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 at www.supermicro.com.
Super Micro Computer, Inc. reserves 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.
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SPECULATIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING FROM THE USE OR INABILITY TO
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COSTS OF REPAIRING, REPLACING, INTEGRATING, INSTALLING OR RECOVERING SUCH
HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, OR DATA.
Any disputes arising between manufacturer and customer shall be governed by the laws of Santa
Clara County in the State of California, USA. The State of California, County of Santa Clara shall
be the exclusive venue for the resolution of any such disputes. Super Micro's total liability for
all claims will not exceed the price paid for the hardware product.
FCC Statement: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class
A digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial
environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not
installed and used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instruction manual, may cause harmful
interference with radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely
to cause harmful interference, in which case you will be required to correct the interference at your
own expense.
California Best Management Practices Regulations for Perchlorate Materials: This Perchlorate
warning applies only to products containing CR (Manganese Dioxide) Lithium coin cells. “Perchlorate
Material-special handling may apply. See www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate”
WARNING: Handling of lead solder materials used in this
product may expose you to lead, a chemical known to
the State of California to cause birth defects and other
reproductive harm.
Manual Revision 1.1a
Release Date: May 15, 2008
Unless you request and receive written permission from Super Micro Computer, Inc., 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.
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 H8DM8-2/H8DME-2 serverboard is based on the nVidia MCP55 Pro/NEC
uPD720400 chipset. The nVidia MCP55 Pro functions as Media and Communica-
tions Processor (MCP). Controllers for the system memory are integrated directly
into the AMD Opteron processors.
MCP55 Pro Media and Communications Processor
The MCP55 Pro is a single-chip, high-performance HyperTransport peripheral con-
troller. It includes a 28-lane PCI Express interface, an AMD Opteron 16-bit Hyper
Transport interface link, a six-port Serial ATA interface, a dual-port Gb Ethernet
interface, a dual ATA133 bus master interface and a USB 2.0 interface. This hub
connects directly to CPU#1 and through that to CPU#2.
NEC uPD720400
This I/O bridge chip provides one PCI-Express x8 upstream port and two PCI-X
domains. Each bridge supports PCI masters that include clock, request and grant
signals. This hub is connected to the MCP55 Pro and also interfaces directly with
the Adaptec SCSI controller.
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
H8DM8-2/H8DME-2 User’s Manual
1-3 PC Health Monitoring
This section describes the PC health monitoring features of the H8DM8-2/H8DME-
2. 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 (1.8V), nVidia 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
H8DM8-2/H8DME-2 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.
The H8DM8-2/H8DME-2 accommodates 12V ATX power supplies. Although most
power supplies generally meet the specifi cations required by the CPU, some
are inadequate. A 2 amp current supply on a 5V Standby rail is strongly recom-
mended.
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
H8DM8-2/H8DME-2 User’s Manual
Notes
1-14
Chapter 2: Installation
Chapter 2
Installation
2-1 Static-Sensitive Devices
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) can damage electronic com ponents. To prevent dam-
age 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
H8DM8-2/H8DME-2 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-0011L) have been preinstalled to the serverboard to
prevent the CPU area of the serverboard from bending and to provide a base for
attaching the heatsink retention modules.
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. Begin by removing the cover plate
that protects the CPU. Lift the lever
on CPU socket #1 until it points straight
up. With the lever raised, lift open the
silver CPU retention plate.
Triangles
2. Use your thumb and your index
fi nger to hold the CPU. Locate and
align pin 1 of the CPU socket with pin
1 of the CPU. Both are marked with
a triangle.
2-2
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.
Chapter 2: Installation
4. With the CPU inserted into the
socket, inspect the four corners of the
CPU to make sure that it is properly in-
stalled and fl ush with the socket. Then,
gently lower the silver CPU retention
plate into place.
5. Carefully press the CPU socket
lever down until it locks into its reten-
tion 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
the CPU1 DIMM slots are addressable
for a maximum of 16 GB memory.
2-3
H8DM8-2/H8DME-2 User's Manual
Installing the Heatsink Retention Modules
Two heatsink retention modules (BKT-0012L) and four screws are included in the
retail box. Once installed, these are used to help attach the heatsinks to the CPUs.
To install, align the module with the standoffs of the preinstalled CPU backplate and
with the four feet on the module contacting 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-0012L is included for use with non-proprietary heatsinks only. When
installing proprietary heatsinks, only BKT-0011L (the CPU backplate) is needed.
