Elitegroup A960M-M3 User Manual

Preface

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

Version 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, Turion, 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.

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Declaration of Conformity

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

• This device may not cause harmful interference.

• This device must accept any interference received, including interference

that may cause undesired operation.

This device is in conformity with the following EC/EMC directives:



EN 55022



EN 61000-3-2

EN 61000-3-3



EN 55024

EN 60950



CE marking



Limits and methods of mesurement of radio disturbance characteristics of information technology equipment

Disturbances in supply systems caused

Disturbances in supply systems caused by household appliances and similar electrical equipment “ Voltage fluctuations”

Information technology equipment-Immunity characteristicsLimits and methods of measurement

Safety for information technology equipment including electrical business equipment

Canadian Department of Communications

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

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

About the Manual

The manual consists of the following:

Chapter 1 Introducing the Motherboard

Chapter 2 Installing the Motherboard

Chapter 3 Using BIOS

Chapter 4 Using the Motherboard Software

Chapter 5 Setting Up AMD SB710 RAID Configuration

Chapter 6 Trouble Shooting

Describes features of the motherboard.

Describes installation of motherboard components.

Provides information on using the BIOS Setup Utility.

Describes the motherboard software.

Provides information about SATA RAID Setup

Provides basic trouble shooting tips.

page 1

page 7

page 25

page 49

page 53

page 61

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface i

Chapter 1 1

Introducing the Motherboard 1

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

Pakage Contents..................................................................................1

Specifications......................................................................................2

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

I/O Ports...............................................................................................6

Chapter 2 7

Installing the Motherboard 7

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

Installing the Motherboard in a Chassis.......................................7

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

Installing Hardware...........................................................................9

Installing the Processor............................................................9

Installing the CPU Cooler........................................................10

Installing Memory Modules...................................................11

Installing Add-on Cards..........................................................12

Connecting Optional Devices.................................................14

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

Connecting Case Components........................................................21

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

Chapter 3 25

Using BIOS 25

About the Setup Utility......................................................................25

The Standard Configuration........................ ...........................25

Entering the Setup Utility.......................................................25

Resetting the Default CMOS Values.....................................26

Using BIOS.........................................................................................26

BIOS Navigation Keys..............................................................27

Main Menu.............................................................................28

Advanced Menu......................................................................29

Chipset Menu..........................................................................40

M.I.B III(MB Intelligent Bios III) Menu....................................42

Boot Menu...............................................................................45

Security Menu.........................................................................46

Exit Menu...............................................................................47

Updating the BIOS......................................................................48

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iii

Chapter 4 49

Using the Motherboard Software 49

Auto-installing under Windows XP/Vista/7.................................49

Running Setup........................................................................49

Manual Installation..........................................................................51

ECS Utility Software (Intelligent EZ Utility).....................................51

Chapter 5 53

Setting Up AMD SB710 RAID Configuration 53

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

Chapter 6 61

Trouble Shooting 61

Start up problems during assembly..............................................61

Start up problems after prolong use............................................62

Maintenance and care tips..............................................................62

Basic Troubleshooting Flowchart.....................................................63

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Chapter 1

Introducing the Motherboard

Introduction

Thank you for choosing the A960M-M3 motherboard. This motherboard is a high performance, enhanced function motherboard that supports socket AM3 for AMD

/ PhenomTMII /AthlonTM II / SempronTM 100 Series processors for high-end busi-

ness or personal desktop markets.

The motherboard incorporates the AMD 760G Northbridge (NB) and SB710 Southbridge (SB) chipsets. The Northbridge supports the HyperTransport face

. It supports two DDR3 slots with maximum memory size of 16 GB. One PCI Ex-

press 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 modes. The Southbridge integrates a Serial ATA host controller, supporting four 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 connectors, one DVI port (Optional), one D-SUB (VGA) port, four USB ports, one LAN port and audio jacks for microphone, line-in and line-out.

3.0 inter-

Package Contents

Your motherboard package ships with the following items:

A960M-M3 Motherboard



Quick Installation Guide



User Manual



DVD



I/O Shield



2 SATA 3Gb/s Cables



Chapter 1

The package contents above are for reference only, please take the actual package items as standard.

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Chapter 1

Specifications

CPU

Graphics

• Socket AM3 for AMD FXTM/ PhenomTMII /AthlonTM II / Sempron 100 Series processors

• Supports “Hyper-Threading” technology CPU

Note: Please go to ECS website for the latest CPU support list.

• AMD 760G & AMD SB710Chipset

• On Chip (AMD 760G-based with ATI ics)

• Integrated DirectX 10 graphics processor

• Share memory maximum update to 512MB

Radeon HD3000 graph-

Memory

Expansion Slots

Storage

Audio

LAN

Rear Panel I/O

Internal I/O Connectors & Headers

• Dual-channel DDR3 memory architecture

• 2 x 240-pin DDR3 DIMM sockets support up to 16 GB

• Supports DDR3

Note: Please go to ECS website for the latest Memory support list.

