A Communications Networking Riser (CNR) slot
• Two 7-pin SATA connectors
This motherboard supports Ultra DMA bus mastering with transfer rates of 133/100/66
MB/s.
Onboard LAN (optional)
The onboard LAN provides the following features:
• Supports 10Mb/s and 100Mb/s N-Way Auto-negotiation operation
• Half and Full Duplex
• Supports Wake-on-LAN (WOL) function and remote wake-up
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 parallel port
• Eight USB ports (rear panel x 4, header x 4)
• One LAN port (optional)
• One VGA port
• Audio jacks for microphone, line-in and line-out
3
BIOS Firmware
The motherboard uses Award 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.
Some hardware specifications and software items are subject to change
without prior notice.
Introducing the Motherboard
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4
Motherboard Components
Introducing the Motherboard
Page 11
Table of Motherboard Components
LABEL COMPONENT
1 CPU Socket Socket 754 for AMD K8 processor
2 CPUFAN1 CPU cooling fan connector
3 DIMM1~2 184-pin DDR SDRAM slots
4 ATX1 Standard 20-pin ATX power connector
5 JP3 BIOS flash protect jumper
6 IDE1 Primary IDE connector
7 IDE2 Secondary IDE connector
8 FDD1 Floppy disk drive connector
9 CASFAN1 Case cooling fan connector
10 USB3 ~ 4 Front Panel USB header
11 PANEL1 Front panel switch/LED header
12 SJ1 Single color LED header
13 JP1 Clear CMOS jumper
14 SPK1 Speaker header
15 SATA1~SATA2 Serial ATA connectors
16 AGP1 Accelerated Graphics Port Slot
17 PCI1~3 32-bit add-on card slots
18 CNR1 Communications Networking Riser slot
19 AUXIN1 Auxiliary in header
20 SPDIFO1 SPDIF out header
21 CDIN1 CD-in connector
22 AUDIO1 Front panel audio header
23 ATX2 4-pin +12V power connector
5
This concludes Chapter 1. The next chapter explains how to install the motherboard.
Introducing the Motherboard
Page 12
6
Memo
Introducing the Motherboard
Page 13
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 uATX system case. First, 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, K8M800M2 supports one or two floppy diskette drives and four 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 a uATX form factor of 244 X 244 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
Page 14
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
Page 15
Checking Jumper Settings
The following illustration shows the location of the motherboard jumpers. Pin 1 is labeled.
9
Jumper Settings
Jumper
JP1
JP3
Type
3-pin CLEAR CMOS 1-2: NORMAL
3-pin
Description
BIOS PROTECT
Setting (default)
2-3: CLEAR
Before clearing the CMOS,
make sure to turn the system off.
1-2: DISABLE
2-3: ENABLE
Installing the Motherboard
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10
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 CPUFAN1.
2 Connect the case cooling fan connector to CASFAN1.
3 Connect the case speaker cable to SPK1.
4 Connect the case switches and indicator LEDs to the PANEL1. If there are 3
pins in the case LED cable, connect to SJ1.
5 Connect the standard power supply connector to A TX1.
6 Connect the auxiliary case power supply connector to ATX2.
CPUFAN1/CASEF AN1: FAN Power Connectors
Pin Signal Name Function
1 GND System Ground
2 +12V Power +12V
3 Sense Sensor
SPK1: Internal speaker
Pin Signal Name
1 VCC
2 NC
3 Ground
4 Signal
Installing the Motherboard
Page 17
SJ1: Single-color LED header
Pin Signal Name
1 ACPI LED
Pin Signal Name
2 ACPI LED
3 5VSB
ACPI LED function
S0 S1 S3 S4/S5
Light Blinking Blinking Dark
A TX1: A TX 20-pin Power Connector
Pin Signal Name Pin Signal Name
1 +3.3V 11 +3.3V
2 +3.3V 12 -12V
3 Ground 13 Ground
4 +5V 14 PS ON#
5 Ground 15 Ground
6 +5V 16 Ground
7 Ground 17 Ground
8 PWRGD 18 -5V
9 +5VSB 19 +5V
10 +12V 20 +5V
A TX2: A TX 12V Power Connector
11
Pin Signal Name
1 Ground
2 Ground
3 +12V
4 +12V
Installing the Motherboard
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12
Front Panel Header
The front panel connector (PANEL1) provides a standard set of switch and LED header
commonly found on ATX or micro-ATX cases. Refer to the table below for information:
Pin Signal Name 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)
Pin Signal Name Function
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 momentary-contact
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 momentarycontact 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 debounce circuitry. After receiving a power on/off signal, at least two seconds elapses before
the power supply recognizes another on/off signal.
Installing the Motherboard
Page 19
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 these settings by 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: 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.
13
This motherboard has a Socket 754 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
Page 20
14
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 installa-
tion.
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
K8M800-M2 accommodates two 184-pin 2.5V unbuffered Double Data Rate (DDR) SDRAM
(Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory) memory modules. K8M800-M2 can
support DDR400/DDR333/DDR266/DDR200 memory types and its total maximum memory
size is 2 GB.
DDR SDRAM memory module table
Memory module Memory Bus
DDR200 100MHz
DDR266 133MHz
DDR333 166MHz
DDR400 200MHz
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.
Installing the Motherboard
Page 21
Installation Procedure
Refer to the following to install the memory modules.
1 This motherboard supports unbuffered DDR 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.
15
Installing the Motherboard
Page 22
16
Table A: Unbuffered DIMM Support for 754-pin
Numbers of
5
DIMMs
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
1 DIMM 1 connects to command/address pins MEMADDA [13:0], MEMBANKA [1:0], MEMRASA_L,
MEMCASA_L, MEMWEA_L, MEMCKEA.
2 DIMM 2 connects to command/address pins MEMADDB [13:0], MEMBANKB [1:0], MEMRASB_L,
MEMCASB_L, MEMWEB_L, MEMCKEB.
3 2T timing is supported in CG and later silicon revisions. Refer to the AMD Athlon
Power and Thermal Data Sheet, order #30430, for silicon revision determination.
4 The maximum allowable DRAM speed under these high load conditions may be reduced with certain
DIMMs due to signal integrity degradation.
4.1.5
DIMM 1
single rank
empty
double rank
empty
single rank
double rank
double rank
DIMM 2
empty
single rank
empty
double rank
single ranksingle rank
double rank
single rank
double rank
2
Maximum DRAM
Speed
3
1 T
DDR400
DDR400
DDR400
DDR400 DDR400
DDR400
DDR400
DDR400
DDR333
2 T
DDR400
DDR400
DDR400
DDR400
DDR400
DDR400
DDR333
™
64 Processor
Installing the Motherboard
Page 23
Table B: DDR (memory module) QVL (Qualified Vendor List)
The following DDR400 memory modules have been tested and qualified for use with this
motherboard.
17
Size Vendor
128MB
256MB
512MB
NANYA NT128D64SH4B1G-5
Infineon HYS64D16301GU-5-B
NANYA NT128D64SH4B1G-5T
Micron MT16VDDT3264AG-403B2
NANYA NT256D64S88B1G-5
Infineon HYS64D32300GU-5-B
NANYA NT256D64S88B1G-5T
Infineon HYS64D32300HU-5-C
SAMSUNG M368L3223DTM-CC4
Micron MT8VDDT3264AG-40BC4
SAMSUNG M368L6423DTM-CC4
NANYA NT512D64S8HB1G-5T
Infineon HYS64D64320HU-5-C
Micron MT16VDDT6464AG-40BC4
SAMSUNG M368L6423ETM-CC4
Module Name
Installing the Motherboard
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18
Installing a Hard Disk Drive/CD-ROM/SA T A Hard Drive
This section describes how to install IDE devices such as a hard disk drive and a CD-ROM
drive.
