MSI MS-7380 User manual

P7N SLI Platinum Series

MS-7380 (v1.X) Mainboard

G52-73801X1

i

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.
NVIDIA, the NVIDIA logo, DualNet, and nForce are registered trademarks or trade-

marks of NVIDIA Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
AMD, Athlon™ , Athlon™ XP, Thoroughbred™, and Duron™ are registered trade­marks of AMD Corporation.
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 December 2007

Technical 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://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?

func=faqIndex

Contact our technical staff at: http://support.msi.com.tw/

ii

Safety Instructions

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 electrical
shock.

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

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

User’s Manual.

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

12. DO NOT LEAVE THIS EQUIPMENT IN AN ENVIRONMENT UNCONDITIONED, STOR­AGE TEMPERATURE ABOVE 600 C (1400F), IT MAY DAMAGE THE EQUIPMENT.

CAUTION: Danger of explosion if battery is incorrectly replaced.
Replace only with the same or equivalent type recommended by the
manufacturer.

iii

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 in a residential installation. This equipment generates,
uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accor­dance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television
reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the measures listed
below.

† Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
† Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
† Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to

which the receiver is connected.

† Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/television technician for help.

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-7380

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:

(1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that

may cause undesired operation.

iv

WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Statement

v

vi

vii

CONTENTS

Copyright Notice..............................................................................................................ii

Trademarks.......................................................................................................................ii

Revision History..............................................................................................................ii

Technical Support...........................................................................................................ii

Safety Instructions.........................................................................................................iii

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

WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Statement....................................v

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

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

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

Packing Checklist.................................................................................................1-5

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

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

CPU (Central Processing Unit)............................................................................2-3

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

Power Supply......................................................................................................2-9

Back Panel...........................................................................................................2-11

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

Slots....................................................................................................................2-20

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

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

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

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

Advanced BIOS Features...................................................................................3-9

Integrated Peripherals.......................................................................................3-12

Power Management Setup...............................................................................3-14

H/W Monitor........................................................................................................3-17

Cell Menu............................................................................................................3-18

USER SETTINGS................................................................................................3-23

Load Fail-Safe/ Optimized Defaults.................................................................3-24

BIOS Setting Password.....................................................................................3-25

Appendix A Realtek ALC888 Audio....................................................................A-1

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

Software Configuration......................................................................................A-4

Hardware Setup................................................................................................A-19

viii

Appendix B nVidia RAID.........................................................................................B-1

Introduction..........................................................................................................B-2

RAID Configuraiton..............................................................................................B-3

NVIDIA RAID Utility Installation.............................................................................B-9

RAID Drives Management..................................................................................B-12

Appendix C JMicron RAID Introduction............................................................C-1

Introduction..........................................................................................................C-2

JMicron RAID BIOS Utility....................................................................................C-3

Installing Driver..................................................................................................C-11

JMicron Raid Configurer....................................................................................C-13

Appendix D Dual Core Center..............................................................................D-1

Activating Dual Core Center...............................................................................D-2

Main......................................................................................................................D-3

DOT(Dyanmic OverClocking)..............................................................................D-5

Clock.....................................................................................................................D-6

Voltage.................................................................................................................D-7

FAN Speed...........................................................................................................D-8

Temperature.........................................................................................................D-9

User Profile........................................................................................................D-10

ix

Getting Started

Chapter 1

Getting Started

Thank you for choosing the P7N SLI Platinum Series
(MS-7380 v1.X) ATX mainboard. The P7N SLI Platinum
Series mainboards are based on nVidia® nForce750i
SLI & nForce430i chipsets for optimal system
efficiency. Designed to fit the advanced Intel® Core 2

Extreme, Core 2 Quad, Core 2 Duo, Pentium dual­core and Celeronprocessor, the P7N SLI Platinum

Series deliver a high performance and professional
desktop platform solution.

1-1

MS-7380 Mainboard

Mainboard Specifications

Processor Support

- Intel® Core 2 Extreme, Core 2 Quad, Core 2 Duo, Pentium dual­core and Celeron in the LGA775 package

- Supports Intel® EIST Technology

- Supports Intel® Hyper-Threading (HT) Technology

(For the latest information about CPU, please visit
http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?func=cpuform)

Supported FSB

- 1333/ 1066/ 800/ 533 MHz

Chipset

- North Bridge: nVidia® nForce 750i SLI (C72P)

- South Bridge: nVidia® nForce 430i (MCP51)

Memory Support

- DDR2 533/ 667/ 800 SDRAM (240pin, 1.8V)

- 4 DDR2 DIMMs (8GB Max)

(For more information on compatible components, please visit http:/
/global.msi.com.tw/index.php?func=testreport)

LAN

- Supports 10/100/1000 Fast Ethernet by Realtek® RTL8211BL

IEEE 1394 (optional)

- Chip integrated by VIA VT 6308P

- Transfer rate is up to 400Mbps

Audio

- Chip integrated by Realtek ALC888

- Up to 7.1 Channel audio-out

- Compliant with Azalia 1.0 Spec

IDE

- 2 IDE ports by nForce 430i

- Supports Ultra DMA 66/100/133 mode and PIO, Bus Master
operation mode

- Supports up to 4 IDE devices

SATA

- 4 SATAII ports by nForce 430i

- Supports transfer rate up to 300 MB/s

- 2 eSATA ports by JMicron JMB363 (optional on back panel)

1-2

Getting Started

RAID

- 4 SATA ports support RAID 0/ 1/ 0+1/ 5 or JBOD mode

- 2 eSATA ports (back panel) support RAID 0/ 1 mode

Floppy

- 1 floppy port

- Supports 1 FDD with 360KB, 720KB, 1.2MB, 1.44MB and 2.88MB

Connectors

Back panel

- 1 PS/2 mouse port

- 1 PS/2 keyboard port

- 1 IEEE 1394 port (optional)

- 1 Optical SPDIF-Out port

- 2 eSATA ports

- 1 Clear CMOS button

- 4 USB 2.0 ports

- 1 LAN jack

- 6 flexible audio jacks

On-Board Pinheaders

- 1 Chassis Intrusion pinheader

- 2 USB 2.0 pinheaders

- 1 IEEE 1394 pinheader (optional)

- 1 SPDIF-out pinheader

- 1 CD-in connector

- 1 front panel audio pinheader

- 1 TPM Module pinheader (optional)

- 1 COM Port pinheader (optional)

Slots

- 3 PCI Express x16 slots
a. the mazarine PCI Express x 16 slot (PCI_E1) supports up to PCI
Express 2.0 x16
b. two blue PCI Express x16 slots, each one supports up to
PCIE 2.0 x8
c. supports SLI technology

- 2 PCI slots, support 3.3V/ 5V PCI bus Interface

Form Factor

- ATX (30.4 cm X 24.5 cm)

Mounting

- 9 mounting holes

1-3

MS-7380 Mainboard

BATT

IDE 1

IDE 2

J1394_1

(optional)

JCOM1(optional)

(Optional)

(optional)

(optional)

Mainboard Layout

Top: Mouse
Bottom: Keyboard

Optical
SPDIF-Out

ESATA Ports
(optional)

Clear CMOS button

USB ports

Top: LAN Jack
Bottom: USB Ports

T:

Line-In

M:

Line-Out

B:

Mic
T: RS-Out
M: CS-Out
B: SS-Out

JCD1

ALC888

JAUD1

I/O

Chip

JPWR2

SYSFAN1

RTL8211BL

JMB363

PC_E1

JSPDIF

JCI1

PCI_E2

Nvidia

BR04

Nvidia

C72P

CPUFAN1

Nvidia

MCP51

JPWR1

SYSFAN 2

DIMM1

DIMM3

DIMM2

DIMM4

SATA1_2 SATA3_4

1-4

JTPM

SYSFAN3

PCI1

PCI_E3
PCI2

FDD 1

VT6308P

JUSB1 JUSB2

VIA

P7N SLI Platinum Series

(MS-7380 v1.X) ATX Mainboard

+

JFP1 JFP2

Packing Checklist

Getting Started

MSI motherboard

Power Cable

Floppy Cable

MSI Driver/Utility CD

SATA Cable IDE Cable

Back IO Shield 1394 Bracket (Optional)

SLI Video Link Card

User’ s Guide

* The pictures are for reference only and may vary from the packing contents of the
product you purchased.

1-5

Hardware Setup

Chapter 2

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.

2-1

MS-7380 Mainboard

Quick Components Guide

Back Panel
I/O, p.2-11

JCD1, p.2-16

JSPDIF, p.2-15

JCI1, p.2-16

JAUD1, p.2-16

PCI Express
slots, p.2-20

JTPM, p.2-18

SYSFAN3,

P2-15

PCI Slots,

p.2-23

SYSFAN1, p.2-15

JPWR2, p.2-9

CPU, p.2-3

CPUFAN1, p.2-15

Memroy DIMMs, p.2-7

JPWR1, p.2-9

SYSFAN2,

p.2-15

SATA, p.2-14

JFP2, p.2-19
JFP1, p.2-19

IDE1/2, p.2-13

2-2

FDD1, p.2-14

JCOM1, p.2-17

JUSB1~2, p.2-17

J1394_1, p.2-18

CPU (Central Processing Unit)

Hardware Setup

This mainboard supports Intel

®

processor in LGA 775 package. When you are install-

ing the CPU, make sure to install the cooler to prevent overheating. If you do
not have the CPU cooler, consult your dealer before turning on the computer. For the
latest information about CPU, please visit http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?

func=cpuform

Important

Overheating

Overheating will seriously damage the CPU and system. Always make sure
the cooling fan can work properly to protect the CPU from overheating. Make
sure that you apply an even layer of thermal paste (or thermal tape) between
the CPU and the heatsink to enhance heat dissipation.

