The information in this User’s Manual has been carefully reviewed and is believed to be accurate.
The vendor assumes no responsibility for any inaccuracies that may be contained in this document,
makes no commitment to update or to keep current the information in this manual, or to notify any
person or organization of the updates. Please Note: For the most up-to-date version of this
manual, please see our web site.
We reserve the right to make changes to the product described in this manual at any time and
without notice. This product, including software, if any, and documentation may not, in whole or in
part, be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated or reduced to any medium or machine without
prior written consent.
IN NO EVENT WILL THE MANUFACTURER BE LIABLE FOR DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL,
INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING FROM THE USE OR INABILITY TO
USE THIS PRODUCT OR DOCUMENTATION, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
SUCH DAMAGES. IN PARTICULAR, THE VENDOR SHALL NOT HAVE LIABILITY FOR ANY
HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, OR DATA STORED OR USED WITH THE PRODUCT, INCLUDING
THE COSTS OF REPAIRING, REPLACING, INTEGRATING, INSTALLING OR RECOVERING
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Manual Revision 1.0a
Release Date: October 5, 2006
Unless you request and receive written permission from the Manufacturer, you may not copy any
part of this document.
Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Other products and companies
referred to herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or mark
holders.
• On-chip (nVidia 2200/2050) Ethernet controller supports two Gigabit LAN ports
• PS/2 mouse and PS/2 keyboard ports
• Eight (8) USB (Universal Serial Bus) 2.0 ports/headers
Other
• Wake-on-Ring (JWOR)
• Wake-on-LAN (JWOL)
• AC97 Audio CODEC
• Onboard +3.3V standby power LED (DP1)
• SCSI channel activity LEDs (H8DC8 only)
• Chassis intrusion detection
CD Utilities
• BIOS fl ash upgrade utility
Dimensions
• Extended ATX form factor, 12" x 13.05" (305 x 332 mm)
1-7
H8DC8/H8DCi User’s Manual
DDR400/333/266
DIMM B1
DIMM B2
DIMM B3
DIMM B4
128-bit data + 16-bit ECC
AMD Opteron
Processor (CPU2)
16 x 16 HT link (1 GHz)
TM
16 x 16 HT link (1 GHz)
128-bit data + 16-bit ECC
AMD Opteron
TM
Processor (CPU1)
DDR400/333/266
AMD
8132
DIMM A1
DIMM A2
DIMM A3
DIMM A4
AIC 7902W
PCI-X 100 (Slot 1)
CH A
PCI-X 133/100 (Slots 2,3)
CH B
SCSI Por ts (2)
PCI- E x16 (Slot 4)
PCI-E x16 (Slot 6)
PCI (Slot 5)
LAN#1
PCI- E x4 slot (7)
nVidia IO-4
2050
nVidia CK8 -04
2200
SATA Por ts (4)
AC97
LAN#2
IDE (ATA133)
USB Por ts (8)
LPC
Kybd/
Mouse
S I/O
Floppy
Parallel
Port
FWH
COM
Ports
Figure 1-3. nVidia nForce Pro 2200/2050 Chipset:
System Block Diagram
Note: This is a general block diagram and may not exactly represent
the features on your serverboard. See the previous pages for the
actual specifi cations of your serverboard.
1-8
Chapter 1: Introduction
1-2 Chipset Overview
The H8DC8/H8DCi serverboard is based on the nVidia nForce Pro 2200/2050 and
AMD 8132 chipset. The nVidia nForce Pro 2200/2050 functions as Media and Com-
munications Processors (MCPs) and the AMD 8132 as a PCI-X Tunnel. Controllers
for the system memory are integrated directly into the AMD Opteron processors.
2200 Media and Communications Processor
This MCP is a single-chip, high-performance HyperTransport peripheral controller.
The 2200 includes a 20-lane PCI Express interface, an AMD Opteron 16-bit Hyper
Transport interface link, a four-port Serial ATA interface, a dual ATA133 bus master
interface, a USB 2.0 interface and support for 32-bit PCI slots. This hub connects
directly to CPU#1 and the 2050 MCP. The GLAN#1 port connects directly to the
2200 MCP.
2050 Media and Communications Processor
The 2050 is pin-to-pin compatible with the 2200. It includes a PCI Express inter-
face with 20 lanes and an AMD Opteron 16-bit Hyper Transport interface link. The
GLAN#2 connects directly to the 2050 MCP.
8132 HyperTransport PCI-X Tunnel
This hub includes AMD-specifi c technology that provides two PCI-X bridges with
each bridge supporting a 64-bit data bus as well as separate PCI-X operational
modes and independent transfer rates. Each bridge supports up to fi ve PCI masters
that include clock, request and grant signals. This hub connects to the processors
and through them to system memory.
HyperTransport Technology
HyperTransport technology is a high-speed, low latency point to point link that was
designed to increase the communication speed by a factor of up to 48x between
integrated circuits. This is done partly by reducing the number of buses in the
chipset to reduce bottlenecks and by enabling a more effi cient use of memory in
multi-processor systems. The end result is a signifi cant increase in bandwidth
within the chipset.
1-9
H8DC8/H8DCi User’s Manual
1-3 PC Health Monitoring
This section describes the PC health monitoring features of the H8DC8/H8DCi.
The serverboard has an onboard System Hardware Monitor chip that supports PC
health monitoring.
Onboard Voltage Monitors for two CPU cores, Hyper Transport
(1.2V), two memory banks (2.5V), nVidia 2200/2050 chipset (1.5V)
The onboard voltage monitor will scan these voltages continuously. Once a voltage
becomes unstable, it will give a warning or send an error message to the screen.
Users can adjust the voltage thresholds to defi ne the sensitivity of the voltage moni-
tor. Real time readings of these voltage levels are all displayed in BIOS.
Fan Status Monitor with Firmware/Software Speed Control
The PC health monitor can check the RPM status of the cooling fans. The onboard
fans are controlled by thermal management via BIOS.
CPU Overheat/Fan Fail LED and Control
This feature is available when the user enables the CPU overheat/Fan Fail warning
function in the BIOS. This allows the user to defi ne an overheat temperature. When
this temperature is exceeded or when a fan failure occurs, then, the Overheat/Fan
Fail warning LED is triggered.
Auto-Switching Voltage Regulator for the CPU Core
The 3-phase-switching voltage regulator for the CPU core can support up to 80A and
auto-sense voltage IDs ranging from 0.8 V to 1.55V. This will allow the regulator
to run cooler and thus make the system more stable.
1-10
Chapter 1: Introduction
1-4 Power Confi guration Settings
This section describes the features of your serverboard that deal with power and
power settings.
Microsoft OnNow
The OnNow design initiative is a comprehensive, system-wide approach to system
and device power control. OnNow is a term for a PC that is always on but appears
to be off and responds immediately to user or other requests.
Slow Blinking LED for Suspend-State Indicator
When the CPU goes into a suspend state, the chassis power LED will start blinking
to indicate that the CPU is in suspend mode. When the user presses any key, the
CPU will wake-up and the LED will automatically stop blinking and remain on.
BIOS Support for USB Keyboard
If a USB keyboard is the only keyboard in the system, it will function like a normal
keyboard during system boot-up.
