MSI MS-9656 User Manual

3200 Master Series

MS-9656 (V1.X) Server Board

G52-96561X2

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

V1.1 Updating the Northbridge February 2008

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

func=faqIndex 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-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-9656

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

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 I/O....................................................................................................2-10

Connector...........................................................................................................2-11

Jumper................................................................................................................2-18

Slot......................................................................................................................2-19

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

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

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

Main......................................................................................................................3-5

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

Boot....................................................................................................................3-20

Security..............................................................................................................3-23

Chipset...............................................................................................................3-24

Exit......................................................................................................................3-26

Appendix A Intel ICH9R SATA RAID.....................................................................A-1

ICH9R Introduction...............................................................................................A-2

BIOS Configuration..............................................................................................A-3

Installing Driver....................................................................................................A-9

Installing Software............................................................................................A-11

RAID Migration Instructions...............................................................................A-15

Degraded RAID Array........................................................................................A-22

viii

Getting Started

Chapter 1

Getting Started

Thank you for choosing the 3200 Master Series (MS­9656 V1.X), an excellent server board from MSI.

Based on the innovative Intel® 3210 / 3200 & ICH9R
chipsets for optimal system efficiency, the 3200 Mas­ter accommodates the latest Dual-Core Intel® Xeon® pro­cessor 3000 series, Quad-Core Intel® Xeon® processor
3200 series, Wolfdale and Yorkfield processors in
LGA775 package and supports up to four 240-pin DDR2
667/800 DIMM slots to provide the maximum of 8GB
memory capacity.

In the entry-level and mid-range market segment, the
3200 Master Series can provide a high-performance
solution for today’s front-end and general purpose
server, as well as in the future.

1-1

MS-9656 Server Board

Mainboard Specifications

Processor

- Dual-Core Intel Xeon processor 3000 series, Quad-Core Intel Xeon
processor 3200 series, Wolfdale and Yorkfield processors in LGA775
package

FSB

- 1333/ 1066/ 800 MHz

Chipset

- Northbridge: Intel 3210 / 3200 chipset

(NOTE: 3210 supports either two PCI Express x8 slots or one PCI

Express x16 slot. 3200 supports one PCI Express x8 slot.
Neither 3210 nor 3200 supports PCI Express graphics.)

- Southbridge: Intel ICH9R chipset

Memory

- 4 DDR2 667/800 DIMM slots (240pin / 1.8V)

- Up to 8GB memory capacity

LAN (Optional)

- For mainboards with IPMI chip:

Intel 82573V Gigabit Ethernet controller (LAN1) & Intel 82566DM
Gigabit Ethernet controller (LAN2)

- For mainboards without IPMI chip:

Intel 82573L Gigabit Ethernet controller (LAN1) & Intel 82566DM
Gigabit Ethernet controller (LAN2)

1-2

Floppy

- 1 floppy port

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

IDE

- 1 IDE port by ITE IT8213F

- Supports Ultra DMA 66/100/133 mode

- Supports PIO, Bus Master operation mode

SATA

- 6 SATAII ports by ICH9R

- Supports storage and data transfers at up to 300MB/s

RAID

- Supports RAID 0/ 1/ 0+1/ 5 or JBOD mode

Graphics

- XGI Z7 graphics controller

- Onboard 16MB Video SDRAM

IPMI (Optional)

- Hitachi H8S/2168 IPMI microcontroller

Connectors

Back Panel

- 1 PS/2 mouse port

- 1 PS/2 keyboard port

- 2 USB 2.0 ports

- 1 serial port

- 1 VGA port

- 2 Gigabit LAN jacks

Onboard Connectors

- 3 proprietary front panel connectors (optional)

- 3 USB 2.0 connectors (6 ports)

- 1 serial port connector

- 1 TPM connector

- 1 SPI Flash ROM connector (for debugging)

- 1 chassis intrusion connector

Getting Started

Slots

- 1 PCI Express x16 slot (with x8 signal)

- 1 PCI Express x4 slot

- 4 PCI slots (supports 3.3V/ 5V PCI bus interface)

Regulations

- FCC, CE

Form Factor

- ATX form factor 12" x 9.6"

