MSI C236A WORKSTATION, Z170A SLI PLUS User Manual

I

Quick Start

Quick Start

Thank you for purchasing the MSI® C236A WORKSTATION
motherboard. This Quick Start section provides demonstration
diagrams about how to install your computer. Some of the
installations also provide video demonstrations. Please link to the
URL to watch it with the web browser on your phone or tablet. You
may have even link to the URL by scanning the QR code.

Kurzanleitung

Danke, dass Sie das MSI® C236A WORKSTATION Motherboard
gewählt haben. Dieser Abschnitt der Kurzanleitung bietet eine Demo
zur Installation Ihres Computers. Manche Installationen bieten
auch die Videodemonstrationen. Klicken Sie auf die URL, um diese
Videoanleitung mit Ihrem Browser auf Ihrem Handy oder Table
anzusehen. Oder scannen Sie auch den QR Code mit Ihrem Handy,
um die URL zu öffnen.

Présentation rapide

Merci d’avoir choisi la carte mère MSI® C236A WORKSTATION.
Ce manuel fournit une rapide présentation avec des illustrations
explicatives qui vous aideront à assembler votre ordinateur. Des
tutoriels vidéo sont disponibles pour certaines étapes. Cliquez sur
le lien fourni pour regarder la vidéo sur votre téléphone ou votre
tablette. Vous pouvez également accéder au lien en scannant le QR
code qui lui est associé.

Быстрый старт

Благодарим вас за покупку материнской платы MSI® C236A

WORKSTATION. В этом разделе представлена информация,

которая поможет вам при сборке комьютера. Для некоторых
этапов сборки имеются видеоинструкции. Для просмотра
видео, необходимо открыть соответствующую ссылку в
веб-браузере на вашем телефоне или планшете. Вы также
можете выполнить переход по ссылке, путем сканирования
QR-кода.

II

Quick Start

1

2

3

6

4

5

7

8

9

http://youtu.be/bf5La099urI

Installing a Processor/ Installation des Prozessors/ Installer un
processeur/ Установка процессора

III

Quick Start

1

1

2

2

3

3

Installing DDR4 memory/ Installation des DDR4-Speichers/
Installer une mémoire DDR4/ Установка памяти DDR4

http://youtu.be/T03aDrJPyQs

IV

Quick Start

1

2 10

9

JFP1

1 HDD LED + 2 Power LED +

3 HDD LED - 4 Power LED -

5 Reset Switch 6 Power Switch

7 Reset Switch 8 Power Switch

9 Reserved 10 No Pin

RESET SW

POWER SW

POWER LED+

POWER LED-

HDD LED

HDD LED

RESET SW

JFP1

HDD LED

HDD LED ­HDD LED +

POWER LED ­POWER LED +

POWER LED

Connecting the Front Panel Header/ Anschließen der
Frontpanel-Stiftleiste/ Connecter un connecteur du panneau
avant/ Подключение разъемов передней панели

http://youtu.be/DPELIdVNZUI

V

Quick Start

Installing the Motherboard/ Installation des Motherboards/
Installer la carte mère/ Установка материнской платы

1

2

VI

Quick Start

1

2

3

4

5

Installing SATA Drives/ Installation der SATA-Laufwerke/
Installer le disque dur SATA/ Установка дисков SATA

http://youtu.be/RZsMpqxythc

VII

Quick Start

1

4

5

2

3

Installing a Graphics Card/ Einbau der Grafikkarte/ Installer
une carte graphique/ Установка дискретной видеокарты

http://youtu.be/mG0GZpr9w_A

VIII

Quick Start

Connecting Peripheral Devices/ Peripheriegeräte/
Connecter un périphérique anschliessen/ Подключение
периферийных устройств

IX

Quick Start

JPWR1

JPWR2

Connecting the Power Connectors/ Stromanschlüsse
anschliessen/ Connecter les câbles du module d’alimentation/
Подключение разъемов питания

http://youtu.be/gkDYyR_83I4

X

Quick Start

1

4

2

3

Power On/ Einschalten/ Mettre sous-tension/ Включение

питания

1

Contents

Contents

Safety Information ................................................................................................. 2

