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, Phenom, Athlon, Sempron and Duron are registered trademarks of AMD
Corporation.
Other product names used in this manual are the properties of their respective
owners and are acknowledged.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B
digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to
provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if
not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference
will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful
interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the
equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one
or more of the following measures:
•Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
•Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.
•Connect the equipment onto an outlet on a circuit different from that to
which the receiver is connected.
•Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Shielded interconnect cables and a shielded AC power cable must be employed with
this equipment to ensure compliance with the pertinent RF emission limits governing this device. Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the system’s
manufacturer could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
Preface
ii
Declaration of Conformity
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the
following conditions:
•This device may not cause harmful interference, and
•This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Canadian Department of Communications
This class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interferencecausing Equipment Regulations.
Cet appareil numérique de la classe B respecte toutes les exigences du Réglement sur
le matériel brouilieur du Canada.
About the Manual
The manual consists of the following:
Chapter 1
Introducing the Motherboard
Describes features of the motherboard
Go to
H
page 1
Chapter 2
Installing the Motherboard
Chapter 3
Using BIOS
Chapter 4
Using the Motherboard Soft-
ware
Chapter 5
Setting Up AMD SB710 RAID
Configuration
Chapter 6
Trouble Shooting
Describes installation of motherboard
components
Go to
Provides information on using the BIOS
Setup Utility
Thank you for choosing the A960M-M2 motherboard. This motherboard is a high
performance, enhanced function motherboard that supports socket AM3+ for AMD
AM3+ FX
end business or personal desktop markets.
The motherboard incorporates the AMD 760G Northbridge (NB) and SB710
Southbridge (SB) chipsets. The Northbridge supports the HyperTransport
terface
Express x16 slot, intended for Graphics Interface, is fully compliant to the PCI
Express Base Specification Revision 2.0.
The SB710 Southbridge supports two PCI slots which are PCI 2.3 compliant. In
addition, one PCI Express x1 slot is supported, fully compliant to the PCI Express
Base Specification, Revision 1.1. It integrates USB 2.0 interface, supporting up to
eight functional ports (four USB ports and two USB 2.0 headers support additional
four USB ports). One onboard IDE connector supports two IDE devices in Ultra ATA
133/100/66/33 modes. The Southbridge integrates a Serial ATA host controller,
supporting six SATA ports with maximum transfer rate up to 3.0 Gb/s each. It
provides AMD SATA RAID configuration with RAID 0, 1 and 10 modes supported.
There is an advanced full set of I/O ports in the rear panel, including PS/2 mouse and
keyboard connector, one COM port, one D-SUB (VGA) port, one HDMI port (or
DVI port), four USB ports, one LAN port and audio jacks for microphone, line-in
and line-out.
TM
/ PhenomTMII /AthlonTM II / SempronTM 100 Series processors for high-
TM
. It supports two DDR3 slots with maximum memory size of 16 GB. One PCI
3.0 in-
1
Introducing the Motherboard
2
Feature
Processor
This motherboard uses a Socket AM3+ that carries the following features:
•Accommodates socket AM3+ for AMD AM3+ FX
II/SempronTM 100 Series processors
•Supports 125W Phenom
•Supports HyperTransport
HyperTransportTM Technology is a point-to-point link between two devices, it
enables integrated circuits to exchange information at much higher speeds than
currently available interconnect technologies.
TM
II X6 processors
TM
(HT) 3.0 interface speeds
TM
/ Phenom
TM
II /Athlon
TM
Chipset
The AMD 760G (RS780L) Northbridge (NB) and SB710 Southbridge (SB)
chipsets are based on an innovative and scalable architecture with proven reliability and performance.
