EVGA 780i - nForce SLI 775 A1 Motherboard, 132-CK-NF78-A1, nForce 780i SLI User Manual

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User Guide

EVGA nForce 780i SLI Motherboard

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

EVGA

nForce 780i SLI Motherboard

Table of Contents

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

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

Intentions of the Kit ...................................................................................................x

EVGA nForce 780i Motherboard..................................................................................1

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

Unpacking and Parts Descriptions...............................................................................4

Unpacking ................................................................................................................ 4

Equipment................................................................................................................ 4

EVGA nForce 780i SLI Motherboard.......................................................................5

Hardware Installation ....................................................................................................9

Safety Instructions.................................................................................................... 9

Preparing the Motherboard.................................................................................... 10

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

Installing the CPU Fan....................................................................................... 11

Installing Memory DIMMs................................................................................... 11

Installing the Motherboard...................................................................................... 12

Installing the I/O Shield...................................................................................... 12

Securing the Motherboard into the Chassis.......................................................13

Connecting Cables and Setting Switches.............................................................. 13

Power Connections............................................................................................ 14

24-pin ATX Power (PWR1)............................................................................ 15

8-pin ATX 12V Power (PWR2)....................................................................... 16

Connecting IDE Hard Disk Drives...................................................................... 16

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

Connecting Serial ATA Cables .......................................................................... 18

Connecting Internal Headers ............................................................................. 19

Front Panel Header........................................................................................19

IEEE 1394a.................................................................................................... 20

USB Headers ................................................................................................. 21

Audio.................................................................................................................. 22

Fan Connections................................................................................................ 23

COM1................................................................................................................. 24

FDD Connector ..................................................................................................25

Expansion Slots ................................................................................................. 25

PCI Slots ........................................................................................................ 25

PCI Express x1 Slot.......................................................................................26

PCI Express x16 Slots ................................................................................... 26

Jumper Settings.....................................................................................................27

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Clear CMOS Jumper: CLR_CMOS.................................................................... 27

Configuring the BIOS..................................................................................................29

Enter BIOS Setup................................................................................................... 30

Main Menu.............................................................................................................. 30

Standard CMOS Features Menu ........................................................................... 33

Date and Time.................................................................................................... 34

IDE Channel and SATA Channel.......................................................................34

Drive A................................................................................................................ 37

Halt On............................................................................................................... 37

Memory .............................................................................................................. 38

Advanced BIOS Features ...................................................................................... 39

Removable Device Priority.................................................................................40

nForce 780i SLI Motherboard

Hard Disk Boot Priority.......................................................................................40

Network Boot Priority ......................................................................................... 40

CPU Internal Cache...........................................................................................40

Quick Power On Self Test..................................................................................41

First/Second/Third Boot Device.........................................................................41

Boot Other Device..............................................................................................41

Boot Up NumLock Status...................................................................................42

Security Option................................................................................................... 43

APIC Mode......................................................................................................... 43

MPS Version Control For OS............................................................................. 43

Full Screen LOGO Show.................................................................................... 43

Advanced Chipset Features...................................................................................44

System Clocks ................................................................................................... 45

Frequency Settings........................................................................................46

HT Multiplier................................................................................................... 47

Spread Spectrum...........................................................................................47

FSB & Memory Config ....................................................................................... 48

CPU Configuration.............................................................................................53

System Voltages................................................................................................55

NVMEM Memory Test........................................................................................57

Load Timing/Voltage Set.................................................................................... 57

Save Timing/Voltage Set.................................................................................... 58

System BIOS Cacheable ................................................................................... 58

HPET Function...................................................................................................58

Integrated Peripherals Menu.................................................................................. 59

IDE Function Setup............................................................................................ 60

RAID Config .......................................................................................................61

USB Config......................................................................................................... 61

MAC Config........................................................................................................ 62

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

IEEE1394 controller...........................................................................................62

HD Audio............................................................................................................ 62

IDE HDD Block Mode......................................................................................... 62

Onboard FDC Controller.................................................................................... 62

Onboard Serial Port 1 ........................................................................................ 63

Power Management Setup Menu .......................................................................... 63

ACPI Function.................................................................................................... 64

ACPI Suspend Type........................................................................................... 64

Soft-Off by PBNT ............................................................................................... 64

WOL(PME#) From Soft-Off................................................................................ 64

Power On by Alarm............................................................................................ 64

POWER ON Function ........................................................................................ 65

PnP/PCI Configuration Menu................................................................................. 66

Init Display First.................................................................................................. 67

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Reset Configuration Data...................................................................................67

Resources Controlled By ................................................................................... 67

IRQ Resources................................................................................................... 68

PCI/VGA Palette Snoop..................................................................................... 68

Maximum Payload Size...................................................................................... 68

System Monitor Menu............................................................................................69

Dynamic Fan Control ......................................................................................... 70

Installing Drivers and Software ..................................................................................72

Driver Installation ................................................................................................... 73

Using the NVIDIA Software........................................................................................74

NVIDIA Performance Group of NVIDIA Control Panel .......................................... 75

Device Settings ..................................................................................................76

nForce 780i SLI Motherboard

Current Hardware Settings............................................................................. 77

Dynamic BIOS Access....................................................................................... 84

View System Information ................................................................................... 85

Profile Policies.................................................................................................... 86

Manage Your System BIOS............................................................................... 87

NVIDIA System Monitor.........................................................................................88

Appendix A. POST Codes for Tritium Platform...........................................................94

Appendix B. Configuring an SLI Configuration ........................................................ 104

SLI Connector......................................................................................................104

ForceWare Driver.................................................................................................105

Enabling 3-Way SLI ......................................................................................... 107

