Gigabyte GA-890FXA-UD5 User Manual

GA-890FXA-UD5

AM3 socket motherboard for
AMD Phenom™ II processor/ AMD Athlon™ II processor

User's Manual

Rev. 2101

12ME-890FXA5-2101R

Jun. 28, 2010

GA-890FXA-UD5

Motherboard

Jun. 28, 2010

Motherboard

GA-890FXA-UD5

Copyright

© 2010 GIGA-BYTE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD. All rights reserved.

The trademarks mentioned in this manual are legally registered to their respective owners.

Disclaimer

Information in this manual is protected by copyright laws and is the property of GIGABYTE.

Changes to the specications and features in this manual may be made by GIGABYTE with-

out prior notice. No part of this manual may be reproduced, copied, translated, transmitted, or

published in any form or by any means without GIGABYTE's prior written permission.

Documentation Classications

In order to assist in the use of this product, GIGABYTE provides the following types of documentations:

 For quick set-up of the product, read the Quick Installation Guide included with the product.
 For detailed product information, carefully read the User's Manual.
 For instructions on how to use GIGABYTE's unique features, read or download the information
on/from the Support&Downloads\Motherboard\Technology Guide page on our website.

For product-related information, check on our website at:

http://www.gigabyte.com

Identifying Your Motherboard Revision

The revision number on your motherboard looks like this: "REV: X.X." For example, "REV: 1.0"

means the revision of the motherboard is 1.0. Check your motherboard revision before updating

motherboard BIOS, drivers, or when looking for technical information.

Example:

Table of Contents

Box Contents ...................................................................................................................6

Optional Items .................................................................................................................6

GA-890FXA-UD5 Motherboard Layout ............................................................................7

GA-890FXA-UD5 Motherboard Block Diagram ...............................................................8

Chapter 1 Hardware Installation .....................................................................................9

1-1 Installation Precautions .................................................................................... 9

1-2 Product Specications .................................................................................... 10

1-3 Installing the CPU and CPU Cooler ............................................................... 13

1-3-1 Installing the CPU ...................................................................................................13

1-3-2 Installing the CPU Cooler .......................................................................................15

1-4 Installing the Memory ..................................................................................... 16

1-4-1 Dual Channel Memory Conguration .....................................................................16

1-4-2 Installing a Memory ...............................................................................................17

1-5 Installing an Expansion Card ......................................................................... 18

1-6 Setting up ATI CrossFireX™ Conguration .....................................................19

1-7 Back Panel Connectors .................................................................................. 20

1-8 Internal Connectors ........................................................................................ 22

Chapter 2 BIOS Setup ..................................................................................................35

2-1 Startup Screen ............................................................................................... 36

2-2 The Main Menu .............................................................................................. 37

2-3 MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.) ........................................................................ 39

2-4 Standard CMOS Features .............................................................................. 45

2-5 Advanced BIOS Features .............................................................................. 47

2-6 Integrated Peripherals .................................................................................... 49

2-7 Power Management Setup ............................................................................. 53

2-8 PC Health Status ............................................................................................ 55

2-9 Load Fail-Safe Defaults .................................................................................. 57

2-10 Load Optimized Defaults ................................................................................ 57

2-11 Set Supervisor/User Password ...................................................................... 58

2-12 Save & Exit Setup .......................................................................................... 59

2-13 Exit Without Saving ........................................................................................ 59

- 4 -

Chapter 3 Drivers Installation ........................................................................................61

3-1 Installing Chipset Drivers ............................................................................... 61

3-2 Application Software ...................................................................................... 62

3-3 Technical Manuals .......................................................................................... 62

3-4 Contact ........................................................................................................... 63

3-5 System ........................................................................................................... 63

3-6 Download Center ........................................................................................... 64

3-7 New Utilities ................................................................................................... 64

Chapter 4 Unique Features ...........................................................................................65

4-1 Xpress Recovery2 .......................................................................................... 65

4-2 BIOS Update Utilities ..................................................................................... 68

4-2-1 Updating the BIOS with the Q-Flash Utility .............................................................68

4-2-2 Updating the BIOS with the @BIOS Utility .............................................................71

4-3 EasyTune 6 .................................................................................................... 72

4-4 Easy Energy Saver ........................................................................................ 73

4-5 Q-Share .......................................................................................................... 75

4-6 SMART Recovery........................................................................................... 76

4-7 Auto Green ..................................................................................................... 77

4-8 Teaming

..............................................................................................78

Chapter 5 Appendix ......................................................................................................79

5-1 Conguring SATA Hard Drive(s) ..................................................................... 79

5-1-1 Conguring AMD SB850 SATA Controller .............................................................79

5-1-2 Conguring GIGABYTE SATA2/JMicron JMB362 SATA Controller ........................85

5-1-3 Making a SATA RAID/AHCI Driver Diskette ............................................................91

5-1-4 Installing the SATA RAID/AHCI Driver and Operating System ...............................93

5-2 Conguring Audio Input and Output ............................................................. 102

5-2-1 Conguring 2/4/5.1/7.1-Channel Audio .................................................................102

5-2-2 Conguring S/PDIF In/Out ....................................................................................104

5-2-3 Enabling the Dolby Home Theater Function ........................................................106

5-2-4 Conguring Microphone Recording ......................................................................107

5-2-5 Using the Sound Recorder ...................................................................................109

5-3 Troubleshooting............................................................................................ 110

5-3-1 Frequently Asked Questions ................................................................................11 0

5-3-2 Troubleshooting Procedure ..................................................................................111

5-4 Regulatory Statements ................................................................................. 113

- 5 -

Box Contents

GA-890FXA-UD5 motherboard

Motherboard driver disk

User's Manual

Quick Installation Guide

One IDE cable

Four SATA cables

I/O Shield

• The box contents above are for reference only and the actual items shall depend on the product package you obtain.

