MSI Z270 PC User Manual

Unpacking

Thank you for buying the MSI® Z270 PC MATE/ H270 PC MATE/ B250 PC MATE 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

Disc

Motherboard

I/O Shield

SATA Cable x2

* These pictures are for reference only and may vary without notice. * The packing contents may vary according to the model you purchased.

Motherboard User

Guide

Unpacking

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

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

Installing a Processor

http://youtu.be/bf5La099urI

Quick Start

Installing DDR4 memory

http://youtu.be/T03aDrJPyQs

DIMMB2 DIMMB2

DIMMA2 DIMMA2 DIMMA2

DIMMB1

DIMMA1

Quick Start

Connecting the Front Panel Header

RESET SW

POWER SW

POWER LED+

POWER LED-

HDD LED

http://youtu.be/DPELIdVNZUI

Quick Start

2 10

JFP1

1 HDD LED + 2 Power LED +

3 HDD LED - 4 Power LED -

5 Reset Switch 6 Power Switch

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

Quick Start

Installing SATA Drives

http://youtu.be/RZsMpqxythc

Quick Start

Installing a Graphics Card

http://youtu.be/mG0GZpr9w_A

Quick Start

Connecting Peripheral Devices

Quick Start

Connecting the Power Connectors

http://youtu.be/gkDYyR_83I4

ATX_PWR1

CPU_PWR1

Quick Start

Power On

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

Specification Comparison Table ........................................................................... 20

Block Diagram .................................................................................................... 21

Rear I/O Panel ..................................................................................................... 22

LAN Port LED Status Table................................................................................... 22

Realtek HD Audio Manager .................................................................................. 22

Overview of Components .................................................................................... 24

CPU Socket ........................................................................................................... 26

DIMM Slots ............................................................................................................ 27

PCI_E1~5, PCI1: PCIe/ PCI Expansion Slots ........................................................ 28

M2_1~2: M.2 Slots (Key M) ................................................................................... 29

SATA1~6: SATA 6Gb/s Connectors ....................................................................... 30

JFP1, JFP2: Front Panel Connectors ................................................................... 31

CPU_PWR1, ATX_PWR1: Power Connectors ....................................................... 32

JCOM1: Serial Port Connector ............................................................................. 32

JUSB1~2: USB 2.0 Connectors ............................................................................. 33

JUSB3, JUSB4(optional): USB 3.1 Gen1 Connectors ........................................... 33

CPU_FAN1, PUMP_FAN1, SYS_FAN1~4: Fan Connectors ................................... 34

JAUD1: Front Audio Connector ............................................................................35

JCI1: Chassis Intrusion Connector ....................................................................... 35

JTPM1: TPM Module Connector ........................................................................... 36

JBAT1: Clear CMOS (Reset BIOS) Jumper ........................................................... 36

JLPT1: Parallel Port Connector ........................................................................... 37

Contents

EZ Debug LED ....................................................................................................... 37

BIOS Setup ........................................................................................................... 38

Using BIOS ............................................................................................................ 39

Entering BIOS Setup ............................................................................................. 39

Resetting BIOS ...................................................................................................... 40

Updating BIOS ....................................................................................................... 40

EZ Mode ................................................................................................................ 41

Advanced Mode .................................................................................................... 43

SETTINGS .............................................................................................................. 44

Advanced ............................................................................................................... 44

Boot ....................................................................................................................... 51

Security ................................................................................................................. 52

Save & Exit ............................................................................................................ 53

OC .......................................................................................................................... 54

M-FLASH .............................................................................................................. 60

OC PROFILE .......................................................................................................... 61

HARDWARE MONITOR .......................................................................................... 62

Software Description ........................................................................................... 63

Installing Windows® 7/ 8.1/ 10.............................................................................. 63

Installing Drivers .................................................................................................. 63

Installing Utilities ................................................................................................. 63

COMMAND CENTER ............................................................................................. 64

LIVE UPDATE 6 ...................................................................................................... 68

RAMDISK............................................................................................................... 70

NETWORK MANAGER ........................................................................................... 71

RAID Configuration (optional) ............................................................................. 73

Using Intel® Rapid Storage Technology Option ROM ........................................... 73

Degraded RAID Array ........................................................................................... 76

M.2 PCIe SSD RAID ............................................................................................... 78

Troubleshooting .................................................................................................. 80

Regulatory Notices .............................................................................................. 81

Contents

Specifications

Supports 6th/7th Gen Intel

CPU

Chipset Intel

Memory

Expansion Slots

Onboard Graphics

Multi-GPU y Supports 2-Way AMD

and Intel® Pentium® and Celeron® processors for Socket LGA1151

Z270/ H270/ B250 Chipset

y4x DDR4 memory slots, support up to 64GB

Z270 chipset + 7th Gen processors support DDR4

3800(OC)/ 3600(OC)/ 3200(OC)/ 3000(OC)/ 2800(OC)/ 2600(OC)/ 2400/ 2133 MHz*

Z270 chipset + 6th Gen processors support DDR4

3600(OC)/ 3200(OC)/ 3000(OC)/ 2800(OC)/ 2600(OC)/ 2400(OC)/ 2133 MHz*

H270/ B250 chipset + 7th Gen processors support DDR4

2400/ 2133 MHz*

H270/ B250 chipset + 6th Gen processors support DDR4

2133 MHz*

yDual channel memory architecture ySupports Intel

* Please refer www.msi.com for more information on compatible memory.