Verifying 3-way SLI is Active................................................................................109

Index......................................................................................................................... 110

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

List of Figures

Figure 1. EVGA nForce 780i SLI Motherboard Layout.......................................... 7

Figure 2. Chassis Backpanel Connectors ............................................................. 7

Figure 3. Power Supply Connectors....................................................................14

Figure 4. PWR1 Motherboard Connector............................................................ 15

Figure 5. BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main Menu..................................................31

Figure 6. Standard CMOS Features Menu.......................................................... 33

Figure 7. Advanced BIOS Features Menu........................................................... 39

Figure 8. Advanced Chipset Features................................................................. 44

Figure 9. System Clocks Menu............................................................................ 45

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Figure 10. FSB & Memory Config Menu................................................................ 48

Figure 11. CPU Configuration Menu ..................................................................... 53

Figure 12. System Voltages Menu ........................................................................ 55

Figure 13. Integrated Peripherals Menu................................................................ 59

Figure 14. Power Management Setup Menu......................................................... 63

Figure 15. PnP/PCI Configuration Menu...............................................................66

Figure 16. System Monitor Menu .......................................................................... 69

Figure 31. 3-way NVIDIA SLI connector (600-10732-0000-000) .......................105

Figure 18. Windows Vista Device Manager.........................................................106

Figure 19. NVIDIA Control Panel, Set SLI Configuration....................................107

Figure 20. SLI Visual Indicators Operating in 3DMark2006................................108

viii

Parts NOT in the Kit

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

 Intel microprocessor:

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

 Cooling fan for the microprocessor  System memory support:

Supports dual channel DDR2 533/667/800, and up to 1200 MHz SLI-Ready Memory. Supports up to 8 GBs DDR2 memory.

 Graphics Card

This motherboard supports 3-way SLI with three x16 PCI Express slots.

 Power Supply

The power supply requirement is dependent upon the power and the number of the GPUs you install. If you are going to SLI two graphics cards, you are going to require more power. As a rule, for one GPU you need a minimum of a 350 W power supply. If you have two GPUs in an SLI configuration, you will need a minimum of a 500 W power supply. If you have three GPUs in an SLI configuration, you will need a minimum of a 1000 W power supply. To calculate the power you are going to require for your specific configuration, go to www.slizone.com

nForce 780i SLI Motherboard

Before You Begin…

These instructions tell you how to install each of the parts listed so you can have a functioning motherboard. As you go through the installation instructions, we are assuming you have purchased the necessary parts.

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

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, you will need to reinstall an operating system even though the current drives have an operating system.

EVGA

EVGA nForce 780i

Thank you for buying the EVGA NFORCE 780i SLI Motherboard. This motherboard offers the tools and performance PC users’ demand. When combined with two or three SLI-Ready 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

¾ Supports hot plug ¾ Ten USB 2.0 ports (six rear panel ports, four onboard USB headers) ¾ Supports wake-up from S1 and S3 mode ¾ Supports USB 2.0 protocol up to 480 Mbps transmission rate

Motherboard

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

 Onboard Serial ATA II

¾ 300MBps data transfer rate ¾ Six Serial ATA II connectors ¾ NVIDIA MediaShield RAID with support for RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID

0+1, RAID 5, and JBOD

¾ Supports hot plug and NCQ (Native Command Queuing )

 Onboard LAN

¾ Dual LAN interface built-in onboard ¾ Supports 10/100/1000 Mbit/sec Ethernet

 Onboard 1394

¾ Support hot plug ¾ Two 1394a ports (one rear panel port, one onboard header) with rate of

transmission at 400 Mbps

 Onboard Audio

¾ Azalia High-Definition audio ¾ Supports 8-channel audio ¾ Supports S/PDIF output ¾ Supports Jack-Sensing function

 Triple PCI Express x16 Support

¾ 2 x16 PCI Express 2.0 ¾ 1 x16 PCI Express 1.0 ¾ Supports 4 GB/sec (8 GB/sec concurrent) bandwidth ¾ Low power consumption and power management features

 Green Function

¾ Supports ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) ¾ Supports S0 (normal), S1 (power on suspend), S3 (suspend to RAM), S4

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

 Expansion Slots

¾ Two PCI slots ¾ One PCI Express x1 slot ¾ Three PCI Express x16 Graphics slots

EVGA

nForce 780i SLI Motherboard

Unpacking

The EVGA nForce 780i SLI 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.

Unpacking and

Parts Descriptions

Equipment

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

EVGA nForce 780i SLI 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.

nForce 780i SLI Motherboard

2-Port SATA Power Cable (Qty Three)

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

Comm2 Bracket Cable

IDE-ATA 133 HDD Cable

EVGA nForce 780i SLI Motherboard

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

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

510 8

516

22 25

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1. CPU Socket 11. USB headers 21. SPDIF connector

2. NVIDIA SPP with Active fan 12. Motherboard battery 22. PCI slots

3. CPU fan connector 13. Fan connector 23. PCI Express x16 slots (SLI)

4. DDR DIMM Slots 0 - 3 14. Serial connector 24. 1394a connector

5. 24-pin ATX Power Connector 15. Front panel connector 25. PCI Express x1 slot

6. IDE Connector 16. Jumper 26. Backpanel connectors (Figure 2)

7. Serial-ATA (SATA) connectors 17. Power button 27. Heat dissipater

8. FDD connector 18. Reset Button 28. 8-pin ATX_12V power connector

9. NVIDIA MCP (passive heat sink) 19. Azalia HD Audio Header 29 MCP/SPP fan connector

nForce 780i SLI Motherboard

10. Serial-ATA (SATA) connectors 20. FP Audio connector

Figure 1. EVGA nForce 780i SLI Motherboard Layout

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

Figure 2. Chassis Backpanel Connectors

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

EVGA

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

 Preparing the motherboard

¾ Installing the CPU ¾ Installing the CPU fan ¾ Installing the memory

 Installing the motherboard  Connecting cables and setting switches

Safety Instructions

Hardware Installation

To reduce the risk of fire, electric shock, and injury, always follows 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.

