MSI Z170A User Manual

Unpacking

Thank you for buying the MSI® Z170A GAMING M6 motherboard. Check to make sure your motherboard box contains the following items. If something is missing, contact your dealer as soon as possible.

Drivers & Utilities

Motherboard User

Disc

Guide

Motherboard

SATA Cable x4

I/O Shield

SLI Bridge

Connector x1

Unpacking 1

Safety Information

yThe components included in this package are prone to damage from electrostatic discharge (ESD). Please adhere to the following instructions to ensure successful computer assembly.

yEnsure that all components are securely connected. Loose connections may cause the computer to not recognize a component or fail to start.

yHold the motherboard by the edges to avoid touching sensitive components.

yIt is recommended to wear an electrostatic discharge (ESD) wrist strap when handling the motherboard to prevent electrostatic damage. If an ESD wrist strap is not available, discharge yourself of static electricity by touching another metal object before handling the motherboard.

yStore the motherboard in an electrostatic shielding container or on an anti-static pad whenever the motherboard is not installed.

yBefore turning on the computer, ensure that there are no loose screws or metal components on the motherboard or anywhere within the computer case.

yDo not boot the computer before installation is completed. This could cause permanent damage to the components as well as injury to the user.

yIf you need help during any installation step, please consult a certified computer technician.

yAlways turn off the power supply and unplug the power cord from the power outlet before installing or removing any computer component.

yKeep this user guide for future reference.

yKeep this motherboard away from humidity.

yMake sure that your electrical outlet provides the same voltage as is indicated on the PSU, before connecting the PSU to the electrical outlet.

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

yAll cautions and warnings on the motherboard should be noted.

yIf any of the following situations arises, get the motherboard checked by service personnel:

Liquid has penetrated into the computer.

The motherboard has been exposed to moisture.

The motherboard does not work well or you can not get it work according to user guide.

The motherboard has been dropped and damaged.

The motherboard has obvious sign of breakage.

yDo not leave this motherboard in an environment above 60°C (140°F), it may damage the motherboard.

2 Safety Information

Quick Start

Preparing Tools and Components

Intel® LGA 1151 CPU	CPU Fan	Thermal Paste

DDR4 Memory

Power Supply Unit

Chassis

SATA DVD Drive

SATA Hard Disk Drive

Graphics Card

Phillips Screwdriver

A Package of Screws

Quick Start 3

Installing a Processor	2

http://youtu.be/bf5La099urI

1

3

	7
4	5

6

8

9

4 Quick Start

Installing DDR4 memory

http://youtu.be/T03aDrJPyQs

1

1

	2
2	3

3

Quick Start 5

Connecting the Front Panel Header

http://youtu.be/DPELIdVNZUI

		-
		LED
	LED+		POWER
			POWER
	LED
SW		HDD
POWER
SW
RESET

	2					10		1	HDD LED +	2	Power LED +
								3	HDD LED -	4	Power LED -
								5	Reset Switch	6	Power Switch
	1					9
			JFP1					7	Reset Switch	8	Power Switch
								9	Reserved	10	No Pin