The box contents are subject to change without notice.

• The motherboard image is for reference only.

Optional Items

Floppy disk drive cable (Part No. 12CF1-1FD001-7*R)

2-port USB 2.0 bracket (Part No. 12CR1-1UB030-5*R)

2-port IEEE 1394a bracket (Part No. 12CF1-1IE008-0*R)

2-port SATA power cable (Part No. 12CF1-2SERPW-0*R)

S/PDIF In cable (Part No. 12CR1-1SPDIN-0*R)

COM port cable (Part No. 12CF1-1CM001-3*R)

LPT port cable (Part No. 12CF1-1LP001-0*R)

- 6 -

GA-890FXA-UD5 Motherboard Layout

KB_MS_USB

USB_1394_ESATA2

USB_1394_ESATA1

ATX_12V

RCA_SPDIF

USB_LAN2

USB30_LAN1

AUDIO

F_AUDIO

RTL8111D

RTL8111D

CODEC

SPDIF_I

CD_IN

SPDIF_O

IT8720

JMicron JMB362

NEC

D720200F1

PCIEX1_1

PCIEX1_2

PCIEX16_2

PCIEX4

PCIEX8

PCI

CPU_FAN

NB_FAN

GA-890FXA-UD5

Socket AM3

AMD 890FX

PCIEX16_1

TSB43AB23

DDR3_1

AMD SB850

M_BIOS

DDR3_2

DDR3_3

BAT

GIGABYTE
SATA2

DDR3_4

B_BIOS

PW_SW

RST_SW

IDE

ATX

FDD

CMOS_SW

SYS_FAN1

PWR_FAN

GSATA2_6
GSATA2_7

SATA3_4
SATA3_5

SATA3_2
SATA3_3

SATA3_0
SATA3_1

COM

LPT

SYS_FAN2

- 7 -

F_1394

F_USB3

F_USB2

F_USB1

CLR_CMOS

F_PANEL

GA-890FXA-UD5 Motherboard Block Diagram

PCIe CLK

(100 MHz)

PCI Express Bus

PCIe CLK

(100 MHz)

1 PCI Express x4

PCI Express Bus

PCIe CLK

(100 MHz)

PCI Bus

1 PCI Express x162 PCI Express x8

or

x8 x16

Switch

x4

Realtek

RTL8111D

RJ45

LAN1

x1

2 PCI Express x1

TSB43AB23

1 PCI Express x16

x16

x1

x1

Realtek

RTL8111D

RJ45

LAN2

x1

AM3 CPU

Hyper Transport 3.0

AMD 890FX

AMD SB850

CODEC

CPU CLK+/- (200 MHz)

DDR3 1866 (O.C.)/1333/1066 MHz

SATA 3Gb/s

PCI Express Bus

2 USB 3.0/2.0

x1

LPC

Bus

Dual Channel Memory

JMicron
JMB362

D720200F1

GIGABYTE

SATA2

14 USB 2.0/1.1

Dual BIOS

6 SATA 6Gb/s

IT8720

PCIe CLK

(100 MHz)

x1

x1

NEC

2 SATA 3Gb/s

ATA-133/100/66/33
IDE Channel

(Note)

Floppy

LPT Port

COM Port

3 IEEE 1394a

1 PCI

PCI CLK

Surround Speaker Out

(33 MHz)

(Note) Two share the same ports with eSATA.

MIC

Line In

Line Out

S/PDIF In

S/PDIF Out

Side Speaker Out

Center/Subwoofer Speaker Out

- 8 -

PS/2 KB/Mouse

Chapter 1 Hardware Installation

1-1 Installation Precautions

The motherboard contains numerous delicate electronic circuits and components which can

become damaged as a result of electrostatic discharge (ESD). Prior to installation, carefully read

the user's manual and follow these procedures:

• Prior to installation, do not remove or break motherboard S/N (Serial Number) sticker or

warranty sticker provided by your dealer. These stickers are required for warranty validation.

• Always remove the AC power by unplugging the power cord from the power outlet before

installing or removing the motherboard or other hardware components.

• When connecting hardware components to the internal connectors on the motherboard,

make sure they are connected tightly and securely.

• When handling the motherboard, avoid touching any metal leads or connectors.

• It is best to wear an electrostatic discharge (ESD) wrist strap when handling electronic com-

ponents such as a motherboard, CPU or memory. If you do not have an ESD wrist strap,

keep your hands dry and rst touch a metal object to eliminate static electricity.

• Prior to installing the motherboard, please have it on top of an antistatic pad or within an

electrostatic shielding container.

• Before unplugging the power supply cable from the motherboard, make sure the power sup-

ply has been turned off.

• Before turning on the power, make sure the power supply voltage has been set according to

the local voltage standard.

• Before using the product, please verify that all cables and power connectors of your hard-

ware components are connected.

• To prevent damage to the motherboard, do not allow screws to come in contact with the

motherboard circuit or its components.

• Make sure there are no leftover screws or metal components placed on the motherboard or

within the computer casing.

• Do not place the computer system on an uneven surface

• Do not place the computer system in a high-temperature environment.

• Turning on the computer power during the installation process can lead to damage to sys-

tem components as well as physical harm to the user.

• If you are uncertain about any installation steps or have a problem related to the use of the

product, please consult a certied computer technician.

