Elitegroup A990FXM-A User Manual
Preface
Copyright
This publication, including all photographs, illustrations and software, is protected
under international copyright laws, with all rights reserved. Neither this manual, nor
any of the material contained herein, may be reproduced without written consent of
the author.
Version 1.1
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.
A990FXM-A 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 SB950 RAID
Configuration
Chapter 6
ATI CrossFire
Support
Chapter 7
Trouble Shooting
TM
Technology
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
Describes the ATI Crossfire
Technology
Provides basic trouble
shooting tips.
page 1
H
page 7
H
page 23
H
page 45
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page 49
H
TM
page 57
H
page 61
H
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A990FXM-A 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..........................................................13
Connecting Optional Devices.................................................15
Installing a SATA Hard Drive...................................................19
Connecting Case Components........................................................20
Front Panel Header................................................................22
Chapter 3 23
Using BIOS 23
About the Setup Utility......................................................................23
The Standard Configuration........................ ...........................23
Entering the Setup Utility.......................................................23
Resetting the Default CMOS Values.....................................24
Using BIOS.........................................................................................25
BIOS Navigation Keys..............................................................25
Main Menu.............................................................................26
Advanced Menu......................................................................27
Chipset Menu..........................................................................35
M.I.B X(MB Intelligent Bios X) Menu....................................36
Boot Menu...............................................................................40
Security Menu.........................................................................41
Save & Exit Menu........................................................................42
Updating the BIOS......................................................................43
A990FXM-A USER MANUAL
iii
Chapter 4 45
Using the Motherboard Software 45
Auto-installing under Windows XP/Vista/7.................................45
Running Setup........................................................................45
Manual Installation..........................................................................47
ECS Utility Software (Intelligent EZ Utility).....................................47
Chapter 5 49
Setting Up AMD SB950 RAID Configuration 49
Setting Up a Bootable RAID Array..................................................49
Chapter 6 57
ATI CrossFireTM Technology Support 57
Requirements....................................................................................57
Installing CrossFireTM graphics cards.........................................57
The CatalystTM Control Center Dialog Box...................................59
To Enable CrossFireXTM..........................................................59
Chapter 7 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
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A990FXM-A USER MANUAL
Chapter 1
Introducing the Motherboard
Introduction
Thank you for choosing the A990FXM-A motherboard. This motherboard is a high
performance, enhanced function motherboard that supports socket
TM
Phenom
sonal desktop markets.
The motherboard incorporates the AMD 990FX Northbridge (NB) and SB950
Southbridge (SB) chipsets. The Northbridge supports the HyperTransport
face. The memory controller supports DDR3 memory DIMM frequencies of 2133 (OC)/
1866/1600/1333*. It supports four DDR3 slots with maximum memory size of 128
GB*. Three PCI Express x16 slots, intended for Graphics Interface, are fully compliant to the PCI Express Gen2 (version 2.0). In addition, two PCI Express x1 slots are
supported.
The SB950 Southbridge supports one PCI slot which is PCI v2.3 compliant. It integrates USB 2.0 interface, supporting up to ten USB 2.0 ports (six USB ports and two
USB 2.0 headers support additional four USB 2.0 ports). The Southbridge integrates
a Serial ATA host controller, supporting six SATA ports with maximum transfer rate up
to 6Gb/s each.
In addition, the mainboard assembles extra USB3.0 chip, which supports two USB
3.0 ports at rear panel with high speed of 5Gb/s.
There is an advanced full set of I/O ports in the rear panel, including one PS/2 mouse
and keyboard combo connector, six USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, two LAN ports,
one optical SPDIFO port and audio jacks for microphone, line-in and 8-ch line-out.
and later desktop processors (socket AM3+) for high-end business or per-
* Due to the limitation of AMD CPU spec, please refer to Memory QVL for
more information.
for AMD
TM
3.0 inter-
Chapter 1
Package Contents
Your motherboard package ships with the following items:
A990FXM-A Motherboard
Quick Installation Guide
User Manual
DVD
I/O Shield
2 SATA 6Gb/s Cables
The package contents above are for reference only, please take the actual
package items as standard.
A990FXM-A USER MANUAL
1
Chapter 1
Specifications
CPU
Memory
Expansion
Slots
Storage
Audio
LAN • Dual Realtek 8111E Giga Lan
Rear Panel I/O
Internal I/O
Connectors &
Headers
• Socket AM3+ for AMD PhenomTM and later desktop processors
• Supports HyperTransportTM (HT) 3.0 interface speeds
• Supports CPU up to 140W TDP
Note: Please go to ECS website for the latest CPU support list.