1-3

MS-9656 Server Board

JUSB1

T: Mouse

B: Keyboard

COM1

JLAN1

JLAN 2

SYS_FAN1

REAR_FAN1

JTPM1

Mainboard Layout

COM2

JUSB3

JAPP3

JUSB2

J_VGA_EN1

SATA1 S ATA3 SATA5

FRONT_FAN1

SATA2 SATA4

SATA6

SYS_FAN2

FPC1

BATT

JAPP2

Intel

ICH9R

+

Intel

3210 / 3200

J_CMOS1

J_IDE1

JSPI1

J_BOOT3

J_SMBUS1

J1

ITE

IT8213F

J_IPMB1

J_BOOT1

BMC
Chip

J_BOOT2

JUSB4

J_ICMB1

FDD1

CPU_FAN1

DIMM_A1
DIMM_A2

DIMM_B1
DIMM_B2

PCIE1

PCIE2

PCI1

PCI2

PCI3

PCI4

JINT1

JAPP1

XGI

LAN
Chip

Z7

VGA 2

1-4

JPWR2

JPWR1

3200 Master Series (MS-9656 V1.X) Server Board

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-9656 Server Board

Quick Components Guide

JSPI1, p.2-12

JAPP2, p.2-14

FRONT_FAN1,

p.2-13

COM2, p.2-15

FPC1, p.2-13

SATA1~6,

p.2-12

JUSB2/3,

p.2-15

JAPP3, p.2-14

J_VGA_EN1,

p.2-18

SYS_FAN2,

p.2-13

J_CMOS1,

p.2-18

J_BOOT3,

p.2-18

J_SMBUS1,

p.2-17

JTPM1,

p.2-17

J_IDE1,

p.2-11

J1, p.2-16

JUSB4,

p.2-15

J_IPMB1, p.2-16

J_BOOT1,

p.2-16

FDD1,

p.2-11

J_ICMB1, p.2-16

SYS_FAN1,

p.2-13

PCI Slots,

p.2-19

JINT1,

p.2-13

J_BOOT2,

p.2-16

PCI Express
Slots, p.2-19

CPU_FAN1,

p.2-13

CPU, p.2-3

DIMM Slots,

2-2

p.2-7

JPWR2,

p.2-9

JPWR1,

p.2-9

JAPP1, p.2-14

REAR_FAN1,

p.2-13

Back Panel

I/O, p.2-10

Hardware Setup

CPU (Central Processing Unit)

This mainboard supports dual-core Intel® Xeon® processor 3000 series, quad-core
Intel® Xeon® processor 3200 series, Wolfdale and Yorkfield processors in LGA775
package. When you install the CPU, make sure that you install the cooler to
prevent overheating. If you do not have the CPU cooler, consult your dealer
before turning on the computer.

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 power supply or unplug the
power supply’s power cord from the grounded outlet first to ensure the safety
of CPU.

Introduction to LGA 775 CPU

The pin-pad side of LGA 775
CPU.

Alignment Key Alignment Key

Yellow triangle is the Pin 1 indicator

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

Yellow triangle is the Pin 1 indicator

2-3

MS-9656 Server Board

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.

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

3.The pins of socket reveal.

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.

Important

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.

2-5

MS-9656 Server Board

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 to avoid damage.

2-6

Hardware Setup

Empty

Installed

Memory

These DIMM slots are intended for system memory modules.

DDR2

240-pin, 1.8V

64x2=128 pin 56x2=112 pin

Dual-Channel Mode Population Rule

In Dual-Channel mode, the memory modules can transmit and receive data with two
data bus lines simultaneously. Dual-Channel mode is enabled when the installed
memory capacities of both DIMM channels are equal. If different speed DIMMs are
used between channels, the slowest memory timing will be used.

Dual-Channel mode can be achieved with two, three or four DIMMs. To achieve Dual­Channel mode, the following conditions must be met:

* Matched DIMM configuration in each channel
* Same Density (128MB, 256MB, 512MB, etc.)
* Matched in both Channel A and Channel B memory channels
* Populate symmetrical memory slots (Slot 1 or Slot 2)

Configurations that do not match the above conditions will revert to Single-Channel
mode.

2 DIMMs

1GB

DIMM_A1
DIMM_A2

3 DIMMs

4 DIMMs

1GB

512MB
512MB

1GB

512MB

1GB

512MB

1GB

DIMM_B1
DIMM_B2

DIMM_A1
DIMM_A2

DIMM_B1
DIMM_B2

DIMM_A1
DIMM_A2

DIMM_B1
DIMM_B2

2-7

MS-9656 Server Board

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 memory module is properly inserted
in the DIMM slot.

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

2-8

Volt

Notch

Hardware Setup

Power Supply

24-Pin System Power Connector: JPWR2

This connector allows you to connect a 24-pin power supply. To
connect the 24-pin power supply, make sure the power supply
connector 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 power supply as well. If you’d like to use the
20-pin power supply, please align your power supply connector
with pin 1 & pin 13. There is also a foolproof design on pin 11, 12, 23
& 24 to avoid wrong installation.

Pin Definition

JPWR2

24 13

PIN SIGNAL

1 +3.3V
2 +3.3V
3 GND

112

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

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

pin 12

pin 13

8-Pin CPU Power Connector: JPWR1

This connector provides 12V power output to the CPU.

Pin Definition

1
5

JPWR1

PIN SIGNAL

4
8

1 GND
2 GND
3 GND
4 GND

PIN SIGNAL

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

Important

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

2. Power supply of 350 watts (and above) is highly recommended for system
stability.

2-9

MS-9656 Server Board

Back Panel I/O

Mouse

Keyboard

Serial PortUSB Ports VGA Port

LAN Jacks

Mouse/Keyboard

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

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

Serial Port
The serial port is a 16550A high speed communications port that sends/ receives 16
bytes FIFOs. You can attach a serial mouse or other serial devices directly to the
connector.

VGA Port
The DE-15 female connector is provided for monitor.

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

Link/Active Indicator

RJ-45 LAN Jack

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.

Mode Indicator

2-10

Hardware Setup

Connector

Floppy Disk Drive Connector: FDD1

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

FDD1

IDE Connector: J_IDE1

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

J_IDE1

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.

2-11

MS-9656 Server Board

SPI Flash ROM Connector: JSPI1

This connector is used to flash SPI flash ROM.

Pin Definition

Pin Description Pin Description

1 VCC3_SB 2 VCC3_SB
3 SPI_MISO_F 4 SPI_MOSI_F
5 SPI_CS0_F# 6 SPI_CLK_F
7 GND 8 GND
9 SPI_HOLD# 10 NC

2
1

JSPI1

10

9

Serial ATA Connector: SATA1 ~ SATA6

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

SATA2

SATA1

SATA3

SATA4

SATA5SATA6

Important

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

2-12

Hardware Setup

DVD/CD-ROM Connector: FPC1 (Optional)

This connector is designed to connect slim DVD/CD-ROM drive.

FPC1

Chassis Intrusion Switch Connector: JINT1

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.