• 1 x PCI Express x16 Gen2 slot

• 1 x PCI Express x1 Gen2 slot

• 2 x PCI slots

• Supported by AMD SB710 Express Chipset

• 4 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 and PS/2 mouse connectors

• 1 x D-Sub port (VGA)

• 1 x DVI port (Optional)

• 4 x USB 2.0 ports

• 1 x RJ45 LAN connector

• 1 x Audio port (Line in, Line out, Mic_in Rear)

• 1 x 24-pin ATX Power Supply connector

• 1 x 4-pin 12V Power connector

• 1 x 4-pin CPU_FAN connector

• 1 x 3-pin SYS_FAN connector

• 2 x USB 2.0 headers support additional four USB 2.0 ports

• 4 x SATA 3Gb/s connectors

• 1 x COM header

• 1 x Case open header

• 1 x Front Panel audio header

• 1 x Front Panel switch/LED header

• 1 x Speaker header

• 1 x Parallel port header(LPT)

• 1 x CLR_CMOS header

• 1 x Primary IDE connector

• 1 x SPI_debug header

1800(OC)/1600(OC)/1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

System BIOS

Form Factor • Micro-ATX Size, 244mm x 180mm

• 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 Memory Voltage Adjustable External Clock Adjustable Multiple Frequency Adjustable

Chapter 1

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Chapter 1

Motherboard Components

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Table of Motherboard Components

LABEL COMPONENTS

1. CPU Socket

2. CPU_FAN CPU cooling fan connector

3. DDR3_1~2 240-pin DDR3 SDRAM slots

4. ATX_POWER Standard 24-pin ATX power connector

5. ID E Prim ary ID E conn ector

6. SYS_FAN System cooling fan connector

7. SPK Speaker header

8. SATA1~4 Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s connectors

9. F_PANEL Front panel switch/LED header

10. F_USB1~2 Front panel USB 2.0 headers

11. USBPWR_F1 Front panel USB power select jumper

12. SPI_DEBUG SPI_debug header for factory use only

13. COM Onboard serial port header

14. LPT Onboard parallel port header

15. F_AUDIO Front panel audio header

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

17. CLR_CMOS Clear CMOS jumper

18. PCIEX1 PCI Express x1 slot

19. CASE Case open header

20. PCIEX16 PCI Express slot for graphics interface

21. ATX12V 4-pin +12V power connector

22. USBPWR_R1 Rear USB/PS2 power select jumper

Socket AM3 for AMD FX

II /AthlonTM II/SempronTM 100 Series processors

/Phenom

Chapter 1

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Chapter 1

Link LED

LAN Port

I/O Ports

1. PS/2 Mouse

Use the upper PS/2 port to connect a PS/2 mouse.

2. PS/2 Keyboard

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

DVI Port (Optional)

You can connect the display device to the DVI port.

4. VGA Port

You can connect the display device to the VGA port.

5. USB 2.0 Ports

Use the USB 2.0 ports to connect USB 2.0 devices.

6. LAN Port

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

7. Line-in(blue) It can be connected to an external CD/DVD player, Tape player or other audio devices for audio input.

8. Line-out(lime) It is used to connect to speakers or headphones.

9. Microphone(pink) It is used to connect to a microphone.

LAN LED Status Description

Activity LED

Link LED

OFF No d ata Orange blinking Active OFF No link Green Link

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Chapter 2

Installing the Motherboard

2-1. 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.

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

2-2. Installing the motherboard in a Chassis

This motherboard carries a Micro ATX form factor of 244 x 180 mm. Choose a chassis that accommodates this form factor. Make sure that the I/O template in the chassis matches the I/O ports installed on the rear edge of the motherboard. Most system chassis have mounting brackets installed in the chassis, which corresponds to the holes in the motherboard. Place the motherboard over the mounting brackets and secure the motherboard onto the mounting brackets with screws.

Chapter 2

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

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

2-3. Checking Jumper Settings

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

Chapter 2

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

2. Make sure the power supply provides enough 5VSB voltage before selecting the 5VSB function.

3. It is required that users place the USBPWR_F1 & USBPWR_R1 cap onto 2-3 pin rather than 1-2 pin as default if you want to wake up the computer by USB/ PS2 KB/Mouse.

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

2-4. Installing Hardware

2-4-1. Installing the Processor

• This motherboard has an AM3 socket supporting AM3+/AM3 CPU.

• 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.

• You may be able to change the settings in the system Setup Utility. We strongly recommend you do not over-clock processor or other components to run faster than their rated speed.

• The following illustration shows CPU installation components.

A. Pull up the lever away from the socket and lift up to 90-degree angle.

B. Locate the CPU cut edge (the corner with the pin hold noticeably

missing). Align and insert the CPU correctly.

Chapter 2

C. Press the metal lever back into its original position.

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

2-4-2. Installing the CPU Cooler

Chapter 2

• Install the cooling fan in a well-lit work area so that you can clearly see the motherboard and processor socket.

• Avoid using cooling fans with sharp edges in case the fan casing and the clips cause serious damage to the motherboard or its components.

• To achieve better airflow rates and heat dissipation, we suggest that you use a high quality fan with 3800 rpm at least. CPU fan and heat sink installation procedures may vary with the type of CPU fan/heatsink supplied. The form and size of fan/heatsink may also vary.

• The following illustration shows how to install CPU fan.

