Preface
Copyright
This publication, including all photographs, illustrations and software, is protected under international copyright laws, with all rights reserved. Neither this manual, nor any of the material contained herein, may be reproduced without written consent of the author.
Version 1.0
Disclaimer
The information in this document is subject to change without notice. The manufacturer makes no representations or warranties with respect to the contents hereof and specifically disclaims any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose. The manufacturer reserves the right to revise this publication and to make changes from time to time in the content hereof without obligation of the manufacturer to notify any person of such revision or changes.
TrademarkRecognition
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.
FederalCommunicationsCommission(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
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
EN 60950 Safety for information technology equipment including electrical business equipment
CE marking
CanadianDepartmentofCommunications
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.
AbouttheManual
The manual consists of the following: |
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Chapter 1 |
Describes |
features of |
the |
Introducing the Motherboard |
motherboard. |
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Chapter 2 |
Describes |
installation |
of |
Installing the Motherboard |
motherboard components. |
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Chapter 3 |
Provides information on us- |
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Using BIOS |
ing the BIOS Setup Utility. |
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Chapter 4 |
Describes the motherboard |
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Using the Motherboard Software software.
Hpage 1
Hpage 7
Hpage 25
Hpage 49
Chapter 5 |
Provides information about Hpage 53 |
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Setting Up AMD SB710 |
SATA RAID Setup |
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RAID Configuration |
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Chapter 6 |
Provides |
basic |
trouble Hpage 61 |
Trouble Shooting |
shooting tips. |
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A960M-M3 USER MANUAL
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TABLE OF CONTENTS |
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Preface |
i |
Chapter 1 |
1 |
Introducing the Motherboard |
1 |
Introduction........................................................................................... |
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Pakage Contents.................................................................................. |
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Specifications...................................................................................... |
2 |
Motherboard Components................................................................ |
4 |
I/O Ports............................................................................................... |
6 |
Chapter 2 |
7 |
Installing the Motherboard |
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Safety Precautions.............................................................................. |
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Installing the Motherboard in a Chassis....................................... |
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Checking Jumper Settings.................................................................. |
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Installing Hardware........................................................................... |
9 |
Installing the Processor............................................................ |
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Installing the CPU Cooler........................................................ |
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Installing Memory Modules................................................... |
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Installing Add-on Cards.......................................................... |
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Connecting Optional Devices................................................. |
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Installing a Hard Disk Drive/CD-ROM/ SATA Hard Drive........ |
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Connecting Case Components........................................................ |
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Front Panel Header................................................................ |
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Chapter 3 |
25 |
Using BIOS |
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About the Setup Utility...................................................................... |
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The Standard Configuration........................ ........................... |
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Entering the Setup Utility....................................................... |
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Resetting the Default CMOS Values..................................... |
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Using BIOS......................................................................................... |
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BIOS Navigation Keys..............................................................27 |
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Main Menu............................................................................. |
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Advanced Menu...................................................................... |
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Chipset Menu.......................................................................... |
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M.I.B III(MB Intelligent Bios III) Menu.................................... |
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Boot Menu............................................................................... |
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Security Menu......................................................................... |
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Exit Menu............................................................................... |
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Updating the BIOS...................................................................... |
48 |
A960M-M3 USER MANUAL
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Chapter 4 |
49 |
Using the Motherboard Software |
49 |
Auto-installing under Windows XP/Vista/7................................. |
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Running Setup........................................................................ |
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Manual Installation.......................................................................... |
51 |
ECS Utility Software (Intelligent EZ Utility)..................................... |
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Chapter 5 |
53 |
Setting Up AMD SB710 RAID Configuration |
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Setting Up a Bootable RAID Array.................................................. |
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Chapter 6 |
61 |
Trouble Shooting |
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Start up problems during assembly.............................................. |
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Start up problems after prolong use............................................ |
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Maintenance and care tips.............................................................. |
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Basic Troubleshooting Flowchart..................................................... |
63 |
A960M-M3 USER MANUAL
iv
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 FXTM / PhenomTM II /AthlonTM II / SempronTM 100 Series processors for high-end business or personal desktop markets.