Replaceing the CPU

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

Overclocking

This mainboard 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.

Introduction to LGA 775 CPU

The pin-pad side of LGA 775
CPU.

The surface of LGA 775 CPU.
Remember to apply some ther­mal paste on it for better heat
dispersion.

Alignment Key Alignment Key

Yellow triangle is the Pin 1 indicator

Yellow triangle is the Pin 1 indicator

2-3

MS-7380 Mainboard

CPU & Cooler Installation

When you are installing the CPU, make sure the CPU has a cooler attached on
the top to prevent overheating. Meanwhile, do not forget to apply some thermal

paste on CPU before installing the heat sink/cooler fan for better heat dispersion.
Follow the steps below to install the CPU & cooler correctly. Wrong installation will
cause the damage of your CPU & mainboard.

1.The CPU socket has a plastic cap
on it to protect the contact from
damage. Before you install the CPU,
always cover it to protect the socket
pin.

3.The pins of socket reveal.

2.Remove the cap from lever hinge
side (as the arrow shows).

4.Open the load lever.

Important

1.Confirm if your CPU cooler is firmly installed before turning on your system.

2. Do not touch the CPU socket pins to avoid damaging.

3. The availability of the CPU land side cover depends on your CPU packing.

2-4

Hardware Setup

5.Lift the load lever up and open the
load plate.

7.Visually inspect if the CPU is
seated well into the socket. If not,
take out the CPU with pure vertical
motion and reinstall.

6.After confirming the CPU direction
for correct mating, put down the
CPU in the socket housing frame.
Be sure to grasp on the edge of
the CPU base. Note that the align­ment keys are matched.

alignment

key

8.Cover the load plate onto the
package.

2-5

MS-7380 Mainboard

9.Press down the load lever lightly
onto the load plate, and then se­cure the lever with the hook under
retention tab.

11.Press the four hooks down to fas-

ten the cooler. Then rotate the lock­ing switch (refer to the correct di­rection marked on it) to lock the
hooks.

locking

switch

10. Align the holes on the mainboard
with the heatsink. Push down the
cooler until its four clips get
wedged into the holes of the
mainboard.

12.Turn over the mainboard to con­firm that the clip-ends are cor­rectly inserted.

Important

1. Read the CPU status in BIOS (Chapter 3).

2. Whenever CPU is not installed, always protect your CPU socket pin with the
plastic cap covered (shown in Figure 1) to avoid damaging.

3. Mainboard photos shown in this section are for demonstration of the CPU/
cooler installation only. The appearance of your mainboard may vary depend­ing on the model you purchase.

2-6

Hardware Setup

1

2

3

Installed

Memory

These DIMM slots are used for installing memory modules.
For more information on compatible components, please visit http://global.msi.com.

tw/index.php?func=testreport

DDR2

240-pin, 1.8V

64x2=128 pin56x2=112 pin

Dual-Channel Memory Population Rules

In Dual-Channel mode, the memory modules can transmit and receive data with two
data bus lines simultaneously. Enabling Dual-Channel mode can enhance the system
performance. The following illustrations explain the population rules for Dual-Channel
mode.

DIMM1
DIMM2
DIMM3
DIMM4

DIMM1
DIMM2
DIMM3
DIMM4

DIMM1
DIMM2
DIMM3
DIMM4

Empty

2-7

MS-7380 Mainboard

Installing Memory Modules

1. The memory module has only one notch on the center and will only fit in the right
orientation.

2. Insert the memory module vertically into the DIMM slot. Then push it in until the
golden finger on the memory module is deeply inserted in the DIMM slot.

Important

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

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

Volt

Notch

Important

-DDR2 memory modules are not interchangeable with DDR and the DDR2
standard is not backwards compatible. You should always install DDR2
memory modules in the DDR2 DIMM slots.

-In Dual-Channel mode, make sure that you install memory modules of the
same type and density in different channel DIMM slots.

-To enable successful system boot-up, always insert the memory modules
into the DIMM1 first.

- Due to the chipset resource deployment, the system density will only be
detected up to 7+GB (not full 8GB) when each DIMM is installed with a 2GB
memory module.

2-8

Hardware Setup

Power Supply

ATX 24-Pin Power Connector: JPWR1

This connector allows you to connect an ATX 24-pin power supply.
To connect the ATX 24-pin 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.

You may use the 20-pin ATX power supply as you like. If you’d like
to use the 20-pin ATX power supply, please plug your power sup­ply along with pin 1 & pin 13 (refer to the image at the right hand).
There is also a foolproof design on pin 11, 12, 23 & 24 to avoid
wrong installation.

Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL

13 +3.3V
14 -12V
15 GND
16 PS-ON#
17 GND
18 GND
19 GND
20 Res
21 +5V
22 +5V
23 +5V
24 GND

JPWR1

12

24

13

1

PIN SIGNAL

1 +3.3V
2 +3.3V
3 GND
4 +5V
5 GND
6 +5V
7 GND
8 PWR OK
9 5VSB
10 +12V
11 +12V
12 +3.3V

pin 13

pin 12

ATX 8-Pin Power Connector: JPWR2

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

JPWR2

8 5

4

1

Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL

1 GND
2 GND
3 GND
4 GND

PIN SIGNAL

5 +12V
6 +12V
7 +12V
8 +12V

Important

1. Make sure that all the connectors are connected to proper ATX power sup­plies to ensure stable operation of the mainboard.

2. Power supply of 450 watts (and above) is highly recommended for system
stability.

2-9

MS-7380 Mainboard

Important Notification about Power Issue

NForce chipset is very sensitive to ESD (Electrostatic Discharge), therefore this
issue mostly happens while the users intensively swap memory modules under S5
(power-off) states, and the power code is plugged while installing modules. Due to
several pins are very sensitive to ESD, so this kind of memory-replacement actions
might cause system chipset unable to boot. Please follow the following solution to
avoid this situation.

Unplug the AC power cable (shown in figure 1) or unplug the power connectors
(shown in figure 2 & figure 3) before the 1st installation or during system upgrade
procedure.

Unplug the power connector

Figure 2:

Unplug the AC power cable

Figure 1:

Figure 3:

Unplug the power connectors

2-10

Back Panel

Hardware Setup

Mouse

Keyboard

(optional)

1394
Port

Optical
S/PDIF-Out

(optional)
eSATA Port

Clear CMOS
Button

USB Port

LAN

USB Port

Line-In

Line-Out

Mic

RS-Out

CS-Out

SS-Out

Mouse/Keyboard

The standard PS/2® mouse/keyboard DIN connector is for a PS/2® mouse/keyboard.

1394 Port (optional)

The IEEE1394 port on the back panel provides connection to IEEE1394 devices.

Optical S/PDIF-Out
This SPDIF (Sony & Philips Digital Interconnect Format) connector is provided for
digital audio transmission to external speakers through an optical fiber cable.

eSATA Port (optional)
This eSATA (External Serial ATA) port is used to connect the external SATA device.
You can also use the optional external SATA cable to connect SATA device and
eSATA port.

Clear CMOS Button
There is a CMOS RAM on board that has a power supply from external battery to
keep the system configuration data. 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 button to clear data. Press the button to clear the data.

Important

Make sure that you power off the system before clearing CMOS data.

2-11

MS-7380 Mainboard

USB Port
The USB (Universal Serial Bus) port is for attaching USB devices such as keyboard,
mouse, or other USB-compatible devices.

LAN
The standard RJ-45 LAN jack is for con­nection to the Local Area Network (LAN).

Link IndicatorActivity Indicator

You can connect a network cable to it.

LED Color LED State condition

Off LAN link is not established.

Left Orange On (steady state) LAN link is established.

On (brighter & pulsing)The computer is communicating with another computer on the LAN.

Green Off 10 Mbit/sec data rate is selected.

Right On 100 Mbit/sec data rate is selected.

Orange On 1000 Mbit/sec data rate is selected.

Audio Ports
These audio connectors are used for audio devices. It is easy to differentiate be­tween audio effects according to the color of audio jacks.

Line-In (Blue) - Line In is used for external CD player, tape-player or

other audio devices.

Line-Out (Green) - Line Out, is a connector for speakers or headphones.
Mic (Pink) - Mic, is a connector for microphones.
RS-Out (Black) - Rear-Surround Out in 4/ 5.1/ 7.1 channel mode.
CS-Out (Orange) - Center/ Subwoofer Out in 5.1/ 7.1 channel mode.
SS-Out (Gray) - Side-Surround Out 7.1 channel mode.