• NB: AMD 990FX SB: SB950Chipset
• Dual-channel DDR3 memory architecture
• 4 x 240-pin DDR3 DIMM sockets support up to 128 GB
• Supports DDR3 DDR3 2133 (OC)* /1866/1600/1333SDRAM
Note: * Due to the limitation of AMD CPU spec, please refer to Memory
QVL for more information.
• 3 x PCI Express x16 Gen2 slot
• 2 x PCI Express x1 Gen2 slot
• 1 x PCI slot
• Supported by AMD SB950 Express Chipset
-6 x Serial ATA 6.0 Gb/s Host Controllers
-Supports RAID 0, 1, 5 and 10
• ALC892 8-Channel
- 8 Channel High Definiton Audio Codec
- Compliant with HD audio specification
• 1 x PS/2 keyboard and mouse combo port
• 6 x USB 2.0 ports
• 2 x USB 3.0 blue ports
• 2 x RJ45 LAN ports
• 1 x Audio port (Line in, microphone in, line out, and optical
SPDIF out)
• 1 x 24-pin ATX Power Supply connector
• 1 x 8-pin ATX12V connector
• 6 x Serial ATA 6Gb/s connectors
• 2 x USB 2.0 headers support additional 4 USB 2.0 ports
• 1 x Front panel header
• 1 x Chassis Intrusion Detect header
• 1 x SPDIF out header
• 1 x Front panel audio header
• 1 x Buzzer
• 1 x CLR_COMS header
• 1 x 4-pin CPU_FAN connector
• 1 x 3-pin SYS_FAN connector
• 1 x 3-pin PWR_FAN connector
2
A990FXM-A USER MANUAL
System BIOS
Form Factor
• AMI BIOS with 32Mb SPI Flash ROM
- Supports FSB adjustment, increase in a increase of 1MHz
- Supports Plug and Play, STR(S3)/STD(S4)
- Supports Hardware Monitor
- Supports ACPI 3.0 version & DMI
- Supports Audio, LAN, can be disabled in BIOS
- Supports Over-Clocking
- Supports Dual Display
- F7 hot key for boot up devices option
- Supports Pgup clear CMOS Hotkey (Has PS2 KB Model only)
• Micro-ATX Size, 305mm x 244mm
Chapter 1
A990FXM-A USER MANUAL
3
Chapter 1
Motherboard Components
4
A990FXM-A USER MANUAL
Table of Motherboard Components
LABEL COMPONENTS
1. CPU Socket
AMD Phenom
TM
and later desktop processors (socket AM3+)
2. CPU_FAN CPU cooling fan connector
3. DDR3_1/2/3/4 240-pin DDR3 SDRAM sl ots
4. BZ Buzzer
5. ATX_POWER Standard 24-pin ATX power connector
6. PWR_FAN Power cooling fan connector
7. SATA1~6 Serial ATA 6Gb/s connectors
8. PANEL Front panel switch/LED header
13. F_USB2 Front panel USB 2.0 header
9. CLR_CMOS Clear CMOS jumper
10. F_USB1~2 Front panel USB 2.0 hea ders（F_USB1 with EZ Charge function
）
11. CASE Case open header
12. SYS_FAN System cooling fan connector
13. SPDIFO SPDIF out header
14. F_AUDIO Front panel audio header
15. PCI 32-bit add-on card slot
16. PCIEX16_S PCI Express slot for graphics interface
17. PCIE1~2 PCI Express x1 slots
18. PCIEX16_1~2 PCI Express slots for graphics interface
19. ATX12V 8-pin +12V power connector
Chapter 1
A990FXM-A USER MANUAL
5
Chapter 1
LAN LED Status Description
Activity LED
Link LED
Link LED
LAN Port
A: Cen te r & W oofe r D: Fron t Out
B: Ba ck Sur rou nd E: Mic _in Re ar
C: Line-in -
I/O Ports
1. PS/2 Mouse and PS/2 Keyboard combo connector
Use this PS/2 port to connect a PS/2 mouse or a PS/2 keyboard.
2. USB 2.0 Ports
Use the USB 2.0 ports to connect USB 2.0 devices.
3. LAN Ports
Connect an RJ-45 jack to the LAN port to connect your computer to the Network.
