MSI 645 Combo User Manual

i

Version 1.0

G52-M6737X1-G22

MS-6737 (v1.X) A TX Mainboard

645 Combo

ii

Manual Rev: 1.0
Release Date: Dec. 2002

FCC-B Radio Frequency Interference Statement

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 when the equip­ment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses
and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accor­dance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to
cause harmful interference, in which case the user will be required to correct
the interference at his own expense.

Notice 1

The changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party respon­sible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

Notice 2

Shielded interface cables and A.C. power cord, if any, must be used in order to
comply with the emission limits.

VOIR LA NOTICE D’INSTALLATION AVANT DE RACCORDER AU
RESEAU.

Micro-Star International MS-6737

T ested to comply
with FCC Standard

For Home or Office Use

iii

Copyright Notice

The material in this document is the intellectual property of MICRO-STAR
INTERNATIONAL. We take every care in the preparation of this document,

but no guarantee is given as to the correctness of its contents. Our products
are under continual improvement and we reserve the right to make changes
without notice.

Trademarks

All trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.
Intel® and Pentium® are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation.

PS/2 and OS®/2 are registered trademarks of International Business Machines
Corporation.
Windows® 95/98/2000/NT/XP are registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation.
Netware® is a registered trademark of Novell, Inc.
Award® is a registered trademark of Phoenix Technologies Ltd.
AMI® is a registered trademark of American Megatrends Inc.

Revision History

Revision Revision History Date

V1.0 First release for PCB 1.X Dec. 2002

T echnical Support

If a problem arises with your system and no solution can be obtained from the
user’s manual, please contact your place of purchase or local distributor.
Alternatively, please try the following help resources for further guidance.

Visit the MSI website for FAQ, technical guide, BIOS updates, driver

updates, and other information: http://www.msi.com.tw/

Contact our technical staff at: [e-mail]

iv

1. Always read the safety instructions carefully.

2. Keep this User’s Manual for future reference.

3. Keep this equipment away from humidity.

4. Lay this equipment on a reliable flat surface before setting it up.

5. The openings on the enclosure are for air convection hence protects the
equipment from overheating. DO NOT COVER THE OPENINGS.

6. Make sure the voltage of the power source and adjust properly 110/220V
before connecting the equipment to the power inlet.

7. Place the power cord such a way that people can not step on it. Do not
place anything over the power cord.

8. Always Unplug the Power Cord before inserting any add-on card or module.

9. All cautions and warnings on the equipment should be noted.

10 . Never pour any liquid into the opening that could damage or cause electri-

cal shock.

11. If any of the following situations arises, get the equipment checked by a
service personnel:

z The power cord or plug is damaged.
z Liquid has penetrated into the equipment.
z The equipment has been exposed to moisture.
z The equipment has not work well or you can not get it work according

to User’s Manual.

z The equipment has dropped and damaged.
z The equipment has obvious sign of breakage.

12. DO NOT LEAVE THIS EQUIPMENT IN AN ENVIRONMENT
UNCONDITIONED, STORAGE TEMPERA TURE ABOVE 600 C (1400F), IT
MA Y DAMAGE THE EQUIPMENT.

Safety Instructions

CAUTION: Danger of explosion if battery is incorrectly replaced.

Replace only with the same or equivalent type recommended by the
manufacturer.

v

CONTENTS

FCC-B Radio Frequency Interference Statement ..........................................iii

Copyright Notice ..........................................................................................iii

Revision History ...........................................................................................iii

Technical Support.........................................................................................iii

Safety Instructions .......................................................................................iv

Chapter 1. Getting Started ........................................................................ 1-1

Mainboard Specifications ....................................................................1-2

Mainboard Layout ............................................................................... 1-4

MSI Special Features ........................................................................... 1-5

Fuzzy Logic™ 4 ............................................................................. 1-5

Live BIOS™/Live Driver™ ............................................................ 1-7

Live Monitor™ .............................................................................. 1-7

D-Bracket™ 2 (Optional) ............................................................... 1-8

PC Alert™ 4................................................................................. 1-10

Chapter 2. Hardware Setup ....................................................................... 2-1

Quick Components Guide ....................................................................2-2

Central Processing Unit: CPU ..............................................................2-3

CPU Core Speed Derivation Procedure ......................................... 2-3

CPU Installation Procedures for Socket 478 ..................................2-4

Installing the CPU Fan ..................................................................2-5

Memory................................................................................................2-7

DDR Module Combination ............................................................ 2-8

Installing DDR Modules ...............................................................2-8

Installing SDR Modules ................................................................2-9

SDR Module Combination ............................................................2-9

Power Supply ..................................................................................... 2-10

A TX 20-Pin Power Connector: CONN1 ....................................... 2-10

A TX 12V Power Connector: JPW1 .............................................. 2-11

A TX 5V/12V Power Connector: JPW2......................................... 2-11

vi

Back Panel .......................................................................................... 2-12

Mouse Connector ....................................................................... 2-12

Keyboard Connector ................................................................... 2-13

USB Connectors.......................................................................... 2-13

Serial Port Connectors: COM A & COM B.................................. 2-14

RJ-45 LAN Jack (Optional) .......................................................... 2-14

Parallel Port Connector: LPT1...................................................... 2-15

Joystick/Midi Connector ............................................................. 2-16

Audio Port Connectors ............................................................... 2-16

Connectors......................................................................................... 2-17

Floppy Disk Drive Connector: FDD1........................................... 2-17

CD-In Connector: JCD1 ............................................................... 2-17

Hard Disk Connectors: IDE1/IDE2 .............................................. 2-18

Fan Power Connectors: CPUF A/SYSF A...................................... 2-19

Front Panel Connectors: JFP1/JFP2............................................. 2-20

Front Panel Audio Connector: JAUD1 ........................................ 2-21

Front USB Connectors: JUSB1/JUSB2 ........................................ 2-22

D-Bracket™ 2 Connector: JDB1 .................................................. 2-23

Jumpers .............................................................................................. 2-24

Clear CMOS Jumper: JBA T1........................................................ 2-24

Slots ................................................................................................... 2-25

AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) Slot......................................... 2-25

PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) Slots.......................... 2-25

PCI Interrupt Request Routing .................................................... 2-26

Chapter 3. BIOS Setup.............................................................................. 3-1

Entering Setup...................................................................................... 3-2

Selecting the First Boot Device ..................................................... 3-2

Control Keys .................................................................................3-3

Getting Help ..................................................................................3-3

The Main Menu ...................................................................................3-4

vii

Standard CMOS Features ....................................................................3-6

Advanced BIOS Features ....................................................................3-8

Advanced Chipset Features............................................................... 3-12

Power Management Features............................................................. 3-14

PNP/PCI Configurations..................................................................... 3-18

Integrated Peripherals ........................................................................ 3-21

PC Health Status ................................................................................ 3-25

Frequency/Voltage Control ................................................................ 3-26

Set Supervisor/User Password........................................................... 3-28

Load Optimal/High Performance Defaults .......................................... 3-29

Appendix: Using 4- or 6-Channel Audio Function ....................................A-1

Using 4- or 6-Channel Audio Function ...............................................A-2

Installing the Audio Driver...........................................................A-2

Using 4- or 6-Channel Audio Function ........................................A-2

Testing the Connected Speakers ......................................................... A-6

T esting Each Speaker ................................................................... A-6

Playing KaraOK ..................................................................................A-8

Playing KaraOK............................................................................ A-8

Tr oubleshooting ........................................................................................ T-1

Glossary ....................................................................................................G-1

1-1

Getting Started

Chapter 1. Getting
Started

Thank you for choosing the 645 Combo (MS-6737 v1.X)

ATX mainboard. The 645 Combo is based on SiS® 645 & 962L
chipsets for optimal system efficiency. Designed to fit the ad­vanced Intel® Pentium® 4 processors in 478 pin package, the
645 Combo delivers a high performance and professional desk­top platform solution.

Getting Started

1-2

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

Mainboard Specifications

CPU

h Supports Intel® Pentium® 4 /Celeron® (Williamette 478/Northwood 478) proc-

essors in the 478 pin package.

h FSB @ 400MHz, can be auto negotiated to 533MHz through BIOS for better

system efficiency.

h Supports up to 2.8GHz or higher speed.

Chipset

h SiS®645 Chipset (702 BGA)

- High performance host interface 400MHz.

- 64-bit high performance DDR 333/266 memory controller.

- Support AGP 4X/2X interface with fast write transaction.

- High throughput SiS MuTIOL connect to SiS962L MuTIOL Media I/O.

h SiS®962L MuTIOL Media I/O (371 BGA)

- Dual IDE A TA 66/100/133 controllers.

- Integrated USB 2.0/1.1 host controller and Fast Ethernet MAC controller.

- Integrated audio controller with AC97 interface.

- Advanced power management and PC2001 compliance.

- Integrated PCI to LPCC bridge.

Main Memory

h Supports two 184-pin unbuffered PC2700/PC2100/PC1600 DDR SDRAM or

two 168-pin unbuffered PC100/133 SDRAM.

h Supports up to 2GB memory size.

Slots

h One AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) slot.

- Supports AGP v2.0 2x/4x.

h Six 32-bit Master PCI bus slots (support 3.3v/5v PCI bus interface).

On-Board IDE

h Dual IDE controllers on the SiS962L chipset provides IDE HDD/CD-ROM

with PIO, Bus Master and Ultra DMA133/100/66 operation modes.

h Can connect up to four IDE devices.

On-Board Peripherals

h On-Board Peripherals include:

1-3

Getting Started

- 1 floppy port supports 2 FDDs with 360K, 720K, 1.2M, 1.44M and

2.88Mbytes

- 2 serial ports (COM A + COM B)

- 1 parallel port supports SPP/EPP/ECP mode

- 1 audio/game port

- 6 USB 2.0 ports (Rear * 2/ Front * 4)

- 1 RJ45 LAN jack (Optional)

Audio

h AC’97 link controller integrated in SiS962L.
h RealT ek ALC650 6-channel audio.

- Compliance with AC’97 v2.2 spec.

- Meets PC2001 audio performance requirement.

LAN (Optional)

h SiS962L integrated MAC + RealT ek 8201BL PHY.

- Supports 10Mbps and 100Mbps auto-negotiation operation.

- Supports ACPI power management.

BIOS

h The mainboard BIOS provides “Plug & Play” BIOS which detects the pe-

ripheral devices and expansion cards of the board automatically.

h The mainboard provides a Desktop Management Interface (DMI) function

which records your mainboard specifications.

Dimension

h ATX Form Factor: 29.5 cm (L) x 23 cm (W).

Mounting

h 6 mounting holes.