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

Preparing the Motherboard

The motherboard shipped in the box does not contain a CPU or memory. You need to purchase these to complete this installation.

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.

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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

Align notches with

notches on the CPU

Hardware Installation

Note: 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 instruction that came with you fan assembly. Be sure that the fan orientation is correct for your chassis type and your fan assembly.

Installing 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 7 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 slots 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.

DIMM Slot 0

DIMM Slot 2

DIMM Slot 1 DIMM Slot 3

Card-edge

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

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 into the DIMM slot. The plastic clips at both sides of the DIMM slot automatically lock the DIMM into the connector.

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. Determine if it would be easier to make all the connections prior to this step or to secure the motherboard and then make all the connections. It is normally easier to secure the motherboard first.

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

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Note: 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.

Hardware Installation

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 nine (9) 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.

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

¾ 24-pin ATX power ( ¾ 8-pin ATX 12V power (

 Internal Headers

¾ Front panel ¾ IEEE 1394a ¾ USB Headers ¾ Audio ¾ Speaker ¾ COM

 FDD

PWR1)

PWR2)

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

 IDE  Serial ATA II  Chassis Fans  Rear panel USB 2.0 Adapter  Expansion slots  CMOS jumper settings

See Figure 1 on page 7 to locate the connectors and jumpers referenced in the following procedure.

Power Connections

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

 Minimum 1000 W peak power  Six PCI-E power connectors configured in either of the following

configurations (see Figure 3):

¾ Four 6-pin (3x2) and two 8-pin (4x2) PCI-E power connectors

¾ Six 6-pin (3x2) PCI-E power connectors

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

Figure 3. Power Supply Connectors

Hardware Installation

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

www.slizone.com.

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.

PWR1 connector Plug power cable from system power supply to PWR1

Board edge

Figure 4. PWR1 Motherboard Connector Table 1. PWR1 Pin Assignments

Connector Pin Signal Pin Signal

24 13

12 1

1 +3.3V 13 +3.3V 2 +3.3V 14 -12V 3 GND 15 GND 4 +5V 16 PS_ON 5 GND 17 GND 6 +5V 18 GND 7 GND 19 GND 8 PWROK 20 RSVD 9 +5V_AUX 21 +5V 10 +12V 22 +5V 11 +12V 23 +5V 12 +3.3V 24 GND

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

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.

Backpanel connector

12V

8 4

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.

GND

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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 documentation for the jumper settings.

Hardware Installation

Note: 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.

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

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 1 (bottom) SATA 2 (top)

Connect the locking cable end to the motherboard connector. Connect the end without the lock to the drive.

SATA 3 SATA 4 SATA 6

SATA 5

GND GND GND TX+ RX+ TX- TX-

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Hardware Installation

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.

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

connectors to the corresponding pins.

PWRSW

PWRLED

910

RESET

HD_LED

No ConnectBlank

 PWRSW

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 disks.

 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.

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

Table 2. Front Panel Header Pins

Pin Signal In/Out Description

1 HD_PWR Out Hard disk LED pull-up to +5V HD_LED 3 HDA# Out Hard disk active LED

2 HDR_BLNK_GRN Out Front panel green light PWRLED 4 HDR_BLNK_YEL Out Front panel yellow light

5 GND Ground RESET 7 FP_RESET# In Reset switch

6 SWITCH_ON# In Power switch PWRSW 8 GND Ground

No Connect 9 No Connect Empty 10 Empty

IEEE 1394a

The IEEE 1394 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.

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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 1394 connectors on the

motherboard.

Table 3. IEEE 1394a Connector Pins

Connector Pin Signal

IEEE 1394a Connector

8 6 4 2

9 7 5 3 1

1 TPA+ 2 TPA3 GND 4 GND 5 TPB+ 6 TPB7 +12V 8 +12V 9 Empty

Hardware Installation

10 GND

USB Headers

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

Connector Pin Signal

USB 2.0 Header Connector

10 8 6 4 2

9 7 5 3 1

1 5V_DUAL 3 D5 D+ 7 GND 9 Empty

Pin Signal

2 5V_DUAL 4 D6 D+ 8 GND 10 No Connect

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

Audio

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

Table 5. Front Audio Connector

Connector Pin Signal

Front Audio Connector

1 3 5 7 9

2 4 6 8 10

1 PORT1_L 2 AUD_GND 3 PORT1_R 4 PRECENCE_J 5 PORT2_R 6 SENSE1_RETURN 7 SENSE_SEND 8 Empty 9 PORT2_L 10 SENSE2_RETURN

EVGA

Hardware Installation

Fan Connections

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

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

PC Health Status section of the CMOS Setup. The

Fan Connector

3 2

GND

+12V

SENSE

nForce 780i SLI SPP/MCP fan connector. Install the fan over the nForce 780i SLI SPP to

draw heat from the MCP. The fans plug into a 3pin connector.

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

There are four more fan connectors on the motherboard. For this installation, these will not be used.

uxiliary fan connector

uxiliary fan

connector

Fan Connector

3 2

GND

+12V

SENSE

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COM1

uxiliary fan

connector

System fan connector

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.

Hardware Installation

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 motherboard contains six expansion slots, four PCI Express slots and two PCI slots. For a full list of PCI Express x16 graphics card supported by this motherboard, go to

www.nvidia.com/estore.

