-001 First release of the Intel® Desktop Board DG43GT Product Guide June 2009
If an FCC declaration of conformity marking is present on the board, the following statement applies:
FCC Declaration of Conformity
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
For questions related to the EMC performance of this product, contact:
Intel Corporation, 5200 N.E. Elam Young Parkway, Hillsboro, OR 97124
1-800-628-8686
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to
Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to
radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be
determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by
one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.
• Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit other than the one to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Any changes or modifications to the equipment not expressly approved by Intel Corporation could void the
user’s authority to operate the equipment.
Tested to comply with FCC standards for home or office use.
Canadian Department of Communications Compliance Statement
This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus set
out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications.
Le présent appareil numerique német pas de bruits radioélectriques dépassant les limites applicables aux
appareils numériques de la classe B prescrites dans le Réglement sur le broullage radioélectrique édicté par
le ministére des Communications du Canada.
Disclaimer
INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH INTEL® PRODUCTS. NO LICENSE,
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, BY ESTOPPEL OR
GRANTED BY THIS DOCUMENT. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN INTEL’S TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE FOR
SUCH PRODUCTS, INTEL ASSUMES NO LIABILITY WHATSOEVER, AND INTEL DISCLAIMS ANY EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED WARRANTY, RELATING TO SALE AND/OR USE OF INTEL PRODUCTS INCLUDING LIABILITY OR
WARRANTIES RELATING TO FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, MERCHANTABILITY, OR INFRINGEMENT
OF ANY PATENT, COPYRIGHT OR OTHER INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHT. Intel products are not intended
for use in medical, life saving, or life sustaining applications. Intel may make changes to specifications and
product descriptions at any time, without notice.
Intel Desktop Board DG43GT may contain design defects or errors known as errata which may cause the
product to deviate from published specifications. Current characterized errata are available on request.
Contact your local Intel sales office or your distributor to obtain the latest specifications and before placing
your product order.
Copies of documents which have an ordering number and are referenced in this document, or other Intel
literature, may be obtained from Intel Corporation by going to the World Wide Web site at:
http://intel.com/ or by calling 1-800-548-4725.
This Product Guide gives information about board layout, component installation, BIOS
update, and regulatory requirements for Intel
®
Desktop Board DG43GT.
Intended Audience
The Product Guide is intended for technically qualified personnel. It is not intended for
general audiences.
Use Only for Intended Applications
All Intel Desktop Boards are evaluated as Information Technology Equipment (I.T.E.)
for use in personal computers (PC) for installation in homes, offices, schools, computer
rooms, and similar locations. The suitability of this product for other PC or embedded
non-PC applications or other environments, such as medical, industrial, alarm systems,
test equipment, etc. may not be supported without further evaluation by Intel.
Document Organization
The chapters in this Product Guide are arranged as follows:
1 Desktop Board Features: a summary of product features
2 Installing and Replacing Desktop Board Components: instructions on how to install
the Desktop Board and other hardware components
3 Updating the BIOS: instructions on how to update the BIOS
A Error Messages and Indicators: information about BIOS error messages and beep
codes
B Regulatory Compliance: safety standards, regulations, and product certifications
Conventions
The following conventions are used in this manual:
CAUTION
Cautions warn the user about how to prevent damage to hardware or loss of data.
NOTE
Notes call attention to important information.
iii
Intel Desktop Board DG43GT Product Guide
Terminology
The table below gives descriptions of some common terms used in the product guide.
Figure 1 shows the approximate location of the major components on Intel Desktop
Board DG43GT.
