EVGA 780i SLI FTW, 132-YW-E178 User Manual

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User Guide

EVGA force 780i SLI FTW Motherboard

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Table of Contents

Before You Begin… .......................................................................................................................... ix

Parts NOT in the Kit ..................................................................................................................... ix

Intentions of the Kit ....................................................................................................................... ix

EVGA nForce 780i SLI FTW Motherboard ......................................................................................... 1

Motherboard Specifications ........................................................................................................... 1

Unpacking and Parts Descriptions .................................................................................................... 3

Unpacking ..................................................................................................................................... 3

Equipment ..................................................................................................................................... 3

EVGA nForce 780i SLI FTW Motherboard .................................................................................... 4

Hardware Installation ......................................................................................................................... 7

Safety Instructions ......................................................................................................................... 7

Preparing the Motherboard ............................................................................................................ 8

Installing the CPU ..................................................................................................................... 8

Installing the CPU Fan .............................................................................................................. 8

Installing Memory DIMMs ......................................................................................................... 9

Installing the Motherboard ........................................................................................................... 10

Installing the I/O Shield ........................................................................................................... 10

Securing the Motherboard into the Chassis ............................................................................ 10

Connecting Cables and Setting Switches .................................................................................... 11

Power Connections ................................................................................................................. 11

24-pin ATX Power (PWR1) ................................................................................................ 12

8-pin ATX 12V Power (PWR2) ........................................................................................... 14

Connecting IDE Hard Disk Drives ........................................................................................... 14

Connecting Serial ATA Cables................................................................................................ 15

Connecting Internal Headers .................................................................................................. 16

Front Panel Header ............................................................................................................ 16

IEEE 1394a ........................................................................................................................ 17

USB Headers ..................................................................................................................... 18

Audio ...................................................................................................................................... 19

Fan Connections ..................................................................................................................... 20

COM1 ..................................................................................................................................... 21

FDD Connector ....................................................................................................................... 22

Expansion Slots ...................................................................................................................... 22

PCI Slots ............................................................................................................................ 22

PCI Express x1 Slot ........................................................................................................... 23

PCI Express x16 Slots........................................................................................................ 23

Clear CMOS Button ................................................................................................................ 24

Configuring the BIOS ....................................................................................................................... 25

Enter BIOS Setup ........................................................................................................................ 26

Main Menu .................................................................................................................................. 26

Standard CMOS Features Menu ................................................................................................. 28

Date and Time ........................................................................................................................ 29

IDE Channel and SATA Channel ............................................................................................ 30

Drive A .................................................................................................................................... 31

Halt On ................................................................................................................................... 32

Memory ................................................................................................................................... 32

Advanced BIOS Features ............................................................................................................ 33

Removable Device Priority ...................................................................................................... 34

Hard Disk Boot Priority ............................................................................................................ 34

Network Boot Priority .............................................................................................................. 34

CPU Internal Cache ................................................................................................................ 34

Quick Power On Self Test ....................................................................................................... 34

First/Second/Third Boot Device .............................................................................................. 35

Boot Other Device .................................................................................................................. 35

Boot Up NumLock Status ........................................................................................................ 35

Security Option ....................................................................................................................... 35

APIC Mode ............................................................................................................................. 35

MPS Version Control For OS .................................................................................................. 36

Full Screen LOGO Show ........................................................................................................ 36

Advanced Chipset Features ........................................................................................................ 37

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System BIOS Cacheable ........................................................................................................ 37

HPET Function ....................................................................................................................... 37

Integrated Peripherals Menu ....................................................................................................... 38

IDE Function Setup ................................................................................................................. 39

RAID Config ............................................................................................................................ 40

USB Config ............................................................................................................................. 40

MAC Config ............................................................................................................................ 41

IEEE1394 controller ................................................................................................................ 41

HD Audio ................................................................................................................................ 41

IDE HDD Block Mode ............................................................................................................. 41

Onboard FDC Controller ......................................................................................................... 41

Onboard Serial Port 1 ............................................................................................................. 41

Power Management Setup Menu ................................................................................................ 42

ACPI Function......................................................................................................................... 42

ACPI Suspend Type ............................................................................................................... 42

Soft-Off by PBNT .................................................................................................................... 43

WOL(PME#) From Soft-Off ..................................................................................................... 43

Power On by Alarm ................................................................................................................. 43

POWER ON Function ............................................................................................................. 44

PnP/PCI Configuration Menu ...................................................................................................... 45

Init Display First ...................................................................................................................... 45

Reset Configuration Data ........................................................................................................ 45

Resources Controlled By ........................................................................................................ 46

IRQ Resources ....................................................................................................................... 46

PCI/VGA Palette Snoop .......................................................................................................... 46

Maximum Payload Size .......................................................................................................... 47

PC Health Status ............................................................................................................................. 47

Dynamic Fan Control ................................................................................................................... 48

Frequency/Voltage Control .......................................................................................................... 49

Dummy O.C. ............................................................................................................................... 49

System Clocks............................................................................................................................. 50

Frequency Settings ..................................................................................................................... 51

HT Multiplier ................................................................................................................................ 51

Spread Spectrum ........................................................................................................................ 52

FSB & Memory Config ..................................................................................................................... 53

SLI Ready Memory ..................................................................................................................... 53

FSB & Memory clock mode ......................................................................................................... 54

FSB (QDR), MHz ......................................................................................................................... 54

MEM (DDR), MHz ....................................................................................................................... 54

Memory Timing Settings .............................................................................................................. 55

Optimal ....................................................................................................................................... 55

Expert ........................................................................................................................................ 56

CPU Feature .............................................................................................................................. 57

Limit CPUID MaxVal .................................................................................................................... 57

Intel SpedStep ............................................................................................................................ 57

PPM Mode ................................................................................................................................. 57

CPU Thermal Control ................................................................................................................. 58

C1E Enhanced Halt State ........................................................................................................... 58

Execute Disable Bit .................................................................................................................... 58

Virtualization Technology .......................................................................................................... 58

CPU Core 1-3 ............................................................................................................................. 58

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System Voltage .............................................................................................................................. 59

EVGA VDroop Control ............................................................................................................... 59

CPU Core ................................................................................................................................... 59

CPU FSB .................................................................................................................................... 59

Memory ..................................................................................................................................... 59

nForce SPP ................................................................................................................................ 59

nForce MCP ............................................................................................................................... 60

HT nForce SPP <-> MCP ........................................................................................................... 60

nForce MCP Auxiliary ................................................................................................................. 60

GTLVREF Lane 0-2 .................................................................................................................... 60

GTLVREF Lane 3 ....................................................................................................................... 60

NVMEM Memory Test ................................................................................................................ 60

Load Timing/Voltage Set ............................................................................................................ 61

Save Timing/Voltage Set ............................................................................................................ 61

Installing Drivers and Software ........................................................................................................ 63

Driver Installation ......................................................................................................................... 63

EVGA Enthusiast Glossary .......................................................................................................... 65

Appendix A. POST Codes for EVGA nForce 780i SLI FTW Platform ............................................... 67

NVMM POST Codes ................................................................................................................... 73

List of Figures

Figure 1. EVGA nForce 780i SLI FTW Motherboard Layout ....................................................... 5

Figure 2. Chassis Back Panel Connectors ................................................................................. 6

Figure 3. Power Supply Connectors ......................................................................................... 12

Figure 4. PWR1 Motherboard Connector ................................................................................. 13

Figure 5. BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main Menu ........................................................................ 27

Figure 6. Standard CMOS Features Menu ............................................................................... 29

Figure 7. Advanced BIOS Features Menu ................................................................................ 33

Figure 8. Advanced Chipset Features ...................................................................................... 37

Figure 9. Integrated Peripherals Menu ..................................................................................... 38

Figure 10. Power Management Setup Menu .............................................................................. 42

Figure 11. PnP/PCI Configuration Menu..................................................................................... 45

Figure 12. PC Health Status ....................................................................................................... 47

Figure 13. System Clocks Menu ................................................................................................. 50

Figure 14. FSB & Memory Config Menu ..................................................................................... 53

Figure 15. CPU Configuration Menu ........................................................................................... 57

Figure 16. System Voltages Menu .............................................................................................. 59

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Before You Begin…

Parts NOT in the Kit

This kit contains all the hardware necessary to install and connect your new EVGA force® 780i SLI FTW motherboard. However, it does not contain the following items that must be purchased separately to make the motherboard functional.

 Intel microprocessor

 System Memory

 Cooling fan for the microprocessor

 Graphics Card

 Power Supply

EVGA assumes you have purchased all necessary parts needed to allow for proper system functionality.

Intentions of the Kit

This kit provides you with the motherboard and all connecting cables necessary to install the motherboard into a PC case. If you are building a PC, you will use most of the cables provided in the kit. If however, you are replacing a motherboard, you will not need many of the cables.

When replacing a motherboard in a PC case, it is highly recommended to reinstall the operating system even though the current drives may already have an operating system.

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EVGA nForce 780i SLI FTW

Motherboard

Thank you for buying the EVGA nFore 780i SLI FTW Motherboard: This motherboard offers the tools and performance PC users’ demand. When combined with two or three SLIReady NVIDIA GeForce graphics cards, you get innovative NVIDIA SLI Technology for enhanced system performance.

Motherboard Specifications

 Size

ATX form factor of 12 inch x 9.6 inch

 Microprocessor support

Intel Core 2 Extreme, Intel Core 2 Quad, Intel Core 2 Duo, Pentium EE, Pentium D, Pentium

 Operating systems:

Supports Windows XP 32bit/64bit and Windows Vista 32bit/64bit

 Contains NVIDIA nForce 780i SLI MCP and SPP

 System Memory support

Supports dual channel JEDEC DDR2-800 and SLI-Ready memory up to 1200 MHz. Supports up to 8 GBs of DDR2 memory.

