MSI Z170A MPower Gaming Titanium operation manual
Unpacking
Thank you for buying the MSI® Z170A MPOWER GAMING TITANIUM motherboard.
Check to make sure your motherboard box contains the following items. If something
is missing, contact your dealer as soon as possible.
Motherboard
I/O Shield
SLI Bridge
Connector
Drivers & Utilities
Disc
SATA Cable x6
M-Connector
Motherboard User
Guide
SATA Cable Labels
Door Hanger
Unpacking
1
Safety Information
y The components included in this package are prone to damage from electrostatic
discharge (ESD). Please adhere to the following instructions to ensure successful
computer assembly.
y Ensure that all components are securely connected. Loose connections may cause
the computer to not recognize a component or fail to start.
y Hold the motherboard by the edges to avoid touching sensitive components.
y It is recommended to wear an electrostatic discharge (ESD) wrist strap when
handling the motherboard to prevent electrostatic damage. If an ESD wrist strap
is not available, discharge yourself of static electricity by touching another metal
object before handling the motherboard.
y Store the motherboard in an electrostatic shielding container or on an anti-static
pad whenever the motherboard is not installed.
y Before turning on the computer, ensure that there are no loose screws or metal
components on the motherboard or anywhere within the computer case.
y Do not boot the computer before installation is completed. This could cause
permanent damage to the components as well as injury to the user.
y If you need help during any installation step, please consult a certified computer
technician.
y Always turn off the power supply and unplug the power cord from the power outlet
before installing or removing any computer component.
y Keep this user guide for future reference.
y Keep this motherboard away from humidity.
y Make sure that your electrical outlet provides the same voltage as is indicated on
the PSU, before connecting the PSU to the electrical outlet.
y Place the power cord such a way that people can not step on it. Do not place
anything over the power cord.
y All cautions and warnings on the motherboard should be noted.
y If any of the following situations arises, get the motherboard checked by service
personnel:
Liquid has penetrated into the computer.
The motherboard has been exposed to moisture.
The motherboard does not work well or you can not get it work according to user
guide.
The motherboard has been dropped and damaged.
The motherboard has obvious sign of breakage.
y Do not leave this motherboard in an environment above 60°C (140°F), it may damage
the motherboard.
Safety Information
2
Quick Start
Preparing Tools and Components
Intel® LGA 1151 CPU
DDR4 Memory
SATA DVD Drive
CPU Fan Thermal Paste
Chassis
SATA Hard Disk Drive
Power Supply Unit
Graphics Card
Phillips Screwdriver
A Package of Screws
Quick Start
3
Installing a Processor
2
http://youtu.be/bf5La099urI
3
1
7
4
5
6
Quick Start
4
8
9
Installing DDR4 memory
http://youtu.be/T03aDrJPyQs
1
1
2
2
3
3
Quick Start
5
Connecting the Front Panel Header
RESET SW
POWER SW
POWER LED+
POWER LED-
HDD LED
http://youtu.be/DPELIdVNZUI
Quick Start
6
2 10
1
JFP1
1 HDD LED + 2 Power LED +
3 HDD LED - 4 Power LED -
5 Reset Switch 6 Power Switch
9
7 Reset Switch 8 Power Switch
9 Reserved 10 No Pin
HDD LED
POWER LED
RESET SW
HDD LED
JFP1
HDD LED HDD LED +
POWER LED POWER LED +
Installing the Motherboard
1
2
Quick Start
7
Installing SATA Drives
http://youtu.be/RZsMpqxythc
2
1
3
Quick Start
8
5
4
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
JPWR1
JPWR2
Quick Start
11
Power On
1
2
3
12
4
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 ....................................................................................................... 16
Block Diagram .................................................................................................... 22
Rear I/O Panel ..................................................................................................... 23
LAN Port LED Status Table................................................................................... 23
Audio Ports Configuration .................................................................................... 23
Realtek HD Audio Manager .................................................................................. 24
Overview of Components .................................................................................... 26
CPU Socket ........................................................................................................... 28
DIMM Slots ............................................................................................................ 29
PCI_E1~6: PCIe Expansion Slots .......................................................................... 30
PCIe slots bandwidth table ................................................................................... 30
SATA1~6: SATA 6Gb/s Connectors ....................................................................... 33
M2_1 & M2_2: M.2 Slot (Key M) ............................................................................ 34
U2_1: U.2 Connector ............................................................................................. 35
JPWR1~2: Power Connectors ............................................................................... 38
JFP1, JFP2: Front Panel Connectors ................................................................... 39
JTPM1: TPM Module Connector ........................................................................... 39
USB4: USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-C Connector ............................................................... 40
JUSB2~3: USB 3.1 Gen1 Connectors ................................................................... 40
JUSB1: USB 2.0 Connector .................................................................................. 41
JAUD1: Front Audio Connector ............................................................................41