1-4

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

Mainboard Layout

645 Combo (MS-6737 v1.X) ATX Mainboard

CPUFA

SYSFA

JAUD1

JPW2

JPW1

CONN1

IDE 1

IDE 2

Winbond

W83697HF

Top: Mouse
Bottom: Keyboard

T: LAN J ack
B: USB Ports

JCD1

Codec

JBAT1

JDB1

FDD1

AGP Slot

JUSB2

JUSB1

JFP1

JFP2

BATT

+

SiS

962L

SiS

645

PCI Slot 6

PCI Slot 5

PCI Slot 4

PCI Slot 3

PCI Slot 2

PCI Slot 1

DIMM 1

SDIMM 1

DIMM 2

SDIMM 2

BIOS

Top :
Game Port

Bottom:
Line-Out
Line-In
Mic

1-5

Getting Started

MSI Special Features

Features:

Ø MSI Logo links to the MSI Web site
Ø CPU Speed allows users to adjust the CPU speed through CPU

Multiplier and FSB

Ø Voltage allows user to adjust the voltage of CPU/Memory/AGP
Ø MSI Info provides information about the mainboard, BIOS and OS
Ø CPU Info provides detailed information about the CPU
Ø CPU Fan Speed shows the current running speed of CPU Fan
Ø CPU T emp. shows the current CPU temperature

Fuzzy Logic™ 4

The Fuzzy Logic™ 4 utility is a user friendly tool that allows users to

view and adjust the current system status. To overclock the CPU FSB (Front
Side Bus) frequency under the Windows operating system, click FSB and use
the right and left arrow keys to select the desired FSB, and then click Apply to
apply the new setup value. To enable the system running at the specified FSB
every time when you click Turbo, click Save to save the desired FSB first. If
you want to know the maximal CPU overclocking value, click Auto to start
testing. The CPU FSB will automatically increase the testing value until the PC
reboots. After rebooting, click Turbo to apply the test result. Click Default to
restore the default values.

MSI Reminds Y ou...

To adjust the options under CPU Speed and Voltage, use the right
and left arrow keys to select the desired value and then click Ap-

ply to run the setup value.

1-6

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

Live BIOS™/Live Driver™

The Live BIOS™/Live Driver™ is a tool used to detect and
update your BIOS/drivers online so that you don’t need to search
for the correct BIOS/driver version throughout the Web site. To
use the function, you need to install the “MSI Live Update 2”
application. After installation, the “MSI Live Update 2” icon (as
shown on the right) will appear on the screen.

Double click the “MSI Live Update 2” icon, and the follow­ing screen will appear:

Five buttons are placed on the leftmost pane of the screen. Click the desired
button to start the update process.

zz

zz

z Live BIOS – Updates the BIOS online.

zz

zz

z Live Driver – Updates the drivers online.

zz

zz

z Live VGA BIOS – Updates the VGA BIOS online.

zz

zz

z Live VGA Driver – Updates the VGA driver online.
zz

zz

z Live Utility – Updates the utilities online.

If the product you purchased does not support any of the functions listed
above, a “sorry” message is displayed. For more information on the update
instructions, insert the companion CD and refer to the “Live Update Guide”
under the “Manual” Tab.

1-7

Getting Started

Live Monitor™

The Live Monitor™ is a tool used to schedule the search
for the latest BIOS/drivers version on the MSI W eb site. To use
the function, you need to install the “MSI Live Update 2”
application. After installation, the “MSI Live Monitor” icon (as
shown on the right) will appear on the screen. Double click this
icon to run the application.

Double click the “MSI Live Monitor” icon at the lower-right corner
of the taskbar, and the following dialog box will appear . You can specify how

often the system will automatically search for the BIOS/drivers version, or
change the LAN settings right from the dialog box.

You can right-click the MSI Live Monitor icon to perform the functions
listed below:

zz

zz

z Auto Search – Searches for the BIOS/drivers version you need immediately.

zz

zz

z View Last Result – Allows you to view the last search result if there is any.

zz

zz

z Preference – Configures the Search function, including the Search schedule.

zz

zz

z Exit – Exits the Live Monitor™ application.
zz

zz

z FAQ – Provides a link to a database which contents various possible questions

about MSI's products for users to inquire.

1-8

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

D-BracketTM2 Description

System Power ON

- The D-LED will hang here if the processor is damaged or
not installed properly.

Early Chipset Initialization

Memory Detection Test

- Testing onboard memory size. The D-LED will hang if
the memory module is damaged or not installed properly.
Decompressing BIOS image to RAM for fast booting.

Initializing Keyboard Controller.

Testing VGA BIOS

- This will start writing VGA sign-on message to the screen.

1 2
3 4

Red

Green

D-Bracket™ 2

1 2
3 4

D-Bracket™ 2 (Optional)

D-Bracket™ 2 is an external USB bracket integrating four Diagnostic
LEDs, which use graphic signal display to help users understand their system.
The LEDs provide up to 16 combinations of signals to debug the system. The
4 LEDs can debug all problems that fail the system, such as VGA, RAM or
other failures. This special feature is very useful for the overclocking users.
These users can use the feature to detect if there are any problems or failures.

D-Bracket™ 2 supports both USB 1.1 & 2.0 spec.

1-9

Getting Started

D-BracketTM2 Description

Processor Initialization

- This will show information regarding the proce ss or (lik e
brand name, system bus, etc …)
Testing RTC (Real Time Clock)

Initializing Video Interface

- This will start detecting CPU clock, checking type of video
onboard. Then, detect an d initializ e the video adapter.

BIOS Sign On

- This will start showing information about logo, proc e ss o r
brand name, etc….

Testing Base and Extend ed Memory

- Testing base memory from 240K to 64 0K and extended
memory above 1MB using various patterns.
Assign Resources to all ISA.

Initializing Hard Drive Controller

- This will initialize IDE drive and controller.

Initializing Floppy Drive Controller

- This will initializing Floppy Drive and con trolle r.

Boot Attempt

- This will set low stack and boot via INT 19h.

Operating System Booting

1 2
3 4

1-10

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

PC Alert™ 4

The PC AlertTM 4 is a utility you can find in the CD-ROM disk. The utility
is just like your PC doctor that can detect the following PC hardware status
during real time operation:

Ø monitor CPU & system temperatures
Ø monitor fan speeds
Ø monitor system voltages

If one of the items above is abnormal, the program main screen will be
immediately shown on the screen, with the abnormal item highlighted in red.
This will continue to be shown until the condition returns to the normal status.

Users can use the Adjusting Keys to change the minimum and maximum
threshold of each item for the system to send out a warning message. Click
Temperature to select the temperature modes of either Fahrenheit (℉) or Cel­sius (℃). The PC Alert™ 4 icon on the Status Area will show the current CPU
temperature.

Temperature

Modes

Adjusting Keys

COOLER XP

1-11

Getting Started

To better protect the CPU from overheating, a new feature, COOLER
XP, has been added to decrease the temperature of AMD Athlon™ XP CPU.

To do so, simply click COOLER XP and the screen will show the Cute skin (as
shown below) with information about the CPU and chipset. Right-click the
mouse to select the skin you want to switch to.

Cute

MSI Reminds Y ou...

1. The new feature COOLER XP will work only if your mainboard
supports AMD Athlon XP CPU.

2. Items shown on PC Alert 4 vary depending on your system’s
status.

3. Whenever the minimum or maximum threshold of each item has
been changed, please close the PC Alert 4 program for the new
settings to take effect.

2-1

Hardware Setup

Chapter 2. Hardware
Setup

Hardware Setup

This chapter provides you with the information about hard­ware setup procedures. While doing the installation, be careful
in holding the components and follow the installation
procedures. For some components, if you install in the wrong
orientation, the components will not work properly.

Use a grounded wrist strap before handling computer
components. Static electricity may damage the components.

2-2

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

Quick Components Guide

CPUFA, p.2-19

DIMM 1~2, p.2-7

CONN1,

p.2-10

SDIMM1~2, p.2-7

JUSB1, p.2-22

SYSFA, p.2-19

JFP1, p.2-20

JFP2, p.2-20

JBAT1, p.2-24

JAUD1, p.2-21

PCI Slots, p.2-25

AGP Slot, p.2-25

JCD1, p.2-17

Back Panel
I/O, p.2-12

CPU, p.2-3

JUSB2, p.2-22

JDB1, p.2-23

FDD1, p.2-17

IDE1/2, p.2-18

JPW1, p.2-11

JPW2, p.2-11

2-3

Hardware Setup

Central Processing Unit: CPU

CPU Core Speed Derivation Procedure

If CPU Clock = 100MHz

Core/Bus ratio = 14

then CPU core speed = Host Clock x Core/Bus ratio

= 100MHz x 14
= 1.4 GHz

MSI Reminds You...

Overheating

Overheating will seriously damage the CPU and system, al­ways make sure the cooling fan can work properly to protect
the CPU from overheating.

Replacing the CPU

While replacing the CPU, always turn off the ATX power sup­ply or unplug the power supply’s power cord from grounded
outlet first to ensure the safety of CPU.

Overclocking

This motherboard is designed to support overclocking.
However, please make sure your components are able to toler­ate such abnormal setting, while doing overclocking. Any at­tempt to operate beyond product specifications is not
recommended. We do not guarantee the damages or risks

caused by inadequate operation or beyond product
specifications.

The mainboard supports Intel® Pentium® 4 processors in the 478 pin

package. The mainboard uses a CPU socket called PGA478 for easy CPU
installation. When you are installing the CPU, make sure the CPU has a
heat sink and a cooling fan attached on the top to prevent overheating. If
you do not find the heat sink and cooling fan, contact your dealer to purchase
and install them before turning on the computer.

2-4

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

1. Please turn off the power and
unplug the power cord before
installing the CPU.

2. Pull the lever sideways away
from the socket. Make sure to
raise the lever up to a 90-de­gree angle.

3. Look for the gold arrow. The
gold arrow should point to­wards the lever pivot. The
CPU can only fit in the cor­rect orientation.

4. If the CPU is correctly
installed, the pins should be
completely embedded into the
socket and can not be seen.
Please note that any violation
of the correct installation pro­cedures may cause permanent
damages to your mainboard.

5. Press the CPU down firmly
into the socket and close the
lever. As the CPU is likely to
move while the lever is being
closed, always close the lever
with your fingers pressing
tightly on top of the CPU to
make sure the CPU is prop­erly and completely embed­ded into the socket.

CPU Installation Procedures for Socket 478

Open Lever

90 degree

Sliding

Plate

Close
Lever

Press down

the CPU

Gold arrow

Gold arrow

Gold arrow

Correct CPU placement

Incorrect CPU placeme n t

X

O

2-5

Hardware Setup

Installing the CPU Fan

As processor technology pushes to faster speeds and higher performance,
thermal management becomes increasingly important. To dissipate heat, you
need to attach the CPU cooling fan and heatsink on top of the CPU. Follow
the instructions below to install the Heatsink/Fan:

2. Position the heatsink onto the reten­tion mechanism.

1. Locate the CPU and its retention
mechanism on the motherboard.

3. Mount the fan on top of the heatsink.
Press down the fan until its four clips
get wedged in the holes of the reten­tion mechanism.