RESETSW

HDDLED

	HDD LED						HDD LED -
							HDD LED +
							POWER LED -
	POWER LED						POWER LED +

6 Quick Start

Installing the Motherboard

1

2

Quick Start 7

Installing SATA Drives

http://youtu.be/RZsMpqxythc	1

2	3

5

4

8 Quick Start

Installing a Graphics Card

http://youtu.be/mG0GZpr9w_A

1

2

3

5

4

Quick Start 9

Connecting Peripheral Devices

10 Quick Start

Connecting the Power Connectors

http://youtu.be/gkDYyR_83I4

ATX_PWR1	CPU_PWR1

Quick Start 11

Power On

1

2

3

4

12 Quick Start

Contents
Unpacking..............................................................................................................	1
Safety Information.................................................................................................	2
Quick Start .............................................................................................................	3
Preparing Tools and Components..........................................................................	3
Installing a Processor.............................................................................................	4
Installing DDR4 memory ........................................................................................	5
Connecting the Front Panel Header.......................................................................	6
Installing the Motherboard.....................................................................................	7
Installing SATA Drives.............................................................................................	8
Installing a Graphics Card ......................................................................................	9
Connecting Peripheral Devices ............................................................................	10
Connecting the Power Connectors.......................................................................	11
Power On...............................................................................................................	12
Specifications.......................................................................................................	15
Block Diagram ....................................................................................................	21
Rear I/O Panel .....................................................................................................	22
LAN Port LED Status Table...................................................................................	22
Audio Ports Configuration ....................................................................................	22
Realtek HD Audio Manager ..................................................................................	23
Overview of Components ....................................................................................	25
CPU Socket ...........................................................................................................	27
DIMM Slots............................................................................................................	28
PCI_E1~7: PCIe Expansion Slots..........................................................................	29
SATA1~6: SATA 6Gb/s Connectors .......................................................................	31
SE1_43-SE2_65: SATAe Connectors ....................................................................	31
M2_1~2: M.2 Slots (M-Key)...................................................................................	32
CPU_PWR1, ATX_PWR1: Power Connectors .......................................................	35
JUSB1~2: USB 2.0 Connectors.............................................................................	36
JUSB3: USB 3.1 Gen1 Connector .........................................................................	36
JFP1, JFP2: Front Panel Connectors ...................................................................	37
JAUD1: Front Audio Connector ............................................................................	37
JTPM1: TPM Module Connector...........................................................................	37
JCOM1: Serial Port Connector .............................................................................	38
JCI1: Chassis Intrusion Connector.......................................................................	38
CPU_FAN1~2, SYS_FAN1~3: Fan Connectors......................................................	39
SLOW_1: Slow Mode Booting Switch....................................................................	40

Contents 13

JBAT1: Clear CMOS (Reset BIOS) Jumper ...........................................................	40
LED Status Indicators..........................................................................................	41
LED Status Table...................................................................................................	41
Debug Code LED...................................................................................................	41
BIOS Setup...........................................................................................................	45
Entering BIOS Setup.............................................................................................	45
Resetting BIOS......................................................................................................	46
Updating BIOS.......................................................................................................	46
Advanced Mode ....................................................................................................	49
SETTINGS..............................................................................................................	50
Advanced...............................................................................................................	50
Boot.......................................................................................................................	56
Security.................................................................................................................	57
Save & Exit............................................................................................................	58
OC..........................................................................................................................	59
M-FLASH ..............................................................................................................	67
OC PROFILE..........................................................................................................	68
HARDWARE MONITOR..........................................................................................	69
Software Description...........................................................................................	70
Installing Windows® 7/ 8.1/ 10..............................................................................	70
Installing Drivers ..................................................................................................	70
Installing Utilities .................................................................................................	70
COMMAND CENTER .............................................................................................	71
LIVE UPDATE 6......................................................................................................	75
GAMING APP.........................................................................................................	77
M-CLOUD ..............................................................................................................	81
RAMDISK...............................................................................................................	84
Killer Network Manager.......................................................................................	85
Nahimic.................................................................................................................	86
XSplit Gamecaster V2 ...........................................................................................	88
Intel® Extreme Tuning Utility................................................................................	92
RAID Configuration..............................................................................................	93
Using Intel® Rapid Storage Technology Option ROM ...........................................	93
Degraded RAID Array ...........................................................................................	96
M.2 PCIe SSD RAID...............................................................................................	98
Regulatory Notices............................................................................................	100