2-12

Hardware Setup

Connectors

IDE Connector: IDE1 / IDE2

This connector supports IDE hard disk drives, optical disk drives and other IDE devices.

IDE2

IDE1

IDE1 (Primary IDE Connector)

The first hard drive should always be connected to IDE1. IDE1 can connect a Master
and a Slave drive.

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

Important

If you install two IDE devices on the same cable, you must configure the
drives separately to master / slave mode by setting jumpers. Refer to IDE
device’s documentation supplied by the vendors for jumper setting
instructions.

2-13

MS-7380 Mainboard

Floppy Disk Drive Connector: FDD1

This connector supports 360KB, 720KB, 1.2MB, 1.44MB or 2.88MB floppy disk drive.

FDD1

Serial ATA Connector: SATA1_2/ SATA3_4

This connector is a high-speed Serial ATA interface port. Each connector can con­nect to one Serial ATA device.

SATA3_4

SATA1_2

Important

Please do not fold the Serial ATA cable into 90-degree angle. Otherwise,
data loss may occur during transmission.

2-14

Hardware Setup

Fan Power Connectors: CPUFAN1, SYSFAN1, SYSFAN2, SYSFAN3

The fan power connectors support system cooling fan with +12V. When connecting
the wire to the connectors, always 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.

CONTROL

SENSOR

+12V
GND

CPUFAN1

GND
+12V

NC

SYSFAN1

NC

+12V

GND

SYSFAN2/3

Important

1.Please refer to the recommended CPU fans at processor’s official website
or consult the vendors for proper CPU cooling fan.

2.CPUFAN1 supports fan control. You can install Dual Core Center utility
that will automatically control the CPU fan speed according to the actual
CPU temperature.

3. Fan/heatsink with 3 or 4 pins are both available for CPUFA1.

SPDIF-Out Connector: JSPDIF

This connector is used to connect S/PDIF (Sony & Philips Digital Interconnect Format)
interface for digital audio transmission.

JSPDIF

VCC

SPDIF

GND

S/PDIF Bracket (Optional)

2-15

MS-7380 Mainboard

Front Panel Audio Connector: JAUD1

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

2
1

10

9

JAUD1

HD Audio Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION

1 MIC_L Microphone - Left channel
2 GND Ground
3 MIC_R Microphone - Right channel
4 NC
5 LINE out_R Analog Port - Right channel
6 MIC_JD Jack detection return from front panel microphone JACK1
7 Front_JD Jack detection sense line from the High Definition Audio CODEC

8 NC No control
9 LINE out_L Analog Port - Left channel
10 LINEout_JD Jack detection return from front panel JACK2

jack detection resistor network

Chassis Intrusion Connector: JCI1

This connector connects to the chassis intrusion switch cable. If the chassis is
opened, the chassis intrusion mechanism will be activated. The system will record
this status and show a warning message on the screen. To clear the warning, you
must enter the BIOS utility and clear the record.

1

GNDCINTRU

JCI1

CD-In Connector: JCD1

This connector is provided for external audio input.

R

L

GND

JCD1

2-16

Hardware Setup

Front USB Connector: JUSB1 / JUSB2

This connector, compliant with Intel® I/O Connectivity Design Guide, is ideal for con­necting high-speed USB interface peripherals such as USB HDD, digital cameras,

MP3 players, printers, modems and the like.

Pin Definition

2
1

10

9

JUSB1 / JUSB2

PIN SIGNAL PIN SIGNAL

1 VCC 2 VCC
3 USB0- 4 USB1­5 USB0+ 6 USB1+
7 GND 8 GND
9 Key (no pin) 10 NC

USB 2.0 Bracket

Important

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

Serial Port Connector: JCOM1 (optional)

This connector is a 16550A high speed communication port that sends/receives 16
bytes FIFOs. You can attach a serial device.

Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION

1 DCD Data Carry Detect
2 SIN Serial In or Receive Data

2
1

9

JCOM1

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

2-17

MS-7380 Mainboard

IEEE1394 Connector: J1394_1 (optional)

This connector allows you to connect the IEEE1394 device via an optional IEEE1394
bracket.

Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL PIN SIGNAL

9

10

J1394_1

1

2

1 TPA+ 2 TPA­3 Ground 4 Ground
5 TPB+ 6 TPB­7 Cable power 8 Cable power
9 Key (no pin) 10 Ground

IEEE1394 Bracket

TPM Module Connector: JTPM (optional)

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

2
1

14
13

JTPM

Pin Signal Description Pin Signal Description
1 LCLK LPC clock 2 3V_STB 3V standby power
3 LRST# LPC reset 4 VCC3 3.3V power
5 LAD0 LPC address & data pin0 6 SIRQ Serial IRQ
7 LAD1 LPC address & data pin1 8 VCC5 5V power
9 LAD2 LPC address & data pin2 10 KEY No pin
11 LAD3 LPC address & data pin3 12 GND Ground
13 LFRAME# LPC Frame 14 GND Ground

2-18

Hardware Setup

Front Panel Connectors: JFP1, JFP2

These connectors are for electrical connection to the front panel switches and LEDs.
The JFP1 is compliant with Intel® Front Panel I/O Connectivity Design Guide.

JFP1

9

10

-

Power
Switch++

Power
LED

JFP1 Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION

1 HD_LED + Hard disk LED pull-up
2 FP PWR/SLP MSG LED pull-up
3 HD_LED - Hard disk active LED
4 FP PWR/SLP MSG LED pull-up
5 RST_SW - Reset Switch low reference pull-down to GND
6 PWR_SW + Power Switch high reference pull-up
7 RST_SW + Reset Switch high reference pull-up
8 PWR_SW - Power Switch low reference pull-down to GND
9 RSVD_DNU Reserved. Do not use.

+

Reset

-

Switch

-

HDD
LED

2

1

JFP2

8

7

+

Speaker

PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION

1 GND Ground
2 SPK- Speaker­3 SLED Suspend LED
4 BUZ+ Buzzer+
5 PLED Power LED
6 BUZ- Buzzer­7 NC No connection
8 SPK+ Speaker+

-

Power

+

-

LED

12

JFP2 Pin Definition

2-19

MS-7380 Mainboard

Slots

PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) Express Slots

The PCI Express slot supports the PCI Express interface expansion card.
The PCI Express 2.0 x 16 supports up to 8.0 GB/s transfer rate.
The PCI Express 2.0 x 8 supports up to 4.0 GB/s transfer rate.

Mazarine PCI Express x16 Slot supports up to
PCI Express 2.0x 16 speed (PCI_E1 )

Blue PCI Express x 16 Slot supports up to
PCI Express x 8 speed (PCI_E2/ PCI_E3)

Important

When adding or removing expansion cards, make sure that you unplug the
power supply first. Meanwhile, read the documentation for the expansion card
to configure any necessary hardware or software settings for the expansion
card, such as jumpers, switches or BIOS configuration.

2-20

Hardware Setup

NV SLI Technology

NVIDIA SLI (Scalable Link Interface) technology allows two GPUs to run in tandem
within a system to achieve up to twice the performance of a single graphics card. To
utilize this technology, the two GPU cards must be connected by an SLI Video Link
card.

SLI Video Link Card

If you intend to use the SLI mode for better graphics performance, please refer to the
following instructions.

1.Install two graphics cards on PCI Express x16 slots. With two cards installed, an
SLI Video Link Card is required to connect the golden fingers on the top of these two
graphics cards (refer to the picture below). Please note that although you have
installed two graphics cards, only the video outputs on the first card will work.
Hence, you only need to connect a monitor to the first PCI Express card.

SLI Video Link Card

Important

1. The photos shown in this section are for demonstration only. The appearance
of your mainboard may vary depending on the model you purchase.

2. If you intend to install TWO x16 graphics cards, make sure that these two
graphics cards are of the same brand and specifications.

3. Make sure that you connect an adequate power supply to the power connec­tor on the graphics card to ensure stable operation of the graphics card.

4.If you intend to install only ONE graphics card, make sure that:
the graphics card is Installed on first mazarine PCIE x16 (PCI_E1) slot.

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MS-7380 Mainboard

2. After the hardware installation is completed, restart the system and install the NV
SLI driver/utility. A configuration panel will be provided for Multi-GPU control. Check
the Enable multi-GPU box to enable the SLI function for the onboard graphics
cards (concerning the details of multi-GPU settings, please refer to your graphics
card manual) .

Check the box

3. Restart your system and a pop-up message will show in the system tray confirm­ing the Multi-GPU has been enabled.

Important

If you want to remove one graphics card and quit the SLI function, make sure
the "MultiGPU" function is disabled.

2-22

Hardware Setup

PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) Slots

The PCI slots support LAN cards, SCSI cards, USB cards, and other add-on cards
that comply with PCI specifications. At 32 bits and 33 MHz, it yields a throughput rate
of 133 MBps.

32-bit PCI Slot

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 pins as follows:

Order 1 Order 2 Order 3 Order 4
PCI Slot 1 INT Y# INT Z# INT W# INT X#
PCI Slot 2 INT Z# INT W# INT X# INT Y#

Important

When adding or removing expansion cards, make sure that you unplug the
power supply first. Meanwhile, read the documentation for the expansion card
to configure any necessary hardware or software settings for the expansion
card, such as jumpers, switches or BIOS configuration.

2-23

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:

² An error message appears on the screen during the

system booting up, and requests you to run SETUP.

² You want to change the default settings for cus-

tomized features.

BIOS Setup

3-1

MS-7380 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.

Press DEL to enter SETUP

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.

Important

1.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.

2.Upon boot-up, the 1st line appearing after the memory count is the BIOS

version. It is usually in the format:

3-2

A7380NMS V1.0 122007 where:

1st digit refers to BIOS maker as A = AMI, W = AWARD, and P =
PHOENIX.
2nd - 5th digit refers to the model number.
6th digit refers to the chipset as I = Intel, N = nVidia, and V = VIA.
7th - 8th digit refers to the customer as MS = all standard customers.
V1.0 refers to the BIOS version.
122007 refers to the date this BIOS was released.

BIOS Setup

Control Keys

<↑> 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 Optimized Defaults
<F8> Load Fail-Safe Defaults
<F10> Save all the CMOS changes and exit

Getting Help

After entering the Setup menu, the first menu you will see is the Main Menu.

Main Menu

The main menu lists the setup functions you can make changes to. You can use the
arrow keys ( ↑↓ ) to select the item. The on-line description of the highlighted setup
function is displayed at the bottom of the screen.

Sub-Menu

If you find a right pointer symbol (as shown in the right
view) appears to the left of certain fields that means a
sub-menu can be launched from this field. A sub-menu
contains additional options for a field parameter. You
can use arrow keys ( ↑↓ ) to highlight the field and
press <Enter> to call up the sub-menu. Then you can use the control keys to enter
values and move from field to field within a sub-menu. If you want to return to the
main menu, just press the <Esc >.

General Help <F1>

The BIOS setup program provides a General Help screen. You can call up this screen
from any menu by simply pressing <F1>. The Help screen lists the appropriate keys
to use and the possible selections for the highlighted item. Press <Esc> to exit the
Help screen.

3-3

MS-7380 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.

Integrated Peripherals

Use this menu to specify your settings for integrated peripherals.

Power Management Setup

Use this menu to specify your settings for power management.

PnP/PCI Configurations

This entry appears if your system supports PnP/PCI.

H/W Monitor

This entry shows your PC health status.

BIOS Setting Password

Use this menu to set the password for BIOS.

Cell Menu

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

3-4

BIOS Setup

USER SETTINGS

Use this menu to save/ load your settings to/ from CMOS for BIOS.

Load Fail-Safe Defaults

Use this menu to load the default values set by the BIOS vendor for stable system
performance.

Load Optimized Defaults

Use this menu to load the default values set by the mainboard manufacturer specifi­cally for optimal performance of the mainboard.

Save & Exit Setup

Save changes to CMOS and exit setup.

Exit Without Saving

Abandon all changes and exit setup.

3-5

MS-7380 Mainboard

Standard CMOS Features

The items in Standard CMOS Features Menu include some basic setup items. Use the
arrow keys to highlight the item and then use the <PgUp> or <PgDn> keys to select the
value you want in each item.

Date (MM:DD:YY)

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

day Day of the week, from Sun to Sat, determined by
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.

HH:MM:SS

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

IDE Primary/ Secondary Master/ Slave, SATA 1/2/3/4 , E-SATA 1/2

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

BIOS. Read-only.

3-6

BIOS Setup

IDE Primary/ Secondary Master/ Slave, SATA 1/2/3/4 , E-SATA 1/2

It will showing the device informations that you connected to the IDE/SATA
connector.

LBA/Large Mode

This allows you to enable or disable the LBA Mode. Setting to Auto enables LBA
mode if the device supports it and the devices is not already formatted with LBA
mode disabled.

DMA Mode

Select DMA Mode.

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.

Important

IDE Primary Master/ Slave, SATA 1/2/3/4, E-SATA 1/2 are appearing
when you connect the IDE/ SATA devices to the IDE/ SATA connectors on
the mainboard.

3-7

MS-7380 Mainboard

Floppy Drive A

This item allows you to set the type of floppy drives installed. Available options:
[None], [360K, 5.25 in.], [1.2M, 5.25 in.], [720K, 3.5 in.], [1.44M, 3.5 in.], [2.88M, 3.5 in.].

System Information

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

This sub-menu shows the CPU information, BIOS version and memory status of your
system (read only).

3-8

BIOS Setup

Advanced BIOS Features

Full Screen LOGO Display

This item enables you to show the company logo on the bootup screen. Settings are:

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

Quick Booting

Setting the item to [Enabled] allows the system to boot within 10 seconds since it will
skip some check items.

Boot Up Num-Lock LED

This setting 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 users to use the arrow keys on the numeric keypad.

IOAPIC Function

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

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.

3-9

MS-7380 Mainboard

Primary Graphic’s Adapter

This setting specifies which graphics card is your primary graphics adapter.

PCI Latency Timer

This item controls how long each PCI device can hold the bus before another takes
over. When set to higher values, every PCI device can conduct transactions for a
longer time and thus improve the effective PCI bandwidth. For better PCI performance,
you should set the item to higher values.

CPU Feature

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

Execute Bit Support

Intel's Execute Disable Bit functionality can prevent certain classes of malicious
"buffer overflow" attacks when combined with a supporting operating system.
This functionality allows the processor to classify areas in memory by where
application code can execute and where it cannot. When a malicious worm
attempts to insert code in the buffer, the processor disables code execution,
preventing damage or worm propagation.

Set Limit CPUID MaxVal to 3

The Max CPUID Value Limit is designed to limit the listed speed of the processor
to older operating systems.

Chipset Feature

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

HPET

The HPET (High Precision Event Timers) is a component that is part of the chipset.
You can enable it, and it will provide you with the means to get to it via the
various ACPI methods.

3-10

BIOS Setup

Boot Sequence

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

1st/ 2nd/ 3rd Boot Device

The items allow you to set the first/ second/ third boot device where BIOS
attempts to load the disk operating system.

Boot From Other Device

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

Trusted Computing

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

TCG/TPM SUPPORT

Setting the option to [Yes] enables TPM (Trusted Platform Module) to the system.

Execute TPM Command

Setting the option to [Enable] enable the system to execute TPM Command.

TPM Enable/Disable status, TPM Owner Status

These items show the status of TPM (read only).

3-11

MS-7380 Mainboard

Integrated Peripherals

USB Controller

This setting allows you to enable/disable the onboard USB controller.

USB Device Legacy Support

Select [Enabled] if you need to use a USB-interfaced device in the operating system.

Onboard LAN Controller

This item is used to enable/disable the onboard LAN controller.

LAN Option ROM

This item is used to decide whether to invoke the Boot ROM of the LAN controller.

Onboard IEEE1394 Controller

This item allows you to enable/disable the onboard IEEE1394 controller.

Onboard E-SATA Controller

This item allows you to enable/disable the RAID mode for onboard E-SATA device.

HD Audio Controller

This item allows you to enable/disable the onboard HD audio controller.

3-12

BIOS Setup

On-Chip ATA Devices

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

On-Chip IDE Controller

This item allows you to enable/ disable IDE Controller.

PCI IDE BusMaster

This item allows you to enable/ disable BIOS to use PCI busmastering for read­ing/ writing to IDE drives.

On-Chip SATA Controller

This item allows users to enable or disable the SATA controller.

RAID mode

Setting this option to [RAID] activates the following fields, and use the following
fields to enable RAID for SATA hard disks.

SATA 1/2/3/4

These items allow you to enable RAID for SATA 1/2/3/4.

I/O Device

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

COM Port 1

Select an address and corresponding interrupt for the first serial port.

3-13

MS-7380 Mainboard

Power Management Setup

Important

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

ACPI Function

This item can activate the ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Management
Interface) Function. If your operating system is ACPI-aware, such as Windows 2000/
XP, select [Enabled].

ACPI Standby State

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

[S1] The S1 sleep mode is a low power state. In this state, no

[S3] The S3 sleep mode is a lower power state where the in-

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

formation of system configuration and open applications/files
are 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.

3-14

BIOS Setup

Re-Call VGA BIOS From S3

When ACPI Standby State is set to [S3], users can select the options in this field.
Selecting [Yes] allows BIOS to call VGABIOS 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 VGA driver to initialize the
VGA card. Therefore, if the VGA driver of the card does not support the initialization
feature, the display may work abnormally or not function after resuming from S3.

Power Button Function

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

[Powr On/ Off]The power button functions as normal power on/off button.
[Suspend] When you press the power button, the computer enters the

Restore On AC Power Loss

This item specifies whether your system will reboot after a power failure or interrupt
occurs. Settings are:

[Off] Always leaves the computer in the power off state.
[On] Always leaves the computer in the power on state.
[Last State] Restores the system to the status before power failure

Wake Up Event Setup

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

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

or interrupt occurred.

Resume From S3 By USB Device

The item allows the activity of the USB device to wake up the system from S3
(Suspend to RAM) sleep state.

Resume From S3 By PS/2 Keyboard

This setting determines whether the system will be awakened from S3 power
saving modes when input signal of the PS/2 keyboard is detected.

Resume From S3 By PS/2 Mouse

This setting determines whether the system will be awakened from S3 power
saving modes when input signal of the PS/2 mouse is detected.

3-15

MS-7380 Mainboard

Resume By PCI Device (PME#)

When set to [Enabled], the feature allows your system to be awakened from the
power saving modes through any event on PME (Power Management Event).

Resume By PCI-E Device

When set to [Enabled], the feature allows your system to be awakened from the
power saving modes through any event by PCI-E device.

Resume By Onboard LAN

This controls how and whether the system can be powered on by the devices
installed in LAN port.

Resume By RTC Alarm

The field is used to enable or disable the feature of booting up the system on a
scheduled time/date.

3-16

BIOS Setup

H/W Monitor

Chassis Intrusion

The field enables or disables the feature of recording the chassis intrusion status
and issuing a warning message if the chassis is once opened. To clear the warning
message, set the field to [Reset]. The setting of the field will automatically return to
[Enabled] later.

CPU Smart FAN Target

The mainboard provides the Smart Fan function which can control the CPU fan speed
automatically depending on the current temperature to keep it with in a specific range.
You can select a fan temperature target value. If the current CPU fan temperature
reaches to the target value, the smart fan function will be activated. It provides
several sections to speed up for cooling down automaticlly.

CPU Min. FAN Speed (%)

When you set a FAN target in “ CPU Smart FAN Target”, this item will appear. This
item allows you to select how percentage of minimum speed limit for the CPU Smart
FAN.

PC Health Status

CPU/ System Temperature, CPU FAN/ SYS FAN1/ SYS FAN2 Speed, CPU

Vcore, 3.3V, 5V, 12V

These items display the current status of all of the monitored hardware devices/
components such as CPU voltage, temperatures and all fans’ speeds.

3-17

MS-7380 Mainboard

Cell Menu

Important

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

Current CPU/ FSB/ DRAM Frequency

These items show the current clocks of CPU and Memory speed. Read-only.

D.O.T. Control

D.O.T. (Dynamic Overclocking Technology) is the automatic overclocking function,
included in the MSITM’s newly developed CoreCell
detect the load balance of CPU while running programs, and to adjust the best CPU
frequency automatically. When the motherboard detects CPU is running programs, it
will speed up CPU automatically to make the program run smoothly and faster. When
the CPU is temporarily suspending or staying in the low load balance, it will restore
the default settings instead. Usually the Dynamic Overclocking Technology will be
powered only when users' PC need to run huge amount of data like 3D games or the
video process, and the CPU frequency need to be boosted up to enhance the overall
performance. Settings are:

[Disabled] Disable Dynamic Overclocking.
[Private] 1st level of overclocking, increasing the frequency by 1%.
[Sergeant] 2nd level of overclocking, increasing the frequency by 3%.
[Captain] 3rd level of overclocking, increasing the frequency by 5%.
[Colonel] 4th level of overclocking, increasing the frequency by 7%.

TM

Technology. It is designed to

3-18

BIOS Setup

[General] 5th level of overclocking, increasing the frequency by 10%.
[Commander] 6th level of overclocking, increasing the frequency by 15%.

Important

Even though the Dynamic Overclocking Technology is more stable than
manual overclocking, basically, it is still risky. We suggest user to make
sure that your CPU can afford to overclocking regularly first. If you find the
PC appears to be unstable or reboot incidentally, it's better to disable the
Dynamic Overclocking or to lower the level of overclocking options. By the
way, if you need to conduct overclocking manually, you also need to disable
the Dynamic OverClocking first.

Intel EIST

The Enhanced Intel SpeedStep technology allows you to set the performance level of
the microprocessor whether the computer is running on battery or AC power. This
field will appear after you installed the CPU which support speedstep technology.

System Clock Mode

This item is used to switch the following two items.

FSB Clock (MHz)

When the System Clock Mode sets to [Manual], the field is adjustable. This
item allows you to select the CPU Front Side Bus clock frequency (in MHz).

Memory Clock (MHz)

When the System Clock Mode sets to [Manual], the field is adjustable.This item
allows you to select the memory clock frequency (in MHz).

Advance DRAM Configuration

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

Memory Timings

This field has the capacity to automatically detect all of the DRAM timing. If you
set this field to [Manual], some fields will appear and selectable.

3-19

MS-7380 Mainboard

CAS Latency(CL)

When the Memory Timings sets to [Manual], the field is adjustable.This con­trols the CAS latency, which determines the timing delay (in clock cycles) before
SDRAM starts a read command after receiving it.

tRCD

When the Memory Timings sets to [Manual], the field is adjustable. When
DRAM is refreshed, both rows and columns are addressed separately. This
setup item allows you to determine the timing of the transition from RAS (row
address strobe) to CAS (column address strobe). The less the clock cycles, the
faster the DRAM performance.

tRP

When the Memory Timings sets to [Manual], this field is adjustable. This
setting controls the number of cycles for Row Address Strobe (RAS) to be
allowed to precharge. If insufficient time is allowed for the RAS to accumulate its
charge before DRAM refresh, refresh may be incomplete and DRAM may fail to
retain data. This item applies only when synchronous DRAM is installed in the
system.

tRAS

When the Memory Timings sets to [Manual], this field is adjustable. This
setting determines the time RAS takes to read from and write to memory cell.

tRRD

When the Memory Timings sets to [Manual], the field is adjustable. Specifies
the active-to-active delay of different banks. Time interval between a read and
a precharge command.

tRC

When the Memory Timings sets to [Manual], the field is adjustable. The
rowcycle time determines the minimum number of clock cycles a memory row
takesto complete a full cycle, from row activation up to the precharging of the
activerow.

tWR

When the Memory Timings sets to [Manual], the field is adjustable. Minimum
time interval between end of write data burst and the start of a precharge
command. Allows sense amplifiers to restore data to cells.

tWTR

When the Memory Timings sets to [Manual], the field is adjustable. Minimum
time interval between the end of write data burst and the start of a column-read
command. It allows I/O gating to overdrive sense amplifiers before read com­mand starts.

tREF

When the Memory Timings sets to [Manual], the field is adjustable. Specifies
the refresh rate of the DIMM requiring the most frequent refresh.

3-20

BIOS Setup

1T/2T Memory Timing

This item controls the SDRAM command rate. Select [1T] makes SDRAM signal
controller to run at 1T (T=clock cycles) rate. Selecting [2T] makes SDRAM signal
controller run at 2T rate.

Adjust PCI-E Frequency (MHz)

This field allows you to select the PCI-E frequency (in MHz).

CPU Voltage (V)

This item allows you to increase the CPU voltage.

Memory Voltage (V)

Adjusting the memory voltage can increase the memory speed.

VTT FSB Voltage (V)

This item allows you to set the FSB VTT voltage.

NB Voltage (V)

Adjust the North Bridge chipset voltage.

SB Voltage (V)

Adjust the Sourth Bridge voltage.

Spread Spectrum

When the motherboard’s clock generator pulses, the extreme values (spikes) of the
pulses create 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,
set 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 clock
speed which may just cause your overclocked processor to lock up.

Important

1.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,
select the value of Spread Spectrum for EMI reduction.

2.The greater the Spread Spectrum value is, the greater the EMI is reduced,
and the system will become less stable. For the most suitable Spread
Spectrum value, please consult your local EMI regulation.

3.Remember to disable Spread Spectrum if you are overclocking because
even a slight jitter can introduce a temporary boost in clock speed which
may just cause your overclocked processor to lock up.

3-21

MS-7380 Mainboard

CPU and Memory Clock Overclocking

The D.O.T. Control/ FSB Clock/ Memory Clock are the items for you to overclock
the CPU and the Memory. Please refer to the descriptions of these fields for more
information.

Important

This motherboard supports overclocking greatly. However, please make
sure your peripherals and components are bearable for some special
settings. Any operation that exceeds product specification is not
recommended. Any risk or damge resulting from improper operation will not
be under our product warranty.

Two ways to save your system from failed overclocking...

Reboot

1. Press the Power button to reboot the system three times. Please note that, to

avoid electric current to affect other devices or components, we suggest an
interval of more than 10 seconds among the reboot actions.

2. At the fourth reboot, BIOS will determine that the previous overclocking is failed

and restore the default settings automatically. Please press any key to boot the
system normally when the following message appears on screen.

Warning !!! The previous performance of overclocking is failed,
and the system is restored to the defaults setting.
Please press any key to continue...

Clear CMOS

- Please refer to “chapter 2” for more information about how to clear CMOS data.

3-22

USER SETTINGS

Save Settings 1/ 2

These items are used to save the settings set by yourself to CMOS.

BIOS Setup

Load Settings 1/ 2

These items are available after you save your settings in Save Settings 1/ 2 items
, and are used to load the settings from CMOS.

3-23

MS-7380 Mainboard

Load Fail-Safe/ Optimized Defaults

The two options on the main menu allow users to restore all of the BIOS settings to
the default Fail-Safe or Optimized values. The Optimized Defaults are the default
values set by the mainboard manufacturer specifically for optimal performance of the
mainboard. The Fail-Safe Defaults are the default values set by the BIOS vendor for
stable system performance.

When you select Load Fail-Safe Defaults, a message as below appears:

Selecting [Ok] and pressing Enter loads the BIOS default values for the most stable,
minimal system performance.

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

Selecting [Ok] and pressing Enter loads the default factory settings for optimal sys­tem performance.

3-24

BIOS Setup

BIOS Setting 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.

3-25

Appendix A

Realtek ALC888 Audio

The Realtek ALC888 provides 10-channel DAC that si­multaneously supports 7.1 sound playback and 2 chan­nels of independent stereo sound output (multiple
streaming) through the Front-Out-Left and Front-Out­Right channels.

MS-7380 Mainboard

Installing the Realtek HD Audio Driver

You need to install the HD audio driver for Realtek ALC888 codec to function properly
before you can get access to 2-, 4-, 6-, 8- channel or 7.1+2 channel audio operations.
Follow the procedures described below to install the drivers for different operating
systems.

Installation for Windows 2000/ XP/ Vista

For Windows® 2000, you must install Windows® 2000 Service Pack4 or later before
installing the driver. For Windows® XP, you must install Windows® XP Service Pack1
or later before installing the driver.
The following illustrations are based on Windows® XP environment and could look
slightly different if you install the drivers in different operating systems.

1. Insert the application CD into the CD-ROM drive. The setup screen will auto-

matically appear.

2. Click Realtek HD Audio Driver .

Important

The HD Audio Configuration software utility is under continuous update to
enhance audio applications. Hence, the program screens shown here in this
section may be slightly different from the latest software utility and shall be
held for reference only.

A-2

Click here

Realtek ALC888 Audio

3. Click Next to install the Realtek High Definition Audio Driver.

Click here

4. Click Finish to restart the system.

Click here

Select this
option

A-3

MS-7380 Mainboard

Software Configuration

After installing the audio driver, you are able to use the 2-, 4-, 6- or 8- channel audio
feature now. Click the audio icon from the system tray at the lower-right corner of
the screen to activate the HD Audio Configuration. It is also available to enable the

HD Audio Configuration by clicking the Realtek HD Audio Manager from the
Control Panel.

Double click

A-4

Realtek ALC888 Audio

Sound Effect

Here you can select a sound effect you like from the Environment list.

Environment Simulation

You will be able to enjoy different sound experience by pulling down the arrow,
several kinds of sound effect will be shown for selection. Realtek HD Audio Sound
Manager also provides five popular settings “Stone Corridor” , “Bathroom”, “Sewer
pipe”, “Arena” and “Audio Corridor” for quick enjoyment.

You may choose the provided sound effects, and the equalizer will adjust automatically.
If you like, you may also load an equalizer setting or make an new equalizer setting to
save as an new one by using the “ Load EQ Setting” and “Save Preset ” button,
click “Reset EQ Setting” button to use the default value, or click “Delete EQ Set-
ting” button to remove a preset EQ setting.

There are also other pre-set equalizer models for you to choose by clicking “Others”
under the Equalizer part.

A-5

MS-7380 Mainboard

Equalizer Selection

Equalizer frees users from default settings; users may create their owned preferred
settings by utilizing this tool.

10 bands of equalizer, ranging from 100Hz to 16KHz.

Save

The settings are saved
permanently for future
use

Enable / Disable

To disable, you can tem­porarily stop the sound
effect without losing the
settings

Delete

To delete the pre-saved settings which are created from previous steps.

Reset

10 bands of equalizer
would go back to the de­fault setting

Load

Whenever you would like to
use preload settings, simply
click this, the whole list will
be shown for your selection.

A-6

Realtek ALC888 Audio

Frequently Used Equalizer Setting

Realtek recognizes the needs that you might have. By leveraging our long experience
at audio field, Realtek HD Audio Sound Manager provides you certain optimized equal­izer settings that are frequently used for your quick enjoyment.

[How to Use It]
Other than the buttons “Pop” “Live” “Club” & “Rock” shown on the page, to pull down
the arrow in “Others”, you will find more optimized settings available to you.

Karaoke Mode

Karaoke mode brings Karaoke fun back home. Simply using the music you usually
play, Karaoke mode can help you eliminate the vocal of the song or adjust the key to
accommodate your range.

1.Vocal Cancellation: Single click on “ Voice Cancellation” , the vocal of the song would
be eliminated, while the background music is still in place, and you can be that
singer!

2.Key Adjustment: Using “Up / Down Arrow” to find a key which better fits your vocal
range.

Raise the key

Remove the
human voice

Lower the key

A-7

MS-7380 Mainboard

Mixer

In the Mixer part, you may adjust the volumes of the rear and front panels individually.

1. Adjust Volume

You can adjust the volume of the speakers that you pluged in front or rear panel by
select the Realtek HD Audio rear output or Realtek HD Audio front output
items.

Important

Before set up, please make sure the playback devices are well plugged in the
jacks on the rear or front panel. The Realtek HD Audio front output item
will appear after you pluging the speakers into the jacks on the front panel.

2. Multi-Stream Function

ALC888 supports an outstanding feature called Multi-Stream, which means you may
play different audio sources simultaneously and let them output respectively from the
indicated real panel or front panel. This feature is very helpful when 2 people are
using the same computer together for different purposes.

Click the button and the Mixer ToolBox menu will appear. Then check the Enable

playback multi-streaming and click OK to save the setup.

Important

If you use AC97 front panel, the device have to be plugged into the jacks on
the panel before enable the multi-stream function.

A-8

Realtek ALC888 Audio

When you are playing the first audio source (for example: use Windows Media
Player to play DVD/VCD), the output will be played from the rear panel, which is the
default setting.

Then you must to select the Realtek HD Audio front output from the scroll list
first, and use a different program to play the second audio source (for example: use
Winamp to play MP3 files). You will find that the second audio source (MP3 music) will
come out from the Line-Out audio jack of Front Panel.

A-9

MS-7380 Mainboard

3. Playback control

Playback device

Tool Mute

This function is to let you freely decide which ports to
output the sound. And this is essential when multi­streaming playback enabled.

- Realtek HD Audio Rear Output

- Realtek HD Audio Front Output

Mute

You may choose to mute single or multiple volume controls or to completely mute
sound output.

Tool

- Show the following volume controls

This is to let you freely decide which volume control items to be displayed.

- Advanced controls

- Enable playback multi-streaming
With this function, you will be able to have an audio chat with your friends via
headphone (stream 1 from front panel) while still have music (stream 2 from back
panel) in play. At any given period, you can have maximum 2 streams operating
simultaneously.

A-10

4. Recording control

Realtek ALC888 Audio

Tool Mute

Recording device

-Back Line in/Mic, Front Lin in

-Realtek HD Audio Input

Mute

You may choose to mute single or multiple volume controls or to completely mute
sound input.

Tool

- Show the following volume controls

This is to let you freely decide which volume control items to be displayed.

- Enable recording multi-streaming

Important

ALC888 allows you to record the CD, Line, Mic and Stereo Mix channels
simultaneously, frees you from mixing efforts. At any given period, you may
choose 1 of the following 4 channels to record.

A-11

MS-7380 Mainboard

Audio I/O

In this tab, you can easily configure your multi-channel audio function and speakers.
You can choose a desired multi-channel operation here.

a. Headphone for the common headphone
b. 2CH Speaker for Stereo-Speaker Output
c. 4CH Speaker for 4-Speaker Output
d. 6CH Speaker for 5.1-Speaker Output
e. 8CH Speaker for 7.1-Speaker Output

Speaker Configuration:

1. Plug the speakers in the corresponding jack.

2. Dialogue “ connected device” will pop up for your selection. Please select the
device you have plugged in.

- If the device is being plugged into the correct jack, you will be able to find the icon
beside the jack changed to the one that is same as your device.

- If not correct, Realtek HD Audio Manager will guide you to plug the device into the
correct jack.

A-12

Realtek ALC888 Audio

Connector Settings

Click to access connector settings.

Disable front panel jack detection (option)

Find no function on front panel jacks? Please check if front jacks on your system are
so-called AC’97 jacks. If so, please check this item to disable front panel jack detection.

Mute rear panel output when front headphone plugged in.

Enable auto popup dialogue, when device has been plugged in

Once this item checked, the dialog “Connected device” would automatically pop up
when device plugged in.

A-13

MS-7380 Mainboard

S/PDIF

Short for Sony/Philips Digital Interface, a standard audio file transfer format. S/PDIF
allows the transfer of digital audio signals from one device to another without having
to be converted first to an analog format. Maintaining the viability of a digital signal
prevents the quality of the signal from degrading when it is converted to analog.

Output Sampling Rate

44.1KHz: This is recommend while playing CD.
48KHz: This is recommended while playing DVD or Dolby.
96KHz: This is recommended while playing DVD-Audio.
192KHz: This is recommended while playing High quality Audio.

Output Source

Output digital audio source: The digital audio format (such as .wav, .mp3,.midi etc)
will come out through S/PDIF-Out.

A-14

Realtek ALC888 Audio

Test Speakers

You can select the speaker by clicking it to test its functionality. The one you select
will light up and make testing sound. If any speaker fails to make sound, then check
whether the cable is inserted firmly to the connector or replace the bad speakers

with good ones. Or you may click the auto test button to test the sounds of
each speaker automatically.

Center

Front Left

Side Left

Rear Left

Front Right

Side Right

Subwoofer

Rear Right

A-15

MS-7380 Mainboard

Microphone

In this tab you may set the function of the microphone. Select the Noise Suppres­sion to remove the possible noise during recording, or select Acoustic Echo
Cancelltion to cancel the acoustic echo druing recording.

Acoustic Echo Cancelltion prevents playback sound from being recorded by mi-

crophone together with your sound. For example, you might have chance to use
VOIP function through Internet with your friends. The voice of your friend will come
out from speakers (playback). However, the voice of your friend might also be
recorded into your microphone then go back to your friend through Internet. In that
case, your friend will hear his/her own voice again. With AEC(Acoustic Echo
Cancellation) enabled at your side, your friend can enjoy the benefit with less echo.

A-16

Realtek ALC888 Audio

3D Audio Demo

In this tab you may adjust your 3D positional audio before playing 3D audio applica­tions like gaming. You may also select different environment to choose the most
suitable environment you like.

A-17

MS-7380 Mainboard

Information

In this tab it provides some information about this HD Audio Configuration utility,
including Audio Driver Version, DirectX Version, Audio Controller & Audio Codec. You
may also select the language of this utility by choosing from the Language list.

Also there is a selection Show icon in system tray. Switch it on and an icon
will show in the system tray. Right-click on the icon and the Audio Accessories

dialogue box will appear which provides several multimedia features for you to take
advantage of.

A-18

Realtek ALC888 Audio

Hardware Setup

Connecting the Speakers

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

n 2-Channel Mode for Stereo-Speaker Output

1 Line In
2 Line Out (Front channels)
3 MIC
4 No function
5 No function
6 No function

1

2

3

4

5

6

A-19

MS-7380 Mainboard

n 4-Channel Mode for 4-Speaker Output

1 Line In
2 Line Out (Front channels)
3 MIC
4 Line Out (Rear channels)
5 No function
6 No function

1

2

3

4

5

6

A-20

n 6-Channel Mode for 6-Speaker Output

Realtek ALC888 Audio

1

2

3

1 Line In
2 Line Out (Front channels)
3 MIC
4 Line Out (Rear channels)
5 Line Out (Center and Subwoofer channel)
6 No function

4

5

6

A-21

MS-7380 Mainboard

n 8-Channel Mode for 8-Speaker Output

1

2

3

1 Line In
2 Line Out (Front channels)
3 MIC
4 Line Out (Rear channels)
5 Line Out (Center and Subwoofer channel)
6 Line Out (Side channels)

4

5

6

Important

To enable 7.1 channel audio-out function on Vista operating system, you have to
install the Realtek Audio Driver. Or, the mainboard will support 5.1 channel
audio-out only.

A-22

Appendix B

nVidia RAID

NVIDIA brings Redundant Array of Independent Disks
(RAID) technology—which is used by the world’s lead­ing businesses—to the common PC desktop. This tech­nology uses multiple drives to either increase total disk
space or to offer data protection. For all levels, RAID
techniques optimize storage solutions by using multiple
disks grouped together and treating them as a single
storage resource.

nVidia RAID

B-1

MS-7380 Mainboard

Introduction

System Requirement

Operating System Support

NVRAID supports the following operating systems:

Windows XP/ 2000 & Vista

RAID Arrays

NVRAID supports the following types of RAID arrays described in this section:
RAID 0: RAID 0 defines a disk striping scheme that improves the disk read and write
times for many applications.
RAID 1: RAID 1 defines techniques for mirroring data.
RAID 0+1: RAID 0+1 combines the techniques used in RAID 0 and RAID 1 arrays.
RAID 5: RAID 5 defines techniques for parity data.
Spanning (JBOD): JBOD provides a method for combining drives of different sizes
into one large disk

Summary of RAID Configurations

Array Uses Advantages Drawbacks # Hard

RAID 0 Non-critical data

RAID 1 Small databases or any

RAID 0+1 Critical data requiring

RAID 5 Critical data and

requiring high
performance.

other small capacity
environment requiring
fault tolerance.

high performance.

reasonable level of
performance.

High data throughput. No fault tolerance. multiple None

100% data
redundancy.

Optimized for both
100% data
redundancy and
performance.
Allows spare disks.

Fault tolerance and
better utilization of
disk space.

Requires 2 drives for
the storage space of 1
drive.

Requires 2 drives for
the storage space of 1
drive—the same as
RAID level 1.

Decreased write
performance due to
parity calculations.
Requires at least
three drives.

Disks

2 Yes

4+ Yes

3+ Yes

Fault
Tolerance

JBOD Combining odd size

drives into one big drive

Combines and uses
the capacity of odd
size drives.

Decreases
performance because
of the difficulty in
using drives
concurrently or to
optimize drives for
different uses.

Multiple No

B-2

nVidia RAID

RAID Configuration

Basic Configuration Instructions

The following are the basic steps for configuring NVRAID:

Non-Bootable RAID Array

1. Choose the hard disks that are to be RAID enabled in the system BIOS. (Refer the
bios section for details.)

2. Specify the RAID level, either Mirroring (RAID 1), Striping (RAID 0), Striping and
Mirroring (RAID 0+1), RAID 5 or JBOD and create the desired RAID array.

3. Enter the Windows OS, run the Windows nForce Setup application and install the
RAID software. (Check B-9 for details.)

4. Initialize the NVRAID Array Disks.

Bootable RAID Array

1. Choose the hard disks that are to be RAID enabled in the system BIOS.(Refer the
bios section for details.)

2. Specify the RAID level, either Mirroring (RAID 1), Striping (RAID 0), Striping and
Mirroring (RAID 0+1), RAID 5 or JBOD and create the desired RAID array.

3. Boot from the Windows CD, use the floppy disk that has the RAID driver to copy
and install the nForce RAID software. (Check p.B-7 for details.)

4. Initialize the NVRAID Array Disks.

Setting Up the NVRAID BIOS

Be sure to enable the RAID mode for SATA devices in BIOS before configuring the
NVRAID BIOS. After that press F10 to save the configuration and exit. The PC will
reboot right away. Then enter the RAID BIOS Setup by pressing F10 when prompted,
and follow the procedures described below to set up the NVRAID BIOS.
NVRAID BIOS setup lets you choose the RAID array type and which hard drives you
want to make part of the array.

Entering the RAID BIOS Setup

1. After rebooting your PC, wait until you see the RAID software prompting you to
press F10. The RAID prompt ap­pears as part of the system POST
and boot process prior to loading
the OS.

2. Press F10, and the NVIDIA RAID
Utility --- Define a New Array win­dow will appear.
The default RAID Mode is set to
Mirroring and Striping Block is
set to Optimal.

B-3

MS-7380 Mainboard

Understanding the “Define a New Array” Window

Use the Define a New Array window to

• Select the RAID Mode

• Set up the Striping Block

• Specify which disks to use for the RAID Array

Depending on the platform used, the system can have one or more channels. In a
typical system there is usually one controller and multiple channels, and each chan­nel has a slave and a master.
The channel/controller/master/slave status of each hard disk is given in the Loc
(location) columns of the Free Disks and Array Disks lists.

In the example above, 1.0.M means the hard drive is attached to Controller 1, Channel
0, and the drive is set to Master. The following is a list of all possible combinations:

Serial ATA

1.0.M Controller 1, Channel 0, Master

1.1.M Controller 1, Channel 1, Master

2.0.M Controller 2, Channel 0, Master

2.1.M Controller 2, Channel 1, Master

Important

There is no such thing as Slave drive in Serial ATA. All drives are considered
to be Master since there is a one to one connection between the drive and the
controller.

B-4

nVidia RAID

Using the Define a New Array Window

If necessary, press the tab key to move from field to field until the appropriate field is
highlighted.

• Selecting the RAID Mode

By default, this is set to [Mirroring]. To change to a different RAID mode, press the
down arrow key until the mode that you want appears in the RAID Mode box—either
[Mirroring], [Striping], [RAID5], [Spanning], or [Stripe Mirroring].

• Selecting the Striping Block Size

Striping Block size is given in kilobytes, and affects how data is arranged on the

disk. It is recommended to leave this value at the default [Optimal], which is 32KB, but
the values can be between [4 KB] and [128 KB].

• Assigning the Disks

The disks that you enabled from the RAID Config BIOS setup page appear in the Free
Disks block. These are the drives that are available for use as RAID array disks.

To designate a free disk to be used as a RAID array disk,

1. Tab to the Free Disks section. The first disk in the list is selected.

2. Move it from the Free Disks block to the Array Disks block by pressing the right

arrow key (-->). The first disk in the list is moved, and the next disk in the list is
selected and ready to be moved.

3. Continue pressing the right-arrow key (<-- ) until all the disks that you want to use

as RAID array disks appear in the Array Disks block.

It shows that two disks have been assigned as RAID1 array disks in the figure
above.

- Define a New Array -

B-5

MS-7380 Mainboard

Completing the RAID BIOS Setup

1.After assigning your RAID array disks, press F7. The Clear disk data prompt
appears.

2.Press Y if you want to wipe out all the data from the RAID array, otherwise press
N. You must choose Yes if the drives were previously used as RAID drives.
The Array List window appears, where you can review the RAID arrays that you
have set up.

3. Use the arrow keys to select the array that you want to set up, then press Enter.
The Array Detail window appears.

4. If you want to mark this disk as empty and wipe out all its contents then press C.

5. At the prompt, press Y to wipe out all the data, otherwise press N.

6.Press Enter again to go back to the previous window and then press Ctrl+X to
exit the RAID setup. Now that the RAID setup has been configured from the RAID
BIOS, the next step is to configure and load NVRAID drivers under Windows, as
explained in “Installing the NVIDIA RAID Software Under Windows” on p.B-9.

B-6

nVidia RAID

Installing the RAID Driver (for bootable RAID Array)

1. After you complete the RAID BIOS setup, boot from the Windows CD, and the

Windows Setup program starts. The following illustrations are based on Win­dows® XP environment.

2. Press F6 and wait for the Windows Setup screen to appear.

3. Specify the NVIDIA drivers:

(1)Insert the floppy that has the RAID driver, press S, then press Enter. The

Windows Setup screen appears as below:

Important

Please follow the instruction below to make an nVIDIA Serial ATA RAID driver
for yourself.

1.Insert the MSI CD into the CD-ROM drive.

2.Click the “Browse CD” on the Setup screen.

3.Copy all the contents in the :\\nVidia\ System \ C72+MCP55\ IDE\
WinXP\ sataraid to a formatted floppy disk.

4.The driver disk for nVIDIA RAID controller is done.

(2)Select “NVIDIA RAID CLASS DRIVER” and then press Enter.
(3)Press S again at the Specify Devices screen, then press Enter.
(4)Select “NVIDIA NForce Storage Controller” and then press Enter. The follow-

ing Windows Setup screen appears listing both drivers:

B-7

MS-7380 Mainboard

4.Press Enter to continue with Windows XP Installation. Be sure to leave the floppy
disk inserted in the floppy drive until the blue screen portion of Windows XP
installation is completed, then take out the floppy.

5.Follow the instructions on how to install Windows XP. After Windows XP is com­pletely installed, it is recommended that you install the the RAID management tool.

Important

Each time you add a new hard drive to a RAID array, the RAID driver will have
to be installed under Windows once for that hard drive. After that, the driver
will not have to be installed.

B-8

nVidia RAID

NVIDIA RAID Utility Installation

Installing the NVIDIA RAID Software Under Windows
(for Non-bootable RAID Array)

The existing Windows IDE Parallel ATA driver (as well as the Serial ATA driver if SATA
is enabled) must be upgraded to use the NVIDIA IDE Parallel ATA driver (as well as the
NV Serial ATA driver if SATA is enabled).
This section describes how to run the setup application and install the RAID software
which will upgrade the Windows IDE driver and install the RAID software.

1.Start the NVIDIA nForce Drivers installation program to open the NVIDIA Windows

nForce Drivers page.

2.Select the modules that you want to install. Make sure that the “NVIDIA IDE Driver”

is selected.

Important

You must install the NVIDIA IDE driver in order to enable NVIDIA
RAID. If you do not install the NVIDIA IDE driver, NVIDIA RAID will not be

worked.

3.Click Next and then follow the instructions.

4.After the installation is completed, be sure to reboot the PC.

5.After the reboot, initialize the newly created array.

B-9

MS-7380 Mainboard

Initializing and Using the Disk Array

The RAID array is now ready to be initialized under Windows.

1.Launch Computer Management by clicking “Start” --> “Settings” --> “Control Panel”

then open the “ Administrative Tools” folder and double click on “Computer
Management”.

2.Click “Disk Management” (under the “ Storage” section). The Initialize and Convert

Disk Wizards appears.

3.Click Next. The Select Disks to Initialize window appears. The disks listed depend

on how many arrays you have configured.

4.Click Next. The Select Disks to Convert window appears.

B-10

nVidia RAID

5.Check the disk in the list if you want to make the array a dynamic disk, then click

Next. The Completing the Initialize and Convert Disk Wizard window appears.

6.Click Finish. The “Computer Management” window appears.

The actual disks listed will depend on your system, and the unallocated partition is
the total combined storage of two hard disks. You must format the unallocated
disk space in order to use it.

7. Format the unallocated disk space. Right click “ Unallocated space”, select “New

Partition…” and follow the wizard. After the drive has been formatted, it is ready
for use.

B-11

MS-7380 Mainboard

RAID Drives Management

There is an application called NVRAIDMAN which helps you perform the following
tasks of nVDIA RAID.

• Viewing RAID Array Configurations

View an array configuration (mirrored, striped, mirror-striped, JBOD, or any sup­ported combination)

• Setting Up a Spare RAID Disk

• View free and/or dedicated free disks

• Designate a free disk to a particular array

• Creating RAID Arrays

• Deleting a RAID Array

• Morphing From One RAID Array to Another

• Hot Plug Array

• Initializing a RAID Array

• Erase the data on the array by writing all zeros to the sectors of each hard

disk.

• Rebuilding a RAID Mirrored Array

• Rebuild a broken mirrored array

• Watch the progress of rebuilding an array

• Only applies to RAID 1, RAID 0+1, and RAID 5 arrays

• Synchronizing a RAID Array

• Rebuild the redundancy in RAID 1 or RAID 0+1 arrays (copy the data to the

redundant disk—the same operation as rebuilding)

• Rebuild the parity in RAID 5 arrays

Viewing RAID Array Configurations

To view your RAID configuration from Windows, launch the NVRAID Management
utility by double-clicking NvRaidMan.exe.
The RAID configuration information appears in the right-side pane, as shown below.

Important

The information in the figures in this part may very from what it is shown in
your system.

B-12

nVidia RAID

Setting Up a Spare RAID Disk

You can designate a hard drive to be used as a spare drive for a RAID 1, RAID 0+1
or RAID 5 array. The spare drive can take over for a failed disk. NVRAID supports
two types of spare drives:

• Free Disk

A free disk is a disk that is not part of any RAID array, but can be used by any
available RAID 1 or RAID 0+1 array that requires a particular disk when one of its
disks crashes or becomes unusable. The process is automatic and doesn’t require
any user interaction.
For example, if you have a system with four hard disks where one disk is used to
boot the OS, two hard drives are set up in a mirrored array, and a fourth hard disk is
set up as a free disk, then if one of the mirrored array drives fails, the free disk will
be automatically assigned to the mirrored array to be used instead of the failed disk.

• Dedicated Disk

A dedicated free disk is a disk that is assigned to a RAID 1, RAID 0+1 or RAID 5 array
and that disk is used by that array only when needed, for example during a system
crash where a RAID mirrored drive is broken. The dedicated disk can be used only by
the array that it is assigned to and not by any other array, unlike a free disk which can
be used by any available RAID 1, RAID 0+1 or RAID 5 array.
Note: You must have at least two RAID arrays to use this feature.

Assigning a Free Disk

To mark a disk as free, or not a part of any array,

1. Enter the system BIOS setup and make sure that the drive that you want to mark as
free is RAID enabled.

2. Enter the RAID BIOS and make sure that the drive is not part of any array (if one
exists).

3. Boot into Windows and run the NVRAIDMAN program. The drive appears under the
Free Disk section. The figure below shows an example of the NVRAIDMAN display
if you have a mirror array and one free disk.

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MS-7380 Mainboard

Assigning a Dedicated Disk

To mark a disk as dedicated, or reserve it for use by a specific array,

Step 1: Mark the Disk as a Free Disk

1. Enter the system BIOS setup and make sure that the drive that you want to mark as

free is RAID enabled.

2. Boot into Windows and run the NVRAIDMAN program.

If the disk is not part of any RAID array, then it will appear under the Free Disk
section of the RAID GUI.

Step 2: Dedicate the Free Disk to an Array

While running NVRAIDMAN, dedicate the free disk to an array by doing the following:

1. Right click one of the two Mirrored arrays as shown below.

2. Select Designate Spare from the menu to launch the Spare Disk Allocation Wizard.

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nVidia RAID

3. Click Next.

The RAID Array Selection page appears.

4. From the Free Disk Selection page, select one of the two free disks available.

This would be the disk that will be designated to the mirror array.

5. Click Next.

The Completing the NVIDIA Spare Disk Allocation page appears.

6. Click Finish.

As shown in figure below, the ST380011A drive is now a dedicated free disk in the
mirrored array. If a system crash occurs that causes any of the two WD360GD
drives to fail, the ST380011A hard drive will take over and be used in the newly
formed mirrored array.

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MS-7380 Mainboard

Removing a Dedicated Disk

Once a dedicated disk has been assigned to a particular array, it can be removed at
any time. To remove the disk, right click on the dedicated disk and select “Remove
Disk...” to remove it. In the previous example, simply right click on the ST380011A
drive and select “Remove Disk...”. as shown in the screen shot below:

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