Contents
13
CPUFAN1~2,SYSFAN1~3: Fan Connectors .......................................................... 42
JCI1: Chassis Intrusion Connector ....................................................................... 43
JSLOW1: Slow Mode Booting Jumper .................................................................. 44
JBAT1: Clear CMOS (Reset BIOS) Jumper ........................................................... 44
FV1: V-Check Points ............................................................................................. 45
JLED1: RGB LED connector ................................................................................. 45
LED Status Indicators .......................................................................................... 46
LED Status Table................................................................................................... 46
Debug Code LED Table ......................................................................................... 47
BIOS Setup ........................................................................................................... 48
Entering BIOS Setup ............................................................................................. 48
Resetting BIOS ...................................................................................................... 49
Updating BIOS ....................................................................................................... 49
EZ Mode ................................................................................................................ 50
Advanced Mode .................................................................................................... 52
SETTINGS .............................................................................................................. 53
Advanced ............................................................................................................... 53
Boot ....................................................................................................................... 59
Security ................................................................................................................. 60
Save & Exit ............................................................................................................ 61
OC .......................................................................................................................... 62
M-FLASH .............................................................................................................. 71
OC PROFILE .......................................................................................................... 72
HARDWARE MONITOR .......................................................................................... 73
Software Description ........................................................................................... 74
Installing Windows® 7/ 8.1/ 10.............................................................................. 74
Installing Drivers .................................................................................................. 74
Installing Utilities ................................................................................................. 74
COMMAND CENTER ............................................................................................. 75
LIVE UPDATE 6 ...................................................................................................... 79
GAMING APP ......................................................................................................... 81
M-CLOUD .............................................................................................................. 85
RAMDISK............................................................................................................... 88
USB SPEED UP ..................................................................................................... 89
DRAGON EYE ........................................................................................................ 90
GAMING LAN MANAGER ...................................................................................... 91
Contents
14
Nahimic 2 .............................................................................................................. 93
XSplit Gamecaster V2 ........................................................................................... 97
®
Intel
Extreme Tuning Utility .............................................................................. 101
RAID Configuration ............................................................................................ 102
Using Intel® Rapid Storage Technology Option ROM ......................................... 102
Degraded RAID Array ......................................................................................... 105
M.2 PCIe SSD RAID ............................................................................................. 107
Troubleshooting ................................................................................................ 109
Regulatory Notices ............................................................................................ 110
Contents
15
Specifications
CPU
Supports 6th Gen Intel® Core™ i3/i5/i7 processors, and Intel®
Pentium® and Celeron® processors for Socket LGA1151
Chipset Intel
y 4x DDR4 memory slots, support up to 64GB
Memory
y Dual channel memory architecture
y Supports ECC, un-buffered memory
y Supports Intel
* For the latest information about memory, please visit http://www.msi.com
y 3x PCIe 3.0 x16 slots*
Expansion Slots
Multi-GPU
y 3x PCIe 3.0 x1 slots*
* PCI_E6 slot and PCIe x1 slots share the same bandwidth. Please refer to
y Supports 3-Way AMD
y Supports 2-Way NVIDIA
y ASMedia
y Intel
USB
®
Z170 Chipset
Supports DDR4 3600(OC)/ 3200(OC)/ 3000(OC)/ 2800(OC)/
2600(OC)/ 2400/ 2133 MHz
ECC UDIMM memory (non-ECC mode)*
®
Extreme Memory Profile (XMP)
page 30 for PCIe slots bandwidth table.