4. Press the two levers down to fasten
the fan. Each lever can be pressed
down in only ONE direction.

retention mechanism

levers

2-6

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

5. Connect the fan power cable from the mounted fan to the 3-pin fan power connector
on the board.

fan power cable

NOTES

2-7

Hardware Setup

The mainboard provides two 184-pin unbuffered PC2700/PC2100/
PC1600 DDR SDRAM or two 168-pin unbuffered PC100/133 SDRAM and
supports the memory size up to 2GB. To operate properly, at least one DIMM
module must be installed.

Memory

MSI Reminds You...

Make sure that you install only one type of memory modules
(either SDR or DDR) at one time. DO NOT install both types at

the same time. For security reason, the system will automati­cally power off if you simultaneously install SDR & DDR
memory modules onboard.

SDR DIMM Slots

(SDIMM 1~2)

DDR DIMM Slots

(DIMM 1~2)

2-8

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

DDR Module Combination

Install at least one DIMM module on the slots. Memory modules can be
installed on the slots in any order. You can install either single- or double­sided modules to meet your own needs.

Memory modules can be installed in any combination as follows:

Installing DDR Modules

1. The DDR DIMM has only one notch on the center of module. The mod-

ule will only fit in the right orientation.

2. Insert the DIMM memory module vertically into the DIMM slot. Then

push it in until the golden finger on the memory module is deeply in­serted in the socket.

3. The plastic clip at each side of the DIMM slot will automatically close.

MSI Reminds You...

You can barely see the golden finger if the module is properly
inserted in the socket.

Volt

Notch

S: Single Side D: Double Side

Slot Memory Module Total Memory

DDR 2
(Bank 2 & 3) S/D 64MB~1GB

Maximum System Memory Supported 64MB~2GB

DDR 1
(Bank 0 & 1) S/D 64MB~1GB

2-9

Hardware Setup

Installing SDR Modules

1. The SDR DIMM slot has 2 Notch Keys “VOLT and DRAM”, so the

DIMM memory module can only fit in one direction.

2. Insert the DIMM memory module vertically into the DIMM slot. Then

push it in.

3. The plastic clip at each side of the DIMM slot will automatically close.

SDR Module Combination

At least one DIMM module should be installed on the motherboard.
Memory modules can be installed on the slots in any order. The single-/double­sided memory modules that each DIMM slot supports are listed as below:

S: Single Side D: Double Side

Slot Memory Module Total Memory

DIMM 2
(Bank 2 & 3) S/D 64MB~1GB

Maximum System Memory Supported 64MB~2GB

DIMM 1
(Bank 0 & 1) S/D 64MB~1GB

Volt

Notch

MSI Reminds You...

You can barely see the golden finger if the module is properly
inserted in the socket.

2-10

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

Power Supply

The mainboard supports ATX power supply for the power system. Be­fore inserting the power supply connector, always make sure that all compo­nents are installed properly to ensure that no damage will be caused.

ATX 20-Pin Power Connector: CONN1

This connector allows you to connect to an ATX power supply. To con­nect to the ATX power supply, make sure the plug of the power supply is
inserted in the proper orientation and the pins are aligned. Then push down
the power supply firmly into the connector.

CONN1

10

1

20

11

PIN SIGNAL

11 3.3V
12 -12V
13 GND
14 PS_ON
15 GND
16 GND
17 GND
18 -5V
19 5V
20 5V

PIN SIGNAL

1 3.3V
2 3.3V
3 GND
45V
5 GND
65V
7 GND
8 PW_OK
9 5V_SB
10 12V

CONN1 Pin Definition

2-11

Hardware Setup

ATX 12V Power Connector: JPW1

This 12V power connector is used to provide power to the CPU.

ATX 5V/12V Power Connector: JPW2

This 5V/12V power connector is used to provide power to the
components on the mainboard.

JPW1

1

3

4
2

PIN SINGAL

15V
2 GND
3 GND
4 12V

JPW2 Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL

1 GND
2 GND
3 12V
4 12V

JPW1 Pin Definition

1

4

JPW2

2-12

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

The back panel provides the following connectors:

Back Panel

Mouse Connector

The mainboard provides a standard PS/2® mouse mini DIN connector
for attaching a PS/2® mouse. You can plug a PS/2® mouse directly into this
connector. The connector location and pin assignments are as follows:

PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION

1 Mouse DATA Mouse DATA
2 NC No connection
3 GND Ground
4 VCC +5V
5 Mouse Clock Mouse clock
6 NC No connection

Pin Definition

PS/2 Mouse (6-pin Female)

2

1

3

4

5

6

Mouse

Keyboard

USB

Parallel

COM A COM B L-out L-in MIC

Midi/Joystick

LAN

(Optional)

2-13

Hardware Setup

Keyboard Connector

The mainboard provides a standard PS/2® keyboard mini DIN connec­tor for attaching a PS/2® keyboard. You can plug a PS/2® keyboard directly
into this connector.

PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION

1 Keyboard DATA Keyboard DATA
2 NC No connection
3 GND Ground
4 VCC +5V
5 Keyboard Clock Keyboard clock
6 NC No connection

Pin Definition

PS/2 Keyboard (6-pin Female)

2

1

3

4

5

6

USB Connectors

The mainboard provides a OHCI (Open Host Controller Interface) Uni­versal Serial Bus root for attaching USB devices such as keyboard, mouse or
other USB-compatible devices. You can plug the USB device directly into
the connector.

PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION

1 VCC +5V
2 -Data 0 Negative Data Channel 0
3 +Data0 Positive Data Channel 0
4 GND Ground
5 VCC +5V
6 -Data 1 Negative Data Channel 1
7 +Data 1 Positive Data Channel 1
8 GND Ground

USB Port Description

USB Ports

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8

2-14

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

Serial Port Connectors: COM A & COM B

The mainboard offers two 9-pin male DIN connectors as serial port COM
A & COM B. The ports are 16550A high speed communication ports that
send/receive 16 bytes FIFOs. You can attach a serial mouse or other serial
devices directly to the connectors.

PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION

1 DCD Data Carry Detect
2 SIN Serial In or Receive Data
3 SOUT Serial Out or Transmit Data
4 DTR Data Terminal Ready)
5 GND Ground
6 DSR Data Set Ready
7 RTS Request To Send
8 CTS Clear To Send
9 RI Ring Indicate

Pin Definition

9-Pin Male DIN Connector

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9

RJ-45 LAN Jack (Optional)

The mainboard provides one standard RJ-45 jack for connection to Lo­cal Area Network (LAN). You can connect a network cable to the LAN jack.

Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION

1 TDP Transmit Differential Pair
2 TDN Transmit Differential Pair
3 RDP Receive Differential Pair
4 NC Not Used
5 NC Not Used
6 RDN Receive Differential Pair
7 NC Not Used
8 NC Not Used

RJ-45 LAN Jack

8 1

2-15

Hardware Setup

Parallel Port Connector: LPT1

The mainboard provides a 25-pin female centronic connector as LPT.
A parallel port is a standard printer port that supports Enhanced Parallel Port
(EPP) and Extended Capabilities Parallel Port (ECP) mode.

13 1

14

25

PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION

1 STROBE Strobe
2 DATA0 Data0
3 DATA1 Data1
4 DATA2 Data2
5 DATA3 Data3
6 DATA4 Data4
7 DATA5 Data5
8 DATA6 Data6
9 DATA7 Data7
10 ACK# Acknowledge
11 BUSY Busy
12 PE Paper End
13 SELECT Select
14 AUTO FEED# Automatic Feed
15 ERR# Error
16 INIT# Initialize Printer
17 SLIN# Select In
18 GND Ground
19 GND Ground
20 GND Ground
21 GND Ground
22 GND Ground
23 GND Ground
24 GND Ground
25 GND Ground

Pin Definition

2-16

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

Audio Port Connectors

Line Out is a connector for Speakers or Headphones. Line In is used

for external CD player, Tape player, or other audio devices. Mic is a connec­tor for microphones.

1/8” Stereo Audio Connectors

Line Out Line In MIC

Joystick/Midi Connector

You can connect a joystick or game pad to this connector.

MSI Reminds You...

For advanced audio application, RealTek ALC650 audio chip
is provided to offer support for 6-channel audio operation and
can turn rear audio connectors from 2-channel to 4-/6-channel
audio. For more information on 6-channel audio operation,
please refer to Appendix. Using 4- or 6-Channel Audio Function.

2-17

Hardware Setup

The mainboard provides connectors to connect to FDD, IDE HDD, case,
audio, LAN, USB Ports, and CPU/System fans.

Floppy Disk Drive Connector: FDD1

The mainboard provides a standard floppy disk drive connector that
supports 360K, 720K, 1.2M, 1.44M and 2.88M floppy disk types.

Connectors

FDD1

CD-In Connector: JCD1

This connector is for connection to CD-ROM audio.

JCD1

GND

R

L

2-18

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

MSI Reminds You...

If you install two hard disks on cable, you must configure the
second drive to Slave mode by setting its jumper. Refer to the
hard disk documentation supplied by hard disk vendors for
jumper setting instructions.

Hard Disk Connectors: IDE1/IDE2

The mainboard has a 32-bit Enhanced PCI IDE and Ultra DMA 33/66/
100/133 controller that provides PIO mode 0~4, Bus Master, and Ultra DMA
33/66/100/133 function. You can connect up to four hard disk drives, CD­ROM, 120MB Floppy (reserved for future BIOS) and other devices. These
connectors support the provided IDE hard disk cable.

IDE1 (Primary IDE Connector)
The first hard drive should always be connected to IDE1. IDE1 can

connect a Master and a Slave drive. You must configure second hard
drive to Slave mode by setting the jumper accordingly.

IDE2 (Secondary IDE Connector)
IDE2 can also connect a Master and a Slave drive.

IDE1

IDE2

2-19

Hardware Setup

Fan Power Connectors: CPUFA/SYSFA

The CPUFA (processor fan) & SYSFA (system fan) support system cool­ing fan with +12V. It supports three-pin head connector. When connecting
the wire to the connectors, always take note that the red wire is the positive
and should be connected to the +12V, the black wire is Ground and should be
connected to GND. If the mainboard has a System Hardware Monitor chipset
on-board, you must use a specially designed fan with speed sensor to take
advantage of the CPU fan control.

MSI Reminds You...

Always consult the vendors for proper CPU cooling fan.

SYSFA

SENSOR

+12V

GND

CPUFA

SENSOR

+12V

GND

2-20

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION

1 HD_LED_P Hard disk LED pull-up
2 FP PWR/SLP MSG LED pull-up
3 HD_LED_N Hard disk active LED
4 FP PWR/SLP MSG LED pull-up
5 RST_SW_N Reset Switch low reference pull-down to GND
6 PWR_SW_P Power Switch high reference pull-up
7 RST_SW_P Reset Switch high reference pull-up
8 PWR_SW_N Power Switch low reference pull-down to GND
9 RSVD_DNU Reserved. Do not use.