GND

1
2

CINTRU

JINT1

Fan Power Connector:
CPU_FAN1, SYS_FAN1/2, FRONT_FAN1, REAR_FAN1

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 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

L

CPU_FAN1,

SYS_FAN1,

FRONT_FAN1

SYS_FAN2,

REAR_FAN1

GND

+1 2V

SE NS OR

CONTROL

Important

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

2.Users are suggested to enter the BIOS Setup Utility to set up the Smart Fan

Control function.

2-13

MS-9656 Server Board

Front Panel Connector: JAPP1, JAPP2, JAPP3 (Optional)

These are proprietary front panel connectors that provide I2C bus connection, serial
signal connection, and electrical connection to the front panel switches/LEDs.

JAPP1 Pin Definition

JAPP1

14 13

2 1

JAPP2

2
1

6
5

PIN SIGNAL PIN SIGNAL

1 +5VSB 2 GND
3 RESET+ 4 GND
5 POWER+ 6 GND
7 COM2 RXD 8 GND
9 COM2 TXD 10 NC
11 ATX PWR OK 12 GND
13 ID_LED+ 14 ID_LED-

JAPP2 Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL

1 +5VSB
2 GND
3 I2C_DATA
4 ID_LED+
5 I2C_CLK
6 ID_LED-

2-14

JAPP3

1

19

JAPP3 Pin Definition

2

20

PIN SIGNAL PIN SIGNAL

1 Power LED + 2 SYS_LED +
3 Power LED - 4 SYS_LED ­5 Power Button + 6 LAN1_LED +
7 Power Button - 8 LAN1_LED ­9 ID LED + 10 LAN2_LED +
11 ID LED - 12 LAN2_LED ­13 ID Button + 14 Reset +
15 ID Button - 16 Reset ­17 HDD LED + 18 HDD LED ­19 +5VSB 20 +5VSB

Hardware Setup

Serial Port Connector: COM2

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

Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION

1 DCD Data Carry Detect

COM2

19
2

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: JUSB2, JUSB3, JUSB4

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

9
10

2
1

JUSB2/3

JUSB4

1

2

10

9

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

USB 2.0 Bracket

(Optional)

Important

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

2-15

MS-9656 Server Board

BMC Connector: J_BOOT1, J_BOOT2, J_IPMB1, J_ICMB1, J1

These connectors are used to control the H8 BMC (Baseboard Management
Controller).

J_BOOT1

31

Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL

1 BOOT_TXD_CON
2 BOOT_RXD_CON
3 GND

J_IPMB1

1

Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL

1 IPMB_DATA
2 GND
3 IPMB_CLK

3

J1

13
14

Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL PIN SIGNAL

1 ETCK 2 GND
3 ETRST# 4 GND
5 ETDO 6 GND
7 H2C_RES# 8 3.3V DUAL
9 ETMS 10 GND
11 ETDI 12 GND
13 H8_RESET# 14 GND

J_BOOT2

1

Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL

1 Boot Mode
2 GND

J_ICMB1

Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL

1 BMC_RXD0
2 BMC_TXD0
3 ICMB_EN

1
2

13

2-16

Hardware Setup

I2C Bus Connector: J_SMBUS1

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

Pin Definition

J_SMBUS1

1

PIN SIGNAL

1 SMB_ICH_ALERT#
2 SMB_ICH_CLK
3 SMB_ICH_DATA

TPM Connector: JTPM1 (Optional)

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

JTPM1

13
14

PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION

1 LCLK LPC clock 2 3V dual/3V_STB 3V dual or 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

1
2

2-17

MS-9656 Server Board

Jumper

VGA Jumper: J_VGA_EN1

This jumper is used to enable or disable the onboard VGA controller.

3

1

DisableEnable

1

J_VGA_EN1

3

1

BIOS Recovery Jumper: J_BOOT3

Users can short connect pin#2-3 to recover the system BIOS with a Recovery
Floppy. When the system is done with the job, the buzzer will beep to remind the user
to set the jumper to its normal state (pin#1-2 short connected).

1

J_BOOT3

1

3

Normal

1

3

Recovery

Clear CMOS Jumper: J_CMOS1

There is a CMOS RAM onboard that has a power supply from an 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 jumper to clear data.

1

J_CMOS1

1 3

Keep Data

1 3

Clear Data

Important

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

2-18

Hardware Setup

Slot

PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) Express Slot

The PCI Express slot supports the PCI Express interface expansion card.
The standard PCI Express x16 slot supports up to 4.0 GB/s transfer rate.

But the onboard PCI Express x16 slot only supports x8 signal with up to

2.0 GB/s transfer rate.

The PCI Express x4 slot supports up to 1.0 GB/s transfer rate.

PCI Express x4 Slot

PCI Express x16 Slot

PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) Slot

The PCI slot supports LAN card, SCSI card, USB card, and other add-on cards that
comply with PCI specifications.

32-bit PCI 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.

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MS-9656 Server Board

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 Interrupt ID Select REQ / GNT

XGI Z7 PCI_PIRQ # 0 PCI_AD18
IT8213F PCI_PIRQ # 2 PCI_AD19 PCI_REQ# 2 / PCI_GNT# 2
PCI Slot 1 PCI_PIRQ # 0 PCI_AD20 PCI_REQ# 0 / PCI_GNT# 0

PCI_PIRQ # 1
PCI_PIRQ # 2
PCI_PIRQ # 3

PCI Slot 2 PCI_PIRQ # 3 PCI_AD21 PCI_REQ# 1 / PCI_GNT# 1

PCI_PIRQ # 0
PCI_PIRQ # 1
PCI_PIRQ # 2

PCI Slot 3 PCI_PIRQ # 2 PCI_AD22 PCI_REQ# 3 / PCI_GNT# 3

PCI_PIRQ # 3 or
PCI_PIRQ # 0 ARBITER_REQ# 1
PCI_PIRQ # 1 ARBITER_GNT# 1

PCI Slot 4 PCI_PIRQ # 1 PCI_AD23 ARBITER_REQ# 2

PCI_PIRQ # 2 &
PCI_PIRQ # 3 ARBITER_GNT# 2
PCI_PIRQ # 0

2-20

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-9656 Server Board

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

A9656IMS V1.0 101507 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.
101507 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
<F9> 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.