1 – PCI slots 2 – PCIe x16 slots

(3-Way SLI) 3 – PCIe x1 slot

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.

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

PCI Express x1 Slot

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

To configure for SLI, follow the instructions that come with the SLI kit (the kit is purchased separately from the motherboard).

EVGA

Hardware Installation

Jumper Settings

The motherboard contains a 3-pin BIOS configuration jumper that enables all board configurations to be done in the BIOS Setup program.

The silk screen on the motherboard shows a ∆ next to pin 1.

Clear CMOS Jumper: CLR_CMOS

The motherboard uses the CMOS RAM to store all the set parameters. The CMOS can be cleared by removing the CMOS jumper.

Use the following procedure to clear CMOS:

1. Turn off the AC power supply and connect pins 1 and 2 together using the

jumper cap.

2. Return the jumper setting to normal (pins 2 and 3 together with the jumper

cap).

3. Turn the AC power supply back on.

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

EVGA

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  System Monitor

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

Enter BIOS Setup

The BIOS is the communication bridge between hardware and software. Correctly setting the BIOS parameters is critical to maintain 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.

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

Changing some settings could damage your computer.

EVGA

Main Menu

The main menu allows you to select from the list of setup functions and two exit choices. Use the options or press keys to position the selector in the option you choose. To go back to the previous menu, press

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

Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the

Enter to display the associated submenu. Use the  arrow

Esc.

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

red box is highlighted for selection.

Configuring the BIOS

Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

` Standard CMOS Features

` Advanced BIOS Features ` Advanced Chipset Features ` Integrated Peripherals ` Power Management Setup ` PnP/PCI Configurations

Esc : Quit F10 : Save & Exit Setup

Time, Date, Hard Disk Type..,

SLI-Ready memory - Disabled

` System Monitor Load Defaults Set Password Save & Exit Setup Exit Without Saving

 : Select Item

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 optimize system performance and configure clocks, voltages, memory timings, and more.

 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.

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

 System Monitor

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

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

 Load Defaults

Load default system settings.

 Set 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.

EVGA

Configuring the BIOS

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 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

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

Page Up

Esc.

Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

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

` IDE Channel (.) Master [None] ` IDE Channel (.) Slave [None] ` SATA Channel 1 Master [None] ` SATA Channel 2 Master [None] ` SATA Channel 3 Master [None] ` SATA Channel 4 Master [None] ` SATA Channel 5 Master [None] ` SATA Channel 6 Master [None]

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

Base Memory 640K

Extended Memory 1047552K Total Memory 1048576K



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

5: Previous Values F7:Defaults

Standard CMOS Features

Item Help

Main Level `

Change the day, month, year and century

Figure 6. Standard CMOS Features Menu

Note: 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.

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

Date and Time

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

Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through dates and times. Note that

the 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

IDE Channel and SATA Channel

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

Press ENTER to display

SATA Channel sub-

Enter to display the IDE/SATA sub-menu.

Press ENTER to display

IDE Channel sub-menu

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]

EVGA

Configuring the BIOS

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

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

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 display a window that tells you the min and max values.

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]

The BIOS supports the following HDD Access Modes:

¾ CHS

For HDD less than 528 MB.

¾ LBA

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

¾ Large

For HDD greater than 528 MB but not supporting LBA.

Enter to

Press ENTER to display sub-

Cylinder

Min= 0 Max=65535

Key in a DEC number :



:Move ENTER:Accept ESC:Abort

EVGA

Configuring the BIOS

[

]

Drive A

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

Drive A [1.44, 3.5 in.] Halt On

 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 through the options or press the sub-menu. Use the  arrow keys to position the selector in the option you choose. Press changes and return to the Standard CMOS Features menu.

¾ Auto

Recommended mode.

All, But Keyboard

Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll

Enter to display

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

Enter to accept the

Halt On

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

during power on. Use the options or press to position the selector in the option you choose. Press changes and return to the Standard CMOS Features menu.

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

 All Errors

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

Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the

Enter to display the Halt On sub-menu. Use the  arrow keys

Enter to accept the

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

]

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

 No Errors

System boot does not stop for any detected errors.

 All, But Keyboard

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

 All, But Diskette

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

 All, But Disk/Key

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.

Base Memory 640K

Extended Memory 1047552K

EVGA

Configuring the BIOS

Advanced BIOS Features

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

Note: The options that have associated sub-menus are designated by a `, which

precedes the option. Press Enter to display the sub-menus.

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

Esc.

Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

` 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]



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

5: Previous Values F7:Defaults

Advanced BIOS Features

Item Help

Main Level `

Select Removable Boot Device Priority

Figure 7. Advanced BIOS Features Menu

Note: 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.

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

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 or down in the list. To go back to the previous menu, press

+ or – keys to move the device priority up

Esc.

1. Floppy Disks

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 down in the list. To go back to the previous menu, press

1. Ch0. : ST3802110A

2. Bootable Ad

n Cards

Network Boot Priority

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 priority up or down in the list. To go back to the previous menu, press

1. Network 0 : <description of network>

2. Network 1 : <description of network

+ or – keys to move the device priority up or

Esc.

Use the + and – keys to move

riority of the device within

the

+ or – keys to move the device

Esc.

EVGA

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

Configuring the BIOS

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 test while booting, which reduces the time needed to boot the system. Use the keys to toggle between

Enable and Disable.

First/Second/Third Boot Device

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

Enter to display the sub-menu. Use the  arrow keys to position the selector

in the option you choose.

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

First Boot Device

Removable ..... [

Hard Disk ..... [ ]

CDROM ..... [ ]

Network ..... [ ]

Disabled ..... [ ]



:Move ENTER:Accept ESC:Abort

]

Page Up and Page Down

Boot Other Device

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

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

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

NumLock key.

the

EVGA

Configuring the BIOS

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.