®
CrossFire™ Technology
®
SLI™ Technology
®
ASM1142 Chipset
1x USB 3.1 Gen2 (SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps) port on the
back panel
1x USB 3.1 Gen2 (Super Speed USB 10Gbps) Type-C port
on the back panel
®
Z170 Chipset
6x USB 3.1 Gen1 (SuperSpeed USB) ports (2 ports on the
back panel, 4 ports available through the internal USB
connectors)
1x USB 3.1 Gen1 (SuperSpeed USB) Type-C port on the
board
6x USB 2.0 (High-speed USB) ports (4 ports on the
back panel, 2 ports available through the internal USB
connector)
16
Continued on next page
Specifications
Storage
Audio
Continued from previous page
®
Intel
Z170 Chipset
y 6x SATA 6Gb/s ports*
Support RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5 and RAID 10
y 2x M.2 slots (Key M)*
Supports up to PCIe 3.0 x4 and SATA 6Gb/s
Supports 2242/ 2260/ 2280/ 22110 storage devices**
Supports RAID 0 and RAID 1 for M.2 PCIe Storage
devices***
y 1x U.2 port*
Supports PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe storage
y Supports Intel
* M.2 SATAs and SATA1, 2, 5 and 6 share the same bandwidth. M2_2 slot and
U.2 port share the same bandwidth. Please refer to page 36 for M.2/ U.2 &
SATA combination table.
** Only M2_1 slot supports type 22110 storage device.
*** M.2 PCIe RAID volume can be created with UEFI BIOS.
****This function will be supported depend on the CPU.
y Realtek
®
Smart Response Technology****
®
ALC1150 Codec
y 7.1-Channel High Definition Audio
y Supports S/PDIF output
LAN
Back Panel
Connectors
1x Intel I219 Gigabit LAN controller
y 1x PS/2 keyboard/ mouse combo port
y 4x USB 2.0 ports
y 1x DVI-D port
y 1x USB 3.1 Gen2 port
y 1x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C port
y 1x HDMI port
y 1x LAN (RJ45) port
y 2x USB 3.1 Gen1 ports
y 1x Optical S/PDIF OUT connector
y 5x OFC audio jacks
Continued on next page
Specifications
17
Continued from previous page
y 1x 24-pin ATX main power connector
y 1x 8-pin ATX 12V power connector
y 6x SATA 6Gb/s connectors
y 2x M.2 slots
y 1x U.2 port
y 1x USB 2.0 connector (supports additional 2 USB 2.0
ports)
y 2x USB 3.1 Gen1 connectors (supports additional 4 USB
3.1 Gen1 ports)
Internal Connectors
I/O Controller NUVOTON NCT6793D Controller Chip
Hardware Monitor
y 1x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-C port
y 2x 4-pin CPU fan connectors
y 3x 4-pin system fan connectors
y 1x Front panel audio connector
y 2x Front panel connectors
y 1x TPM module connector
y 1x Chassis Intrusion connector
y 1x RGB LED connector
y 1x Clear CMOS jumper
y 1x Slow mode booting jumper
y CPU/System temperature detection
y CPU/System fan speed detection
y CPU/System fan speed control
18
Specifications
Form Factor
BIOS Features
y ATX Form Factor
y 12 in. x 9.6 in. (30.5 cm x 24.4 cm)
y 1x 128 Mb flash
y UEFI AMI BIOS
y ACPI 5.0, PnP 1.0a, SM BIOS 2.8
y Multi-language
Continued on next page
Software
Enthusiast GAMING
Features
Continued from previous page
y Drivers
y COMMAND CENTER
y LIVE UPDATE 6
y FAST BOOT
y SUPER CHARGER
y GAMING APP
y USB SPEED UP
y DRAGON EYE
y M-CLOUD
y RAMDISK
y GAMING LAN MANAGER
y Nahimic 2
y XSplit Gamecaster V2
®
y Intel
Extreme Tuning Utility
™
y Norton
y Google Chrome
Internet Security Solution
™
,Google Toolbar, Google Drive
y SteelSeries Engine 3
y CPU-Z
y GAMING CERTIFIED
y AUDIO BOOST 3
Isolated Audio PCB
EMI Shielding
High Quality Audio Capacitors
Golden Audio Connectors
y GAME BOOST
Easy Overclocking
y GAMING LAN
®
Intel
Gigabit Ethernet
y GAMING APP
System Mode Switching: OC/Gaming/Silent
Gaming Hotkey
Gaming Mouse Control
Gaming LED Control
y Optimized Thermal Design
Continued on next page
Specifications
19
Enthusiast GAMING
Features
MSI Exclusive
Features
Continued from previous page
y Nahimic 2
Sound Tracker
HD Audio Recorder 2
Sound Effect Equalizer
Microphone Noise Reduction
y XSplit
XSplit GAMECASTER V2
XSplit BROADCASTER V2
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
Humidity Protection
Circuit Protection