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MS-9656 Server Board

The Menu Bar

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.

Boot

Use this menu to specify the priority of boot devices.

Security

Use this menu to set supervisor and user passwords.

Chipset

This menu controls the advanced features of the onboard Northbridge and Southbridge.

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

AMI BIOS, Processor, System Memory

These items show the firmware and hardware specifications of your system. Read
only.

System Time

This setting allows you to set the system time. The time format is <Hour> <Minute>
<Second>.

System Date

This setting allows you to set the system date. The date format is <Day>, <Month>
<Date> <Year>.

3-5

MS-9656 Server Board

Advanced

For mainboards with IPMI chip

For mainboards without IPMI chip

3-6

BIOS Setup

CPU Configuration

Execute Disable Bit Capability

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.

Core Multi-Processing

CMP (Core Multi Processing) is the ability to have many independent processing
cores on a single die, each with their own L1 Code & Data caches, Local APICs
& thermal controls, while having a shared L2 cache, power management & bus
interface. Intel multi-core architecture has a single Intel processor package that
contains two or more processor "execution cores," or computational engines to
enable enhanced performance and more-efficient simultaneous processing of
multiple tasks.

Intel(R) SpeedStep(tm) Tech

EIST (Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology) allows the system to dynamically
adjust processor voltage and core frequency, which can result in decreased
average power consumption and decreased average heat production.

3-7

MS-9656 Server Board

IDE Configuration

SATA#1 Configuration, SATA#2 Configuration

These settings specify the operation modes of the SATA ports.

Configure SATA#1 ass

This setting specifies the function of the on-chip SATA controller.

Primary/Secondary/Third/Fourth/Fifth/Sixth IDE Master/Slave

3-8

BIOS Setup

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

[LBA/Large Mode] Enabling LBA causes Logical Block Ad-

[Block(Multi-Sector Transfer)]Any selection except Disabled determines
[PIO Mode] Indicates the type of PIO (Programmed Input/
[DMA Mode] Indicates the type of Ultra DMA

[S.M.A.R.T.] This allows you to activate the S.M.A.R.T.

[32 Bit Data Transfer] Enables 32-bit communication between

Floppy Configuration

[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.

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

the number of sectors transferred per block
Output)

(Self-Monitoring Analysis & Reporting
Technology) capability for the hard disks. S.
M.A.R.T is a utility that monitors your disk sta
tus 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.

CPU and IDE card

Floppy A, Floppy B

This setting allows you to set the type of floppy drives installed.

3-9

MS-9656 Server Board

Onboard LANs Configuration

GbE LAN1 (82573) Controller, GbE LAN2 (82566) Controller

These settings disable/enable the specified LAN controllers.

GbE LAN1 (82573) Boot ROM, GbE LAN2 (82566) Boot ROM

The items enable or disable the initialization of the onboard LAN Boot ROMs
during bootup. Selecting [Disabled] will speed up the boot process.

3-10

GbE Wake Up From S5

This field specifies whether the system will be awakened from power sav­ing modes when activity or input signal of onboard LAN is detected.

Super IO Configuration

Onboard Floppy Controller

This setting disables/enables the onboard floppy disk drive controller.

Serial Port 1 Address, Serial Port 2 Address

Select an address and a corresponding interrupt for the serial port 1/2.

BIOS Setup

3-11

MS-9656 Server Board

Hardware Health Configuration (for mainboards without IPMI chip)

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

CPU FAN Mode Setting

This setting controls 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. Selecting [Smart Fan Mode] can prevent
the CPU from being damaged by overheating.

3-12

Front Fan PWM Output, System Fan1 & Fan2 PWM Output, Rear Fan

PWM Output

This setting allows users to control the fan speed by changing the duty
cycle of the fan PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation) output.

BIOS Setup

APM Configuration

Resume On Ring

An input signal on the serial Ring Indicator (RI) line (in other words, an incoming
call on the modem) awakens the system from a soft off state.

Resume On PME# of PCI Slots

When setting to [Enabled], this setting allows your system to be awakened from
the power saving modes through any PME (Power Management Event) on PCI
slots.

Resume On RTC Alarm

When [Enabled], your can set the date and time at which the RTC (real-time
clock) alarm awakens the system from suspend mode.

3-13

MS-9656 Server Board

Event Log Configuration

View Event Log

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

Mark All 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.

Clear Event Log

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].

3-14

IPMI 2.0 Configuration (for mainboards with IPMI chip)

Status of BMC, BMC Firmware Version

These settings show the status of the BMC (Baseboard Management
Controller) chip and its firmware version. Read only.

View BMC System Event Log

Use this function to view system event logs recorded by BMC.

BIOS Setup

Clear BMC System Event Log

Use this function to clear system event logs recorded by BMC.

Set LAN Configuration

Channel Number, IP Address, MAC Address, Subnet Maskk

Use these settings to set up the channel number, IP address, MAC address,
and IP subnet mask for your system network.

3-15

MS-9656 Server Board

BMC Watch Dog Timer Action

The system watch-dog timer is a hardware timer that generates either an NMI or
a reset when the software that it monitors does not respond as expected each
time the watch dog polls it.

Notify BMC FAN Type

This setting specifies the BMC fan type.

Remote Access Configuration

Remote Access

The setting enables/disables the remote access function. When set to [Enabled],
users may configure the following settings for remote access type and
parameters.