 Ten USB 2.0 Ports

 Supports hot plug  Ten USB 2.0 ports (six rear panel ports, four onboard USB headers)  Supports wake-up from S1 and S3 mode  Supports USB 2.0 protocol up to 480 Mbps transmission rate

 Onboard Serial ATA II

 300MBps data transfer rate  Six Serial ATA II connectors  NVIDIA Media Shield RAID with support for RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, RAID

5, and JBOD

 Supports hot plug and NCQ (Native Command Queuing )

 Onboard LAN

 Dual LAN interface built-in onboard  Supports 10/100/1000 Mbit/sec Ethernet

 Onboard 1394

 Supports hot plug  Two 1394a ports (one rear panel port, one onboard header) with a rate transmission

of 400 Mbps

 Onboard Audio

 Azalia High-Definition audio  Supports 8-channel audio  Supports S/PDIF output  Supports Jack-Sensing function

 Triple PCI Express x16 Support

 2 x16 PCI Express 2.0  1 x16 PCI Express 1.0  Supports 4 GB/sec (8 GB/sec concurrent) bandwidth  Low power consumption and power management features

 Green Function

 Supports ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface)  Supports S0 (normal), S1 (power on suspend), S3 (suspend to RAM), S4 (Suspend to

disk - depends on OS), and S5 (soft - off)

 Expansion Slots

 Two PCI slots  One PCI Express x1 slot  Three PCI Express x16 Graphics slots

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Unpacking and

Parts Descriptions

Unpacking

The EVGA nForce 780i SLI FTW motherboard comes with all the necessary cables for adding a motherboard to a new chassis. If you are replacing a motherboard, you may not need many of these cables.

Be sure to inspect each piece of equipment shipped in the packing box. If anything is missing or damaged, contact your reseller.

All parts shipped in this kit are RoHS-compliant (lead-free) parts.

Equipment

The following equipment is included in the EVGA nForce 780i SLI FTW motherboard box. (Accessories may vary between models, see product package)

EVGA nForce 780i SLI FTW Motherboard This PCI Express motherboard contains the NVIDIA

nForce 780i SLI SPP and MCP and is SLI-ready.

I/O Shield Installs in the chassis to block radio frequency

transmissions, protect internet components from dust and foreign objects and aids in proper airflow within the chassis.

Floppy Cable Used to attach a floppy drive to the motherboard.

2-Port SATA Power Cable (Qty Three) Allows a Molex power connector to adapt to a SATA

power connector

1394 Cable Provides two additional 1394 ports to either the front or

back panels of the chassis.

USB 2.0 4-Port Cable Provides four additional USB ports to either the front or

back panels of the chassis. SATA Signal Cable (Qty Six)

Used to support the Serial ATA protocol and each one connects a single drive to the motherboard

Serial Port Bracket Cable Used for serial legacy devices

IDE-ATA 133 HDD Cable Passes data between the IDE connection on both the

Motherboard and IDE device

EVGA nForce 780i SLI FTW Motherboard

The EVGA nForce 780i SLI FTW motherboard with the NVIDIA nForce 780i SLI SPP and MCP processor is a PCI Express, SLI-ready motherboard. Figure 1 shows the motherboard and Figures 2 shows the back panel connectors.

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Figure 1.

EVGA nForce 780i SLI FTW Motherboard Layout

1. CPU Socket – For use with Intel LGA 775 CPUs

11. USB headers – for additional USB connectors.

21. SPDIF connector – Digital Audio connection

2. NVIDIA SPP with Active fan – Also known as the Northbridge

12. Motherboard battery – helps retain system BIOS settings

22. PCI slots – Used for PCI based components

3. CPU fan connector – Connect CPU Fan to this connector.

13. Fan connector

23. PCI Express x16 slots (SLI) – For gra phics cards, multiple slots are used for SLI configurations

4. DDR DIMM Slots 0 – 3 – For System Memory

14. Serial connector – for Serial Port dongal

24. 1394a connector – Firewire connection

5. 24-pin ATX Power Connector – Main Power connection

15. Front panel connector – For use with system chassis

25. PCI Express x1 slot – Exclusive for devices that require a PCI-E x1 slot

6. IDE Connector – For IDE devices, CD-ROM and Hard Disk Drives

16. CMOS Clear – Easily clears the system the BIOS.

26. Back panel connectors – See Figure 2

7. Serial -ATA (SATA) connectors – For SATA devices, CD-ROM and Hard Disk Drives

17. Power button – with integrated power LED indicator

27. PWM / Voltage Regulator Heatsink – Aids in dispersing heat

8. FDD connector – Floppy Disk Drive Connector

18. Reset Button – With integrated HDD activity light.

28. 8-pin ATX 12V power connector – CPU 8 -Pin Power connector

9. NVIDIA MCP (passive heat sink)

19. Azalia HD Audio Header

29. MCP/SPP fan connector

10. System Speaker – Provides POST Codes via audio

20. Front Panel Audio – For use with system chassis

30. LED POST Code Readout – See Appendix A. For Code descriptions

10 13

7 8 9

6 13

1 2 5 6 4 3 4

7 4 7

Figure 2. Chassis Back Panel Connectors

1. PS/2 Mouse Port

2. PS/2 Keyboard Port

3. 1394a (Firewire) Port

4. USB 2.0 ports (SIX)

5. SPDIF output

6. Port 2-Channel 4-Channel 6-Channel/8-Channel Blue Line-In Line-In Line-In Green Line-Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out Pink Mic In Mic In Mic In Orange Center/Subwoofer Black Rear Speaker Out Rear Speaker Out Grey

7. LAN Port with LEDs to indicate status. Yellow/Light Up/Blink = 10 Mbps/Link/Activity

Yellow and Green/Light Up/Blink = 100 Mbps/link/Activity Green/Light Up/Blink = 1000 Mbps/Link/Activity

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Hardware Installation

This section will guide you through the installation of the motherboard. The topics covered in this section are:

 Preparing the motherboard

 Installing the CPU  Installing the CPU fan  Installing the memory

 Installing the motherboard

 Connecting cables and setting switches

Safety Instructions

To reduce the risk of fire, electric shock, and injury always follow basic safety precautions.

Remember to remove power from your computer by disconnecting the AC main source before removing or installing any equipment from/to the computer chassis.

Align notches with

notches on the CPU

Preparing the Motherboard

Installing the CPU

Be very careful when handling the CPU. Make sure not to bend or break any pins on the back. Hold the processor only by the edges and do not touch the bottom of the processor.

Use the following procedure to install the CPU onto the motherboard.

1. Unhook the socket lever by pushing down and away from

the socket.

2. Lift the load plate. There is a protective socket cover on

the load plate to protect the socket when there is no CPU installed.

3. Remove the protective socket cover from the load plate.

4. Remove the processor from its protective cover, making

sure you hold it only by the edges. It is a good idea to save the cover so that whenever you remove the CPU, you have a safe place to store it.

5. Align the notches in the processor with the notches on

the socket.

6. Lower the processor straight down into the socket

with out tilting or sliding it into the socket

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Make sure the CPU is fully seated and level in the socket.

7. Close the load plate over the CPU and press down while you

close and engage the socket lever.

Installing the CPU Fan

There are many different fan types that can be used with this motherboard. Follow the instructions that came with your fan assembly. Be sure that the fan orientation is correct for your chassis type and your fan assembly.

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Installing System Memory (DIMMs)

Your new motherboard has four 1.8V 240-pin slots for DDR2 memory. These slots support 256 MB, 512 MB, 1 GB, and 2 GB DDR2 memory modules. They also support dual channel DDR2 memory technology up to 10.7GB/s. There must be at least one memory bank populated to ensure normal operation. Use the following the recommendations for installing memory. (See Figure 1 on page 5 for the location of the memory slots.)

 One DIMM: Install into slot 0. You can install the DIMM into any slot however, slot 0 is

preferred.

 Two DIMMs: Install into either slot 0 and 1 or 2 and 3. The idea is to not have the

DIMMs in adjacent slots.

 Four DIMMS: Install into slots 0, 1, 2, and 3.

Use the following procedure to install memory DIMMs. Note that there is only one gap near the center of the DIMM slot. This slot matches the slot on the memory DIMM to ensure the component is installed properly.

1. Unlock a DIMM slot by pressing the module clips outward.

2. Align the memory module to the DIMM slot and insert the module vertically while

applying light downward pressure to properly seat the DIMM. The plastic clips at both sides of the DIMM slot automatically lock the DIMM into the connector.

DIMM Slot 0

CPU side

DIMM Slot 2

DIMM Slot 1

DIMM Slot 3

Installing the Motherboard

The sequence of installing the motherboard into the chassis depends on the chassis you are using and if you are replacing an existing motherboard or working with an empty chassis. It is recommended to secure the motherboard first before making all connections.

Use the following procedure to install the I/O shield and secure the motherboard into the chassis.

Be sure that the CPU fan assembly has enough clearance for the chassis covers to lock

into place and for the expansion cards. Also make sure the CPU Fan assembly is aligned with the vents on the covers.

Installing the I/O Shield

The motherboard kit comes with an I/O shield that is used to block radio frequency transmissions, protects internal components from dust and foreign objects, and promotes correct airflow within the chassis.

Before installing the motherboard, install the I/O shield from the inside of the chassis. Press the I/O shield into place and make sure it fits securely. If the I/O shield does not fit into the chassis, you would need to obtain the proper size from the chassis supplier.

Securing the Motherboard into the Chassis

Most computer chassis have a base with mounting studs or spacers to allow the mother board to be secured to the chassis and help to prevent short circuits. If there are studs that do not align with a mounting hole on the motherboard, it is recommended that you remove that stud to prevent the possibility of a short circuit. In most cases, it is recommended to secure the motherboard using a minimum of eight (8) to ten (10) spacers.

1. Carefully place the motherboard onto the studs/spacers located inside the chassis.

2. Align the mounting holes with the studs/spacers.

3. Align the connectors to the I/O shield.

4. Ensure that the fan assembly is aligned with the chassis vents according to the fan

assembly instruction.

5. Secure the motherboard with a minimum of eight-to-ten screws.

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Connecting Cables and Setting Switches

This section takes you through all the connections and switch settings necessary on the motherboard. This will include:

 Power Connections

 24-pin ATX power (

PWR1)

 8-pin ATX 12V power (

PWR2)

 Internal Headers

 Front panel  IEEE 1394a  USB Headers  Audio  Speaker  COM

 FDD

 IDE

 Serial ATA II

 Chassis Fans

 Rear panel USB 2.0 Adapter

 Expansion slots

 CMOS jumper settings

See Figure 1 on page 5 to locate the connectors and jumpers referenced in the following procedure.