High Temperature Protection
Steel Armor PCIe Slot
y COMMAND CENTER
System Monitor
Smart Fan Control
y RAMDISK
y LIVE UPDATE 6
y M-CLOUD
y USB Redrivers
y CPU-Z
y Steel Series Engine 3
y SUPER CHARGER
20
Continued on next page
Specifications
Specification
Highlights
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 SLI
3-Way AMD CrossFire
TM
Support
TM
Support
y Multi-GPU with Steel Armor
y USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-A/ Type-C Ready
y USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-C Ready
y Twin Turbo M.2 Ready
PCIe 3.0 x4 (32 Gb/s) Support
PCIe/ SATA Dual Mode Support
Steel Armor Ready
y U.2 On-board
y NVMe / AHCI Driver Support
y 2-Digit Debug Code LED
y EZ Debug LED 2
y RGB LED pin header
y PCI-E Ambient Light
Specifications
21
Block Diagram
PCI Express Bus
2 x M.2
1 x U.2
6 x SATA 6Gb/s
HDMI DVI-D
DMI 3.0
Switch
PCI Express Bus
CPU
Switch
PCI Express Bus
2 Channel DDR4 Memory
PCIe x1
PCIe x1
PCIe x1
Block Diagram
22
7 x USB 3.1 Gen1
6 x USB 2.0
LPC Bus
NV6793
Super I/O
P/S2 Mouse / Keyboard
Z170
Realtek
ALC1150
Audio Jacks
ASMEDIA
ASM1142
Intel
i219
2 x USB 3.1 Gen2
Rear I/O Panel
PS/2
DVI-D
USB 3.1 Gen2
USB 2.0
Audio Ports
LAN
USB 2.0
USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C
LAN Port LED Status Table
Link/ Activity LED
Status Description
Off No link
Yellow Linked
Blinking Data activity
Audio Ports Configuration
Optical S/PDIF-Out
USB 3.1 Gen1
Speed LED
Status Description
Off 10 Mbps connection
Green 100 Mbps connection
Orange 1 Gbps connection
Audio Ports
Center/ Subwoofer Out ● ●
Rear Speaker Out ● ● ●
Line-In/ Side Speaker Out ●
Line-Out/ Front Speaker Out ● ● ● ●
Mic In
Channel
2 4 6 8
(●: connected, Blank: empty)
Rear I/O Panel
23
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 the icon to launch.
Device
Selection
Advanced
Settings
Application
Enhancement
Main Volume
Profiles
Jack Status
Connector
Strings
y Device Selection - allows you to select a audio output source to change the related
options. The check sign indicates the devices as default.
y Application Enhancement - the array of options will provide you a complete
guidance of anticipated sound effect for both output and input device.
y Main 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.
y Profiles - toggles between profiles.
y Advanced Settings - provides the mechanism to deal with 2 independent audio
streams.
y Jack Status - depicts all render and capture devices currently connected with your
computer.
y Connector Settings - configures the connection settings.
Auto popup dialog
When you plug a device into 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
24
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
Rear I/O Panel
25
Overview of Components
SYSFAN1
JPWR2
CPU Socket
CPUFAN1
DIMM1
DIMM2
DIMM3
DIMM4
Debug LED
V-Check points
CPUFAN2
JPWR1
JUSB3
M2_1
PCI_E1
PCI_E2
PCI_E3
PCI_E4
PCI_E5
M2_2
PCI_E6
JAUD1
JLED1
SYSFAN3
SYSFAN2
JBAT1
USB4
JUSB2
SATA5_6
SATA3_4
U2_1
JCI1
JFP2
SATA2
SATA1
JFP1
JSLOW1
JUSB1JTPM1
Overview of Components
26
Component Contents
Port Name Port Type Page
CPUFAN1~2,SYSFAN1~3 Fan Connectors 42
CPU Socket LGA1151 28
DIMM1~4 DIMM Slots 29
FV1 V-Check Points 45
JAUD1 Front Audio Connector 41
JBAT1 Clear CMOS (Reset BIOS) Jumper 44
JCI1 Chassis Intrusion Connector 43
JFP1, JFP2 Front Panel Connectors 39
JLED1 RGB LED connector 45
JPWR1~2 Power Connectors 38
JSLOW1 Slow Mode Booting Jumper 44
JTPM1 TPM Module Connector 39
JUSB1 USB 2.0 Connector 41
JUSB2~3 USB 3.1 Gen1 Connectors 40
M2_1 & M2_2 M.2 Slot (Key M) 34
PCI_E1~6 PCIe Expansion Slots 30
SATA1~6 SATA 6Gb/s Connectors 33
U2_1 U.2 Connector 35
USB4 USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-C Connector 40
Overview of Components
27
CPU Socket
Introduction to the LGA 1151 CPU
The surface of the LGA 1151 CPU has
two notches and a golden triangle to
assist in correctly lining up the CPU for
motherboard placement. The golden
triangle is the Pin 1 indicator.