4. USB 3.0 Ports
Use the USB 2.0 ports to connect USB 3.0 devices.
5.
Optical SPDIF Output
This jack connects to external optical digital audio output devices.
6. Audio Ports
Use the audio jacks to connect audio devices. The C port is for stereo line-in signal,
while the E port is for microphone in signal. This motherboard supports audio devices that correspond to the A, B and D port respectively. In addition, all of the 3
ports, B, and D provide users with both right & left channels individually. Users please
refer to the following note for specific port function definition.
OFF No d ata
Orange blinking Active
OFF No link
Green Link
The above port definition can be changed to audio input or audio output by
changing the driver utility setting.
6
A990FXM-A 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 an ATX form factor of 305 x 244 mm. Choose a chassis that
accommodates this from 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.
A990FXM-A USER MANUAL
7
2-3. Checking Jumper Settings
The following illustration shows the location of the motherboard jumpers. Pin 1 is
labeled.
Chapter 2
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”.
8
A990FXM-A USER MANUAL
2-4. Installing Hardware
2-4-1. Installing the Processor
• This motherboard has an AM3+ socket.
• When choosing a processor, consider the performance requirements of
the system. Performance is based on the processor design, the clock speed
and system bus frequency of the processor, and the quantity of internal
cache memory and external cache memory.
• 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.
A990FXM-A USER MANUAL
9
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.
10
C. Connect the CPU cooler power connector to the CPU_FAN connector.
A990FXM-A USER MANUAL
2-4-3. Installing Memory Modules
• This motherboard accommodates four memory modules. It can support
four 240-pin DDR3
• 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 four slots. Total memory
capacity is 128 GB.
• Refer to the following to install the memory modules.
2133 (OC)/1866/1600/1333*.
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 AMD CPU spec, please refer to Memory QVL for more
information.
A990FXM-A USER MANUAL
11
Chapter 2
DDR3_1 DDR3_2 DDR3_3 DDR3_4
-- Populated -- --
-- -- -- Populated
Populated Popula ted -- --
-- Populated Populated --
-- -- Populated Populated
-- Populated -- Populated
Populated -- -- Populated
Populated Popula ted -- Populated
-- Populated Populated Populated
4 DIMMs Populated P opul ated Popula ted Popul ated
Mode
Sockets
1 DIMM
2 DIMMs
3 DIMMs
For best performance and compatibility, we recommend AMD AM3+ CPU
with the RAM Module sequence as below.
Recommend memory configuration
12
A990FXM-A 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
that are not part of the basic system.
Chapter 2
PCIEX16_1~2 Slots
PCIE1~2 Slots
PCIEX16_S Slot
PCI Slot
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 slots are used to install external PCI Express graphics cards that are fully compliant to the PCI Express
Base Specification revision 2.0.
The PCI Express x1 slots are fully compliant to the PCI Express
Base Specification revision 2.0.
The PCI Express x16_S slot is used to install an external PCI Express graphics card that is fully compliant to the PCI Express
Gen2 (version 2.0).
This motherboard is equipped with one standard PCI slot. 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 v2.3 compliant.
A990FXM-A USER MANUAL
13
Follow these instructions to install an add-on card:
Chapter 2
Please refer the following illustrations to install the 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 adapt-
ers, 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.
14
Install the VGA Card in the PCI slot
Install the VGA Card in the PCIE X16 slot
A990FXM-A USER MANUAL
Install the LAN Card in the PCIE X1 slot
No. Components No. Components
1 SATA1 ~6 4 SPD IFO
2 F_USB1~2 5 F_AUDIO
3CASE————
2-4-5. Connecting Optional Devices
Refer to the following for information on connecting the motherboard’s optional
devices:
1. SATA 1~6: Serial ATA 6Gb/s connectors
SATA1~6 connectors are used to support the Serial ATA 6Gb/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.
Chapter 2
A990FXM-A USER MANUAL
15
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
Unlike F_USB2 in this mainboard, F_USB1 supports EZ Charger technology (optional),
provides 3 times current than general USB port in off mode for USB devices. It is
useful and excellent, especially for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices that
need a large amount of current for faster recharging within less time.
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.
16
3. 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.
A990FXM-A USER MANUAL
4. SPDIFO: SPDIF out header
This is an optional header that provides an SPDIFO (Sony/Philips Digital Interface)
output to digital multimedia device through optical fiber or coaxial connector.
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.
Chapter 2
A990FXM-A USER MANUAL
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