Power Connections

To support 3-way SLI, this motherboard has the following specific minimum power supply requirements:

 A Power Supply that features 1000 W peak power

 6-pin and/or 8-pin PCI-E power connectors configured in either of the following

configurations (see Figure 3):

 Four 6-pin (3x2) and two 8-pin (4x2) PCI-E power connectors



Six 6-pin (3x2) PCI-E power connectors



Three 6-pin (3x) and three 8-pin (4x2) PCI-E power connectors

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8-pin (4x2) PCI-E Connector 6-pin (3x2) PCI-E connector

Figure 3. Power Supply Connectors

Make sure you have enough power to cover all the expansion cards you will be installing. To determine what power requirements are for your specific configuration or a certified power supply vendor, refer to

www.slizone.com.

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24-pin ATX Power (PWR1)

PWR1 is the main power supply connector located along the edge of the board next to the

DIMM slots. Make sure that the power supply cable and pins are properly aligned with the connector on the motherboard. Firmly plug the power supply cable into the connector and make sure it is secure. This connector is notched, do not force in.

Figure 4. PWR1 Motherboard Connector

Table 1. PWR1 Pin Assignments

Connector

Signal

+3.3V

-12V

GND

+5V

PS_ON

GND

+5V

GND 7 GND

GND

PWROK

RSVD

+5V_AUX

+5V

+12V

+5V

+12V

+5V

+3.3V

GND

PWR1 connector Plug power cable from system power supply to PWR1

Board edge

GND

12V

8 4 5

8-pin ATX 12V Power (PWR2)

PWR2, the 8-pin ATX 12V power connection, is used to provide power to the CPU. Align

the pins to the connector and press firmly until seated. This connector is notched, do not force in.

Connecting IDE Hard Disk Drives

The IDE connector supports Ultra ATA 133/100/66 IDE hard disk drives.

1. Connect the blue connector (the cable end with a single connector) to the motherboard.

2. Connect the black connector (the cable with the two closely spaced black and gray

connectors) to the Ultra ATA master device.

3. Connect the gray connector to a slave device.

If you install two hard disk drives, you must configure the second drive as a slave device by setting its jumper accordingly. Refer to the hard disk drive’s documentation for the jumper settings.

If an ATA-66/100 disk drive and a disk drive using any other IDE transfer protocol are

attached to the same cable, the maximum transfer rate between the drives may be reduced to that of the slowest drive.

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Connecting Serial ATA Cables

The Serial ATA II connector is used to connect the Serial ATA II device to the motherboard. These connectors support the thin Serial ATA II cables for primary storage devices. The current Serial ATA II interface allows up to 300MB/s data transfer rate.

There are six serial ATA connectors on the motherboard that support RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 0+1 and JBOD configurations.

SATA 3 SATA 5

SATA 4 SATA 6

SATA 1 (bottom)

SATA 2 (top)

Connect the locking cable end to the motherboard connector.

Connect the end without the lock to the drive.

Connecting Internal Headers

Front Panel Header

The front panel header on this motherboard is one connector used to connect the following four cables: (see Table 2 for pin definitions)

 PWRLED

Attach the front panel power LED cable to these two pins of the connector. The Power LED indicates the system’s status. When the system is in S0 status, the LED is on. When the system is in S1, S3, S4, S5 status, the LED is off.

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Some chassis do not have all four cables. Be sure to match the name on the connectors

 PWRSW

to the corresponding pins.

Attach the power button cable from the case to these two pins. Pressing the power button on the front panel turns the system on and off rather than using the power supply button.

 HD_LED

Attach the hard disk drive indicator LED cable to these two pins. The HDD indicator LED indicates the activity status of the hard disk drives.

 RESET

Attach the Reset switch cable from the front panel of the case to these two pins. The system restarts when the

RESET switch is pressed.

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Table 2. Front Panel Header Pins

Signal

In/Out

Description

HD_LED

HD_PWR

Out

Hard disk drive LED pulls up to +5V

HDA#

Out

Hard disk drive active LED

PWRLED

HDR_BLNK_GRN

Out

Front panel green light

HDR_BLNK_YEL

Out

Front panel yellow light

RESET

GND Ground 7

FP_RESET#

Reset switch

PWRSW

SWITCH_ON#

Power switch

GND Ground

No Connect

Empty

IEEE 1394a

The IEEE 1394a expansion cable bracket is provided in the box but if you do not require the additional external connections, you do not need to install it.

1. Secure the bracket to either the front or rear panel of your chassis (not all chassis are equipped with

the front panel option).

2. Connect the two ends of the cables to the IEEE 1394a connectors on the motherboard.

Table 3. IEEE 1394a Connector Pins

Connector

Signal

IEEE 1394a Connector

TPA+

TPA- 3 GND

GND

TPB+

TPB-

+12V

Empty

GND

8 6 4 2

9 7 5 3 1

USB Headers

Connector

Signal

USB 2.0 Header Connector

5V_DUAL

D- 5 D+ 7 GND

Empty

Signal

5V_DUAL

D-

D+

GND

No Connect

9 7 5 3 1

10 8 6 4 2

This motherboard contains six (6) USB 2.0 ports that are exposed on the rear panel of the chassis (Figure 2). The motherboard also contains two 10-pin internal header connectors onboard that can be used to connect an optional external bracket containing four (4) more USB

2.0 ports.

1. Secure the bracket to either the front or rear panel of

your chassis (not all chassis are equipped with the front panel option).

2. Connect the two ends of the cables to the USB 2.0 headers on the motherboard.

Table 4. USB 2.0 Header Pins

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Audio

The audio connector supports HD audio standard and provides two kinds of audio output choices: Front Audio and Rear Audio. The front Audio supports re-tasking function.

Table 5. Front Audio Connector

Connector

Signal

Front Audio Connector

PORT1_L

AUD_GND

PORT1_R

PRECENCE_J

PORT2_R

SENSE1_RETURN

SENSE_SEND

Empty

PORT2_L

SENSE2_RETURN

Note that the CPU fan cable can be either a 3-pin or a 4-pin connector. Connect a 3-pin connector to pins 1, 2, and 3 on the motherboard connector.

CPU Fan Connector

4 3 2

GND SENSE

PWR CONTROL

EVGA nForce 780i SLI SPP/MCP fan connector

Install the fan over the nForce 780i SLI SPP to draw heat from the MCP. The fan plugs into a 3-pin connector.

Fan Connector 3 2

GND

+12V

SENSE

Fan Connections

There are five fan connections on the motherboard. The fan speed can be detected and viewed in the off after the system enters S3, S4 and S5 mode.

PC Health Status section of the CMOS Setup. The fans are automatically turned

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There are four more optional fan connectors on the motherboard that can be used for adding more system fans.

COM1

The motherboard kit provides an additional serial COM header for your machine. Connect one side of a switching cable to the header and then attach the serial COM device to the other side of the cable.

System fan connector

Auxiliary fan connector

Fan Connector 3 2

GND

+12V

SENSE

Fan Connector 3 2

GND

+12V

SENSE

Fan Connector 3 2

GND

+12V

SENSE

1 – PCI slots

2 – PCIe x16 slots (3-Way SLI)

3 – PCIe x1 slot

2 1 3 2 2

Floppy Disk Drive (FDD) Connector

The motherboard supports a standard 360K, 720K, 1.2M, 1.44m, and a 2.88M floppy disk drive (FDD).

Expansion Slots

The EVGA nForce 780i SLI FTW motherboard contains six expansion slots, four PCI Express slots and two PCI slots.

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PCI Slots

The two PCI slots support many expansion cards such as a LAN card, USB card, SCSI card and other cards that comply with PCI specifications. When installing a card into the PCI slot,

be sure that it is fully seated. Secure the card’s metal bracket to the chassis back panel with

the screw used to hold the blank cover.

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PCI Express x1 Slot

There is one PCI Express x1 slot that is designed to accommodate less bandwidth-intensive cards, such as a modem, LAN card, or soundcard card. The x1 slot provides up to 250 MB/sec bandwidth.

PCI Express x16 Slots

These three PCI Express x16 slots are reserved for graphics or video cards. The design of this motherboard supports three PCI-Express graphics cards using NVIDIA’s SLI technology.

When installing a PCI Express x16 card, be sure the retention clip snaps and locks the card into place. If the card is not seated properly, it could cause a short across the pins. Secure the card’s metal bracket to the chassis back panel with the screw used to hold the blank cover.

Onboard

Reset

Button

Onboard

Power

Button

Onboard

Clear

CMOS

Button

Clear CMOS Function

The motherboard contains a button to clear BIOS configurations back to default settings. Please see Figure 1 on page 6 for location.

Clear CMOS Button

The motherboard uses the CMOS to store all the set parameters. The CMOS can be cleared by pressing the Clear CMOS button on the motherboard.

Use the following procedure to clear CMOS:

1. Turn off the AC power supply

2. Press the clear CMOS button once to clear the CMOS.

3. Turn the AC power supply back on.

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Onboard System Reset and Power Buttons

The motherboard provides an onboard Power and Reset button. The Yellow Reset button features an integrated Hard Disk Drive Activity LED which will flicker accordingly.

The Green Power button features an integrated power LED and will stay solid for as long as the system is turned on and running.

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Configuring the BIOS

This section discusses how to change the system settings through the BIOS Setup menus. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided.

This section includes the following information:

 Enter BIOS Setup

 Main Menu

 Standard CMOS Features

 Advanced BIOS Features

 Advanced Chipset Features

 Integrated Peripherals

 Power Management Setup

 PnP/PCI Configurations

 PC Health Status

 Frequency/Voltage Control

Enter BIOS Setup

The BIOS is the communication bridge between hardware and software. Correctly setting the BIOS parameters is critical when maintaining optimal system performance.

Use the following procedure to verify/change BIOS settings.

1. Power on the computer.

2. Press the Del key when the following message briefly displays at the bottom of the

screen during the Power On Self Test (POST).

Press F1 to continue, DEL to enter Setup.

Pressing Del takes you to the Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility.

It is strongly recommended that you do not change the default BIOS settings. Changing

some settings could damage your computer.

Main Menu

The main menu allows you to select from the list of setup functions and two exit choices. Use

Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the options or press Enter to display the

the associated submenu. Use the  arrow keys to position the selector in the option you choose. To go back to the previous menu, press

Note that on the BIOS screens all data in white is for information only, data in yellow is

changeable, data in blue is non-changeable, and data in a

red box is highlighted for selection.

Esc.

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Figure 5. BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main Menu

 Standard CMOS Features

Use this menu to set up the basic system configuration.

 Advanced BIOS Features

Use this menu to set up the advanced system features and boot sequence.

 Advanced Chipset Features

Use this menu to adjust system bios cacheable and HPET Functions.

 Integrated Peripherals

Use this menu to set up onboard peripherals such as IDE, RAID, USB, LAN, and MAC control.

 Power Management Setup

Use this menu to configure power management, power on, and sleep features.

 PnP/PCI Configurations

Use this menu to modify the system’s Plug-and-Play and PCI configurations.

 PC Health Status

Use this menu to monitor the real-time system status of your PC, including temperature, voltages, and fan speed.

 Frequency/Voltage Control

Use this menu to optimize system performance and configure clocks, voltages, memory timings, and more.

Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

 Frequency/Voltage Control

Load Fail-Safe Default

Load Optimized Defaults

Set Supervisor Password

Set Password

Save & Exit Setup

Exit Without Saving

Esc : Quit

F10 : Save & Exit Setup

 : Select Item

Time, Date, Hard Disk Type..,

SLI-Ready memory - Disabled

 Standard CMOS Features

 Advanced BIOS Features

 Advanced Chipset Features

 Integrated Peripherals

 Power Management Setup

 PnP/PCI Configurations

 PC Health Status

The following items on the CMOS Setup Utility main menu are commands rather than submenus:

 Load Fail Safe Defaults

Load default system settings.

 Load Optimized Defaults

Loads optimized system settings.

 Set Supervisor Password

Use this command to set, change, and disable the password used to access the BIOS menu.

 Set User Password

Use this command to set, change, and disable the password used to access the BIOS menu.

 Save & Exit Setup

Use this command to save settings to CMOS and exit setup.

 Exit Without Saving

Use this command to abandon all setting changes and exit setup.

SLI-Ready Memory is a status indicator displayed at the bottom of the BIOS screen. The three status indicators are:

 Enabled: SLI-Ready memory is detected and enabled.

 Disabled: SLI-Ready memory is detected but disabled.

 Not Detected: SLI-Ready memory is not detected.

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Standard CMOS Features Menu

The Standard CMOS Features menu is used to configure the standard CMOS information, such as the date, time, HDD model, and so on. Use the options or press

Enter to display the sub-menu. Use the  arrow keys to position the selector in the

option you choose. To go back to the previous menu, press

Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the

Esc.

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The information shown in Item Help corresponds to the option highlighted.

Figure 6. Standard CMOS Features Menu

Note that all data in white is for information only, data in yellow is changeable, data in

blue is non-changeable, and data in a red box is highlighted for selection.

Date and Time

Using the arrow keys, position the cursor over the month, day, and year. Use the Page Up and Page

Down

keys to scroll through dates and times. Note that the weekday (Sun through Sat) cannot be changed. This field changes to correspond to the date you enter. Note that the hour value is shown in a 24-hour clock format. Time is represented as hour : minute : second.

Date (mm:dd:yy) Sat, Jul 01 2006 Time (hh:mm:ss) 14 : 48: 43



:Move Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help

F5: Previous Values F7:Defaults

 IDE Channel 0 Master [None]  IDE Channel 0 Slave [None]  SATA 1 (A0) [None]  SATA 2 (A1) [None]  SATA 3 (B0) [None]  SATA 4 (B1) [None]  SATA 5 (C0) [None]  SATA 6 (C1) [None]

Drive A [1.44, 3.5 in.] Halt On [All , But Keyboard]

Base Memory 640K

Extended Memory 1047552K Total Memory 1048576K

Date (mm:dd:yy) Sat, Jul 01 2006 Time (hh:mm:ss) 12 : 48: 23

Item Help

Main Level 

Change the day, month, year and century

Utility

Standard CMOS Features

IDE Auto-Detect [Press Enter]

Extended IDE Drive [None}

Access Mode Auto

Capacity 0 MB

Cylinder 0 Head 0 Precomp 0 Landing Zone 0 Sector 0

Press ENTER to display

IDE Channel sub-menu

IDE HDD Auto-Detect [Press Enter]

IDE Channel 0 Slave [Auto} Access Mode [Auto]

Capacity 0 MB

Cylinder 0 Head 0 Precomp 0 Landing Zone 0 Sector 0

Press ENTER to display

SATA Channel sub-menu

IDE Channel and SATA Channel

Use these functions to detect and configure the individual IDE and SATA channels. Select a channel and press

Enter to display the IDE/SATA sub-menu.

Press

Enter to auto-detect IDE and SATA channels in the system. Once the channel is

detected, the values for Capacity, Cylinder, Heads, Precomp, Landing Zone, and Sector are automatically filled in.

 None

There is no HDD installed or set.

 Auto

The system can auto-detect the hard disk when booting up.

 Manual

When you set the channel to [Manual] and change Access Mode to [CHS], you can then enter the number of cylinders, heads, Precomp, landing zone, and sector. You can manually enter the values or you can press values.

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Enter to display a window that tells you the min and max

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Drive A

None ..... [ ]

360K, 5.25 in. ..... [ ]

1.2M, 5.25 in. ..... [ ]

720K, 3.5 in. ..... [ ]

1.44M, 3.5 in. ..... [ ]

2.88M, 3.5 in. ..... [ ]



:Move ENTER:Accept ESC:Abort

The BIOS supports the following HDD Access Modes:

 CHS

For HDD less than 528 MB.

 LBA

For HDD greater than 528 MB and supporting LBA (Logical Block Addressing).

 Large

For HDD greater than 528 MB but not supporting LBA.

 Auto

Recommended mode.

Drive A

The Drive A option allows you to select the kind of FDD to install. Options are:

 None

 360K, 5.25 in.

 1.2M, 5.25 in.

 720K, 3.5 in.

 1.44M, 3.5 in.

 2.88M, 3.5 in.

Use the

Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll

through the options or press

Enter to display the sub-

menu. Use the  arrow keys to position the selector in the option you choose. Press

Enter to accept the

changes and return to the Standard CMOS Features menu.

Drive A [1.44, 3.5 in.] Halt On [All , But Keyboard]

IDE HDD Auto-Detect [Press Enter]

IDE Channel 0 Slave [Manual} Access Mode [CHS]

Capacity 0 MB

Cylinder .....0

Head [ 0] Precomp [ 0] Landing Zone [ 0] Sector [ 0]

Press ENTER to display sub-menu

Cylinder

Min= 0 Max=65535

Key in a DEC number :



:Move ENTER:Accept ESC:Abort

Press ENTER to display sub-menu

Halt On

All Errors ..... [ ]

No Errors ..... [ ]

All , But Keyboard ..... [ ]

All , But Diskette ..... [ ]

All , But Disk/Key ..... [ ]



:Move ENTER:Accept ESC:Abort

Base Memory 640K

Extended Memory 1047552K Total Memory 1048576K

Drive A [1.44, 3.5 in.] Halt On [All , But Keyboard]

Press ENTER to display sub-menu

Halt On

Halt On determines whether or not the computer stops if an error is detected during power

on. Use the display the you choose. Press menu.

 All Errors

 No Errors

 All, But Keyboard

 All, But Diskette

 All, But Disk/Key

Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the options or press Enter to

Halt On sub-menu. Use the  arrow keys to position the selector in the option

Enter to accept the changes and return to the Standard CMOS Features

Whenever the BIOS detects a nonfatal error; the system stops and prompts you.

ystem boot does not stop for any detected errors.

System boot does not stop for keyboard errors, but does stop for all other errors.

The system boot does not stop for a diskette error but will stop for all other errors.

The system boot does not stop for a keyboard or disk error, but will stop for all other errors.

Memory

These settings are display-only values that are determined by the BIOS POST (Power-On Self Test).

 Base Memory

BIOS POST determines the amount of base (or conventional) memory installed in the system.

 Extended Memory

BIOS determines how much extended memory is present during the POST.

 Total Memory

This value represents the total memory of the system.

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Advanced BIOS Features

Access the Advanced BIOS Features menu from the CMOS Utility Setup screen. Use the

Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the options or press Enter to display the

sub-menu. Use the  arrow keys to position the selector in the option you choose. To go back to the previous menu, press

Esc.

The options that have associated sub-menus are designated by a , which precedes the option.

Press Enter to display the sub-menus.

Figure 7. Advanced BIOS Features Menu

Note that all data in white is for information only, data in yellow is changeable, data in blue is non-

changeable, and data in a red box is highlighted for selection.



:Move Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help

F5: Previous Values F7:Defaults

 Removable Device Priority [Press Enter]  Hard Disk Boot Priority [Press Enter]  Network Boot Priority [Press Enter]

CPU Internal Cache [Enabled] Quick Power On Self Test [Enabled] First Boot Device [Removable] Second Boot Device [CDROM] Third Boot Device [Hard Disk] Boot Other Device [Enabled] Boot Up NumLock Status [On] Security Option [Setup] APIC Mode [Enabled] MPS Version Control For OS [1.4] Full Screen LOGO Show [Disabled]

Item Help

Main Level 

Select Removable Boot Device Priority

Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

Advanced BIOS Features

1. Network 0 : <description of network>

2. Network 1 : <description of network>

1. Ch0. : ST3802110A

2. Bootable Add-in Cards

1. Floppy Disks

Use the + and – keys to move the

priority of the device within the list

Removable Device Priority

Use this option to select the priority for removable device startup. Press Enter to see the list of removable devices in your system. Use the  arrow keys to go to the various devices. Then use the the previous menu, press

+ or – keys to move the device priority up or down in the list. To go back to

Esc.

Hard Disk Boot Priority

Use this option to select the priority for HDD startup. Press Enter to see the list of bootable devices in your system. Use the  arrow keys to go to the various devices. Then use the

– keys to move the device priority up or down in the list. To go back to the previous menu,

Esc.

press

Network Boot Priority

+ or

Use this option to select the priority for network startup. Select Network Boot Priority and press Enter to view available networks. Use the  arrow keys to go to the various devices. Then use the

+ or – keys to move the device priority up or down in the list. To go

back to the previous menu, press

CPU Internal Cache

Use this option to enable or disable the CPU internal cache. Use the Page Up and Page

Down

keys to scroll through the options or press Enter to display the options in a sub-menu.

Use the  arrow keys to position the selector in the option you choose.

Quick Power On Self Test

Enabling this option allows the system to skip certain tests while booting, which reduces the time needed to boot the system. Use the

Enable and Disable.

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Esc.

Page Up and Page Down keys to toggle between

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First/Second/Third Boot Device

Use this option to set the priority sequence of the devices booted at power on. Use the Page

and Page Down keys to scroll through the options or press Enter to display the sub-

menu. Use the  arrow keys to position the selector in the option you choose.

Boot Other Device

With the option set to Enable, the system boots from some other device if the first/second/third boot devices fail.

Boot Up NumLock Status

This option allows you to select the power-on state of NumLock. Select On to activate the keyboard NumLock when the system is started. Select Off to disable the NumLock key.

Security Option

The Security Options allows you to require a password every time the system boots or only when you enter setup. Select Setup to require a password to gain access to the CMOS Setup screen. Select System to require a password to access the CMOS Setup screen and when the system boots.

APIC Mode

Use this function to enable or disable the Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller (APIC). If you disable this option, you also disable the MPS Version Control for OS option.

First Boot Device

Removable ..... [ ]

Hard Disk ..... [ ]

CDROM ..... [ ]

Network ..... [ ]

Disabled ..... [ ]



:Move ENTER:Accept ESC:Abort

MPS Version Control For OS

Use this function to select the Multi-Processor Specification (MPS) version that BIOS passes to the operating system. Use the options.

Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the

Full Screen LOGO Show

This option allows you to enable or disable the display of the full-screen logo when the system boots. Use the

Page Up and Page Down keys to toggle between Enable and Disable

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Advanced Chipset Features

Select Advanced Chipset Features from the CMOS Setup Utility menu and press Enter to display the functions of the Advanced Chipset Features menu.

Figure 8. Advanced Chipset Features

System BIOS Cacheable

This function allows you to enable or disable caching the system BIOS.

HPET Function

This function allows you to enable or disable the High Precision Even Timer (HPET). When

Enabled, HPET is used as the timing hardware for multimedia and other time-sensitive

application. When HPET is

Disabled, the APIC timer is used.



:Move Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help

F5: Previous Values F7:Defaults

System Bios Cacheable [Disabled] HPET Function [Enabled]

Item Help

Main Level 

Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

Advanced Chipset Features



:Move Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help

F5: Previous Values F7:Defaults

 IDE Function Setup [Press Enter]  RAID Config [Press Enter]  USB Config [Press Enter]  MAC Config [Press Enter]

IEEE1394 controller [Auto] HD Audio [Auto] IDE HDD Block Mode [Enabled] Onboard FDC Controller [Enabled] Onboard Serial Port 1 [3FB/IRQ4]

Item Help

Main Level 

Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

Integrated Peripherals

Integrated Peripherals Menu

Select Integrated Peripherals from the CMOS Setup Utility menu and press Enter to display the Integrated Peripherals menu.

Figure 9. Integrated Peripherals Menu

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OnChip IDE Channel0 [Disabled]

x Primary Master PIO Auto x Primary Slave PIO Auto x Primary Master UDMA Auto x Primary Slave UDMA Auto

IDE DMA transfer access [Enabled] Serial-ATA Controller [All Enabled] IDE Prefetch Mode [Enabled]

IDE Function Setup

Press Enter to display the IDE Function Setup menu.

 OnChip IDE Channel0

Use this function to enable or disable the onchip IDE Channel0. When disabled, the Primary Master/Slave functions are changed to

Auto and cannot

be changed.

 Primary Master/Slave PIO

When

OnChip IDE Channel0

is set to

[Enabled], you can select a mode for the primary Master and Slave PIO. Select

from

Auto, or Mode 1 through Mode 4.

 Primary Master/Slave UDMA

When

OnChip IDE Channel0 is set to [Enabled], you can disable the primary Master

and Slave UDMA or set it to

[Auto].

 IDE DMA transfer access

Use this function to enable or disable IDE DMA transfer access.

 Serial-ATA Controller

This function allows you to enable specific SATA controllers, enable all controllers, or disable all controllers. The options available are

[SATA-0], [SATA-0+1], [Enable

All]

, and [Disabled].

 IDE Prefetch Mode

Use this function to enable or disable the

IDE Prefetch mode.

OnChip IDE Channel0 [Enabled] Primary Master PIO [Auto] Primary Slave PIO [Auto] Primary Master UDMA [Auto] Primary Slave UDMA [Auto] IDE DMA transfer access [Enabled] Serial-ATA Controller [All Enabled] IDE Prefetch Mode [Enabled]

RAID Enable [Disabled]

x SATA 0 Primary RAID Disabled x SATA 0 Secondary RAID Disabled x SATA 1 Primary RAID Disabled x SATA 1 Secondary RAID Disabled x SATA 2 Primary RAID Disabled x SATA 2 Secondary RAID Disabled

OnChip USB [Disabled]

x USB Keyboard Support Enabled x USB Mouse Support Enabled

OnChip USB [Enabled] USB Keyboard Support [Disabled] USB Mouse Support [Disabled]

RAID Enable [Enabled] SATA 0 Primary RAID [Disabled] SATA 0 Secondary RAID [Disabled] SATA 1 Primary RAID [Disabled] SATA 1 Secondary RAID [Disabled] SATA 2 Primary RAID [Disabled] SATA 2 Secondary RAID [Disabled]

RAID Config

Press Enter to display the RAID Config menu.

 RAID Enable

Use this function to enable or disable RAID. When RAID is set to

[Disabled], all SATA functions are

changed to Disabled and cannot be changed.

 SATA x Primary/Secondary

When functions.

RAID Enable is set to [Enabled], you can enable or disable the various SATA

USB Config

Press Enter to display the USB Config menu.

 OnChip USB

Use this function to enable specific versions of the USB or disable the onchip USB. When the onchip USB is set to

Enabled and cannot be changed. Versions that can be selected are [V1.1+V2.0] or

[V1.1].

 USB Keyboard/Mouse Support

Use these function to enable or disable the onchip WSB support of the keyboard and/or mouse.

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[Disabled], the keyboard and mouse support functions are set

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MAC Config

Press Enter to display the MAC Config menu.

 MACx LAN

Use these functions to set the MAC0 and/or MAC1 LANs to

Auto or disable their

functions.

IEEE1394 controller

This function on the Integrated Peripherals menu allows you to enable or disable the IEEE1394 (Firewire) interface.

HD Audio

This function on the Integrated Peripherals menu allows you to enable or disable the integrated high definition audio.

IDE HDD Block Mode

Using this function on the Integrated Peripherals menu allows your IDE hard drive needs to support block mode. Select

[Enabled] to automatically detect the optimal number of block

read/writes per sector the drive can support. Select

[Disabled] if your drive does not

support block mode.

Onboard FDC Controller

This function on the Integrated Peripherals menu allows you to enable or disable the onboard Floppy Disk Controller function.

Onboard Serial Port 1

This function on the Integrated Peripherals menu allows you to select the onboard serial port 1 function. Options are

[3F8/IRQ4], 2E8/IRQ3], [3E8/IRQ4], [Auto], and

[Disabled].

MAC0 LAN [Enabled] MAC1 LAN [Disabled]



:Move Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help

F5: Previous Values F7:Defaults

ACPI function [Enabled] APCI Suspend Type [S1&S3] Soft-Off by PBTN [Instant-Off] WOL(PME#) From Soft-Off [Disabled]

Power-on by Alarm [Disabled]

x Day of Month Alarm 0 x Time (hh:mm:ss) Alarm 0 : 0 : 0

POWER ON Function [BUTTON ONLY]

x KB Power ON Password Enter x Hot Key Power On Ctrl-F1

Item Help

Main Level 

Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

Power Management Setup

Power Management Setup Menu

Select Power Management Setup from the CMOS Setup Utility menu and press Enter to display the Power Management Setup menu.

Figure 10. Power Management Setup Menu

ACPI Function

This function on the Power Management Setup menu allows you to enable or disable the ACPI function.

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ACPI Suspend Type

This function on the Power Management Setup menu allows you to select an ACPI Suspend Type. Types to select from are

[S1&S3], [S1(POS)], and [S3(STR)].

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Soft-Off by PBNT

This function on the Power Management Setup menu allows you to set Soft-Off by PBNT to

[Instant-Off] or [Delay 4 Sec].

WOL(PME#) From Soft-Off

This function on the Power Management Setup menu allows you to enable or disable WOL(PMW#)

from soft-off.

Power On by Alarm

This function on the Power Management Setup menu allows you to enable or disable the Power-on by alarm function. Set to

[Disable] to prevent power-on by alarm. When set to

[Enable], you can manually put in the day of the month and the time of the alarm.

To enter a day or time, use the

Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through numbers or

enter the number using the keyboard number or the

+ and – keys.

Power-on by Alarm [Disabled] Day of Month Alarm [ 0] Time (hh:mm:ss) Alarm [0 : 0 : 0]

POWER ON Function [Hot key]

x KB Power ON Password Enter

Hot Key Power On [Ctrl-F1]

POWER ON Function [Password] KB Power ON Password [Enter]

x Hot Key Power On Ctrl-F1

POWER ON Function

This function on the Power Management Setup menu allows you to define the power-on function. Options for this function are:

 BUTTON ONLY

 Keyboard 98

 Password

[Password] is selected, the KB Power ON Password function is enabled so

When that you must enter a password.

 Hot Key Power On

[Hot Key] is selected, the Hot key Power On function is enabled so that

When you must select a keyboard key as the hot key. To select a hot key use

Ctrl+F12

Ctrl+F1 though

 Mouse Left

 Mouse Right

 Any Key

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PnP/PCI Configuration Menu

Select PnP/PCI Configuration from the CMOS Setup Utility menu and press Enter to display the PnP/PCI Configuration menu.