The BKT-0012L retention module was designed to provide compatibility with clip-
and-cam type heatsinks from third parties.
Figure 2-1. CPU Heatsink Retention Module Installation
Installing the Heatsink
The use of active type heatsinks (except for 1U systems) are recommended. Con-
nect the heatsink fans to the appropriate fan headers on the serverboard. To install
the heatsinks, please follow the installation instructions included with your heatsink
package (not included).
2-4
Chapter 2: Installation
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 H8DM8-2/H8DME-2 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 and 2 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.
2-5
H8DM8-2/H8DME-2 User's Manual
Support
The H8DM8-2/H8DME-2 supports single or dual-channel, DDR2-667/533/400
registered ECC 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. (The CPU1 slots are designated DIMMA and the
CPU2 slots are designated DIMMB.)
Maximum memory: 64 GB of DDR2-667/533/400 registered ECC SDRAM. If only
one CPU is installed, maximum supported memory is halved.
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.
To Remove:
Use your thumbs to
gently push each release tab outward to
release the DIMM from
the slot.
Notch
Release
Tab
Note: Notch
should align
with its
receptive point
on the slot
Note the notch in the slot and on the bottom of the DIMM.
These prevent the DIMM from being installed incorrectly.
Notch
Release
Tab
2-6
Chapter 2: Installation
Populating Memory Banks for 128-bit Operation
CPU1
1A/1B
X
XX
XXX
XXXX
XXXXX
XXXXXX
XXXXXXX
XXXXXXXX
CPU1
2A/2B
CPU1
3A/3B
CPU1
4A/4B
CPU2
1A/1B
CPU2
2A/2B
CPU2
3A/3B
CPU2
4A/4B
Notes: X indicates a pair of populated DIMM slots. If adding at least four DIMMs (with
two CPUs installed), the confi gurations with DIMMs spread over both CPUs will result
in optimized performance. Note that the fi rst two DIMMs must be installed in the CPU1
memory slots.
2-7
H8DM8-2/H8DME-2 User's Manual
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)
20 19
Ground
x (key)
Power LED
HDD LED
NIC1
NIC2
OH/Fan Fail LED
Power Fail LED
Ground
NMI
x (key)
Vcc
Vcc
Vcc
Vcc
Vcc
Vcc
Reset
Ground
Power
2 1
2-8
Chapter 2: Installation
2-6 Connecting Cables
ATX Power Connector
The primary ATX power supply con-
nector (JPW1) 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 (JPW1)
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
2-9
H8DM8-2/H8DME-2 User's Manual
HDD LED
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.
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.
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
Pin Defi nitions (JF1)
Pin# Defi nition
9Vcc
10NIC2 Active
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.
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.
OH/Fan Fail LED
Pin Defi nitions (JF1)
Pin# Defi nition
7Vcc
8Control
2-10
OH/Fan Fail
LED Status
State Indication
SolidOverheat
BlinkingFan fail
Power Fail LED
Pin Defi nitions (JF1)
Pin# Defi nition
5Vcc
6Control
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
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.
Chapter 2: Installation
Reset Button
Pin Defi nitions (JF1)
Pin# Defi nition
3Reset
4Ground
Power Button
Pin Defi nitions (JF1)
Pin# Defi nition
1PW_ON
2Ground
Universal Serial Bus Ports
(USB0/1)
Two Universal Serial Bus ports
(USB2.0) are located beside the
JLAN1/2 ports. See the table on the
right for pin defi nitions.
USB Headers
Four additional USB2.0 headers
(USB2/3 and USB4/5) 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.
Universal Serial Bus Ports
Pin Defi nitions (USB0/1)
USB0
Pin # Defi nition
1+5V1+5V
2PO-2PO-
3PO+3PO+
4Ground4Ground
Universal Serial Bus Headers
Pin Defi nitions (USB2/3/4/5)
USB2
Pin # Defi nition
1+5V1+5V
2PO-2PO-
3PO+3PO+
4Ground4Ground
5Key5No connection
USB1
Pin # Defi nition
USB3/4
Pin # Defi nition
2-11
H8DM8-2/H8DME-2 User's Manual
ATX PS/2 Keyboard and
PS/2 Mouse Ports
The ATX PS/2 keyboard and the
PS/2 mouse ports are located on the
IO backplane. The mouse is the top
(green) port. 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 the serverboard layout for
locations and the table on the right for
pin defi nitions.