A. Apply some thermal grease onto the contacted area between the heatsink and the CPU, and make it to be a thin layer.

B. Put the CPU Fan down on the retention module and flip the levers over the heat sink in place.

C. Connect the CPU cooler power connector to the CPU_FAN connector.

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

2-4-3. Installing Memory Modules

• This motherboard accommodates four memory modules. It can support two 240-pin DDR3 1800(OC)/1600(OC)/1333.

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

• You must install at least one module in any of the two slots. Total memory capacity is 16 GB.

• Refer to the following to install the memory modules.

A. Push the latches on each side of the DIMM slot down.

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

seats correctly. Check that the cutouts on the DIMM module edge connector match the notches in the DIMM slot.

C. The slot latches are levered upwards and latch on to the edges of the

DIMM.

Chapter 2

*Due to the limitation of chipset spec, it supports up to 1866 MHz for motherboard with a single DIMM per channel.

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

2-4-4. 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

Chapter 2

that are not part of the basic system.

PCIEX16 Slot

PCIEX1 Slot

PCI1~2 Slots

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

The PCI Express x16 slot is used to install an external PCI Express graphics card that is fully compliant to the PCI Express Base Specification revision 2.0.

The PCI Express x1 slot is fully compliant to the PCI Express Base Specification revision 2.0.

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 slot on this board is PCI v2.2 compliant.

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Follow these instructions to install an add-on card:

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

you are going to use.

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

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

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

1. 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.

2. The onboard PCI interface does not support 64-bit SCSI cards.

Please refer the following illustrations to install the add-on card:

Chapter 2

Install the VGA Card in the PCI slot

Install the VGA Card in the PCIE X16 slot

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Install the LAN Card in the PCIE X1 slot

2-4-5. Connecting Optional Devices

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

Chapter 2

No. Components No. Components

1 SATA1 ~4 4 LPT

2 F_USB1~2 5 F_AUDIO

3COM6CASE

1. SATA1~4: Serial ATA connectors

SATA1~4 connectors are used to support the Serial ATA 3.0Gb/s device, 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.

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

2. F_USB1~2: Front Panel USB 2.0 headers

The motherboard has two USB 2.0 headers supporting four USB 2.0 ports. Additionally, some computer cases have USB ports at the front of the case. If you have this kind of case, use auxiliary USB connector to connect the front-mounted ports to the motherboard.

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

3. COM: Onboard serial port header

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

Chapter 2

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

4. LPT: Onboard parallel port Header

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

Chapter 2

5. F_AUDIO: Front Panel Audio Header

The front panel audio header allows the user to install auxiliary front-oriented microphone and line-out ports for easier access. This header supports HD audio by default. If you want connect an AC please set as below picture.

’ 97 front panel audio to HD onboard headers,

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

AC’ 97 Audio Configuration: To enable the front panel audio connector to support AC97 Audio mode.

If you use AC’ 97 Front Panel, please tick off the option of “ Disabled Front Panel Detect

”. If you use HD Audio Front Panel, please don’ t tick off “Disabled Front Panel

Detect

” .

* For reference only

If you use AC’ 97 Front Panel, please don’ t tick off “ Using Front Jack Detect ” . If you use HD Audio Front Panel, please

tick off the option of “Using Front Jack Detect ” .

Chapter 2

* For reference only

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

6. 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.

Chapter 2

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

2-4-6. Installing a Hard Disk Drive/CD-ROM/SATA Hard Drive

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

About IDE Devices

Your motherboard has one IDE interface.

IDE: IDE Connector

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

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

* For reference only

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.

Chapter 2

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

About SATA Connectors

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

Chapter 2

motherboard and follow the illustration below to install the SATA hard drives.

Installing Serial ATA Hard Drives

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

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.

* For reference only

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

2-4-7. Connecting Case Components

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

No. Components No. Components

1 CPU_FAN 4 SPK

2 ATX_POWER 5 F_PANEL

3 SYS_FAN 6 ATX_12 V

1. CPU_FAN (CPU cooling FAN Power Connector) & 3. SYS_FAN (System Cooling FAN Power Connector)

Connect the CPU cooling fan cable to CPU_FAN. Connect the system cooling fan connector to SYS_FAN.

Chapter 2

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

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

2. ATX_POWER (ATX 24-pin Power Connector) & 6. ATX12V (ATX 12V Power Connector)

Connect the standard power supply connector to ATX_POWER. Connect the auxiliary case power supply connector to ATX12V.

Chapter 2

Connecting 24-pin power cable

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

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

24-pin power cable

Connecting 4-pin power cable

The ATX12V4P power connector is used to provide power to the CPU.

When installing 4-pin power cable, the latches of power cable and the ATX12V4P match perfectly.

4-pin power cable

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

4. SPK: Speaker

Connect the case speaker cable to SPK.

Chapter 2

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

5. Front Panel Header

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

Chapter 2

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

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

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Chapter 3

Using BIOS

About the Setup Utility

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

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

The BIOS Setup Utility enables you to configure:

• Hard drives, diskette drives and peripherals

• Video display type and display options

• Password protection from unauthorized use

• Power Management features

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

This chapter provides explanations for Setup Utility options.