Figure 11. PnP/PCI Configuration Menu

Init Display First

This function on the PnP/PCI Configuration menu allows you to define if the initial display is in the PCI slot or in the PCI Express slot. Options are

[PCI Slot] and [PCIEx].

Reset Configuration Data

This function on the PnP/PCI Configuration menu allows you to enable or disable the resetting of Extended System Configuration Data (ESCD) when you exit Setup.



:Move Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help

F5: Previous Values F7:Defaults

Init Display First [PCI Slot] Reset Configuration Data [Disabled]

Resources Controlled By [Auto(ESCD)]

x IRQ Resources Press Enter

** PCI Express relative items **

Maximum Payload Size [4096]

Item Help

Main Level 

Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

PnP/PCI Configuration

IRQ-5 assigned to [PCI Device] IRQ-9 assigned to [Reserved] IRQ-10 assigned to [PCI Device] IRQ-11 assigned to [PCI Device] IRQ-14 assigned to [PCI Device] IRQ-15 assigned to [PCI Device]

Resources Controlled By [Manual)] IRQ Resources [Press Enter]

Resources Controlled By [Auto(ESCD)]

x IRQ Resources Press Enter

Set this to [Enabled] if you have installed a new add-on and the system reconfiguration has caused a serious conflict that prevents the OS from booting. The default setting is

[Disabled].

Resources Controlled By

This function on the PnP/PCI Configuration menu allows you to define if the BIOS can automatically configure all the boot and plug-and-play compatible devices or if you can manually select IRQ, DMA, and memory base address fields. Select want the BIOS to automatically populate these fields. If you select assign the resources,

IRQ Resources is enabled for input.

IRQ Resources

[Auto(ESCD)] if you

[Manual] so you can

To enable this field for input, set Resources Controlled By to [Manual]. With this field enabled, press

Enter to see options.

Use Legacy ISA for devices compliant with the original PC AT Bus specification. Use PCI/ISA PnP for devices compliant with the plug-and-play standard, whether designed for PCI or ISA Bus architecture.

PCI/VGA Palette Snoop

This function on the PnP/PCI Configuration menu allows you to enable or disable the Palette Snoop function.

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Maximum Payload Size

This function on the PnP/PCI Configuration menu allows you to set the maximum TLP payload size (in bytes) for the PCI Express devices. Use the

Page Up and Page Down keys

to scroll through sizes or enter the number using the keyboard numbers or use the

+ and –

keys to go up and down the list of sizes.

PC Health Status

Select PC Health Status from the CMOS Setup Utility menu and press Enter to display the PC Health Status menu.

Figure 12. PC Health Status

All of the values shown in Blue are dynamic and change as the speed and voltages of the various components change with system usage.



:Move Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help

F5: Previous Values F7:Defaults

 Dynamic Fan Control [Press Enter]

CPU 42ºC/ 108ºF Board 39ºC/ 102ºF MCP 52ºC/ 126ºF

CPU Core 1.28V CPU FSB 1.19V Memory 1.81V +3.3V 3.16V +3.3V Dual 3/16V +12V 12.09V +5V 4.99V +Vbat 3.00V

CPU Fan Speed 4272 RPM Aux Fan Speed 4891 RPM nForce Fan Speed 2054 RPM Chassis Fan Speed 0 RPM Chassis Fan2 Speed 0 RPM

Item Help

Main Level 

Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

System Monitor

CPU Fan Speed Control [SmartFan] If temp > 70ºC, Set Fan Speed 100% If temp < 30ºC, Set Fan Speed 1%

x Manual Fan Speed, % 100

Chassis Fan Speed Control, % [SmartFan]

If temp > 70ºC, Set Fan Speed 100% If temp < 30ºC, Set Fan Speed 1% x Manual Fan Speed, % 100

nForce Fan Speed Control, % [SmartFan] x Manual Fan Speed, % 100

AUX Fan Speed Control, % [100] Chassis Fan2 Speed Control, % [100]

Dynamic Fan Control

Press Enter to display the Dynamic Fan Control menu.

Use this menu to control the speed of the various fans on the motherboard. Set CPU fan speed, Chassis Fan, and nForce Fan to automatically controlled based on temperature. To set the fan speed to a constant rate, select

[Manual] and then enter the speed from 0% to 100%.

Set the desired speed for the AUX, and Chassis fans from 0% to 100%. The system defaults to 100%.

EVGA 48

[SmartFan] when you want the speed of the fans



:Move Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help

F5: Previous Values F7:Defaults

Dummy OC [Disabled]

 System Clocks [Press Enter]  FSB & Memory Config [Press Enter]  CPU Feature [Press Enter]  System Voltages [Enabled]

Load Timing/Voltage Set [Press Enter] Save Timing/Voltage Set [Press Enter]

Item Help

Main Level 

Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

Frequency/Voltage Control

Press Enter to display the sub-menus.

Dummy O.C

Choose different levels of CPU OC 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25% increments. This function

will allow to automatically overclock your CPU. The O.C’s stability will rely on the CPU type, good CPU’s heat dissipation, O.C memory modules and so on.

EVGA 49

EVGA 50

System Clocks

Select System Clocks from the Advanced Chipset Features menu and press Enter to display the System Clocks menu. From this menu, you are able to specify frequency settings, HT multipliers, and Spread Spectrum settings. Note that in Figure 9, all of the options are listed. On the actual BIOS screen, you will need to scroll down to see all the options.

Figure 13. System Clocks Menu

Note that all data in white is for information only, data in yellow is changeable, data in blue is non-

changeable, and data in a red box is highlighted for selection.



:Move Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help

F5: Previous Values F7:Defaults

Parameters Settings Current Vale **Frequency Settings** CPU Freq, MHz 2933.3 2933.3 FSB Reference Clock, MHz 1066.7 1066.7

CPU Multiplier [11 X] 11X

CPU N/2 Ratio Disabled

PCIe x16_1, MHz [Auto] 100 PCIe x16_3, MHz [Auto] 100 PCIe x16_2, MHz [Auto] 100 SPP<->MCP Ref Clock, MHz [Auto] 100

**HT Multiplier**

nForce SPP --> nForce MCP [5 x] nForce SPP <-- nForce MCP [5 x]

**Spread Spectrum**

CPU Spread Spectrum [UP Spread]

HT Spread Spectrum Disabled PCIe Spread Spectrum(MCP) Disabled SATA Spread Spectrum Disabled

Item Help

Main Level 

CPU frequency multiplier. CPU core clock = FSB Ref Clock/4 * CPU Multiplier



Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

System Clocks

Frequency Settings

 CPU Freq, MHz

This value is set by the CPU Multiplier (value cannot be changed by the user).

 FSB Reference Clock. MHz

This value is set by the system (value cannot be changed by the user). To change the SLIReady memory, FSB memory, and memory timing, go to the FSB & Memory screen.

 CPU Multiplier

This value changes the CPU Frequency value depending on the value you choose. Use the

Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the options. The options are from 6 X

through 60 X.

 PCIe x16_1, MHz

Use the Express Bus, Slot 1 (the black slot closest to the CPU). Note that as you go higher in value,

PCIe Spread Spectrum(SPP) is disabled and cannot be changed from this status.

 PCIe x16_3, MHz

Use the Express Bus, Slot 3 (the blue slot in the middle).

 PCIe x16_2, MHz

Use the Express Bus, Slot 3 (the black slot farthest from the CPU).

 SPP<

Use the reference clock between the SPP chip and the MCP chip.

Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the frequency options for the PCI

—

>MCP Ref Clock, MHz

Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the frequency options for the

HT Multiplier

 nForce SPP

Use the the link speed from the SPP chip to the MCP chip. Values are

 nForce MCP <

Use the the link speed from the MCP chip to the SPP chip. Values are

— —

> nForce MCP

Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the HT multiplier options and set

— —

nForce SPP

Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the HT multiplier options and set

[1 x] through [5 x].

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EVGA 52

Spread Spectrum

 CPU Spread Spectrum

Use the

Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the Spread Spectrum options for

the CPU. Option values are

[Disabled], [UP Spread], and [Center Spread].

 HT Spread Spectrum

Disabled

 PCIe Spread Spectrum(MCP)

Disabled

 SATA Spread Spectrum

Disabled



:Move Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help

F5: Previous Values F7:Defaults

Parameters Settings Current Value

SLI-Ready Memory [Disabled] Disabled

CPU Freq, MHz 2933.3 2933.3 CPU Multiplier 11X 11X

FSB – Memory Clock Mode [Auto]

x FSB (QDR), MHz Auto 1066.7 Actual FSB (QDR), MHz 1066.7

x MEM (DDR), MHz Auto 800.6

Actual MEM (DDR), MHz 800.0

 Memory Timing Setting [Press Enter]

Item Help

Main Level 

“CPUOC MAX” re alizes the

complete optimized memory settings when SLI-Ready memory is installed

Optimized memory settings by allowing X% CPU overclocking

CPU overclocking may require manual overvolting of the CPU to improve system stability

Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

FSB & Memory Config

Select FSB & Memory Config from the Advanced Chipset Features menu and press Enter to display the FSB & Memory Config menu. This menu provides the means to set SLI-Ready memory, FSB memory, and memory timing.

Figure 14. FSB & Memory Config Menu

 SLI-Ready Memory

Use the The options are:

 Disabled  CPUOC 0%  CPUOC 1%  CPUOC 2%  CPUOC 3%  CPUOC 4%  CPUOC 5%  CPUOC MAX  Expert

Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the SLI-Ready Memory options.

EVGA 53

EVGA 54

When you select one of the

CPUOC x% options, the FSB - Memory Clock Mode is set to

Unlinked and cannot be changed until SLI-Ready Memory is set to Disable. Please

note when enabling SLI –Ready memory, timings and voltages will change automatically based on selection.

 FSB and Memory Clock Mode

Use the

Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the FSB and Memory Clock

Mode options. The options are:

 Auto

This is the optimal setting since it sets the FSB and memory speeds automatically.

 Linked

When Link is selected,

FSB (QDR), MHz is changed to editable and the FSB speed

can be entered manually. As the FSB speed is changed,

CPU Freq, MHz changes

proportionally.

 Unlinked

When Unlink is selected,

FSB (QDR), MHz and MEM (DDR), MHz are changed to

editable and the FSB and memory speeds can be entered manually. As the FSB speed is changed,

CPU Freq, MHz changes proportionally.