JFP1 Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL PIN SIGNAL

1 GND 2 SPK­3 SLED 4 BUZ+

5 PLED 6 BUZ­7 NC 8 SPK+

JFP2 Pin Definition

Front Panel Connectors: JFP1/JFP2

The mainboard provides two front panel connectors for electrical con­nection to the front panel switches and LEDs. JFP1 is compliant with Intel

®

Front Panel I/O Connectivity Design Guide.

Power
LED

Speaker

1

2

7

8

JFP2

1

2

9

10

JFP1

HDD
LED

Reset

Switch
Power
LED

Power
Switch

2-21

Hardware Setup

Front Panel Audio Connector: JAUD1

The JAUD1 front panel audio connector allows you to connect to the
front panel audio and is compliant with Intel® Front Panel I/O Connectivity
Design Guide.

PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION

1 AUD_MIC Front panel microphone input signal
2 AUD_GND Ground used by analog audio circuits
3 AUD_MIC_BIAS Microphone power
4 AUD_VCC Filtered +5V used by analog audio circuits
5 AUD_FPOUT_R Right channel audio signal to front panel
6 AUD_RET_R Right channel audio signal return from front panel
7 HP_ON Reserved for future use to control headphone amplifier
8 KEY No pin
9 AUD_FPOUT_L Left channel audio signal to front panel
10 AUD_RET_L Left channel audio signal return from front panel

Pin Definition

MSI Reminds You...

If you don’t want to connect to the front audio
header, pins 5 & 6, 9 & 10 have to be jumpered in
order to have signal output directed to the rear
audio ports. Otherwise, the Line-Out connector on
the back panel will not function.

5

6

10

9

JAUD1

1

2

9

10

2-22

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

2

10

1

9

JUSB1/2

Front USB Connectors: JUSB1/JUSB2

The mainboard provides two USB 2.0 pin headers JUSB1 & JUSB2
(optional USB 2.0 bracket available) that are compliant with Intel® I/O Con­nectivity Design Guide. USB 2.0 technology increases data transfer rate up to
a maximum throughput of 480Mbps, which is 40 times faster than USB 1.1,
and is ideal for connecting high-speed USB interface peripherals such as USB
HDD, digital cameras, MP3 players, printers, modems and the like.

PIN SIGNAL PIN SIGNAL

1 USBPWR 2 USBPWR
3 USBP2- 4 USBP3­5 USBP2+ 6 USBP3+
7 GND 8 GND
9 NC 10 USBOC

JUSB1/2 Pin Definition

Connected to JUSB1
or JUSB2

USB 2.0 Bracket

(Optional)

2-23

Hardware Setup

D-Bracket™ 2 Connector: JDB1

The mainboard comes with a JDB1 connector for you to connect to D­Bracket™ 2. D-Bracket™ 2 is a USB Bracket that supports both USB1.1 & 2.
0 spec. It integrates four LEDs and allows users to identify system problem
through 16 various combinations of LED signals. For definitions of 16 signal
combinations, please refer to D-Bracket™ 2 (Optional) in Chapter 1.

JDB1

1

9

2

10

Pin Signal

1 DBG1 (high for green color)
2 DBR1 (high for red color)
3 DBG2 (high for green color)
4 DBR2 (high for red color)
5 DBG3 (high for green color)
6 DBR3 (high for red color)
7 DBG4 (high for green color)
8 DBR4 (high for red color)
9 Key
10 NC

Pin Definition

D-Bracket™ 2

(Optional)

Connected to JDB1

LEDs

Connected to JUSB1 or JUSB2

2-24

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

The motherboard provides the following jumpers for you to set the
computer’s function. This section will explain how to change your
motherboard’s function through the use of jumpers.

Clear CMOS Jumper: JBAT1

There is a CMOS RAM on board that has a power supply from external
battery to keep the data of system configuration. With the CMOS RAM, the
system can automatically boot OS every time it is turned on. If you want to
clear the system configuration, use the JBAT1 (Clear CMOS Jumper ) to clear
data. Follow the instructions below to clear the data:

Jumpers

MSI Reminds You...

You can clear CMOS by shorting 2-3 pin while the system is off.
Then return to 1-2 pin position. Avoid clearing the CMOS while
the system is on; it will damage the mainboard.

JBAT1

1

Clear Data

1

3

Keep Data

1

3

2-25

Hardware Setup

Slots

The motherboard provides one AGP slot and six 32-bit Master PCI bus
slots.

PCI Slots

AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) Slot

The AGP Pro slot allows you to insert the AGP graphics card. AGP is an
interface specification designed for the throughput demands of 3D graphics.
It introduces a 66MHz, 32-bit channel for the graphics controller to directly
access main memory.

PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) Slots

The PCI slots allow you to insert the expansion cards to meet your needs.
When adding or removing expansion cards, make sure that you unplug the
power supply first. Meanwhile, read the documentation for the expansion card
to make any necessary hardware or software settings for the expansion card,
such as jumpers, switches or BIOS configuration.

AGP Slot

2-26

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

PCI Interrupt Request Routing

The IRQ, acronym of interrupt request line and pronounced I-R-Q, are
hardware lines over which devices can send interrupt signals to the
microprocessor. The PCI IRQ pins are typically connected to the PCI bus INT
A# ~ INT D# pins as follows:

Order 1 Order 2 Order 3 Order 4
PCI Slot 1 INT B# INT C# INT D# INT A#
PCI Slot 2 INT C# INT D# INT A# INT B#
PCI Slot 3 INT D# INT A# INT B# INT C#
PCI Slot 4 INT A# INT B# INT C# INT D#
PCI Slot 5 INT B# INT C# INT D# INT A#
PCI Slot 6 INT C# INT D# INT A# INT B#

3-1

BIOS Setup

Chapter 3. BIOS Setup

This chapter provides information on the BIOS Setup pro­gram and allows you to configure the system for optimum use.
You may need to run the Setup program when:

 An error message appears on the screen during the system

booting up, and requests you to run SETUP.

 You want to change the default settings for customized

features.

BIOS Setup

3-2

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

Entering Setup

Power on the computer and the system will start POST (Power On Self
Test) process. When the message below appears on the screen, press <DEL>
key to enter Setup.

DEL:Setup F11:Boot Menu F12:Network boot TAB:Logo

If the message disappears before you respond and you still wish to enter
Setup, restart the system by turning it OFF and On or pressing the RESET
button. You may also restart the system by simultaneously pressing <Ctrl>,
<Alt>, and <Delete> keys.

Selecting the First Boot Device

You are allowed to select the 1st boot device without entering the BIOS
setup utility by pressing <F11>. When the same message as listed above
appears on the screen, press <F11> to trigger the boot menu.

The POST messages might pass by too quickly for you to respond in
time. If so, restart the system and press <F11> after around 2 or 3 seconds to
activate the boot menu similar to the following.

The boot menu will list all the bootable devices. Select the one you want
to boot from by using arrow keys and then pressing <Enter>. The system will
boot from the selected device. The selection will not make changes to the
settings in the BIOS setup utility, so next time when you power on the system,
it will still use the original first boot device to boot up.

Select First Boot Device

Floppy : 1st Floppy
IDE-0 : IBM-DTLA-307038
CDROM : ATAPI CD-ROM DRIVE 40X M

[Up/Dn] Select [RETURN] Boot [ESC] cancel

3-3

BIOS Setup

Control Keys

Getting Help

After entering the Setup utility, the first screen you see is the Main Menu.

Main Menu

The main menu displays the setup categories the BIOS supplies. You
can use the arrow keys ( ↑↓ ) to select the item. The on-line description for the
selected setup category is displayed at the bottom of the screen.

Default Settings

The preset Optimal Defaults of the BIOS setup program provide opti­mal performance settings for all devices and the system.

MSI Reminds You...

The items under each BIOS category described in this chapter
are under continuous update for better system performance.
Therefore, the description may be slightly different from the lat­est BIOS and should be held for reference only.

<↑> Move to the previous item
<↓> Move to the next item
<←> Move to the item in the left hand

<→> Move to the item in the right hand

<Enter> Select the item
<Esc> Jumps to the Exit menu or returns to the main menu from a submenu

<+/PU> Increase the numeric value or make changes
<-/PD> Decrease the numeric value or make changes
<F6> Load High Performance Defaults
<F7> Load Optimal Defaults
<F10> Save all the CMOS changes and exit

3-4

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

The Main Menu

Standard CMOS Features

Use this menu for basic system configurations, such as time, date etc.

Advanced BIOS Features

Use this menu to setup the items of AMI® special enhanced features.

Advanced Chipset Features

Use this menu to change the values in the chipset registers and optimize your
system’s performance.

Power Management Features

Use this menu to specify your settings for power management.

Once you enter AMIBIOS NEW SETUP UTILITY, the Main Menu
will appear on the screen. The Main Menu displays eleven configurable func­tions and two exit choices. Use arrow keys to move among the items and
press <Enter> to enter the sub-menu.

3-5

BIOS Setup

PNP/PCI Configurations

This entry appears if your system supports PnP/PCI.

Integrated Peripherals

Use this menu to specify your settings for integrated peripherals.

PC Health Status

This entry shows the status of your CPU, fan, warning for overall system
status.

Frequency/Voltage Control

Use this menu to specify your settings for frequency/voltage control.

Set Supervisor Password

Use this menu to set Supervisor Password.

Set User Password

Use this menu to set User Password.

Load Optimal Defaults

Use this menu to load the factory default settings for optimal & stable system
performance.

Load High Performance Defaults

Use this menu to load the BIOS values for the best system performance, but
the system stability may be affected.

Save & Exit Setup

Save changes to CMOS and exit setup.

Exit Without Saving

Abandon all changes and exit setup.

3-6

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

Standard CMOS Features

The items inside STANDARD CMOS SETUP menu are divided into 9
categories. Each category includes none, one or more setup items. Use the
arrow keys to highlight the item you want to modify and use the <PgUp> or
<PgDn> keys to switch to the value you prefer.

System Time

This allows you to set the system time that you want (usually the current
time). The time format is <hour> <minute> <second>.

System Date

This allows you to set the system to the date that you want (usually the current
date). The format is <month> <date> <year> <day>.

month The month from Jan. through Dec.
date The date from 1 to 31 can be keyed by numeric function keys.
year The year can be adjusted by users.
day Day of the week, from Sun to Sat, determined by BIOS. Read

only.

3-7

BIOS Setup

Primary/Secondary IDE Master/Slave

Press PgUp/<+> or PgDn/<-> to select the hard disk drive type. The specifi­cation of hard disk drive will show up on the right hand according to your
selection.

Type Select how to define the HDD parameters
Cylinders Enter cylinder number
Heads Enter head number
Write Precompensation Enter write precomp cylinder
Sectors Enter sector number
Maximum Capacity Read the maximal HDD capacity
LBA Mode Select Auto for a hard disk > 512 MB un-

der Windows and DOS, or Disabled un­der Netware and UNIX

Block Mode Select Auto to enhance the hard disk

performance
Fast Programmed I/O Select Auto to enhance hard disk perfor­Modes mance by optimizing the hard disk timing
32 Bit Transfer Mode Enable 32 bit to maximize the IDE hard

disk data transfer rate

Floppy Drive A/B

This item allows you to set the type of floppy drives installed. Available options:
Not Installed, 1.2 MB 5¼, 720 KB 3½, 1.44 MB 3½ and 2.88 MB 3½.

3-8

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

Advanced BIOS Features

Quick Boot

Setting the item to Enabled allows the system to boot within 5 seconds since
it will skip some check items. Available options: Enabled, Disabled.

Full Screen Logo Show

This setting enables you to show the company logo on the bootup screen.
Setting options:

Disabled Shows the POST messages at boot.
Enabled Shows a still image (logo) on the full screen at boot.

Anti-Virus Protection

The item is to set the Virus Warning feature for IDE Hard Disk boot sector
protection. When Enabled, BIOS will issue a virus warning message and beep
if a write to the boot sector or the partition table of the HDD is attempted.
Setting options: Disabled and Enabled.

3-9

BIOS Setup

Boot Sequence

Press <Enter> and the following sub-menu appears.

1st/2nd/3rd

The items allow you to set the sequence of boot devices where AMIBIOS
attempts to load the operating system. The settings are:

IDE-0 The system will boot from the first HDD.
IDE-1 The system will boot from the second HDD.
IDE-2 The system will boot from the third HDD.
IDE-3 The system will boot from the fourth HDD.
Floppy The system will boot from floppy drive.
ARMD-FDD The system will boot from any ARMD device, such as

LS-120 or ZIP drive, that functions as a floppy drive.

ARMD-HDD The system will boot from ARMD device, such as MO

or ZIP drive, that functions as hard disk drive.

CDROM The system will boot from the CD-ROM.
Legacy SCSI The system will boot from the SCSI.

Legacy Network The system will boot from the Network drive.

BBS-0 The system will boot from the first BBS (BIOS Boot

Specification) compliant device.

BBS-1 The system will boot from the second BBS (BIOS Boot

Specification) compliant device.

BBS-2 The system will boot from the third BBS (BIOS Boot

Specification) compliant device.

BBS-3 The system will boot from the fourth BBS (BIOS Boot

Specification) compliant device.

USB FDD The system will boot from USB-interfaced floppy drive.
USB CDROMThe system will boot from the USB-interfaced CD-ROM.
USB HDD The system will boot from the USB-interfaced HDD.

USB RMD-FDD The system will boot from any USB-interfaced ARMD

device, such as LS-120 or ZIP drive, that functions as a
floppy drive.

3-10

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

USB RMD-HDD The system will boot from USB-interfaced ARMD

device, such as MO or ZIP drive, that functions as hard
disk drive.

Disabled Disable this sequence.

Boot Other Device

Setting the option to Yes allows the system to try to boot from other
devices if the system fails to boot from the 1st/2nd/3rd boot device.

Hard Disk S.M.A.R.T.

This allows you to activate the S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring Analysis & Re­porting Technology) capability for the hard disks. S.M.A.R.T is a utility that
monitors your disk status to predict hard disk failure. This gives you an op­portunity to move data from a hard disk that is going to fail to a safe place
before the hard disk becomes offline. Settings: Enabled, Disabled.

Boot Up Num-Lock LED

This item is to set the Num Lock status when the system is powered on. Set­ting to On will turn on the Num Lock key when the system is powered on.
Setting to Off will allow end users to use the arrow keys on the numeric keypad.
Setting options: On, Off.

Halt On Keyboard Error

This setting determines whether the system will stop if an error at the key­board is detected. Setting options: Enabled, Disabled.

Swap Floppy

Setting to Enabled will swap floppy drives A: and B:.

Seek Floppy

This setting causes the BIOS to search for floppy disk drives at boot time.
When enabled, the BIOS will activate the floppy disk drives during the boot
process: the drive activity light will come on and the head will move back and

MSI Reminds You...

Available settings for “1st/2nd/3rd Boot Device” vary depend­ing on the bootable devices you have installed. For example, if
you did not install a floppy drive, the setting “Floppy” does not
show up.

3-11

BIOS Setup

forth once. First A: will be done and then B: if it exists. Setting options:
Disabled, Enabled.

Security Option

This specifies the type of AMIBIOS password protection that is implemented.
Setting options are described below.

Boot OS/2 for DRAM > 64MB

This allows you to run the OS/2® operating system with DRAM larger than
64MB. When you choose No, you cannot run the OS/2® operating system
with DRAM larger than 64MB. But it is possible if you choose Yes.

Internal Cache

Cache memory is additional memory that is much faster than conventional
DRAM (system memory). When the CPU requests data, the system transfers
the requested data from the main DRAM into cache memory, for even faster
access by the CPU. The setting controls the internal cache (also known as L1
or level 1 cache). Setting options: Disabled, WriteBack, Write Thru. WriteBack
& WriteThru refer to the cache’s write policy, which determines how it handles
writes to memory locations that are currently being held in cache. The

WriteBack cache policy will produce the best performance.

APIC Function

This field is used to enable or disable the APIC (Advanced Programmable
Interrupt Controller). Due to compliance to PC2001 design guide, the system
is able to run in APIC mode. Enabling APIC mode will expand available
IRQs resources for the system. Settings: Enabled, Disabled.

MPS Table Version

This field allows you to select which MPS (Multi-Processor Specification)
version to be used for the operating system. You need to select the MPS ver­sion supported by your operating system. To find out which version to use,
consult the vendor of your operating system. Settings: 1.4, 1.1.

Option Description

Setup The password prompt appears only when end users try to

run Setup.

Always A password prompt appears every time when the com-

puter is powered on or when end users try to run Setup.

3-12

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

Advanced Chipset Features

MSI Reminds You...

Change these settings only if you are familiar with the chipset.

CAS Latency

The field controls the CAS latency, which determines the timing delay before
SDRAM starts a read command after receiving it. Setting options: By SPD,
3T, 2.5T, 2T. 2T increases system performance while 2.5T provides more
stable system performance. Setting to By SPD enables DRAM CAS# Latency
automatically to be determined by BIOS based on the configurations of the
SPD (Serial Presence Detect) EEPROM on the DRAM module.

Timing Setting Mode

The DRAM timing is controlled by the DRAM Timing Registers. The Tim­ings programmed into this register are dependent on the system design. Slower
rates may be required in certain system designs to support loose layouts or

slower memory. Setting options: Safe, Normal, Fast, Turbo, Ultra.

3-13

BIOS Setup

AGP Aperture Size

The field selects the size of the Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) aperture.
Aperture is a portion of the PCI memory address range dedicated for graphics
memory address space. Host cycles that hit the aperture range are forwarded
to the AGP without any translation. Available setting options of the aperture
size will vary depending on the system memory installed.

MA 1T/2T Select

This setting controls the SDRAM command rate. Setting to Auto allows the
the SDRAM command rate to be determined by the BIOS. Selecting MA 1T/
MA 2T makes SDRAM signal controller run at 1T/2T rate. 1T is faster than
2T. Setting options: Auto, MA 2T, MA 1T.

Host To Memory Latency

Setting this function to Fast will improve overall system performance. Please
especially note that this function can be set to Fast only when the Host and
DRAM clock are in phase and running at synchronous mode. Setting options:
Normal, Fast.

3-14

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

Power Management Features

IPCA Function

This item is to activate the ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Man­agement Interface) function. If your operating system is ACPI-aware, such as
Windows 98SE/2000/ME/XP, select Enabled. Available options: Disabled,
Enabled.

Sleep State

This item specifies the power saving modes for ACPI function. If your oper­ating system supports ACPI, such as Windows 98SE/2000/ME/XP, you can
choose to enter the Standby mode in S1(POS) or S3(STR) fashion through the
setting of this field. Options are:

S1/POS The S1 sleep mode is a low power state. In this state, no

MSI Reminds You...

S3-related functions described in this section are available only
when your BIOS supports S3 sleep mode.

3-15

BIOS Setup

system context is lost (CPU or chipset) and hardware
maintains all system context.

S3/STR The S3 sleep mode is a lower power state where the in

formation of system configuration and open applications/
files is saved to main memory that remains powered
while most other hardware components turn off to save
energy. The information stored in memory will be used
to restore the system when a “wake up” event occurs.

Auto The BIOS automatically determines the power saving

mode.

Initialize VGA BIOS By S3

Selecting Enabled allows BIOS to call VGA BIOS to initialize the VGA card
when system wakes up (resumes) from S3 sleep state. The system resume
time is shortened when you disable the function, but system will need an AGP
driver to initialize the VGA card. Therefore, if the AGP driver of the card
does not support the initialization feature, the display may work abnormally
or not function after resuming from S3.

Suspend Time Out

After the selected period of system inactivity, all devices except the CPU shut
off. Settings: Disabled, 1 min, 2 min, 3 min, 4 min, 5 min, 10 min, 15 min, 20

min, 30 min.

Power Button Function

This feature sets the function of the power button. Settings are:

Power Off The power button functions as normal power off button.
Suspend When you press the power button, the computer enters

the suspend/sleep mode, but if the button is pressed for
more than four seconds, the computer is turned off.

After AC Power Lost

This setting specifies whether your system will reboot after a power failure or
interrupt occurs. Available settings are:

Power Off Leaves the computer in the power off state.
Power On Reboots the computer.
Last State Restores the system to the previous status before power

failure or interrupt occurred.

3-16

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

Set Wake Up Events

Press <Enter> and the following sub-menu appears.

USB Wakeup From S1/S3

This setting allows the activity of the USB device to wake up the system
from S1 & S3 sleep state. Setting options: Enabled, Disabled.

Wake Up By Keyboard From S3

The item specifies how the system will be awakened from power saving
mode when input signal of the keyboard is detected. If set to Specific

Key, <Ctrl+Alt+BackSpace> is the only one Power On event. If set to
Password, please press <Enter> to input password and its maximum pass-
word is 5 character. Setting options: Disabled, Any Key, Specific Key,
Password.

Wake Up By PS/2 Mouse From S3

The item specifies how the system will be awakened from power saving
mode when input signal of the PS/2 mouse is detected. Setting options:
Enabled, Disabled.

PS2 Mouse Wake Select Mode

This setting specifies the PS2 mouse wake-up mode and works only when
the Wake Up By PS/2 Mouse From S3 setting is set to Enabled. Setting
options: Click & Move, Click.

Wake Up On PME#

When setting to Enabled, this setting allows your system to be awakened

3-17

BIOS Setup

from the power saving modes through any event on PME (Power Man­agement Event). Setting options: Enabled, Disabled.

Resume By Alarm

This is used to enable or disable the feature of booting up the system on
a scheduled time/date from the S3, S4, and S5 state. Settings: Enabled,
Disabled.

Alarm Date/Hour/Minute/Second

If Resume By Alarm is set to Enabled, the system will automatically
resume (boot up) on a specific date/hour/minute/second specified in
these fields. Available settings for each item are:

Alarm Date 01 ~ 31, Every Day

Alarm Hour 00 ~ 23
Alarm Minute 00 ~ 59
Alarm Second 00 ~ 59

MSI Reminds You...

If you have changed this setting, you must let the system boot up
until it enters the operating system, before this function will work.

3-18

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

PNP/PCI Configurations

This section describes configuring the PCI bus system and PnP (Plug &

Play) feature. PCI, or Peripheral Component Interconnect, is a system which
allows I/O devices to operate at speeds nearing the speed the CPU itself uses
when communicating with its special components. This section covers some
very technical items and it is strongly recommended that only experienced
users should make any changes to the default settings.

Clear ESCD

The ESCD (Extended System Configuration Data) NVRAM (Non-volatile
Random Access Memory) is where the BIOS stores resource information for
both PNP and non-PNP devices in a bit string format. When the item is set to
Yes, the system wil reset ESCD NVRAM right after the system is booted up
and then set the setting of the item back to No automatically.

PCI/VGA Palette Snoop

When set to Enabled, multiple VGA devices operating on different buses can
handle data from the CPU on each set of palette registers on every video
device. Bit 5 of the command register in the PCI device configuration space is

3-19

BIOS Setup

the VGA Palette Snoop bit (0 is disabled). For example, if there are two VGA
devices in the computer (one PCI and one ISA) and the:

The setting must be set to Enabled if any ISA bus adapter in the system re­quires VGA palette snooping.

PCI Slot 1/5 IRQ Priority, PCI Slot 2/6 IRQ Priority, PCI Slot 3 IRQ
Priority, PCI Slot 4 IRQ Priority

These items specify the IRQ line for each PCI slot. Setting options: 3, 4, 5, 7,
9, 10, 11, Auto. Selecting Auto allows BIOS to automatically determine the

IRQ line for each PCI slot.

Set IRQs to PCI or ISA

Press <Enter> to enter the sub-menu and the following screen appears:

IRQ 3/4/5/7/9/10/11/14/15

These items specify the bus where the specified IRQ line is used.
The settings determine if AMIBIOS should remove an IRQ from the
pool of available IRQs passed to devices that are configurable by the

VGA Palette Snoop

Bit Setting

Action

Disabled Data read or written by the CPU is only directed to the PCI

VGA device’s palette registers.

Enabled Data read or written by the CPU is directed to both the PCI

VGA device’s palette registers and the ISA VGA device’s
palette registers, permitting the palette registers of both VGA
devices to be identical.

3-20

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

system BIOS. The available IRQ pool is determined by reading the ESCD
NVRAM. If more IRQs must be removed from the IRQ pool, the end
user can use these settings to reserve the IRQ by assigning an ISA/EISA
setting to it. Onboard I/O is configured by AMIBIOS. All IRQs used by
onboard I/O are configured as PCI/PnP. If all IRQs are set to ISA/EISA,
and IRQ 14/15 are allocated to the onboard PCI IDE, IRQ 9 will still be
available for PCI and PnP devices. available settings: ISA/EISA and PCI/
PnP.

Set DMAs to PnP or ISA

Press <Enter> to enter the sub-menu and the following screen appears:

DMA Channel 0/1/3/5/6/7

These items specify the bus that the system DMA (Direct Memory Access)
channel is used.
The settings determine if AMIBIOS should remove a DMA from the
available DMAs passed to devices that are configurable by the system
BIOS. The available DMA pool is determined by reading the ESCD
NVRAM. If more DMAs must be removed from the pool, the end user
can reserve the DMA by assigning an ISA/EISA setting to it.

3-21

BIOS Setup

Integrated Peripherals

USB Function

This setting is used to enable/disable the onboard USB controllers. Setting
options: Enabled, Disabled.

USB 2.0 Support

This setting disables/enables the support for USB 2.0 technology. USB 2.0
technology increases data transfer rate up to a maximum throughput of
480Mbps, which is 40 times faster than USB 1.1 and is ideal for connecting
high-speed USB interface peripherals such as USB HDD, digital cameras,
MP3 players, printers, modems and the like. Setting options: Disabled,

Enabled.

USB Legacy Support

This setting is used to enable/disable the BIOS support for USB devices under
conventional operating systems (DOS and etc.) that do not have built-in USB
drivers.

AC’97 Audio

This item is used to enable or disable the onboard AC’97 (Audio Codec’97)
feature. Selecting Auto allows the mainboard to detect whether an audio de-

3-22

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

vice is used. If an audio device is detected, the onboard AC’97 controller will
be enabled; if not, the controller is disabled. Disable the function if you want
to use other controller cards to connect an audio device. Settings: Disabled
and Auto.

Onboard MAC Device

This setting is used to enable/disable the onboard MAC device. Setting options:

Enabled, Disabled.

Onboard LAN Boot ROM

This setting enables/disables the initialization of the onboard LAN Boot ROM
during bootup. Selecting Disabled will speed up the boot process.

Onboard PCI IDE

This setting controls the onboard PCI IDE controllers. Setting options:

Disabled, Primiary, Secondary, Both.

Set Super I/O

Press <Enter> to enter the sub-menu and the following screen appears:

Onboard FDC

The item is used to enable or disable the onboard Floppy controller. Select
Enabled when you have installed a floppy disk drive and want to use it.
Options: Auto, Enabled, Disabled.

Onboard Serial Port A/B

The items specify the base I/O port address and IRQ for the onboard
Serial Port A / Serial Port B. Selecting Auto allows BIOS to automati-

3-23

BIOS Setup

cally determine the correct base I/O port address. Settings: Disabled,
3F8/COM1, 2F8/COM2, 3E8/COM3, 2E8/COM4, Auto.

Onboard Parallel Port

These items specify the base I/O port addresses of the onboard parallel
port. Selecting Auto allows AMIBIOS to automatically determine the
correct base I/O port address. Settings: Auto, 378h, 278h and Disabled.

Parallel Port Mode

This item specifies the operation mode for the onboard parallel port:

ECP, Normal, Bi-Dir or EPP.

EPP Version

The item specifies the EPP version used by the parallel port if the port
is set to EPP mode. Settings: EPP1.7 and EPP1.9.

Parallel Port IRQ

When Parallel Port is set to Auto, the item shows Auto indicating that
BIOS determines the IRQ for the parallel port automatically.

Parallel Port DMA Channel

This feature needs to be configured only when Parallel Port Mode is
set to the ECP mode. When Parallel Port is set to Auto, the field will
show Auto indicating that BIOS automatically determines the DMA
channel for the parallel port.

Onboard Midi Port

The field specifies the base I/O port address for the onboard Midi Port.

Midi IRQ Select

The item is used to select the IRQ line for onboard Midi port.

Onboard Game Port

This item is used to specify the address for the onboard game port.

3-24

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

PC Health Status

This section shows the status of your CPU, fan, overall system status,
etc. Monitor function is available only if there is hardware monitoring mecha­nism onboard.

Vcore, +3.3V, +5.0V, +12V, -12V, -5.0V, Battery Voltage, System/CPU
Fan Speed, System/CPU Temperature

These items display the current status of all of the monitored hardware de­vices/components such as system voltages, temperatures and fan speeds.

CPU Fan Beep

This setting allows you to monitor the operation of the CPU fan. Setting to
Enabled will activate the warning beep once the system detects the malfunc­tion/halt of the CPU fan.

3-25

BIOS Setup

Use this menu to specify your settings for frequency/voltage control.

Spread Spectrum

When the motherboard’s clock generator pulses, the extreme values (spikes)
of the pulses creates EMI (Electromagnetic Interference). The Spread Spec­trum function reduces the EMI generated by modulating the pulses so that the
spikes of the pulses are reduced to flatter curves. If you do not have any EMI
problem, leave the setting at Disabled for optimal system stability and
performance. But if you are plagued by EMI, setting to Enabled for EMI
reduction. Remember to disable Spread Spectrum if you are overclocking
because even a slight jitter can introduce a temporary boost in clockspeed
which may just cause your overclocked processor to lock up.

Stop Unused PCI/DIMM Clock

This setting enables you to stop or activate the unused PCI slot & DIMM
clock. Setting options: Enabled, Disabled.

Frequency/Voltage Control

3-26

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

CPU Ratio

This setting controls the multiplier that is used to determine the internal clock
speed of the processor relative to the external or motherboard clock speed.

Detect CPU FSB Clock

This setting determines whether the CPU FSB frequency will be automati­cally detected by the BIOS or manually set by users. Setting options: Auto,

Manual.

CPU FSB Clock (Mhz)

This setting allows you to select the CPU Front Side Bus clock frequency and
only works if the Detect CPU FSB Clock setting is set to Disabled.

CPU : DRAM Clock Ratio

This setting controls the ratio of CPU FSB Clock & DRAM Frequency to
enable the CPU & DRAM to run at different frequency combinations. Please
note that the setting options vary according to the CPU FSB Clock preset.
Setting options: 100MHz~200MHz at 1MHz increment.

DRAM Frequency

This setting shows the DRAM frequency controlled by CPU : DRAM Clock
Ratio & CPU FSB Clock (Mhz) preset.

CPU FSB Clock Setting Options

100MHz 1:1, 3:4, 3:5, 2:3, By SPD
101~132MHz 1:1, 3:4, 3:5, 2:3
133~160MHz 4:3, 1:1, 4:5, By SPD
161~200MHz Auto

3-27

BIOS Setup

Set Supervisor/User Password

When you select this function, a message as below will appear on the
screen:

Type the password, up to six characters in length, and press <Enter>.
The password typed now will replace any previously set password from CMOS
memory. You will be prompted to confirm the password. Retype the pass­word and press <Enter>. You may also press <Esc> to abort the selection and
not enter a password.

To clear a set password, just press <Enter> when you are prompted to
enter the password. A message will show up confirming the password will be
disabled. Once the password is disabled, the system will boot and you can
enter Setup without entering any password.

When a password has been set, you will be prompted to enter it every
time you try to enter Setup. This prevents an unauthorized person from chang­ing any part of your system configuration.

Additionally, when a password is enabled, you can also have AMIBIOS
to request a password each time the system is booted. This would prevent
unauthorized use of your computer. The setting to determine when the pass­word prompt is required is the Security Option of the ADVANCED BIOS
FEATURES menu. If the Security Option is set to Always, the password is
required both at boot and at entry to Setup. If set to Setup, password prompt
only occurs when you try to enter Setup.

MSI Reminds You...

About Supervisor Password & User Password:

Supervisor password: Can enter and change the settings of

the setup menu.

User password: Can only enter but do not have the

right to change the settings of the setup
menu.

3-28

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

The two options on the main menu allow users to restore all of the BIOS
settings to High Performance Defaults or Optimal Defaults. The High Perfor­mance Defaults are the values set by the mainboard manufacturer for the best
system performance but probably will cause a stability issue. The Optimal
Defaults are the default values also set by the mainboard manufacturer for
stable performance of the mainboard.

When you select Load Optimal Defaults, a message as below appears:

Pressing ‘Enter’ loads the default values that are factory settings for stable
system performance.

When you select Load High Performance Defaults, a message as below appears:

Pressing ‘Enter’ loads the default BIOS values that enable the best system
performance but may lead to a stability issue.

Load Optimal/High Performance Defaults

MSI Reminds You...

The option is for power or overclocking users only. Use of high
performance defaults will tighten most timings to increase the
system performance. Therefore, a high-end system configura­tion is a must, which means you need high-quality VGA adapter,
RAM and so on. We don’t recommend that users should apply

the high performance defaults in their regular systems.

Otherwise, the system may become unstable or even crash. If the
system crashes or hangs after enabling the feature, please CLEAR
CMOS DATA to resolve the problem. For more information, re­fer to “Clear CMOS Jumper:JBAT1” in Chapter 2.

A-1

Using 4- or 6-Channel Audio Function

Appendix: Using 4- or 6-Channel Audio
Function

The motherboard is equipped with Realtek ALC650 chip, which
provides support for 6-channel audio output, including 2 Front, 2 Rear, 1
Center and 1 Subwoofer channel. ALC650 allows the board to attach 4 or 6
speakers for better surround sound effect. The section will tell you how to
install and use 4-/6-channel audio function on the board.

TOPICS

Using 4- or 6-Channel Audio Function A-2
Testing the Connected Speakers A-6
Playing KaraOK A-8

A-2

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

Using 4- or 6-Channel Audio Function

Installing the Audio Driver

1. Insert the companion CD into the CD-ROM drive. The CD will run auto-

matically and the setup screen will appear.

2. Click Avance ALC650 Sound Drivers and follow the on-screen instruc-

tions to complete the installation.

3. After completion of the installation, please restart your computer.

Using 4- or 6-Channel Audio Function

In addition to a default 2-Channel analog audio output function, the
audio connectors on the Back Panel also provide 4- or 6-Channel analog
audio output function if a proper setting is made in the software utility.

Read the following steps to have the Multi-Channel Audio Function
properly set in the software utility, and have your speakers correctly
connected to the Back Panel:

Configuration in the Software Utility

1. Click the audio icon from the window tray at the lower-right
corner of the screen.

2. Select a desired surround sound effect from the “Environment”
drop-down menu.

3. Click the Speaker Configuration tab.

4. Select Synchronize the phonejack switch with the settings.

5. Select a desired multi-channel operation from No. of Speakers.
a. Headphone
b. 2-Channel Mode for Stereo-Speaker Output
c. 4-Channel Mode for 4-Speaker Output
d. 6-Channels Mode for 5.1-Speaker Output

6. Click OK to close this window.

A-3

Using 4- or 6-Channel Audio Function

5

6

4

2

3

A-4

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

1 Line Out (Front channels)
2 * Line Out (Rear channels)
3 MIC

* Line In function is converted to Line

Out function when 4-Channel Mode
for 4-Speaker Output is selected.

 4-Channel Mode for 4-Speaker Output

The audio jacks on the back panel always provide 2-Channel
analog audio output function, however these audio jacks can be
transformed to 4- or 6- channels analog audio jacks by selecting the
corresponding multi-channel operation from No. of Speakers.

Refer to the following diagram and caption for the founction of
each jack on the back panel when 4-Channel Mode is selected.

1 Line Out (Front channels)
2 Line In
3 MIC

Connecting the Speakers

When you have set the Multi-Channel Audio Function mode properly
in the software utility, connect your speakers to the correct phonejacks
in accordance with the setting in software utility.

 2-Channel Mode for Stereo-Speaker Output

Refer to the following diagram and caption for the function of each
phonejack on the back panel when 2-Channel Mode is selected.

2

3

1

2

3

1

A-5

Using 4- or 6-Channel Audio Function

1 Line Out (Front channels)
2 * Line Out (Rear channels)
3 * Line Out (Center and

Subwoofer channel)

* Both Line In and MIC function are converted to Line Out function when 4­Channel Mode for 6-Speaker Output is selected.

 6-Channel Mode for 6-Speaker Output

Refer to the following diagram and caption for the founction of
each jack on the back panel when 6-Channel Mode is selected.

2

3

1

A-6

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

Testing the Connected Speakers

To ensure that 4- or 6-channel audio operation works properly, you may
need to test each connected speaker to make sure every speaker work properly.
If any speaker fails to sound, then check whether the cable is inserted firmly
to the connector or replace the bad speakers with good ones.

Testing Each Speaker

1. Click the audio icon from the window tray at the lower-right corner

of the screen.

2. Click the Speaker Test tab.

3. The following window appears. Select the speaker which you want to

test by clicking it.

Subwoofer

Front Right

Rear Right

Center

Front Left

Rear Left

MSI Reminds You...

6 speakers appear on the “Speaker Test” window only when
you select “6 channels mode” in the “No. of Speakers” column.
If you select “4 channels mode”, only 4 speakers appear on the
window. Or, If you select “Headphone”, only a headphone
appears on the window.

A-7

Using 4- or 6-Channel Audio Function

4. While you are testing the speakers in 6-Channel mode, if the sound

coming from the center speaker and subwoofer is swapped, you should
select Swap Center/Subwoofer Output to readjust these two channels.

Select this function

A-8

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

Playing KaraOK

The KaraOK function will automatically remove human voice (lyrics)
and leave melody for you to sing the song. This function applies only to 2-
channel audio operation, so make sure “2-Channel Mode” is selected in the
“No. of Speakers” column before playing KaraOK.

Playing KaraOK

1. Click the audio icon from the window tray at the lower-right corner

of the screen.

2. Select Voice Cancellation in the “KaraOK” column under the Sound

Effect tab.

3. Click OK to close this window.

2

3

T-1

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

Q: Where can I find the model number of the mainboard?

A: There are two places where you can find the model number of the mainboard:

1. Somewhere between the PCI slots you shall find MS-xxxx or the marketing
name like “K7T Turbo”. You can also find the version number beside it. 2. At
the back cover of the user's manual.

Q: What do you mean by PCB version 1?

A: PCB is printed circuit board. Saying PCB version 1 is the same as saying

motherboard version 1.

Q: Why is my motherboard BIOS sticker "Phoenix BIOS" while I see "Award

BIOS" during system boot-up?

A: Phoenix & A ward already mer ged as one company. All MSI motherboards

using A ward BIOS come with Phoenix logo stickers.

Q: How do I know what MSI D-LED or D-bracket light mean?

A: Please follow the special tech issue, http://www.msi.com.tw/support/

techexpress/special_tech/smartled.htm

Q: I used my MSI motherboard and got an error message, "Primary IDE

Channel No 80 Conductor Cable Installed" while the system detected
hard drives.

A: This is not a problem. It merely means that you're using an ATA-66 or ATA-

100 HDD, but you're using the conductor 40 AT A-33 cable.

Q: I have high speed CPU cooling fan like T aisol CGK760092, V antec CCK-

6035D & GlobalWin WBK38. Can I install the fan directly to the
motherboard?

T-2

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

A: We strongly recommend that you do NOT connect those described CPU

fan directly to your motherboard, as it draws so much power, that it could
damage it. Please use a 3-Pin to 4-Pin Cable that comes together with the fan.

Q: Can I use more than 512MB memory on Win9x or WinME?

A: No, you can’t. You can only use more than 512MB memory on Win2000 or

WinXP. This is a Microsoft OS issue. Please check http://support/microsoft.
com/support/kb/articles/Q108/0/79.ASP

Q: I have tried to download the MSI Live Update utility from http://www.msi.

com.tw/support/liveupdate/livedriver.htm but it keeps on failing?

A: This can be solved by one of the following suggestions: 1. Dont install

zonealarm 2. Disable "W ebTrap" of PC-cillion 2000 3. Disable any web based
anti-virus Software.

Q: Can Live Update Series support WinXP?

A: Live Update Series version 215 can support WinXP. Download it from http:/

/www.msi.com.tw/support/liveupdate/livedriver.htm

Q: After flashing the BIOS, my system for unknown reason fails to boot.

What should I do?

A: Please refer to the following suggestions: 1. Try the BIOS boot recovery

feature as described in http://www.msi.com.tw/support/bios/boot.htm 2. Try
to clear the CMOS If problem still persists, ask your reseller for new BIOS
chip or contact one of MSI office near your place for new BIOS chip http://
www.msi.com.tw/contact/main.htm

Q: Should I update my BIOS, once a new BIOS is released?

A: A new BIOS is usually released due to the following reasons:

1. New function is supported

T-3

Troubleshooting

2. New BIOS source code

3. Bugs are found

4. Customer-specific request
When we release a new BIOS, there's usually a release note attached which
lists the reason for the release. Refer to this release note and decide for
yourself if upgrading to the new BIOS will be worth it. A word of advice,
though, do not upgrade to the new BIOS, unless you really have to.

Q: How do I update the BIOS?

A: Please refer to http://www.msi.com.tw/support/bios/note.htm for details.

Q: How do I identify the BIOS version?

A: Upon boot-up, the 1st line appearing after the memory count is the BIOS

version. It is usually in the format:

1. For older model number:
AG76 091096 where:
1st digit refers to BIOS maker as A = AMI(R) W = A W ARD(R) P = PHOENIX
(R).
2nd digit refers to the internal chipset code.
3rd digit refers to the processor class as 5 = 486, 7 = 586, 8 = 686.
4th digit is incremental.
091096 refers to the date this BIOS is released.

2. For newer model number:
W5139MS V1.0 091096 where:
1st digit refers to BIOS maker as A = AMI(R) W = A W ARD(R) P = PHOENIX
(R).
2nd - 5th digit refers to the model number.
6th - 7th digit refers to the customer as MS = all standard customers.
V1.0 refers to the BIOS version.
091096 refers to the date this BIOS is released.

T-4

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

Q: After I flashed the BIOS and rebooted the system, the screen went blank.

A: For AMI BIOS

Rename the desired AMI BIOS file to AMIBOOT.ROM and save it on a
floppy disk. e.g. Rename A569MS23.ROM to AMIBOOT.ROM
Insert this floppy disk in the floppy drive. Turn On the system and press
and hold Ctrl-Home to force update. It will read the AMIBOOT.ROM file
and recover the BIOS from the A drive.
When 4 beeps are heard you may remove the floppy disk and restart the
computer.

For A ward BIOS

Make a bootable floopy disk
Copy the A ward flash utility & BIOS file to the said floppy disk
Create an autoexec.bat with "awdfl535 biosfilename" in the content e.g.
awdfl535 a619mj21.bin
Boot up system with the said floppy (it will take less than 2 minutes before
screen comes out)
Re-flash the BIOS & reboot.

G-1

Glossary

Glossary

Glossary

ACPI (Advanced Configuration & Power Interface)

This power management specification enables the OS (operating system) to control the
amount of power given to each device attached to the computer. Windows 98/98SE,
Windows 2000 and Windows ME can fully support ACPI to allow users managing the
system power flexibly.

AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port)

A new, high-speed graphics interface that based on PCI construction and designed
especially for the throughput demands of 3-D graphics. AGP provides a direct channel
(32-bit wide bus) between the display controller and main memory for high graphics
quality and performance.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth refers to a worldwide standard for the wireless exchange of data between two
devices. Bluetooth requires that a low-cost transceiver chip be included in each device.
The tranceiver transmits and receives in a previously unused frequency band of 2.45
GHz that is available globally (with some variation of bandwidth in different countries).
In addition to data, up to three voice channels are available. Each device has a unique 48­bit address from the IEEE 802 standard. Connections can be point-to-point or
multipoint. The maximum range is 10 meters. Data can be exchanged at a rate of 1
megabit per second (up to 2 Mbps in the second generation of the technology).

BIOS (Basic Input/Output System)

On PCs, an essential software that contains all the control code of input/output inter­face (such as keyboard, disk drives, etc.). It executes hardware test on booting the
system, starts the OS, and provides an interface between the OS and the components.
The BIOS is stored in a ROM chip.

Bus

A set of hardware lines within the computer system, through which the data is trans­ferred among different components. In a PC, the term bus usually refers to a local bus
that connects the internal components to the CPU and main memory.

Cache

A special memory subsystem that is used to speed up the data transfer. It stores the

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

G-2

Dynamic RAM (DRAM) Memory Technologies

Type

FPM (60,70ns)
EDO (50,60,70ns)
SDRAM (66MHz)
SDRAM (100MHz)
SDRAM (133MHz)
RDRAM (Direct Rambus)
DDR SDRAM (100MHz)
DDR SDRAM (133MHz)

First Used

1990
1994
1996
1998
1999
1999
2000
2000

Clock Rate

25MHz
40MHz
66MHz
100MHz
133MHz
400MHz
100MHz
133MHz

Bus* Width

64 bits
64 bits
64 bits
64 bits
64 bits
16 bits
64 bits
64 bits

Bandwidth

200 MBps
320 MBps
528 MBps
800 MBps

1.1 GBps

1.6 GBps

1.6 GBps

2.1 GBps

Volts

5v
5v

3.3v

3.3v

3.3v

2.5v

3.3v

3.3v

Peak

* Memory channel width (64 bits started with 75MHz Pentium)

Source: Computer Desktop Encyclopedia

contents of frequently accessed RAM locations and the addresses where these data
items are stored.

Chipset

A collection of integrated chips designed to perform one or more related functions. For
example, a modem chipset contains all the primary circuits for transmitting and receiv­ing data; a PC chipset provides the electronic interfaces between all subsystems.

Clock Cycle

Clock cycle (or tick) is the smallest unit of time recognized by a device. For personal
computers, clock cycles generally refer to the main system clock, which runs at 66
MHz. This means that there are 66 million clock cycles per second. Since modern
CPUs run much faster (up to 533 MHz), the CPU can execute several instructions in a
single clock tick.

CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor)

CMOS is a widely used type of semiconductor, which features high speed and low
power consumption. PCs usually contain a small amount of battery-powered CMOS
memory to retain the date, time, and system setup parameters.

DRAM (Dynamic RAM)

A most common type of computer memory. It usually uses one transistor and a
capacitor to represent a bit. As the development of technology, the memory type and
specification used in computer becomes variety, such as SDRAM, DDR SDRAM, and
RDRAM. For further instruction, please see the table below:

G-3

Glossary

ECC Memory (Error Correcting Code Memory)

A type of memory that contains special circuitry for testing the accuracy of data and
correcting the errors on the fly.

EEPROM

Acronym for Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory. An EEPROM
is a special type of PROM that can be erased by exposing it to an electrical charge. Like
other types of PROM, EEPROM retains its contents even when the power is turned
off. Also like other types of ROM, EEPROM is not as fast as RAM. EEPROM is
similar to flash memory (sometimes called flash EEPROM). The principal difference is
that EEPROM requires data to be written or erased one byte at a time whereas flash
memory allows data to be written or erased in blocks. This makes flash memory faster.

EIDE

Short for Enhanced IDE, a newer version of the IDE mass storage device interface
standard developed by Western Digital Corporation. It supports data rates of between
4 and 16.6 MBps, about three to four times faster than the old IDE standard. In
addition, it can support mass storage devices of up to 8.4 gigabytes, whereas the old
standard was limited to 528 MB. Because of its lower cost, enhanced EIDE has
replaced SCSI in many areas. There are four EIDE modes defined. The most common
is Mode 4, which supports transfer rates of 16.6 MBps. There is also a new mode,
called ATA-3 or Ultra ATA, that supports transfer rates of 33 MBps.

EISA (Extended Industry Standard Architecture)

EISA is a standard bus (computer interconnection) architecture that extends the ISA
standard to a 32-bit interface. It was developed in part as an open alternative to the
proprietary Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) that IBM introduced in its PS/2
computers. EISA data transfer can reach a peak of 33 megabytes per second.

ESCD (Extended System Configuration Data)

It is a format for storing information about Plug-and-Play (PnP) devices in the BIOS.
Windows and the BIOS access the ESCD area each time you re-boot your computer

External Cache

Short for Level 2 cache, cache memory that is external to the microprocessor. In
general, L2 cache memory, also called the secondary cache, resides on a separate chip
from the microprocessor chip. Although, more and more microprocessors are including
L2 caches into their architectures.

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

G-4

IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics)

A type of disk-drive interface widely used to connect hard disks, CD-ROMs and tape
drives to a PC, in which the controller electronics is integrated into the drive itself,
eliminating the need for a separate adapter card. The IDE interface is known as the
ATA (AT Attachment) specification.

IEEE 1394

A new, high speed external bus standard, also known as FireWire or iLink, which
supports data transfer rates of up to 400 Mbps for connecting up to 63 external
devices.

Internal Cache

Short for Level 1 cache, a memory cache built into the microprocessor. The L1 cache is
also called the primary cache.

IrDA (Infrared Data Association)

A group of device vendors, including computer, component and telecommunications,
who have developed a standard for transmitting data via infrared light waves. This
enables you to transfer data from one device to another without any cables.

IRQ (Interrupt Request Line)

IRQs are hardware lines over which devices can send interrupt signals to the
microprocessor. When you add a new device to a PC, you sometimes need to set its
IRQ number by setting a DIP switch. This specifies which interrupt line the device
may use. IRQ conflicts used to be a common problem when adding expansion boards,
but the Plug-and-Play specification has removed this headache in most cases.

ISA (Industry Standard Architecture)

ISA is a standard bus (computer interconnection) architecture that is associated with
the IBM AT motherboard. It allows 16 bits at a time to flow between the motherboard
circuitry and an expansion slot card and its associated device(s). Also see EISA and
MCA.

LAN (Local Area Network)

A computer network that covers a relatively smaller area, such as in a building or an
enterprise. It is made up of servers, workstations, shared resources, a network operat­ing system and a communications link. These individual PCs and devices on a LAN are
known as “nodes”, and are connected by cables to access data and devices anywhere on
the LAN, so that many users can share expensive devices and data.

G-5

Glossary

LBA (Logical Block Addressing)

Logical block addressing is a technique that allows a computer to address a hard disk
larger than 528 megabytes. A logical block address is a 28-bit value that maps to a
specific cylinder-head-sector address on the disk. 28 bits allows sufficient variation to
specify addresses on a hard disk up to 8.4 gigabytes in data storage capacity. Logical
block addressing is one of the defining features of Enhanced IDE (EIDE), a hard disk
interface to the computer bus or data paths.

LED (Light Emitting Diode)

A semiconductor device that converts electrical energy into light. Since it lights up
(usually red) when electricity is passed through it, it is usually used for the activity
lights on computer’s component, such as disk drivers.

LPT (Line Printer T erminal)

Logical device name for a line printer; a name reserved by the MS-DOS for up to three
parallel printer ports: LPT1, LPT2, and LPT3. It is frequently used by the OS to
identify a printer.

Overclocking

Overclocking is resetting your computer so that the microprocessor runs faster than the
manufacturer-specified speed (for example, setting an Intel 166 MHz (megahertz)
microprocessor to run at 200 Mhz).

PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect)

A local bus standard developed by Intel that first appeared on PCs in late 1993. PCI
provides “plug and play” capability and allows IRQs to be shared. The PCI controller
can exchange data with the system's CPU either 32 bits or 64 bits at a time.

PnP (Plug and Play)

A set of specifications that allows a PC to configure itself automatically to work with
peripherals. The user can "plug" in a peripheral device and "play" it without configur­ing the system manually. To implement this useful feature, both the BIOS that sup­ports PnP and a PnP expansion card are required.

POST (Power On Self Test)

During booting up your system, the BIOS executes a series of diagnostic tests, include
checking the RAM, the keyboard, the disk drives, etc., to see if they are properly
connected and operating.

MS-6737 ATX Mainboard

G-6

PS/2 Port

A type of port developed by IBM for connecting a mouse or keyboard to a PC. The
PS/2 port supports a mini DIN plug containing just 6 pins. Most modern PCs equipped
with PS/2 ports so that the special port can be used by another device, such as a
modem.

RAID

RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks; originally Redundant Array of Inex­pensive Disks) is a way of storing the same data in different places (thus, redundantly)
on multiple hard disks. By placing data on multiple disks, I/O operations can overlap in
a balanced way, improving performance. Since multiple disks increases the mean time
between failure (MTBF), storing data redundantly also increases fault-tolerance.

SCSI

Acronym for Small Computer System Interface. Pronounced "scuzzy," SCSI is a par­allel interface standard used by Apple Macintosh computers, PCs, and many UNIX
systems for attaching peripheral devices to computers. SCSI interfaces provide for
faster data transmission rates (up to 80 megabytes per second) than standard serial and
parallel ports. In addition, you can attach many devices to a single SCSI port, so that
SCSI is really an I/O bus rather than simply an interface.

USB (Universal Serial Bus)

A hardware interface for low-speed peripherals such as the keyboard, mouse, joystick,
etc. USB provides a maximum bandwidth of 12 Mbit/sec (Mbps) for connecting up to
127 peripheral devices to PC. USB features hot swap capability and multiple data
streams, allows external devices to be plugged in and unplugged without turning the
system off.

Virus

A program or a piece of code that infects computer files by inserting in those files
copies of itself. The virus code is buried within an existing program, and is activated
when that program is executed. All the viruses are man-made, and often have damaging
side effects.

WLAN

Acronym for wireless local-area network. Also referred to as LAWN. A type of local­area network that uses high-frequency radio waves rather than wires to communicate
between nodes.