PS/2 Keyboard and
Mouse Port Pin
Defi nitions
Pin# Defi nition
1Data
2NC
3Ground
4VCC
5Clock
6NC
Serial Port Pin Defi nitions
(COM1/COM2)
Pin # Defi nitionPin # Defi nition
1DCD6DSR
2RXD7RTS
3TXD8CTS
4DTR9 RI
5Ground10NC
Fan Headers
The H8DM8-2/H8DME-2 has eight fan
headers. Fans 7 and 8 (only) are 4-pin
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 ni-
tions.
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.
JLAN1/2 (Ethernet Ports)
Note: NC indicates no connection.
3-pin Fan Header
Pin Defi nitions
(FAN1-6)
Pin# Defi nition
1Ground (Black)
2+12V (Red)
3Tachometer
4-pin Fan Header
Pin Defi nitions
(FAN7-8)
Pin# Defi nition
1Ground (Black)
2+12V (Red)
3Tachometer
4PWM Control
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.
2-12
Chapter 2: Installation
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.
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.
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
Overheat LED
Pin Defi nitions (JOH1)
Pin# Defi nition
13.3V
2OH Active
Chassis Intrusion
A Chassis Intrusion header is located
at JL1. Attach the appropriate cable
to inform you of a chassis intrusion.
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.)
Chassis Intrusion
Pin Defi nitions (JL1)
Pin# Defi nition
1Battery voltage
2Intrusion signal
Wake-On-LAN
Pin Defi nitions
(JWOL)
Pin# Defi nition
1+5V Standby
2Ground
3Wake-up
2-13
H8DM8-2/H8DME-2 User's Manual
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.
Power Supply I2C Header
The PWRI2C header 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
(PWRI2C)
Pin# Defi nition
1Clock
2Data
3PWR Fail
4Gnd
5+3.3V
SMBus Header
The header at SMBus 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.
3rd Power Supply Alarm
Header
Connect a cable from your power
supply to JPWF 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.
SMBus Header
Pin Defi nitions (SMBus)
Pin# Defi nition
1Data
2Ground
3Clock
4No Connection
3rd Power Supply
Alarm Header
Pin Defi nitions (JPWF)
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.
2-14
Chapter 2: Installation
Power Fail 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.
Compact Flash Power
Header
A Compact Flash Card Power header
is located at JWF1. For the Compact
Flash Card to work properly, you will
fi rst need to connect the device's power
cable to JWF1 and correctly set the
Compact Flash Jumper (JCF1).
Alarm Reset Header
Pin Defi nitions (JAR)
Pin# Defi nition
1Ground
2Reset Signal
Compact Flash
Power Header
Pin Defi nitions (JWF1)
Pin# Defi nition
1+5V
2Ground
3Signal
SGPIO
SGPIO1 and SGPIO2 (Serial General
Purpose Input/Output) provide a bus
between the SATA controller and
the SATA drive backplane to provide
SATA enclosure management func-
tions. Connect the appropriate cables
from the backplane to the SGPIO1
and SGPIO2 header(s) to utilize
SATA management functions on your
system.
Pin Defi nitions (SGPIO1, SGPIO2)
SGPIO Header
Pin# Defi nition Pin # Defi nition
1NC2 NC
3Ground4Data
5Load6Ground
7NC8 NC
Note: NC indicates no connection.
2-15
H8DM8-2/H8DME-2 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: O n t w o - p i n j u m p e r s , " C l o s e d "
means the jumper is on and "Open"
Connector
321
Pins
Jumper
321
Setting
means the jumper is off the pins.
CMOS Clear
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 Detect
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.
I2C to PCI Enable/Disable
Chapter 2: Installation
3rd Power Supply Fail Detect
Jumper Settings (J3P)
Jumper Setting Defi nition
OpenDisabled
ClosedEnabled
The JI2C1/2 pair of jumpers allows
you to connect the System Manage-
ment Bus to 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.
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.
I2C to PCI Enable/Disable
Jumper Settings
2
C1/2)
(JI
Jumper Setting Defi nition
ClosedEnabled
OpenDisabled
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.
2-17
H8DM8-2/H8DME-2 User's Manual
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 jumper settings.