Figure 1. Intel Desktop Board DG43GT Components
11
Intel Desktop Board DG43GT Product Guide
Table 2. Intel Desktop Board DG43GT Components
Label Description
A Front panel audio header
B PCI bus connector
C IEEE 1394a header
D PCI Express x1 connector
E PCI Express x16 connector
F Battery
G PCI Express x1 connector
H Back panel connectors
I 12 V processor core voltage connector (2 x 2 pin)
J Rear chassis fan header (3-pin)
K Processor socket
L Processor fan header (4-pin)
M DDR2 DIMM 0 sockets
N Front chassis fan header (3-pin)
O DDR2 DIMM 1 sockets
P Serial header
Q Parallel port header
R Main power connector (2 x 12 pin)
S Front panel header
T Serial ATA connectors (4)
U Alternate front panel power LED header
V High-speed USB 2.0 headers (3)
W Parallel ATA connector
X Clear CMOS jumper block
Y Chassis intrusion header
Z BIOS configuration jumper block
AA Speaker
BB S/PDIF header
12
Desktop Board Features
Online Support
For more information on Intel Desktop Board DG43GT consult the following online
resources:
Failure to use an appropriate power supply and/or not connecting the 12 V (2 x 2 pin)
power connector to the Desktop Board may result in damage to the board, or the
system may not function properly.
Intel Desktop Board DG43GT supports an Intel processor in the LGA775 package.
Processors are not included with the Desktop Board and must be purchased
separately. The processor connects to the Desktop Board through the LGA775 socket.
For instructions on installing or upgrading the processor, refer to page 31.
A list of supported processors for I
http://processormatch.intel.com
n
tel Desktop Board DG43GT, can be found at
.
13
Intel Desktop Board DG43GT Product Guide
Main Memory
NOTE
To be fully compliant with all applicable Intel® SDRAM memory specifications, the
board should be populated with DIMMs that support the Serial Presence Detect (SPD)
data structure. If your memory modules do not support SPD, you will see a
notification to this effect on the screen at power up. The BIOS will attempt to
configure the memory controller for normal operation.
The Desktop Board supports the dual or single channel memory configurations defined
below:
⎯ Non-ECC, 1.8 V, DDR2 800/667 MHz memory
⎯ Serial Presence Detect (SPD) memory only
⎯ Unbuffered, non-registered single- or double-sided DIMMs (except double-sided
DIMMs with x16 organization)
⎯ Memory configurations listed below:
• Up to 2 GB utilizing 256 Mb technology
• Up to 4 GB utilizing 512 Mb or 1 Gb technology
• Up to 8 GB utilizing 1 Gb technology
• Up tp 16 GB utilizing 2 Gb technology
• A minimum of 512 MB of total memory is required
NOTE
System resources and hardware (such as PCI Express devices) require physical
memory address locations that can reduce available addressable system memory.
This could result in a reduction of as much as 1 GB or more of physical addressable
memory being available to the operating system and applications, depending on the
system configuration and operating system.
Go to the following locations for more information about:
The Intel G43 Express Chipset consists of the following devices:
•Intel G43 Express Chipset Graphics and Memory Controller Hub (GMCH) with Direct
Media Interface (DMI)
•Intel 82801JIB I/O Controller Hub (ICH10) with DMI
The GMCH component provides interfaces to the processor, memory, PCI Express, and
the DMI interconnect. The GMCH also provides integrated graphics capabilities
supporting 3D, 2D, and display capabilities. ICH10 is a centralized controller for the
board’s I/O paths.
For more information on the Intel G43 Express Chipset go to
http://developer.intel.com/products/chipsets/
Intel G43 Graphics Subsystem
The Intel G43 Express Chipset provides two separate, mutually exclusive graphics
options. Either the integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500 (GMA X4500)
graphics controller is used or a PCI Express x16 add-in card can be used.
Intel GMA X4500 Graphics Controller
The GMA X4500 graphics controller supports dual independent displays via HDMI and
DVI-I connectors on the Desktop Board back panel. When a PCI Express Graphics
(x16, x8, or x4) add-in card is installed on the Desktop Board, the Intel GMA X4500
graphics controller is disabled.