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 scroll through the options.

Page Up and Page Down keys to

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 between

Enable and Disable

Page Up and Page Down keys to toggle

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

Advanced Chipset Features

Select Advanced Chipset Features from the CMOS Setup Utility menu and

Enter to display the functions of the Advanced Chipset Functions menu.

press

Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

Advanced Chipset Features

` System Clocks [Press Enter] ` FSB & Memory Config [Press Enter] ` CPU Configuration [Press Enter] ` System Voltages [Press Enter]

NVMEM memory test [Disable]

Load timing/voltage set [Press Enter] Save timing/voltage set [Press Enter] System BIOS Cacheable [Disabled]

HPET Function [Enable]

NVIDIA GPY Ex [Enable]



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

5: Previous Values F7:Defaults

Figure 8. Advanced Chipset Features

Item Help

Main Level `

Voltage control

EVGA

Configuring the BIOS

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.

hoenix –AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

Parameters Settings Current Valce **Frequency Settings** CPU Freq, MHz 2933.3 2933.3 FSB Reference Clock, MHz 1066.7 1066.7

CPU Multiplier [11 X] 11X

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(SPP) [Auto] PCIe Spread Spectrum(MCP) Disabled SATA Spread Spectrum Disabled



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

5: Previous Values F7:Defaults

System Clocks

Figure 9. System Clocks Menu

Item Help

Main Level `

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

Note: 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.

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

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 SLI-Ready 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 The options are from 6 X through 60 X.

 PCIe x16_1, MHz

Use the options for the PCI Express Bus, Slot 1 (the black slot closest to the CPU). Note that as you go higher in value, disabled and cannot be changed from this status.

 PCIe x16_3, MHz

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

 PCIe x16_2, MHz

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

 SPP<

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

Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the frequency

—

>MCP Ref Clock, MHz

Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the frequency

Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the options.

PCIe Spread Spectrum(SPP) is

EVGA

Configuring the BIOS

HT Multiplier

 nForce SPP

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

[1 x] through [5 x].

 nForce MCP <

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

[1 x] through [5 x].

— —

> nForce MCP

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

— —

nForce SPP

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

Spread Spectrum

 CPU Spread Spectrum

Use the options for the CPU. Option values are

[Center Spread].

 HT Spread Spectrum

Disabled

 PCIe Spread Spectrum (SPP)

Use the options for the SPP PCIe. Option values are

[Center Spread]. This option reverts to Disabled and cannot be changed

when the value for PCIe x16_1 exceeds 100MHz.

 PCIe Spread Spectrum(MCP)

Disabled

 SATA Spread Spectrum

Disabled

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

[Disabled], [UP Spread], and

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

[Disabled], [UP Spread], and

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

FSB & Memory Config

Select FSB & Memory Config from the Advanced Chipset Features menu and

Enter to display the FSB & Memory Config menu. This menu provides

press the means to set SLI-Ready memory, FSB memory, and memory timing.

Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

FSB & Memory Config

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]



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

5: Previous Values F7:Defaults

Figure 10. FSB & Memory Config Menu

 SLI-Ready Memory

Use the Memory options. The options are:

¾ Disabled ¾ CPUOC 0% ¾ CPUOC 1%

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

Item Help

Main Level ``

“CPUOC MAX” realizes 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

tability

EVGA

Configuring the BIOS

¾ CPUOC 2% ¾ CPUOC 3% ¾ CPUOC 4% ¾ CPUOC 5% ¾ CPUOC MAX

When you select one of the

Clock Mode Ready Memory

 FSB and Memory Clock Mode

Use the

is set to Unlinked and cannot be changed until SLI-

is set to Disable.

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

CPUOC x% options, the FSB - Memory

Memory Clock Mode options. The options are:

¾ Auto

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

¾ 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.

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

¾ 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 – 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

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

 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 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 frequency that takes effect when the system reboots.

 Memory Timing Setting

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

Press set optimal timings or to manually enter timings.

Actual FSB (QDR) reflects the actual

Actual MEM (DDR) reflects the actual

Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

Memory Timing Setting

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



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

5: Previous Values F7:Defaults

¾ Optimal

Use the

Page Up and Page Down keys to select Optimal. Optimal

Item Help

Main Level ``

Select [Expert] to enter timings manually

EVGA

Configuring the BIOS

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

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

¾ 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.

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



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).

EVGA

Configuring the BIOS

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

3.9uS).

CPU Configuration

Select CPU Configuration from the Advanced Chipset Features menu and

Enter to display the CPU Configuration menu.

press

Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

CPU Configuration

Limit CPUID MaxVal [Disabled] x Intel SpeedStep Disabled

CPU Thermal Control [Disabled]

C1E Enhanced Halt State [Enabled]

Execute Disable Bit [Enabled] Virtualization Technology [Enabled]

CPU Core 0 Enabled CPU Core 1 [Enabled]

x CPU Core 2 Disabled x CPU Core 3 Disabled



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

5: Previous Values F7:Defaults

Item Help

Main Level ``

Set linit CPUID MaxVal to 3, should be “Disabled” for WinXP

Figure 11. 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.

 CPU Thermal Control

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

¾ Disable

Disable support for TM1 and TM2.

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

¾ TM1 Only

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

¾ TM2 Only

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

¾ 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

This function allows you to enable or disable CPU Core.

EVGA

Configuring the BIOS

System Voltages

Select System Voltages from the Advanced Chipset Features menu and press

Enter to display the System Voltages menu.

Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

System Voltages

Parameters Settings Current Value 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



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

5: Previous Values F7:Defaults

Item Help

Main Level ``

Voltage level for CPU Core (CPU VID)

Figure 12. System Voltages Menu

 CPU Core

Use the

[Auto] to automatically set the voltage level for the CPU Core.

 CPU FSB

Use the

[Auto] to automatically set the voltage level for the CPU FSB.

 Memory

This function defines the voltage level for the DRAM. Use the

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

voltage.

 nForce SPP

This function defines the core voltage level for the NVIDIA nForce SPP

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

Page Up and

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

chip. Use the Page Up and Page Down keys to select a voltage (1.20V, 1.30V,

1.40V, 1.50V) or select

 nForce MCP

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

[Auto]to automatically set the voltage.

 HT nForce SPP <-> MCP

Page Up and Page Down keys to select a voltage or select

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

[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 select

[Auto]to automatically set the voltage.

 GTLVREF Lane 0

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

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

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

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

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

set the voltage.

[Auto]to automatically set the voltage.

Page Up and Page Down keys to select a voltage or select

Page Up and Page Down keys to select a voltage or

Page

EVGA

Configuring the BIOS

NVMEM Memory Test

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

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

Save timing/voltage set function.

There are four profile options that can be loaded. The default setting is for all settings. Press

Enter to see the options.

Load timing/voltage set

Press Enter to Exit ..... [ ]

Select Profile 1 ..... [ ]

Select Profile 2 ..... [ ]

Select Profile 3 ..... [ ]



:Move ENTER:Accept ESC:Abort

Auto

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

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. The default setting is

Save timing/voltage set

Press Enter to Exit ..... [ ]

Select Profile 1 ..... [ ]

Select Profile 2 ..... [ ]

Select Profile 3 ..... [ ]



:Move ENTER:Accept ESC:Abort

Auto for all settings. Press Enter to see the options.

System BIOS Cacheable

EVGA

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 and other time-sensitive application. When HPET is timer is used.

Enabled, HPET is used as the timing hardware for multimedia

Disabled, the APIC

Configuring the BIOS

Integrated Peripherals Menu

Select Integrated Peripherals from the CMOS Setup Utility menu and

Enter to display the Integrated Peripherals menu.

press

Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

` 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]



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

ntegrated Peripherals

Figure 13. Integrated Peripherals Menu

Item Help

Main Level `

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

IDE Function Setup

Press Enter to display the IDE Function Setup menu.

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]

 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 through

 Primary Master/Slave UDMA

When primary Master and Slave UDMA or set it to

 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+1], [Enable All], and [Disabled].

 IDE Prefetch Mode

Use this function to enable or disable the

Mode 4.

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

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]

Auto, or Mode 1

[Auto].

[SATA-0],

IDE Prefetch mode.

EVGA

Configuring the BIOS

RAID Config

Press Enter to display the RAID Config menu.

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 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

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

When various SATA functions.

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

USB Config

Press Enter to display the USB Config menu.

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

 OnChip USB

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

[Disabled], the keyboard and mouse

Enabled and cannot be changed. Versions that

OnChip USB [Disabled]

x USB Keyboard Support Enabled x USB Mouse Support Enabled

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

[

]

MAC Config

Press Enter to display the MAC Config menu.

MAC0 LAN [Enabled] MAC1 LAN

 MACx LAN

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

IEEE1394 controller

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

HD Audio

isabled

Auto or

EVGA

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 the optimal number of block read/writes per sector the drive can support.

[Disabled] if your drive does not support block mode.

Select

Onboard FDC Controller

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

[Enabled] to automatically detect

Configuring the BIOS

Onboard Serial Port 1

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

[3E8/IRQ4], [Auto], and [Disabled].

Power Management Setup Menu

Select Power Management Setup from the CMOS Setup Utility menu and

Enter to display the Power Management Setup menu.

press

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

Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

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



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

ower Management Setup

Main Level `

Figure 14. Power Management Setup Menu

Item Help

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

ACPI Function

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

ACPI Suspend Type

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

[S3(STR)].

Soft-Off by PBNT

This function on the Power Management Setup menu allows you to set SoftOff by PBNT to

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

WOL(PME#) From Soft-Off

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

EVGA

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

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 on by alarm. When set to month and the time of the alarm.

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

To enter a day or time, use the numbers or enter the number using the keyboard number or the

from soft-off.

[Disable] to prevent power-

[Enable], you can manually put in the day of the

Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through

+ and – keys.

Configuring the BIOS

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

When enabled so that you must enter a password.

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

x Hot Ke

 Hot Key Power On

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

POWER ON Function [Hot key]

x KB Power ON Password Enter

Hot Key Power On [Ctrl-F1]

 Mouse Left  Mouse Right  Any Key

Power On Ctrl

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

Ctrl+F1 though Ctrl+F12

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

PnP/PCI Configuration Menu

Select PnP/PCI Configuration from the CMOS Setup Utility menu and press

Enter to display the PnP/PCI Configuration menu.

Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

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]



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

nP/PCI Configuration

Figure 15. PnP/PCI Configuration Menu

Item Help

Main Level `

EVGA

Configuring the BIOS

Q Resources

[Press

]

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. 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 these fields. If you select

Resources

[Auto(ESCD)] if you want the BIOS to automatically populate

[Manual] so you can assign the resources, IRQ

is enabled for input.

Resources Controlled By [Auto(ESCD)]

x IRQ Resources Press Enter

Resources Controlled By [Manual)] IR

Enter

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

IRQ Resources

To enable this field for input, set Resources Controlled By to

[Manual]. With this field enabled, press Enter to see options.

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]

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

EVGA

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

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 sizes.