Specifications ......................................................................................................... 3

Rear I/O Panel ....................................................................................................... 8

LAN Port LED Status Table..................................................................................... 8

Audio Ports Configuration ...................................................................................... 8

Overview of Components .................................................................................... 10

CPU Socket ........................................................................................................... 11

DIMM Slots ............................................................................................................ 12

PCI_E1~6: PCIe Expansion Slots .......................................................................... 13

JAUD1: Front Audio Connector ............................................................................ 14

SATA1~6: SATA 6Gb/s Connectors ....................................................................... 14

M2_1: M.2 Slots .................................................................................................... 15

JPWR1~2: Power Connectors ............................................................................... 16

JUSB1~2: USB 2.0 Connectors ............................................................................. 17

JUSB3~4: USB 3.1 Gen1 Connectors ................................................................... 17

JFP1, JFP2: Front Panel Connectors ................................................................... 18

JTPM1: TPM Module Connector ........................................................................... 18

JCI1: Chassis Intrusion Connector ....................................................................... 19

JLPT1: Parallel Port Connector ........................................................................... 20

JCOM1: Serial Port Connector ............................................................................. 20

CPUFAN1~2, SYSFAN1~3: Fan Connectors .......................................................... 21

JBAT1: Clear CMOS (Reset BIOS) Jumper ........................................................... 22

EZ Debug LED: Debug LED indicators ................................................................ 22

BIOS Setup ........................................................................................................... 23

Entering BIOS Setup ............................................................................................. 23

Resetting BIOS ...................................................................................................... 24

Updating BIOS ....................................................................................................... 24

EZ Mode ................................................................................................................ 25

Advanced Mode .................................................................................................... 27

Overclocking Menu ............................................................................................... 28

Software Description ........................................................................................... 34

Installing Windows® 7/ 8.1/ 10.............................................................................. 34

Installing Drivers .................................................................................................. 34

Installing Utilities ................................................................................................. 34

2

Safety Information

Safety Information

y The components included in this package are prone to damage from electrostatic

discharge (ESD). Please adhere to the following instructions to ensure successful
computer assembly.

y Ensure that all components are securely connected. Loose connections may cause

the computer to not recognize a component or fail to start.

y Hold the motherboard by the edges to avoid touching sensitive components.
y It is recommended to wear an electrostatic discharge (ESD) wrist strap when

handling the motherboard to prevent electrostatic damage. If an ESD wrist strap

is not available, discharge yourself of static electricity by touching another metal

object before handling the motherboard.

y Store the motherboard in an electrostatic shielding container or on an anti-static

pad whenever the motherboard is not installed.

y Before turning on the computer, ensure that there are no loose screws or metal

components on the motherboard or anywhere within the computer case.

y Do not boot the computer before installation is completed. This could cause

permanent damage to the components as well as injury to the user.

y If you need help during any installation step, please consult a certified computer

technician.

y Always turn off the power supply and unplug the power cord from the power outlet

before installing or removing any computer component.

y Keep this user guide for future reference.
y Keep this motherboard away from humidity.
y Make sure that your electrical outlet provides the same voltage as is indicated on

the PSU, before connecting the PSU to the electrical outlet.

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

anything over the power cord.

y All cautions and warnings on the motherboard should be noted.
y If any of the following situations arises, get the motherboard checked by service

personnel:

 Liquid has penetrated into the computer.
 The motherboard has been exposed to moisture.
 The motherboard does not work well or you can not get it work according to user

guide.

 The motherboard has been dropped and damaged.
 The motherboard has obvious sign of breakage.

y Do not leave this motherboard in an environment above 60°C (140°F), it may damage

the motherboard.

3

Specifications

Specifications

CPU

Supports Intel

®

Xeon® E3-1200 v5 series processors, Core™
i3 processors, and Intel® Pentium® and Celeron® processors
for Socket LGA1151

Chipset Intel

®

C236 Chipset

Memory

y 4x DDR4 memory slots, support up to 64GB

 Supports DDR4 2133 MHz
y Dual channel memory architecture
y Supports ECC, un-buffered memory*
y Supports Intel

®

Extreme Memory Profile (XMP)**

* Please refer to www.msi.com for more information on compatible memory.
** DDR4 2133 MHz and higher memory modules will only run at maximum of

DDR4 2133 MHz on XMP mode due to Intel

®

chipset limitation.