14 Contents

Specifications

	CPU	Supports 6th Gen Intel® Core™ i3/i5/i7 processors, and Intel®
		Pentium® and Celeron® processors for Socket LGA1151
	Chipset	Intel® Z170 Chipset
		y 4x DDR4 memory slots, support up to 64GB*
			Supports DDR4 3600(OC)/ 3200(OC)/ 3000(OC)/ 2800(OC)/
			2600(OC)/ 2400/ 2133 MHz
	Memory	y Dual channel memory architecture
		y	Supports ECC, un-buffered memory
			ECC UDIMM memory (non-ECC mode)
		y Supports Intel® Extreme Memory Profile (XMP)
			* For the latest information about memory, please visit http://www.msi.com
		y 3x PCIe 3.0 x16 slots (support x16, x8/x8, x8/x8/x4 or x8/
	Expansion Slots		x8/x1 modes)
		y 4x PCIe 3.0 x1 slots
		y 1x HDMI™ port, support a maximum resolution of
	Onboard Graphics		4096x2160@24Hz, 2560x1600@60Hz
		y	1x DVI-D port, support a maximum resolution of
			1920x1200@60Hz
	Multi-GPU	y Supports 3-Way AMD® CrossFire™ Technology
		y	Supports 2-Way NVIDIA® SLI™ Technology
		Intel® Z170 Chipset
		y 6x SATA 6Gb/s ports* (4 ports from SATAe ports)
		y 2x M.2 slots (Key M)
			Supports up to PCIe 3.0 x4 and SATA 6Gb/s
			Supports 2242/ 2260/ 2280 storage devices
			Supports PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe Mini-SAS SSD with Turbo U.2
	Storage		Host Card**
		y	2x SATAe ports (compatible with 4 SATA ports)
			Supports up to PCIe 3.0 x2
		y Supports Intel® Smart Response Technology for Intel
			Core™ processors***
			* M.2, SATA and SATAe ports maximum support 1x M.2_PCIe + 6x SATAs or 1x
			M.2_SATA + 1x M.2_PCIe + 4x SATAs. Please refer to page 33 for M.2 slots
			with examples of various combination possibilities.
			** The Turbo U.2 Host Card is not included, please purchase separately.
			*** This function will be supported depend on the CPU.
			Continued on next page

Specifications 15

		Continued from previous page
		Intel® Z170 Chipset
		y Supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5 and RAID 10 for SATA
	RAID	storage devices
		y Supports RAID 0 and RAID 1 for M.2 PCIe storage devices*
		* M.2 PCIe RAID volume can be created with UEFI BIOS
		y ASMedia® ASM2142 Chipset
		1x USB 3.1 Gen2 (SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps) port on the
		back panel
		1x USB 3.1 Gen2 (SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps) Type-C port
		on the back panel
	USB	y Intel® Z170 Chipset
		6x USB 3.1 Gen1 (SuperSpeed USB) ports (4 ports on the
		back panel, 2 ports available through the internal USB
		connector)
		6x USB 2.0 (High-speed USB) ports (2 ports on the
		back panel, 4 ports available through the internal USB
		connectors)
		y Realtek® ALC1150 Codec
	Audio	y 7.1-Channel High Definition Audio
		y Supports S/PDIF output
	LAN	1x Killer™ E2500 Gigabit LAN controller
		y 1x PS/2 keyboard/ mouse port
		y 2x USB 2.0 ports
		y 1x DVI-D port
		y 1x USB 3.1 Gen2 port
	Back Panel	y 1x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C port
	Connectors	y 4x USB 3.1 Gen1 ports
		y 1x HDMI™ port
		y 1x LAN (RJ45) port
		y 1x Optical S/PDIF OUT connector
		y 5x OFC audio jacks
		Continued on next page