+ and – keys to go up and down the list of

Configuring the BIOS

System Monitor Menu

Select System Monitor from the CMOS Setup Utility menu and press Enter to display the System Monitor menu.

Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

` Dynamic Fan Control [Press Enter]

CPU 47ºC/ 117ºF CPU Core 1.28V

CPU FSB 1.19V Memory 1.81V +3.3V 3.16V +3.3V Dual 3/16V +12V 11.92V +5V 4.99V +Vbat 3.00V

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



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

ystem Monitor

Figure 16. System Monitor Menu

Item Help

Main Level `

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

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

Dynamic Fan Control

Press Enter to display the Dynamic Fan Control menu.

CPU Fan Speed Control [SmartFan] If temp > 70ºC, Set Fan Speed 100% If temp < 30ºC, Set Fan Speed 0%

x Manual Fan Speed, % 100

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

EVGA

Use this menu to control the speed of the various fans on the motherboard. Set CPU fan speed to

[SmartFan] when you want the speed of the fans

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, nForce, and Chassis fans from 0% to 100%. The system defaults to 100%.

Configuring the BIOS

Installing Drivers and

Software

Note: It is important to remember that before installing the driver CD that is shipped

in the kit, you need to load your operating system. The motherboard supports Windows XP 32bit and 64bit and is Vista-capable.

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

Configuring the BIOS

Driver Installation

3. Insert the EVGA nForce 780i SLI 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.

Using the

NVIDIA Software

Built upon the foundation of NVIDIA’s core motherboard and GPU technologies, NVIDIA System Monitor and Performance Server software utilities bring consolidated reporting and control to the desktop in seamless fashion. Traditionally, users have been forced to endure a sequence of trial and error attempts within the BIOS in order to customize the operation and performance of the system to their needs. As settings are attempted, the user must start and restart Windows several times. Fortunately, NVIDIA’s new System Monitor and Performance Group utilities bring the same rich functionality found in the BIOS to the user’s desktop. From a single convenient interface, the user can adjust settings to minimize noise, optimize performance, and maximize system stability. In addition, a wealth of system information is readily available in a lush 3D presentation which is customizable to suit the user.

Using NVIDIA Software

NVIDIA Performance Group of NVIDIA Control Panel

You can start the NVIDIA Performance Group several ways:

 Double-click the NVIDIA Performance Group icon on the desktop  Right-click on the desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel  From the Windows Control Panel, double-click the NVIDIA Control Panel

NVIDIA Performance Server menus are located under the

Performance group

in the left column.

Note All changes made within NVIDIA Performance Group are dynamically

applied, and will only remain active for the current Windows session. You can save these settings as a profile by using the Profile menu item.

CAUTION: Increasing the voltage or the clock speed of a component may void its

warranty due to exceeding recommended specifications. NVIDIA and the board manufacturer are not responsible for damage that may occur when component tolerances are exceeded.

Historically, NVIDIA’s Control Panel has contained a wealth of settings and adjustments for NVIDIA GPU’s. In similar fashion, the new NVIDIA Performance Group applies the same depth of control to the rest of the components within a system. Without ever leaving Windows or entering the BIOS, users can optimize and adjust nearly every system component.

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

Device Settings

Device Settings has two tabs, Current Hardware Settings and Hardware

Profiles

CPU, Motherboard, Memory, and GPU.

. Under the Current Hardware Settings tab there are settings for the

EVGA

Using NVIDIA Software

Current Hardware Settings

CPU

This option deals with CPU parameters and information. Here, the user has the ability to dynamically change FSB speeds, CPU Voltages, and CPU fan speeds. At all times, real-time values for CPU frequency and appropriate CPU multiplier are reported.

CAUTION: Increasing the voltage or the clock speed of a component may void its

warranty due to exceeding recommended specifications. NVIDIA and the board manufacturer are not responsible for damage that may occur when component tolerances are exceeded.

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

Motherboard

Motherboard option showcases a wide variety of motherboard and system-wide

The options and settings. The controls located in the Adjust Motherboard Timings screen allow the bus speeds to be adjusted manually to increase performance for gaming, or lower performance to conserve power and create a quieter user environment. The number to the right of the slider is the new bus speed that will be applied. Adjustments can be made by using the mouse to drag the slider. All changes will take effect immediately after selecting Apply; however, these setting will only remain active for the current Windows session. This will allow a user to safely return to Windows in the event of a crash, without any possibility of boot issues since the changes are not made directly to the BIOS settings.

Note: All changes on Adjust Motherboard Settings are dynamically made when you

apply them, and only remain active for the current Windows session. You can save these settings as a profile for use later by using the Profile menu item. If a setting does not allow a change, it probably requires a reboot and should be changed in the BIOS or from the Dynamic BIOS Access page (if available).

EVGA

Using NVIDIA Software

Memory

Memory is one of the most critical components in terms of determining overall system stability and overclocking success, a wealth of information and options for memory modules is available. Both timings and voltage are dynamically adjustable, with real-time values for memory frequency, FSB frequency, and more being viewable to help dictate which settings are most appropriate.

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

EVGA

 Row Address Strobe

Adjusts the minimum RAS active time. This is the amount of time between a row being activated by Precharge and deactivated. A row cannot be deactivated until tRAS has completed. The lower this value, the faster the performance. However, if it is set too low it can cause data corruption by deactivating the row to soon. Adjustable from 1 to 63.

 Write Recovery Time

Memory timing that determines the delay between a write command and a Precharge command is set to the same bank of memory. Adjustable from 1 to

15.

 W to R Termination Turnaround

The Write-to-Read time is the number of clock cycles between the last write

Using NVIDIA Software

data pair and the subsequent READ command to the same physical block. Adjustable from 1 to 15.