.

- 9 - Hardware Installation

1-2 Product Specications

CPU  Support for AM3 processors:
AMD Phenom™ II processor/ AMD Athlon™ II processor
(Go to GIGABYTE's website for the latest CPU support list.)

Hyper Transport Bus  5200 MT/s

Chipset



Memory  4 x 1.5V DDR3 DIMM sockets supporting up to 16 GB of system memory
 Dual channel memory architecture
 Support for DDR3 1866 (O.C.)/1333/1066 MHz memory modules

memory modules)

Audio

   

High Denition Audio
2/4/5.1/7.1-channel
 Support for Dolby® Home Theater

    


LAN  2 x Realtek RTL8111D chips (10/100/1000 Mbit)
 Support for Teaming



Expansion Slots  2 x PCI Express x16 slots, running at x16 (PCIEX16_1, PCIEX16_2)

 1 x PCI Express x16 slot, running at x4 (PCIEX4)
 2 x PCI Express x1 slots

 1 x PCI slot

Multi-Graphics 

Technology

Storage Interface  South Bridge:

6Gb/s devices

- Support for SATA RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10, and JBOD
 GIGABYTE SATA2 chip:

- 1 x IDE connector supporting ATA-133/100/66/33 and up to 2 IDE devices

- 2 x SATA 3Gb/s connectors (GSATA2_6, GSATA2_7) supporting up to 2
SATA 3Gb/s devices

- Support for SATA RAID 0, RAID 1, and JBOD


-
porting up to 2 SATA 3Gb/s devices

- Support for SATA RAID 0, RAID 1, and JBOD
 iTE IT8720 chip:

- 1 x oppy disk drive connector supporting up to 1 oppy disk drive

 North Bridge: AMD 890FX



 South Bridge: AMD SB850



(Go to GIGABYTE's website for the latest supported memory speeds and

Realtek ALC889 codec

Support for S/PDIF In/Out

Support for CD In

Support for Smart Dual LAN

1 x PCI Express x16 slot, running at x8 (PCIEX8)



(Note 3)

(All PCI Express slots conform to the PCI Express 2.0)

Support for 2-Way/3-Way ATI CrossFireX™ technology

- 6 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors (SATA3_0~SATA3_5) supporting up to 6 SATA

JMicron JMB362

chip:

2 x eSATA 3Gb/s connectors (eSATA/USB Combo) on the back panel sup-

(Note 1)

(Note 2)

Hardware Installation - 10 -

USB  South Bridge:

- Up to 14 USB 2.0/1.1 ports (8 on the back panel, including 2 eSATA/USB
Combo, 6 via the USB brackets connected to the internal USB headers)
 NEC D720200F1 chip:

- Up to 2 USB 3.0/2.0 ports on the back panel

IEEE 1394  T.I. TSB43AB23 chip:

- Up to 3 IEEE 1394a ports (2 on the back panel, 1 via the IEEE 1394a
bracket connected to the internal IEEE 1394a header)

Internal  1 x 24-pin ATX main power connector

Connectors  1 x 8-pin ATX 12V power connector
 1 x oppy disk drive connector
 1 x IDE connector
 6 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors
 2 x SATA 3Gb/s connectors
 1 x CPU fan header
 2 x system fan headers
 1 x North Bridge fan header
 1 x power fan header
 1 x front panel header
 1 x front panel audio header
 1 x CD In connector
 1 x S/PDIF In header



 3 x USB 2.0/1.1 headers
 1 x IEEE 1394a header
 1 x serial port header
 1 x parallel port header
 1 x clearing CMOS jumper
 1 x clearing CMOS button
 1 x power button
 1 x reset button

Back Panel  1 x PS/2 keyboard/mouse port
Connectors  1 x coaxial S/PDIF Out connector
 1 x optical S/PDIF Out connector
 6 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports
 2 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports
 2 x eSATA/USB Combo connectors
 2 x IEEE 1394a ports
 2 x RJ-45 ports
 6 x audio jacks (Center/Subwoofer Speaker Out/Rear Speaker Out/
Side Speaker Out/Line In/Line Out/Microphone)

I/O Controller  iTE IT8720 chip

1 x S/PDIF Out header

- 11 - Hardware Installation

Hardware Monitor  System voltage detection
 CPU/system temperature detection
 CPU/system/North Bridge fan speed detection
 CPU overheating warning
 CPU/system/North Bridge fan fail warning
 CPU/system fan speed control

BIOS  2 x 8 Mbit ash

(Note 4)

 Use of licensed AWARD BIOS
 Support for DualBIOS

™

 PnP 1.0a, DMI 2.0, SM BIOS 2.4, ACPI 1.0b

Unique Features  Support for @BIOS
 Support for Q-Flash
 Support for Xpress BIOS Rescue
 Support for Download Center
 Support for Xpress Install
 Support for Xpress Recovery2
 Support for EasyTune

(Note 5)

 Support for Easy Energy Saver
 Support for Smart Recovery
 Support for Auto Green
 Support for ON/OFF Charge
 Support for Q-Share

Bundled Software  Norton Internet Security (OEM version)

Operating System  Support for Microsoft® Windows® 7/Vista/XP

Form Factor  ATX Form Factor; 30.5cm x 24.4cm

(Note 1) Due to Windows 32-bit operating system limitation, when more than 4 GB of physical memory is
installed, the actual memory size displayed will be less than 4 GB.
(Note 2) For optimum performance, if only one PCI Express graphics card is to be installed, be sure to install
it in the PCIEX16_1 slot; if you are installing two PCI Express graphics cards, it is recommended
that you install them in the PCIEX16_1 and PCIEX16_2 slots.
(Note 3) The PCIEX8 slot shares bandwidth with the PCIEX16_1 slot. When PCIEX8 is populated with a PCI
Express graphics card, the PCIEX16_1 slot will operate at up to x8 mode.
(Note 4) Whether the CPU/system fan speed control function is supported will depend on the CPU/system

cooler you install.

(Note 5) Available functions in EasyTune may differ by motherboard model.

Hardware Installation - 12 -

1-3 Installing the CPU and CPU Cooler

Read the following guidelines before you begin to install the CPU:

• Make sure that the motherboard supports the CPU.
(Go to GIGABYTE's website for the latest CPU support list.)

• Always turn off the computer and unplug the power cord from the power outlet before installing
the CPU to prevent hardware damage.

• Locate the pin one of the CPU. The CPU cannot be inserted if oriented incorrectly. (Or you may
locate the notches on both sides of the CPU and alignment keys on the CPU socket.)

• Apply an even and thin layer of thermal grease on the surface of the CPU.

• Do not turn on the computer if the CPU cooler is not installed, otherwise overheating and dam-

age of the CPU may occur.

• Set the CPU host frequency in accordance with the CPU specications. It is not recommended
that the system bus frequency be set beyond hardware specications since it does not meet the

standard requirements for the peripherals. If you wish to set the frequency beyond the standard
specications, please do so according to your hardware specications including the CPU, graph­ics card, memory, hard drive, etc.

1-3-1 Installing the CPU

A. Locate the pin one (denoted by a small triangle) of the CPU socket and the CPU.

A Smal l Triangle Mark

Denotes Pin One of the

Socket

AM3 Socket

A Small Triangle Marking

Denotes CPU Pin One

AM3 CPU

- 13 - Hardware Installation

B. Follow the steps below to correctly install the CPU into the motherboard CPU socket.

• Before installing the CPU, make sure to turn off the computer and unplug the power cord from the
power outlet to prevent damage to the CPU.

• Do not force the CPU into the CPU socket. The CPU cannot t in if oriented incorrectly. Adjust the

CPU orientation if this occurs.

Step 1:

CPU Socket
Locking Lever

Completely lift up the CPU socket locking lever.

Step 2:
Align the CPU pin one (small triangle marking) with the triangle mark
on the CPU socket and gently insert the CPU into the socket. Make

sure that the CPU pins t perfectly into their holes. Once the CPU is
positioned into its socket, place one nger down on the middle of the

CPU, lowering the locking lever and latching it into the fully locked
position.

Hardware Installation - 14 -

1-3-2 Installing the CPU Cooler

Follow the steps below to correctly install the CPU cooler on the CPU. (The following procedure uses the
GIGABYTE cooler as the example.)

Step 1:
Apply an even and thin layer of thermal grease
on the surface of the installed CPU.

Step 3:
Hook the CPU cooler clip to the mounting lug
on one side of the retention frame. On the other
side,push straight down on the the CPU cooler
clip to hook it to the mounting lug on the reten­tion frame.

Step 5:
Finally, attach the power connector of the CPU cooler to the CPU
fan header (CPU_FAN) on the motherboard.

Step 2:
Place the CPU cooler on the CPU.

Step 4:
Turn the cam handle from the left side to the
right side (as the picture above shows) to lock
into place. (Refer to your CPU cooler installation
manual for instructions on installing the cooler.)

Use extreme care when removing the CPU cooler because the thermal grease/tape between the
CPU cooler and CPU may adhere to the CPU. Inadequately removing the CPU cooler may damage
the CPU.

- 15 - Hardware Installation

1-4 Installing the Memory

Read the following guidelines before you begin to install the memory:

• Make sure that the motherboard supports the memory. It is recommended that memory of the
same capacity, brand, speed, and chips be used.

(Go to GIGABYTE's website for the latest supported memory speeds and momery moudles.)

• Always turn off the computer and unplug the power cord from the power outlet before installing
the memory to prevent hardware damage.

• Memory modules have a foolproof design. A memory module can be installed in only one direc­tion. If you are unable to insert the memory, switch the direction.

1-4-1 Dual Channel Memory Conguration

This motherboard provides four DDR3 memory sockets and supports Dual Channel Technology. After the
memory is installed, the BIOS will automatically detect the specications and capacity of the memory. En­abling Dual Channel memory mode will double the original memory bandwidth.

The four DDR3 memory sockets are divided into two channels and each channel has two memory sockets as
following:

Channel 0: DDR3_1, DDR3_2
Channel 1: DDR3_3, DDR3_4

DDR3_1

DDR3_2

Dual Channel Memory Congurations Table

Two Modules

Four Modules

(SS=Single-Sided, DS=Double-Sided, "- -"=No Memory)

DDR3_3

DDR3_4

DDR3_1 DDR3_2 DDR3_3 DDR3_4

DS/SS - - DS/SS - -

- - DS/SS - - DS/SS

DS/SS DS/SS DS/SS DS/SS

Due to CPU limitations, read the following guidelines before installing the memory in Dual Channel mode.

1. Dual Channel mode cannot be enabled if only one DDR3 memory module is installed.

2. When enabling Dual Channel mode with two or four memory modules, it is recommended that
memory of the same capacity, brand, speed, and chips be used and installed in the same colored
DDR3 sockets for optimum performance.

Hardware Installation - 16 -

1-4-2 Installing a Memory

Before installing a memory module, make sure to turn off the computer and unplug the power
cord from the power outlet to prevent damage to the memory module.
DDR3 and DDR2 DIMMs are not compatible to each other or DDR DIMMs. Be sure to install
DDR3 DIMMs on this motherboard.

Notch

DDR3 DIMM

A DDR3 memory module has a notch, so it can only t in one direction. Follow the steps below to correctly

install your memory modules in the memory sockets.

Step 1:
Note the orientation of the memory module. Spread the retaining
clips at both ends of the memory socket. Place the memory module
on the socket. As indicated in the picture on the left, place your n­gers on the top edge of the memory, push down on the memory and
insert it vertically into the memory socket.

Step 2:
The clips at both ends of the socket will snap into place when the
memory module is securely inserted.

- 17 - Hardware Installation

1-5 Installing an Expansion Card

Read the following guidelines before you begin to install an expansion card:

• Make sure the motherboard supports the expansion card. Carefully read the manual that came

with your expansion card.

• Always turn off the computer and unplug the power cord from the power outlet before installing

an expansion card to prevent hardware damage.

PCI Express x1 Slot

PCI Express x16 Slot (PCIEX16_1/PCIEX16_2)

PCI Express x16 Slot (PCIEX8/PCIEX4)

PCI Slot

Follow the steps below to correctly install your expansion card in the expansion slot.

1. Locate an expansion slot that supports your card. Remove the metal slot cover from the chassis back panel.

2. Align the card with the slot, and press down on the card until it is fully seated in the slot.

3. Make sure the metal contacts on the card are completely inserted into the slot.

4. Secure the card’s metal bracket to the chassis back panel with a screw.

5. After installing all expansion cards, replace the chassis cover(s).

6. Turn on your computer. If necessary, go to BIOS Setup to make any required BIOS changes for your

expansion card(s).

7. Install the driver provided with the expansion card in your operating system.

Example: Installing and Removing a PCI Express Graphics Card:

• Installing a Graphics Card:
Gently push down on the top edge of the card until

it is fully inserted into the PCI Express slot. Make
sure the card is securely seated in the slot and
does not rock.

• Re mo v in g t h e Ca r d
from the PCIEX16_1/
PCIEX16_2 Slot:

Gently push back on the

lever on the slot and then
lift the card straight out
from the slot.

Hardware Installation - 18 -

• Removing the Card from
the PCIEX8/PCIEX4 Slot:
Press the white latch at
the end of the PCI Ex­press slot to release the
card and then pull the card
straight up from the slot.

1-6 Setting up ATI CrossFireX™ Conguration

A. System Requirements

- The 2-Way CrossFireX technology currently supports Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 operating systems

- The 3-Way CrossFireX technology currently supports Windows Vista and Windows 7 operating systems only

- A CrossFireX-supported motherboard with two/three PCI Express x16 slots and correct driver

- Two/three CrossFireX-ready graphics cards of identical brand and chip and correct driver
(Current ATI GPUs that support 3-Way CrossFireX technology include the Radeon HD 3800 series, Radeon HD 4800

and Radeon HD 5800 series.)

- CrossFire

- A power supply with sufcient power is recommended (refer to the manual of your graphics cards for the power requirement)

B. Connecting the Graphics Cards

Step 1:
Observe the steps in "1-5 Installing an Expansion Card" and install two/three/four CrossFireX-ready graphics cards on the

PCI Express x16 slots. The following table shows the recommended CrossFireX congurations with two/three cards.

(Note)

bridge connector(s)

Recommended 2/3-Way CrossFireX Congurations:

PCIEX16_1 PCIEX16_2 PCIEX4 PCIEX8

a

2-Way

a

3-Way

a

- - - -

a

- -

a

Step 2:
Insert the CrossFire

(Note)

bridge connector(s) in the CrossFireX gold edge connectors on top of the two/three cards.

Step 3:
Plug the display cable into the graphics card on the PCIEX16_1 slot.

C. Conguring the Graphics Card Driver

C-1. To Enable CrossFireX Function

For 2-Way CrossFireX:
After installing the
gra phi cs card drive r in
the operating system, go
to the Catalyst Control

Center. Bro wse t o the
CrossFireX menu and
select the Enable
CrossFireX™ check box.

Click OK to apply.

For 3-Way CrossFireX:
Browse to the CrossFireX
menu, select the Enable
CrossFireX™ check box,
and select the 3 GP Us
combination. Click OK to
apply.

(Note) The bridge connectors may be needed or not depending on your graphics cards.

Procedure and driver screen for enabling CrossFireX technology may differ by graphics cards.
Refer to the manual that came with your graphics cards for more information about enabling Cross­FireX technology.

- 19 - Hardware Installation

1-7 Back Panel Connectors

USB 2.0/1.1 Port

The USB port supports the USB 2.0/1.1 specication. Use this port for USB devices such as a USB key-

board/mouse, USB printer, USB ash drive and etc.

PS/2 Keyboard or PS/2 Mouse Port

Use this port to connect a PS/2 keyboard or mouse.

Optical S/PDIF Out Connector

This connector provides digital audio out to an external audio system that supports digital optical audio.

Before using this feature, ensure that your audio system provides an optical digital audio in connector.

Coaxial S/PDIF Out Connector

This connector provides digital audio out to an external audio system that supports digital coaxial audio.

Before using this feature, ensure that your audio system provides a coaxial digital audio in connector.

IEEE 1394a Port

The IEEE 1394 port supports the IEEE 1394a specication, featuring high speed, high bandwidth and

hotplug capabilities. Use this port for an IEEE 1394a device.

eSATA/USB Combo Connector

This connector supports SATA 3Gb/s and USB 2.0/1.1 specication. Use the port to connect an external

SATA device; or use this port for USB devices such as a USB keyboard/mouse, USB printer, USB ash

drive and etc.

RJ-45 LAN Port

The Gigabit Ethernet LAN port provides Internet connection at up to 1 Gbps data rate. The following de-

scribes the states of the LAN port LEDs.

Connection/
Speed LED

LAN Port

Activity LED

Connection/Speed LED:

State Description

Orange 1 Gbps data rate

Green 100 Mbps data rate

Off 10 Mbps data rate

Activity LED:

State Description

Blinking Data transmission or receiving is occurring

Off No data transmission or receiving is occurring

• When removing the cable connected to a back panel connector, rst remove the cable from your

device and then remove it from the motherboard.

• When removing the cable, pull it straight out from the connector. Do not rock it side to side to
prevent an electrical short inside the cable connector.

Hardware Installation - 20 -

USB 3.0/2.0 Port

The USB 3.0 port supports the USB 3.0 specication and is compatible to the USB 2.0/1.1 specication.

Use this port for USB devices such as a USB keyboard/mouse, USB printer, USB ash drive and etc.

Center/Subwoofer Speaker Out Jack (Orange)

Use this audio jack to connect center/subwoofer speakers in a 5.1/7.1-channel audio conguration.

Rear Speaker Out Jack (Black)

Use this audio jack to connect rear speakers in a 7.1-channel audio conguration.

Side Speaker Out Jack (Gray)

Use this audio jack to connect side speakers in a 4/5.1/7.1-channel audio conguration.

Line In Jack (Blue)

The default line in jack. Use this audio jack for line in devices such as an optical drive, walkman, etc.

Line Out Jack (Green)

The default line out jack. Use this audio jack for a headphone or 2-channel speaker. This jack can be

used to connect front speakers in a 4/5.1/7.1-channel audio conguration.

Mic In Jack (Pink)

The default Mic in jack. Microphones must be connected to this jack.

In addition to the default speakers settings, the ~ audio jacks can be recongured to per-

form different functions via the audio software. Only microphones still MUST be connected to
the default Mic in jack ( ). Refer to the instructions on setting up a 2/4/5.1/7.1-channel audio

conguration in Chapter 5, "Conguring 2/4/5.1/7.1-Channel Audio."

- 21 - Hardware Installation

1-8 Internal Connectors

1

3

231722

2

5

12

6

13

14
15

1) ATX_12V

2) ATX

3) CPU_FAN

4) SYS_FAN1/SYS_FAN2

5) PWR_FAN

6) NB_FAN

7) FDD

8) IDE

9) SATA3_0/1/2/3/4/5

10) GSATA2_6/7

11) F_PANEL

12) F_AUDIO

19 18 16 11

4

13) CD_IN

14) SPDIF_I

15) SPDIF_O

16) F_USB1/F_USB2/F_USB3

17) F_1394

18) LPT

19) COM

20) BAT

21) CLR_CMOS

22) PW_SW

23) RST_SW

24) CMOS_SW

7

8
24

10

9

20

4

21

Read the following guidelines before connecting external devices:

• First make sure your devices are compliant with the connectors you wish to connect.

• Before installing the devices, be sure to turn off the devices and your computer. Unplug the

power cord from the power outlet to prevent damage to the devices.

• After installing the device and before turning on the computer, make sure the device cable has
been securely attached to the connector on the motherboard.

Hardware Installation - 22 -

1/2) ATX_12V/ATX (2x4 12V Power Connector and 2x12 Main Power Connector)

With the use of the power connector, the power supply can supply enough stable power to all the com-

ponents on the motherboard. Before connecting the power connector, rst make sure the power supply

is turned off and all devices are properly installed. The power connector possesses a foolproof design.
Connect the power supply cable to the power connector in the correct orientation. The 12V power con­nector mainly supplies power to the CPU. If the 12V power connector is not connected, the computer will
not start.

To meet expansion requirements, it is recommended that a power supply that can withstand high
power consumption be used (500W or greater). If a power supply is used that does not provide
the required power, the result can lead to an unstable or unbootable system.

ATX_12V:

8

5

4

1

ATX_12V

Pin No. Denition

1 GND (Only for 2x4-pin 12V)

2 GND (Only for 2x4-pin 12V)

3 GND

4 GND

5 +12V (Only for 2x4-pin 12V)

6 +12V (Only for 2x4-pin 12V)

7 +12V

8 +12V

ATX

ATX:

2412

131

Pin No. Denition

1 3.3V

2 3.3V

3 GND

4 +5V

5 GND

6 +5V

7 GND

8 Power Good

9 5VSB (stand by +5V)

10 +12V

11 +12V (Only for 2x12-pin ATX)

12 3.3V (Only for 2x12-pin ATX)

Pin No. Denition

13 3.3V

14 -12V

15 GND

16 PS_ON (soft On/Off)

17 GND

18 GND

19 GND

20 -5V

21 +5V

22 +5V

23 +5V (Only for 2x12-pin ATX)

24 GND (Only for 2x12-pin ATX)

- 23 - Hardware Installation

3/4/5) CPU_FAN/SYS_FAN1/SYS_FAN2/PWR_FAN (Fan Headers)

The motherboard has a 4-pin CPU fan header (CPU_FAN), a 4-pin (SYS_FAN1) and a 3-pin (SYS_

FAN2) system fan headers, and a 3-pin power fan header (PWR_FAN). Most fan headers possess a
foolproof insertion design. When connecting a fan cable, be sure to connect it in the correct orientation
(the black connector wire is the ground wire). The motherboard supports CPU fan speed control, which
requires the use of a CPU fan with fan speed control design. For optimum heat dissipation, it is recom­mended that a system fan be installed inside the chassis.

CPU_FAN:

Pin No. Denition

1 GND

2 +12V / Speed Control

3 Sense

4 Speed Control

SYS_FAN1:

Pin No. Denition

1 GND

2 +12V / Speed Control

3 Sense

4 Reserve

SYS_FAN2/PWR_FAN:

Pin No. Denition

1

1 GND

2 +12V

3 Sense

CPU_FAN

SYS_FAN1

1

SYS_FAN2

1

1

PWR_FAN

6) NB_FAN (North Bridge Fan Header)

Connect the North Bridge fan cable to this header. The fan header has a foolproof insertion design.

When connecting a fan cable, be sure to connect it in the correct orientation. Most fans are designed
with color-coded power connector wires. A red power connector wire indicates a positive connection and
requires a +12V voltage. The black connector wire is the ground wire.

1

Pin No. Denition

1 GND

2 +12V

3 NC

• Be sure to connect fan cables to the fan headers to prevent your CPU, North Bridge and
system from overheating. Overheating may result in damage to the CPU/North Bridge or the
system may hang.

• These fan headers are not conguration jumper blocks. Do not place a jumper cap on the

headers.

Hardware Installation - 24 -

7) FDD (Floppy Disk Drive Connector)

This connector is used to connect a oppy disk drive. The types of oppy disk drives supported are:

360 KB, 720 KB, 1.2 MB, 1.44 MB, and 2.88 MB. Before connecting a oppy disk drive, be sure to locate
pin 1 of the connector and the oppy disk drive cable. The pin 1 of the cable is typically designated by a
stripe of different color. For purchasing the optional oppy disk drive cable, please contact the local dealer.

34

2

33

1

8) IDE (IDE Connector)

The IDE connector supports up to two IDE devices such as hard drives and optical drives. Before attach-

ing the IDE cable, locate the foolproof groove on the connector. If you wish to connect two IDE devices,
remember to set the jumpers and the cabling according to the role of the IDE devices (for example,

master or slave). (For information about conguring master/slave settings for the IDE devices, read the

instructions from the device manufacturers.)

40

39

2

1

- 25 - Hardware Installation

9) SATA3_0/1/2/3/4/5 (SATA 6Gb/s Connectors, Controlled by AMD SB850)

G.QBOFM

G.QBOFM

G.QBOFM

G.QBOFM

The SATA connectors conform to SATA 6Gb/s standard and are compatible with SATA 3Gb/s and SATA

1.5Gb/s standards. Each SATA connector supports a single SATA device. The AMD SB850 controller

supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10, and JBOD. Refer to Chapter 5, "Conguring SATA Hard
Drive(s)," for instructions on conguring a RAID array.

Pin No. Denition

SATA3_0

7

7

SATA3_1

SATA3_2

SATA3_3

SATA3_4

SATA3_5

1 GND

2 TXP

1

3 TXN

1

4 GND

5 RXN

6 RXP

7 GND

10) GSATA2_6/7 (SATA 3Gb/s Connectors, Controlled by GIGABYTE SATA2)

The SATA connectors conform to SATA 3Gb/s standard and are compatible with SATA 1.5Gb/s standard.

Each SATA connector supports a single SATA device. The GIGABYTE SATA2 controller supports RAID 0,

RAID 1, and JBOD. Refer to Chapter 5, "Conguring SATA Hard Drive(s)," for instructions on conguring

a RAID array.

Pin No. Denition

GSATA2_6

7 1

7 1

GSATA2_7

1 GND

2 TXP

3 TXN

4 GND

5 RXN

6 RXP

7 GND

• A RAID 0 or RAID 1 conguration requires at least two hard drives. If more than two hard

drives are to be used, the total number of hard drives must be an even number.

• A RAID 5 conguration requires at least three hard drives. (The total number of hard drives

does not have to be an even number.)

• A RAID 10 conguration requires at least four hard drives and the total number of hard drives

must be an even number.

Hardware Installation - 26 -

Please connect the L-shaped end of
th e SATA cable t o your SATA hard
drive.

11) F_PANEL (Front Panel Header)

Connect the power switch, reset switch, speaker, chassis intrusion switch/sensor and system status

indicator on the chassis to this header according to the pin assignments below. Note the positive and
negative pins before connecting the cables.

Message/Power/

Sleep LED

2
1

Hard Drive

Activity LED

MSG+

HD+

Power
Switch

MSG-

HD-

Reset
Switch

PW+

PW-

RES+

RES-

Speaker

SPEAK+

CI+

PWR+

CI-

Power LED

Chassis Intrusion
Header

SPEAK-

20
19

PWR-

• MSG/PWR (Message/Power/Sleep LED, Yellow/Purple):

System Status LED

S0 On

S1 Blinking

S3/S4/S5 Off

Connects to the power status indicator on the chassis front panel. The LED

is on when the system is operating. The LED keeps blinking when the sys­tem is in S1 sleep state. The LED is off when the system is in S3/S4 sleep
state or powered off (S5).

• PW (Power Switch, Red):

Connects to the power switch on the chassis front panel. You may congure the way to turn off your

system using the power switch (refer to Chapter 2, "BIOS Setup," "Power Management Setup," for
more information).

• SPEAK (Speaker, Orange):
Connects to the speaker on the chassis front panel. The system reports system startup status by is-

suing a beep code. One single short beep will be heard if no problem is detected at system startup. If
a problem is detected, the BIOS may issue beeps in different patterns to indicate the problem. Refer
to Chapter 5, "Troubleshooting," for information about beep codes.

• HD (Hard Drive Activity LED, Blue)
Connects to the hard drive activity LED on the chassis front panel. The LED is on when the hard drive

is reading or writing data.

• RES (Reset Switch, Green):
Connects to the reset switch on the chassis front panel. Press the reset switch to restart the computer

if the computer freezes and fails to perform a normal restart.

• CI (Chassis Intrusion Header, Gray):
Connects to the chassis intrusion switch/sensor on the chassis that can detect if the chassis cover

has been removed. This function requires a chassis with a chassis intrusion switch/sensor.

The front panel design may differ by chassis. A front panel module mainly consists of power
switch, reset switch, power LED, hard drive activity LED, speaker and etc. When connecting your
chassis front panel module to this header, make sure the wire assignments and the pin assign­ments are matched correctly.

- 27 - Hardware Installation

12) F_AUDIO (Front Panel Audio Header)

The front panel audio header supports Intel High Denition audio (HD) and AC'97 audio. You may connect

your chassis front panel audio module to this header. Make sure the wire assignments of the module con­nector match the pin assignments of the motherboard header. Incorrect connection between the module
connector and the motherboard header will make the device unable to work or even damage it.

For HD Front Panel Audio: For AC'97 Front Panel Audio:

Pin No. Denition

910

1 MIC2_L

2

2 GND

1

3 MIC2_R

4 -ACZ_DET

5 LINE2_R

6 GND

7 FAUDIO_JD

8 No Pin

9 LINE2_L

10 GND

• The front panel audio header supports HD audio by default. If your chassis provides an AC'97
front panel audio module, refer to the instructions on how to activate AC'97 functionality via

the audio software in Chapter 5, "Conguring 2/4/5.1/7.1-Channel Audio."

• Audio signals will be present on both of the front and back panel audio connections simultane­ously. If you want to mute the back panel audio (only supported when using an HD front panel

audio module), refer to Chapter 5, "Conguring 2/4/5.1/7.1-Channel Audio."

• Some chassis provide a front panel audio module that has separated connectors on each wire
instead of a single plug. For information about connecting the front panel audio module that
has different wire assignments, please contact the chassis manufacturer.

Pin No. Denition

1 MIC

2 GND

3 MIC Power

4 NC

5 Line Out (R)

6 NC

7 NC

8 No Pin

9 Line Out (L)

10 NC

13) CD_IN (CD In Connector)

You may connect the audio cable that came with your optical drive to the header.

Pin No. Denition

1 CD-L

2 GND

3 GND

1

Hardware Installation - 28 -

4 CD-R

14) SPDIF_I (S/PDIF In Header)

This header supports digital S/PDIF In and can connect to an audio device that supports digital audio out

via an optional S/PDIF In cable. For purchasing the optional S/PDIF In cable, please contact the local
dealer.

Pin No. Denition

1 Power

2 SPDIFI

1

3 GND

15) SPDIF_O (S/PDIF Out Header)

This header supports digital S/PDIF Out and connects a S/PDIF digital audio cable (provided by expan-

sion cards) for digital audio output from your motherboard to certain expansion cards like graphics cards
and sound cards. For example, some graphics cards may require you to use a S/PDIF digital audio cable
for digital audio output from your motherboard to your graphics card if you wish to connect an HDMI
display to the graphics card and have digital audio output from the HDMI display at the same time. For
information about connecting the S/PDIF digital audio cable, carefully read the manual for your expan­sion card.

Pin No. Denition

1 SPDIFO

1

2 GND

- 29 - Hardware Installation

G.QBOFM

16) F_USB1/F_USB2/F_USB3 (USB Headers)

G.QBOFM

The headers conform to USB 2.0/1.1 specication. Each USB header can provide two USB ports via an

optional USB bracket. For purchasing the optional USB bracket, please contact the local dealer.

Pin No. Denition

1 Power (5V)

9

10

1
2

2 Power (5V)

3 USB DX-

4 USB DY-

5 USB DX+

6 USB DY+

7 GND

8 GND

9 No Pin

10 NC

When the system is in S4/S5 mode, only the USB ports routed to the F_USB1 header can sup­port the ON/OFF Charge function.

• Do not plug the IEEE 1394 bracket (2x5-pin) cable into the USB header.

• Prior to installing the USB bracket, be sure to turn off your computer and unplug the power

cord from the power outlet to prevent damage to the USB bracket.

17) F_1394 (IEEE 1394a Header)

The header conforms to IEEE 1394a specication. The IEEE 1394a header can provide one IEEE 1394a

port via an optional IEEE 1394a bracket. For purchasing the optional IEEE 1394a bracket, please con­tact the local dealer.

9

10

• Do not plug the USB bracket cable into the IEEE 1394a header.

• Prior to installing the IEEE 1394a bracket, be sure to turn off your computer and unplug the

power cord from the power outlet to prevent damage to the IEEE 1394a bracket.

• To connect an IEEE 1394a device, attach one end of the device cable to your computer and
then attach the other end of the cable to the IEEE 1394a device. Ensure that the cable is se­curely connected.

Hardware Installation - 30 -

Pin No. Denition

1
2

1 TPA+

2 TPA-

3 GND

4 GND

5 TPB+

6 TPB-

7 Power (12V)

8 Power (12V)

9 No Pin

10 GND