 FSB (QDR), MHz

Use the

+ or – keys to scroll through new values for the CPU FSB frequency or type in a

new value. Note that the

Actual FSB (QDR) reflects the actual frequency that takes

effect on a reboot.

 MEM (DDR), MHz

Use the

+ or – keys to scroll through new values for the memory frequency or type in a

new value. Note that the

Actual MEM (DDR) reflects the actual frequency that takes

effect when the system reboots.

FSB – Memory Clock Mode [Linked]

FSB (QDR), MHz [1067] 1066.7

Actual FSB (QDR), MHz 1066.7 MEM (DDR), MHz [1067] 800.6

Actual MEM (DDR), MHz 800.0

CPU Freq, MHz 2933.3 2933.3 CPU Multiplier 11X 11X

FSB – Memory Clock Mode [Linked]

FSB (QDR), MHz [1067] 1066.7

Actual FSB (QDR), MHz 1066.7 x MEM (DDR), MHz Auto 800.6

Actual MEM (DDR), MHz 800.0



:Move Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help[

F5: Previous Values F7:Defaults

Parameters Settings Current Value

Memory Timing Setting [Optimal]

x tCL (CAS Latency) Auto(5) 5 x tRDC Auto(7) 5 x tRP Auto(7) 5 x tRAS Auto(23) 18 x Command Per Clock (CDM) Auto(2T) 1T

** Advanced Memory Settings **

x tRRD Auto(4) 3 x tRC Auto(28) 22 x tWR Auto(7) 5 x tWTR Auto(10) 9 x tREF Auto 6.1uS

Item Help

Main Level 

Select [Expert] to enter timings manually

Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

Memory Timing Setting

 Memory Timing Setting

Press

Enter to display the Memory Timing Setting menu. Use this menu to set optimal

timings or to manually enter timings.

 Optimal

Use the

Page Up and Page Down keys to select Optimal. Optimal prohibits you

from manually setting any timing. All timing is set for optimal performance.

 Expert

Use the

Page Up and Page Down keys to select Expert. When Expert is selected, all

timing categories are enabled for manual input. Note that you should set the value to Optimal to use the manufacturers’ recommended values.

EVGA 55

EVGA 56

tCL: CAS# latency (options are 1 through 6). tRDC: RAS#-to-CAS# Delay for Read/Write commands to the same bank (options

are 1 through 7).

tRP: Row Precharge time. This is the Precharge-to-Active or Auto-to-Refresh of the

same bank (options are 1 through 7).

tRAS: This is the minimum RAS# active time (options are 1 through 31). Command Per Clock: This is the command timing setting on a per clock unit basis

(options are 1T and 2T).

tRRD: RAS#-to-RAS# delay of different banks (options are 1 through 15). tRC: RAS#-to-RAS# or auto refresh time of the same bank (options are 1 through

31).

tWR: The Write recovery time (options are 2 through 7). tWTR: This is the minimum write-to-read delay with the same chip selected (options

are 1 through 10).

tREF: This is the DRAM refresh rate (options are Auto, 7.8uS, and 3.9uS).

Parameters Settings Current Value

Memory Timing Setting [Expert] tCL (CAS Latency) [Auto(5)] 5 tRDC [Auto(7)] 5 tRP [Auto(7)] 5 tRAS [Auto(23)] 18 Command Per Clock (CDM) [Auto(2T)] 1T

** Advanced Memory Settings **

tRRD [Auto(4)] 3 tRC [Auto(28)] 22 tWR [Auto(7)] 5 tWTR [Auto(10)] 9 tREF [Auto] 6.1uS



:Move Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help

F5: Previous Values F7:Defaults

Limit CPUID MaxVal [Disabled]

Intel SpeedStep [Disabled]

x PPM Mode Native mode CPU Thermal Control [Disabled]

C1E Enhanced Halt State [Enabled]

Execute Disable Bit [Enabled] Virtualization Technology [Enabled]

CPU Core 0 Enabled CPU Core 1 [Enabled]

CPU Core 2 [Enabled] CPU Core 3 [Enabled]

Item Help

Main Level 

Set linit CPUID MaxVal to

3, should be “ Disabled”

for WinXP

Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

CPU Feature

Select CPU Feature from the Frequency/Voltage control menu and press Enter to display the CPU Feature menu.

Figure 15. CPU Configuration Menu

 Limit CPUID MaxVal

Use this function to enable the set limit of the CPUID MaxVal to 3. Set to Disable for Win XP.

 Intel SpeedStep

If enabled, CPU clock speed and CPU core voltage are adjusted dynamically based on the CPU load.

 PPM Mode

Options are Native mode and SSM mode.

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EVGA 58

 CPU Thermal Control

Use this function to enable or disable TM1 and TM2 support. Options are:

 Disable

Disable support for TM1 and TM2.

 TM1 Only

The CPU is thermally throttled by cutting active processor clock cycles.

 TM2 Only

Thermal throttling is achieved by reducing the CPU multiplier and CPU core voltage.

 TM1 & TM2

Enables support for both TM1 and TM2.

 C1E Enhanced Halt State

Enabled, this function reduces the CPU power consumption when the CPU is idle. Idle occurs when the operating system issues a halt instruction.

 Execute Disable Bit

When this function is disabled, it forces the XD feature flag to always return to zero (0).

 Virtualization Technology

When this function is enabled, it allows a VMM to utilize the additional hardware capabilities provided by Intel Virtualization Technology.

 CPU Core 1-3

This function allows you to enable or disable CPU Cores.



:Move Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help

F5: Previous Values F7:Defaults

Parameters Settings Current Value EVGA VDroop control [With VDroop] CPU Core [Auto] 1.28 CPU FSB [Auto] 1.2V

Memory [Auto] 1.85V

nForce SPP [Auto] 1.30V nForce MCP [Auto] 1.50V

HT nForce SPP <-> MCP [Auto] 1.20V

nForce MCP Auxiliary [Auto] 1.50V

GTLVREF Lane 0 [Auto] +00mv

GTLVREF Lane 1 [Auto] +00mv

GTLVREF Lane 2 [Auto] +00mv

GTLVREF Lane 3 [Auto] +00mv

Item Help

Main Level 

Voltage level for CPU Core (CPU VID)

Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

System Voltages

Select System Voltages from the Advanced Chipset Features menu and press Enter to display the System Voltages menu.

Figure 16. System Voltages Menu

 EVGA VDroop control

This Function offers options of droop.

 CPU Core

Use the automatically set the voltage level for the CPU Core.

 CPU FSB

Use the automatically set the voltage level for the CPU FSB.

 Memory

This function defines the voltage level for the DRAM. Use the keys to select a voltage or select

 nForce SPP

This function defines the core voltage level for the NVIDIA nForce SPP chip. Use the

Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the voltages or select [Auto] to

With VDroop or Without VDroop to reduce voltage

Page Up and Page Down

[Auto] to automatically set the voltage.

EVGA 59

EVGA 60

Page Up

and Page Down keys to select a voltage (1.20V, 1.30V, 1.40V, 1.50V) or select

[Auto] to automatically set the voltage.

 nForce MCP

This function defines the core voltage level for the NVIDIA nForce MCP chip. Use the

Page Up and Page Down keys to select a voltage or select [Auto] to automatically set

the voltage.

 HT nForce SPP <-> MCP

This function defines the voltage level for the NVIDIA HT nForce SPP <-> MCP Link. Use the

Page Up and Page Down keys to select a voltage or select [Auto] to

automatically set the voltage.

 nForce MCP Auxiliary

This function defines the core voltage level for the NVIDIA nForce MCP Auxiliary voltage. Use the

Page Up and Page Down keys to select a voltage or select [Auto] to

automatically set the voltage.

 GTLVREF Lane 0

This function defines the voltage level for GTLVREF Lane 0. Use the

Page Up and Page

Down

keys to select a voltage or select [Auto]to automatically set the voltage.

 GTLVREF Lane 1

This function defines the voltage level for GTLVREF Lane 1. Use the

Page Up and Page

Down

keys to select a voltage or select [Auto]to automatically set the voltage.

 GTLVREF Lane 2

This function defines the voltage level for GTLVREF Lane 2. Use the

Page Up and Page

Down

keys to select a voltage or select [Auto] to automatically set the voltage.

 GTLVREF Lane 3

This function defines the voltage level for GTLVREF Lane 3. Use the

Page Up and Page

Down

keys to select a voltage or select [Auto] to automatically set the voltage.

NVMEM Memory Test

This function defines whether you run the NVIDIA memory testing module during POST. The options are Fast, Medium, Slow, and Disable.

Save timing/voltage set

Press Enter to Exit ..... [ ]

Select Profile 1 ..... [ ]

Select Profile 2 ..... [ ]

Select Profile 3 ..... [ ]



:Move ENTER:Accept ESC:Abort

Load timing/voltage set

Press Enter to Exit ..... [ ]

Select Profile 1 ..... [ ]

Select Profile 2 ..... [ ]

Select Profile 3 ..... [ ]



:Move ENTER:Accept ESC:Abort

Load Timing/Voltage Set

This function loads the system voltages and timing settings that were defined in the System Voltages menu. You can set up to four profile settings using the

function.

set

There are four profile options that can be loaded. Press

Save timing/voltage

Enter to see the options.

Save Timing/Voltage Set

This function saves the system voltages and timing settings that were defined in the System Voltages menu. There are four profile options that can be loaded.

Enter to see the options.

Press

EVGA 61

EVGA 62

Installing Drivers and

Software

It is important to remember that before installing the driver CD that is shipped in the kit, you need

The kit comes with a CD that contains drivers and additional NVIDIA software.

The CD that has been shipped with your EVGA motherboard contains the following software and drivers:

 NVIDIA nForce motherboard drivers

 Audio drivers

 RAID drivers

 Adobe Acrobat Reader

 User’s Manual

to load your operating system. This motherboard supports both Windows XP 32-bit 64bit and is Vista-capable with both 32-bit and 64-bit.

Driver Installation

3. Insert the EVGA nForce 780i SLI FTW installation CD for the motherboard included

in the kit.

4. The CD will autorun, install the drivers and utilities listed on the install screen.

If the CD does not run, go to My Computer and click on the CD to open.