16 Specifications

Continued from previous page

y1x 24-pin ATX main power connector

y1x 8-pin ATX 12V power connector

y6x SATA 6Gb/s connectors

y2x SATAe connectors

y2x USB 2.0 connectors (supports additional 4 USB 2.0 ports)

y1x USB 3.1 Gen1 connector (supports additional 2 USB 3.1 Gen1 ports)

y2x 4-pin CPU fan connectors

Internal Connectors y 3x 4-pin system fan connectors

y1x Front panel audio connector

y2x Front panel connectors

y1x TPM module connector

y1x Serial port connector

y1x Chassis Intrusion connector

y1x Slow mode switch

y1x Clear CMOS jumper

y1x 2-Digit Debug Code LED

	I/O Controller	NUVOTON NCT6793 Controller Chip
		y CPU/System temperature detection
	Hardware Monitor	y CPU/System fan speed detection
		y CPU/System fan speed control
	Form Factor	y ATX Form Factor
		y 12 in. x 9.6 in. (30.5 cm x 24.4 cm)
		y 1x 128 Mb flash
	BIOS Features	y UEFI AMI BIOS
		y ACPI 5.0, PnP 1.0a, SM BIOS 2.8
		y Multi-language
		Continued on next page

Specifications 17

Continued from previous page

	y Drivers
	y COMMAND CENTER
	y LIVE UPDATE 6
	y FAST BOOT
	y SUPER CHARGER
	y GAMING APP
	y DRAGON EYE
	y M-CLOUD
Software	y RAMDISK
	y Killer Network Manager
	y Nahimic Audio
	y XSplit Gamecaster V2
	y Intel® Extreme Tuning Utility
	y Norton™ Security
	y Google Chrome™ ,Google Toolbar, Google Drive
	y SteelSeries Engine 3
	y CPU-Z MSI GAMING
	y AUDIO BOOST 3
	Isolated Audio PCB
	EMI Shielding
	Dual Headphone Amplifiers
	High Quality Audio Capacitors
	Golden Audio Connectors
	y GAME BOOST
	Easy Overclocking
	y GAMING LAN
Enthusiast GAMING	Killer E2500 Ethernet
Features	Killer Network Manager
	EMI Shielding
	Electric Wave Surge
	y GAMING APP
	System Mode Switching: OC/Gaming/Silent
	Gaming Hotkey
	Gaming Mouse Control
	y Optimized Thermal Design
	Heat-pipe Direct Touch Technology
	Dual Touch Thermal Design
	Continued on next page

18 Specifications

Continued from previous page

		y Nahimic
		Sound Effect Equalizer
		Microphone Noise Reduction
		HD Audio Recorder
		y XSplit
	Enthusiast GAMING	XSplit Gamecaster
		XSplit Broadcaster
	Features	y GAMING CERTIFIED
		y WTFast GPN*
		2-Month Premium License
		Multi-Server Network Optimization
		Advanced Lag Spike & Disconnect Reduction
		* This offer is valid for a limited period only, for more information please visit
		www.msi.com
		y CLICK BIOS 5
		EZ Mode & Advanced Mode Switching
		Board Explorer
		Hardware Monitor
		y MILITARY CLASS 5
		Military Class Component
		Military Class Stability and Reliability
		ESD Protection
		EMI Protection
	MSI Exclusive	Humidity Protection
			Circuit Protection
	Features
			High Temperature Protection
		Steel Armor PCIe Slots
		VGA Armor Slot
		y COMMAND CENTER
		System Monitor
		Smart Fan Control
		y RAMDISK
		y LIVE UPDATE 6
		y M-CLOUD
		y CPU-Z MSI GAMING
			Continued on next page

Specifications 19

Continued from previous page

	y DDR4 Boost Support
	Dual-Channel DDR4 Memory Support
	Isolated DDR4 Circuit Design
	DDR4 XMP Ready
	Steel Armor Ready
	y PCI Express 3.0 Support
	2-Way Nvidia SLITM Support
	3-Way AMD CrossFireTM Support
Specification	y USB 3.1 Gen2 Ready
Highlights	USB 3.1 Gen2 (10 Gb/s) Type-C Ready
	USB 3.1 Gen2 (10 Gb/s) Type-A Ready
	y Twin Turbo M.2 Ready
	Dual M.2 RAID Support
	PCIe 3.0 x4 (32 Gb/s) Support
	PCIe / SATA Dual Mode Support
	y SATA Express Support
	y NVMe / AHCI Driver Support
	y U.2 Support (Optional)