Important
y
Always unplug the power cord from the power outlet before installing or removing
the CPU.
y
Please retain the CPU protective cap after installing the processor. MSI will deal
with Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) requests if only the motherboard
comes with the protective cap on the CPU socket.
y
When installing a CPU, always remember to install a CPU heatsink. A CPU heatsink
is necessary to prevent overheating and maintain system stability.
y
Confirm that the CPU heatsink has formed a tight seal with the CPU before booting
your system.
y
Overheating can seriously damage the CPU and motherboard. Always make sure
the cooling fans work properly to protect the CPU from overheating. Be sure to
apply an even layer of thermal paste (or thermal tape) between the CPU and the
heatsink to enhance heat dissipation.
y
Whenever the CPU is not installed, always protect the CPU socket pins by covering
the socket with the plastic cap.
y
If you purchased a separate CPU and heatsink/ cooler, Please refer to the
documentation in the heatsink/ cooler package for more details about installation.
y
This motherboard is designed to support overclocking. Before attempting to
overclock, please make sure that all other system components can tolerate
overclocking. Any attempt to operate beyond product specifications is not
recommended. MSI® does not guarantee the damages or risks caused by
inadequate operation beyond product specifications.
Overview of Components
28
DIMM Slots
DIMM1 DIMM3
Channel A Channel B
DIMM2 DIMM4
Memory module installation recommendation
DIMM4 DIMM4
DIMM2 DIMM2 DIMM2
DIMM3
DIMM1
Important
y
Always insert memory modules in the DIMM2 slot first.
y
Due to chipset resource usage, the available capacity of memory will be a little less
than the amount of installed.
y
Based on Intel CPU specification, the Memory DIMM voltage below 1.35V is
suggested to protect the CPU.
y
Please note that the maximum capacity of addressable memory is 4GB or less
for 32-bit Windows OS due to the memory address limitation. Therefore, we
recommended that you to install 64-bit Windows OS if you want to install more than
4GB memory on the motherboard.
y
Some memory may operate at a lower frequency than the marked value when
overclocking due to the memory frequency operates dependent on its Serial
Presence Detect (SPD). 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.
y
It is recommended to use a more efficient memory cooling system for full DIMMs
installation or overclocking.
y
The stability and compatibility of installed memory module depend on installed CPU
and devices when overclocking.
Overview of Components
29
PCI_E1~6: PCIe Expansion Slots
PCI_E1: PCIe 3.0 x1
PCI_E2: PCIe 3.0 x16
PCI_E3: PCIe 3.0 x1
PCI_E4: PCIe 3.0 x8
PCI_E5: PCIe 3.0 x1
PCI_E6: PCIe 3.0 x4
Important
y
For a single PCIe x16 expansion card installation with optimum performance, using
the PCI_E2 slot is recommended.
y
When adding or removing expansion cards, always turn off the power supply and
unplug the power supply power cable from the power outlet. Read the expansion
card’s documentation to check for any necessary additional hardware or software
changes.
y
With MSI PCI-E Ambient Light feature, you will be able to easily find out which PCIe
x16 slot is operating with full 3.0 x16 speed. Red PCIe LED ambient light indicate
the PCIe x16 slot is operating at full 3.0 x16 speed, and white PCIe LED ambient
light indicate the other speeds. You can also refer to the PCIe 3.0 bandwidth table
for details.
PCIe slots bandwidth table
Graphics
Card
PCI_E1 x1 x1 Disabled x1 Disabled Disabled Disabled
PCI_E2 @ x16 ─ ─ @ x8 @ x16 ─ @ x8
PCI-E3 x1 x1 Disabled x1 Disabled Disabled Disabled
PCI_E4 ─ @ x8 ─ @ x8 ─ @ x8 @ x8
PCI-E5 x1 x1 Disabled x1 Disabled Disabled Disabled
PCI_E6 x1 x1 @ x4 x1 @ x4 @ x4 @ x4
Single Single Single 2-Way 2-Way 2-Way 3-Way
(@: graphics card slot, ─: empty slot)
Overview of Components
30
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