Main Switch Override Mechanism
When an ATX power supply is used, the power button can function as a system
suspend button. When the user depresses the power button, the system will enter
a SoftOff state. The monitor will be suspended and the hard drive will spin down.
Depressing the power button again will cause the whole system to wake-up. Dur-
ing the SoftOff state, the ATX power supply provides power to keep the required
circuitry in the system alive. In case the system malfunctions and you want to turn
off the power, just depress and hold the power button for 4 seconds. The power
will turn off and no power will be provided to the serverboard.
Wake-On-LAN (JWOL)
Wake-On-LAN is defi ned as the ability of a management application to remotely
power up a computer that is powered off. Remote PC setup, up-dates and access
tracking can occur after hours and on weekends so that daily LAN traffi c is kept
to a minimum and users are not interrupted. The serverboard has a 3-pin header
(JWOL) to connect to the 3-pin header on a Network Interface Card (NIC) that has
WOL capability. Wake-On-LAN must be enabled in BIOS. Note that Wake-On-LAN
can only be used with an ATX 2.01 (or above) compliant power supply.
1-11
H8DC8/H8DCi User’s Manual
Wake-On-Ring Header (JWOR)
Wake-up events can be triggered by a device such as the external modem ringing
when the system is in the SoftOff state. Note that external modem ring-on can only
be used with an ATX 2.01 (or above) compliant power supply.
1-5 Power Supply
As with all computer products, a stable power source is necessary for proper and
reliable operation. It is even more important for processors that have high CPU
clock rates of 1 GHz and faster.
The H8DC8/H8DCi accommodates 12V ATX power supplies. Although most power
supplies generally meet the specifi cations required by the CPU, some are inad-
equate. A 2 amp current supply on a 5V Standby rail is strongly recommended.
It is strongly recommended that you use a high quality power supply that meets
12V ATX power supply Specifi cation 1.1 or above. Additionally, in areas where
noisy power transmission is present, you may choose to install a line fi lter to shield
the computer from noise. It is recommended that you also install a power surge
protector to help avoid problems caused by power surges.
Warning: To prevent the possibility of explosion, do not use the wrong type of
onboard CMOS battery or install it upside down.
1-12
Chapter 1: Introduction
1-6 Super I/O
The disk drive adapter functions of the Super I/O chip include a fl oppy disk drive
controller that is compatible with industry standard 82077/765, a data separator,
write pre-compensation circuitry, decode logic, data rate selection, a clock genera-
tor, drive interface control logic and interrupt and DMA logic. The wide range of
functions integrated onto the Super I/O greatly reduces the number of components
required for interfacing with fl oppy disk drives. The Super I/O supports two 360
K, 720 K, 1.2 M, 1.44 M or 2.88 M disk drives and data transfer rates of 250 Kb/s,
500 Kb/s or 1 Mb/s.
It also provides two high-speed, 16550 compatible serial communication ports
(UARTs), one of which supports serial infrared communication. Each UART in-
cludes a 16-byte send/receive FIFO, a programmable baud rate generator, complete
modem control capability and a processor interrupt system. Both UARTs provide
legacy speed with baud rate of up to 115.2 Kbps as well as an advanced speed
with baud rates of 250 K, 500 K, or 1 Mb/s, which support higher speed modems.
The Super I/O supports one PC-compatible printer port (SPP), Bi-directional Printer
Port (BPP) , Enhanced Parallel Port (EPP) or Extended Capabilities Port (ECP).
The Super I/O provides functions that comply with ACPI (Advanced Confi guration
and Power Interface), which includes support of legacy and ACPI power manage-
ment through a SMI or SCI function pin. It also features auto power management
to reduce power consumption.
The IRQs, DMAs and I/O space resources of the Super I/O can be fl exibly adjusted
to meet ISA PnP requirements, which support ACPI and APM (Advanced Power
Management).
1-13
H8DC8/H8DCi User’s Manual
Notes
1-14
Chapter 2: Installation
Chapter 2
Installation
2-1 Static-Sensitive Devices
Electric Static Discharge (ESD) can damage electronic com ponents. To prevent
damage to your system board, it is important to handle it very carefully. The following
measures are generally suffi cient to protect your equipment from ESD.
Precautions
• Use a grounded wrist strap designed to prevent static discharge.
• Touch a grounded metal object before removing the board from the antistatic
bag.
• Handle the board by its edges only; do not touch its components, peripheral
chips, memory modules or gold contacts.
• When handling chips or modules, avoid touching their pins.
• Put the serverboard and peripherals back into their antistatic bags when not in
use.
• For grounding purposes, make sure your computer chassis provides excellent
conductivity between the power supply, the case, the mounting fasteners and
the serverboard.
• Use only the correct type of CMOS onboard battery as specifi ed by the manufac-
turer. Do not install the CMOS onboard battery upside down, which may result
in a possible explosion.
Unpacking
The serverboard is shipped in antistatic packaging to avoid static damage. When
unpacking the board, make sure the person handling it is static protected.
Installation Procedures
Follow the procedures as listed below to install the serverboard into a chassis:
1. Install the processor(s) and the heatsink(s).
2. Install the serverboard in the chassis.
3. Install the memory and add-on cards.
4. Finally, connect the cables and install the drivers.
2-1
H8DC8/H8DCi User's Manual
2-2 Processor and Heatsink Installation
Exercise extreme caution when handling and installing the proces-
!
Installing the CPU Backplates
Two CPU backplates (BKT-0004) are included in the retail box. The backplates
prevent the CPU area of the serverboard from bending and provide a base for at-
taching the heatsink retention modules. To install, begin by peeling off the release
paper to expose the adhesive. On the underside of the serverboard, locate the two
holes on either side of the CPU socket. Attach the adhesive side of the backplate to
the board by inserting the standoffs into the two holes and applying light pressure so
that the backplate sticks to the underside of the board. Repeat for the second CPU
socket. See Figure 2-1. Note that for nForce 2050 (IO4) to function properly,
you will need to install CPU2.
sor. Always connect the power cord last and always remove it be-
fore adding, removing or changing any hardware components.
Installing the Processor (install to the CPU#1 socket fi rst)
1. Lift the lever on CPU socket #1 until
it points straight up.
2. Use your thumb and your index fi n-
ger to hold the CPU. Locate pin 1 on
the CPU socket and pin 1 on the CPU.
Both are marked with a triangle.
3. Align pin 1 of the CPU with pin 1
of the socket. Once aligned, carefully
place the CPU into the socket. Do not
drop the CPU on the socket, move the
CPU horizontally or vertically or rub the
CPU against the socket or against any
pins of the socket, which may damage
the CPU and/or the socket.
Triangles
2-2
4. With the CPU inserted into the
socket, inspect the four corners of the
CPU to make sure that it is properly
installed and fl ush with the socket.
5. Gently press the CPU socket lever
down until it locks in the plastic tab.
For a dual-processor system, repeat
these steps to install another CPU
into the CPU#2 socket. Note: if using
a single processor, only CPU 1 DIMM
slots are addressable and the IO4 chip
will not function properly.
Installing the Heatsink Retention Modules
Chapter 2: Installation
Two heatsink retention modules (BKT-0005) and four screws are included in the
retail box. Once installed, these are used to help attach the heatsinks to the CPUs.