20 Specifications

Block Diagram

HDMI

DVI-D

x8	x16
PCI Express Bus
2 x M.2	x4
2 x SATA Express	x2	Switch
(4 x SATA 6Gb/s)
2 x SATA 6Gb/s
6 x USB 3.1 Gen1
6 x USB 2.0

2 Channel DDR4 Memory

CPU

			x1		PCIe x1
			x1		PCIe x1
			Switch	x1	PCIe x1
	DMI 3.0	PCI	x1		PCIe x1
ExpressPCI
		BusExpress	x4		PCIe x4
Bus		Z170
			PCI Express Bus x2			ASMEDIA
						ASM2142	2 x USB 3.1 Gen2

LPC Bus

NV6793	Realtek
Super I/O	ALC1150
P/S2 Mouse / Keyboard	Audio Jacks

Block Diagram 21

Rear I/O Panel

		Audio Ports
PS/2	USB 3.1 Gen1	LAN
	USB 3.1 Gen2

USB 2.0	DVI-D	Optical S/PDIF-Out
		USB 3.1 Gen1

USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C

LAN Port LED Status Table

Link/ Activity LED

Status	Description
Off	No link
Yellow	Linked
Blinking	Data activity

Speed LED

Status	Description
Off	10 Mbps connection
Green	100 Mbps connection
Orange	1 Gbps connection

Audio Ports Configuration

	Audio Ports		Channel
		2	4	6	8
	Center/ Subwoofer Out			●	●
	Rear Speaker Out		●	●	●
	Line-In/ Side Speaker Out				●
	Line-Out/ Front Speaker Out	●	●	●	●
	Mic In
	(●: connected, Blank: empty)

22 Rear I/O Panel

Realtek HD Audio Manager

After installing the Realtek HD Audio driver, the Realtek HD Audio Manager icon will appear in the system tray. Double click on this icon to launch.

Device

Selection Advanced

Settings

Jack Status

Application

Enhancement

Main Volume											Connector
											Strings
						Profiles

yDevice Selection - allows you to select a audio output source to change the related options. The check sign indicates the devices as default.

yApplication Enhancement - the array of options will provide you a complete guidance of anticipated sound effect for both output and input device.

yMain Volume - controls the volume or balance the right/left side of the speakers that you plugged in front or rear panel by adjust the bar.

yProfiles - toggles between profiles.

yAdvanced Settings - provides the mechanism to deal with 2 independent audio streams.

yJack Status - depicts all render and capture devices currently connected with your computer.

yConnector Settings - configures the connection settings.

Auto popup dialog

When you plug into a device at an audio jack, a dialogue window will pop up asking you which device is current connected.

Each jack corresponds to its default setting as shown on the next page.

Rear I/O Panel 23

Audio jacks to headphone and microphone diagram

Audio jacks to stereo speakers diagram

AUDIO INPUT

Audio jacks to 7.1-channel speakers diagram

AUDIO INPUT

Rear	Front
Side	Center/
	Subwoofer

24 Rear I/O Panel

Overview of Components

PCI_E1

M2_1

PCI_E2

PCI_E3

JBAT1 PCI_E4

PCI_E5

PCI_E6

M2_2

PCI_E7

DIMMA1 DIMMB1

SYS_FAN1

DIMMA2 DIMMB2

CPU_FAN1

CPU_PWR1

CPU Socket

CPU_FAN2

SYS_FAN3

ATX_PWR1

JUSB3

SATA1_2

SE1_43-SE2_65

JCI1

POST

JFP2

JAUD1

JFP1

SYS_

FAN2

JUSB1

SLOW_1

JUSB2

JTBT1*

JCOM1

JTPM1

* JTBT1 is used to connect a specific card.