Serial Port Number, Base Address, IRQ, Serial Port Mode

Use these settings to configure ports for remote access.

Flow Control

Flow control is the process of managing the rate of data transmission between
two nodes. It’s the process of adjusting the flow of data from one device to
another to ensure that the receiving device can handle all of the incoming data.
This is particularly important where the sending device is capable of sending
data much faster than the receiving device can receive it.

Redirection After BIOS POST

This setting determines whether or not to keep terminals’ console redirection
running after the BIOS POST has booted.

3-16

BIOS Setup

Terminal Type

To operate the system’s console redirection, you need a terminal supporting
ANSI terminal protocol and a RS-232 null modem cable connected between the
host system and terminal(s). This setting specifies the type of terminal device
for console redirection.

VT-UTF8 Combo Key Support

This setting enables/disables the VT-UTF8 combination key support for ANSI/
VT100 terminals.

Sredir Memory Display Delay

Use this setting to set the delay in seconds to display memory information.

Trusted Computing

TCG/TPM Support

This setting controls the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) designed by the Trusted
Computing Group (TCG). TPMs are special-purpose integrated circuits (ICs)
built into a variety of platforms to enable strong user authentication and ma­chine attestation—essential to prevent inappropriate access to confidential
and sensitive information and to protect against compromised networks. TPM
Services is now a new feature set in Windows Server "Longhorn" and Win­dows Vista.

Clearing the TPM

When the TPM is cleared, all the keys you previously had stored on your vault
will be lost. You should create an archive of your TPM Keys before clearing the
TPM. To recover your TPM keys, you will need to restore your keys from an
archive.

3-17

MS-9656 Server Board

TPM Enable/Disable Status

This setting displays the TPM enable/disable status. Read only.

TPM Owner Status

This setting shows the TPM ownership. Read only.

USB Configuration

Legacy USB Support

Set to [Enabled] if you 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.

USB 2.0 Controller Mode

This setting specifies the operation mode of the onboard USB 2.0 controller.

BIOS EHCI Hand-Off

This setting allows you to enable or disable a workaround for operating sys­tems without EHCI (Enhanced Host Controller Interface) hand-off support. The
Enhanced Host Controller Interface (EHCI) specification describes the register­level interface for a Host Controller for the Universal Serial Bus (USB) Revision

2.0.

3-18

BIOS Setup

USB Mass Storage Device Configuration

USB Mass Storage Reset Delay

This setting controls the number of seconds the POST waits for the USB
mass storage device after the start unit command is sent.

Emulation Type

This setting enables you to set the type of device you want the USB mass
storage device to emulate.

3-19

MS-9656 Server Board

Boot

Boot Settings Configuration

3-20

BIOS Setup

Quick Boot

Enabling this setting will cause the BIOS power-on self test routine to skip some
of its tests during bootup for faster system boot.

Quiet Boot

This BIOS feature determines if the BIOS should hide the normal POST mes­sages with the motherboard or system manufacturer's full-screen logo.
When it is enabled, the BIOS will display the full-screen logo during the boot-up
sequence, hiding normal POST messages.
When it is disabled, the BIOS will display the normal POST messages, instead of
the full-screen logo.
Please note that enabling this BIOS feature often adds 2-3 seconds of delay to
the booting sequence. This delay ensures that the logo is displayed for a
sufficient amount of time. Therefore, it is recommended that you disable this
BIOS feature for a faster boot-up time.

AddOn ROM Display Mode

This item is used to determine the display mode when an optional ROM is
initialized during POST. When set to [Force BIOS], the display mode used by AMI
BIOS is used. Select [Keep Current] if you want to use the display mode of
optional ROM.

Bootup Num-Lock

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.

PS/2 Mouse Support

Select [Enabled] if you need to use a PS/2-interfaced mouse in the operating
system.

Wait For ‘F1’ If Error

When this setting is set to [Enabled] and the boot sequence encounters an
error, it asks you to press F1. If disabled, the system continues to boot without
waiting for you to press any keys.

Hit ‘DEL’ Message Display

Set this option to [Disabled] to prevent the message as follows:
It will prevent the message from appearing on the first BIOS screen when the

computer boots. Set it to [Enabled] when you want to run the BIOS Setup Utility.

Interrupt 19 Capture

Interrupt 19 is the software interrupt that handles the boot disk function. When
enabled, this BIOS feature allows the ROM BIOS of these host adaptors to
"capture" Interrupt 19 during the boot process so that drives attached to these
adaptors can function as bootable disks. In addition, it allows you to gain ac­cess to the host adaptor's ROM setup utility, if one is available.

Hit Del if you want to run setup

3-21

MS-9656 Server Board

When disabled, the ROM BIOS of these host adaptors will not be able to "cap­ture" Interrupt 19. Therefore, you will not be able to boot operating systems
from any bootable disks attached to these host adaptors. Nor will you be able to
gain access to their ROM setup utilities.

Boot Device Priority

1st Boot Device

The items allow you to set the sequence of boot devices where BIOS attempts
to load the disk operating system. 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.

Removable Drives

1st Drive, 2nd Drive

This setting allows users to set the priority of the removable 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.

3-22

BIOS Setup

Security

Supervisor Password / Change Supervisor Password

Supervisor Password controls access to the BIOS Setup utility. These settings allow
you to set or change the supervisor password.

User Password / Change User Password / Clear User Password

User Password controls access to the system at boot. These settings allow you to
set, change, or clear the user password.

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.

3-23

MS-9656 Server Board

Chipset

North Bridge Configuration

3-24

BIOS Setup

ECC Function

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

Memory Remap Feature

The memory remapping feature allows for the segment of system memory that
was previously overwritten by the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)
configuration space to be remapped above the 4 GB address line.