The Intel GMA X4500 graphics controller has the following features:
• Advanced graphics performance, including:
⎯ DirectX10.0* and OpenGL* 2.0 compliant
⎯ Shader Model 4.0 support
• Enhanced video playback support, including:
⎯ Intel
⎯ Support for playback of Blu-ray Disc* technology DVDs
⎯ Software DVD at 30 fps full screen
⎯ Dynamic Video Memory Technology (DVMT) 5.0
®
Clear Video Technology (for more information go to
http://www.intel.com/technology/graphics/ctv.htm
)
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Intel Desktop Board DG43GT Product Guide
• Advanced display support, including:
⎯ DVI specification 1.0 compliant
⎯ Dual independent display support via the DVI-I and HDMI back panel
connectors
⎯ High Definition Content Protection (HDCP) version 1.1 support
⎯ DDC2B compliant interface with Advanced Digital Display 2 card or Media
Expansion Card (ADD2/MEC), support for TV-out/TV-in and DVI digital display
connections
⎯ Support for all HD display resolutions including 720p, 1080i, and 1080p
⎯ Support for digital and analog displays up to 1920 x 1200 at 60 Hz refresh rate
(WUXGA) and 2560 x 1600 at 60 Hz refresh (WQXGA), respectively; also
supports 1920 x 1080 resolution for full High Definition video playback quality
DVI-I Support
The DVI-I port supports both digital and analog DVI displays. The maximum
supported resolution is 2048 x 1536 at 75 Hz refresh rate (QXGA) for analog video and
1920 x 1200 at 60 Hz refresh rate (WUXGA) for digital video. DVI analog output from
the DVI-I connector can be converted to VGA with a DVI-I to VGA adapter.
When a non-video PCI Express add-in card is installed in the PCI Express x16
connector on the Desktop Board, the digital output of the DVI-I port is disabled.
HDMI* Technology Support
The HDMI port supports standard, enhanced, or high-definition video, plus multichannel digital audio on a single cable. It is compatible with all ATSC and DVB HDTV
standards and supports 8-channel digital audio. The HDMI port is compliant with the
HDMI 1.3 specification.
When a non-video PCI Express add-in card is installed in the PCI Express x16
connector on the Desktop Board, the HDMI port is disabled.
External PCI Express x16 Graphics
The GMCH supports an add-in PCI Express discrete graphics card via the PCI
Express 2.0 x16 connector as follows:
•Supports the PCI Express 1.1 frequency of 1.25 GHz resulting in 2.5 Gb/s each
direction (500 MB/s total). The maximum theoretical bandwidth on the interface is
4 GB/s in each direction simultaneously, for an aggregate of 8 GB/s when
operating in x16 mode.
•Supports the PCI Express 2.0 frequency of 2.5 GHz resulting in 5.0 Gb/s each
direction (1000 MB/s total). The maximum theoretical bandwidth on the interface
is 8 GB/s in each direction simultaneously, for an aggregate of 16 GB/s when
operating in x16 mode.
For more information on PCI Express technology, go to http://pcisig.com
16
.
Desktop Board Features
Audio Subsystem
The onboard audio subsystem consists of the following:
• Intel ICH10 I/O controller hub
• Realtek ALC888S 10-channel audio codec
• Front panel audio header with support for:
⎯ Intel
⎯ AC ’97 Audio
• Onboard 4-pin S/PDIF output header
• Back panel audio connectors including an optical S/PDIF output connector
The audio subsystem supports the following features:
• A signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of 95 dB
• Independent multi-streaming 7.1 audio (using the back panel audio connectors)
and stereo (using the front panel audio header)
Go to the following locations for more information about:
• Audio drivers and utilities http://support.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/
• Location of the onboard audio headers, Figure 22 on page 46
• The location and description of the
page 51
Table 3 lists the supported functions for the front panel and back panel audio jacks.