The Standard Configuration

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

This Setup Utility should be used:

• when changing the system configuration

• when a configuration error is detected and you are prompted to make

changes to the Setup Utility

• when trying to resolve IRQ conflicts

• when making changes to the Power Management configuration

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

Setup

Entering the Setup Utility

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

Press DEL to enter SETUP

Chapter 3

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Press the delete key to access BIOS Setup Utility.

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

BIOS Information

System Date [Sat 03/10/2012]

System Time [00:06:22]

Chapter 3

Resetting the Default CMOS Values

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

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

Set the date. Use Tab to Switch between Data eletments.

: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

Enter/Dbl Click : Select +/- : Change Opt. F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Using BIOS

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

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

Some options (marked with a triangle

f) lead to submenus that enable you to change

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

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

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

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

BIOS Navigation Keys

The BIOS navigation keys are listed below:

KEY FUNCTION

ESC Exits the current menu

mnlk

 Scrolls through the items on a menu

+/-Change Opt.

Enter Select

F1 General Help

F2 Previous Value

F3 Optimized Defaults

F4 Save & Exit

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

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

Chapter 3

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Main Menu

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

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

BIOS Information

System Date [Sat 03/10/2012]

System Time [00:06:22]

Chapter 3

Date & Time

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

Set the date. Use Tab to Switch between Data eletments.

: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

Enter/Dbl Click : Select +/- : Change Opt. F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Advanced Menu

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

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

Legacy OpROM Support

Launch PXE OpROM [Disabled]

Lauch Storage OpROM [Enabled]

LAN Configuration

PC Health Status

Power Management Setup

ACPI Settings

CPU Configuration

SATA Configuration

USB Configuration

ff ff

Super IO Configuration

Enable or Disable Boot Option for Legacy Network Devices.

: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

Enter/Dbl Click : Select +/- : Change Opt. F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Launch PXE OpROM (Disabled)

The item enables or disables launch PXE Option ROM.

Launch Storage OpROM (Enabled)

Use this item to enable or disable the Storage OpROM.

Chapter 3

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

LAN Configuration

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

Main

LAN Configuration

Onboard LAN Controller [Enabled]

Chapter 3

Onboard LAN Controller (Enabled)

Use this item to enable or disable the Onboard LAN.

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

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

: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

Enter/Dbl Click : Select +/- : Change Opt. F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

PC Health Status

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

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

Main

PC Health Status

Smart Fan Function

CPU Tct1 : +49 CPU Fan Speed : 2183 RPM CPU Voltage : +1.416 V DIMM Voltage : +1.528 V

: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

Enter/Dbl Click : Select +/- : Change Opt. F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

fSmart Fan Function

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

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

CPU Smart Fan Control [Enabled]

Smart Fan Mode [Normal]

High Limit Temperature ( Low Limit Temperature ( High Limit PWM 200 Low Limit PWM 56

C) 60

C) 3 7

: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

Enter/Dbl Click : Select +/- : Change Opt. F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

CPU Smart Fan Control (Enabled)

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

Smart Fan Mode (Normal)

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

Chapter 3

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

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

System Component Characteristics

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

• CPU Tct1

• CPU Fan Speed

• CPU Voltage

• DIMM Voltage

Chapter 3

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

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Power Management Setup

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

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

Power Management Setup

Resume By RING [Disabled]

Resume By PME [Disabled] Resume By USB 1.x/2.0 (S3) [Disabled] Resume By PS2 KB (S3) [Disabled] Resume By PS2 MS (S3) [Disabled] EUP Function [Enabled] Power LED Type [Dual Color LED]

About Resume by RING

: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

Enter/Dbl Click : Select +/- : Change Opt. F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Resume By RING (Disabled)

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

Resume By PME (Disabled)

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

Resume By USB 1.x/2.0 (S3) (Disabled)

This item allows you to enable/disable the USB 1.x/2.0 device wakeup function from S3 mode.

Resume By PS2 KB (S3) (Disabled)

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

Resume By PS2 MS (S3) (Disabled)

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

EUP Function (Enabled)

This item allows user to enable or disable EUP support.

Power LED Type (Dual Color LED)

This item shows the type of the Power LED.

Chapter 3

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

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

ACPI Configuration

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

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

ACPI Setting

ACPI Sleep State [S3 (Suspend to RAM)]

Chapter 3

ACPI Sleep State [S3(Suspend to RAM)]

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

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

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

: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

Enter/Dbl Click : Select +/- : Change Opt. F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

CPU Configuration

The item in the menu shows the CPU.

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

CPU Configuration

Socket0: AMD FX(tm)-4100 Quad-Core Processor Max Speed: 3600 MHZ Intended Speed: 3600 MHZ

Microcode Patch Level: 6000624

--Information de cachette par noyau -L1 Instruction Cache: 64 KB/2-way L1 Data Cache: 16KB/4-way L2 Cache: 2048 KB/16-way Total L3 Cache per Socket : 8 MB/64-way

AMD C&Q [Enabled]

Core Performance Boost [Enabled] Core C6 State [Enabled] Enhanced Halt(C1E) [Disabled] SB Clock Spread Spectrum [Disabled]

Max Speed (3600 MHz) Intended Speed (3600 MHz)

This item shows the maximum speed of the CPU.

Microcode Patch Level (6000624)

This item shows the Microcode revision.

L1 Instruction Cache (64KB/2-way)

This item shows CPU L1 Instruction Cache.