South Bridge Configuration

USB 2.0 Controller

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

Restore on AC Power Loss

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

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

failure or interrupt occurred.

3-25

MS-9656 Server Board

Exit

Save Changes and Exit

Save changes to CMOS and exit the Setup Utility.

Discard Changes and Exit

Abandon all changes and exit the Setup Utility.

Discard Changes

Abandon all changes and continue with the Setup Utility.

Load Optimal Defaults

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

Load Failsafe Defaults

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

3-26

Intel ICH9R SATA RAID

Appendix A

Intel ICH9R SATA RAID

This appendix will assist users in configuring and en­abling RAID functionality on platforms
The ICH9R RAID solution supports RAID level 0
(striping), RAID level 1 (mirroring), RAID level 5 (striping
with parity) and RAID level 10 (striping and mirroring).

A-1

MS-9656 Server Board

ICH9R Introduction

The ICH9R provides a hybrid solution that combines 6 independent SATAII ports for
support of up to 6 Serial ATAII (Serial ATAII RAID) drives.

Serial ATAII (SATAII) is the latest generation of the ATA interface. SATA hard drives
deliver blistering transfer speeds up to 300MB/sec. Serial ATA uses long, thin cables,
making it easier to connect your drive and improving the airflow inside your PC. The
most outstanding features are:

1. Supports 300MB/s transfers with CRC error checking.

2. Supports Hot-plug-n-play feature.

3. Data handling optimizations including tagged command queuing, elevator
seek and packet chain command.

Intel® ICH9R offers RAID level 0 (Striping), RAID level 1 (Mirroring and Duplexing),
RAID level 5 (Block Interleaved Distributed Parity), RAID level 10 (A Stripe of Mirrors)
and Intel® Martix Storage Technology.

RAID 0 breaks the data into blocks which are written to separate hard drives. Spreading
the hard drive I/O load across independent channels greatly improves I/O performance.
RAID 1 provides data redundancy by mirroring data between the hard drives and
provides enhanced read performance. RAID 5 Provides data striping at the byte level
and also stripe error correction information. This results in excellent performance
and good fault tolerance. Level 5 is one of the most popular implementations of RAID.
RAID 10 Not one of the original RAID levels, multiple RAID 1 mirrors are created, and
a RAID 0 stripe is created over these. Intel Matrix RAID Technology is the advanced
ability for two RAID volumes to share the combined space of two hard drives being
used in unison.

Important

The least number of hard drives for RAID 0, RAID 1 or Matrix mode is 2. The
least number of hard drives for RAID 10 mode is 4. And the least number of
hard drives for RAID 5 mode is 3.
All the information/ volumes/ pictures listed in your system might differ from
the illustrations in this appendix.

A-2

Intel ICH9R SATA RAID

BIOS Configuration

The Intel Matrix Storage Manager Option ROM should be integrated with the system
BIOS on all motherboards with a supported Intel chipset. The Intel Matrix Stroage
Manager Option ROM is the Intel RAID implementation and provides BIOS and DOS
disk services. Please use <Ctrl> + <I> keys to enter the “Intel(R) RAID for Serial ATA”
status screen, which should appear early in system boot-up, during the POST
(Power-On Self Test). Also, you need to enable the RAID function in BIOS to create,
delete and reset RAID volumes.

Using the Intel Matrix Stroage Manager Option ROM

1. Creating, Deleting and Resetting RAID Volumes:

The Serial ATA RAID volume may be configured using the RAID Configuration utility
stored within the Intel RAID Option ROM. During the Power-On Self Test (POST), the
following message will appear for a few seconds:

Important

The “Driver Model”, “Serial #” and “Size” in the following example might be
different from your system.

After the above message shows, press <Ctrl> and <I> keys simultaneously to enter
the RAID Configuration Utility.

Important

The following procedure is only available with a newly-built system or if you
are reinstalling your OS. It should not be used to migrate an existing system
to RAID.

A-3

MS-9656 Server Board

After pressing the <Ctrl> and <I> keys simultaneously, the following window will
appear:

(1) Create RAID Volume

1. Select option 1 “Create RAID Volume” and press <Enter> key. The following
screen appears. Then in the Name field, specify a RAID Volume name and
then press the <TAB> or <Enter> key to go to the next field.

2. Use the arrow keys to select the RAID level best suited to your usage model
in RAID Level.

A-4

Intel ICH9R SATA RAID

3. In the Disk field, press <Enter> key and the following screen appears. Use
<Space> key to select the disks you want to create for the RAID volume, then
click <Enter> key to finish selection.

4. Then select the strip value for the RAID array by using the “upper arrow” or
“down arrow” keys to scroll through the available values, and pressing the
<Enter> key to select and advance to the next field. The available values
range from 4KB to 128 KB in power of 2 increments. The strip value should be
chosen based on the planned drive usage. Here are some typical values:
RAID0 – 128KB
RAID10 – 64KB
RAID5 – 64KB

5. Then select the capacity of the volume in the Capacity field. The default
value is the maximum volume capacity of the selected disks.

A-5

MS-9656 Server Board

Important

Since you want to create two volumes (Intel Matrix RAID Technology), this
default size (maximum) needs to be reduced. Type in a new size for the first
volume. As an example: if you want the first volume to span the first half of the
two disks, re-type the size to be half of what is shown by default. The second
volume, when created, will automatically span the remainder of two hard
drives.

6.Then the following screen appears for you to confirm if you are sure to
create the RAID volume. Press <Y> to continue.

7.Then the following screen appears to indicate that the creation is finished.

A-6

Intel ICH9R SATA RAID

(2) Delete RAID Volume

Here you can delete the RAID volume, but please be noted that all data on RAID
drives will be lost.