Expansion Slots

y 3x PCIe 3.0 x16 slots (support x16/x0/x4, x8/x8/x4 modes)
y 3x PCIe 3.0 x1 slots

Onboard Graphics

y 1x HDMI

™

port, supports a maximum resolution of

4096x2160@24Hz, 2560x1600@60Hz

y 1x VGA port, supports a maximum resolution of

2048x1536@50Hz, 2048x1280@60Hz, 1920X1200@60Hz

y 1xDVI-D port, supports a maximum resolution of

1920x1200@60Hz

Multi-GPU

y Supports 3-Way AMD

®

CrossFire™ Technology

y Supports 2-Way NVIDIA

®

SLI™ Technology

Storage

Intel

®

C236 Chipset

y 6x SATA 6Gb/s ports

 Supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5 and RAID 10 for SATA

storage devices

y 1x M.2 slot

 Supports PCIe 3.0 x4 standard, 4.2cm/ 6cm/ 8cm length

M.2 SSD cards

 Supports PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe Mini-SAS SSD with Turbo U.2

Host Card*

y Supports Intel

®

Smart Response Technology for Intel

Core™ processors

* The Turbo U.2 Host Card is not included, please purchase separately.

Continued on next page

4

Specifications

Continued from previous page

USB

y ASMedia

®

ASM1142 Chipset

 1x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C port on the back panel

y Intel

®

C236 Chipset

 6x USB 3.1 Gen1 (SuperSpeed USB) ports (2 ports on the

back panel, 4 ports available through the internal USB
connector)

 6x USB 2.0 (High-speed USB) ports (2 ports on the

back panel, 4 ports available through the internal USB
connector)

Audio

y Realtek

®

ALC1150 Codec

y 7.1-Channel High Definition Audio

LAN 1x Intel

®

I219-V Gigabit LAN controller

Back Panel
Connectors

y 1x PS/2 mouse port
y 1x PS/2 keyboard port
y 1x VGA port
y 1x DVI-D port
y 1x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C port
y 2x USB 3.1 Gen1 ports
y 1x HDMI

™

port

y 1x LAN (RJ45) port
y 2x USB 2.0 ports
y 6x audio jacks

Continued on next page

5

Specifications

Continued from previous page

Internal Connectors

y 1x 24-pin ATX main power connector
y 1x 8-pin ATX 12V power connector
y 6x SATA 6Gb/s connectors
y 2x USB 2.0 connectors (supports additional 4 USB 2.0

ports)

y 2x USB 3.1 Gen1 connectors (supports additional 4 USB

3.1 Gen1 ports)

y 2x 4-pin CPU fan connectors
y 3x 4-pin system fan connectors
y 1x Front panel audio connector
y 2x Front panel connectors
y 1x TPM module connector
y 1x Chassis Intrusion connector
y 1x Serial port connector
y 1x Parallel port connector
y 1x Clear CMOS jumper

I/O Controller NUVOTON NCT6793 Controller Chip

Hardware Monitor

y CPU/System temperature detection
y CPU/System fan speed detection
y CPU/System fan speed control

Form Factor

y ATX Form Factor
y 12 in. x 9.6 in. (30.5 cm x 24.4 cm)

BIOS Features

y 1x 128 Mb flash
y UEFI AMI BIOS
y ACPI 5.0, PnP 1.0a, SM BIOS 2.8
y Multi-language

Continued on next page

6

Specifications

Continued from previous page

Software

y Drivers
y COMMAND CENTER
y LIVE UPDATE 6
y SHORTCUT MANAGER
y FAST BOOT
y SUPER CHARGER
y M-CLOUD
y RAMDISK
y Intel