About IDE Devices
Your motherboard has a primary and secondary IDE channel interface (IDE1 and IDE2).
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 correspoinds to the pin 1 of the I/O port connector.
IDE1: Primary IDE Connector
The first hard drive should always be connected to IDE1.
IDE2: Secondary IDE Connector
The second drive on this controller must be set to slave mode. The cinfiguration is the same
as IDE1.
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.
About UltraDMA
This motherboard supports UltraDMA 133/100/66. UDMA is a technology that accelerates the performance of devices in the IDE channel. To maximize performance, install IDE
devices that support UDMA and use 80-pin IDE cables that support UDMA 133/100/66.
Installing the Motherboard
Page 25
About SA TA Connectors
Your motherboard features two SATA connectors supporting a total of two 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 (see
page 21) 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.
19
SATA cable
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 does not support the “Hot-Plug” function.
(optional)
SATA power cable (optional)
Installing the Motherboard
Page 26
20
Installing a Floppy Diskette Drive
The motherboard has a floppy diskette drive (FDD) interface and ships with a diskette drive
ribbon cable that supports one or two floppy diskette drives. You can install a 5.25-inch
drive and a 3.5-inch drive with various capacities. The floppy diskette drive cable has one
type of connector for a 5.25-inch drive and another type of connector for a 3.5-inch drive.
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.
FDD1: Floppy Disk Connector
This connector supports the provided 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.
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.
Installing the Motherboard
Page 27
21
AGP Slot
PCI Slot
CNR Slot
Follow these instructions to install an add-on card:
1 Remove a blanking plate from the system case corresponding to the slot you
2 Install the edge connector of the add-on card into the expansion slot. Ensure
3 Secure the metal bracket of the card to the system case with a screw.
The AGP slot is used to install a graphics adapter that supports the 8X/4X
AGP specification. It is AGP 3.0 compliant.
K8M800-M2 is 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 v2.2 compliant.
This slot is used to insert CNR cards with Modem and Audio functionality.
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.
are going to use.
that the edge connector is correctly seated in the slot.
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
Page 28
22
Connecting Optional Devices
Refer to the following for information on connecting the motherboard’s optional devices:
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
+5VA 5V analog Power
2
Key No pin
3
GND Ground
4
AUDIO1: Front Panel Audio header
This header allows the user to install auxiliary front-oriented microphone
and line-out ports for easier access.
Pin Signal Name Function
1 AUD_MIC Front Panel Microphone input signal
2 AUD_GND Ground used by Analog Audio Circuits
3 AUD_MIC_BIAS Microphone Power
4 AUD_VCC Filtered +5V used by Analog Audio Circuits
5 AUD_F_R Right Channel audio signal to Front Panel
6 AUD_RET_R Right Channel Audio signal to Return from Front Panel
7 REVD Reserved
8 Key No Pin
9 AUD_F_L Left Channel Audio signal to Front Panel
10 AUD_RET_L Left Channel Audio signal to Return from Front Panel
Pin Signal Name
Installing the Motherboard
Page 29
USB3/USB4: Front Panel USB header
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 Function
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
Please make sure that the USB cable has the same pin assignment as indicated above. A different pin assignment may cause damage or system hangup.
AUXIN1: Auxiliary In header
This connector is an additional line-in audio connector. It allows you to attach a line-in
cable when your rear line-in jack is set as line out port for 4-channel function.
Pin Signal Name Function
1 AUX_L AXU In left channel
GND Ground
2
3
GND Ground
AUX_R AXU In right channel
4
23
CDIN1: CD Audio Input header
Pin Signal Name Function
1 CD in_L CD In left channel
2
GND Ground
GND Ground
3
4 CD in_R CD In right channel
Installing the Motherboard
Page 30
24
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.
Parallel Port (LPT1) Use LPT1 to connect printers or other parallel communications
devices.
Serial Port Use the COM port to connect serial devices such as mice or
(COM1) fax/modems.
LAN Port
VGA Port Connect your monitor to the VGA port.
USB Ports Use the USB ports to connect USB devices.
Audio Ports
This concludes Chapter 2. The next chapter covers the BIOS.
(optional)
Connect an RJ-45 jack to the LAN port to connect your computer
to the Network.
Use the three audio ports to connect audio devices. The first jack
is for stereo line-in signal. The second jack is for stereo line-out
signal. The third jack is for microphone.
Installing the Motherboard
Page 31
Chapter 3
Using BIOS
About the Setup Utility
The computer uses the latest Award 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.
25
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:
Using BIOS
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26
Press DEL to enter SETUP
Pressing the delete key accesses the BIOS Setup Utility:
Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility:
Standard CMOS Features
Advanced BIOS Features Load Fail-Safe Defaults
Advanced Chipset Features Load Optimized Defaults
Integrated Peripherals Set Supervisor Password
Power Management Setup Set User Password
PnP/PCI Configurations Save & Exit Setup
PC Health Status Exit Without Saving
Esc: Quit
F10: Save & Exit Setup
Time, Date, Hard Disk Type...
Frequency/Voltage Control
BIOS Navigation Keys
The BIOS navigation keys are listed below:
KEY FUNCTION
ESC Exits the current menu
+/-/PU/PD Modifies the selected field’s values
F10 Saves the current configuration and exits setup
F1 Displays a screen that describes all key functions
F5 Loads previously saved values to CMOS
F6 Loads a minimum configuration for troubleshooting
F7 Loads an optimum set of values for peak performance
Scrolls through the items on a menu
: Select Item
Using BIOS
Page 33
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 Advanced
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 these files 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 name and press <Enter>.
7 Type the filename of the new BIOS in the “File Name to Program” text box.
Follow the onscreen directions to update the motherboard BIOS.
8 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.
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>.
27
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
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
.
) lead to submenus that enable you to change the
Using BIOS
Page 34
28
Standard CMOS Features
This option displays basic information about your system.
Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility
Standard CMOS Features
Date (mm:dd:yy) Wed, Feb 25 2004
Time (hh:mm:ss) 9 : 33 : 26
IDE Channel 0 Master
IDE Channel 0 Slave
IDE Channel 1 Master
IDE Channel 1 Slave
IDE Channel 2 Master
IDE Channel 3 Master
Drive A [1.44M, 3.5 in.]
Drive B [None]
Video [EGA/VGA]
Halt On [All Errors]
Base Memory 640K
Extended Memory 65535K
Tot al Memory 1024K
: Move Enter: Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1: General Help
F5:Previous Values F6:Fail-Safe Defaults F7:Optimized Defaults
Date and 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.
IDE Devices (None)
Your computer has two IDE channels (Primary and Secondary) and each channel can be
installed with one or two devices (Master and Slave). Use these items to
configure each device on the IDE channel.