Extreme Memory Profile (XMP)

y 2x PCIe 3.0 x16 slots (supports x16/x4 mode)* y 3x PCIe 3.0 x1 slots** y 1x PCI slot

* The PCI_E4 slot will be unavailable when an M.2 PCIe SSD module has been

installed in the M.2_2 slot.

** The PCI_E2/ PCI_E5 slot will be unavailable when an expansion card has

been installed in the PCI_E3/ PCI1 slot.

y 1x HDMI™ port, supports a maximum resolution of

4096x2160@30Hz(7th CPU), 4096x2160@24Hz(6th CPU), 2560x1600@60Hz

y 1x DVI-D port, supports a maximum resolution of

1920x1200@60Hz

y 1x VGA port, supports a maximum resolution of

2048x1536@50Hz, 2048x1280@60Hz, 1920x1200@60Hz

Core™ i3/i5/i7 processors,

CrossFire™ Technology

Continued on next page

Speciﬁcations

Continued from previous page

Z270/ H270/ B250 Chipset

Intel

y 6x SATA 6Gb/s ports* y 2x M.2 slots (Key M)

 Support up to PCIe 3.0 x4 and SATA 6Gb/s  Support PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe U.2 SSD with Turbo U.2 Host

Card**

 M2_1 slot supports 2242/ 2260 /2280/ 22110 storage

Storage

devices

 M2_2 slot supports 2242/ 2260 /2280 storage devices

 Intel

Optane™ Memory Ready

y Supports Intel

Smart Response Technology for Intel

Core™ processors (optional)

* M.2 and SATA ports maximum support 2x M.2 PCIe SSDs + 6x SATA HDDs.

Please refer to page 31 for M.2 slots with examples of various combination possibilities.

** The Turbo U.2 Host Card is not included, please purchase separately.

Z270/ H270 Chipset

Intel

y Supports RAID 0, RAID1, RAID 5 and RAID 10 for SATA

RAID (optional)

storage devices

y Supports RAID 0 and RAID1 for M.2 PCIe storage devices*

* M.2 PCIe RAID volume can be created with M.2 GENIE. Please refer to page

42 for details about M.2 GENIE.

y ASMedia

ASM2142 Chipset

 1x USB 3.1 Gen2 (SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps) Type-C port

on the back panel

 1x USB 3.1 Gen2 (SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps) Type-A port

on the back panel

y Intel

USB

Z270/ H270/ B250 Chipset

 8x/ 6x USB 3.1 Gen1 (SuperSpeed USB) ports (4 Type-A

ports on the back panel, 4/ 2 ports available through the

internal USB connector) (optional)

 6x USB 2.0 (High-speed USB) ports (2 ports on the

back panel, 4 ports available through the internal USB

connector)

Audio

y Realtek y 7.1-Channel High Definition Audio

ALC887 Codec

LAN 1x Intel I219-V Gigabit LAN controller

Continued on next page

Speciﬁcations

Continued from previous page

y 1x PS/2 keyboard/ mouse combo port y 2x USB 2.0 Type-A ports y 1x VGA port y 1x DVI-D port

Back Panel Connectors

Internal Connectors

I/O Controller NUVOTON NCT6795 Controller Chip

Hardware Monitor

Form Factor

y 1x HDMI™ port y 1x LAN (RJ45) port y 4x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A ports y 1x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-A port y 1x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C port y 3x audio jacks

y 1x 24-pin ATX main power connector y 1x 8-pin ATX 12V power connector y 6x SATA 6Gb/s connectors y 2x USB 2.0 connectors (support additional 4 USB 2.0 ports) y 2x/ 1x USB 3.1 Gen1 connectors (support additional 4/ 2

USB 3.1 Gen1 ports) (optional)

y 1x 4-pin CPU fan connector y 1x 4-pin water pump fan connector y 4x 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 Serial port connector y 1x Parallel port connector y 1x TBT connector y 1x Clear CMOS jumper

y CPU/System temperature detection y CPU/System fan speed detection y CPU/System fan speed control

y ATX Form Factor y 12 in. x 9.6 in. (30.4 cm x 24.3 cm)

Continued on next page

Speciﬁcations

BIOS Features

Software

MSI Exclusive Features

Continued from previous page

y 1x 128 Mb/ 64 Mb flash (optional) y UEFI AMI BIOS y ACPI 5.0, PnP 1.0a, SM BIOS 2.8 y Multi-language

y Drivers y COMMAND CENTER y LIVE UPDATE 6 y FAST BOOT y SUPER CHARGER y MYSTIC LIGHT y RAMDISK y X-BOOST y MSI SMART TOOL y NETWORK MANAGER

y Intel

Extreme Tuning Utility

y Norton™ Internet Security Solution y Google Chrome™ ,Google Toolbar, Google Drive

y CLICK BIOS 5 (optional)