AMD 760G
(RS780L)(NB)
SB710 (SB)
•One x4 A-Link Express II interface (PCI Express 2.0
compliant) for connection to an AMD Southbridge
•Supports one PCI Express x16 for Graphics Interface,
fully compliant to the PCI Express Base Specification
revision 2.0
•Proven RadeonTM graphics powering DirectX®10
•Enhanced Digital Display integration
•Fully ACPI 2.0, OnNow, and IAPC (Instantly Available
PC) power management
•Single chip solution in 55nm, 1.1 V CMOS technology
•Compliant with PCI 2.3 specification at 33 MHz
•Supports six Serial ATA devices which speeds up to 3.0
Gb/s
•Integrated USB 2.0 Host Controller supporting up to eight
USB 2.0 ports
•Integrated IDE controller supports Ultra ATA 133/100/66/
33 modes
•Supports integrated RAID0, RAID1, and RAID10 (requires
use of 4 or more SATA ports) functionalities across all 4
ports
Memory
•Supports Dual-Channel DDR3 up to 1866 with AM3+ CPU
•Supports Dual-Channel DDR3 1333 / 1066 with AM3 CPU
•Accommodates two unbuffered DIMMs
•Up to 8 GB per DIMM with maximum memory size up to 16 GB
Audio
The onboard Audio provides the following features:
•5.1 Channel High Definition Audio Codec
•Exceeds Microsoft Windows Logo Program (WLP) Requirements
•ADCs support 44.1K/48K/88.2K/96K/192KHz sample rate
•Power Support: Digital: 3.3V; Analog: 5.0V
Introducing the Motherboard
Onboard LAN
The onboard LAN provides the following features:
•Supports PCI Express
•Integrated 10/100/1000 transceiver
•Wake-on-LAN and remote wake-up support
TM
1.1
Expansion Options
The motherboard comes with the following expansion options:
•One PCI Express x16 for Graphics Interface
•One PCI Express x1 slot
•Two 32-bit PCI v2.3 compliant slots
•One IDE connector supporting up to two IDE devices
•Six 7-pin SATA connectors
This motherboard supports Ultra DMA bus mastering with transfer rates of
133/100/66/33 MB/s.
Integrated I/O
The motherboard has a full set of I/O ports and connectors:
•Two PS/2 ports for mouse and keyboard
•One serial port (COM)
•One D-SUB (VGA) port
•One HDMI port (or DVI port)
•Four USB ports
•One LAN port
•6 channel audio jacks for microphone, line-in and line-out
BIOS Firmware
The motherboard uses AMI BIOS that enables users to configure many system
features including the following:
•Power management
•Wake-up alarms
•CPU parameters
•CPU and memory timing
•ECS M.I.B III Support
The firmware can also be used to set parameters for different processor clock
speeds.
1. Some hardware specifications and software items are subject to change
without prior notice.
2. Due to chipset limitation, we recommend that motherboard be operated in the ambiance between 0 and 50°C.
3. Because AMD AM3+ FX
condition to the system, it is recommended to use AMD CPU Cooler to
maintain the optimum system temperature. ECS does not warrant the
damage of the system caused by any improper use or configuration not
recommended by the component vendors. Please visit AMD CPU website
for detailed information:
•On Chip (AMD 760G-based with ATITM Radean HD3000
graphics)
•Integrated DirectX 10 graphics processor
•Share memory maximum update to 512MB
•2 x 240-pin DDR3 DIMM sockets support up to 16 GB
•Supports Dual-Channel DDR3 up to 1866 with AM3+ CPU
•Supports Dual-Channel DDR3 1333 / 1066 with AM3 CPU
Due to AMD CPU spec limitation, please refer to Memory QVL
on ECS website for more information.
•1 x PCI Express x16 slot
•1 x PCI Express x1 slot
•2 x PCI slots
•Supported by AMD SB710 Express Chipset
•6 x Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s Host Controllers
•RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 10 Configuration
•VIA VT1705 6-ch High Definition audio CODEC
•Compliant with HD audio specification
•Realtek RTL8111E Gigabit LAN
•1 x PS/2 keyboard & PS/2 mouse connector
•4 x USB 2.0 ports
•1 x Serial port (COM)
•1 x HDMI port (or DVI port)
•1 x VGA port
•1 x RJ45 LAN connector
•1 x Audio port (Line in, microphone in and line out)
•1 x 24-pin ATX Power Supply connector
•1 x 8-pin 12V connector
•1 x 4-pin CPU_FAN connector
•1 x 3-pin SYS_FAN connector
•6 x SATA 3Gb/s connectors
•2 x USB 2.0 headers support additional 4 USB ports
•1 x Front panel header
•1 x Chassis Intrusion Detect header
•1 x SPDIF out header
•1 x Front panel audio header
•1 x Speaker header
•1 x parallel port header (LPT)
•1 x CD IN header
•1 x CLR_CMOS header
•1 x IDE connector
TM
/ PhenomTMII /AthlonTM II/
TM
II X6 processors
Introducing the Motherboard
5
System BIOS
Form Factor•Micro ATX Size, 244mm x 210mm
•AMI BIOS with 16Mb SPI Flash ROM
•Supports Plug and Play, STR(S3) / STD (S4), Hardware
monitor, Multi Boot
• Audio, LAN, can be disabled in BIOS
• F7 hot key for boot up devices option
•Support Over-Clocking
•Support eBLU / Supoort eDLU / Supoort eOC
•Support ECS M.I.B III Utility
CPU Voltage Adjustable Memory Voltage Adjustable
Chipset Voltage Adjustable HT Voltage Adjustable
External Clock Adjustable
Multiple Frequency Adjustable
Motherboard Components
Introducing the Motherboard
6
CLR_CMOS
y
CD_IN
Table of Motherboard Components
LABELCOMPONENTS
1. CPU Socket Socket AM3+ for AMD AM3+ FXTM/Phenom
II /Athlon
TM
II/SempronTM 100 Series processors
2. CPU_FANCPU cooling fan connector
3. DDR3_1~2240-pin DDR3 SDRAM slots
4. ATX_POWER Standard 24-pin ATX power connector
5. IDEPrimary IDE connector
6. SYS_FANSystem cooling fan connector
7. SPKSpeaker header
8. SATA1~6Serial ATA connectors
9. F_PANELFront panel switch/LED header
10.
Clear CMOS jumper
11. SPI_DEBUG SPI_debug header for factory use onl
12. LPTParallel port header
13. F_USB1~2Front Panel USB headers
14. SPDIFOSPDIF out header
15.
Analog audio input header
16. F_AUDIOFront panel audio header
17. PCI1~232-bit add-on card slots
18. CASEChassis detect jumper
19. PCIEX1PCI Express x1 slot
20. PCIEX16PCI Express x16 slot for graphics interface
21. ATX12V8-pin +12V power connector
TM
This concludes Chapter 1. The next chapter explains how to install the motherboard.
Introducing the Motherboard
Chapter 2
Installing the Motherboard
Safety Precautions
•Follow these safety precautions when installing the motherboard
•Wear a grounding strap attached to a grounded device to avoid damage from static electricity
•Discharge static electricity by touching the metal case of a safely
grounded object before working on the motherboard
•Leave components in the static-proof bags they came in
•Hold all circuit boards by the edges. Do not bend circuit boards
Choosing a Computer Case
There are many types of computer cases on the market. The motherboard complies
with the specifications for the Micro ATX system case. Firstly, some features on the
motherboard are implemented by cabling connectors on the motherboard to indicators and switches on the system case. Make sure that your case supports all the
features required. Secondly, this motherboard supports two enhanced IDE drives.
Make sure that your case has sufficient power and space for all drives that you intend
to install.
Most cases have a choice of I/O templates in the rear panel. Make sure that the I/O
template in the case matches the I/O ports installed on the rear edge of the
motherboard.
This motherboard carries a Micro ATX form factor of 244 X 210 mm. Choose a case
that accommodates this form factor.
7
Installing the Motherboard in a Case
Refer to the following illustration and instructions for installing the motherboard in
a case.
Most system cases have mounting brackets installed in the case, which correspond
the holes in the motherboard. Place the motherboard over the mounting brackets
and secure the motherboard onto the mounting brackets with screws.
Ensure that your case has an I/O template that supports the I/O ports and expansion
slots on your motherboard.
Installing the Motherboard
8
Do not over-tighten the screws as this can stress the motherboard.
Checking Jumper Settings
This section explains how to set jumpers for correct configuration of the motherboard.
Setting Jumpers
Use the motherboard jumpers to set system configuration options. Jumpers with
more than one pin are numbered. When setting the jumpers, ensure that the jumper
caps are placed on the correct pins.
The illustrations show a 2-pin jumper. When
the jumper cap is placed on both pins, the
jumper is SHORT. If you remove the jumper
cap, or place the jumper cap on just one pin,
the jumper is OPEN.
This illustration shows a 3-pin jumper. Pins
1 and 2 are SHORT.
SHORT OPEN
Installing the Motherboard
Checking Jumper Settings
The following illustration shows the location of the motherboard jumpers. Pin 1 is
labeled.
9
Jumper Settings
JumperType Description
CLR_CMOS
1. To avoid the system unstability after clearing CMOS, we recommend users
to enter the main BIOS setting page to “Load Optimal Defaults” and then
“Save Changes and Exit”.
3-pin
Clear CMOS
Setting (default)
1-2: NORMAL
2-3: CLEAR CMOS
Before clearing the
CMOS, make sure to
turn off the system.
Installing the Motherboard
1
CLR_CMOS
10
Installing Hardware
Installing the Processor
Caution: When installing a CPU heatsink and cooling fan make sure
that you DO NOT scratch the motherboard or any of the surfacemount 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 making
changes to jumpers on the motherboard, or changing the settings in the system Setup
Utility. We strongly recommend that you do not over-clock processors or other
components to run faster than their rated speed.
Warning:
1. Over-clocking components can adversely affect the reliability of the
system and introduce errors into your system. Over-clocking can permanently damage the motherboard by generating excess heat in components that are run beyond the rated limits.
2. Always remove the AC power by unplugging the power cord from
the power outlet before installing or removing the motherboard or
other hardware components.
This motherboard has a Socket AM3+ processor socket. When choosing a processor,
consider the performance requirements of the system. Performance is based on the
processor design, the clock speed and system bus frequency of the processor, and the
quantity of internal cache memory and external cache memory.
Installing the Motherboard
CPU Installation Procedure
The following illustration shows CPU installation components.
1Install your CPU. Pull up the lever away from
the socket and lift up to 90-degree angle.
2Locate the CPU cut edge (the corner with
the pin hold noticeably missing). Align and
insert the CPU correctly.
3Press the lever down and apply thermal
grease on top of the CPU.
4Put the CPU Fan down on the retention mod-
ule and snap the four retention legs of the
cooling fan into place.
5Flip the levers over to lock the heat sink in
place and connect the CPU cooling Fan power
cable to the CPUFAN connector. This completes the installation.
To achieve better airflow rates and heat dissipation, we suggest that you
use a high quality fan with 4800 rpm at least. CPU fan and heatsink
installation procedures may vary with the type of CPU fan/heatsink supplied. The form and size of fan/heatsink may also vary.
11
Installing the Motherboard
12
Installing Memory Modules
This motherboard accommodates two memory modules. It can support two 240-pin
DDR3 1866 with AM3+ CPU, or two 240-pin DDR3 1333/1066 with AM3 CPU.
The total memory capacity is 16 GB.
You must install at least one module in any of the two slots. Each module can be
installed with 8 GB of memory.
Do not remove any memory module from its antistatic packaging
until you are ready to install it on the motherboard. Handle the
modules only by their edges. Do not touch the components or metal
parts. Always wear a grounding strap when you handle the modules.
Installation Procedure
Refer to the following to install the memory modules.
1This motherboard supports unbuffered DDR3 SDRAM only.
2Push the latches on each side of the DIMM slot down.
3Align 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.
4Check that the cutouts on the DIMM module edge connector match the
notches in the DIMM slot.
5Install 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.
6Install any remaining DIMM modules.
For reference only
Installing the Motherboard
Expansion Slots
Installing Add-on Cards
The slots on this motherboard are designed to hold expansion cards and connect
them to the system bus. Expansion slots are a means of adding or enhancing the
motherboard’s features and capabilities. With these efficient facilities, you can increase the motherboard’s capabilities by adding hardware that performs tasks that are
not part of the basic system.
13
PCIEX16 Slot
PCIEX1 Slot
PCI1~2 Slots
The PCI Express x16 slot is used to install an external PCI Express
graphics card that is fully compliant to the PCI Express Base Specification revision 2.0.
The PCI Express x1 slot is fully compliant to the PCI Express Base
Specification revision 2.0 as well.
This motherboard is equipped with two standard PCI slots. PCI stands
for Peripheral Component Interconnect and is a bus standard for
expansion cards, which for the most part, is a supplement of the
older ISA bus standard. The PCI slots on this board are PCI v2.3
compliant.
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.
Installing the Motherboard
14
Follow these instructions to install an add-on card:
1Remove a blanking plate from the system case corresponding to the
slot you are going to use.
2Install the edge connector of the add-on card into the expansion slot.
Ensure that the edge connector is correctly seated in the slot.
3Secure the metal bracket of the card to the system case with a screw.
For reference only
For some add-on cards, for example graphics adapters and network
adapters, you have to install drivers and software before you can
begin using the add-on card.
Installing the Motherboard
Connecting Optional Devices
Refer to the following for information on connecting the motherboard’s optional
devices:
F_USB1~2: Front Panel USB headers
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.
15
PinSignal Name
1USBPWRFront Panel USB Power
2USBPWRFront Panel USB Power
3USB_FP_P0-USB Port 0 Negative Signal
4USB_FP_P1-USB Port 1 Negative Signal
5USB_FP_P0+USB Port 0 Positive Signal
6USB_FP_P1+USB Port 1 Positive Signal
7GNDGround
8GNDGround
9KeyNo pin
10 USB_FP_OC0Overcurrent 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 hang-up.
Function
Installing the Motherboard
16
LPT: Onboard parallel port header
This is a header that can ba used to connect to the printer, scanner or other devices.
Pin Signal Name
1 STROBE
2 PD0
3 PD1
4 PD2
5 PD3
6 PD4
7 PD5
8 PD6
9 PD7
10 ACK
11 BUSK
12 PE
13 SLCT
Pin Signal Name
14 ALF
15 ERROR
16 INIT
17 SLCTIN
18 Ground
19 Ground
20 Ground
21 Ground
22 Ground
23 Ground
24 Ground
25 Ground
26 K ey
F_AUDIO: Front Panel Audio header
This header allows the user to install auxiliary front-oriented microphone and lineout ports for easier access.
These connectors are used to support the new Serial ATA devices for the highest data
transfer rates (3.0 Gb/s), simpler disk drive cabling and easier PC assembly. It eliminates limitations of the current Parallel ATA interface. But maintains register compatibility and software compatibility with Parallel ATA.
Pin Signal Name
Ground 2TX+
1
Pin Signal Name
3TX- 4Ground
5RX- 6RX+
7Ground--
Installing the Motherboard
SPDIFO: SPDIF out header
This is an optional header that provides an S/PDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interface)
output to digital multimedia device through optical fiber or coaxial connector.
Pin Signal Name Function
1SPDIF SPDIF digital output
2+5VA 5V analog Power
3Key No pi n
4GND Ground
CASE: Chassis intrusion detect header
This detects if the chassis cover has been removed. This function needs a chassis
equipped with instrusion detection switch and needs to be enabled in BIOS.
Pin 1-2 Function
Short Chassis cover is removed
Open Chassis cover is closed
CD_IN: Analog audio input header
Pin Signal Name Function
1CD_L Left CD-in signal
2 GND Ground
3 GND Ground
4 CD_RRight CD-in signal
17
Installing the Motherboard
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