GIGABYTE GA-X79-UD7 User Guide

GA-X79-UD7

User's Manual

Rev. 1001

12M E-X79U D7-1001R

Motherboard

GA-X79-UD7

Oct. 28, 2011

Motherboard

GA-X79-UD7

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 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.

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 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:

- 4 -

Table of Contents

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

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

GA-X79-UD7 Motherboard Layout

..................................................................................7

GA-X79-UD7 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 4 Channel Memory Conguration.........................................................................16

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

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

1-6 Setting up AMD CrossFireX™/NVIDIA SLI Conguration .............................. 19

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

1-8 Onboard Buttons ............................................................................................22

1-9 Internal Connectors ........................................................................................ 24

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

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

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

2-3 M.I.T. .............................................................................................................. 39

2-4 System ........................................................................................................... 52

2-5 BIOS Features ...............................................................................................53

2-6 Peripherals ..................................................................................................... 55

2-7 Power Management .......................................................................................58

2-8 Save & Exit Setup .......................................................................................... 60

- 5 -

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 Q-Share ......................................................................................................... 73

4-5 Smart 6™ ....................................................................................................... 74

4-6 eXtreme Hard Drive (X.H.D) .......................................................................... 78

4-7 Cloud OC ....................................................................................................... 79

4-8 TouchBIOS.....................................................................................................80

Chapter 5 Appendix ......................................................................................................81

5-1 Conguring SATA Hard Drive(s) .................................................................... 81

5-1-1 Conguring Intel X79 SATA Controllers ................................................................81

5-1-2 Conguring Marvell 88SE9172 SATA Controllers .................................................87

5-1-3 Installing the SATA RAID/AHCI Driver and Operating System .............................93

5-2 Conguring Audio Input and Output ............................................................100

5-2-1 Conguring 2/4/5.1/7.1-Channel Audio ............................................................... 100

5-2-2 Conguring S/PDIF Out .......................................................................................102

5-2-3 Enabling the Dolby Home Theater Function .......................................................103

5-2-4 Conguring Microphone Recording .....................................................................104

5-2-5 Using the Sound Recorder ................................................................................. 106

5-3 Troubleshooting ........................................................................................... 107

5-3-1 Frequently Asked Questions ...............................................................................107

5-3-2 Troubleshooting Procedure .................................................................................108

5-4 Debug LED Codes ........................................................................................110

5-5 Regulatory Statements .................................................................................114

- 6 -

Box Contents

GA-X79-UD7 motherboard

Motherboard driver disk

User's Manual

Quick Installation Guide

Four SATA cables

I/O Shield

One 2-Way SLI bridge connector

One 3-Way SLI bridge connector

One 4-Way SLI bridge connector

One 2-Way CrossFireX bridge connector

Seven voltage measurement cables

3.5" Front Panel with 2 USB 3.0/2.0 ports

One GC-WIFI

Optional Items

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

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

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.

- 7 -

GA-X79-UD7 Motherboard Layout

(Note) For debug code information, please refer to Chapter 5.

KB_USB_MS

CPU_FAN

ATX_12V_2X

ATX

F_AUDIO

AUDIO

B_BIOS

PCIEX8_2

DDR3_1

DDR3_3

BAT

Marvell 88SE9172

FAN3

Intel

X79

CLR_CMOS

FAN1

M_BIOS

PCIEX8_1

PCIEX_1

SPDIF_O F_USB2

LGA2011

GA-X79-UD7

PW_SW

R_USB30

R_USB2

USB_LAN

iTE IT8728

CODEC

F_USB1

PCIEX1_2

FAN4 F_USB3TPM

Fresco FL1009

F_PANEL

PCIEX16_1

R_USB1

ATX_12V_2X1

FAN6

FAN5

PCIEX16_2

PCIEX1_3

Fresco FL1009

RATIO_UP

J1 VCORE J2 QPIVTT J3 DDR_15V_A J4 DDR_15V_B J6 VCCSA J7 CPU_PLL J5 DDRVTT

RATIO_DW

FREQ_UP

FREQ_DW

Gear

RST_SW

FAN2

F_USB30

Debug LED

(Note)

ATX4P1

Marvell 88SE9172

ATX4P4

SATA3

1 0

SATA2

GSATA3

7 6

GSATA3

9 8

Intel

GbE LAN

DDR3_4

DDR3_2

2nd System Thermal Sensor

1st System Thermal Sensor

3rd System Thermal Sensor

3 2

SATA2

5 4

- 8 -

GA-X79-UD7 Motherboard Block Diagram

PS/2 KB/Mouse

LGA2011 CPU

DMI 2.0

Intel® X79

IT8728

CPU CLK+/- (100 MHz)

4 SATA 3Gb/s

Dual BIOS

LPC

Bus

DDR3 2133/1866/1600/1333/1066 MHz

PCI Express Bus

PCIe CLK

(100 MHz)

PCIe CLK

(100 MHz)

LAN

RJ45

Intel GbE LAN phy

Marvell

88SE9172

2 SATA 6Gb/s

PCI Express Bus

PCIe CLK

(100 MHz)

Switch

x16

1 PCI Express x16

2 PCI Express x8

2 SATA 6Gb/s

14 USB 2.0/1.1

Center/Subwoofer Speaker Out

Line Out

MIC

Line In

S/PDIF Out

Side Speaker Out

Surround Speaker Out

CODEC

x16 x8

1 PCI

Express x8

1 PCI

Express x16

2 USB 3.0/2.0

Fresco FL1009

2 USB 3.0/2.0

Fresco

FL1009

PCI Express Bus

3 PCI Express x1

x1x1 x1

PCIe CLK

(100 MHz)

2 SATA 6Gb/s

Marvell

88SE9172

4 Channel Memory

- 9 - 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 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 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 certied computer technician.

Chapter 1 Hardware Installation

Hardware Installation - 10 -

1-2 Product Specications

CPU Support for Intel 

Core™ i7 processors in the LGA2011 package (Go to GIGABYTE's website for the latest CPU support list.) L3 cache varies with CPU 

Chipset Intel 

X79 Express Chipset

Memory 4 x 1.5V DDR3 DIMM sockets supporting up to 32 GB of system memory 

* 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.

4 channel memory architecture  Support for DDR3 2133/1866/1600/1333/1066 MHz memory modules  Support for non-ECC memory modules  Support for Extreme Memory Prole (XMP) memory modules 

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

modules.)

Audio Realtek ALC898 codec 

High Denition Audio  2/4/5.1/7.1-channel  Support for Dolby 

Home Theater

Support for S/PDIF Out 

LAN 1 x Intel GbE LAN phy (10/100/1000 Mbit) 

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

* For optimum performance, if only one PCI Express graphics card is to be installed,

be sure to install it in the PCIEX16 slot.

2 x PCI Express x16 slot, running at x8 (PCIEX8_1, PCIEX8_2) 

* The PCIEX8_2 slot shares bandwidth with the PCIEX16_2 slot. When the PCIEX8_2

slot is populated, the PCIEX16_2 slot will operate at up to x8 mode.

(All PCI Express x16 slots conform to PCI Express 3.0 standard.)

3 x PCI Express x1 slots 

(All PCI Express x1 slots conform to PCI Express 2.0 standard.) Multi-Graphics Technology

Support for 4-Way/3-Way/2-Way AMD CrossFireX 

™

/NVIDIA SLI technology

* The PCI EX16 slot s oper ate at up to x8 mode when 4-Way/3-Way AMD

CrossFireX™/NVIDIA SLI is enabled.

Storage Interface Chipset: 

- 2 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors (SATA3 0/1) supporting up to 2 SATA 6Gb/s devices

- 4 x SATA 3Gb/s connectors (SATA2 2/3/4/5) supporting up to 4 SATA 3Gb/s devices

- Support for RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10

* When a RAID set is built across the SATA 6Gb/s and SATA 3Gb/s channels, the

system performance of the RAID set may vary depending on the devices being connected.

2 x Marvell 88SE9172 chips: 

- 4 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors (GSATA3 6/7/8/9) supporting up to 4 SATA 6Gb/s devices

- Support for SATA RAID 0 and RAID 1

- 11 - Hardware Installation

USB Chipset: 

- Up to 14 USB 2.0/1.1 ports (8 ports on the back panel, 6 ports available through the internal USB headers)

2 x Fresco FL1009 chips: 

- Up to 4 USB 3.0/2.0 ports (2 ports on the back panel, 2 ports available through the internal USB header)

Internal Connectors

1 x 24-pin ATX main power connector  2 x 8-pin ATX 12V power connectors  2 x PCIe power connectors  6 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors  4 x SATA 3Gb/s connectors  1 x CPU fan header  6 x system fan headers  1 x front panel header  1 x front panel audio header  1 x S/PDIF Out header  3 x USB 2.0/1.1 headers  1 x USB 3.0/2.0 header  1 x Clear CMOS jumper  1 x power button  1 x reset button  1 x onboard voltage measurement module  1 x Gear button  1 x CPU BCLK Down button  1 x CPU BCLK Up button  1 x CPU Ratio Down button  1 x CPU Ratio Up button 

1 x Trusted Platform Module (TPM) header  Back Panel Connectors

1 x PS/2 keyboard/mouse port 

1 x CPU overclocking button 

1 x BIOS switch button 

1 x Clear CMOS button 

8 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports 

2 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports 

1 x RJ-45 port 

1 x optical S/PDIF Out connector 

5 x audio jacks (Center/Subwoofer Speaker Out, Rear Speaker Out, Side Speaker 

Out, Line In, Mic In, Line Out)

Hardware Installation - 12 -

I/O Controller iTE IT8728 chip 

Hardware Monitor

System voltage detection 

CPU/System temperature detection 

CPU/System fan speed detection 

CPU overheating warning 

CPU/System fan fail warning 

CPU/System fan speed control 

* Whether the CPU/system fan speed control function is supported will depend on the

CPU/system cooler you install.

BIOS 2 x 64 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 BIOS Rescue 

Support for Download Center 

Support for Xpress Install 

Support for Xpress Recovery2 

Support for EasyTune 

* Available functions in EasyTune may differ by motherboard model.

Support for Smart 6 

™

Support for eXtreme Hard Drive (X.H.D) 

Support for ON/OFF Charge 

Support for Cloud OC 

Support for 3TB+ Unlock 

Support for TouchBIOS 

Support for Q-Share  Bundled Software

Norton Internet Security (OEM version)



Operating System

Support for Microsoft



Windows 7/Vista/XP

Form Factor XL-ATX Form Factor; 32.4cm x 25.3cm 

(Go to GIGABYTE's website for the latest chassis support list.)

* GIGABYTE reserves the right to make any changes to the product specications and product-re lated information

without prior notice.

- 13 - Hardware Installation

1-3 Installing the CPU and CPU Cooler

1-3-1 Installing the CPU

A. Locate the alignment keys on the motherboard CPU socket and the notches on the CPU.

Alignment Key

LGA2011 CPU Socket

Pin One Corner of the CPU

Socket

LGA2011 CPU

Triangle Pin One Marking on

the CPU

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 damage • 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.

Alignment Key

Notch

Hardware Installation - 14 -

Step 1: Push the lever closest to the "unlock" marking " " (below referred as lever A) down and away from the socket to release it.

Step 4:

Hold the CPU with your thumb and index ngers. Align

the CPU pin one marking (triangle) with the pin one corner of the CPU socket (or align the CPU notches with the socket alignment keys) and carefully insert the CPU into the socket vertically.

Step 6: Finally, secure lever A under its retention tab to complete the installation of the CPU.

Step 5: Once the CPU is properly inserted, carefully replace the load plate. Then secure lever B under its retention tab. The protective plastic cover may pop off from the load plate during the process of engaging the lever. Remove the cover. Save the cover properly and always replace it when the CPU is not installed.

Step 3: Gently press lever A to allow the load plate to rise. Open the load plate. (Note: DO NOT touch the socket contacts after the load plate is opened.)

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. To protect the socket contacts, do not remove the protective plastic cover unless the CPU is • inserted into the CPU socket. Save the cover properly and replace it if the CPU is removed.

Step 2: Push the lever closest to the "lock" marking " " (below referred as lever B) down and away from the socket. Then lift the lever.

Lever A

Lever B

- 15 - Hardware Installation

1-3-2 Installing the CPU Cooler

Refer to the steps below to correctly install the CPU cooler on the motherboard. (Actual installation process may differ depending the CPU cooler to be used. Refer to the user's manual for your CPU 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.

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

Step 2: Place the cooler atop the CPU, aligning the four mounting screws with the mounting holes on the ILM. (If your cooler has a fan grill which may cause interference when you tighten the screws, remove

it rst and replace it after tightening the screws.)

Step 3: Use one hand to hold the cooler and the other to tighten the screws in a diagonal sequence with a screw driver. Begin tightening a screw with a few turns and repeat with the screw diagonally opposite the one you just tightened. Then do the same to the other pair. Next, fully tighten the four screws.

Step 4: Finally, attach the power connector of the CPU cooler to the CPU fan header (CPU_FAN) on the motherboard.

Hardware Installation - 16 -

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.

1-4-1 4 Channel Memory Conguration

This motherboard provides four DDR3 memory sockets and supports 4 Channel Technology. After the memory

is installed, the BIOS will automatically detect the specications and capacity of the memory. The four DDR3

memory sockets are divided into four channels and each channel has one memory socket as following:

Channel A: DDR3_4  Channel B: DDR3_2  Channel C: DDR3_1  Channel D: DDR3_3 

For optimum performance, when installing one memory module, we recommend that you install it in the DDR3_1 socket. When installing two memory modules, we recommend that you install them in the DDR3_1 and DDR3_2 sockets.

Dual Channel Mode:

•

To enable Dual Channel mode, install two memory modules in any two of the four memory sockets.

3 Channel Mode: •

To enable three Channel mode, install three memory modules in any three of the four memory sockets.

4 Channel Mode: •

To enable four Channel mode, install four memory modules in the four memory sockets.

DDR3_1

DDR3_3

DDR3_4

DDR3_2

- 17 - Hardware Installation

1-4-2 Installing a Memory

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.

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.

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.

Notch

DDR3 DIMM

Hardware Installation - 18 -

1-5 Installing an Expansion Card

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

Locate an expansion slot that supports your card. Remove the metal slot cover from the chassis back 1. panel. Align the card with the slot, and press down on the card until it is fully seated in the slot. 2. Make sure the metal contacts on the card are completely inserted into the slot.3. Secure the card’s metal bracket to the chassis back panel with a screw. 4. After installing all expansion cards, replace the chassis cover(s).5. Turn on your computer. If necessary, go to BIOS Setup to make any required BIOS changes for your 6. expansion card(s). Install the driver provided with the expansion card in your operating system. 7.

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.

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.

Removing the Card: •

Press the latch at the end of the PCI Express slot to release the card and then pull

the card straight up from the slot.

PCI Express x1 Slot

PCI Express x16 Slot

Example: Installing and Removing a PCI Express Graphics Card:

- 19 - Hardware Installation

1-6 Setting up AMD CrossFireX™/NVIDIA SLI Conguration

A. System Requirements

The 2-Way CrossFireX and 2-Way SLI technologies currently support Windows 7, Vista, XP operating systems The 3-Way/4-Way CrossFireX/SLI technologies currently support Windows 7 and Vista operating systems

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

Two/three/four CrossFireX/SLI-ready graphics cards of identical brand and chip and correct driver

(Current GPUs that support 3-Way/4-Way CrossFireX technology include the ATI Radeon HD 3800, HD 4800, HD 5800

series, and AMD Radeon HD 6800 and HD 6900 series. Current GPUs that support 3-Way/4-Way SLI technology include the NVIDIA 8800 GTX, 8800 Ultra, 9800 GTX, GTX 260, GTX 280, GTX 470, GTX 480, GTX 570, GTX 580, and GTX 590 series.) CrossFireX

(Note 1)

/SLI bridge connectors

A power supply with sufcient power is recommended

(Note 2)

(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 CrossFireX/SLI graphics cards on the PCI Express x16 slots.

(To set up a 2-Way conguration, we recommend installing the graphics cards on the PCIEX16_1 and PCIEX16_2 slots. )

Step 2: Insert the CrossFireX

(Note 1)

/SLI bridge connectors in the CrossFireX/SLI gold edge connectors on top of the 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

After installing the graphics card driver in the operating system, go to the Catalyst Control Center. Browse to Performance\AMD CrossFireX

™

Conguration

and ensure the Enable CrossFireX

™

check box is selected and click Apply. (Available combination options are dependent on the number of graphics cards you install.)

C-2. To Enable SLI Function

After installing the graphics card driver in the operating system, go to the NVIDIA Control Panel. Browse to the Set SLI and Physx Conguration screen and ensure Maximize 3D performance is enabled.

(Note 1) The bridge connectors may be needed or not depending on your

graphics cards.

(Note 2) When two or more graphics cards are installed, we recommend that you connect the SATA power cable(s) from the

power supply to the ATX4P1/ATX4P4 connector to ensure system stability. For 4-way CrossFireX™/SLI, you must connect at least one of the ATX4P1 and ATX4P4 connectors.

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

Hardware Installation - 20 -

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

PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse Port

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

CPU Overclocking Button

Press this button to overclock your CPU. To return to the defaults, press this button again.

BIOS Switch Button

The button allows users to easily select a different BIOS for boot up or overclocking, helping to reduce BIOS failure during overclocking. Press the button to switch between the main BIOS and backup BIOS. The green LED indicates the main BIOS is active and the blue LED indicates the backup BIOS is active.

Clear CMOS Button

Use this button to clear the CMOS values (e.g. date information and BIOS congurations) and reset the

CMOS values to factory defaults when needed

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.

RJ-45 LAN Port

The Gigabit Ethernet LAN port provides Internet connection at up to 1 Gbps data rate. The following escribes the states of the LAN port LEDs.

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.

Activity LED

Connection/ Speed LED

LAN Port

Activity LED:Connection/Speed LED:

State Description

Orange 1 Gb ps data rate

Green 100 Mb ps data rate

Off 10 Mbps dat a rate

State Description

Blinking Data tra nsmission or re ceiving is oc curring

Off No data tr ansmission o r receiving is oc curring

O.C.

- 21 - Hardware Installation

The audio jacks can be recongured to perform different functions via the audio software. If you install

a Side Speaker, you need to retask other audio jack to be Side Speaker out. 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."

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.

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.

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.

Hardware Installation - 22 -

1-8 Onboard Buttons

Overclocking Buttons

The overclocking buttons allow users to overclock the CPU in real-time and at anytime (whether in BIOS, DOS or Windows), including CPU Ratio, BCLK and even change BCLK stepping.

Gear Button:

Changes BCLK stepping to 0.1 MHz.

CPU BCLK Down Button (FREQ_DW)

Lowers the CPU base clock.

CPU BCLK Up Button (FREQ_UP)

Raises the CPU base clock.

CPU Ratio Down Button (RATIO_DW)

Lowers the CPU ratio.

CPU Ratio Up Button (RATIO_UP)

Raises the CPU ratio.

Quick Buttons

The power button and reset button allow users to quickly turn on/off or reset the computer in an open-case environment when they want to change hardware components or conduct hardware testing.

PW_SW: Power button

RST_SW: Reset button

Before using the overclocking buttons, make sure to load the optimized defaults in BIOS Setup to return the BIOS settings to factory defaults.

- 23 - Hardware Installation

Onboard Voltage Measurement Module

Users can use a multimeter to measure component voltages, including Vcore, QPI VTT, DDR, VCCSA, CPU PLL, and DDR VTT. You can employ one of the following two ways to measure component voltages.

Pin No. Denition

1 +12V

2 GND

SMB_CPT

(GA-IVB)

CLR_CMOSCIDIS_ME

GP15_CPT

(GA-IVB)

XDP_CPU

XDP_PCH

(GA-IVB)

DIP

1 2 3

DIP

1 2 3

DIP

1 2 3

DIP

123

PWM Switch (X58A-OC)

VCORE

Pin 1

QPIVTT

SMB_CPT

(GA-IVB)

CLR_CMOSCIDIS_ME

GP15_CPT

(GA-IVB)

XDP_CPU

XDP_PCH

(GA-IVB)

DIP

1 2 3

DIP

1 2 3

DIP

1 2 3

DIP

123

PWM Switch (X58A-OC)

Pin 1

DDR_15V_A

SMB_CPT

(GA-IVB)

CLR_CMOSCIDIS_ME

GP15_CPT

(GA-IVB)

XDP_CPU

XDP_PCH

(GA-IVB)

DIP

1 2 3

DIP

1 2 3

DIP

1 2 3

DIP

123

PWM Switch (X58A-OC)

Pin 1

DDR_15V_B

SMB_CPT

(GA-IVB)

CLR_CMOSCIDIS_ME

GP15_CPT

(GA-IVB)

XDP_CPU

XDP_PCH

(GA-IVB)

DIP

1 2 3

DIP

1 2 3

DIP

1 2 3

DIP

123

PWM Switch (X58A-OC)

Pin 1

CPU_PLL

SMB_CPT

(GA-IVB)

CLR_CMOSCIDIS_ME

GP15_CPT

(GA-IVB)

XDP_CPU

XDP_PCH

(GA-IVB)

DIP

1 2 3

DIP

1 2 3

DIP

1 2 3

DIP

123

PWM Switch (X58A-OC)

Pin 1

DDRVTT

SMB_CPT

(GA-IVB)

CLR_CMOSCIDIS_ME

GP15_CPT

(GA-IVB)

XDP_CPU

XDP_PCH

(GA-IVB)

DIP

1 2 3

DIP

1 2 3

DIP

1 2 3

DIP

123

PWM Switch (X58A-OC)

Pin 1

SMB_CPT

(GA-IVB)

CLR_CMOSCIDIS_ME

GP15_CPT

(GA-IVB)

XDP_CPU

XDP_PCH

(GA-IVB)

DIP

1 2 3

DIP

1 2 3

DIP

1 2 3

DIP

123

PWM Switch (X58A-OC)

Pin 1

VCCSA

Method I (Using the included voltage measurement cable):

Method II (Connecting the multimeter directly):

Steps: Connect the included voltage measurement cable to a voltage measurement header and your multimeter as shown. Please note the red wire is the positive and must be connected to the pin 1 (+12V).

Steps: Connect the red lead of the multimeter to the pin 1 (+12V) of a voltage measurement point and the black lead to the pin 2 (ground).

Hardware Installation - 24 -

1-9 Internal Connectors

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.

1) ATX_12V_2X/ATX_12V_2X1

2) ATX

3) ATX4P1/ATX4P4

4) CPU_FAN

5) FAN1/2/3/4/5/6

6) SATA3 0/1

7) SATA2 2/3/4/5

8) GSATA3 6/7

9) GSATA3 8/9

10) BAT

11) CLR_CMOS

12) F_PANEL

13) F_AUDIO

14) SPDIF_O

15) F_USB1/F_USB2/F_USB3

16) F_USB30

17) TPM

5 1

6 7

161751413

- 25 - Hardware Installation

131

2412

ATX

ATX:

1/2) ATX_12V_2X/ATX_12V_2X1/ATX (2x4 12V Power Connectors and 2x12 Main Power

Connector)

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

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.

Pin No. Denition Pin No. Denition

1 3.3V 13 3.3V

2 3.3V 14 -12V

3 GND 15 GND

4 +5V 16 PS_ON (soft On/Off)

5 GND 17 GND

6 +5V 18 GND

7 GND 19 GND

8 Power Good 20 -5V

9 5VSB (stand by +5V) 21 +5V

10 +12V 22 +5V

11 +12V (Only for 2x12-pin ATX) 23 +5V (Only for 2x12-pin ATX)

12 3.3V (Only for 2x12-pin ATX) 24 GND (Only for 2x12-pin ATX)

ATX_12V_2X/ATX_12V_2X1:

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_12V_2X/ATX_12V_2X1

Hardware Installation - 26 -

4/5) CPU_FAN/FAN1/FAN2/FAN3/FAN4/FAN5/FAN6 (Fan Headers)

All fan headers on this motherboard are 4-pin and support fan speed control function. 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 speed control function requires the use of a fan with fan speed control design. For optimum heat dissipation, it is recommended that a system fan be installed inside the chassis.

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

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

•

CPU_FAN:

FAN1/FAN2/FAN3/FAN4/FAN5/FAN6:

Pin No. Denition

1 GND

2 +12V/Speed Control

3 Sense

4 Speed Control

Pin No. Denition

1 GND

2 +12V /Speed Control

3 Sense

4 Reserve

3) ATX4P1/ATX4P4 (PCIe Power Connectors)

Pin No. Denition

1 NC

2 NC

3 NC

4 GND

5 GND

6 GND

7 VCC

8 VCC

9 VCC

10 GND

11 GND

12 GND

13 +12V

14 +12V

15 +12V

CLR_CMOSCIDIS_ME

GP15_CPT

(GA-IVB)

XDP_CPU

XDP_PCH

(GA-IVB)

CPU_FAN

FAN1/FAN2/FAN5/FAN6

DEBUG PORT

FAN3/FAN4

DEBUG PORT

The power connectors provide auxiliary power to the onboard PCI Express x16 slots. When two or more

graphics cards are installed, we recommend that you connect the SATA power cable(s) from the power supply to the ATX4P1/ATX4P4 connector to ensure system stability. For 4-way CrossFireX™/SLI, you must connect at least one of the ATX4P1 and ATX4P4 connectors.

- 27 - Hardware Installation

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 four hard drives. •

6) SATA3 0/1 (SATA 6Gb/s Connectors, Controlled by Intel X79 Chipset)

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

1.5Gb/s standard. Each SATA connector supports a single SATA device. The "SATA3 0" and "SATA3 1" connectors support RAID 0 and RAID 1. RAID 5 and RAID 10 can be implemented on the two connectors with the "SATA2 2/3/4/5" connector

(Note)

. Refer to Chapter 5, "Conguring SATA Hard Drive(s)," for instruc-

tions on conguring a RAID array.

7) SATA2 2/3/4/5 (SATA 3Gb/s Connectors, Controlled by Intel X79 Chipset)

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 Intel X79 Chipset supports RAID 0, RAID 1,

RAID 5, and RAID 10. Refer to Chapter 5, "Conguring SATA Hard Drive(s)," for instructions on conguring

a RAID array.

(Note) When a RAID set is built across the SATA 6Gb/s and SATA 3Gb/s channels, the system performance

of the RAID set may vary depending on the devices being connected.

Pin No. Denition

1 GND

2 TXP

3 TXN

4 GND

5 RXN

6 RXP

7 GND

Pin No. Denition

1 GND

2 TXP

3 TXN

4 GND

5 RXN

6 RXP

7 GND

G.QBOFM

SATA2

Please connect the L-shaped end of th e SATA cab le to your S ATA har d drive.

5 3 4 2

G.QBOFM

1 0

SATA3

Hardware Installation - 28 -

8) GSATA3 6/7 (SATA 6Gb/s Connectors, Controlled by Marvell 88SE9172 Chip)

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

1.5Gb/s standard. Each SATA connector supports a single SATA device. The Marvell 88SE9172 chip

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

Pin No. Denition

1 GND

2 TXP

3 TXN

4 GND

5 RXN

6 RXP

7 GND

9) GSATA3 8/9 (SATA 6Gb/s Connectors, Controlled by Marvell 88SE9172 Chip)

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

1.5Gb/s standard. Each SATA connector supports a single SATA device. The Marvell 88SE9172 chip

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

Pin No. Denition

1 GND

2 TXP

3 TXN

4 GND

5 RXN

6 RXP

7 GND

Please connect the L-shaped end of th e SATA cab le to your S ATA har d drive.

G.QBOFM

9 8

GSATA3

G.QBOFM

7 6

GSATA3

A RAID 0 or RAID 1 conguration requires two hard drives.

- 29 - Hardware Installation

11) CLR_CMOS (Clear CMOS Jumper)

Use this jumper to clear the CMOS values (e.g. date information and BIOS congurations) and reset the

CMOS values to factory defaults. To clear the CMOS values, use a metal object like a screwdriver to touch the two pins for a few seconds.

Always turn off your computer and unplug the power cord from the power outlet before clearing • the CMOS values. After system restart, go to BIOS Setup to load factory defaults (select Load Optimized •

Defaults) or manually congure the BIOS settings (refer to Chapter 2, "BIOS Setup," for BIOS congurations).

Open: Normal

Short: Clear CMOS Values

10) BAT (Battery)

The battery provides power to keep the values (such as BIOS congurations, date, and time information)

in the CMOS when the computer is turned off. Replace the battery when the battery voltage drops to a low level, or the CMOS values may not be accurate or may be lost.

You may clear the CMOS values by removing the battery:

Turn off your computer and unplug the power cord.

1. Gently remove the battery from the battery holder and wait for one minute. 2. (Or use a metal object like a screwdriver to touch the positive and negative terminals of the battery holder, making them short for 5 seconds.) Replace the battery.

3. Plug in the power cord and restart your computer.4.

Always turn off your computer and unplug the power cord before replacing the battery. • Replace the battery with an equivalent one. Danger of explosion if the battery is replaced with • an incorrect model. Contact the place of purchase or local dealer if you are not able to replace the battery by yourself • or uncertain about the battery model. When installing the battery, note the orientation of the positive side (+) and the negative side (-) • of the battery (the positive side should face up). Used batteries must be handled in accordance with local environmental regulations.

•

Hardware Installation - 30 -

12) 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.

• (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 issuing

a beep code. One single short beep will be heard if no problem is detected at system startup. 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.

MSG/PWR

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

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.

Power LED

CI-

CI+

PWR-

PWR+

MSG-

PW-

SPEAK+

SPEAK-

MSG+

PW+

Message/Power/

Sleep LED

Speaker

Power Switch

HD-

RES+

HD+

RES-

Hard Drive

Activity LED

Reset Switch

Chassis Intrusion Header

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).

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