®
High Definition Audio
back panel audio connectors, Figure 23 on
Table 3. Back Panel and Front Panel Audio Jack Retasking Support
Jack Mic Headphones
Green Default Control Panel
Pink Default
Blue Control Panel Default Control Panel
Green Control Panel Default
Pink Default
Black Default
Orange Default
Front
Speaker
Line
In
Front Panel
Back Panel
Side
Surround
Rear
Surround
Center/
Subwoofer
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Intel Desktop Board DG43GT Product Guide
Legacy Input/Output (I/O) Controller
The legacy I/O controller provides the following:
• One serial port interface via an onboard header
• One parallel port interface via an onboard header
• One PS/2 port for keyboard or mouse support
• Serial IRQ interface compatible with serialized IRQ support for PCI systems
• Intelligent power management, including a programmable wake up event interface
• PCI power management support
NOTE
The PS/2 port supports both keyboard and mouse, but not concurrently. Automatic
PS/2 device detection will occur during boot and cannot be changed until the next
system boot.
LAN Subsystem
The LAN subsystem includes:
®
• Intel
• Intel 82567V Gigabit (10/100/1000 Mb/s) Ethernet LAN controller
• RJ-45 LAN connector with integrated status LEDs
The subsystem features:
• CSMA/CD protocol engine
• LAN connect interface between ICH10 and the controller
• PCI Express power management
Two LEDs are built into the RJ-45 LAN connector located on the back panel (see
Figure 2). These LEDs indicate the operating states of the LAN.
ICH10
Table 4 describes the LED states when the board is powered up and the LAN
subsystem is operating.
18
Figure 2. LAN Status LEDs
Desktop Board Features
Table 4. LAN Connector LEDs
LED LED Color LED State Indicates
A (Link) Off LAN link is not established
Blinking LAN activity is occurring
B (Speed)
For information about LAN software and drivers go to
N/A Off 10 Mb/s data rate
Green On 100 Mb/s data rate
Yellow On 1000 Mb/s data rate
Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Support
The Desktop Board supports up to 12 USB 2.0 ports (six ports routed to the back
panel and six ports routed to three internal headers) via ICH10. USB 2.0 ports are
backward compatible with USB 1.1 devices. USB 1.1 devices will function normally at
USB 1.1 speeds.
USB 2.0 support requires both an operating system and drivers that fully support
USB 2.0 transfer rates. Disabling Hi-Speed USB in the BIOS reverts all USB 2.0 ports
to USB 1.1 operation. This may be required to accommodate operating systems that
do not support USB 2.0.
ATA Support
The board includes five ATA interface connectors:
• One PATA connector that supports two devices
• Four SATA connectors that support one device each
PATA Interface
The board’s discrete PATA controller provides one bus-mastering PATA interface that is
accessible through a standard IDE connector The PATA interface supports the
following modes:
• Programmed I/O (PIO): the processor controls data transfer.
• 8237-style DMA: DMA offloads the processor, supporting transfer rates of up to
16 MB/s.
•Ultra DMA: DMA protocol on the ATA bus supporting host and target throttling and
transfer rates of up to 33 MB/s.
•ATA-66: DMA protocol on the ATA bus supporting host and target throttling and
transfer rates of up to 66 MB/s. ATA-66 protocol is similar to Ultra DMA and is
device driver compatible.
•ATA-100: DMA protocol on the ATA bus allows host and target throttling.
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Intel Desktop Board DG43GT Product Guide
NOTE
ATA-66 and ATA-100 are faster timings and require a specialized cable to reduce
reflections, noise, and inductive coupling.
The PATA interface also supports ATAPI devices (such as CD-ROM drives) and ATA
devices using the transfer modes.
The BIOS supports Logical Block Addressing (LBA) and Extended Cylinder Head Sector
(ECHS) translation modes. The drive reports the transfer rate and translation mode to
the BIOS.
SATA Interfaces
The ICH10 SATA controller provides four independent SATA ports with a theoretical
maximum transfer rate of 3.0 Gb/s on each port. One device can be installed on each
port for a maximum of four SATA devices. A point-to-point interface is used for host
to device connections, unlike PATA which supports a master/slave configuration and
two devices on each channel.
For compatibility, the underlying SATA functionality is transparent to the operating
system. The SATA controller supports IDE and AHCI configuration and can operate in
both legacy and native modes. In Legacy mode, standard ATA I/O and IRQ resources
are assigned (IRQ 14 and 15). In Native mode, standard PCI Conventional bus
resource steering is used. Native mode is the preferred mode for configurations using
the Windows* XP and Windows Vista* operating systems.
Expandability
For system expansion, the Desktop Board provides the following expansion slots:
• One PCI Express 2.0 x16 connector (compatible with PCI Express 1.1 add-in cards)
• Two PCI Express 1.1 x1 connectors
• One PCI bus connector
20
Desktop Board Features
BIOS
The BIOS provides the Power-On Self-Test (POST), the BIOS Setup program, the
PCI/PCI Express auto-configuration utilities, and the video BIOS. The BIOS is stored in
the Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) Flash device.
The BIOS can be updated by following the instructions in Chapter 3.
ATA Auto Configuration
If you install a Serial or Parallel ATA device in your computer, the auto-configuration
utility in the BIOS automatically detects and configures the device for your computer.
You do not need to run the BIOS Setup program after installing an ATA device. You
can override the auto-configuration options by specifying manual configuration in the
BIOS Setup program.
PCI and PCI Express* Auto Configuration
If you install a PCI/PCI Express add-in card in your computer, the PCI/PCI Express
auto-configuration utility in the BIOS automatically detects and configures the
resources (IRQs, DMA channels, and I/O space) for that add-in card. You do not need
to run the BIOS Setup program after you install a PCI or PCI Express add-in card.
Security Passwords
The BIOS includes security features that restrict whether the BIOS Setup program can
be accessed and who can boot the computer. A supervisor password and a user
password can be set for the BIOS Setup and for booting the computer, with the
following restrictions:
•The supervisor password gives unrestricted access to view and change all Setup
options. If only the supervisor password is set, pressing <Enter> at the password
prompt of Setup gives the user restricted access to Setup.
•If both the supervisor and user passwords are set, you must enter either the
supervisor password or the user password to access Setup. Setup options are then
available for viewing and changing depending on whether the supervisor or user
password was entered.
•Setting a user password restricts who can boot the computer. The password
prompt is displayed before the computer is booted. If only the supervisor
password is set, the computer boots without asking for a password. If both
passwords are set, you can enter either password to boot the computer.
For instructions on resetting the password, see “Clearing Passwords in the BIOS Setup
Program” on page 55.
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Intel Desktop Board DG43GT Product Guide
Hardware Management Features
The hardware management features of Intel Desktop Board DG43GT enable the board
to be compatible with the Wired for Management (WfM) specification. The board has
several hardware management features including the following:
• Fan speed monitoring and control
• Thermal and voltage monitoring
• Chassis intrusion detection
Fan Speed, Thermal, and Voltage Monitoring and
Control
The board’s fan speed, thermal, and voltage monitoring and control features include
the following:
• Monitoring of power supply voltages to detect levels above and below acceptable
values
• Intel Quiet System Technology fan speed control, delivering acoustically-optimized
thermal management
NOTE
Memory must be installed in the Channel A, DIMM 0 socket to enable Intel
• Thermally monitored closed-loop fan control, for all onboard fans, that can adjust
• Fan speed controllers and sensors integrated into the ICH10
• Thermal sensors in the processor, GMCH, and ICH10, plus an onboard remote
NOTE
The minimum thermal reporting threshold for the GMCH is 66 °C. The GMCH thermal
sensor will display 66 °C until the temperature rises above this point.
Quiet System Technology.
fan speed according to thermal conditions.
sensor
Chassis Intrusion
The board supports a chassis security feature that detects if the chassis cover has
been removed. The security feature uses a mechanical switch on the chassis that can
be connected to the chassis intrusion header on the Desktop Board. See Figure 22 for
the location of the c
assis intrusion header.
h
22
Desktop Board Features
Power Management Features
Power management is implemented at several levels, including:
• Software support through the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI)
• Hardware support:
⎯ Power connectors
⎯ Fan headers
⎯ LAN wake capabilities
⎯ Instantly Available PC technology (Suspend to RAM)
⎯ +5 V standby power indicator LED
⎯ Wake from USB
⎯ Wake from serial
⎯ Power Management Event signal (PME#) wakeup support
⎯ WAKE# signal wake-up support
⎯ Wake from PS/2
• ENERGY STAR qualified
ACPI
ACPI gives the operating system direct control over the power management and Plug
and Play functions of a computer. The use of ACPI with the Desktop Board requires an
operating system that provides full ACPI support.
Hardware Support
Power Connectors
ATX12V-compliant power supplies can turn off the computer power through system
control. When an ACPI-enabled computer receives the correct command, the power
supply removes all non-standby voltages.
When resuming from an AC power failure, the computer returns to the power state it
was in before power was interrupted (either on or off). The computer’s response can
be set by using the Last Power State feature in the BIOS Setup program’s Boot menu.
The Desktop Board has two power connectors. See Figure 25 on page 53 for the
location of the power co
nnectors
.
23
Intel Desktop Board DG43GT Product Guide
Fan Headers
The function/operation of the fans is as follows:
• The fans are on when the computer is in the ACPI S0 state.
• The fans are off when the computer is in the ACPI S3, S4, or S5 state.
• All fan headers support closed-loop fan control that can adjust the fan speed
according to thermal conditions.
•All fan headers have a +12 V DC connection.
The Desktop Board has a 4-pin processor fan header and two 3-pin chassis fan
headers.
LAN Wake Capabilities
CAUTION
For LAN wake capabilities, the 5 V standby line for the power supply must be capable
of delivering adequate +5 V standby current. Failure to provide adequate standby
current when using this feature can damage the power supply.
LAN wakeup capabilities enable remote wake-up of the computer through a network.
The LAN subsystem monitors network traffic and upon detecting a Magic Packet*
frame, it asserts a wake-up signal that powers up the computer.
Instantly Available PC Technology
CAUTIONS
For Instantly Available PC technology, the 5 V standby line for the power supply must
be capable of delivering adequate +5 V standby current. Failure to provide adequate
standby current when using this feature can damage the power supply and/or effect
ACPI S3 sleep state functionality.
Power supplies used with this Desktop Board must be able to provide enough standby
current to support the standard Instantly Available (ACPI S3 sleep state) configuration.
If the standby current necessary to support multiple wake events from the PCI and/or
USB buses exceeds power supply capacity, the Desktop Board may lose register
settings stored in memory.
Instantly Available PC technology enables the board to enter the ACPI S3 (Suspend-toRAM) sleep state. While in the S3 sleep state, the computer will appear to be off. If
the computer has a dual-colored power LED on the front panel, the sleep state is
indicated by the LED turning amber. When signaled by a wake-up device or event, the
computer quickly returns to its last known awake state.
The Desktop Board supports the PCI Bus Power Management Interface Specification.
Add-in cards that support this specification can participate in power management and
can be used to wake the computer.
24
Desktop Board Features
+5 V Standby Power Indicator
CAUTION
If the AC power has been switched off and the standby power indicator is still lit,
disconnect the power cord before installing or removing any devices connected to the
board. Failure to do so could damage the board and any attached devices.
The Desktop Board’s standby power indicator, shown in Figure 3, is lit when there is
standby power still present on the board even when the computer appears to be off.
For example, when this green LED is lit, standby power is still present at the memory
module sockets and the PCI/PCI Express bus connectors.
Figure 3. Location of the +5 V Standby Power Indicator
For more information on standby current requirements for the Desktop Board, refer to
the Technical Product Specification at