To install, position the module so that the CPU backplate standoffs insert through the
holes on the heatsink retention module and the four feet on the module contact the
serverboard. Secure the retention module to the backplate with two of the screws
provided. See Figure 2-1. Repeat for the second CPU socket. Note: BKT-0005
is included for use with non-proprietary heatsinks only. When installing proprietary
heatsinks, only BKT-0004 (CPU backplate) is needed. The BKT-0005 retention
module was designed to provide compatibility with clip-and-cam type heatsinks
from third parties.
Figure 2-1. CPU Backplate/Heatsink Retention Module Installation
Installing the Heatsink
We recommend the use of active type heatsinks (except for 1U systems). Use the
Fan7 header for the CPU1 fan and the Fan8 header for the CPU2 fan due to fan
monitoring and wiring considerations. To install the heatsinks, please follow the
installation instructions included with your heatsink package (not included).
2-3
H8DC8/H8DCi User's Manual
2-3 Mounting the Serverboard into a Chassis
All serverboards and motherboards have standard mounting holes to fi t different
types of chassis. Make sure that the locations of all the mounting holes for both
the serverboard and the chassis match. Although a chassis may have both plastic
and metal mounting fasteners, metal ones are highly recommended because they
ground the serverboard to the chassis. Make sure that the metal standoffs click in
or are screwed in tightly.
1. Check the compatibility of the serverboard ports and the I/O shield
The H8DC8/H8DCi serverboard requires a chassis that can support extended ATX
boards of 12" x 13.05" in size. Make sure that the I/O ports on the serverboard
align with their respective holes in the I/O shield at the rear of the chassis.
2. Mounting the serverboard onto the mainboard tray in the chassis
Carefully mount the serverboard onto the mainboard tray by aligning the serverboard
mounting holes with the raised metal standoffs in the tray. Insert screws into all
the mounting holes in the serverboard that line up with the standoffs. Then use a
screwdriver to secure the serverboard to the mainboard tray - tighten until just snug
(if too tight you might strip the threads). Metal screws provide an electrical contact
to the serverboard ground to provide a continuous ground for the system.
2-4 Installing Memory
CAUTION
Exercise extreme care when installing or removing memory modules
to prevent any possible damage.
1. Insert each memory module vertically into its slot, paying attention to the notch
along the bottom of the module to prevent inserting the module incorrectly (see
Figure 2-2). See support information below.
2. Gently press down on the memory module until it snaps into place.
Note: each processor has its own built-in memory controller, so the CPU2 DIMMs
cannot be addressed if only a single CPU is installed. 128 MB, 256 MB, 512 MB,
1 GB, 2 GB and 4 GB memory modules are supported. It is highly recommended
that you remove the power cord from the system before installing or changing any
memory modules.
2-4
Chapter 2: Installation
Support
The H8DC8/H8DCi supports single or dual-channel, registered ECC DDR400/333/266
SDRAM.
Both interleaved and non-interleaved memory are supported, so you may populate
any number of DIMM slots (see note on previous page and charts on following
page). The CPU2 DIMM slots can only be accessed when two CPUs are installed
(however, the CPU2 DIMM slots are not required to be populated when two CPUs
are installed).
Populating two adjacent slots at a time with memory modules of the same size and
type will result in interleaved (128-bit) memory, which is faster than non-interleaved
(64-bit) memory. See charts on following page.
Optimizing memory performance
If two processors are installed, it is better to stagger pairs of DIMMs across both
sets of CPU DIMM slots, e.g. fi rst populate CPU1 slots 1A and 1B, then CPU2 slots
1A, and 1B, then the next two CPU1 slots, etc. This balances the load over both
CPUs to optimize performance.
Maximum memory (two CPUs): 32 GB for DDR266 and 16 GB for DDR400/333.
If only one CPU is installed, maximum supported memory is halved (16 GB for
DDR266 and 8 GB for DDR400/333).
Figure 2-2. Side and Top Views of DDR Installation
To Install:
Insert module vertically
and press down until it
snaps into place. The
release tabs should
close - if they do not
you should close them
yourself.
Note the notch in the slot and on the bottom of the DIMM.
These prevent the DIMM from being installed incorrectly.
To Remove:
Use your thumbs to
gently push each release tab outward to
release the DIMM from
the slot.
2-5
H8DC8/H8DCi User's Manual
Populating Memory Banks for 128-bit Operation
CPU1
DIMM1A
XX
XXXX
XXXX
XXXXXX
XXXX
XXXXXX
XXXXXX
XXXXXXXX
CPU1
DIMM1B
CPU1
DIMM2A
XX
XXXX
XXXX
XXXXXX
CPU1
DIMM2B
CPU2
DIMM1A
CPU2
DIMM1B
CPU2
DIMM2A
CPU2
DIMM2B
Notes: X indicates a populated DIMM slot. If adding at least four DIMMs (with two CPUs
installed), the confi gurations with DIMMs spread over both CPUs (and not like the confi guration in row 5) will result in optimized performance. Note that the fi rst two DIMMs
must be installed in the CPU1 memory slots.
Populating Memory Banks for 64-bit Operation
CPU1
DIMM1A
X
XX
XX
XX
CPU1
DIMM1B
CPU1
DIMM2A
X
XX
XX
CPU1
DIMM2B
CPU2
DIMM1A
CPU2
DIMM1B
CPU2
DIMM2A
CPU2
DIMM2B
2-6
Chapter 2: Installation
2-5 I/O Port and Control Panel Connections
The I/O ports are color coded in conformance with the PC99 specifi cation to make
setting up your system easier. See Figure 2-3 below for the colors and locations
of the various I/O ports.
Figure 2-3. I/O Port Locations and Defi nitions
Front Control Panel
JF1 contains header pins for various front control panel connectors. See Figure 2-4
for the pin defi nitions of the various connectors. Refer to Section 2-6 for details.
Figure 2-4. JF1: Front Control Panel Header (JF1)
16 15
Power LED
HDD LED
NIC1
NIC2
OH/Fan Fail LED
Power Fail LED
Ground
Ground
2 1
Vcc
Vcc
Vcc
Vcc
Vcc
Vcc
Reset Button
Power Button
2-7
H8DC8/H8DCi User's Manual
2-6 Connecting Cables
ATX Power Connector
The primary ATX power supply con-
nector (J1B4) meets the SSI (Super-
set ATX) 24-pin specifi cation. Refer to
the table on the right for the pin defi ni-
tions of the ATX 24-pin power connec-
tor. This connection supplies power to
the chipset, fans and memory.
Note: You must also connect the
8-pin (JPW2) and 4-pin (J32) power
connectors to your power supply (see
below).
Processor Power Connector
In addition to the primary ATX power
connector (above), the 12v, 8-pin
processor power connector at JPW2
must also be connected to your power
supply. This connection supplies
power to the CPUs. See the table on
the right for pin defi nitions.
ATX Power 24-pin Connector
Pin Defi nitions (J1B4)
Pin# Defi nition Pin # Defi nition
13+3.3V1+3.3V
14-12V2+3.3V
15COM3COM
16PS_ON4+5V
17COM5COM
18COM6+5V
19COM7COM
20Res (NC)8PWR_OK
21+5V95VSB
22+5V10+12V
23+5V11+12V
24COM12+3.3V
Processor Power
Connector
Pin Defi nitions (JPW2)
Pins Defi nition
1 through 4Ground
5 through 8+12V
Required Connection
Auxiliary Power Connector
The 4-pin auxiliary power connector at
J32 must also be connected to your
power supply. This connection sup-
plies extra power that may be needed
for high loads. See the table on the
right for pin defi nitions.