L1 Data Cache (16KB/4-way)

This item shows CPU L1 Data Cache.

L2 Cache (2048 KB/16-way)

This item shows CPU L2 Cache.

Total L3 Cache per Socket : 8 MB/64-way

This item shows CPU L3 Cache.

AMD C&Q (Enabled)

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

Core Performance Boost (Enabled)

This item is used to set the CPB mode.

Core C6 State (Enabled)

This item enables or disables the C6 mode.

Enhanced Halt (C1E) (Disabled)

Use this item to enable the CPU energy-saving function when the system is not running.

SB Clock Spread Spectrum (Disabled)

This item enables or disables the SB Clock Spread Spectrum.

Enable/disable C6

: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

Enter/Dbl Click : Select +/- : Change Opt. F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Chapter 3

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

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

SATA Configuration

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

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

SATA Configuration

Serial-ATA Controller [Enhanced]

SATA Mode [IDE Mode] PATA Master Not Present PATA Slave Not Present SATA Port1 Not Present SATA Port2 Not Present SATA Port3 Not Present SATA Port4 INTEL SSDSC2MH (120.0GB

Chapter 3

Serial-ATA Controller (Enhanced)

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

SATA Mode (IDE Mode)

Use this item to select SATA mode.

SATA Port 1~4 [ Not Present/INTEL SSDSC2MH (120.0GB ]

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

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

Serial-ATA Controller

: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

Enter/Dbl Click : Select +/- : Change Opt. F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

USB Configuration

Use this item to show the information of USB configuration.

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

USB Configuration

All USB Devices [Enabled]

Legacy USB Support [Enabled]

All USB Devices (Enabled)

Use this item to enable or disable all USB devices.

Legacy USB Support (Enabled)

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

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

Enabled / Disabled All USB

Devices

: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

Enter/Dbl Click : Select +/- : Change Opt. F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Chapter 3

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Super IO Configuration

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

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

Super IO Configuration

Super IO Chip F71869

Serial Port 0 Configuration

Parallel Port Configuration

Chapter 3

fSerial Port 0 Configuration

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

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

Serial Port 0 Configuration

Serial Port [Enabled]

Device Settings IO=3F8h; IRQ=4;

Change Settings [Auto]

Set Parameters of Serial Port 0 (COMA)

: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

Enter/Dbl Click : Select +/- : Change Opt. F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Enable or Disable Serial Port (COM)

: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

Enter/Dbl Click : Select +/- : Change Opt. F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Serial Port (Enabled)

This item allows you to enable or disable serial port.

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

This item shows the information of the device settings.

Change Settings (Auto)

Use this item to change device settings.

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

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

fParallel Port Configuration

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

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

Parallel Port Configuration

Parallel Port [Enabled]

Device Settings IO=378h; IRQ=5;

Change Settings [Auto] Device Mode [STD Printer Mode]

Enable or Disable Parallel Port (LPT/LPTE)

: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

Enter/Dbl Click : Select +/- : Change Opt. F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Parallel Port (Enabled)

This item allows you to enable or disable parallel port.

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

This item shows the information of the device settings.

Change Settings (Auto)

Use this item to change device settings.

Device Mode (STD Printer Mode)

This item shows the information of the device mode.

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

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

Chapter 3

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Chipset Menu

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

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

North Bridge

South Bridge

Chapter 3

fNorth Bridge

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

Main Advanced

North Bridge

IGD Memory [Auto ]

North Bridge Parameters

: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

Enter/Dbl Click : Select +/- : Change Opt. F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Chipset M.I.B.III Boot Security Exit

: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

Enter/Dbl Click : Select +/- : Change Opt. F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

/Click: Select Item

IGD Memory (Auto)

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

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

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

fSouth Bridge

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

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

South Bridge

Restore AC Power Loss [Power Off]

Audio Configuration Azalia internal HDMI codec [Enabled] Azalia HD Audio [Enabled]

Case Open Warning [Disabled] Chassis Opened [No]

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

: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

Enter/Dbl Click : Select +/- : Change Opt. F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Restore AC Power Loss (Power Off)

This item enables your computer to automatically restart or return to its operating status.

Audio Configuration

This item shows the information of the audio configuration.

Azalia internal HDMI codec (Enabled)

This item enables or disables Azalia internal HDMI codec.

Azalia HD Audio (Enabled)

This item enables or disables Azalia HD audio.

Case Open Warning (Disabled)

This item enables or disables the warning if the case is opened up, and the item below indicates the current status of the case.

Chassis Opened (No)

This item indicates whether the case has been opened.

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

NOTE: *This item will not appear if the motherboard doesnot have the HDMI port. Please take the actual BIOS for the standard.

Chapter 3

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

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

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

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

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

Processor Power Planes and Voltage Controls

Memory Control

HT Control

Processor Power Planes and

Voltage Controls

Auto Detect DIMM/PCI Clk [Enabled]

Chapter 3

Clockgen Spread Spectrum [Enabled]

CPU/HT Reference Clock (MHz) 200 VDIMM Voltage [1.6V]

fProcessor Power Planes and Voltage Controls

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

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

Processor Power Planes and Voltage Controls

Current CPU Speed: 3600MHz

Core Clock multiplier [Auto]

AltVidC3 Enable [Auto] Slam Time Mode [Auto] VSSlamTime [Auto]

Current CPU Speed: 3600MHz

This item shows current CPU speed.

Core Clock multiplier (Auto)

Use this item to set the core clock multiplier.

AltVidC3 Enable (Auto)

This item allows users to select amdAltVidEn 0.24N:3x80[12]

Slam Time Mode (Auto)

This item allows users to set slam time mode, this option is only for RB-C3, BL-C3, DAC3.

VSSlam Time (Auto)

This item specifies the time to wait for voltage stabilization during altvid transitions if a new VID is provided to the voltage regulator without ramping. 0:24N:3xDC [31:29]

: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

Enter/Dbl Click : Select +/- : Change Opt. F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Core Clock multiplier

: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

Enter/Dbl Click : Select +/- : Change Opt.

F1: General Help

F2: Previous Values

F3: Optimized Defaults

F4: Save & Exit

ESC/Right Click: Exit

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

fMemory Control

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

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

Memory Control

Memory Clock DCT0 is : (DDR-1333/667Mhz) Memory Clock DCT1 is : None

Command Rate [Auto]

Memory Clock Mode [Auto] Memory Timing Mode [Auto] CAS Latency 9 RAS to CAS Delay 9 Row Precharge Time 9 RAS Active Time 24 Row Cycle Time 33 RAS to RAS Delay 4 Read CAS to Precharge Time 5

Slow Access Mode

: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

Enter/Dbl Click : Select +/- : Change Opt.

F1: General Help

F2: Previous Values

F3: Optimized Defaults

F4: Save & Exit

ESC/Right Click: Exit

Memory Clock DCT0 is DDR-1333/667Mhz

This item shows current memory clock of DCTO.

Memory Clock DCT1 is None

This item shows current memory clock of DCT1.

Command Rate (Auto)

This item is used to set the Command Rate.

Memory Clock Mode (Auto)

This item is used to set the memory clock Mode.

Memory Timing Mode (Auto)

This item is used to set the memory Timing Mode.

CAS Latency (9)

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

RAS to CAS Delay (9)

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

Row Precharge Time (9)

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

RAS Active Time (24)

This item specifies the RAS# active time.

Row Cycle Time (33)

Use this item to specify the Row Cycle Time.

RAS to CAS Delay (4)

This item specifies the active-to-active delay of different banks.

Read CAS to Precharge Time (5)

Read to Precharge Delay, range from 4 to 15.

Chapter 3

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

fHT Control

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

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

HT Control

Current Width Up: 16 bit Upstream Link Width [Auto] Current Width Down: 16 bit Downstream Link Width [Auto] Current IO HT Freq: 2200MHz IO HT Frequency [Auto]

Chapter 3

Current Width Up (16 bit)

This item shows the Current Width UP.

Upstream Link Width (Auto)

This item is used to set the Upstream Link Width.

Current Width Down (16 bit)

This item shows the Current Width Down.

Downstream Link Width (Auto)

This item is used to set the Downstream Link Width.

Current IO HT Freq: 2200MHz

This item shows the Current IO HT Frequency.

IO HT Frequency [Auto]

This item enables users to manually set up the HyperTransport frequency.

Set Upstream Link Width

: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

Enter/Dbl Click : Select +/- : Change Opt.

F1: General Help

F2: Previous Values

F3: Optimized Defaults

F4: Save & Exit

ESC/Right Click: Exit

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Boot Menu

This page enables you to set the keyboard NumLock state.

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

Boot Configuration

Bootup NumLock State [On]

Set Boot Priority

1st Boot [Hard Disk: INTEL SSD...]

2nd Boot [CD/DVD]

3rd Boot [USB Floppy]

4th Boot [USB CD/DVD]

5th Boot [USB Hard Disk]

6th Boot [USB Key:USB]

7th Boot [Network]

8th Boot [UEFI]

Hard Disk Drive BBS Priorities [Press Enter]

CD/DVD ROM Drive BBS Priorities [Press Enter]

USB Floppy/Floppy Drive BBS Priorities [Press Enter]

USB CD/DVD Drive BBS Priorities [Press Enter]

USB HardDisk Drive BBS Priorities [Press Enter]

USB KEY Drive BBS Priorities [Press Enter]

NETWORK Driver BBS Priorities [Press Enter]

UEFI Boot Drive BBS Priorities [Press Enter]

Boot Configuration

This item shows the information of the Boot Configuration.

Bootup NumLock State (On)

This item enables you to select NumLock state.

Set Boot Priority

This item enables you to set boot priority for all boot devices.

1st/2nd/3rd/4th/5th/6th/7th/8th Boot

These items show the boot priorities.

Hard Disk / CD/DVD / USB Floppy/Floppy / USB CD/DVD / USB HardDisk / USB Key / NETWORK / UEFI Boot Drive BBS Priorities (Press Enter)

These items enable you to specify the sequence of loading the operating system. Press <Enter> to see the submenu.

Select the keyboard NumLock state

: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

Enter/Dbl Click : Select +/- : Change Opt. F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Chapter 3

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Security Menu

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

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

Administrator Password Status Not Install User Password Status Not Install

Administrator Password

Chapter 3

Administrator Password

Press <Enter> to setup administrator password.

Set Setup Administrator Password

: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

Enter/Dbl Click : Select +/- : Change Opt. F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Exit Menu

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

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

Save Changes and Exit

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

Save Options Save Changes Discard Changes

Restore Defaults Save as User Defaults Restore User Defaults

Boot Override USB SATA SS: INTEL SSDSC2MH120A2

Save Changes and Exit

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

Discard Changes and Exit

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

Save Changes and Reset

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

Discard Changes and Reset

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

Save Options

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

Save Changes

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

Discard Changes

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

Restore Defaults

This item enables you to restore the system defaults.

Save as User Defaults

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

Restore User Defaults

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

Boot Override

Use this item to select the boot device.

Exit system setup after saving the changes.

: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

Enter/Dbl Click : Select +/- : Change Opt. F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Chapter 3

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Updating the BIOS

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

Chapter 3

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

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

allow BIOS flashing.

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

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

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

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

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

Web site. Copy these files to the bootable device.

5 Turn off your computer and insert the bootable device in your computer.

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

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

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

040706.ROM

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

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

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Chapter 4

Using the Motherboard Software

Auto-installing under Windows XP/Vista/7

The auto-install DVD-ROM makes it easy for you to install the drivers and software. The support software DVD-ROM disc loads automatically under Windows XP/Vista/

7. When you insert the DVD-ROM disc in the DVD-ROM drive, the auto-run feature will automatically bring up the installation screen. The screen has four buttons on it: Setup, Utilities, Browse CD and Exit.

Information:

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

Click “Exit” button to close the Auto-Setup

window.

Browse CD:

Open Windows Explorer and show the contents

Click the “Setup” button to select and run the software installation program.

Click the “Utilities” button to select and install ECS Intelligent Utility.

of the support disk.

Chapter 4

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.

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

2. Click Next. The following screen appears:

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

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

Chapter 4

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.

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

Continue this process to complete the drivers installation.

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Manual Installation

If the auto-install DVD-ROM does not work on your system, you can still install drivers through the file manager for your OS (for example, Windows Explorer).

for the chipset and motherboard model, and 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.

Look

ECS Utility Software (Intelligent EZ Utility)

ECS Intelligent EZ Utility provides friendly interfaces under Windows O.S, which makes your computing more easily and conveniently.

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

eSF

eSF(Smart Fan) utility provides easy and safe way to adjust fan speed in accordance with your PC’s system loading and temperature.

It has five modes to adjust fan speed in a safe range without entering the BIOS to optimize your system cooling environment.

Chapter 4

eDLU

ECS eDLU utility makes updating drivers fast and easy. eDLU saves time and hassle by listing all the latest drivers online. Just select the one you prefer and start to download and install the drivers.

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

eBLU

ECS eBLU utility makes BIOS update faster and easier. eBLU will list the latest BIOS with a default check-mark. Click”install” button to install.

eOC

ECS eOC Utility is a simple over-clocking tool that provides user-friendly windows operation interface for novices and over-clockers. Combining with ECS MIB III tech-

Chapter 4

nology, eOC challenges the undiscovered over-clocking capability than ever before.

Monitor Easy Tuning

Advance Tuning Options

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Chapter 5

Setting Up AMD SB710 RAID Configuration

Setting Up a bootable RAID Array

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

Setting Up the BIOS

1. Start your computer, then press Delete to enter the BIOS setup.

The BIOS CMOS Setup Utility screen appears.

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

BIOS Information

System Date [Sat 03/10/2012] System Time [00:06:22]

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

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

SATA Configuration

Serial-ATA Controller [Enhanced]

SATA Mode [IDE Mode] PATA Master Not Present PATA Slave Not Present SATA Port1 Not Present SATA Port2 Not Present SATA Port3 Not Present SATA Port4 INTEL SSDSC2MH (120.0GB

Set the date. Use Tab to Switch between Data eletments.

: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

Enter/Dbl Click : Select +/- : Change Opt. F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

Figure 1.1 BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main Screen

lk mn

Enter/Dbl Click : Select +/- : Change Opt. F1: General Help F2: Previous Values F3: Optimized Defaults F4: Save & Exit ESC/Right Click: Exit

: Select Screen

/Click: Select Item

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Figure 1.2 SATA Configuration Screen

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

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

4. Press F4 to save the configuration and exit.

The PC reboots.

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

Configuring the AMD RAID BIOS (Windows XP Installation)

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

Entering the RAID BIOS Setup:

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

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

2. Press Ctrl-F.

The Main Menu screen appears (Figure 1.3).

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[ Main Menu ]

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

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

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

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

[ Keys Available ]

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

Figure 1.3 Main Menu

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

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

The Define LD Menu screen appears (Figure 1.4).

LD No RAID Mode Total Drv

LD 1 RAID 0 0

Stripe Block : 64 KB Past Init : OFF Gigabyte Boundary : ON Cache Mode : WriteThru

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

[

m] Up [

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

[ Define LD Menu ]

[ Drives Assignments ]

[ Keys Available ]

Figure 1.4 Define LD Menu

Using the Define a New Array Screen

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

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

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

• Selecting the RAID Mode

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

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

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• Selecting the Stripe Block Size

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

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Assigning the Disks

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

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

LD No RAID Mode Total Drv

LD 1 RAID 0 2

Stripe Block : 64 KB Past Init : OFF Gigabyte Boundary : ON Cache Mode : WriteThru

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

[

m] Up [

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

Figure 1.5 FastBuild Utility—Array Disks Assigned

[ Define LD Menu ]

[ Drives Assignments ]

[ Keys Available ]

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

The Define LD Menu screen appears (Figure 1.6).

LD No RAID Mode Total Drv Capacity(MB) Status

LD 1 RAID 0 2 318000 Functional LD 2 ---- ---- ------ ---LD 3 ---- ---- ------ ---LD 4 ---- ---- ------ ---LD 5 ---- ---- ------ ---LD 6 ---- ---- ------ ---LD 7 ---- ---- ------ ---LD 8 ---- ---- ------ ----

[

m] Up [

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

[ Define LD Menu ]

[ Keys Available ]

Figure 1.6 Define LD Menu

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

3. Press ESC to exit.

The Main Menu screen appears (Figure 1.7).

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

[ Main Menu ]

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

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

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

System is going to REBOOT!

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

Are You Sure? Y - Reboot / Any Key - Back

[ Keys Available ]

Press Y to reboot.

The following screen appears (Figure 1.8).

ID Mode Size TRACK-MAPPING STATUS

1 2+0 RAID 0 318000M 38661/255/63 Functional 2 ASUS DVD-E818AT

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

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A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Installing the RAID Drivers

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

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

Chapter 5

1. Copy all files in "...\RAID\ATI\SB710\Floppy\Win3264" to a floppy disk.

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

The Windows Setup program starts.

Windows Setup

---------

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

Figure 1.9

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

Windows Setup

Setup could not determine the type of one or more mass storage devices. installed in your system, or you have chosen to manually specify an adapter. Currently, Setup will load support for the following mass storage device(s).

<none>

* To specify additional SCSI adapters, CD-ROM drivers, or special disk controllers for use with Windows, including those for which you have a device support disk from a mass storag device manufacturer, press S.

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

S=Specify Additional Devices ENTER=Continue F3=Exit

Figure 1.10 Windows Setup—Specify Devices

4. Specify the AMD drivers.

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

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

The following Windows Setup screen appears:

Windows Setup

---------

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

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

ATI AHCI Compatible RAID Controller-x86 platform ATI AHCI Compatible RAID Controller-x64 platform

ENTER=Select F3=Exit

Figure 1.11 Windows Setup—Selected SCSI Adapter

b Select “ATI AHCI Compatible RAID Controller-x86 platform” and press

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

The following Windows Setup screen appears listing both drivers:.

Windows Setup

---------

Setup will load support for the following mass storage device(s):

ATI AHCI Compatible RAID Controller-x86 platform

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

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S=Specify Additional Devices ENTER=Continue F3=Exit

Figure 1.12 Windows Setup—AMD drives listed

5. Press Enter to continue with Windows XP Installation.

Be sure to leave the floppy disk inserted in the floppy drive until the blue screen portion of Windows XP installation is completed, then take out the floppy.

6. Follow the instructions on how to install Windows XP.

After Windows XP is completely installed, it is recommended that you install the ForceWare software in order to access the FastBuild RAID Management tool.

Note: Each time you add a new hard drive to a RAID array, the RAID driver will have to be installed under Windows once for that hard drive. After that, the driver will not have to be installed.

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

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A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Chapter 6

Trouble Shooting

Start up problems during assembly

After assembling the PC for the first time you may experience some start up problems. Before calling for technical support or returning for warranty, this chapter may help to address some of the common questions using some basic troubleshooting tips. You may also log onto our ECS website for more information:

http:// www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWebSite/Support/Support_FAQ.aspx?MenulD=49& childid=M 49&LanlD=0

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

1. Disassemble the PC to remove the VGA adaptor card, DDR memory, LAN, USB and other peripherals including keyboard and mouse. Leave only the motherboard, CPU with CPU cooler and power supply connected. Make sure the power cord is plugged into the wall socket & the switch on the Power Supply Unit (PSU) is turned “ on “ as well. Turn on again to see if the CPU and power supply fans are running.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

c) The PC suddenly shuts down while booting up.

1. The CPU may experience overheating so it will shutdown to protect itself. Apply the thermal grease onto the CPU heatsink & ensure the CPU fan is well-connected with the CPU heatsink. Check if the CPU fan is working properly while the system is running.

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Chapter 6

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

Start up problems after prolong use

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

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

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

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

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

5. Check whether there is any bulked up electrolytic capacitor or abnormal component.

Please logo onto our ECS website: http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWebSite/Support/ Technical_Support_List.aspx?MenuID=50&LanID=0 for more information.

Maintenance and care tips

Your computer, like any electrical appliance, requires proper care and

Chapter 6

maintenance. Here are some basic PC care tips to help prolong the life of the motherboard and keep it running as best as it can.

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

2. Keep your computer in a cool dry place. Avoid dusty areas, direct sunlight and areas of high moisture content.

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

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

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

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

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

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Chapter 6

A960M-M3 USER MANUAL

Elitegroup A960M-M3 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual