MSI MS-9282 User Manual

K2-104 Series

MS-9282 1U Rackmount Server

G52-92821X1

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.
Intel® and Pentium® are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation.

AMD, Athlon™, Athlon™ XP, Thoroughbred™, and Duron™ are registered trade­marks of AMD Corporation.
NVIDIA, the NVIDIA logo, DualNet, and nForce are registered trademarks or trade­marks of NVIDIA Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
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 December 2006

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 at http://www.msi.com.tw/program/service/faq/

faq/esc_faq_list.php for FAQ, technical guide, BIOS updates, driver

updates, and other information.

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 service
personnel:

† The power cord or plug is damaged.
† Liquid has penetrated into the equipment.
† The equipment has been exposed to moisture.
† The equipment does 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-A Radio Frequency Interference Statement

This equipment has been
tested and found to comply
with the limits for a class A
digital device, pursuant to part
15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection
against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial
environment. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency en­ergy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may
cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a
residential area is likely to cause harmful interference, in which case the user will be
required to correct the interference at his own expense.

Notice 1

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

Notice 2

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

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

Micro-Star International

MS-9282

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-A Radio Frequency Interference Statement........................................................iv

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

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

System Overview...............................................................................................1-2

Top View......................................................................................................1-2

Front View...................................................................................................1-3

Front Bezel...................................................................................................1-3

Rear View....................................................................................................1-6

Rear Bezel...................................................................................................1-6

Mainboard Specifications...................................................................................1-8

Mainboard Layout..............................................................................................1-12

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

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

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

AMD® Opteron CPU in 1207-Pin Package.................................................2-3

Memory.................................................................................................................2-4

Memory Population Rules............................................................................2-4

Memory Frequency vs. Core Multiplier......................................................2-5

Installing DDRII Modules...............................................................................2-5

Power Supply......................................................................................................2-6

SSI 24-Pin System Power Connector: JPWR2..........................................2-6

SSI 8-Pin CPU Power Connector: JPWR3..................................................2-6

SSI 4-Pin Power Connector: JPWR1..........................................................2-6

Connectors..........................................................................................................2-6

Chassis Intrusion Switch Connector: J10.................................................2-7

44-Pin IDE Connector: JCD1.......................................................................2-7

Serial ATA Connectors: SATA_0 ~ SATA_3..............................................2-8

Serial Attached SCSI Connectors: SAS_0 ~ SAS_3................................2-8

SCSI LED Connector: J6..............................................................................2-9

Fan Power Connectors: CPU0_FAN, CPU1_FAN, SYS_FAN1................2-9

Serial Port Connector: COM 2...................................................................2-10

Front USB Connector: JUSB1...................................................................2-10

viii

Front Panel Connectors: JSSI1, JFP1, JFP2, JFP3...................................2-11

Power Switch Connector: JPBT1............................................................2-13

ICMB/IPMB Connectors: J5, J1..................................................................2-13

OPMA Connector: CN6..............................................................................2-13

NMI Button: JID1.........................................................................................2-14

I2C Bus Connector: CN7...........................................................................2-14

FWH/LPC Debugging Pin Header: J2........................................................2-14

Jumpers..............................................................................................................2-14

OPMA Share NIC Jumper: J9.....................................................................2-15

BIOS Recovery Jumper: J7......................................................................2-15

Clear CMOS Jumper: JBAT1.....................................................................2-15

Slots....................................................................................................................2-17

PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) Slot........................................2-16

HTX (HyperTransport) Slot.......................................................................2-16

PCI Interrupt Request Routing...................................................................2-17

System Assembly Flowchart...........................................................................2-18

System Assembly..............................................................................................2-20

Chassis Cover............................................................................................2-20

CPU, Heatsink.............................................................................................2-21

DDRII Memory.............................................................................................2-24

Memory Population Rules..........................................................................2-24

PCI Expansion Card...................................................................................2-26

Hard Disk Drive...........................................................................................2-28

Rack Mounting....................................................................................................2-31

Chassis Ears.............................................................................................2-30

Chassis Rails..............................................................................................2-31

Rack Rails...................................................................................................2-33

Chassis into the Rack................................................................................2-34

Chassis off the Rack.................................................................................2-36

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

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

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

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

General Help <F1>.......................................................................................3-3

The Menu Bar.......................................................................................................3-4

Main......................................................................................................................3-4

Advanced............................................................................................................3-6

ix

Security..............................................................................................................3-21

Power.................................................................................................................3-23

Boot....................................................................................................................3-25

Exit......................................................................................................................3-25

Appendix A nVIDIA SATA RAID.............................................................................A-1

Introduction..........................................................................................................A-2

System Requirement...................................................................................A-2

RAID Arrays.................................................................................................A-2

Summary of RAID Configurations...............................................................A-2

RAID Configuration..............................................................................................A-2

Basic Configuration Instructions................................................................A-3

Setting Up the NVRAID BIOS.......................................................................A-3

Installing the RAID Driver (for bootable RAID Array)................................A-7

NVIDIA RAID Utility Installation.............................................................................A-8

Initializing and Using the Disk Array.........................................................A-11

RAID Drives Management..................................................................................A-12

Viewing RAID Array Configurations........................................................A-12

Setting Up a Spare RAID Disk...................................................................A-13

Morphing From One RAID Array to Another............................................A-17

Hot Plug Array............................................................................................A-18

Initializing a RAID Array.............................................................................A-19

Rebuilding a RAID Array............................................................................A-22

Synchronizing a RAID Array.....................................................................A-25

Usind Disk Alert..........................................................................................A-26

Appendix B LSI SAS RAID......................................................................................B-1

1. Introduction to Integrated RAID......................................................................B-2

Integrated RAID Benefits and Features.....................................................B-2

2. Integrated Mirroring Overview.......................................................................B-2

2.1 Introduction...........................................................................................B-3

2.2 IM Features...........................................................................................B-4

2.3 IM/IME Description.................................................................................B-5

2.4 Integrated Mirroring Firmware............................................................B-7

2.5 Fusion-MPT Support.............................................................................B-8

3. Creating Integrated Mirroring Volumes..........................................................B-8

3.1 IM Configuration Overview.................................................................B-9

3.2 Creating IM and IME Volumes..............................................................B-9

3.3 Creating a Second IM or IME Volume.................................................B-12

3.4 Managing Hot Spares..........................................................................B-13

x

3.5 Other Configuration Tasks..................................................................B-14

4. Integrated Striping Overview.......................................................................B-17

4.1 Introduction.........................................................................................B-16

4.2 IS Features.........................................................................................B-16

4.3 IS Description......................................................................................B-17

4.4 Integrated Striping Firmware..............................................................B-18

4.5 Fusion-MPT Support............................................................................B-18

5. Creating Integrated Striping Volumes..........................................................B-18

5.1 IS Configuration Overview.................................................................B-19

5.2 Creating IS Volumes............................................................................B-19

5.3 Creating a Second IS Volume.............................................................B-21

5.4 Other Configuration Tasks..................................................................B-22

xi

xii

Getting Started

Chapter 1

Getting Started

Thank you for choosing the K2-104 (MS-9282 v1.X), a
high-performance barebone system from MSI.

Based on the innovative nVIDIA MCP55 Pro chipset
for optimal system efficiency, the K2-104 accommo­dates the latest AMD® Opteron processor in 1207-pin
package and supports up to 16 Registered ECC DDRII
400/533/667 DIMM slots to provide the maximum of 32GB
memory capacity.

With high scalability, reliability, ease of use, and overall
value, the K2-104 makes an ideal choice for value con­scious customers.

1-1

MS-9282 Server

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

6

712435857

System Overview

Top View

1

HDD Tray
Slim CD-ROM Drive
Dummy FDD Tray
Axial Fan Module
Fan Duct
OPMA Card
PCI-E or HTX Riser Card
SSI EPS 1U Power Supply

1-2

2

3

4

5

Front View

2

3

46759108

Front Bezel

Getting Started

1

CD-ROM Drive

1

Slim CD-ROM Drive

Dummy FDD Tray

Dummy FDD Tray

HDD Bay

Swappable Hard Disk Drive Bays

Port

Serial Port
USB Ports

11

12

13

1-3

MS-9282 Server

6

7

8

9

LED

Power LED

This indicator shows the power status of the system. It glows when the main
power is turned on.

HDD Activity LED

This indicator shows the activity status of the hard disk drive. It flashes
when the system is accessing data on the hard disk and remains off when
no disk activity is detected.

Status LEDs of LAN# 1/2

1. The green LED is on when there is an active connection on the LAN port.

2. This LED flashes when transmitting or receiving activities to or from the
system are detected.

System ID LED

10

System Status LED

Button

11

NMI (Non-Maskable Interrupt) Switch

12

Power Button

Press this button once to shut down the system, and then once to switch on.

13

System ID Button

1-4

v Front Bezel LEDs

LED Color State Description

Power/Sleep

Green ON Power On
Green BLINK Sleep (S1)

Getting Started

-

OFF Power Off (also S4)

HDD Activity

LAN0 Activity

LAN1 Activity

System Status

w/ MCP55

Green BLINK Hard Disk Drive Access
Amber ON HDD Fault

-

Green On LAN Link / no Access
Green BLINK LAN Access

-

Green On LAN Link / no Access
Green BLINK LAN Access

-

Green ON System Ready / No Alarm
Amber ON Critical Alarm: FANs, memory,

-

Blue ON Unit selected for identification System ID

-

Blue On Power connected Swappable HDD Power

-

Green Blink HDD access Swappable HDD Status

-

OFF No Access and No HDD Fault

OFF Idle

OFF Idle

Temperature and Voltage Failure

OFF Post error

OFF No Identification

Off Power disconnected

Off No disk activity

Swappable HDD Status
w/ SAS 1064E

Note: Red blink and Green blink must synchronize. Red always has priority over
Green.

Green Blink HDD access

Red Slow blink Rebuild
Red
see Note

Fast blink Identification

1-5

MS-9282 Server

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

2345678

9

Rear View

Rear Bezel

1

JLAN0JLAN1 JLAN2 JLAN3JLAN4

1

PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse Connector

USB Ports
Serial Port
VGA Port
Gigabit LAN Jackss
10/100Mbps LAN Jack (for KVM only)
Gigabit LAN Jacks (optional)
System ID LED
NMI Button

1-6

v Rear Bezel LEDs

LED Color State Description

Getting Started

RJ45 NIC 0
Linkage
(Left Side)

RJ45 NIC 0 Mode
(Right Side)

RJ45 NIC 1
Linkage
(Left Side)

RJ45 NIC 1 Mode
(Right Side)

RJ45 NIC 3
Linkage
(Left Side)

RJ45 NIC 3 Mode
(Right Side)

Green ON LAN Link / no Access
Green BLINK LAN Access

­Yellow ON 1Gbps connection

Green ON 100Mbps connection

- OFF 10Mbps connection
Green ON LAN Link / no Access

Green BLINK LAN Access

­Yellow ON 1Gbps connection

Green ON 100Mbps connection

- OFF 10Mbps connection
Green ON LAN Link / no Access

Green BLINK LAN Access

­Yellow ON 1Gbps connection

Green ON 100Mbps connection

- OFF 10Mbps connection

OFF Idle

OFF Idle

OFF Idle

RJ45 NIC 4
Linkage
(Left Side)

RJ45 NIC 4 Mode
(Right Side)

System ID

Green ON LAN Link / no Access
Green BLINK LAN Access

­Yellow ON 1Gbps connection

Green ON 100Mbps connection

- OFF 10Mbps connection
Blue ON

- OFF No Identification

OFF Idle

Unit selected for identification

1-7

MS-9282 Server

Mouse/Keyboard Connector

Pin6

Mouse Clock

Pin2

Mouse Data

Pin5

Keyboard Clock

Pin3 GNDPin4 VCC

Pin1

Keyboard Data

Serial Port

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9

PIN SIGNAL

1 DCD
2 SIN
3 SOUT
4 DTR
5 GND
6 DSR
7 RTS
8 CTS
9 RI

VGA Port

5

15

1

11

USB Port

1 2 3 4

PIN SIGNAL

1 VCC

2 -Data
3 +Data
4 GND

Gigabit LAN Jack

Activity Indicator

PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION

1 D0P Differential Pair 0+
2 D0N Differential Pair 0­3 D1P Differential Pair 1+
4 D2P Differential Pair 2+
5 D2N Differential Pair 2­6 D1N Differential Pair 1­7 D3P Differential Pair 3+
8 D3N Differential Pair 3-

Link Indicator

8 1

PIN SIGNAL

1 RED
2 GREEN
3 BLUE
4 N/C
5 GND
6 GND
7 GND
8 GND
9 +5V
10 GND
11 N/C
12 SDA
13 Horizontal Sync
14 Vertical Sync
15 SCL

1-8

Getting Started

Mainboard Specifications

Processor

- Supports Dual AMD Opteron in the 1207-pin lidded ceramic micro
PGA, from 1.4 – 2.8 GHz support

- Supports HyperTransport technology

- Meets thermal requirements

Core Chipsets

- Northbridge: nVIDIA MCP55 Pro

- LPC Super I/O controller W83627EHG

- Hardware Monitor ADT7476*2 + ADT7463*1

- VGA controller ATI Radeon-7000M

Memory Support

- Memory controller is integrated into AMD Opteron processor

- Supports 1-DIMM 2GB ECC Register memory

- 16 DDRII DIMM slots (total 32GB memory)

- Supports ECC Registered DDRII 400/533/667 DIMMs (no support for
667MHz on 8 DIMMs)

LAN

- 2 Gigabit LAN ports by nVIDIA MCP55 Pro

- 2 Gigabit LAN ports by Broadcom BCM5715C (optional)

IDE

- 1-channel bus master IDE port

- Supports ATA133/100/66

SATA

- 3 SATAII ports with up to 300MB/s transfer rate

SAS

- 3 SAS ports by LSI Logic SAS1064E Host Controller

- Data transfer rate up to 3Gb/s

1-9

MS-9282 Server

Connectors

Back Panel

- 1 PS/2 mouse port

- 1 PS/2 keyboard port

- 1 x serial port

- 1 x VGA port

- 2 x USB 2.0 ports

- 4 x individual RJ-45 Gigabit LAN ports

- 1 x individual RJ-45 10/100Mbps LAN port (for KVM only)

Slots

- 2 PCI-Express x8 slots

- 1 HTX slot for Infini-band card (with riser card, optional)

Form Factor

- SSI Form Factor: 12” x 13”

Mounting

- 9 mounting holes

For more information on compatible components, please visit

http://www.msi.com.tw/program/products/server/svr/pro_svr_qvl.php

1-10

Getting Started

System Management
MSI Server Management IPMI 2.0

MS-95L6 OPMA card (with H8S) and MSI iConsole AP with support
for IPMI 2.0

MS-95L6 OPMA Card Specifications
l BMC Chip

- H8S 200-pin

- Host hardware interface: LPC interface

- Host software interface: KCS interface

l Memory Size

- 256 X 16 Bits SRAM

l Form Factor

- Add-on Card on OPMA SO-DIMM (200-pin)

l Key Features

- IPMI 2.0 Compliant

- Out-of-band LAN based management using RMCP

- FRU/SEL access

- Remote out-of-band alerts

- Event log

- Ability to update firmware inband unattended

- Remote access security (MD5)

- Out-of-band environmental monitoring and alerting

- Secure remote power control and system reset over Serial or
shared NIC (RMCP)

- Supports onboard I2C ADT 7476 x 2, ADT 7463 x 1 to extend
Hardware monitor feature

- Supports ASR (Automatic Server Restart)

l System Management

- Three SMBus 2.0 (I2C)

- One SMBus for MCP55 Pro

- One SMBus for IPMB

- One SMBus for ADT 7476 x 2, ADT 7463 x 1

- CPU Fan speed control dependent on System Temperature

- System Fan speed control dependent on System Temperature

l Sensor Management

- Monitored Voltage: 12V, 5V, 2.5V, Vcore, 1.8V

- Monitored Fan: 4 x Front Fan, 2 x CPU Fan, 1 x rear Fan

- Monitored VID

1-11

MS-9282 Server

JBAT1

S

USB Ports

JLAN0

JLAN1

JLAN2

JPBT1

P0_DIMM8

P0_DIMM7

P0_DIMM6

P0_DIMM4

P0_DIMM2

P0_DIMM5

P0_DIMM3

P0_DIMM1

P1_DIMM1

P1_DIMM3

P1_DIMM5

P1_DIMM2

P1_DIMM4

P1_DIMM6

P1_DIMM7

P1_DIMM8

T: Mouse

B: Keyboard

Winbond

W83627EHG

BROADCOM

LSISAS1064E

J10J9CPU0

CPU1

Mainboard Layout

JFP3

JUSB1

JFP1

BIO

CN6

BCM5715

JSSI1

PCIE1HTX_E1

JID1

D1

JLAN4

JLAN3

J6

J7

SATA_0

SAS_0

SATA_3

PCIE2

SATA_1

SAS_1

JFP2

J1

COM2

RADEON

ATI

JCD1

SATA_2

SAS_2

SAS_3

JPWR3

CPU0_FAN

CPU1_FAN

BATT

+

SYS_FAN1

J5

CN7

nVIDIA

MCP55 Pro

JPWR1

JPWR2

K9ND Master (MS-9182 v1.X) SSI Server Board

J2

U34

COM1

1-12

Hardware Setup

Chapter 2

Hardware Setup

Refer to the system assembly flowchart and the chart
below to determine the proper sequence of removing
or installing components to the server.

MS-9282

Mainboard Hardware

System Assembly

Rack Mounting

CPU, Memory, Power Supply, Back
Panel, Connectors, Jumpers, Slot

Chassis Cover
CPU, Heatsink
Memory
PCI Expansion Card
Hard Disk Drives
Chassis Ears and Rails
Rack Rails
Chassis into the Rack
Chassis off the Rack

2-1

MS-9282 Server

S

Quick Components Guide

HTX Slot, p.2-16

DIMM Slots, p.2-4

CPU, p.2-3

JPWR3, p.2-6

CPU0_FAN,
CPU1_FAN,

p.2-9

SYS_FAN1, p.2-9

JFP1,

p.2-12

J5, p.2-13

J10, p.2-7

CN7, p.2-14

J6, p.2-9

JFP3,

p.2-12

BIO

JUSB1, p.2-10

JSSI1, p.2-11

PCI-E Slot,

p.2-16

CN6, p.2-13

JBAT1, p.2-15

J1, p.2-13
COM2, p.2-10

J2, p.2-14

JPBT1, p.2-13

PCI-E Slot,

p.2-16

DIMM Slots, p.2-4

2-2

JPWR1,
JPWR2,

p.2-6

J9, p.2-15

J7, p.2-15

JCD1,

p.2-7

JFP2,

p.2-12

SATA_0~3/
SAS_0~3,

p.2-8

Back Panel
I/O, p.1-6

Hardware Setup

CPU (Central Processing Unit)

This mainboard supports the latest AMD® Opteron processor in 1207-pin package.
When you are installing the CPU, make sure that you install the cooler to
prevent the CPU from overheating. If you do not have the CPU cooler, contact
your dealer to purchase and install it before turning on the computer.

For the latest information about CPU, please visit http://www.msi.com.tw/program/
products/server/svr/pro_svr_qvl.php.

Important

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

2. Make sure that you apply an even layer of heat sink paste (or thermal tape)
between the CPU and the heatsink to enhance heat dissipation.

3. 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.

AMD® Opteron CPU in 1207-Pin Package

The pin-pad side The surface

Yellow triangle is the Pin 1 indicator

Alignment Key

Remember to apply some silicone heat
transfer compound on it for better
heat dispersion.

Yellow triangle is the Pin 1 indicator

Alignment Key

2-3

MS-9282 Server

Memory

The mainboard supports up to 16 Registered ECC DDRII 400/533/667 DIMM slots to
provide the maximum of 32GB memory capacity.

For more information on compatible components, please visit http://www.msi.com.
tw/program/products/server/svr/pro_svr_qvl.php.

DDRII

240-pin, 1.8V

64x2=128 pin 56x2=112 pin

Memory Population Rules

CPU0/CPU1 64-bit 64-bit 64-bit 64-bit 64-bit 64-bit 128-bit 128-bit 128-bit 128-bit 128-bit 128-bit

DIMM 1 V V V V V V V

DIMM 2 V V V V

DIMM 3 V V V V V V V

DIMM 4 V V V V

DIMM 5 V V V

DIMM 6 V V V V V V V

DIMM 7 V

DIMM 8 V V V

DDRII DIMM Frequency 400MHz 533MHz 667MHz 800MHz
DIMMs Supported by CPU 8 DIMMs 8 DIMMs 4 DIMMs N/A

Important

Please note that each AMD Socket F
CPU supports only 4 DDRII 667MHz
DIMMs, not 8 DIMMs.

2-4

Hardware Setup

Memory Frequency vs. Core Multiplier

The DDRII DIMM operates different frequency when using different CPU. For example,
when using 2.4GHz CPU the DDRII 667MHz DIMM will operate at 600MHz.

Installing DDRII 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.

v NOTE: You can barely see the golden finger if the memory module is

properly inserted in the DIMM slot.

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

Volt

Notch

2-5

MS-9282 Server

Power Supply

SSI 24-Pin System Power Connector: JPWR2

This connector allows you to connect to an SSI power supply. To connect to the SSI
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.

SSI 8-Pin CPU Power Connector: JPWR3

This connector provides 12V power output to the CPUs.

SSI 4-Pin Power Connector: JPWR1

Make sure that you connect this connector with a 5V/12V power supply to ensure
stable operation of the PCI Express/PCI-X/PCI adapters and front panel USB device.

1

13

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

JPWR2

JPWR2 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

JPWR3

12

24

1

JPWR3 Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL

1 GND
2 GND
3 GND
4 GND

JPWR1 Pin Definition

JPWR1

14

4
85

PIN SIGNAL

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

PIN SIGNAL

1 5V
2 GND
3 GND
4 12V

Important

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

2. Power supply of 600 watts (and above) is highly recommended for system
stability.

3. SSI 12V power connection should be greater than 18A.

2-6

Hardware Setup

Connectors

Chassis Intrusion Switch Connector: J10

This connector connects to a 2-pin chassis switch. If the chassis is opened, the
switch will be short. 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.

44-Pin IDE Connector: JCD1

This 44-pin IDE connector connects to an optional converter that enables connection
to one 44-pin IDE device and one 40-pin IDE device, such as hard disk drives, CD­ROM and other IDE devices.

1

C
I

N
T

R
U

J10

G
N
D

2

JCD1

2-7

MS-9282 Server

Serial ATA Connectors: SATA_0 ~ SATA_3

SATA_0 ~ SATA_3 are high-speed SATA II interface ports and support SATA II data
rates of 300MB/s. Each SATA II connector can connect to 1 hard disk device and is
fully compliant with Serial ATA 2.0 specifications.

Serial Attached SCSI Connectors: SAS_0 ~ SAS_3

The SAS connector is a new generation serial communication protocol for devices
designed to allow for much higher speed data transfers. It supports data transfer
speeds up to 3 Gbit/s. SAS uses serial communication instead of the parallel method
found in traditional SCSI devices but still uses SCSI commands for interacting with
SAS devices. Each SAS connector can connect to 1 disk drive.

SATA_0

SAS_0

SATA_1

SAS_1

SATA_2

SAS_2

SAS_3SATA_3

Important

Please do not fold the SATA/SAS accessory cable into 90-degree angle.
Otherwise, data loss may occur during transmission.

2-8

Hardware Setup

SCSI LED Connector: J6

Connect the J6 to the LED connector on the add-on SCSI adaptor and the HDD LED
will blink when add-on SCSI device is active.

J6

1

PIN SIGNAL

1 +5V
2 SCSI LED
3 HDD LED
4 +5V

Fan Power Connectors: CPU0_FAN, CPU1_FAN, SYS_FAN1

The fan power connectors support system cooling fan with +12V. When connecting
the wire to the connectors, always take note that the red wire is the positive and
should be connected to the +12V, the black wire is Ground and should be connected
to GND. If the mainboard has a System Hardware Monitor chipset onboard, you must
use a specially designed fan with speed sensor to take advantage of the CPU fan
control.

C

S

O

E

N

N

T

+

S

G

R

1

O

N

O

2

R

D

V

Pin Definition

L

GND
+12V
SENSOR
CONTROL

CONTROL

SENSOR

+12V

GND

CPU1_FAN

Important

Please refer to the recommended CPU fans at AMD® official website or consult
the vendors for proper CPU cooling fan.

CPU0_FAN

SYS_FAN1

2-9

MS-9282 Server

Serial Port Connector: COM 2

The mainboard provides one 9-pin header as serial port COM 2. The port is a 16550A
high speed communication port that sends/receives 16 bytes FIFOs. You can attach
a serial mouse or other serial devices directly to it.

Pin Definition

COM2

1

9

2

PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION

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

Front USB Connector: JUSB1

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

dems and the like.

JUSB1

2

1

10

9

Important

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

2-10

Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL PIN SIGNAL

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

Hardware Setup

Front Panel Connectors: JSSI1, JFP1, JFP2, JFP3

The mainboard provides 4 front panel connectors for electrical connection to the
front panel/back plane switches and LEDs. The JSSI1 & JFP1 connect the front panel
and the back plane; the JFP2 connects the SAS signal; the JFP3 connects the LAN
LED and system LED signal.

ID Button

33
34

NMI Button

ID LED

LAN2 Act
LED

Reset Switch

SMBus

Power
Switch

LAN1 Act
LED

System
Fault LED

HDD
LED

Power LED

1

JSSI1

2

+5V Standby

JSSI1 Pin Definition

Pin Description Pin Description

1 Power LED + 2 5Vs/b
3 Key 4 NC

5 Power LED - 6 NC
7 HDD Activity LED + 8 System Status LED +
9 HDD Activity LED - 10 System Status LED ­11 Power Switch+ 12 NIC Activity LED +
13 Power Switch- (GND) 14 NIC Activity LED ­15 Reset Switch+ 16 SMBus SDA
17 Reset Switch- (GND) 18 SMBus SCL
19 NC 20 NC
21 NC 22 NIC#2 Activity LED +
23 NMI to CPU Switch 24 NIC#2 Activity LED ­25 Key 26 Key
27 ID LED+ 28 NC
29 ID LED- 30 NC
31 ID# 32 NC
33 GND 34 NC

2-11

MS-9282 Server

2

1

Pin Description Pin Description

1 SFAN4_SENS 2 CFAN1_PWM
3 CFAN1_SENS 4 CFAN2_PWM

5 SFAN1_SENS 6 SFAN1_PWM
7 SFAN7_SENS 8 SFAN2_PWM
9 CFAN2_SENS 10 SFAN3_PWM
11 SFAN2_SENS 12 SFAN4_PWM
13 CFAN3_SENS 14 FAN_LED1
15 SFAN8_SENS 16 ID#
17 SFAN3_SENS 18 PWR_BT#
19 SFAN6_SENS 20 Key
21 CFAN4_SENS 22 NMI_BT_N
23 SFAN5_SENS 24 RST_SSIJ
25 GND 26 FAIL#
27 POWRE_LED_N 28 ACCESS HDD LED A
29 POWER_LED_P 30 FAN_LED2
31 FAN_LED3 32 GND
33 ID_LED_C 34 GND
35 ID_LED_A 36 NC
37 COM2_DCDJ 38 C_PIN2
39 C_PIN3 40 C_PIN4
41 C_PIN7 42 C_PIN6
43 C_PIN9 44 C_PIN8

JFP1

JFP1 Pin Definition

44
43

2-12

JFP2 Pin Definition

JFP2

2
1

10

9

Pin Description Pin Description

1 SIO_IN 2 SIO_CLK
3 SIO_OUT 4 NC

5 GND 6 NC
7 GND 8 NC
9 SIO_LOAD 10 Key

JFP3 Pin Definition

JFP3

2
1

10

9

Pin Description Pin Description

1 LAN A_ACT_C 2 LAN B_ACT_C
3 LAN A_ACT_A 4 LAN B_ACT_A

5 STATE_LED_1 6 STATE_LED_2
7 GND 8 GND
9 NC 10 Key

Hardware Setup

Power Switch Connector: JPBT1

This connector is designed to connect the system power switch.

JPBT1

ICMB/IPMB Connectors: J5, J1

The J5 is used to connect the ICMB SMBus and the J1 is for the IPMB SMBus.

J5

1 3

J1

1

3

Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL

1 SMB Data
2 GND
3 SMB Clock

OPMA Connector: CN6

OPMA (Open Platform Management Architecture) is an open standard for server
management subsystems. Users may connect MSI’s proprietary MS-95L6 OPMA
card or other BMC (Baseboard Management Controller) card to this connector.

CN6

MS-95L6 OPMA Card

Firmware update connector

Power LED

2
1

Reset switch

SW1

LED1

J3

J2

Boot Mode
Normal Mode

Pin Signal Description

14

1 ETCK Test clock input

13

2 GND GND
3 ETRST# Test reset input signal
4 GND GND
5 ETDO Serial data output
6 GND GND
7 H2C_RES#
8 VCC VCC
9 ETMS Test mode select input
10 GND GND
11 ETDI Serial data input
12 E10A_SENSE#
13 H8_RESET# H8S reset
14 GND GND

Data transmit
connector
(Boot Mode)

Pin Signal Description

3

1

1 BOOT_TXD1 Boot mode transmit
2 BOOT_RXD1 Boot mode receive
3 GND GND

2-13

MS-9282 Server

NMI Button: JID1

When the Operating System suffers from critical errors and consequently hangs,
users may press this NMI (Non Maskable Interrupt) button to log system errors.

JID1

I2C Bus Connector: CN7

The mainboard provides one I2C (also known as I2C) Bus connector for users to
connect System Management Bus (SMBus) interface.

CN7

1

Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL

1 +3.3V
2 SMB_CLK
3 SMB_DATA
4 GND

FWH/LPC Debugging Pin Header: J2

The pin header is for internal debugging only.

J2

J2 Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL PIN SIGNAL

202

191

2-14

1 +3.3V 2 +3.3V
3 GND 4 LPC_RSTJ
5 GND 6 LPC_CLK
7 GND 8 LPC_AD3
9 GND 10 LPC_AD2
11 GND 12 LPC_AD1
13 GND 14 LPC_AD0
15 GND 16 LPC_FRAME#
17 GND 18 LPC_OPMAJ
19 GND 20 LPC_SIOJ

Hardware Setup

Jumpers

OPMA Share NIC Jumper: J9

This jumper works as a switch for OPMA to share different network interface cards
(NIC).

1

J9

OPMA shares
MCP55 Pro LAN

System Configure Jumper: J7

This jumper determines which mode the system will enter while powered on. During

Normal Mode, the system will enter the assigned OS as usual. During Configure
Mode, the system will directly enter BIOS setup utility. This enables you to modify the

BIOS configurations. During Recovery Mode, you have to insert certain boot disk into
the floppy drive before powering on the system. After powered on, the system will
read the boot disk and enter DOS. This enables you to update the BIOS with a Flash
utility if necessary.

1

OPMA shares
Broadcom LAN

3

3

1

3

J7

1

Normal Mode Configure Mode Recovery Mode

1

1

1

Clear CMOS Jumper: JBAT1

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

JBAT1

1

1 3

Keep Data

1

Clear Data

3

Important

To clear CMOS you should:

1. Short 2-3 pin while the system is off.

2. Short 1-2 pin while the system is off.

3. Restart the PC.
Avoid clearing the CMOS while the system is on; it will damage the mainboard.

2-15

MS-9282 Server

Slots

PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) Slot

The PCI-class slots support LAN cards, SCSI cards, USB cards, VGA cards, and
other add-on cards that comply with PCI specifications.

PCI Express architecture provides a high performance I/O infrastructure for Desktop
Platforms with transfer rates starting at 2.5 Giga transfers per second over a PCI
Express x1 lane for Gigabit Ethernet, TV Tuners, 1394 controllers, and general pur­pose I/O. Also, desktop platforms with PCI Express Architecture will be designed to
deliver highest performance in video, graphics, multimedia and other sophisticated
applications. Moreover, PCI Express architecture provides a high performance graphics
infrastructure for Desktop Platforms doubling the capability of existing AGP 8x de­signs with transfer rates of 4.0 GB/s over a PCI Express x16 lane for graphics
controllers, while PCI Express x1 supports transfer rate of 250 MB/s.

PCI Express x8 Slot

HTX (HyperTransport) Slot

The HTX slot supports InfiniPath InfiniBand HTX Adapters.
The HyperTransport HTX Motherboard/Daughtercard specification defines an 8- or
16-bit HyperTransport interface with an up to 1.6 gigatransfer/second data rate (800
MHz clock rate) and includes all of the defined HyperTransport control signals includ­ing a synchronous reference clock.

HTX Slot

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.

2-16

Hardware Setup

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:

DEVICE INT Pin IDSEL CLOCK REQ & GNT
ATI VGA VGA_INT PCI_AD20 VGA_CLK PCI_REQJ1/GNT J2

Primary IDE Interrupt : R_IDE_IRQ14

2-17

MS-9282 Server

START

System Assembly Flowchart

The following flowchart shows basic system assembly procedures. Please note
that always wear anti-static gloves when handling electrical components and exer­cise caution during the installation process. For more information, contact your local
dealer or experienced technician.

REMOVE CHASSIS COVER

INSTALL

CPU & HEATSINK

INSTALL

MEMORY MODULES

REMOVE SPRING LOCK

& COVER PLATES

INSTALL

2-18

PCI EXPANSION CARDS

REPLACE

SPRING LOCK

INSTALL

HARD DISK DRIVES

Hardware Setup

CONNECT HDD

& POWER CORDS

CHECK IF ALL PARTS

ARE PROPERLY CONNECTED

REPLACE

CHASSIS COVER

FINISH

2-19

MS-9282 Server

System Assembly

Chassis Cover

1. Unscrew the chassis cover.

3. To replace the chassis cover, first
put the chassis cover back and slide
it backwards until the cover locks
into the chassis.

2. Press the release button and slide the chas­sis cover forwards to remove it from the
chassis.

4. Screw to secure the chassis cover.

Important

Before you remove or install any components, make sure the server is not
turned on or connected to the AC power.

2-20

CPU, Heatsink

1. Locate the first CPU socket. (The CPU
has a plastic cap on it to protect the
contact from damage. Before install­ing the CPU, always cover it to pro­tect the socket pins.)

Hardware Setup

CPU1

CPU0

2. Remove the plastic cap from the
load plate. The pins of the socket
reveal.

4. Open the load plate.

3. Raise the load lever up to its full extent.

2-21

MS-9282 Server

5. 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.

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

Yellow triangle is the Pin 1 indicator

Alignment Key

7. Cover the load plate onto the package.

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

2-22

Hardware Setup

9. Follow the same procedures to in­stall the second CPU.

Note: To install DUAL CPUs
on the board, you must use

the same types of CPUs
running at the same FSB
frequency.

10.Place the heat sink on top of the CPU and secure the screws on both sides.

Note:

1. The heatsink is labeled for correct orientation. Make sure that the side
with “DIMM Side” label (as indicated below with blue circle) is faced to
the memory DIMM slots.

2. Avoid forcibly pushing down the heatsinks during installation. Otherwise,
the CPU may be damaged.

11.Follow the same procedures to in­stall the second heatsink.

Note: To ensure proper cooling,
make sure the heatsinks are
properly installed.

2-23

MS-9282 Server

DDRII Memory

1. Locate the DIMM slots on the
mainboard. 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 socket. The plastic clip at each
side of the DIMM slot will automati­cally close.

2. Follow the same procedures to in­stall more memory modules if
necessary.

3. Please note that P0_DIMM1~8 work for
CPU0 while P1_DIMM1~8 work for
CPU1 (as indicated below).

Memory Population Rules

CPU0/CPU1 64-bit 64-bit 64-bit 64-bit 64-bit 64-bit 128-bit 128-bit 128-bit 128-bit 128-bit 128-bit

DIMM 1 V V V V V V V

DIMM 2 V V V V

DIMM 3 V V V V V V V

DIMM 4 V V V V

DIMM 5 V V V

DIMM 6 V V V V V V V

DIMM 7 V

DIMM 8 V V V

2-24

Hardware Setup

4. Replace the rotative air ducts on top of the memory DIMMs. The air ducts help to
direct the system air flow to ensure optimal system cooling.

2-25

MS-9282 Server

PCI Expansion Card

1. Remove the spring lock (on the rear bezel) first by pulling it upwards and then
moving it inwards to release it from the chassis.

2. Push the cover plate forwards and remove it from the chassis.

3. Insert the expansion card into the PCI-Express slot on the riser card. Make sure
the expansion card bracket locks into the chassis.

2-26

Hardware Setup

4. Follow the same procedures the install the second expansion card.

5. Make sure that you reinstall the spring lock. It helps to secure the expansion card
brackets in place.

2-27

MS-9282 Server

Hard Disk Drive

1. To release the hot-swapping HDD holder, flip open its lever and pull the holder out
of the bay.

2. Unscrew both sides of the HDD holder to release the tray.

3. Take the tray out and put it aside.

2-28

Hardware Setup

4. At the sides of the HDD are four screw holes, two on each side. Users will find
on the HDD holder four identical screw holes as on the HDD. Place the HDD into
the holder and align the screw holes on the HDD with the ones on the holder.
Secure the HDD with four screws supplied by the HDD vendor.

5. Insert the HDD set into the bay and press the lever back in place.

2-29

MS-9282 Server

Rack Mounting

Chassis Ears

1. Insert the chassis ear into the chassis. Push it in until it fits firmly.

2. Screw to secure the chassis ear.

3. Follow the same procedures to install the second chassis ear.

2-30

Hardware Setup

Chassis Rails

1. The chassis rails and rack rails have been assembled together beforehand. The
first thing to do with the rail set is to take the chassis rails off the rack rails.

2. Pull the chassis rail gently out until the locking tab locks the rail.

3. Simultaneously press down the locking tab and pull out the chassis rail. The
chassis rail should slide easily off the rack rail.

4. Follow the same procedures to disassemble the second chassis rail.

Note: The chassis rail is designed with a locking tab which can (1) hold the
system firmly to the rack, and (2) lock the system halfway without sliding out
of the rack rails.

2-31

MS-9282 Server

5. On each side of the chassis are two hooks to lock the chassis rail. First align the
chassis hooks with the holes on the rail. Secure the rail to the chassis and push
the rail forwards until it gets locked by the chassis hooks.

Push the rail forwards until it gets
locked by the chassis hooks.

6. Screw the chassis rail to the chassis. Each chassis rail has two screw holes.
Follow the same procedures to install the second chassis rail.

2-32

Hardware Setup

Rack Rails

1. Locate the triangle mark on the rack and install 3 screw holders to the rack as
shown.

2. Align the rack rail with the rack
and screw the rail to the rack
by securing two screw to the
top & bottom screw holder.

3. Follow the same procedures to
secure the rail on the rear and
to install the second rack rail.

2-33

MS-9282 Server

Chassis into the Rack

1. To slide the system into the rack,
first align the chassis rails with
the rack rails and push the sys­tem backwards until the locking
tab clicks.

2. Simultaneously press down the
locking tabs on both sides of the
chassis rails and push the sys­tem backwards. The system
should slide easily into the rack.

Press down the locking tabs
on both sides.

Note: The chassis rail is designed with a locking tab which can (1) hold the
system firmly to the rack, and (2) lock the system halfway without sliding out
of the rack rails.

2-34

3. Screw the system firmly to the rack.

Hardware Setup

2-35

MS-9282 Server

Chassis off the Rack

1. To slide the system off the rack,
first seize the system by its ears
and gently pull the system out.

2. The system will be locked halfway
while being pulled out. Simulta­neously press down the locking
tabs on both sides of the chassis
and pull the system forwards.

3. The system should slide easily off
the rack.

Press down the locking tabs
on both sides.

Note: The chassis rail is designed with a locking tab which can (1) hold the
system firmly to the rack, and (2) lock the system halfway without sliding out
of the rack rails.

2-36

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:

BIOS Setup

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.

3-1

MS-9282 ServerB

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 <F2> key to enter Setup.

Press F2 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. 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:

P9282NMS V1.0 101506 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, V = VIA, and R =
Serverworks.
7th - 8th digit refers to the customer as MS = all standard customers.
V1.0 refers to the BIOS version.
101506 refers to the date this BIOS was released.

3-2

Control Keys

BIOS Setup

Key
<F1> or <Alt-H>
<Esc>

↔ arrow keys

↑ or ↓ arrow keys
<Home> or <End>
<PgUp> or <PgDn>
<F5> or <->
<F6> or <+>or <Space>
<F9>
<F10>
<Enter>

Function
General Help window
Exit this menu
Select a different menu
Move cursor up and down
Move cursor to top or bottom of window
Move cursor to next or previous page
Select the previous value for the field
Select the next value for the field
Load the default configuration values for this menu
Save and exit
Execute command or enter submenu

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 sub­menu. 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-9282 ServerB

The Menu Bar

Once you enter PhoenixBIOS Setup Utility, the Main Menu will appear on the
screen. On the Main Menu screen, you will see basic BIOS settings including system
time & date, and the setup categories the BIOS supplies. Use Arrow keys to move
among the items and menus, and make changes to the settings.

Main

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

Advanced

Use this menu to set up the items of special enhanced features available on your
system’s chipset.

Security

Use this menu to set Supervisor and User Passwords.

Power

Use this menu to specify your settings for power management.

Boot

Use this menu to specify the priority of boot devices.

Exit

This menu allows you to load the BIOS default values or factory default settings into
the BIOS and exit the BIOS setup utility with or without changes.

3-4

BIOS Setup

Main

The items inside the Main menu are for basic system information and configuration.
Each item includes none, one or more setup items. Use the Up/Down arrow keys or
<Tab> to highlight the item or field you want to modify and use the <+> or <-> key to
switch to the value you prefer.

System Time

The time format is <HH> <MM> <SS>.

System Date

The date format is <YYYY> <MM> <DD>.

Local Bus IDE Adapter

This setting controls the onboard IDE adapter.

Primary Master, Primary Slave

[Type] Press PgUp/<+> or PgDn/<-> to select

[Manual], [None] or [Auto] type. Note that the
specifications of your drive must match with
the drive table. The hard disk will not work
properly if you enter improper information for
this category. If your hard disk drive type is
not matched or listed, you can use [Manual] to
define your own drive type manually.

[Multi-Sector Transfers] Any selection except Disabled determines

the number of sectors transferred per block

3-5

MS-9282 ServerB

[LBA Mode Control] Enabling LBA causes Logical Block Ad-

dressing to be used in place of Cylinders,
Heads and Sectors

[32-Bit I/O] Enables 32-bit communication between

CPU and IDE card

[Tranfer Mode] Selects the method for transferring the data

between the hard disk and system memory

[Ultra DMA Mode] Indicates the type of Ultra DMA

QuickBoot Mode

Setting the item to [Enabled] allows the system to boot within 5 seconds since it will
skip some check items.

Boot-time Diagnostic Screen

Select [Enabled] if you want to view the system diagnostic screen during boot-time.

Summary Screen

Select [Enabled] if you want to view the system summary screen.

Extended Memory Testing

This setting determines which type of tests will be performed on extended memory
(above 1M).

System Memory, Extended Memory

These items show the memory status of the system. (Read-only)

BIOS Date, BIOS Version

These items show the information of the system BIOS. (Read-only)

3-6

BIOS Setup

Advanced

Items in the menu are divided into several sub-menus. Each sub-menu provides more
settings. To enter the sub-menu, highlight the sub-menu you want to configure and
press <Enter>.

Installed O/S

When multiple operating systems are installed in your system, use this setting to
select the major operating system that will be used most commonly. Note that an
incorrect setting in this field may cause unexpected errors on the operating systems.

Option ROM Placement

This setting determines the Option ROM placement. If the system hangs during boot,
please restart the system and enter the BIOS Setup Utility to change this setting.

BIOS Write Protect

This function protects the BIOS from accidental corruption by unauthorized users or
computer viruses. When enabled, the BIOS’ data cannot be changed when attempt­ing to update the BIOS with a Flash utility. To successfully update the BIOS, you’ll
need to disable this BIOS Write Protect function.
You should enable this function at all times. The only time when you need to disable
it is when you want to update the BIOS. After updating the BIOS, you should immedi­ately re-enable it to protect it against viruses.

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.

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NumLock

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.

PState Configuration

ACPI P-state (Performance) control algorithm’s goal is to optimize the runtime power
consumption without significantly impacting performance. The algorithm dynamically
adjusts the processor frequency such that it is just high enough to service the SW
execution load. Operating point selection is done by the OS power management
algorithms (OSPM) based on the CPU load observed over a window of time. Once the
target point is set, the CPU is expected to modify its operating voltage and frequency
to match the OSPM's request.

Halt On Error

The setting determines whether the system will stop if an error is detected at boot.

Memory Controller Options

DRAM Bank Interleave

Interleaved memory is system memory divided into two or more sections. Set­ting to [Enabled] allows memory to be accessed faster since each section of
memory is capable of being utilized at once.

Node Interleave

AMD Opteron CPU supports a mode called node interleave. When node inter­leave is disabled, the memory controller maps the local memory of each pro­cessor to a single contiguous range of physical addresses. This allows the
operating system to map user data to local memory, whenever possible, to
allow programs to access data the most rapidly. When node interleave is
enabled, physical addresses are partitioned into 4KB blocks, and alternated

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BIOS Setup

among the processors. The operating system is then unable to use NUMA
optimizations, and the memory space is treated as if the system were an SMP
system.

SW Mem Hole Remapp

This setting enables the software to remap the physical memory to an address
higher than 00E0.

IOMMU

AMD64, one of the 64-bit architectures, contains a device called the IOMMU
(Input/Output Memory Management Unit). The IOMMU allows 32-bit devices to
see all of the (64-bit addressed) main memory although with a 32-bit address
bus you can only address a 32-bit address space. It is a MMU that translates
DMA virtual addresses to real physical addresses.

Size

This setting specifies the memory size for IOMMU.

ACPI SRAT Table

The Static Resource Affinity Table (SRAT) can be used to describe the physical
location of processors and memory in large-scale systems (such as CC-NUMA)
to the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 operating system, allowing threads and
memory to be grouped in an optimal manner.

ECC Options

ECC Mode

If all memory in the system supports ECC, enabling this will initial scrub DRAM
and enable system requests to DRAM to be checked and/or corrected.

ECC Error Checking

This setting enables/disables ECC (Error Correction Code) checking, a method

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of checking the integrity of data in DRAM. ECC provides more elaborate error
detection than parity; ECC can detect multiple-bit errors and can locate and
correct single-bit errors.

ECC Error Log

This setting logs the ECC error.

Chipkill

Chipkill is a new Advanced ECC (Error Correction Code) memory technology
that protects servers from system downtime caused by memory failures.

ECC Scrub Redirection

This setting enables/disables ECC Scrubber to correct errors detected in
DRAM during normal CPU requests (foreground scrubbing).

DRAM ECC Scrub Control

The DRAM ECC Scrub option controls the frequency at which memory read
options are corrected while the system is in an idle state.

DCache ECC Scrub Control

The Data Cache ECC Scrub option controls the time allotted for the L1 memory
cache to be corrected when in an idle state.

L2 ECC Scrub Control

The L2 ECC Scrub option controls the time allotted for the L2 memory cache
to be corrected when in an idle state.

Online Spare

Online Spare Memory mode provides a higher level of memory protection
than Standard Memory mode. It protects against single-bit errors and is
beneficial to businesses with sites that do not have sufficient IT staff avail­able to service a failure, do not always have replacement memory on hand,
or where the server cannot be brought down before a scheduled shutdown.

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BIOS Setup

System Health

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

CPU and System Voltage

This field shows the CPU and system voltages.

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System Fan Speed

These items display the current fans’ speeds of the system.

Auto Fan Speed Control

This item enables/disables the Smart Fan feature. Smart Fan is an excellent
feature which will adjust the CPU/system fan speed automatically depending
on the current CPU/system temperature, avoiding system damage caused
by overheating.

CPU0 Temp Tmin, CPU1 Temp Tmin, System Temp Tmin

You can select a fan value here. If the current temperature reaches to the
minimum threshold you set here, the fan will slow down to keep the tempera­ture stable.

CPU0 THERM Temp Limit, CPU1 THERM Temp Limit, System THERM

Temp Limit

You can select a fan tolerance value here. If the current temperature of the
fan reaches to the maximum threshold you set here, the fan will speed up for
cooling down.

CPU 0 Temp, CPU 1 Temp, System Temp

These items show the CPU and system temperatures.

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Integrated Devices

USB Control

This setting enables/disables the onboard USB host controller.

BIOS Setup

USB BIOS Legacy Support

Set to [Enabled] if your need to use any USB 1.1/2.0 device in the operating
system that does not support or have any USB 1.1/2.0 driver installed, such as
DOS and SCO Unix.

MAC LAN, MAC LAN Bridge, MAC 1 LAN, MAC 1 LAN Bridge

These settings allow you to enable/disable the specified device controllers.

SATA0 Controller, SATA1 Controller, SATA2 Controller

These settings allow you to enable/disable the onchip Serial-ATA controllers.

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NV RAID Configuration

NV RAID Configuration

This setting enables/disables the nVIDIA software RAID configuration.

Master SATA0/SATA1/SATA2 Primary, Master SATA0/SATA1/SATA2

Secondary

These settings control the specified SATA drives.

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PCI Configuration

MAC LAN, MAC1 LAN, PCI Device SATA, Onboard VGA

BIOS Setup

Option ROM Scan

Use this feature to initialize device expansion ROM.

Enable Master

When set to [Enabled], BIOS will activate the selected device as a PCI bus
master.

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.

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PCI Device SAS

Onboard LSI SAS Device

This setting enables/disables the onboard LSI SAS device.

Option ROM Scan

Use this feature to initialize device expansion ROM.

Enable Master

When set to [Enabled], BIOS will activate the selected device as a PCI bus
master.

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.

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Onboard LAN

BIOS Setup

Onboard BCM LAN Device

This setting enables/disables the onboard Broadcom LAN device.

Option ROM Scan

Use this feature to initialize device expansion ROM.

Enable Master

When set to [Enabled], BIOS will activate the selected device as a PCI bus
master.

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.

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I/O Device Configuration

Serial Port A/B

These settings enable/disable the onboard Serial Port A / B.

Base I/O Address

These settings specify the base I/O port addresses of the onboard Serial
Port A / B.

Interrupt

These settings specify IRQs for the Serial Port A / B.

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BIOS Setup

Console Redirection

Com Port Address

This setting enables/disables the Com port address for console connection.

Baud Rate

This setting specifies the transfer rate (bits per second) of Console Redirection.

Console Type

This setting specifies the console type.

Flow Control

This feature allows you to enable flow control.

Console Connection

This feature indicates whether the console is connected directly to the system
or a modem is used for connection.

Continue C. R. after POST

Selecting [On] will enable Console Redirection after OS has loaded.

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DMI Event Logging

Event Log Capacity/Validity

These items indicate the status of Event log validity and capacity.

View DMI Event Log

Press [Enter] to view the contents of the DMI event log.

Clear All DMI Event Logs

When this setting is set to [Yes], the DMI event log will be cleared at next POST
stage. Then, the BIOS will automatically set this option to [No].

Event Logging

This setting disables/enables the BIOS to log DMI (Desktop Management Interface)
events.

Mark DMI Events as Readd

Press [Enter] and a screen pops up, asking users to confirm whether or not to
clear all DMI event logs immediately. Press [Y] and [Enter], the BIOS will clear all
DMI event logs right away.

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Security

BIOS Setup

Supervisor Password Is, User Password Is

These items indicate the status of password settings.

Set Supervisor Password

Supervisor Password controls access to the BIOS Setup utility.

Set User Password

User Password controls access to the system at boot.

Password on Boot

Choosing [Enabled] requires a password on boot. It requires prior setting of the
supervisor password. If the supervisor password is set and this option is disabled,
BIOS assumes the user is booting.

Fixed Disk Boot Sector

This option allows users to write protect boot sector on hard disk to protect against
viruses.

Diskette Access

This setting is used to restrict access to the diskette drive.

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Power

Use this menu to specify your settings for Power Management. Remember that the
options available depend upon the hardware installed in your system.

Power Loss Control

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

[Stay Off] Returns the system to an off state.
[Power On] Returns the system to an on state.
[Last State] Restores the system to the previous status before power

failure or interrupt occurred.

C State Configuration

C-state performance indicates the ability to run the processor in lower power states
when the PC is idle. This setting enables/disables the C-State Configuration for
power saving purposes.

Enable Multimedia Timer

This setting enables the Multimedia Timer to achieve better resolution for multimedia
and other time-sensitive applications.

Wake Up by LAN

Select [Enabled] to wake up the system when incoming signals are detected on the
specified LAN devices.

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Resume On Time

Select [On] to wake up the system at predetermined time.

Resume Time

The time format is <HH> <MM> <SS>.

Resume Date

The date format is <MM> <DD> <YYYY>.

BIOS Setup

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Boot

Use this menu to arrange and specify the priority of the devices from which the BIOS
will attempt to boot the Operating System.

Boot Priority Order

This setting allows users to set the boot priority of the specified devices. First press
<Enter> to enter the sub-menu. Then you may use the arrow keys ( ↑↓ ) to select the
desired device, then press <+>, <-> or <PageUp>, <PageDown> key to move it up/
down in the priority list.

Excluded from Boot Order

This setting allows users to exclude the specified devices from the Boot Order list.

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BIOS Setup

Exit

The following sections describe each of the options on this menu. Note that <Esc>
does not exit this menu. You must select one of the items from the menu or menu bar
to exit.

Exit Saving Changes

When you want to quit the Setup menu, you can select this option to save the
changes and quit.

Exit Discarding Changes

When you want to quit the Setup menu, you can select this option to abandon the
changes.

Load Setup Defaults

The option allows users to restore all of the BIOS settings to the Optimal Defaults. The
Setup Defaults are the default values set by the mainboard manufacturer specifically
for the optimized performance of the mainboard.

Discard Changes

The option allows users to restore all of the BIOS settings to previous values.

Save Changes

The option allows users to save the changes without exiting Setup.

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nVIDIA SATA RAID

Appendix A

nVIDIA SATA 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.

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Introduction

System Requirement

Operating System Support

NVRAID supports the following operating systems:

Windows XP
Windows 2003 x64
Windows 2003
Windows 2000 Professional
Windows 2000

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.

Summary of RAID Configurations

Array Uses Advantages Drawbacks # Hard

RAID 0 Non-critical data

requiring high
performance.

RAID 1 Small databases or any

other small capacity
environment requiring
fault tolerance.

High data throughput. No fault tolerance. multiple None

100% data
redundancy.

Requires 2 drives for
the storage space of 1
drive.

Disks

2 Yes

Fault
Tolerance

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nVIDIA SATA 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. (To enable
the nVidia RAID Function in nVidia RAID Setup of Integrated Peripherals in
BIOS.)

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

3. Enter the Windows OS, run the Windows nForce Setup application and install the

RAID software.

4. Initialize the NVRAID Array Disks.

Bootable RAID Array

1. Choose the hard disks that are to be RAID enabled in the system BIOS. (To enable
the nVidia RAID Function in nVidia RAID Setup of Integrated Peripherals in
BIOS.)

2. Specify the RAID level, either Mirroring (RAID 1) or Striping (RAID 0),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.

4. Initialize the NVRAID Array Disks.

Setting Up the NVRAID BIOS

Be sure to enable the nVidia RAID Function in nVidia RAID Setup of Integrated
Peripherals 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.

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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 Channel 1, Controller
0, and the drive is set to Master. The following is a list of all possible combinations:

Parallel ATA

0.0.M Channel 0, controller 0, Master

0.0.S Channel 0, controller 0, Slave

0.1.M Channel 0, controller 1, Master

0.1.S Channel 0, controller 1, Slave

Serial ATA

1.0.M Channel 1, controller 0, Master

1.1.M Channel 1, controller 1, Master

2.0.M Channel 2, controller 0, Master

2.1.M Channel 2, controller 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.

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nVIDIA SATA 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].

• 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.

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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”.

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nVIDIA SATA 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.

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 instructions below to make an nVIDIA Serial ATA RAID
driver diskette 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\MCP55\IDE\WinXP\sataraid or
\\nVidia\System\MCP55\IDE\Win2K\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:

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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.

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nVIDIA SATA RAID

NVIDIA RAID Utility Installation

Installing the NVIDIA RAID Software Under Windows (for Non­bootable 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 C19 System 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

enabled.

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.

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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.

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nVIDIA SATA 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.

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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 or striped)

• 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 arrays

• Synchronizing a RAID Array

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

redundant disk—the same operation as rebuilding)

Viewing RAID Array Configurations

To view your RAID configuration from Windows, launch the NVRAID Management
utility by double-clicking NvRaidMan.exe (the default location of NvRaidMan.exe is in
\\nVidia\System\MCP55\IDE\Win2k or XP\raidtool\ of the setup CD accompanied with
your mainboard).
The RAID configuration information appears in the right-side pane, as shown below.

Important

The setup screens are for demonstration only and may vary from what is shown
in your system.

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nVIDIA SATA RAID

Setting Up a Spare RAID Disk

You can designate a hard drive to be used as a spare drive for a RAID 1 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 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 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 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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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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