Overview of Components 25

Component Contents

Port Name	Port Type	Page
CPU_FAN1~2, SYS_FAN1~3	Fan Connectors	39
CPU Socket	LGA1151 CPU Socket	27
DIMMA1~2, DIMMB1~2	DIMM Slots	28
JAUD1	Front Audio Connector	37
JBAT1	Clear CMOS (Reset BIOS) Jumper	40
JCI1	Chassis Intrusion Connector	38
JCOM1	Serial Port Connector	38
JFP1, JFP2	Front Panel Connectors	37
CPU_PWR1, ATX_PWR1	Power Connectors	35
JTPM1	TPM Module Connector	37
JUSB1~2	USB 2.0 Connectors	36
JUSB3	USB 3.1 Gen1 Connector	36
M2_1~2	M.2 Slots (M-Key)	32
PCI_E1~7	PCIe Expansion Slots	29
SATA1~6	SATA 6Gb/s Connectors	31
SE1_43-SE2_65	SATAe Connectors	31
SLOW_1	Slow Mode Booting Switch	40

26 Overview of Components

CPU Socket

Introduction to the LGA 1151 CPU

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

Important

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Overview of Components 27

DIMM Slots

DIMMA1

DIMMB1

Channel A

Channel B

DIMMA2

DIMMB2

Memory module installation recommendation

	DIMMB2	DIMMB2
		DIMMB1
DIMMA2	DIMMA2	DIMMA2
		DIMMA1

Important

yAlways insert memory modules in the DIMMA2 slot first.

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

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

yPlease note that the maximum capacity of addressable memory is 4GB or less for 32-bit Windows OS due to the memory address limitation. Therefore, we

recommended that you to install 64-bit Windows OS if you want to install more than 4GB memory on the motherboard.

ySome memory may operate at a lower frequency than the marked value when overclocking due to the memory frequency operates dependent on its Serial Presence Detect (SPD). Go to BIOS and find the Memory Try It! to set the memory frequency if you want to operate the memory at the marked or at a higher frequency.

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

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

28 Overview of Components

PCI_E1~7: PCIe Expansion Slots

PCI_E1: PCIe 3.0 x1

PCI_E2: PCIe 3.0 x16/ x8

PCI_E3: PCIe 3.0 x1

PCI_E4: PCIe 3.0 x1

PCI_E5: PCIe 3.0 x8

PCI_E6: PCIe 3.0 x1

PCI_E7: PCIe 3.0 x4/ x1

Multiple graphics cards installation recommendation

x16	x8	x8

				Important
				y PCI_E7 will only run x1 mode, when an
				extension card is installed in PCI_E3/
				PCI_E4/ PCI_E6 slot.
				y For a single PCIe x16 expansion
				card installation with optimum
				performance, using the PCI_E2 slot is
				recommended.
				y When adding or removing expansion
				cards, always turn off the power supply
				and unplug the power supply power
	x8			cable from the power outlet. Read the
		x8	x4	expansion card’s documentation to
				check for any necessary additional

hardware or software changes.

Overview of Components 29

Installing SLI graphics cards

For power supply recommendations for SLI configurations, please refer to the user guide of your graphics card to make sure you meet all the system requirements.

To install SLI graphics cards:

1.Turn off your computer and disconnect the power cord, install two graphics cards into the PCI_E2 and PCI_E5 slots.

2.Connect the two cards together using the SLI Bridge Connector.

3.Connect all PCIe power connectors of the graphics cards.

4.Reconnect the power cord, power up the computer and install the drivers and software included in your graphics card package.

5.Right-click the Windows desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel from the menu, click on Configure SLI, Surround, PhysX in the left task pane and select Maximize 3D performance in the SLI configuration menu, and then click Apply.

30 Overview of Components