®

Extreme Tuning Utility

y Norton

™

Security

y Google Chrome

™

,Google Toolbar, Google Drive

y CPU-Z

MSI Exclusive
Features

y CLICK BIOS 5

 EZ Mode & Advanced Mode Switching
 Board Explorer
 Hardware Monitor

y MILITARY CLASS 4

 Military Class Component
 Military Class Stability and Reliability

 ESD Protection
 EMI Protection
 Humidity Protection
 Circuit Protection
 High Temperature Protection
 Steel Armor PCIe Slots
 VGA Armor Slot

y COMMAND CENTER

 System Monitor

 Smart Fan Control
y RAM DISK
y LIVE UPDATE 6
y M-CLOUD
y CPU-Z

Continued on next page

7

Specifications

Continued from previous page

Specification
Highlights

y DDR4 Boost Support

 Dual-Channel DDR4 Memory Support

 Isolated DDR4 Circuit Design

 DDR4 XMP Ready
y PCI Express 3.0 Support

 2-Way Nvidia SLI

TM

Support

 3-Way AMD CrossFire

TM

Support

y USB 3.1 Gen2 Ready

 USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C Ready
y NVMe / AHCI Driver Support
y U.2 Support (Optional)

8

Rear I/O Panel

Rear I/O Panel

PS/2 Mouse

LAN

Audio Ports

VGA

Link/ Activity LED

Status Description

Off No link

Yellow Linked

Blinking Data activity

Speed LED

Status Description

Off 10 Mbps connection

Green 100 Mbps connection

Orange 1 Gbps connection

LAN Port LED Status Table

Audio Ports Configuration

USB 3.1 Gen 1

DVI-D

USB 2.0

Audio Ports

Channel

2 4 6 8

Line In

Line-Out/ Front Speak Out ● ● ● ●

Mic In

Rear Speaker Out ● ● ●

Center/ Subwoofer Out ● ●

Side Speaker Out ●

(●: connected, Blank: empty)

USB 3.1

Gen 2

Type-C

PS/2 Keyboard

9

Rear I/O Panel

Audio jacks to headphone and microphone diagram

Audio jacks to stereo speakers diagram

Audio jacks to 7.1-channel speakers diagram

AUDIO INPUT

AUDIO INPUT

Rear Front

Side Center/

Subwoofer

10

Overview of Components

Overview of Components

CPUFAN1

PCI_E1

PCI_E2

PCI_E3

PCI_E4

CPU Socket

JPWR2

DIMM1

SYSFAN1

DIMM2

DIMM3

DIMM4

JUSB1

JCOM1

JFP1

JFP2

SYSFAN2

JTPM1

CPUFAN2

JPWR1

JUSB3

SATA1_2

JCI1

EZ Debug LED

SATA5_6

SATA4
SATA3

JTBT1*

JBAT1

JUSB2

SYSFAN3

JUSB4

M2_1

JLPT1

JAUD1

PCI_E5

PCI_E6

* JTBT1 is used to connect a specific card.

11

Overview of Components

CPU Socket

Introduction to the LGA 1151 CPU

The surface of the LGA 1151 CPU has
two notches and a golden triangle to
assist in correctly lining up the CPU for
motherboard placement. The golden
triangle is the Pin 1 indicator.

Important

y

Always unplug the power cord from the power outlet before installing or removing
the CPU.

y

Please retain the CPU protective cap after installing the processor. MSI will deal
with Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) requests if only the motherboard
comes with the protective cap on the CPU socket.

y

When installing a CPU, always remember to install a CPU heatsink. A CPU heatsink
is necessary to prevent overheating and maintain system stability.

y

Confirm that the CPU heatsink has formed a tight seal with the CPU before booting
your system.

y

Overheating can seriously damage the CPU and motherboard. Always make sure
the cooling fans work properly to protect the CPU from overheating. Be sure to
apply an even layer of thermal paste (or thermal tape) between the CPU and the
heatsink to enhance heat dissipation.

y

Whenever the CPU is not installed, always protect the CPU socket pins by covering
the socket with the plastic cap.

y

If you purchased a separate CPU and heatsink/ cooler, Please refer to the
documentation in the heatsink/ cooler package for more details about installation.

y

This motherboard is designed to support overclocking. Before attempting to
overclock, please make sure that all other system components can tolerate
overclocking. Any attempt to operate beyond product specifications is not
recommended. MSI® does not guarantee the damages or risks caused by
inadequate operation beyond product specifications.