 EZ Mode & Advanced Mode Switching  Board Explorer (optional)  Hardware Monitor

y COMMAND CENTER

 System Monitor

 Smart Fan Control y RAMDISK y LIVE UPDATE 6

Continued on next page

Speciﬁcations

Specification Highlights

Continued from previous page

y Isolated Audio PCB

 EMI Shielding

 High Quality Audio Capacitors

 De-pop audio circuit y DDR4 Boost Support

 Dual-Channel DDR4 Memory Support

 Isolated DDR4 Circuit Design

 DDR4 XMP Ready y PCI Express 3.0 Support

 2-Way AMD CrossFireTM Support y USB 3.1 Gen2 Ready

 USB 3.1 Gen2 (10 Gb/s) Type-A Ready

 USB 3.1 Gen2 (10 Gb/s) Type-C Ready

 USB Power Delivery Profile 3 Support y EZ Debug LED

Speciﬁcations

Specification Comparison Table

Z270 PC MATE

Chipest Z270

3800(OC),

3600(OC), 7th Gen processors support DDR4 frequency (MHz)

3200(OC),

3000(OC),

2800(OC),

2600(OC), 2400,

2133

3600(OC), 6th Gen processors

support DDR4 frequency (MHz)

3200(OC),

3000(OC),

2800(OC),

2600(OC),

2400(OC), 2133

Supports RAID 0,1,5,10 Yes

Supports Intel Response Technology

Intel Ready

Smart

Optane™ Memory

Yes

M.2_1 & M.2_2

slots

H270 PC MATE B250 PC MATE

H270 B250

2400, 2133 2400, 2133

2133 2133

Yes No

No No

M.2_1 & M.2_2 slots

M.2_2 slot

USB 3.1 Gen1 internal connectors

BIOS capacity 128Mb

BIOS interface CLICK BIOS 5

Board Explorer Yes

OC GENIE 4 Ye s

Speciﬁcations

2 (4 ports)

JUSB3 & JUSB4

2 (4 ports) JUSB3 & JUSB4

1 (2 ports) JUSB3

64Mb 64Mb

CLICK BIOS CLICK BIOS

No No

Block Diagram

PCI Express Bus

Switch

M.2

Switch

SATA 6Gb/s

USB 3.1 Gen1

USB 2.0

HDMI DVI-DVGA

HDMI

CPU

DMI 3.0

PCI Express Bus

Z270/ H270/ B250

LPC Bus

NV6795

Super I/O

P/S2 Mouse / Keyboard

Dual Channel DDR4 Memory

Switch

PCI-E Bus

ASMEDIA ASM2142

Realtek ALC887

Audio Jacks

PCIe x1 slot

PCI slot

2 x USB 3.1 Gen2

Block Diagram

Rear I/O Panel

Line-in

PS/2

VGA

LAN

Line-out

USB 3.1 Gen2

USB 2.0

DVI-D

USB 3.1 Gen1

USB 3.1 Gen2

Mic in

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

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.

Rear I/O Panel

Device Selection

Application Enhancement

Main Volume

Profiles

Advanced Settings

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.

Audio 7.1-channel Configuration

To configure 7.1-channel audio, you have to connect front audio I/O module to JAUD1 connector and follow the below steps.

1. Click on the Advanced Settings to open the dialog below.

2. Select Mute the rear output device, when a front headphone plugged in.

3. Plug your speakers to audio jacks on rear and front I/O panel. When you plug into

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

Rear I/O Panel

Overview of Components

M2_1

PCI_E1

PCI_E2

JBAT1

PCI_E3

JCI1

PCI_E4

M2_2

PCI_E5

JTPM1

PCI1

CPU_PWR1

SYS_FAN4

CPU Socket

CPU_FAN1

DIMMA1

DIMMA2

DIMMB1

DIMMB2

PUMP_FAN1

SYS_FAN2

SYS_FAN1

EZ Debug LED

ATX_PWR1

JUSB3

JUSB4

SATA▼1▲2

SATA4

SATA▼5▲6

SATA3

JTBT1

JAUD1

SYS_FAN3

* JTBT1 is used to connect a specific card.

Overview of Components

JCOM1

JFP1

JFP2

JUSB1

JUSB2

JLPT1

Component Contents

Port Name Port Type Page

CPU_FAN1, PUMP_FAN1, SYS_FAN1~4

CPU_PWR1, ATX_PWR1 Power Connectors 32

JAUD1 Front Audio Connector 35

JBAT1 Clear CMOS (Reset BIOS) Jumper 36

JCI1 Chassis Intrusion Connector 35

JCOM1 Serial Port Connector 32

JFP1, JFP2 Front Panel Connectors 31

JLPT1 Parallel Port Connector 37

JTPM1 TPM Module Connector 36

JUSB1~2 USB 2.0 Connectors 33

JUSB3, JUSB4(optional) USB 3.1 Gen1 Connectors 33

M2_1~2 M.2 Slots (Key M) 29

Fan Connectors 34

PCI_E1~5, PCI1 PCIe/ PCI Expansion Slots 28

SATA1~6 SATA 6Gb/s Connectors 30

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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