Important

If your system currently boots to RAID and you delete the RAID volume in the
Intel RAID Option ROM, your system will become unbootable.

Select option 2 Delete RAID Volume from the main menu window and press
<Enter> key to select a RAID volume for deletion. Then press <Delete> key to
delete the selected RAID volume. The following screen appears.

Press <Y> key to accept the volume deletion.

A-7

MS-9656 Server Board

(3) Reset Disks to Non-RAID

Select option 3 Reset Disks to Non-RAID and press <Enter> to delete the RAID
volume and remove any RAID structures from the drives. The following screen
appears:

Press <Y> key to accept the selection.

Important

1. You will lose all data on the RAID drives and any internal RAID structures
when you perform this operation.

2. Possible reasons to ‘Reset Disks to Non-RAID’ could include issues such
as incompatible RAID configurations or a failed volume or failed disk.

A-8

Intel ICH9R SATA RAID

Installing Driver

Install Driver in Windows Vista / XP / 2003

† New Windows Vista / XP / 2003 Installation

The following details the installation of the drivers while installing Windows XP /

2003.

1. When you start installing Windows XP and older operating systems, you may
encounter a message stating, “Setup could not determine the type of one or
more mass storage devices installed in your system” . If this is the case, then
you are already in the right place and are ready to supply the driver. If this is
not the case, then press F6 when prompted at the beginning of Windows
setup.

2. Press the “ S” key to select “Specify Additional Device”.

3. You should be prompted to insert a floppy disk containing the Intel® RAID
driver into the A: drive.

Note: For Windows Vista you can use Floppy, CD/DVD or USB.

Important

Please follow the instruction below to make an “ Intel® 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 \\IDE\Intel\ICH9R\Floppy to a formatted floppy
diskette.

4.The driver diskette for Intel® ICH9R RAID Controller is done.

4. For Windows Vista:
During the Operating system installation, after selecting the location to install
Vista click on “Load Driver” button to install a third party SCSI or RAID driver.

5. When prompted, insert the floppy disk or media (Floppy, CD/DVD or USB) you
created in step 3 and press Enter.

6. Select “Intel(R) ICH8R/ICH9R SATA RAID Controller” an press ENTER.

7. The next screen should confirm that you have selected the Intel® RAID
controller. Press ENTER again to continue.

8. You have successfully installed the Intel® Matrix Storage Manager driver, and
Windows setup should continue.

9. Leave the disk in the floppy drive until the system reboots itself. Windows
setup will need to copy the files from the floppy again after the RAID volume
is formatted, and Windows setup starts copying files.

† Existing Windows Vista/XP/2003 Driver Installation

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

2. The CD will auto-run and the setup screen will appear.

3. Under the Driver tab, click on Intel IAA RAID Edition.

4. The drivers will be automatically installed.

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† Confirming Windows Vista/XP/2003 Driver Installation

1. From Windows Vista/XP/2003, open the Control Panel from My Computer
followed by the System icon.

2. Choose the Hardware tab, then click the Device Manager tab.

3. Click the "+" in front of the SCSI and RAID Controllers hardware type. The
driver Intel(R) ICH9R SATA RAID Controller should appear.

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Intel ICH9R SATA RAID

Installing Software

Install Intel Matrix Storage Console

The Intel Application Accelerator RAID Edition driver may be used to operate the hard
drive from which the system is booting or a hard drive that contains important data.
For this reason, you cannot remove or un-install this driver from the system after
installation; however, you will have the ability to un-install all other non-driver
components.

Insert the MSI CD and click on the Intel Matrix Storage Manager to install the
software.

Click on this item

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The InstallShield Wizard will begin automatically for installation showed as following:

Click on the Next button to proceed the installation in the welcoming window.

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Intel ICH9R SATA RAID

The window shows the components to be installed. Click Next button to continue.

After reading the license agreement in the following window, click Yes button to
continue.

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The following window appears to show the Readme File Information. It shows the
system requirements and installation information.

Once the installation is complete, the following window appears.

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Intel ICH9R SATA RAID

RAID Migration Instructions

The Intel Matrix Storage Console offers the flexibility to upgrade from a single Serial
ATA (SATA) hard drive to RAID configuration when an additional SATA hard drive is
added to the system. This process will create a new RAID volume from an existing
disk. However, several important steps must be followed at the time the system is
first configured in order to take advantage of RAID when upgrading to a second
SATA hard drive:

1.BIOS must be configured for RAID before installing Windows on the single

SATA hard drive. Refer to On-Chip ATA Devices for properly setting of
the BIOS.

2.Install the Intel Application Accelerator RAID Driver during Windows Setup.

Refer to Installing Software for instructions on installing the driver dur­ing Windows Setup.

3.Install the Intel Matrix Storage Console after the operating system is installed.

To create a volume from an existing disk, complete the following steps:

Important

A Create from Existing Disk operation will delete all existing data from the
added disk and the data cannot be recovered. It is critical to backup all
important data on the added disk before proceeding. However, during the
migration process, the data on the source disk is preserved.

After the Intel Matrix Storage Console has been successfully installed and the sys­tem has rebooted, click on the Intel Application Accelerator shortcut link (Start --> All
Programs --> Intel Matrix Storage Manager --> Intel Matrix Storage Console)
and the following window will appear:

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Create RAID Volume from Existing Disk

To create a RAID volume from an existing disk, choose Action --> Create RAID
Volume from Existing Hard Drive.

Note: The “Action” button only appears in advance mode. To enable the advance

mode, go to View --> Basic mode and click it.

The Create RAID Volume from Existing Hard Drive Wizard pops up to lead you
for the following procedure. Click Next to continue.