Power LED
The Power LED connection is located
on pins 15 and 16 of JF1. Refer to the
table on the right for pin defi nitions.
Auxiliary Power
Connector
Pin Defi nitions (J32)
Pins Defi nition
1 & 2Ground
3 & 4+12V
Required Connection
Power LED
Pin Defi nitions (JF1)
Pin# Defi nition
15Vcc
16Control
2-8
HDD LED
Chapter 2: Installation
The HDD (IDE Hard Disk Drive) LED
connection is located on pins 13 and
14 of JF1. Attach the IDE hard drive
LED cable to display disk activity.
Refer to the table on the right for pin
defi nitions.
NIC1 LED
The NIC1 (Network Interface Control-
ler) LED connection is located on pins
11 and 12 of JF1. Attach the NIC1
LED cable to display network activity.
Refer to the table on the right for pin
defi nitions.
HDD LED
Pin Defi nitions (JF1)
Pin# Defi nition
13Vcc
14HD Active
NIC1 LED
Pin Defi nitions (JF1)
Pin# Defi nition
11Vcc
12NIC1 Active
NIC2 LED
The NIC2 (Network Interface Control-
ler) LED connection is located on pins
9 and 10 of JF1. Attach the NIC2
LED cable to display network activity.
Refer to the table on the right for pin
defi nitions.
Overheat/Fan Fail LED
Connect an LED to the OH connection
on pins 7 and 8 of JF1 to provide ad-
vanced warning of chassis overheat-
ing. Refer to the table on the right for
pin defi nitions and status indicators.
OH/Fan Fail LED
Pin Defi nitions (JF1)
Pin# Defi nition
7Vcc
8Control
NIC2 LED
Pin Defi nitions (JF1)
Pin# Defi nition
9Vcc
10NIC2 Active
OH/Fan Fail
LED Status (JF1)
State Indication
SolidOverheat
BlinkingFan fail
2-9
H8DC8/H8DCi User's Manual
Power Fail LED
The Power Fail LED connection is
located on pins 5 and 6 of JF1. Refer
to the table on the right for pin defi ni-
tions. This feature is only available
for systems with redundant power
supplies.
Reset Button
The Reset Button connection is lo-
cated on pins 3 and 4 of JF1. Attach
it to the hardware reset switch on the
computer case. Refer to the table on
the right for pin defi nitions.
Power Button
Power Fail LED
Pin Defi nitions (JF1)
Pin# Defi nition
5Vcc
6Control
Reset Button
Pin Defi nitions (JF1)
Pin# Defi nition
3Reset
4Ground
The Power Button connection is
located on pins 1 and 2 of JF1. Mo-
mentarily contacting both pins will
power on/off the system. This button
can also be confi gured to function
as a suspend button (see the Power
Button Mode setting in BIOS). To turn
off the power when set to suspend
mode, depress the button for at least
4 seconds. Refer to the table on the
right for pin defi nitions.
Universal Serial Bus Ports
(USB0/1/2/3)
Four Universal Serial Bus ports
(USB2.0) are located beside the key-
board/mouse ports. See the table on
the right for pin defi nitions.
Power Button
Pin Defi nitions (JF1)
Pin# Defi nition
1PW_ON
2Ground
Universal Serial Bus Ports
Pin Defi nitions (USB0/1/2/3)
USB0
Pin # Defi nition
1+5V1+5V
2PO-2PO-
3PO+3PO+
4Ground4Ground
USB1
Pin # Defi nition
2-10
Chapter 2: Installation
Extra USB Headers
Four additional USB2.0 headers
(USB4/5 and USB6/7) are included on
the serverboard. These may be con-
nected to provide front side access.
A USB cable (not included) is needed
for the connection. See the table on
the right for pin defi nitions.
Serial Ports
The COM1 and COM2 serial ports are
located under the parallel port. Refer
to Figure 2-3 for locations and the
table on the right for pin defi nitions.
Extra Universal Serial Bus Headers
Pin Defi nitions (USB4/5/6/7)
USB2
Pin # Defi nition
1+5V1+5V
2PO-2PO-
3PO+3PO+
4Ground4Ground
5Key5No connection
Serial Port Pin Defi nitions
Pin # Defi nitionPin # Defi nition
1DCD6DSR
2RXD7RTS
3TXD8CTS
4DTR9 RI
5Ground10NC
USB3/4
Pin # Defi nition
(COM1/COM2)
Fan Headers
The H8DC8/H8DCi has eight fan
headers, which are designated FAN1
through FAN8. Fans are Pulse Width
Modulated (PWM) and their speed is
controlled via Thermal Management
with a BIOS setting. See the table on
the right for pin defi nitions.
Note: when using active heatsinks
(those with fans), connect the heatsink
fan for CPU1 to the FAN7 header and
the heatsink fan for CPU2 to the FAN8
header.
Note: NC indicates no connection.
Fan Header
Pin Defi nitions
(FAN1-8)
Pin# Defi nition
1Ground (Black)
2+12V (Red)
3Tachometer
4PWM Control
JLAN1/2 (Ethernet Ports)
Two Gigabit Ethernet ports (desig-
nated JLAN1 and JLAN2) are located
beside the COM2 port. These Ether-
net ports accept RJ45 type cables.
Notes: JLAN1 is the top port and JLAN2 is the
bottom port. Wake-On-LAN from S3, S4, and S5
are supported by JLAN1, JLAN2 supports WOL
from S1 only.
2-11
H8DC8/H8DCi User's Manual
Power LED/Speaker
On JD1, pins 1, 2, and 3 are for the
power LED and pins 4 through 7 are
for the speaker. See the tables on the
right for pin defi nitions.
Note: The speaker connector pins are
for use with an external speaker. If
you wish to use the onboard speaker,
you should close pins 6 and 7 with a
jumper.
ATX PS/2 Keyboard and
PS/2 Mouse Ports
The ATX PS/2 keyboard and the PS/2
mouse ports are located at J101. The
mouse is the top (green) port. See the
table on the right for pin defi nitions.
PWR LED Connector
Pin Defi nitions (JD1)
Pin# Defi nition
1+Vcc
2Control
3Control
Speaker Connector
Pin Defi nitions (JD1)
Pin# Defi nition
4Red wire, +5V
5No connection
6Buzzer signal
7Speaker data
PS/2 Keyboard and
Mouse Port Pin
Defi nitions (J101)
Pin# Defi nition
1Data
2NC
3Ground
4VCC
5Clock
6NC
Chassis Intrusion
A Chassis Intrusion header is located
at JL1. Attach the appropriate cable
to inform you of a chassis intrusion.
Overheat LED
Connect an LED to the JOH1 header
to provide warning of chassis over-
heating. See the table on the right for
pin defi nitions.
2-12
Chassis Intrusion
Pin Defi nitions (JL1)
Pin# Defi nition
1Battery voltage
2Intrusion signal
Overheat LED
Pin Defi nitions (JOH1)
Pin# Defi nition
13.3V
2OH Active
Wake-On-LAN
The Wake-On-LAN header is desig-
nated JWOL. See the table on the
right for pin defi nitions. You must
have a LAN card with a Wake-On-LAN
connector and cable to use the Wake-
On-LAN feature.