PCI-X Slot Speed
Jumpers JPX1A and JPX1B on the
H8DM8-2/H8DME-2 can be used to
change the speed of PCI-X slots #1&2
and PCI-X slots #3&4, respectively.
See the tables on the right for jumper
settings.
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 Jumper Settings
(JPX1A/JPX1B)
Jumper Setting Defi nition
OpenAuto
Pins 1-2PCI-X 66 MHz
Pins 2-3PCI 66 MHz
Note: JPX1A controls the speed for PCI-X slots #1
and #2. JPX1B controls the speed for PCI-X slots
#3 and #4. The default setting for both is Auto.
SCSI Controller Enable/
Disable (H8DM8-2 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.
2-18
SCSI Enable/Disable
Jumper Settings (JPA1)
Jumper Setting Defi nition
Pins 1-2Enabled
Pins 2-3Disabled
SCSI Termination Enable/
Disable (H8DM8-2 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.)
VGA Enable/Disable
Chapter 2: Installation
SCSI Term. Enable/Disable
Jumper Settings (JPA2, JPA3)
Jumper Setting Defi nition
OpenEnabled
ClosedDisabled
JPG1 allows you to enable or disable
the VGA port. The default position
is on pins 1 and 2 to enable VGA.
See the table on the right for jumper
settings.
Compact Flash Master/Slave
The JCF1 jumper allows you to assign
either master or slave status a compact
fl ash card installed in IDE1. See the
table on the right for jumper settings.
SIMLC (IPMI Slot)
The SIMLC slot on the H8QM3-2 and
H8QMi-2 is reserved for an optional
IPMI card.
VGA Enable/Disable
Jumper Settings (JPG1)
Jumper Setting Defi nition
Pins 1-2Enabled
Pins 2-3Disabled
Compact Flash
Master/Slave
Jumper Settings (JCF1)
Jumper Setting Defi nition
ClosedMaster
OpenSlave
Note: with an IPMI card installed in
the SIMLC slot, the PCI-X slot #1 can-
not be populated due to mechanical
concerns.
2-19
H8DM8-2/H8DME-2 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
activity when blinking 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 func-
tions associated with the connection
speed LED.
(Connection Speed Indicator)
JLAN LED
LED Color Defi nition
Off10 MHz
Green100 MHz
Amber1 GHz
Onboard Power LED
DP2 is an Onboard Power LED. When
this LED is lit, it means power is pres-
ent on the serverboard. In suspend
mode this LED will blink on and off. Be
sure to turn off the system and unplug
the power cord(s) before removing or
installing components. See the table
on the right for DP4 LED states.
SCSI Activity LEDs
(H8DM8-2 only)
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.
Onboard Power LED
(DP4)
State System Status
OnStandby power present on
serverboard
OffNo power connected
FlashingSystem in standby state
SCSI Activity LEDs
(DA1, DA2)
State System Status
OnSCSI channel active
OffSCSI channel inactive
2-20
Chapter 2: Installation
2-9 Floppy, IDE, 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 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
H8DM8-2/H8DME-2 User's Manual
IDE Connector
There are no jumpers to con-
fi gure the onboard IDE#1 con-
nector unless using it for a
compact flash device. See
the table on the right for pin
defi nitions.
IDE Drive Connectors
Pin Defi nitions (IDE#1)
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
SATA Ports
There are no jumpers to con-
fi gure the SATA ports, which
are designated SATA0 through
SATA5. See the table on the
right for pin defi nitions.
SATA Drive Ports
Pin Defi nitions (SATA0-SATA5)
Pin # Defi nition
1Ground
2TXP
3TXN
4Ground
5RXN
6RXP
7Ground
2-22
Chapter 2: Installation
SCSI Connectors
(H8DM8-2 only)
Refer to the table at right for
pin defi nitions for the Ultra320
SCSI connectors located at
JA1 and JB2.
Ultra320 SCSI Drive 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)
2-23
H8DM8-2/H8DME-2 User's Manual
2-10 Enabling SATA RAID
Now that the hardware is set up, you must now install the operating system and the
SATA RAID drivers, if you wish to use RAID with your SATA drives. The installation
procedure differs depending on whether you wish to have the operating system
installed on a RAID array or on a separate non-RAID drive. See the instructions
below for details.
Serial ATA (SATA)
Serial ATA (SATA) is a physical storage interface that employs a single cable with a
minimum of four wires to create a point-to-point connection between devices. This
connection is a serial link that supports a SATA transfer rate from 150 MBps. The
serial cables used in SATA are thinner than the traditional cables used in Parallel
ATA (PATA) and can extend up to one meter in length, compared to only 40 cm for
PATA cables. Overall, SATA provides better functionality than PATA.
Installing the OS/SATA Driver
Before installing the OS (operating system) and SATA RAID driver, you must decide
if you wish to have the operating system installed as part of a bootable RAID array
or installed to a separate non-RAID hard drive. If on a separate drive, you may
install the driver either during or after the OS installation. If you wish to have the
OS on a SATA RAID array, you must follow the procedure below and install the
driver during the OS installation.
Building a Driver Diskette
You must fi rst build a driver diskette from the Supermicro CD-ROM that was included
with the system. (You will have to create this disk on a computer that is already
running and with the OS installed.) Insert the CD into your CD-ROM drive and
start the system. A display as shown in Figure 2-5 will appear. Click on the icon
labeled "Build Driver Diskettes and Manuals" and follow the instructions to create
a fl oppy disk with the driver on it. Once it's been created, remove the fl oppy and
insert the installation CD for the Windows Operating System you wish to install into
the CD-ROM drive of the new system you are about to confi gure.
Enabling SATA RAID in the BIOS
Before installing the Windows Operating System, you must change some settings
in BIOS. Boot up the system and hit the <Del> key to enter the BIOS Setup Utlility.
After the Setup Utility loads,
1. Use the arrow keys to move to the Exit menu. Scroll down with the arrow keys
to the "Load Optimal Defaults setting and press <Enter>. Select "OK" to confi rm,
then <Enter> to load the default settings.
2-24
Chapter 2: Installation
2. Use the arrow keys to move to Advanced > Floppy/IDE/SATA Confi guration >
nVidia RAID Setup and press the <Enter> key. Once in the submenu, enable the
"nVidia RAID Function" setting, which will cause the SATA0/1/2 Primary/Secondary
settings to appear. Enable the SATA devices and channels you will be using.
3. Hit the <Esc> key twice and scroll to the Exit menu. Select "Save Changes and
Exit" and hit <enter>, then hit <Enter> again to verify.
4. After exiting the BIOS Setup Utility, the system will reboot. When prompted
during the startup, press the <F10> key when prompted to run the nVidia RAID
Utility program.
Using the nVidia RAID Utility
The nVidia RAID Utility program is where you can defi ne the drives you want to
include in the RAID array and the mode and type of RAID. Two main windows
are shown in the utility. The "Free Disks" window on the left will list all available
drives. Use the arrow keys to select and move drives to the window on the right,
which lists all drives that are to become part of the RAID array.
Once you have fi nished selecting the drives and type of RAID you wish to use for
your RAID array, press the <F7> key. You will be prompted to verify your choice; if
you want to continue with your choices, select "Yes". Note that selecting "Yes" will
clear all previous data from the drives you selected to be a part of the array. You
are then given the choice of making the RAID array bootable by pressing the the
<B> key. After you have fi nshed, press the <Ctrl> and <X> keys simultaneously.
Installing the OS and Drivers
With the Windows OS installation CD in the CD-ROM drive, restart the system.
When you see the prompt, hit the <F6> key to enter Windows setup. Eventually a
blue screen will appear with a message that begins "Windows could not determine
the type of one or more storage devices . . ." When you see the screen, hit the <S>
key to "Specify Additional Device", then insert the driver diskette you just created
into the fl oppy drive. Highlight "Manufuacturer Supplied Hardware Support Disk"
and hit the <Enter> key. Highlight the fi rst "nVidia RAID" driver shown and press
the <Enter> key to install it. Soon a similar blue screen will appear again. Again hit
the <S> key, then highlight the second item, "nForce Storage Controller" and press
the <Enter> key, then <Enter> again to continue with the Windows setup.
2-25
H8DM8-2/H8DME-2 User's Manual
2-11 Installing Additional Drivers
The CD that came bundled with the system contains software drivers, some of which
must be installed, such as the chipset driver. After inserting this CD into your CD-
ROM drive, the display shown in Figure 2-5 should appear. (If this display does
not appear, click on the My Computer icon and then on the icon representing your
CD-ROM drive. Finally, double click on the S "Setup" icon.)