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Intel ICH9R SATA RAID

(1) Step 1: Configure Volume

Here you can configure the new RAID volume by entering the volume name, selecting
the RAID level and strip size.

† RAID Volume Name:

A desired RAID volume name needs to be typed in where the ‘ RAID_Volume1’ text
currently appears above. The RAID volume name has a maximum limit of 16 characters.
The RAID volume name must also be in English alphanumeric ASCII characters.

† RAID Level:

Select the desired RAID level:

RAID 0 (Performance) – A volume optimized for performance will allow you to

access your data more quickly.

RAID 1 (Redundancy) – A volume optimized for data redundancy will provide

you with a realtime duplicate copy of your data. Note:
Only half of the available volume space will be avail­able for data storage.

RAID 5 (Useful) – RAID 5 can be used on three or more disks, with zero

or more spare-disks. The resulting RAID-5 device size
will be (N-1)*S, where N is the how many drive, S is the
size of the smallest drive in the array. If one of the disks
fail, all data are still intact. It can rebuild the disk from
the parity information. If spare disks are available, re­construction will begin immediately after the device
failure. If two disks fail simultaneously, all data are lost.
RAID-5 can survive one disk failure, but not two or
more. Both read and write performance usually
increase, but can be hard to predict how much. Reads
are similar to RAID-0 reads, writes can be either rather

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expensive (requiring read-in prior to write, in order to
be able to calculate the correct parity information), or
similar to RAID-1 writes. The write efficiency depends
heavily on the amount of memory in the machine, and
the usage pattern of the array. Heavily scattered writes

RAID 10 (Mirrored Stripes) – A RAID 1 array of two RAID 0 arrays.

† Strip Sizes:

Select the desired strip size setting. As indicated, the optimal setting is 128KB. Se­lecting any other option may result in performance degradation. Even though 128KB
is the recommended setting for most users, you should choose the strip size value
which is best suited to your specific RAID usage model. The most typical strip size
settings are:

4KB: For specialized usage models requiring 4KB strips
8KB: For specialized usage models requiring 8KB strips
16KB: Best for sequential transfers
32KB: Good for sequential transfers
64KB: Good general purpose strip size
128KB: Best performance for most desktops and workstations

(2) Select the source disk
Then select the source disk that you wish to use and then click “--->” to move it to the
Selected field. Then click Next to continue.

It is very important to note which disk is the source disk (the one containing all of the
information to be migrated) and which one is the target disk. On a RAID Ready
system, this can be determined by making a note during POST of which port the single
disk is attached to.
You can also use the Intel Application Accelerator RAID Edition utility before the
second disk is installed to verify the Port and serial number of the drive that contains
all the data.

are bound to be more expensive.

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Intel ICH9R SATA RAID

(3) Select Member Hard Drive(s)
Then select the member disk (the target disk) that you wish to use and then click “-

-->” to move it to the Selected field. Then click Next to continue.

Please note that the existing data on the selected hard drive(s) will be deleted
permanently. Do not forget to back up all the important data before continuing.

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(4) Specify Volume Size

Specify the amount of available array space to be used by the new RAID volume. You
may enter the amount in the space or use the slider to specify. It is recommended you
use 100% of the available space for the optimized usage. For RAID 0 volume, if you
do not specify 100% of the hard drive space, the rest hard drive space will be
worked as RAID 1 volume, which is the new technology called Intel Matrix RAID. Then
click Next to continue.

(5) Start Creating RAID Volume from Existing Hard Drive Wizard

Before you continue the procedure of RAID volume creation from existing hard drive,
read the dialogue box below carefully. Please note that once you click Finish, the
existing data on the selected hard drive(s) will be deleted permanently and this
operation cannot be undone. It is critical that you backup all important data before
selecting Finish to start the migration process.

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Intel ICH9R SATA RAID

(6) Start Migration

The migration process may take up to two hours to complete depending on the size
of the disks being used and the strip size selected. A dialogue window will appear
stating that the migration process may take considerable time to complete, meanwhile
a popup dialogue at the taskbar will also show the migration status. While you can still
continue using your computer during the migration process, once the migration proc­ess starts, it cannot be stopped. If the migration process gets interrupted and your
system is rebooted for any reason, it will pick up the migration process where it left
off. You will be provided with an estimated completion time (the remaining time will
depend on your system) once the migration process starts.

The following screen appears if the migration process is completed successfully.
Then you have to reboot your system to use the full capacity of the new volume.

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Degraded RAID Array

A RAID 1, RAID 5 or RAID 10 volume is reported as degraded when one of its hard
drive members fails or is temporarily disconnected, and data mirroring is lost. As a
result, the system can only utilize theremaining functional hard drive member. To re­establish data mirroring and restore data redundancy, refer to the procedure below
that corresponds to the current situation.

Missing Hard Drive Member

1. Make sure the system is powered off.

2. Reconnect the hard drive.

3. Reboot the system to Windows; the rebuild will occur automatically.

Failed Hard Drive Member

1. Make sure the system is powered off.

2. Replace the failed hard drive with a new one that is of equal or greater
capacity.

3. Reboot the system to Intel RAID Option ROM by press <Ctrl> and <I> keys
simultaneously during the Power-On Self Test (POST).

4. Select the port of the destination disk for rebuilding, and then press ENTER.

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Intel ICH9R SATA RAID

5. Exit Intel RAID Option ROM, and then reboot to Windows system.

6. When prompted to rebuild the RAID volume, click 'Yes'.

7. The Intel(R) Storage Utility will be launched. Right-click the new hard drive and
select 'Rebuild to this Disk'. The 'Rebuild Wizard' will be launched which will
guide you through the process of rebuilding to the new hard drive.

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