(*Note: Wake-On-LAN from S3, S4,
S5 are supported by LAN1. LAN2 sup-
ports Wake-On-LAN from S1 only.)
Chapter 2: Installation
Wake-On-LAN
Pin Defi nitions
(JWOL)
Pin# Defi nition
1+5V Standby
2Ground
3Wake-up
Wake-On-Ring
The Wake-On-Ring header is desig-
nated JWOR. This function allows
your computer to receive and "wake-
up" by an incoming call to the modem
when in suspend state. See the table
on the right for pin defi nitions. You
must have a Wake-On-Ring card and
cable to use this feature.
I2C Header
The header at J24 is for I2C, which
may be used to monitor the status of
the power supply, fans and system
temperature. See the table on the right
for pin defi nitions.
Wake-On-Ring
Pin Defi nitions
(JWOR)
Pin# Defi nition
1Ground (Black)
2Wake-up
I2C Header
Pin Defi nitions (J24)
Pin# Defi nition
1Clock
2Data
3PWR Fail
4Gnd
5+3.3V
SMBus Header
The header at J22 is for the System
Management Bus. Connect the ap-
propriate cable here to utilize SMB on
the system. See the table on the right
for pin defi nitions.
SMBus Header
Pin Defi nitions (J22)
Pin# Defi nition
1Data
2Ground
3Clock
4No Connection
2-13
H8DC8/H8DCi User's Manual
CD1 Header
The 4-pin CD1 header allows you to
use the onboard sound for audio CD
playback. Connect the audio cable
from your CD drive to this header.
See the table on the right for pin
defi nitions.
AUX1 Header
AUX1 is an additional (different stan-
dard) header allows you to use the on-
board sound for audio CD playback.
Connect the audio cable from your CD
drive to this header. See the table on
the right for pin defi nitions.
CD1
Pin Defi nitions
Pin# Defi nition
1Right Signal
2Ground
3Ground
4Left Signal
AUX1
Pin Defi nitions
Pin# Defi nition
1Right Signal
2Ground
3Ground
4Left Signal
3rd Power Supply Alarm
Header
Connect a cable from your power
supply to JP10 to provide you with
warning of a power supply failure.
The warning signal is passed through
the PWR_LED pin to indicate a power
failure. See the table on the right for
pin defi nitions.
Alarm Reset Header
Connect JAR to the alarm reset but-
ton on your chassis (if available) or to
a microswitch to allow you to turn off
the alarm that sounds when a power
supply module fails. See the table on
the right for pin defi nitions.
3rd Power Supply
Alarm Header
Pin Defi nitions (JP10)
Pin# Defi nition
1P/S 1 Fail Signal
2P/S 2 Fail Signal
3P/S 3 Fail Signal
4Reset (from MB)
Note: This feature is only available when using
redundant power supplies.
Alarm Reset Header
Pin Defi nitions (JAR)
Pin# Defi nition
1Ground
2Reset Signal
2-14
AC97
Chapter 2: Installation
AC97 provides high quality onboard
audio. The H8DC8/H8DCi features
6-channel (5.1) sound for front L&R,
rear L&R, center and subwoofer
speakers. This feature is activated
with software included on the CD-
ROM that came with the serverboard.
Sound is output through the Line In,
Line Out and MIC jacks (see at right).
Activate AC97 with the JPAC jumper
(see next section for details) and the
BIOS setting for the Audio Codec
(under South Bridge Confi guration).
In addition, there are also CD1 and
AUX1 connectors on the board that
can be used for audio output.
Line In (blue port): Surround L/R
Line Out (green port): Front L/R
MIC (pink port): Center/Subwoofer
Audio Output Jumper/
Header
The J26 header is used both as a jump-
er and a cable header. Jump pins 5-6
and 9-10 to use the backpanel jacks
for AC97 audio output (see Figure 2-3).
J26 also gives you the option of direct-
ing the audio output to Line In/Line Out/
Mic jacks that may be added to the
front of the chassis (requires additional
hardware, not included). See the table
on the right for pin defi nitions.
Keylock Header
Audio Output Jumper/Header
Pin Defi nitions (J26)
Pin# Defi nition
1MIC
2Ground
3Reference voltage
45V (audio)
5Line Out (right channel) from board
6Line Out (right channel) to port
7NC
8Key
9Line Out (left channel) from board
10Line Out (left channel) to port
Notes: NC indicates no connection. Pins 6
and 10 are not active when a header is used
for front side audio access.
The keyboard lock header is designat-
ed JK1. Utilizing this header allows
you to inhibit any actions made on the
keyboard, effectively "locking" it.
2-15
H8DC8/H8DCi User's Manual
2-7 Jumper Settings
Explanation of
Jumpers
To modify the operation of the
serverboard, jumpers can be used to
choose between optional settings.
Jumpers create shorts between two
pins to change the function of the
connector. Pin 1 is identifi ed with
a square solder pad on the printed
circuit board. See the diagram at
right for an example of jumping pins
1 and 2. Refer to the serverboard
layout page for jumper locations.
Note 1: On two-pin jumpers,
"Closed" means the jumper is on
and "Open" means the jumper is
off the pins.
CMOS Clear
Connector
321
Pins
Jumper
321
Setting
JBT1 is used to clear CMOS and will also clear any passwords. Instead of pins,
this jumper consists of contact pads to prevent accidentally clearing the contents
of CMOS.
To clear CMOS,
1) First power down the system and unplug the power cord(s).
2) With the power disconnected, short the CMOS pads with a metal object such as
a small screwdriver for at least four seconds.
3) Remove the screwdriver (or shorting device).
4) Reconnect the power cord(s) and power on the system.
Notes:
Do not use the PW_ON connector to clear CMOS.
The onboard battery does not need to be removed when clearing CMOS, however
you must short JBT1 for at least four seconds.
JBT1 contact pads
2-16
3rd Power Supply Fail Signal
Enable/Disable
The system can notify you in the event
of a power supply failure. This feature
assumes that three redundant power
supply units are installed in the chas-
sis. If you only have one or two power
supplies installed, you should disable
the function with the J3P header to pre-
vent false alarms. See the table on the
right for jumper settings.
Chapter 2: Installation
3rd Power Supply Fail Signal
Jumper Settings (J3P)
Jumper Setting Defi nition
OpenDisabled
ClosedEnabled
I2C to PCI Enable/Disable
The JI2C1/2 pair of jumpers allows you
to connect the System Management
Bus to any one of the PCI expansion
slots. The default setting is closed (on)
for both jumpers to enable the connec-
tion. Both connectors must be set the
same (JI
2
C1 is for data and JI2C2 is for
the clock). See the table on right for
jumper settings.
Audio Enable/Disable
Jumper JPAC is used to enable or dis-
able the audio. Onboard audio is pro-
vided by AC97 audio CODEC for high
quality 6-channel (5.1) sound. The de-
fault setting is on pins 1-2 to enable the
audio. See the table on right for jumper
settings.
I2C to PCI Enable/Disable
Jumper Settings
(JI2C1/2)
Jumper Setting Defi nition
ClosedEnabled
OpenDisabled
Audio Enable/Disable
Jumper Settings (JPAC)
Jumper Setting Defi nition
Pins 1-2Enabled
Pins 2-3Disabled
2-17
H8DC8/H8DCi User's Manual
Watch Dog
JWD controls Watch Dog, a system
monitor that takes action when a soft-
ware application freezes the system.
Jumping pins 1-2 will cause WD to
reset the system if an application is
hung up. Jumping pins 2-3 will gen-
erate a non-maskable interrupt signal
for the application that is hung up.
See the table on the right for jumper
settings. Watch Dog can also be
enabled via BIOS.
Onboard Speaker Enable/
Disable
The JD1 header allows you to use
either an external speaker or the in-
ternal (onboard) speaker. To use the
internal onboard speaker, close pins
6 and 7 with a jumper. To use an
external speaker, remove the jumper
and connect the speaker wires to pins
4 (+5V) and 7 (control signal). See the
table on the right for settings and the
table associated with the Power LED/
Keylock/Speaker connection (previ-
ous section) for pin defi nitions.
Watch Dog
Jumper Settings (JWD)
Jumper Setting Defi nition
Pins 1-2Reset
Pins 2-3NMI
OpenDisabled
Note: When enabled, the user needs to
write their own application software in or-
der to disable the Watch Dog timer.
Onboard Speaker Enable/Disable
Pin Defi nitions (JD1)
Pins Defi nition
6 and 7Jump for onboard speaker
4 and 7Attach external speaker wires
Note: Pins 4-7 are used only for the on-
board speaker.
PCI-X Slot Speed
Jumpers JPX1B and JPX1A on the
H8DC8/H8DCi can be used to change
the speed of PCI-X slots 2 and 3 and
PCI-X slot 1, respectively. See the
tables on the right for jumper settings.
Note: JPX1B controls the speed for PCI-X slots #2
and #3 and JPX1A controls the speed for PCI-X slot
#1. The default setting for both is Auto.
PCI-X Slot Speed Jumper Settings
(JPX1A/JPX1B)
Jumper Setting Defi nition
OpenAuto
Pins 1-2PCI-X 66 MHz
Pins 2-3PCI 66 MHz
2-18
SCSI Termination Enable/
Disable (H8DC8 only)
Jumpers JPA2 and JPA3 are used to
enable or disable termination for the
SCSI Channel A and B connector, re-
spectively. The default setting is open
to enable termination. See the table on
right for jumper settings.
Note: In order for the SCSI drives to
function properly, please do not change
the default setting (enabled) set by the
manufacturer.)
Chapter 2: Installation
SCSI Term. Enable/Disable
Jumper Settings (JPA2, JPA3)
Jumper Setting Defi nition
OpenEnabled
ClosedDisabled
SCSI Controller Enable/
Disable (H8DC8 only)
Jumper JPA1 is used to enable or dis-
able the onboard SCSI controller. The
default setting is on pins 1-2 to enable
SCSI. See the table on right for jumper
settings.
USB Standby Power Enable/
Disable
Jumper J13 is used to enable or dis-
able the presence of standby power for
all onboard USB ports and headers.
Enabling this jumper allows the user
to wake-up the system from standby
mode with a USB keyboard or mouse.
The default setting is on pins 1-2 to dis-
able. See the table on right for jumper
settings.
SCSI Enable/Disable
Jumper Settings (JPA1)
Jumper Setting Defi nition
Pins 1-2Enabled
Pins 2-3Disabled
USB Standby Power
Enable/Disable Jumper
Settings (J13)
Jumper Setting Defi nition
Pins 1-2Disabled
Pins 2-3Enabled
2-19
H8DC8/H8DCi User's Manual
2-8 Onboard Indicators
JLAN1/JLAN2 LEDs
The Ethernet ports (located beside the
VGA port) have two LEDs. On each
Gb LAN port, one LED indicates activ-
ity while the other LED may be green,
amber or off to indicate the speed of
the connection. See the table on the
right for the functions associated with
the connection speed LED.
(Connection Speed Indicator)
JLAN LED
LED Color Defi nition
Off10 MHz
Green100 MHz
Amber1 GHz
+3.3V Standby LED
When illuminated, the DP1 LED indi-
cates that +3.3V standby power from
the power supply is being supplied to
the serverboard. DP1 should normally
be illuminated when the system is con-
nected to AC power, whether turned
on or not. DP1 will fl ash on and off
when the system is in an S1, S3
(Suspend to RAM) or S4 (Suspend to
Disk) state.See the table on the right
for DP1 LED states.
SCSI Activity LEDs (H8DC8)
+3.3V Standby LED
(DP1)
State System Status
OnStandby power present on
serverboard
OffNo power connected
FlashingSystem in standby state
When illuminated, the DA1 and DA2
LEDs indicate activity on SCSI chan-
nels A and B, respectively. These
LEDs are located near the SCSI con-
troller chip. See the table on the right
for LED states.
SCSI Activity LEDs
(DA1, DA2)
State System Status
OnSCSI channel active
OffSCSI channel inactive
2-20
Chapter 2: Installation
2-9 Floppy, IDE, Parallel Port, SCSI and SATA Drive
Connections
Use the following information to connect the fl oppy and hard disk drive cables.
The fl oppy disk drive cable has seven twisted wires.
A red mark on a wire typically designates the location of pin 1.
A single fl oppy disk drive ribbon cable has 34 wires and two connectors to provide
for two fl oppy disk drives. The connector with twisted wires always connects to
drive A, and the connector that does not have twisted wires always connects to
drive B.
The 80-wire ATA133 IDE hard disk drive cable that came with your system has
two connectors to support two drives. This special cable should be used to take
advantage of the speed this new technology offers. The blue connector connects
to the onboard IDE connector interface and the other connector(s) to your hard
drive(s). Consult the documentation that came with your disk drive for details
on actual jumper locations and settings for the hard disk drive.
Floppy Connector
The fl oppy connector is located
beside the IDE#2 connector.
See the table on the right for
pin defi nitions.
Floppy Drive Connector
Pin Defi nitions (JFDD1)
Pin# Defi nition Pin # Defi nition
1GND2FDHDIN
3GND4Reserved
5Key6FDEDIN
7GND8Index-
9GND10Motor Enable
11GND12Drive Select B-
13GND14Drive Select A-
15GND16Motor Enable
17GND18DIR-
19GND20STEP-
21GND22Write Data-
23GND24Write Gate-
25GND26Track 00-
27GND28Write Protect-
29GND30Read Data-
31GND32Side 1 Select-
33GND34Diskette
2-21
H8DC8/H8DCi User's Manual
IDE Connectors
There are no jumpers to confi g-
ure the onboard IDE#1 and #2
connectors. See the table on
the right for pin defi nitions.
IDE Drive Connectors
Pin Defi nitions (JIDE#1/JIDE#2)
Pin# Defi nition Pin # Defi nition
1Reset IDE2Ground
3Host Data 74Host Data 8
5Host Data 66Host Data 9
7Host Data 58Host Data 10
9Host Data 410Host Data 11
11Host Data 312Host Data 12
13Host Data 214Host Data 13
15Host Data 116Host Data 14
17Host Data 018Host Data 15
19Ground20Key
21DRQ322Ground
23I/O Write24Ground
25I/O Read26Ground
27IOCHRDY28BALE
29DACK330Ground
31IRQ1432IOCS16
33Addr134Ground
35Addr036Addr2
37Chip Select 038Chip Select 1
39Activity40Ground
2-22
Chapter 2: Installation
Parallel Port
Connector
See the table on the right for
pin defi nitions of the parallel
(printer) port.
Parallel Port Connector
Pin Defi nitions
Pin# Defi nition Pin # Defi nition
1Strobe-2Auto Feed-
3Data Bit 04Error-
5Data Bit 16Init-
7Data Bit 28SLCT IN-
9Data Bit 310GND
11Data Bit 412GND
13Data Bit 514GND
15Data Bit 616GND
17Data Bit 718GND
19ACK20GND
21BUSY22Write Data
23PE24Write Gate
25SLCT26NC
SATA Ports
There are no jumpers to con-
fi gure the SATA ports, which
are designated SATA0 through
SATA3. See the table on the
right for pin defi nitions.
Pin Defi nitions (SATA0-SATA3)
SATA Ports
Pin # Defi nition
1Ground
2TXP
3TXN
4Ground
5RXN
6RXP
7Ground
2-23
H8DC8/H8DCi User's Manual
SCSI Connectors
(H8DC8 only)
Refer to the table at right for
pin defi nitions for the Ultra320
SCSI connectors located at
JA1 and JB2.
Ultra320 SCSI Connectors
Pin Defi nitions (JA1/JB2)
Pin# Defi nition Pin # Defi nition
1+DB (12)35-DB (12)
2+DB (13)36-DB (13)
3+DB (14)37-DB (14)
4+DB (15)38-DB (15)
5+DB (P1)39-DB (P1)
6+DB (0)40-DB (0)
7+DB (1)41-DB (1)
8+DB (2)42-DB (2)
9+DB (3)43-DB (3)
10+DB (4)44-DB (4)
11+DB (5)45-DB (5)
12+DB (6)46-DB (6)
13+DB (7)47-DB (7)
14+DB (P)48-DB (P)
15Ground49Ground
16DIFFSENS50Ground
17TERMPWR51TERMPWR
18TERMPWR52TERMPWR
19Reserved53Reserved
20Ground54Ground
21+ATN55-ATN
22Ground56Ground
23+BSY57-BSY
24+ACK58-ACK
25+RST59-RST
26+MSG60-MSG
27+SEL61-SEL
28+C/D62-C/D
29+REQ63-REQ
30+I/O64-I/O
31+DB (8)65-DB (8)
32+DB (9)66-DB (9)
33+DB (10)67-DB (10)
34+DB (11)68-DB (11)
2-24
Chapter 3: Troubleshooting
Chapter 3
Troubleshooting
3-1 Troubleshooting Procedures
Use the following procedures to troubleshoot your system. If you have followed all
of the procedures below and still need assistance, refer to the ‘Technical Support
Procedures’ and/or ‘Returning Merchandise for Service’ section(s) in this chapter.
Always disconnect the AC power cord before adding, changing or installing any
hardware components.
Before Power On
1. Check that the +3.3V standby power LED is lit (DP1 on the serverboard).
2. Make sure that the main ATX power connector at J1B4, the 8-pin connector at
JPW2 and the 4-pin connecor at J32 are all connected to your power supply.
3. Make sure that no short circuits exist between the serverboard and chassis.
4. Disconnect all ribbon/wire cables from the serverboard, including those for the
keyboard and mouse.
5. Remove all add-on cards.
6. Install a CPU and heatsink (making sure it is fully seated) and connect the in-
ternal (chassis) speaker and the power LED to the serverboard. Check all jumper
settings as well.
7. Use the correct type of onboard CMOS battery as recommended by the manufac-
turer. To avoid possible explosion, do not install the CMOS battery upside down.
No Power
1. Make sure that no short circuits exist between the serverboard and the chas-
sis.
2. Verify that all jumpers are set to their default positions.
3. Check that the 115V/230V switch on the power supply is properly set.
4. Turn the power switch on and off to test the system.
5. The battery on your serverboard may be old. Check to verify that it still supplies
~3VDC. If it does not, replace it with a new one.
No Video
1. If the power is on but you have no video, remove all the add-on cards and
cables.
2. Use the speaker to determine if any beep codes exist. Refer to Appendix A for
details on beep codes.
3-1
H8DC8/H8DCi User's Manual
NOTE
If you are a system integrator, VAR or OEM, a POST diagnostics
card is recommended. For I/O port 80h codes, refer to App. B.
Memory Errors
1. Make sure that the DIMM modules are properly and fully installed.
2. You should be using registered ECC DDR memory (see next page). Also, it is
recommended that you use the same memory type and speed for all DIMMs in the
system. See Section 2-4 for memory details and limitations.
3. Check for bad DIMM modules or slots by swapping modules between slots and
noting the results.
4. Check the power supply voltage 115V/230V switch.
Losing the System’s Setup Confi guration
1. Make sure that you are using a high quality power supply. A poor quality power
supply may cause the system to lose the CMOS setup information. Refer to Sec-
tion 1-6 for details on recommended power supplies.
2. The battery on your serverboard may be old. Check to verify that it still supplies
~3VDC. If it does not, replace it with a new one.
3. If the above steps do not fi x the setup confi guration problem, contact your vendor
for repairs.
3-2 Technical Support Procedures
Before contacting Technical Support, please take the following steps. Also, note
that as a serverboard manufacturer, we do not sell directly to end-users, so it is
best to fi rst check with your distributor or reseller for troubleshooting services. They
should know of any possible problem(s) with the specifi c system confi guration that
was sold to you.
1. Please review the ‘Troubleshooting Procedures’ and 'Frequently Asked Questions'
(FAQs) sections in this chapter or see the FAQs on our web site before contacting
Technical Support.
2. BIOS upgrades can be downloaded from our web site.
Note: Not all BIOS can be fl ashed depending on the modifi cations to the boot block
code.
3-2
Chapter 3: Troubleshooting
3. If you still cannot resolve the problem, include the following information when
contacting us for technical support:
Serverboard model and PCB revision number
BIOS release date/version (this can be seen on the initial display when your
system fi rst boots up)
System confi guration
An example of a Technical Support form is posted on our web site.
4. Distributors: For immediate assistance, please have your account number ready
when contacting our technical support department by e-mail.
3-3 Frequently Asked Questions
Question: What type of memory does my serverboard support?
Answer: The H8DC8/H8DCi supports up to 32 GB of registered ECC DDR333/266
or up to 16 GB of registered ECC DDR400 interleaved or non-interleaved SDRAM
with two CPUs installed. With only one CPU installed the maximum memory sup-
port is halved. See Section 2-4 for details on installing memory.
Question: How do I update my BIOS?
Answer: It is recommended that you not upgrade your BIOS if you are not experi-
encing problems with your system. Updated BIOS fi les are located on our web site.
Please check our BIOS warning message and the information on how to update
your BIOS on our web site. Also, check the current BIOS revision and make sure
it is newer than your current BIOS before downloading.
Select your mainboard model on the web page and download the corresponding
BIOS fi le to your computer. Unzip the BIOS update fi le, in which you will fi nd the
readme.txt (fl ash instructions), the amifl ash.exe (BIOS fl ash utility) and the BIOS
image (xxx.rom) fi les. Copy these fi les to a bootable fl oppy disk, insert the disk
into drive A and reboot the system. At the DOS prompt after rebooting, enter the
command "amifl ash" (without quotation marks) then type in the BIOS fi le that you
want to update with (xxxx.rom).
Question: What's on the CD that came with my serverboard?
Answer: The supplied compact disc has quite a few drivers and programs that will
greatly enhance your system. We recommend that you review the CD and install the
applications you need. Applications on the CD include chipset drivers for Windows
and security and audio drivers.
3-3
H8DC8/H8DCi User's Manual
Question: Why can't I turn off the power using the momentary power on/off
switch?
Answer: The instant power off function is controlled in BIOS by the Power But-
ton Mode setting. When the On/Off feature is enabled, the serverboard will have
instant off capabilities as long as the BIOS has control of the system. When the
Standby or Suspend feature is enabled or when the BIOS is not in control such
as during memory count (the fi rst screen that appears when the system is turned
on), the momentary on/off switch must be held for more than four seconds to shut
down the system. This feature is required to implement the ACPI features on the
serverboard.
Question: How do I connect the ATA133 cable to my IDE device(s)?
Answer: The 80-wire/40-pin high-density ATA133 IDE cable that came with your
system has two connectors to support two drives. This special cable must be used
to take advantage of the speed the ATA133 technology offers. Connect the blue
connector to the onboard IDE header and the other connector(s) to your hard
drive(s). Consult the documentation that came with your disk drive for details on
actual jumper locations and settings.
3-4 Returning Merchandise for Service
A receipt or copy of your invoice marked with the date of purchase is required be-
fore any warranty service will be rendered. You can obtain service by calling your
vendor for a Returned Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number. When returning
to the manufacturer, the RMA number should be prominently displayed on the
outside of the shipping carton, and mailed prepaid or hand-carried. Shipping and
handling charges will be applied for all orders that must be mailed when service
is complete.
This warranty only covers normal consumer use and does not cover damages in-
curred in shipping or from failure due to the alteration, misuse, abuse or improper
maintenance of products.
During the warranty period, contact your distributor fi rst for any product problems.
3-4
Chapter 4: BIOS
Chapter 4
BIOS
4-1 Introduction
This chapter describes the AMIBIOS™ Setup utility for the H8DC8/H8DCi. The
AMI ROM BIOS is stored in a fl ash chip and can be easily upgraded using a fl oppy
disk-based program.
Note: Due to periodic changes to the BIOS, some settings may have been added or
deleted and might not yet be recorded in this manual. Please refer to the Manual
Download area of our web site for any changes to BIOS that may not be refl ected
in this manual.
Starting the Setup Utility
To enter the BIOS Setup Utility, hit the <Delete> key while the system is booting-up.
(In most cases, the <Delete> key is used to invoke the BIOS setup screen. There are
a few cases when other keys are used, such as <F1>, <F2>, etc.) Each main BIOS
menu option is described in this manual.
The Main BIOS screen has two main frames. The left frame displays all the options
that can be confi gured. “Grayed-out” options cannot be confi gured. The right frame
displays the key legend. Above the key legend is an area reserved for a text mes-
sage. When an option is selected in the left frame, it is highlighted in white. Often a
text message will accompany it. (Note that BIOS has default text messages built in.
We retain the option to include, omit, or change any of these text messages.) Set-
tings printed in Bold are the default values.
A "
" indicates a submenu. Highlighting such an item and pressing the <Enter>
key will open the list of settings within that submenu.
The BIOS setup utility uses a key-based navigation system called hot keys. Most of
these hot keys (<F1>, <F10>, <Enter>, <ESC>, <Arrow> keys, etc.) can be used at
any time during the setup navigation process.
4-1
H8DC8/H8DCi User's Manual
4-2 Main Menu
When you fi rst enter AMI BIOS Setup Utility, you will see the Main Menu screen.
You can always return to the Main Menu by selecting the Main tab on the top of
the screen with the arrow keys.
The Main Menu screen provides you with a system overview, which includes the
version, built date and ID of the AMIBIOS, the type, speed and number of the
processors in the system and the amount of memory installed in the system.
System Time/System Date
You can edit this fi eld to change the system time and date. Highlight System Time
or System Date using the <Arrow> keys. Enter new values through the keyboard.
Press the <Tab> key or the <Arrow> keys to move between fi elds. The date must
be entered in DAY/MM/DD/YYYY format. The time is entered in HH:MM:SS format.
Please note that time is in a 24-hour format. For example, 5:30 A.M. appears as
05:30:00 and 5:30 P.M. as 17:30:00.
4-3 Advanced Settings Menu
CPU Confi guration Sub-Menu
GART Error Reporting
This setting is used for testing only.
MTRR Mapping
This determines the method used for programming CPU MTRRs when 4 GB or more
memory is present. The options are Continuous, which makes the PCI hole non-
cacheable, and Discrete, which places the PCI hole below the 4 GB boundary.
IDE Confi guration
Onboard PCI IDE Controller
The following options are available to set the IDE controller status: Disabled will dis-
able the controller. Primary will enable the primary IDE controller only. Secondary
will enable the secondary IDE controller only. Both will enable both the primary and
the secondary IDE controllers. The six controllers listed are for two dual-channel
IDE and eight SATA devices.
4-2
Chapter 4: BIOS
Primary/Secondary/Third/Fouth/Fifth/Sixth IDE Master/Slave
Highlight one of the items above and press <Enter> to access the submenu for
that item.
Type
Select the type of device connected to the system. The options are Not Installed,
Auto, CDROM and ARMD.
LBA/Large Mode
LBA (Logical Block Addressing) is a method of addressing data on a disk drive.
The options are Disabled and Auto.
Block (Multi-Sector Transfer)
Block mode boosts IDE drive performance by increasing the amount of data
transferred. Only 512 bytes of data can be transferred per interrupt if block mode
is not used. Block mode allows transfers of up to 64 KB per interrupt. Select
"Disabled" to allow the data to be transferred from and to the device one sec-
tor at a time. Select "Auto" to allows the data transfer from and to the device
occur multiple sectors at a time if the device supports it. The options are Auto
and Disabled.
PIO Mode
PIO (Programmable I/O) mode programs timing cycles between the IDE drive
and the programmable IDE controller. As the PIO mode increases, the cycle time
decreases. The options are Auto, 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4. Select Auto to allow AMI
BIOS to auto detect the PIO mode. Use this value if the IDE disk drive support
cannot be determined. Select 0 to allow AMI BIOS to use PIO mode 0. It has a
data transfer rate of 3.3 MBs. Select 1 to allow AMI BIOS to use PIO mode 1.
It has a data transfer rate of 5.2 MBs. Select 2 to allow AMI BIOS to use PIO
mode 2. It has a data transfer rate of 8.3 MBs. Select 3 to allow AMI BIOS to
use PIO mode 3. It has a data transfer rate of 11.1 MBs. Select 4 to allow AMI
BIOS to use PIO mode 4. It has a data transfer rate of 16.6 MBs. This setting
generally works with all hard disk drives manufactured after 1999. For other disk
drives, such as IDE CD-ROM drives, check the specifi cations of the drive.
4-3
H8DC8/H8DCi User's Manual
DMA Mode
Selects the DAM Mode. Options are SWDMA0, SWDMA1, SWDMA2,