EVGA 63

EVGA 64

ACPI - Advanced Configuration and Power Interface

AFR – Alternate Frame Rendering

APIC - Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller

BIOS - Basic Input Output System

CD-ROM - Compact Disc Read-Only Memory

CMOS - Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor

CPU – Central Processing Unit

D-ICE – Dry Ice Cooling

DDR2 - Double Data Rate 2

DDR3 - Double Data Rate 3

DIMM - Dual In-line Memory Module

DRAM - Dynamic random access memory

DVD - Digital Versatile Disc

DVI – Digital Video Interface

FDC - Floppy Disk Controller

FSB – Front Side Bus

FTW – For The Win!

GHz – Gigahertz

GPU – Graphics Processing Unit

HDD - Hard Disk Drive

HDMI - High-Definition Multimedia Interface

HDR – High Dynamic Range Lighting

HPET - High Precision Event Timer

HSF - Heat Sink Fan

I/O - Input/Output

IDE - Integrated Drive Electronics

IEEE - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

IGP - Integrated Graphics Processors

IRQ - Interrupt Request

JBOD - Just a Bunch of Disks

JEDEC - Joint Electron Device Engineering Council

LAN - Local Area Network

EVGA Glossary of Terms:

EVGA 65

EVGA 66

LCD - Liquid Crystal Display

LGA – Land Grid Array

LN2 – Liquid Nitrogen Cooling

MAC - Media Access Control

MCP - Media and Communications Processor

MHz - Megahertz

NB - Northbridge

NCQ - Native Command Queuing

NIC - Network Interface Card

NTFS - New Technology File System

OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer

PATA - Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment

PCB - Printed Circuit Board

PCI - Peripheral Component Interconnect

PCIe - Peripheral Component Interconnect Express

PCI-x - Peripheral Component Interconnect Extended

POST – Power on Self Test

QDR - Quad Data Rate

RAID - Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks

RGB - Red Green Blue

SATA - Serial Advanced Technology Attachment

SB - Southbridge

SCSI - Small Computer System Interface

SFR – Split Frame Rendering

SLI - Scalable Link Interface

SPD - Serial Presence Detect

SPDIF - Sony/Philips Digital Interconnect Format

SPP - System Platform Processors

TCP/IP - Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol

USB - Universal Serial Bus

VDroop - V-core Voltage Drop

VGA - Video Graphics Array

Appendix A.

Award POST Codes

Code

Name

Description

Reserved

Jumps to E000

segment

Execution of POST routines in E000 03

Early SuperIO

Init Early Initialized the super IO

Reserved

Blank video

Reset Video controller

Reserved

Init KBC

Keyboard controller init

KB test

Test the Keyboard

Reserved

Mouse Init

Initialized the mouse

Reserved

POST Codes for the EVGA nForce 780i SLI FTW Motherboard

This section provides the Award POST Codes (Table 6) and the NVMM POST Codes (Table

7) for EVGA nForce 780i SLI FTW Motherboard during system boot up.

These POST Codes are displayed on the LED POST Code readout located directly onboard the motherboard. Only (Table 6) Codes will display on the LED POST Code readout.

Table 6. Award POST Code

EVGA 67

EVGA 68

Award POST Codes

Code

Name

Description

CheckSum Check

Check the integrity of the ROM,BIOS and message

Reserved

Autodetect EEPROM

Check Flash type and copy flash write/erase routines

Reserved

Test CMOS

Test and Reset CMOS

Reserved

Load Chipset

Load Chipset Defaults

Reserved

Init Clock

Initialize onboard clock generator

Reserved

Init CPU

CPU ID and initialize L1/L2 cache

Reserved

Setup Interrupt

Vector Table

Initialize first 120 interrupt vectors with SPURIOUS_INT_HDLR and initialize INT 00h-1Fh according to INT_TBL

CMOS Battery Check

Test CMOS and check Battery Fail

Early PM

Early PM initialization

Reserved

Re-initial KB

Load keyboard matrix

Reserved

HPM init

Init Heuristic Power Management (HPM)

Reserved

Program chipset

Early Programming of chipset registers

Init PNP

Shadow VBIOS

Shadow system/video BIOS

Clock Gen

Init onboard clock generator and sensor

Setup BDA

Setup BIOS DATA AREA (BDA)

Reserved

CPU Speed detect

Chipset programming and CPU Speed detect

Reserved

Init video

Initialize Video

Reserved

Video memory test

Test Video Memory and display Logos

Award POST Codes

Code

Name

Description

Reserved

Early keyboard reset

Early Keyboard Reset

Reserved

Test DMA Controller 0

Test DMA channel 0

Reserved

Test DMA Controller 1

Test DMA channel 1

Reserved

Test DMA Page Registers

Reserved

Test Timer

Test 8254 Timer 0 Counter 2.

Reserved

Test 8259-1 Mask

Verify 8259 Channel 1 masked interrupts by alternately turning off and on the interrupt lines.

Reserved

Test 8259-2 Mask

Verify 8259 Channel 2 masked interrupts by alternately turning off and on the interrupt lines.

Reserved

Test Stuck Interrupt

Turn off interrupts then verify no 8259's interrupt mask register is on. Test 8259 Force an interrupt and verify the interrupt occurred.

Reserved

Reinit serial port

Reinitialize Preboot agent serial port

Reserved

EISA Test

If EISA non-volatile memory checksum is good, execute EISA initialization. If not, execute ISA tests and clear EISA mode flag.

Reserved

Size Memory

Size base memory from 256K to 640K and extended

EVGA 69

EVGA 70

Award POST Codes

Code

Name

Description

memory above 1MB.

Reserved

Init APIC

Initialize APIC and set MTRR

Reserved

USB init

Initialize USB controller

Reserved

Memory Test

Test all memory of memory above 1MB using Virtual 8086 mode, page mode and clear the memory

Reserved

CPU display

Detect CPU speed and display CPU vendor specific version string and turn on all necessary CPU features

Reserved

PnP Init Display

PnP logo and PnP early init

Reserved

Setup Virus

Setup virus protect according to Protect Setup

Reserved

Awdflash Load

If required, will auto load Awdflash.exe in POST

Reserved

Onboard I/O

Init Initializing onboard superIO

Reserved

Setup enable

Display setup message and enable setup functions

Reserved

Initialize Mouse

Detect if mouse is present, initialize mouse, install interrupt vectors.

Reserved

PS2 Mouse special

Special treatment to PS2 Mouse port

Reserved

ACPI init

ACPI sub-system initializing

Reserved

Award POST Codes

Code

Name

Description

Init Cache

Initialize cache controller

Reserved

Setup

Enter setup check and auto configuration check up

Reserved

Initialize Floppy

Initialize floppy disk drive

Reserved

FDD install

Install FDD and setup BIOS data area parameters

Reserved

Initialize Hard Drive

Initialize hard drive controller

Reserved

Detect HDD

IDE device detection

Reserved

Detect serial ports

Initialize serial ports.

Reserved

Detect parallel ports

Initialize parallel ports.

Reserved

HDD Write Protect

HDD check for write protection

Reserved

POST error check

Check POST error and display them and ask for user intervention

Reserved

Security Check

Ask password security.

Write CMOS

Write all CMOS values back to RAM and clear screen.

Display PNP

Display PNP devices

USB Final Init

Final USB initialization

Reserved

Setup ACPI tables

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EVGA 72

Award POST Codes

Code

Name

Description

Reserved

Option ROM Detect

Scan for Option ROMs

Reserved

Enable Parity Check

Reserved

IRQ12 Enable

Enable IRQ12 if mouse present

Reserved

Boot Medium Read

Detect and store boot partition head and cylinders values in RAM

Final Init

Final init for last micro details before boot

NumLock

Set NumLock status according to Setup

Boot Attempt

Set low stack Boot via INT 19h.

Base CPU test

Read/Write CPU registers

Memory Presence

Base memory detect

Early Memory

Board Initialization

Extend Memory

Turn on extended memory, cache initialization

Special Display

First display initialization

Early Shadow

Early shadow enable for fast boot

Cache presence

External cache size detection

CMOS Check

CMOS checkup

Spurious

If interrupt occurs in protected mode.

Unclaimed NMI

If unmasked NMI occurs, display Press F1 to disable NMI, F2 reboot.

Program MCP

To program chipset from defaults values

E1-EF

Setup Pages

E1- Page 1, E2 - Page 2, etc.

Boot

NVMM POST Codes

Code

Name

Description

0F0h Identify HW in the system

0F1h Register the slam tables

0F2h Early SLAM table

0F3h COM port initialization

000h

Initialize the hardware devices

001h

Override input parameters, etc. before QUERY

004h

Query the hardware devices

008h

Read SPD & fill in arrays

00Ch

ROM table pointer

010h

Initialize the Memory Controller

011h

Program the PLLs

012h

Query after memory PLL has been set

013h

Set Dynamic SPD values

014h

Load MemInfoStruct

015h

Load the DIMM geometry (using SPD)

016h

Prepare MRS variables

017h

Probe memory geometry

018h

PROD_C: PROD f/ Calculated ref manuals

019h

PROD_D: PROD w/ Discrete assembly programming

01Ah

PROD_E: PROD w/ Expandable criteria

01Bh

Send MRS/EMRS configuration cycles

01Ch

Overvoltage handling

01Dh

PROD_F: PROD Final - after MRS/EMRS

020h

PCI Express Initialization

030h

Load Spread Spectrum tables

040h

Set Top-Of-Memory registers

044h

Late SLAM table

048h

Previous Power State SLAM table

04Ch

Hardware Workarounds

050h

Restore, and exit NVMM

054h

Memory Test

Table 7. NVMM POST Codes

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EVGA 74

NVMM POST Codes

Code

Name

Description

0FEh

ERROR handler

0FFh End of Table

0FFh Invalid APIC ID

0FEh

CPU Identify/Init failed

0FDh

North Bridge not supported

0FCh

South Bridge not supported

0FBh

No DIMMs present

0FAh

Invalid DIMM types, SDR/DDR

0F9h Different voltage levels

0F8h Invalid REFRESH Rate

0F7h Invalid memory geometry

0F6h Slam Engine error

0F5h Memory Test Error

0F4h Link Training timeout

EVGA 780i SLI FTW, 132-YW-E178 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual