Gigabyte GA-A55M-DS2 User Manual
GA-A55M-DS2
User's Manual
Rev. 3002
12ME-A55MDS2-3002R
Motherboard
GA-A55M-DS2
Motherboard
GA-A55M-DS2
Sept. 21, 2012
Sept. 21 2012
Copyright
© 2012 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 specications and features in this manual may be made by GIGABYTE without 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.
In order to assist in the use of this product, carefully read the User's Manual.
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
GA-A55M-DS2 Motherboard Layout ...............................................................................4
GA-A55M-DS2 Motherboard Block Diagram ...................................................................5
Chapter 1 Hardware Installation .....................................................................................6
1-1 Installation Precautions .................................................................................... 6
1-2 Product Specications ...................................................................................... 7
1-3 Installing the APU ............................................................................................. 9
1-4 Installing the Memory ....................................................................................... 9
1-5 Installing an Expansion Card ......................................................................... 10
1-6 Back Panel Connectors .................................................................................. 10
1-7 Internal Connectors ........................................................................................ 11
Chapter 2 BIOS Setup ..................................................................................................16
2-1 Startup Screen ............................................................................................... 16
2-2 M.I.T. .............................................................................................................. 17
2-3 System ........................................................................................................... 20
2-4 BIOS Features ............................................................................................... 21
2-5 Peripherals ..................................................................................................... 23
2-6 Power Management ....................................................................................... 25
2-7 Save & Exit ..................................................................................................... 26
Chapter 3 Drivers Installation ........................................................................................27
Chapter 4 Appendix ......................................................................................................27
Conguring SATA Hard Drive(s) ................................................................................ 27
Regulatory Statements .............................................................................................. 29
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GA-A55M-DS2 Motherboard Layout
KB_MS
VGA
DVI
R_USB
USB_LAN
AUDIO
F_AUDIO
ATX_12V
Realtek
GbE LAN
PCIEX16
iTE
CODEC
Super I/O
SPDIF_O
PCIEX1
PCI
SYS_FAN
BAT
GA-A55M-DS2
COM
F_USB2
Socket FM1
M_BIOS
B_BIOS
F_USB1
CPU_FAN
CLR_CMOS
F_PANEL
DDR3_2
AMD A55
SATA 2
DDR3_1
SATA 2
0 1
ATX
3 2
Box Contents
5 GA-A55M-DS2 motherboard
5 Motherboard driver disk 5 Two SATA cables
5 User's Manual 5 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.
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GA-A55M-DS2 Motherboard Block Diagram
1 PCI Express x16
APU CLK+/- (100 MHz)
DISP CLK+/- (100 MHz)
PCIe CLK
(100 MHz)
PCI Express Bus
PCI Bus
1 PCI Express x1
x16
x1
x1
Realtek
GbE LAN
RJ45
LAN
AMD APU
UMI
AMD A55
CODEC
DDR3 2400(O.C.)/1866/1600/1333/1066 MHz
Dual Channel Memory
DVI-D
D-Sub
8 USB 2.0/1.1
Dual BIOS
4 SATA 3Gb/s
LPC
Bus
iTE
Super I/O
COM
PS/2 KB/Mouse
1 PCI
PCI CLK
(33 MHz)
MIC (Center/Subwoofer Speaker Out)
For detailed product information/limitation(s), refer to "1-2 Product Specications."
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S/PDIF Out
Line In (Rear Speaker Out)
Line Out (Front Speaker Out)
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, make sure the chassis is suitable for the motherboard.
• 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
components such as a motherboard, APU 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 supply
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 hardware
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 system
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 certied computer technician.
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1-2 ProductSpecications
APU FM1 Socket:
- AMD A series processors/AMD E2 series processors
- AMD Athlon™ II series processors/AMD Sempron™ series processors
(Go to GIGABYTE's website for the latest APU support list.)
Chipset AMD A55
Memory 2 x 1.5V DDR3 DIMM sockets supporting up to 64 GB of system memory
* Due to a Windows 32-bit operating system limitation, when more than 4 GB of physical
* The maximum 64 GB of system memory can be supported using 16 GB (or above)
memory is installed, the actual memory size displayed will be less than the size of
the physical memory installed.
memory modules. GIGABYTE will update the memory support list on the ofcial
website when the memory modules are available on the market.
Dual channel memory architecture
Support for DDR3 2400(O.C.)/1866/1600/1333/1066 MHz memory modules
Support for Extreme Memory Prole (XMP) memory modules
(Go to GIGABYTE's website for the latest supported memory speeds and memory
modules.)
Onboard
Graphics
APU:
* To use the onboard graphics ports, you must install an AMD APU with integrated
graphics.
- 1 x D-Sub port
- 1 x DVI-D port, supporting a maximum resolution of 1920x1200
* The DVI-D port does not support D-Sub connection by adapter.
Audio Realtek ALC887 codec
High Denition Audio
2/4/5.1/7.1-channel
* To congure 7.1-channel audio, you have to use an HD front panel audio module
and enable the multi-channel audio feature through the audio driver.
Support for S/PDIF Out
LAN Realtek GbE LAN chip (10/100/1000 Mbit)
Expansion Slots 1 x PCI Express x16 slot, running at x16
1 x PCI Express x1 slot
(All PCI Express slots conform to PCI Express 2.0 standard.)
1 x PCI slot
Multi-Graphics
Technology
Support for AMD Dual Graphics technology
* Only A series APUs support AMD Dual Graphics.
Storage Interface Chipset:
- 4 x SATA 3Gb/s connectors supporting up to 4 SATA 3Gb/s devices
- Support for RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 10, and JBOD
USB Chipset:
- Up to 8 USB 2.0/1.1 ports (4 ports on the back panel, 4 ports available through
the internal USB headers)
Internal
Connectors
1 x 24-pin ATX main power connector
1 x 4-pin ATX 12V power connector
4 x SATA 3Gb/s connectors
1 x APU fan header
1 x system fan header
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Internal
Connectors
1 x front panel header
1 x front panel audio header
1 x S/PDIF Out header
2 x USB 2.0/1.1 headers
1 x serial port header
1 x Clear CMOS jumper
Back Panel
Connectors
1 x PS/2 keyboard port
1 x PS/2 mouse port
1 x D-Sub port
1 x DVI-D port
4 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports
1 x RJ-45 port
3 x audio jacks (Line In/Line Out/Microphone)
I/O Controller iTE I/O Controller Chip
Hardware
Monitor
System voltage detection
APU/System temperature detection
APU/System fan speed detection
APU overheating warning
APU/System fan fail warning
APU/System fan speed control
* Whether the APU/system fan speed control function is supported will depend on the
APU/system cooler you install.
BIOS 2 x 32 Mbit ash
Use of licensed AMI EFI BIOS
Support for DualBIOS
™
PnP 1.0a, DMI 2.0, SM BIOS 2.6, ACPI 2.0a
Unique Features Support for @BIOS
Support for Q-Flash
Support for Xpress Install
Support for EasyTune
* Available functions in EasyTune may differ by motherboard model.
Support for Smart Recovery 2
Support for Auto Green
Support for ON/OFF Charge
Support for 3TB+ Unlock
Support for Q-Share
Bundled
Software
Operating
System
Norton Internet Security (OEM version)
Support for Microsoft® Windows 8/7/Vista/XP
Form Factor Micro ATX Form Factor; 22.5cm x 17.4cm
* GIGABYTE reserves the right to make any changes to the product specications and product-related information without
prior notice.
* Please visit the Support & Downloads\Utility page on GIGABYTE's website to check the supported operating system(s)
for the software listed in the "Unique Features" and "Bundled Software" columns.
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1-3 Installing the APU
Read the following guidelines before you begin to install the APU:
• Make sure that the motherboard supports the APU.
(Go to GIGABYTE's website for the latest APU support list.)
• Always turn off the computer and unplug the power cord from the power outlet before installing the
APU to prevent hardware damage.
• Locate the pin one of the APU. The APU cannot be inserted if oriented incorrectly.
• Apply an even and thin layer of thermal grease on the surface of the APU.
• Do not turn on the computer if the APU cooler is not installed, otherwise overheating and damage
of the APU may occur.
• Set the APU host frequency in accordance with the APU specications. It is not recommended
that the system bus frequency be set beyond hardware specications since it does not meet the
standard requirements for the peripherals. If you wish to set the frequency beyond the standard
specications, please do so according to your hardware specications including the APU, graphics
card, memory, hard drive, etc.
Installing the APU
Locate the pin one (denoted by a small triangle) of the APU socket and the APU.
A Small Triangle Marking Denotes Pin
One of the Socket
FM1 Socket
A Small Triangle Marking
Denotes APU Pin One
APU
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 memory modules.)
• 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.
DualChannelMemoryConguration
This motherboard provides two DDR3 memory sockets and supports Dual Channel Technology. After the memory
is installed, the BIOS will automatically detect the specications and capacity of the memory. Enabling Dual
Channel memory mode will double the original memory bandwidth.
The two DDR3 memory sockets are divided into two channels and each channel has one memory socket as
following:
Channel A: DDR3_2
Channel B: DDR3_1
Due to APU 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 memory modules, it is recommended that memory of
the same capacity, brand, speed, and chips be used for optimum performance.
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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.
1-6 Back Panel Connectors
PS/2 Keyboard and PS/2 Mouse Port
Use the upper port (green) to connect a PS/2 mouse and the lower port (purple) to connect a PS/2 keyboard.
D-Sub Port
The D-Sub port supports a 15-pin D-Sub connector. Connect a monitor that supports D-Sub connection
to this port.
DVI-D Port
The DVI-D port conforms to the DVI-D specication and supports a maximum resolution of 1920x1200
(the actual resolutions supported depend on the monitor being used). Connect a monitor that supports
DVI-D connection to this port.
USB 2.0/1.1 Port
The USB port supports the USB 2.0/1.1 specication. 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
describes the states of the LAN port LEDs.
Connection/
Speed LED
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 conguration.
Mic In Jack (Pink)
The default Mic in jack. Microphones must be connected to this jack.
LAN Port
(Note)
Activity LED
State Description
Orange 1 Gbps data rate
Green 100 Mbps data rate
Off 10 Mbps data rate
Activity LED:Connection/Speed LED:
State Description
Blinking Data transmission or receiving is occurring
Off No data transmission or receiving is occurring
To congure 7.1-channel audio, you have to use an HD front panel audio module and enable the
multi-channel audio feature through the audio driver.
(Note) The DVI-D port does not support D-Sub connection by adapter.
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