The motherboard incorporates the AMD 760G Northbridge (NB) and SB710 Southbridge (SB) chipsets. The Northbridge supports the HyperTransportTM 3.0 interface. It supports two DDR3 slots with maximum memory size of 16 GB. One PCI 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 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.
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
The package contents above are for reference only, please take the actual package items as standard.
Chapter 1
A960M-M3 USER MANUAL
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1 Chapter
Specifications
CPU |
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Socket AM3 for AMD FXTM / PhenomTM II /AthlonTM II / SempronTM |
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100 Series processors |
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Supports “Hyper-Threading” technology CPU |
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Note: Please go to ECS website for the latest CPU support list. |
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Chipset |
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AMD 760G & AMD SB710 |
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Graphics |
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On Chip (AMD 760G-based with ATITM Radeon HD3000 graph- |
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ics) |
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Integrated DirectX 10 graphics processor |
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Share memory maximum update to 512MB |
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Memory |
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Dual-channel DDR3 memory architecture |
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2 x 240-pin DDR3 DIMM sockets support up to 16 GB |
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Supports DDR3 1800(OC)/1600(OC)/1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM |
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Note: Please go to ECS website for the latest Memory support list. |
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Expansion |
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x PCI Express x16 Gen2 slot |
Slots |
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x PCI Express x1 Gen2 slot |
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x PCI slots |
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Storage |
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Supported by AMD SB710 Express Chipset |
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x Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s Host Controllers |
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RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 10 Configuration |
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Audio |
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VIA VT1705 6-ch High Definition audio CODEC |
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Compliant with HD audio specification |
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LAN |
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Realtek RTL8111E Gigabit LAN |
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Rear Panel I/O |
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x PS/2 keyboard and PS/2 mouse connectors |
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1 x D-Sub port (VGA) |
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x DVI port (Optional) |
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4 x USB 2.0 ports |
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1 x RJ45 LAN connector |
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x Audio port (Line in, Line out, Mic_in Rear) |
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Internal I/O |
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1 x 24-pin ATX Power Supply connector |
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Connectors & |
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1 x 4-pin 12V Power connector |
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Headers |
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1 x 4-pin CPU_FAN connector |
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1 x 3-pin SYS_FAN connector |
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x USB 2.0 headers support additional four USB 2.0 ports |
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4 x SATA 3Gb/s connectors |
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1 x COM header |
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1 x Case open header |
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x Front Panel audio header |
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x Front Panel switch/LED header |
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x Speaker header |
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x Parallel port header(LPT) |
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1 x CLR_CMOS header |
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x Primary IDE connector |
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1 x SPI_debug header |
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System BIOS |
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AMI BIOS with 16Mb SPI Flash ROM |
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Supports Plug and Play, STR(S3) / STD (S4), Hardware monitor, |
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Multi Boot |
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Audio, LAN, can be disabled in BIOS |
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F7 hot key for boot up devices option |
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Support Over-Clocking |
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Support eBLU / Supoort eDLU / Supoort eOC |
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Support ECS M.I.B III Utility |
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Memory Voltage Adjustable |
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External Clock Adjustable |
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Multiple Frequency Adjustable |
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Form Factor |
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Micro-ATX Size, 244mm x 180mm |
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A960M-M3 USER MANUAL
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1 Chapter
Motherboard Components
A960M-M3 USER MANUAL
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Table of Motherboard Components
LABEL |
COMPONENTS |
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1. |
CPU Socket |
Socket AM 3 for AM D FXTM /PhenomTM |
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II /AthlonTM II/SempronTM 100 Series processors |
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2. |
CPU_FAN |
CPU cooling fan connector |
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3. DDR3_1~2 |
240-pin DDR3 SDRAM slots |
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4. ATX_POWER |
Standard 24-pin ATX power connector |
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IDE |
Primary IDE connector |
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SYS_FAN |
System cooling fan connector |
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SPK |
Speaker header |
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SATA1~4 |
Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s connectors |
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9. |
F_PANEL |
Front panel switch/LED header |
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10. F_USB1~2 |
Front panel USB 2.0 headers |
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11. USBPWR_F1 |
Front panel USB power select jumper |
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12. SPI_DEBUG |
SPI_debug header for factory use only |
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13. COM |
Onboard serial port header |
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14. LPT |
Onboard parallel port header |
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15. F_AUDIO |
Front panel audio header |
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16. PCI1~2 |
32-bit add-on card slots |
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17. CLR_CM OS |
Clear CM OS jumper |
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18. PCIEX1 |
PCI Express x1 slot |
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19. CASE |
Case open header |
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20. PCIEX16 |
PCI Express slot for graphics interface |
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21. ATX12V |
4-pin +12V power connector |
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22. USBPWR_R1 |
Rear USB/PS2 power select jumper |
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A960M-M3 USER MANUAL
Chapter 1
5
1 Chapter
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.
3. 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.
LAN LED |
Status |
Description |
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Link LED |
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Activity LED |
OFF |
No data |
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Orange blinking |
Active |
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Link LED |
OFF |
No link |
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Green |
Link |
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LAN Port |
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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.
A960M-M3 USER MANUAL
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Chapter 2
Installing the Motherboard
2-1. Safety Precautions
Follow these safety precautions when installing the motherboard: |
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Wear a grounding strap attached to a grounded device to avoid damage |
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Leave components in the static-proof bags. |
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from static electricity. |
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Discharge static electricity by touching the metal case of a safely grounded |
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object before working on the motherboard. |
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Always remove the AC power by unplugging the power cord from the power |
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outlet before installing or removing the motherboard or other hardware |
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components. |
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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.
Do not over-tighten the screws as this can stress the motherboard.
A960M-M3 USER MANUAL
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2-3. Checking Jumper Settings
The following illustration shows the location of the motherboard jumpers. Pin 1 is labeled.
2 Chapter
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
8
2-4. Installing Hardware
2-4-1. Installing the Processor
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This motherboard has an AM3 socket supporting AM3+/AM3 CPU. |
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When choosing a processor, consider the performance requirements of |
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the system. Performance is based on the processor design, the clock speed |
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and system bus frequency of the processor, and the quantity of internal |
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cache memory and external cache memory. |
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You may be able to change the settings in the system Setup Utility. We |
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strongly recommend you do not over-clock processor or other compo- |
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nents to run faster than their rated speed. |
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The following illustration shows CPU installation components. |
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A. Pull up the lever away from the socket and lift up to 90-degree angle. |
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B. Locate the CPU cut edge (the corner with the pin hold noticeably missing). Align and insert the CPU correctly.
C.Press the metal lever back into its original position.
A960M-M3 USER MANUAL
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2-4-2. Installing the CPU Cooler
2 Chapter
•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
10
2-4-3. Installing Memory Modules
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This motherboard accommodates four memory modules. It can support |
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two 240-pin DDR3 1800(OC)/1600(OC)/1333. |
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Do not remove any memory module from its antistatic packaging until |
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you are ready to install it on the motherboard. Handle the modules only |
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by their edges. Do not touch the components or metal parts. Always wear |
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a grounding strap when you handle the modules. |
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You must install at least one module in any of the two slots. Total memory |
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A. Push the latches on each side of the DIMM slot down. |
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capacity is 16 GB. |
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Refer to the following to install the memory modules. |
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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.
*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
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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 that are not part of the basic system.
2 Chapter
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.
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.
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.
A960M-M3 USER MANUAL
12
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.
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Secure the metal bracket of the card to the system case with a screw. |
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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:
Install the VGA Card in the PCI slot |
Install the LAN Card in the PCIE X1 slot |
Install the VGA Card in the PCIE X16 slot
A960M-M3 USER MANUAL
13
2-4-5. Connecting Optional Devices
Refer to the following for information on connecting the motherboard’s optional devices:
2 Chapter
No. |
Components |
No. |
Components |
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SATA1~4 |
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LPT |
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F_USB1~2 |
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F_AUDIO |
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COM |
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CASE |
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
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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.
Chapter 2
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.
A960M-M3 USER MANUAL
15
4. LPT: Onboard parallel port Header
This is a header that can be used to connect to the printer, scanner or other devices.
2 Chapter
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’ 97 front panel audio to HD onboard headers, please set as below picture.
A960M-M3 USER MANUAL
16
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 ” .
Chapter 2
* 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 ”.
* For reference only
A960M-M3 USER MANUAL
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