Item Help
Menu Level
Change the day, month,
year and century
Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility
IDE Channel 0 Slave
IDE HDD Auto-Detection [Press Enter]
IDE Channel 0 Master [Auto]
Access Mode [Auto]
Capacity 0MB
Cylinder 0
Head 0
Precomp 0
Landing Zone 0
Sector 0
: Move Enter: Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1: General Help
F5:Previous Values F6:Fail-Safe Defaults F7:Optimized Defaults
Item Help
Menu Level
To auto-detect the
HDD’s size, head... on
this channel
IDE HDD Auto-Detection
Press <Enter> while this item is highlighted to prompt the Setup Utility to automatically
detect and configure an IDE device on the IDE channel.
If you are setting up a new hard disk drive that supports LBA mode, more
than one line will appear in the parameter box. Choose the line that lists
LBA for an LBA drive.
Using BIOS
Page 35
IDE Channel 0/1/2 Master/Slave/Extended IDE Drive(Auto)
Leave this item at Auto to enable the system to automatically detect and configure
IDE devices on the channel. If it fails to find a device, change the value to Manual and
then manually configure the drive by entering the characteristics of the drive in the
items described below. Please noted that if you choose IDE Channel 2/3 Master, the
item may change to Extended IDE Drive.
Refer to your drive’s documentation or look on the drive casing if you need to obtain
this information. If no device is installed, change the value to None.
Before attempting to configure a hard disk drive, ensure that you have the
configuration information supplied by the manufacturer of your hard drive.
Incorrect settings can result in your system not recognizing the installed hard
disk.
Access Mode (Auto)
This item defines ways that can be used to access IDE hard disks such as LBA (Large
Block Addressing). Leave this value at Auto and the system will automatically decide
the fastest way to access the hard disk drive. If you choose IDE Channel 2/3 Master,
the item only have Large and Auto.
Press <Esc> to return to the Standard CMOS Features page.
Drive A/Drive B (1.44M, 3.5 in./None)
These items define the characteristics of any diskette drive attached to the system.
You can connect one or two diskette drives.
Video (EGA/VGA)
This item defines the video mode of the system. This motherboard has a built-in VGA
graphics system; you must leave this item at the default value.
29
Halt On (All Errors)
This item defines the operation of the system POST (Power On Self Test) routine. You
can use this item to select which types of errors in the POST are sufficient to halt the
system.
Base Memory, Extended Memory, and Total Memory
These items are automatically detected by the system at start up time. These are
display-only fields. You cannot make changes to these fields.
Using BIOS
Page 36
30
Advanced BIOS Features
This option defines advanced information about your system.
Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility
Advanced BIOS Features
AT A 66/100 IDE Cable Msg. [Enabled]
Hard Disk Boot Priority [Press Enter]
Quick Power On Self T est [Enabled]
First Boot Device [Floppy]
Second Boot Device [Hard Disk]
Third Boot Device [CDROM]
Boot Other Device [Enabled]
Swap Floppy Drive [Disabled]
Boot Up Floppy Seek [Disabled]
Boot Up NumLock Status [On]
Typematic Rate Setting [Disabled]
X
Typematic Rate (Chars/Sec0 6
X
Typematic Delay (Msec) 25 0
Security Option [Setup]
APIC Mode [Enabled]
HDD S.M.A.R.T. Capability [Disabled]
VIdeo BIOS Shadow [Enabled]
Small Logo(EPA) Show [Disabled]
: Move Enter: Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1: General Help
F5:Previous Values F6:Fail-Safe Defaults F7:Optimized Defaults
ATA 66/100 IDE Cable Msg (Enabled)
Enables or disables the ATA 66/100 IDE Cable Msg. This message will appear during reboot
when you use 40-pin cable on your 66/100 hard disks.
Item Help
Menu Level
Hard Disk Boot Priority (Press Enter)
Scroll to this item and press <Enter> to view the following screen. Users can change the
boot sequence under this menu.
Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility
Hard Disk Boot Priority
1. Pri.Master:
2. Pri.Slave:
3. Sec. Master:
4. Sec. Slave:
5. USBHDD0:
6. USBHDD1:
7. USBHDD2:
8. Bootable Add-in Cards
: Move PU/PD+/-/:Change Priority F10:Save ESC:Exit
Item Help
Menu Level
Use < > or < >
to select a device, then
press <+> to move it
up, or <-> to move it
down the list. Press
<ESC> to exit this
menu.
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.
First/Second/Third Boot Device (Floppy/Hard Disk/CDROM)
Use these three items to select the priority and order of the devices that your system
searches for an operating system at start-up time.
Using BIOS
Page 37
Boot Other Device (Enabled)
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.
Swap Floppy Drive [Disabled]
If you have two floppy diskette drives in your system, this item allows you to swap the
assigned drive letters so that drive A becomes drive B, and drive B becomes drive A.
Boot Up Floppy Seek (Disabled)
If this item is enabled, it checks the size of the floppy disk drives at start-up time. You
don’t need to enable this item unless you have a legacy diskette drive with 360K capacity.
Boot Up NumLock Status (On)
This item defines if the keyboard Num Lock key is active when your system is started.
Typematic Rate Setting (Disabled)
If this item is enabled, you can use the following two items to set the typematic rate and the
typematic delay settings for your keyboard.
• Typematic Rate (Chars/Sec): Use this item to define how many characters
per second are generated by a held-down key.
• Typematic Delay (Msec): Use this item to define how many milliseconds
must elapse before a held-down key begins generating repeat characters.
Security Option (Setup)
If you have installed password protection, this item defines if the password is required at
system start up, or if it is only required when a user tries to enter the Setup Utility.
APIC Mode (Enabled)
This item allows you to enable or disable the APIC (Advanced Programmable Interrupt
Controller) mode. APIC provides symmetric multi-processing (SMP) for systems, allowing
support for up to 60 processors.
HDD S.M.A.R.T Capability [Disabled]
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.
The disk drive software monitors the internal performance of the motors, media, heads and
electronics of the drive. The host software monitors the overall reliability status of the
drive. If a device failure is predicted, the host software, through the
Client WORKS S.M.A.R.T applet, warns the user of the impending condition and advises
appropriate action to protect the data.
Video BIOS Shadow (Enabled)
This item determines whether the BIOS will be copied to RAM for faster execution.
Small Logo (EPA) Show [Disabled]
Enables or disables the display of the EPA logo during boot.
31
Using BIOS
Page 38
32
Advanced Chipset Features
These items define critical timing parameters of the motherboard. You should leave the
items on this page at their default values unless you are very familiar with the technical
specifications of your system hardware. If you change the values incorrectly, you may
introduce fatal errors or recurring instability into your system.
Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility
Advanced Chipset Features
AGP & P2P Bridge Control [Press Enter]
f
f
DRAM Clock/Drive Control [Press Enter]
f
LDT & PCI Bus Control [Press Enter]
VLink Data Rate [8X]
Init Display First [PCI Slot]
: Move Enter: Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1: General Help
mnlk
F5:Previous Values F6:Fail-Safe Defaults F7:Optimized Defaults
f
AGP & P2P Bridge Control (Press Enter)
Scroll to this item and press <Enter> to view the following screen:
Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility
Advanced Chipset Features
AGP Aperture Size [128M]
AGP 2.0 Mode [4X]
AGP Driving Control [Auto]
X
AGP Driving Value DA
AGP Fast Write [Disabled]
AGP Master 1 WS Write [Disabled]
AGP Master 1 WS Read [Disabled]
AGP 3.0 Calibration cycle cycle [Disabled]
Item Help
Menu Level
Menu Level
ff
Item Help
ff
: Move Enter: Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1: General Help
mnlk
F5:Previous Values F6:Fail-Safe Defaults F7:Optimized Defaults
AGP Aperture Size (128M)
This item defines the size of aperture if you use an AGP graphics adapter. The AGP aperture refers
to a section of the PCI memory address range used for graphics memory. We recommend that
you leave this item at the default value.
AGP 2.0 Mode (8X)
This item allows you to enable or disable the caching of display data for the processor video
memory. Enabling AGP-8X Mode can greatly improve the display speed. Users please note that
the default speed depends on the AGP cards. With 8x/4x/2x AGP cards inserted, the default speed
will be 8x/4x/2x. If you use the onboard VGA, the default setting will be 8x.
Using BIOS
Page 39
AGP Driving Control (Auto)
This item is used to signal driving current on AGP cards to auto or manual. Some AGP cards need
stronger than normal driving current in order to operate. We recommend that you set this item to
the default.
• AGP Driving Value: When AGP Driving Control is to set Manual, use this item
to set the AGP current driving value.
AGP Fast Write (Disabled)
This item lets you enable or disable the caching of display data for the video memory of the
processor. Enabling this item can greatly improve the display speed. Disable this item if your
graphics display card does not support this feature.
AGP Master 1 WS Write (Disabled)
This implements a single delay when writing to the AGP Bus. By default, two-wait states are used
by the system, providing greater stability.
AGP Master 1 WS Read (Disabled)
This implements a single delay when reading to the AGP Bus. By default, two-wait states are used
by the system, allowing for greater stability
AGP 3.0 Calibration cycle (Disabled)
This item is used to implement dynamic compensation to recalibrate the AGP bus over time for
AGP 3.0 compatible chipset.
Press <Esc> to return to the Advanced Chipset Features page.
f (Press Enter)
DRAM Clock/Drive Control
Scroll to this item and press <Enter> to view the following screen:
Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility
DRAM Clock/Drive Control
Current CPU Frequency
Current DRAM Frequency
Max Memclock (Mhz) [Auto]
1T/2T Memory Timing [Auto]
CAS# latency (Tcl) [Auto]
Item Help
Menu Level
ff
33
: Move Enter: Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1: General Help
mnlk
F5:Previous Values F6:Fail-Safe Defaults F7:Optimized Defaults
Current CPU Frequency/Current DRAM Frequency
These two items show the CPU and DRAM frequency.
Max Memclock (Mhz)(Auto)
When DDR Timing Setting by is set to Manual, use this item to set the DRAM frequency.
1T/2T Memory Timing (Auto)
1T/2T Memory Timing (Auto)
Users please note that this item appears only if CPU after CG version is installed. CPU before CG
version will support 1T Memory Timing only. This item enables you to specify the waiting time for
the CPU to issue the next command after issuing the command to the DDR memory. We
recommend that you leave this item at the default value.
Using BIOS
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34
CAS# latency (Tcl) (Auto)
This item determines the operation of SDRAM memory CAS (column address strobe). It is
recommended that you leave this item at the default value. The 2T setting requires faster
memory that specifically supports this mode.
Press <Esc> to return to the Advanced Chipset Features page.
LDT & PCI Bus Control (Press Enter)
Scroll to this item and press <Enter> to view the following screen:
Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility
LDT & PCI Bus Control
LDT Bus Frequency [800 MHz]
PCI Delay Transaction [Disabled]
: Move Enter: Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1: General Help
F5:Previous Values F6:Fail-Safe Defaults F7:Optimized Defaults
Item Help
Menu Level
LDT Bus Frequency (800MHz)
This option allows you to specify the maximum operating frequency for the LDT transmitter clock.
PCI Delay Transaction (Disabled)
The motherboard’s chipset has an embedded 32-bit post write buffer to support delay transactions
cycles. Select Enabled to support compliance with PCI specification version 2.1.
Press <Esc> to return to the Advanced Chipset Features page.
VLink Data Rate (8X)
This option allows you to select the data transfer rate between the Northbridge and
Southbridge chipsets.
Init Display First (PCI slot)
Use this item to specify whether your graphics adapter is installed in one of the PCI slots
or is integrated on the motherboard
Using BIOS
Page 41
Integrated Peripherals
These options display items that define the operation of peripheral components on
the system’s input/output ports.
VIA OnChip IDE Device [Press Enter]
VIA OnChip PCI Device [Press Enter]
SuperIO Device [Press Enter]
: Move Enter: Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1: General Help
F5:Previous Values F6:Fail-Safe Defaults F7:Optimized Defaults
VIA OnChip IDE Device (Press Enter)
Scroll to this item and press <Enter> to view the following screen:
OnChip VIA SA T A [Enabled]
SAT A Mode [IDE]
IDE DMA transfer access [Enabled]
OnChip IDE Channel0 [Enabled]
OnChip IDE Channel1 [Enabled]
IDE Prefetch Mode [Enabled]
Primary Master PIO [Auto]
Primary Slave PIO [Auto]
Secondary Master PIO [Auto]
Secondary Slave PIO [Auto]
Primary Master UDMA [Auto]
Primary Slave UDMA [Auto]
Secondary Master UDMA [Auto]
Secondary Slave UDMA [Auto]
IDE HDD Block Mode [Enabled]
: Move Enter: Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1: General Help
F5:Previous Values F6:Fail-Safe Defaults F7:Optimized Defaults
Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility
Integrated Peripherals
Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility
VIA OnChip IDE Device
Item Help
Menu Level
Item Help
Menu Level
35
OnChip VIA SATA (Enabled)
This option allows you to enable or disable the onboard Serial ATA device.
SATA Mode (IDE)
Use this item to select the mode of Serial ATA
IDE DMA transfer access (Enabled)
This item allows you to enable the transfer access of the IDE DMA then burst onto the PCI bus and
nonburstable transactions do not.
On-Chip IDE Channel 0/1 (Enabled)
Use these items to enable or disable the PCI IDE channels that are integrated on the motherboard.
IDE Prefetch Mode (Enabled)
The onboard IDE drive interface supports IDE prefetching, for faster drive access. If you install
a primary and secondary add-in IDE interface, set this field to Disabled if the interface does not
support prefetching.
Using BIOS
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36
Primary/Secondary Master/Slave PIO (Auto)
Each IDE channel supports a master device and a slave device. These four items let you assign
the kind of PIO (Programmed Input/Output) was used by the IDE devices. Choose Auto to let the
system auto detect which PIO mode is best, or select a PIO mode from 0-4.
Primary/Secondary Master/Slave UltraDMA (Auto)
Each IDE channel supports a master device and a slave device. This motherboard supports
UltraDMA technology, which provides faster access to IDE devices.
If you install a device that supports UltraDMA, change the appropriate item on this list to Auto. You
may have to install the UltraDMA driver supplied with this motherboard in order to use an UltraDMA
device.
IDE HDD Block Mode (Enabled)
Enable this field if your IDE hard drive supports block mode. Block mode enables BIOS to
automatically detect the optimal number of block read and writes per sector that the drive can
support and improves the speed of access to IDE devices.
Press <Esc> to return to the Integrated Peripherals page.
VIA OnChip PCI Device (Press Enter)
Scroll to this item and press <Enter> to view the following screen:
AC97 Audio [Auto]
MC97 Modem [Auto]
Onchip VIA LAN Device [Enabled]
Onchip VIA LAN Boot ROM [Disabled]
OnChip USB Controller [All Enabled]
USB 2.0 Support [Enabled]
USB Legacy Support [Enabled]
USB Mouse Support [Enabled]
Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility
VIA OnChip PCI Device
Menu Level
Item Help
: Move Enter: Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1: General Help
F5:Previous Values F6:Fail-Safe Defaults F7:Optimized Defaults
AC97 Audio (Auto)
Enables and disables the onboard audio chip. Disable this item if you are going to install a PCI
audio add-in card.
MC97 Modem (Auto)
Enables and disables the onboard modem. Disable this item if you are going to install an external
modem.
OnChip VIA LAN Device (Enabled)
Enables and disables the onboard LAN.
OnChip VIA LAN Boot ROM (Disabled)
Enables and disables the booting from the onboard LAN or a network add-in card with a remote boot
ROM installed.
OnChip USB Controller (All Enabled)
Enable this item if you plan to use the Universal Serial Bus ports on this motherboard.
Using BIOS
Page 43
USB 2.0 Support (Enabled)
Enable this item if your system supports USB 2.0.
USB Legacy Support (Enabled)
This item allows the BIOS to interact with a USB keyboard or mouse to work with MS-DOS based
utilities and non-Windows modes.
USB Mouse Support (Enabled)
Enables this item if you plan to use a mouse connected through the USB port in a legacy operating
system (such as DOS) that does not support Plug and Play.
Press <Esc> to return to the Integrated Peripherals page.
SuperIO Device (Press Enter)
Scroll to this item and press <Enter> to view the following screen:
Onboard FDC Controller [Enabled]
Onboard Serial Port 1 [3F8/IRQ4]
Onboard Serial Port 2 [2F8/IRQ3]
UART Mode Select [Normal]
UR2 Duplex Mode [Half]
Onboard Parallel Port [378/IRQ7]
Parallel Port Mode [ECP]
ECP Mode Use DMA [3]
Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility
SuperIO Device
Menu Level
Item Help
37
: Move Enter: Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1: General Help
F5:Previous Values F6:Fail-Safe Defaults F7:Optimized Defaults
Onboard FDC Controller (Enabled)
This option enables the onboard floppy disk drive controller.
Onboard Serial Port 1 (3F8/IRQ4)
This option is used to assign the I/O address and interrupt request (IRQ) for onboard serial port 1
(COM1).
Onboard Serial Port 2 (2F8/IRQ3)
This option is used to assign the I/O address and interrupt request (IRQ) for onboard serial port 2
(COM2).
UART Mode Select (Normal)
This field is available if the Onboard Serial Port 2 field is set to any option but Disabled. UART Mode
Select enables you to select the infrared communication protocol-Normal (default), IrDA, or ASKIR.
IrDA is an infrared communication protocol with a maximum baud rate up to 115.2K bps. ASKIR is
Sharp’s infrared communication protocol with a maximum baud rate up to 57.6K bps.
UR2 Duplex Mode (Half)
This field is available when UART 2 Mode is set to either ASKIR or IrDA. This item enables you to
determine the infrared function of the onboard infrared chip. The options are Full and Half (default).
Full-duplex means that you can transmit and send information simultaneously. Half-duplex is the
transmission of data in both directions, but only one direction at a time.
Onboard Parallel Port (378/IRQ7)
This option is used to assign the I/O address and interrupt request (IRQ) for the onboard parallel
port.
Using BIOS
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38
Parallel Port Mode (ECP)
Enables you to set the data transfer protocol for your parallel port. There are four options: SPP
(Standard Parallel Port), EPP (Enhanced Parallel Port), ECP (Extended Cap abilities Port) and ECP+EPP .
SPP allows data output only . Extended Capabilities Port (ECP) and Enhanced Parallel Port (EPP) are
bi-directional modes, allowing both data input and output. ECP and EPP modes are only supported
with EPP- and ECP-aware peripherals.
ECP Mode Use DMA (3)
When the onboard parallel port is set to ECP mode, the parallel port can use DMA 3 or DMA 1.
Press <Esc> to return to the Integrated Peripherals page.
Power Management Setup
This option lets you control system power management. The system has various powersaving modes including powering down the hard disk, turning off the video, suspending
to RAM, and software power down that allows the system to be automatically resumed
by certain events.
HDD Power Down [Disable]
Suspend Mode [Disable]
Video Off Option [Suspend -> Off]
Video Off Method [V/H SYNC+Blank]
MODEM Use IRQ [3]
Soft-Off by PWRBTN [Instant-Off]
Power on After Power fail [Off]
AMD K8 Cool’n’Quiet control [Auto]
IRQ/Event Activity Detect [Press Enter]
Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility
Power Management Setup
Item Help
Menu Level
: Move Enter: Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1: General Help
F5:Previous Values F6:Fail-Safe Defaults F7:Optimized Defaults
HDD Power Down [Disabled]
The IDE hard drive will spin down if it is not accessed within a specified length of time.
Suspend Mode [Disabled]
The CPU clock will be stopped and the video signal will be suspended if no Power
Management events occur for a specified length of time. Full power function will return
when a Power Management event is detected.
Video Off Option (Suspend —> Off)
This option defines if the video is powered down when the system is put into suspend
mode.
Video Off Method (V/H SYNC+Blank)
This selection will cause the system to turn off the vertical and horizontal synchronization ports and write blanks to the video buffer.
MODEM Use IRQ (3)
If you want an incoming call on a modem to automatically resume the system from a
power-saving mode, use this item to specify the interrupt request line (IRQ) that is used
by the modem. You might have to connect the fax/modem to the motherboard Wake On
Modem connector for this feature to work.
Soft-Off by PWRBTN (Instant-Off)
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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.
PWRON After PWR-Fail (Off)
This item enables your computer to automatically restart or return to its last operating.
AMD K8 Cool’n’Quiet control (Auto)
This item helps the system to lower the frequency when CPU idles. When the frequency
decreases, the temperature will drop automatically as well.
IRQ/Event Activity Detect (Press Enter)
Scroll to this item and press <Enter> to view the following screen:
Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility
IRQ/Event Activity Detect
VGA [OFF]
LPT & COM [LPT/COM]
HDD & FDD [ON]
PCI Master [OFF]
PowerOn by PCI Card [Enabled]
Modem Ring Resume [Disabled]
RTC Alarm Resume [Disabled]
Date (of Month) 0
X
Resume Time (hh: mm: ss) 0 : 0 : 0
X
IRQs Activity Monitoring [Press Enter]
Item Help
Menu Level
When Select Password,
Please press ENTER
key to change Password
Max 8 numbers.
39
: Move Enter: Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1: General Help
F5:Previous Values F6:Fail-Safe Defaults F7:Optimized Defaults
VGA (Off)
When set to On, the system power will resume the system from a power saving mode if there is
any VGA activity.
LPT & COM (LPT/COM )
When this item is enabled, the system will restart the power-saving timeout counters when any
activity is detected on the serial ports, or the parallel port.
HDD & FDD (ON)
When this item is enabled, the system will restart the power-saving timeout counters when any
activity is detected on the hard disk drive or the floppy diskette drive.
PCI Master (OFF)
When set to Off, any PCI device set as the Master will not power on the system.
PowerOn by PCI Card (Enabled)
Use this item to enable PCI activity to wakeup the system from a power saving mode.
Modem Ring Resume (Disabled)
Use this item to enable modem activity to wakeup the system from a power saving mode.
RTC Alarm Resume (Disabled)
When set to Enabled, additional fields become available and you can set the date (day of the
month), hour, minute and second to turn on your system. When set to 0 (zero) for the day of the
month, the alarm will power on your system every day at the specified time.
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40
Press <Esc> to return to the Integrated Peripherals page.
IRQs Activity Monitoring (Press Enter)
This screen enables you to set IRQs that will resume the system from a power saving mode.
Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility
IRQs Activity Monitoring
Primary INTR [ON]
IRQ3 (COM2) [Disabled]
IRQ4 (COM1) [Enabled]
IRQ5 (LPT2) [Enabled]
IRQ6 (Floppy Disk) [Enabled]
IRQ7 (LPT1) [Enabled]
IRQ8 (RTC Alarm) [Disabled]
IRQ9 (IRQ2 Redir) [Disabled]
IRQ10 (Reserved) [Disabled]
IRQ11 (Reserved) [Disabled]
IRQ12 (PS/2 Mouse) [Enabled]
IRQ13 (Coprocessor) [Enabled]
IRQ14 (Hard Disk) [Enabled]
IRQ15 (Reserved) [Disabled]
: Move Enter: Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1: General Help
F5:Previous Values F6:Fail-Safe Defaults F7:Optimized Defaults
Item Help
Menu Level
Set any IRQ to Enabled to allow activity at the IRQ to wake up the system from a power saving
mode.
Press <Esc> to return to the IRQ/Event Activity Detect page.
PNP/PCI Configurations
These options configure how PnP (Plug and Play) and PCI expansion cards operate in
your system. Both the the ISA and PCI buses on the motherboard use system IRQs
(Interrup ReQuests) and DMAs (Direct Memory Access). You must set up the IRQ and
DMA assignments correctly through the PnP/PCI Configurations Setup utility for the
motherboard to work properly. Selecting PnP/PCI Configurations on the main program
screen displays this menu:
Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility
PnP/PCI Configurations
Reset Configuration Data [Disabled]
Resources Controlled By [Auto(ESCD)]
X
IRQ Resources Press Enter
PCI/VGA Palette Snoop [Disabled]
Assign IRQ For USB [Enabled]
: Move Enter: Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1: General Help
F5:Previous Values F6:Fail-Safe Defaults F7:Optimized Defaults
Item Help
Menu Level
Default is Disabled. Select
Enabled to reset Extended System Configuration Data
ESCD) when you exit Setup if
you have installed a new addon and the system
reconfiguration has caused
such a serious conflict that the
OS cannot boot
Reset Configuration Data [Disabled]
If you enable this item and restart the system, any Plug and Play configuration data
stored in the BIOS Setup is cleared from memory.
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Resources Controlled By Auto [Auto(ESCD)]
You should leave this item at the default Auto (ESCD). Under this setting, the system
dynamically allocates resources to Plug and Play devices as they are required.
If you cannot get a legacy ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) expansion card to work
properly, you might be able to solve the problem by changing this item to Manual, and
then opening up the IRQ Resources submenu.
• IRQ Resources [Press Enter]:In the IRQ Resources submenu, if you assign an IRQ to Legacy ISA, then that Interrupt Request Line is reserved for a
legacy ISA expansion card. Press <Esc> to close the IRQ Resources submenu.
PCI/VGA Palette Snoop [Disabled]
This item is designed to overcome problems that can be caused by some non-standard
VGA cards. This board includes a built-in VGA system that does not require palette
snooping so you must leave this item disabled.
Assign IRQ For USB [Enabled]
Names the interrupt request (IRQ) line assigned to the USB on your system. Activity of
the selected IRQ always awakens the system.
PC Health Status
On motherboards that support hardware monitoring, this item lets you monitor the
parameters for critical voltages, temperatures and fan speeds.
Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility
PC Health Status
Shutdown T emperature [Disabled]
CPU Vcore
Vcc 2.5V
Vcc 3.3V
Vcc 5.0V
+12V
Voltage Battery
System Temp
Current CPU T emp
CPUFAN1 Speed
CASFAN1 Speed
: Move Enter: Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1: General Help
F5:Previous Values F6:Fail-Safe Defaults F7:Optimized Defaults
Shutdown Temperature [Disabled]
Enables you to set the maximum temperature the system can reach before powering
down.
System Component Characteristics
These fields provide you with information about the systems current operating status.
You cannot make changes to these fields.
Item Help
Menu Level
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42
Frequency/Voltage Control
This item 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.
DIMM Voltage Adjust [2.60V]
Auto Detect PCI Clk [Enabled]
Spread Spectrum [Enabled]
CPU Clock [200MHz]
: Move Enter: Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1: General Help
F5:Previous Values F6:Fail-Safe Defaults F7:Optimized Defaults
DIMM Voltage Adjust (2.60V)
This item adjusts the voltage delivered to the DIMM memory.
Auto Detect PCI Clk (Enabled)
When this item is enabled, BIOS will disable the clock signal of free PCI slots.
Spread Spectrum (Enabled)
If you enable spread spectrum, it can significantly reduce the EMI (Electro-Magnetic
Interference) generated by the system.
CPU Clock (200MHz)
Use the CPU Host Clock to set the frontside bus frequency for the installed processor
(Min 200 MHz, Max 232 MHz).
Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility
Frequency/Voltage Control
Menu Level
Item Help
Using BIOS
Page 49
Load Fail-Safe Defaults
This option opens a dialog box that lets you install fail-safe defaults for all appropriate
items in the Setup Utility: Press <Y> and the <Enter> to install the defaults. Press
<N> and then <Enter> to not install the defaults. The fail-safe defaults place no great
demands on the system and are generally stable. If your system is not functioning
correctly, try installing the fail-safe defaults as a first step in getting your system working
properly again. If you only want to install fail-safe defaults for a specific option, select
and display that option, and then press <F6>.
Load Optimized Defaults
This option opens a dialog box that lets you install optimized defaults for all appropriate
items in the Setup Utility. Press <Y> and then <Enter> to install the defaults. Press
<N> and then <Enter> to not install the defaults. The optimized defaults place demands on the system that may be greater than the performance level of the components,
such as the CPU and the memory. You can cause fatal errors or instability if you install
the optimized defaults when your hardware does not support them. If you only want to
install setup defaults for a specific option, select and display that option, and then press
<F7>.
Set Supervisor/User Password
When this function is selected, the following message appears at the center of the screen
to assist you in creating a password.
ENTER PASSWORD
Type the password, up to eight characters, and press <Enter>. The password typed now
will clear any previously entered password from CMOS memory. You will be asked to
confirm the password. Type the password again and press <Enter>. You may also press
<Esc> to abort the selection.
To disable password, just press <Enter> when you are prompted to enter password. A
message will confirm the password being disabled. Once the password is disabled, the
system will boot and you can enter BIOS Setup freely.
P ASSWORD DISABLED
If you have selected “System” in “Security Option” of “BIOS Features Setup” menu,
you will be prompted for the password every time the system reboots or any time you try
to enter BIOS Setup.
If you have selected “Setup” at “Security Option” from “BIOS Features Setup” menu,
you will be prompted for the password only when you enter BIOS Setup.
43
Supervisor Password has higher priority than User Password. You can use Supervisor
Password when booting the system or entering BIOS Setup to modify all settings. Also
you can use User Password when booting the
system or entering BIOS Setup but can not modify any setting if Supervisor Password
is enabled.
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44
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,
press <Y> to save and exit, or press <N> 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, press <Y> to discard changes and exit, or press <N> 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 press <Y> to discard any changes you have
made.
This concludes Chapter 3. Refer to the next chapter for information on the software
supplied with the motherboard.
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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.
Never try to install all software from folfer that is not specified for use with your
motherboard.
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.
Auto-installing under Windows 98/ME/2000/XP
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.
45
The support software CD-ROM disc loads automatically under Windows 98/ME/2000/XP.
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.
If the opening screen does not appear; double-click the file “setup.exe” in the
root directory.
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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 DOS, WIN NT, or WIN98/95. 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.
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2. Click Next. The following screen appears:
3. Check the box next to the items you want to install. The default optionsare recommended.
4. Click Next run the Installation Wizard. An item installation screen appears:
47
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.
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48
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.
AMI/AWARD Flash Memory Utility
This utility lets you erase the system BIOS stored on a Flash Memory chip on the motherboard,
and lets you copy an updated version of the BIOS to the chip. Proceed with caution when
using this program. If you erase the current BIOS and fail to write a new BIOS, or write a
new BIOS that is incorrect, your system will malfunction. Refer to Chapter 3, Using BIOS for
more information.
WinFlash Utility
The Award WinFlash utility is a Windows version of the DOS Award BIOS flash writer utility.
The utility enables you to flash the system BIOS stored on a Flash Memory chip on the
motherboard while in a Windows environment. This utility is currently available for
WINXP\ME\2000\98SE. To install the WinFlash utility, run WINFLASH.EXE from the
following directory: \UTILITY\WINFLASH 1.51
This concludes Chapter 4. Refer to the next chapter for information about SATA RAID
Setup.
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Chapter 5
VIA VT8237 SA TA RAID Setup Guide
VIA RAID Configurations
The motherboard includes a high performance Serial ATA RAID controller integrated in the
VIA VT8237 Southbridge chipset. It supports RAID 0, RAID 1 and JBOD with two independent Serial ATA channels.
RAID: (Redundant Array of Independent Disk Drives) use jointly several hard drives to
increase data transfer rates and data security. It depends on the number of drives present and
RAID function you select to fulfill the seurity or performance pruposes or both.
RAID 0 (called data striping) optimizes two identical hard disk drives to read and write data
in parallel, interleaved stacks. Two hard disks perform the same work as a single drive but at
a sustained data transfer rate, double that of a single disk alone, thus improving data access
and storage.
RAID 1 (called data mirroring) copies and maintains an identical image of data from one
drive to a second drive. If one drive fails, the disk array management software directs all
applications to the surviving drive as it contains a complete copy of the data in the other
drive. This RAID configuration provides data protection and increases fault tolerance to
the entire system.
JBOD: (Just a Bunch of Drives) Also known as “Spanning”. Two or more hard drives are
required. Several hard disk types configured as a single hard disk. The hard drives are simply
hooked up in series. This expands the capacity of your drive and results in a useable total
capacity. However, JBOD will not increase any performance or data security.
49
Install the Serial AT A (SA TA) hard disks
The VIA VT8237 Southbridge chipset supports Serial ATA hard disk drives. For optimal
performance, install identical drives of the same model and capacity when creating a RAID
set.
• If you are creating a RAID 0 (striping) array of performance, use two new
drives.
• If you are creating a RAID 1 (mirroring) array for protection, you can use two
new drives or use an existing drive and a new drive (the new drive must be
of the same size or larger than the existing drive). If you use two drives of
different sizes, the smaller capacity hard disk will be the base storage size.
For example, one hard disk has an 80GB storage capacity and the other hard
disk has 60GB storage capacity, the maximum storage capacity for the RAID
Follow these steps to install the SATA hard disks for RAID configuration.
1 set is 60GB.
i Before setting up your new RAID array, verify the status of your hard disks.
Make sure the Master/Slave jumpers are configured properly.
ii Both the data and power SATA cables are new cables. You cannot use older 40-pin
80-conductor IDE or regular IDE power cables with Serial ATA drives. Installing
Serial ATA (SATA) hard disks require the use of new Serial ATA cable (4-conductor) which supports the Serial ATA protocol and a Serial ATA power cable.
iii Either end of the Serial ATA data cable can be connected to the SATA hard disk or
the SATA connector on the motherboard.
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50
1 Install the Serial ATA hard disks into the drive bays.
2 Connect one end of the Serial ATA cable to the motherboard’s primary Serial
ATA connector (SATA1).
3 Connect the other end of Serial ATA cable to the master Serial ATA hard disk.
4 Connect one end of the second Serial ATA cable to the motherboard’s sec-
ondary Serial ATA connector (SATA2).
5 Connect the other end of Serial ATA cable to the secondary Serial ATA hard
disk.
6 Connect the Serial ATA power cable to the power connector on each drive.
7 Proceed to section “Entering VIA Tech RAID BIOS Utility” for the next proce-
dure.
Entering VIA Tech RAID BIOS Utility
1 Boot-up your computer.
2 During POST, press <TAB> to enter VIA RAID configuration utility. The follow-
ing menu options will appear.
The RAID BIOS information on the setup screen shown is for reference
only. What you see on your scr een may not by exactly the same as shown.
On the upper-right side of the screen is the message and legend box. The keys on the legend
box allow you to navigate through the setup menu options. The message describes the
function of each menu item. The following lists the keys found in the legend box with their
corresponding functions.
F1 View Array
mn
Move to the next item
Enter Confirm the selection
ESC Exit
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Create Array
1 In the VIA RAID BIOS utility main menu, select Create Array then press the
<Enter> key. The main menu items on the upper-left corner of the screen are
replaced with create array menu options.
RAID 0 for performance
1 Select the second option item Array Mode, then press the <Enter> key. The
RAID system setting pop-up menu appears.
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2 Select RAID 0 for performance from the menu and press <Enter>. From this
point, you may choose to auto-configure the RAID array by selecting Auto
Setup for Performance or manually configure the RAID array for stripped
sets. If you want to manually configure the RAID array continue with next
step, otherwise, proceed to step #5.
3 Select Select Disk Drives, then press <Enter>. Use arrow keys to select
disk drive/s, then press <Enter> to mark selected drive. An asterisk is placed
before the selected drive.
4 Select Block Size, then press <Enter> to set array block size. Lists of valid
array block sizes are displayed on a pop-up menu.
Tip
For server systems, it is recommended to use a lower
array block size. For multimedia computer systems used
mainly for audio and video editing, a higher array block
size is recommended for optimum performance.
Use arrow keys to move selection bar on items and press <Enter> to select.
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52
5 Select Start Create Process and press <Enter> to setup hard disk for RAID
system. The following confirmation appears:
The same confirmation message appears when the
Auto Setup for Performance option is selected.
Press “Y” to confirm or “N” to return to the configuration options.
RAID 1 for data protection
1 Select the second option item Array Mode, then press the <Enter> key. The
RAID system setting pop-up menu appears.
2 Select RAID 1 for data protection from the menu and press <Enter>. Select
next task from pop-up menu. The task Create only creates the mirrored set
without creating a backup. Create and duplicate creates both mirrored set
and backup.
3 Select task and press <Enter>. The screen returns to Create Array menu
items. From this point, you may choose to auto-configure the RAID array by
selecting Auto Setup for Data Security or manually configure the RAID array
for mirrored sets. If you want to manually configure the RAID array continue
with next step, otherwise, proceed to step #5.
4 Select Select Disk Drives, then press <Enter>. Use arrow keys to select disk
drive/s, then press <Enter> to mark selected drive. (An asterisk is placed
before a selected drve.)
5 Select Start Create Process and press <Enter> to setup hard disk for RAID
system. The following confirmation message appears:
The same confirmation message appears when the
Auto Setup for Performance option is selected.
Press “Y” to confirm or “N” to return to the configuration options.
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Delete Array
1 In the VIA RAID BIOS utility main menu, select Delete Array then press the
<Enter> key. The focus is directed to the list of channel used for IDE RAID
arrays.
2 Press the <Enter> key to select a RAID array to delete. The following confir-
mation message appears.
Press “Y” to confirm or “N” to return to the configuration options.
Select Boot Array
1 In the VIA RAID BIOS utility main menu, select Select Boot Array then press the
<Enter> key. The focus is directed to the list of channel used for IDE RAID
arrays.
2 Press the <Enter> key to select a RAID array for boot. The Status of the
selected array will change to Boot. Press <ESC> key to go return to menu
items. Follow the same procedure to deselect the boot array.
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Serial Number View
1 In the VIA RAID BIOS utility main menu, select Serial Number View then press
the <Enter> key . The focus is directed to the list of channel used for IDE RAID
arrays. Move the selection bar on each item and the serial number is displayed at the bottom of the screen. This option is useful for identifying same
model disks.
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Duplicate Critical RAID 1 Array
When booting up the system, BIOS will detect if the RAID 1 array has any inconsistencies
between user data and backup data. If BIOS detects any inconsistencies, the status of the
disk array will be marked as critical, and BIOS will prompt the user to duplicate the RAID 1
in order to ensure the backup data consistency with the user data.
If user selects Continue to boot, it will enable duplicating the array after booting into OS.
Rebuild Broken RAID 1 Array
When booting up the system, BIOS will detect if any member disk drives of RAID has failed
or is absent. If BIOS detects any disk drive failures or missing disk drives, the status of the
array will be marked as broken.
If BIOS detects a broken RAID 1 array but there is a spare hard drive available for rebuilding
the broken array, the spare hard drive will automatically become the mirroring drive. BIOS
will show a main interface just like a duplicated RAID 1. Selecting Continue to boot
enables the user to duplicate the array after booting into operating system.
If BIOS detects a broken RAID 1 array but there is no spare hard drive available for
rebuilding the array, BIOS will provide several operations to solve such problems.
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1. Power off and Check the Failed Drive:
This item turns off the computer and replaces the failed hard drive with a good one. If your
computer does not support APM, you must turn off your computer manually. After
replacing the hard drive, boot into BIOS and select Choose replacement drive and
rebuild to rebuild the broken array.
2. Destroy the Mirroring Relationship:
This item cancels the data mirroring relationship of the broken array. For broken RAID 1
arrays, the data on the surviving disk will remain after the destroy operation. However,
Destroy the Mirroring Relationship is not recommended because the data on the
remaining disk will be lost when the hard drive is used to create another RAID 1 array.
3. Choose Replacement Drive and Rebuild:
This item enables users to select an already-connected hard drive to rebuild the broken array.
After choosing a hard drive, the channel column will be activated.
55
Highlight the target hard drive and press <Enter>, a warning message will appear. Press Y to
use that hard drive to rebuild, or press N to cancel. Please note selecting option Y will
destroy all the data on the selected hard drive.
4. Continue to boot:
This item enables BIOS to skip the problem and continue booting into OS.
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Installing RAID Software & Drivers
Install Driver in Windows OS
New Windows OS (2000/XP/NT4) Installation
The following details the installation of the drivers while installing Windows XP.
1 Start the installation:
Boot from the CD-ROM. Press F6 when the message “Press F6 if you need to
install third party SCSI or RAID driver’ appears.
2 When the Windows Setup window is generated, press S to specify an
Additional Device(s).
3 Insert the driver diskette VIA VT8237 Disk Driver into drive A: and press
<Enter>.
4 Depending on your operation system, choose VIA Serial ATA RAID Con-
troller (Windows XP), VIA Serial ATA RAID Controller (Windows 2000)
or VIA Serial ATA RAID Controller (Windows NT4) from the list that
appears on Windows XP Setup screen, press the <Enter> key.
5 Press <Enter> to continue with installation or if you need to specify any
additional devices to be installed, do so at this time. Once all devices are
specified, press <Enter> to continue with installation.
6 From the Windows XP Setup screen press the <Enter> key. Setup will now
load all device files and the continue the Windows XP installation.
Existing Windows XP Driver Installation
1 Insert the ECS CD into the CD-ROM drive.
2 The CD will auto-run and the setup screen will appear.
3 Under the Driver tab, click on VIA SATA RAID Utility.
4 The drivers will be automatically installed.
Confirming Windows XP Driver Installation
1 From Windows XP, open the Control Panel from My Computer followed
by the System icon.
2 Choose the Hardware tab, then click the Device manager tab.
3 Click the “+” in front of the SCSI and RAID Controllers hardware type. The
driver VIA IDE RAID Host Controller should appear.
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Installation of VIA SAT A RAID Utility
The VIA SATA RAID Utility is the software package that enables high-performance RAID
0 arrays in the Windows*XP operating system. This version of VIA SATA RAID Utility
contains the following key features:
• Serial ATA RAID driver for Windows XP
• VIA SATA RAID utility
• RAID0 and RAID1 functions
Insert the ECS CD and click on the Setup to install the software.
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The InstallShield Wizard will begin automatically for installation. Click on the Next
button to proceed the installation in the welcoming window.
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Put a check mark in the check box to install the feature you want. Then click Next button
to proceed the installation.
Using VIA RAID T ool
Once the installation is complete, go to Start---> Programs---> VIA---> raid_tool.exe to
enable VIA RAID Tool.
After the software is finished installation, it will automatically started every time Windows is initiated. You may
double-click on the icon shown in the system tray
of the tool bar to launch the VIA RAID Tool utility.
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The main interface is divided into two windows and the toolbar above contain the main
functions. Click on these toolbar buttons to execute their specific functions. The left
windowpane displays the controller and disk drives and the right windowpane displays the
details of the controller or disk drives. The available features are as following:
View by Controller
View by Devices
View Event log
Help Topics
It means that VT8237 SATA RAID only has the feature of monitoring the statuses of RAID
0 and RAID 1.
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Click on or button to determine the viewing type of left windowpane. There
are two viewing types: By controllers and by device. Click on the object in the left
windowpane to display the status of the object in the right windowpane. The following
screen shows the status of Array 0-RAID 0.
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Click on the plus (+) symbol next to Array 0--RAID 0 to see the details of each disk.
You may also use the same or button to view the statuses of Array 0-RAID 1.
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Click on the plus (+) symbol next to Array 0; RAID 1 to see the details of each disk.
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VIA VT8237 SA TA RAID Setup Guide
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