12

Overview of Components

DIMM Slots

DIMM1 DIMM3

Channel A Channel B

DIMM2 DIMM4

Memory module installation recommendation

DIMM4 DIMM4

DIMM3

DIMM2 DIMM2 DIMM2

DIMM1

Important

y

Always insert memory modules in the DIMM2 slot first.

y

Due to chipset resource usage, the available capacity of memory will be a little less
than the amount of installed.

y

Based on Intel CPU specification, the Memory DIMM voltage below 1.35V is
suggested to protect the CPU.

y

Please note that the maximum capacity of addressable memory is 4GB or less
for 32-bit Windows OS due to the memory address limitation. Therefore, we
recommended that you to install 64-bit Windows OS if you want to install more than
4GB memory on the motherboard.

y

Some memory may operate at a lower frequency than the marked value when
overclocking due to the memory frequency operates dependent on its Serial
Presence Detect (SPD).

y

It is recommended to use a more efficient memory cooling system for full DIMMs
installation or overclocking.

y

The stability and compatibility of installed memory module depend on installed CPU
and devices when overclocking.

13

Overview of Components

PCI_E1~6: PCIe Expansion Slots

PCI_E1: PCIe 3.0 x1 slot

PCI_E2: PCIe 3.0 x16 slot

PCI_E3: PCIe 3.0 x1 slot

PCI_E4: PCIe 3.0 x8 slot

PCI_E5: PCIe 3.0 x1 slot

PCI_E6: PCIe 3.0 x4 slot

x16

x8

x8

x8

x8

x4

Multiple graphics cards installation recommendation

Important

y

For a single PCIe x16 expansion
card installation with optimum
performance, using the PCI_E2 slot is
recommended.

y

When adding or removing expansion
cards, always turn off the power supply
and unplug the power supply power
cable from the power outlet. Read the
expansion card’s documentation to
check for any necessary additional
hardware or software changes.

14

Overview of Components

SATA1~6: SATA 6Gb/s Connectors

These connectors are SATA 6Gb/s interface ports. Each connector can connect to one
SATA device.

SATA1

SATA2

SATA3

SATA5

SATA6

SATA4

Important

y

Please do not fold the SATA cable at a 90-degree angle. Data loss may result during
transmission otherwise.

y

SATA cable has identical plugs on either sides of the cable. However, it is
recommended that the flat connector be connected to the motherboard for space
saving purposes.

JAUD1: Front Audio Connector

This connector allows you to connect audio jacks on the front panel.

1

2 10

9

1 MIC L 2 Ground

3 MIC R 4 NC

5 Head Phone R 6 MIC Detection

7 SENSE_SEND 8 No Pin

9 Head Phone L 10 Head Phone Detection

15

Overview of Components

Important

Intel® RST only supports PCIe M.2 SSD with UEFI ROM,
does not support Legacy ROM.

Video Demonstration

Watch the video to learn how to Install M.2
module.

http://youtu.be/JCTFABytrYA

Installing M.2 module

M2_1: M.2 Slots

1

2

3

30°

3. Tighten the base screw

into the hole of the
distance to the M.2 slot
as the length your M.2
module.

4. Insert your M.2 module

into the M.2 slot at a
30-degree angle.

5. Put the screw in the

notch on the trailing edge
of your M.2 module and
tighten it into the base
screw.

1. Remove the screw from

the base screw.

2. Remove the base screw.

4

5

16

Overview of Components

JPWR1~2: Power Connectors

These connectors allow you to connect an ATX power supply.

24

131

12

JPWR1

1 +3.3V 13 +3.3V

2 +3.3V 14 -12V

3 Ground 15 Ground

4 +5V 16 PS-ON#

5 Ground 17 Ground

6 +5V 18 Ground

7 Ground 19 Ground

8 PWR OK 20 Res

9 5VSB 21 +5V

10 +12V 22 +5V

11 +12V 23 +5V

12 +3.3V 24 Ground

5

4 1

8

JPWR2

1 Ground 5 +12V

2 Ground 6 +12V

3 Ground 7 +12V

4 Ground 8 +12V

Important

Make sure that all the power cables are securely connected to a proper ATX power
supply to ensure stable operation of the motherboard.

17

Overview of Components

JUSB3~4: USB 3.1 Gen1 Connectors

These connectors allow you to connect USB 3.1 Gen1 ports on the front panel.

1

10 11

20

1 Power 11 USB2.0+

2 USB3_RX_DN 12 USB2.0-

3 USB3_RX_DP 13 Ground

4 Ground 14 USB3_TX_C_DP

5 USB3_TX_C_DN 15 USB3_TX_C_DN

6 USB3_TX_C_DP 16 Ground

7 Ground 17 USB3_RX_DP

8 USB2.0- 18 USB3_RX_DN

9 USB2.0+ 19 Power

10 Ground 20 No Pin

Important

Note that the Power and Ground pins must be connected correctly to avoid possible
damage.

JUSB1~2: USB 2.0 Connectors

These connectors allow you to connect USB 2.0 ports on the front panel.

1

2 10

9

1 VCC 2 VCC

3 USB0- 4 USB1-

5 USB0+ 6 USB1+

7 Ground 8 Ground

9 No Pin 10 NC

Important

y

Note that the VCC and Ground pins must be connected correctly to avoid possible
damage.

y

In order to recharge your iPad,iPhone and iPod through USB ports, please install
MSI

®

SUPER CHARGER utility.

18

Overview of Components

1

2 14

13

1 LPC Clock 2 3V Standby power

3 LPC Reset 4 3.3V Power

5 LPC address & data pin0 6 Serial IRQ

7 LPC address & data pin1 8 5V Power

9 LPC address & data pin2 10 No Pin

11 LPC address & data pin3 12 Ground

13 LPC Frame 14 Ground

JTPM1: TPM Module Connector

This connector is for TPM (Trusted Platform Module). Please refer to the TPM security
platform manual for more details and usages.

JFP1, JFP2: Front Panel Connectors

These connectors connect to the switches and LEDs on the front panel.

1

2 10

9

JFP1

1 HDD LED + 2 Power LED +

3 HDD LED - 4 Power LED -

5 Reset Switch 6 Power Switch

7 Reset Switch 8 Power Switch

9 Reserved 10 No Pin

1

JFP2

1 Speaker - 2 Buzzer +

3 Buzzer - 4 Speaker +

19

Overview of Components

JCI1: Chassis Intrusion Connector

This connector allows you to connect the chassis intrusion switch cable.

Normal
(default)

Trigger the chassis
intrusion event

Using chassis intrusion detector

1. Connect the JCI1 connector to the chassis intrusion switch/ sensor on the chassis.

2. Close the chassis cover.

3. Go to BIOS > SETTINGS > Security > Chassis Intrusion Configuration.

4. Set Chassis Intrusion to Enabled.

5. Press F10 to save and exit and then press the Enter key to select Yes.

6. Once the chassis cover is opened again, a warning message will be displayed on

screen when the computer is turned on.

Resetting the chassis intrusion warning

1. Go to BIOS > SETTINGS > Security > Chassis Intrusion Configuration.

2. Set Chassis Intrusion to Reset.

3. Press F10 to save and exit and then press the Enter key to select Yes.

20

Overview of Components

1

2 10

9

1 DCD 2 SIN

3 SOUT 4 DTR

5 Ground 6 DSR

7 RTS 8 CTS

9 RI 10 No Pin

JCOM1: Serial Port Connector

This connector allows you to connect the optional serial port with bracket.

1

2 26

25

1 RSTB# 2 AFD# 3 PRND0

4 ERR# 5 PRND1 6 PINIT#

7 PRND2 8 LPT_SLIN# 9 PRND3

10 Ground 11 PRND4 12 Ground

13 PRND5 14 Ground 15 PRND6

16 Ground 17 PRND7 18 Ground

19 ACK# 20 Ground 21 BUSY

22 Ground 23 PE 24 Ground

25 SLCT 26 No Pin

JLPT1: Parallel Port Connector

This connector allows you to connect the optional parallel port with bracket.