 RAS to CAS access

The RAS-to-CAS access (tRCD) is the amount of time in cycles for issuing an active command and the read/write commands. Adjustable from 1 to 15.

 RAS to RAS Delay

The RAS-to-RAS delay (tRRD) is the is the amount of cycles it takes to activate the next bank of memory (this is the opposite of tRAS). The lower the timing the better the system performance. However, this scenario can cause instability. Adjustable from 1 to 15.

 Refresh Rate

This value is filled in by the system and can not be changed by the user.

 Memory bank switch

The row Precharge time (tRP) is the minimum time between active commands and the read/writes of the next bank on the memory module. Adjustable from 1 to 15.

 R to W Turnaround

The Read-to-Write turnaround (tRWT) is a the amount of cycles for the command to be executed when a Write command is received. Adjustable from 1 to 15.

 R to R Timing

the Read-to-Read time (tRDRD) is the number of clock cycles between the last read and the subsequent READ command to the same physical bank. Adjustable from 1 to 15.

 Row Cycle Time

The Row Cycle Time is the minimum time in cycles it take a row to complete a full cycle. This can be determined by tRC=tRAS+tRP. If this value is set too short, it can cause corruption of data. If this value is set too high, it causes a loss in performance but an increase in stability. Adjustable from 1 to 63 cycles

 W to R Command Delay

The Write-to-Read (tWRD) command delay is the amount of cycles required between a valid write command and the next read command. A lower cycle time results in better performance but is can instability. Adjustable from 0 to 6 cycles.

 W to W Timing

The Write-to-Write (tWRWR) timing is the number of clock cycles between

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

the last write and the subsequent Write command to the same physical bank. Adjustable from 2 to 15 cycles.

 CAS Latency

The CAS Latency (tCL) is the time (in number of clock cycles) that elapses after the memory controller sends a request to read a memory location and before the data is sent to the module's output pins. The value shown cannot be changed.

 Clock Drive Strength

This value is filled in by the system and can not be changed by the user.

 Command Per Clock

The Command Per Clock (tCPC) sets the Command Rate for the memory controller. The value shown cannot be changed

 Async Latency

This value is filled in by the system and can not be changed by the user.

EVGA

Using NVIDIA Software

GPU

The graphics processing unit (GPU) located on your video card(s) can be adjusted using frequencies of your GPU and GPU memory, and you can set the GPU fan speed. Increasing the clock speeds will increase your GPU performance but may necessitate improved cooling to maintain the same level of reliability.

Device Setting interface. You can override the shipped clock

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

Dynamic BIOS Access

The Dynamic BIOS Access page allows you to change your system BIOS settings. The changes do not go into effect until after you reboot your system. Since these changes are made to actual BIOS settings in the CMOS, the settings remain active until you change them again or restore the CMOS to the default settings.

Click the edit. The BIOS page chosen determines which items on the page are available for changing. To edit an item, select the corresponding list arrow and then select one of the values from the list. When finished making your changes, click the

Available BIOS Pages list arrow and select the BIOS page that you want to

OK or Apply.

EVGA

Using NVIDIA Software

Note This feature is available only with BIOS support from the motherboard

manufacturer. Available screen and features will vary between different makes and models of motherboards.

View System Information

The View System Information menu is a high-level view where all the critical values of the system are consolidated and presented within a single view. At a glance, the user can clearly see the current status of their components and receives a clear depiction of overall system performance.

Within the View System

Information

user can also double-click values for both memory modules and processors to receive even more-detailed

section, the

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

information regarding those components.

Profile Policies

Easily one of the most powerful aspects of NVIDIA Performance Server is the ability to create custom profiles and rules. Essentially, NVIDIA Performance Server allows the user to offer a custom set of settings and alerts which can be tailored from a global setting all the way to something as granular as a particular game. In short, you can effortlessly customize your system to run as silent as possible when performing less-demanding tasks such as browsing the web. When loading a game however, system settings adjust to extract the highest possible performance from every system component and ensure you have the ultimate gaming experience with your current hardware.

EVGA

Using NVIDIA Software

Manage Your System BIOS

Thanks to the power and flexibility of NVIDIA’s Performance Server software, users can even backup or update their system BIOS from within Windows. In addition to displaying a complete collection of information regarding the current BIOS version being used, the user also has the option of saving a backup version of the BIOS being used. This is especially useful when updating the current BIOS because you have a known good BIOS to revert to should the other version have issues with system stability or performance.

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard

NVIDIA System Monitor

You can open the NVIDIA System Monitor several ways:

 Double-click the NVIDIA System Monitor icon on the desktop  Click Start, then click All Programs¼NVIDIA Corporation¼NVIDIA

System Monitor

The NVIDIA System Monitor is a unique 3D presentation of core component values. For every supported device, a wide range of information ranging from temperature, frequency, and voltage are reported. Given the fact that the NVIDIA System Monitor is based around an OpenGL foundation, there is nearly zero performance overhead associated with running the utility.

Users can effortlessly navigate through NVIDIA System Monitor by selecting a particular component in order to view that hardware’s appropriate information. The selected component comes to the foreground and all supported information is presented. Should the user prefer an overhead view of the components in the system, they can utilize the mouse-wheel to control the angle of the display.

EVGA

Using NVIDIA Software

In this example, we can see that the motherboard is selected. As a result, a wide array of related settings and status information is displayed in real-time. In addition to fan speeds and temperatures, we also find critical voltage values for core components. By moving the slider on the bottom of the screen, the user also can control the translucency of the screen allowing them to view the desktop if desired.

EVGA 780i - nForce SLI 775 A1 Motherboard, 132-CK-NF78-A1, nForce 780i SLI User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual