VIA Technologies EPIA User Manual

User’s Manual

EPIA

Version 1.21

December 1, 2006

Copyright

Copyright © 2003-2006 VIA Technologies Incorporated. All rights reserved.

No part of this document may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval
system, or translated into any language, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
magnetic, optical, chemical, manual or otherwise without the prior written permission of VIA
Technologies, Incorporated.

Trademarks

All trademarks are the property of their respective holders. PS/2 is a registered trademark of
IBM Corporation. Award BIOS is a registered trademark of Phoenix Technologies Ltd.

Disclaimer

No license is granted, implied or otherwise, under any patent or patent rights of VIA
Technologies. VIA Technologies makes no warranties, implied or otherwise, in regard to this
document and to the products described in this document. The information provided in this
document is believed to be accurate and reliable as of the publication date of this document.
However, VIA Technologies assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of the information
in this document and for any patent infringements that may arise from the use of this
document. The information and product specifications within this document are subject to
change at any time, without notice and without obligation to notify any person of such change.

FCC-B Radio Frequency Interference Statement

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a class B 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 instruction manual, may cause harmful interference
to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause
harmful interference, in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his
personal expense.

Notice 1

The changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance
could void the user's authority to operate the equipment.

Notice 2

Shielded interface cables and A.C. power cord, if any, must be used in order to comply with
the emission limits.

Tested To Comply
With FCC Standards
FOR HOME OR OFFICE USE

Safety Instructions

1. Always read the safety instructions carefully.

2. Keep this User's Manual for future reference.

3. Keep this equipment away from humidity.

4. Lay this equipment on a reliable flat surface before setting it up.

5. The openings on the enclosure are for air convection hence protects the equipment from

overheating. DO NOT COVER THE OPENINGS.

6. Make sure the voltage of the power source and adjust properly 110/220V before

connecting the equipment to the power inlet.

7. Place the power cord in such a way that people cannot step on it. Do not place anything

over the power cord.

8. Always unplug the power cord before inserting any add-on card or module.

9. All cautions and warnings on the equipment should be noted.

10. Never pour any liquid into the opening. Liquid can cause damage or electrical shock.

11. If any of the following situations arises, get the equipment checked by a service personnel:

• The power cord or plug is damaged

• Liquid has penetrated into the equipment

• The equipment has been exposed to moisture

• The equipment has not work well or you cannot get it work according to User's

Manual.

• The equipment has dropped and damaged

• If the equipment has obvious sign of breakage

12. DO NOT LEAVE THIS EQUIPMENT IN AN ENVIRONMENT UNCONDITIONED,

STORAGE TEMPERATURE ABOVE 60 C (140F), IT MAY DAMAGE THE
EQUIPMENT.

CAUTION: Explosion or serious damage may occur if the battery is
incorrectly replaced. Replace only with the same or equivalent
battery type recommended by the manufacturer.

BOX CONTENTS

One VIA Mini-ITX mainboard
One Quick Installation Guide
One ATA-133/100 IDE ribbon cable
One driver and utilities CD
One IO bracket

i

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Box Contents...............................................................................i

Table of Contents ....................................................................... ii

Chapter 1...................................................................................1

Specifications..........................................................................1

Mainboard Specifications..........................................................2

Mainboard Layout....................................................................4

Back Panel Layout ................................................................... 5

Back Panel Ports...................................................................... 6

Slots....................................................................................... 6

Onboard Connectors................................................................7

Onboard Jumpers....................................................................7

Chapter 2...................................................................................9

Installation..............................................................................9

CPU...................................................................................... 10

Memory Module Installation.................................................... 13

Connecting the Power Supply ................................................. 16

Back Panel Ports.................................................................... 18

Connectors............................................................................ 20

Jumpers................................................................................ 28

Slots..................................................................................... 31

Chapter 3................................................................................. 33

BIOS Setup........................................................................... 33

Entering Setup ...................................................................... 34

Control Keys.......................................................................... 35

Navigating the BIOS Menus....................................................36

Getting Help.......................................................................... 37

Main Menu............................................................................ 38

Standard CMOS Features........................................................ 40

IDE Drives ............................................................................ 42

Advanced BIOS Features........................................................ 43

Advanced Chipset Features..................................................... 48

DRAM Clock/Drive Control...................................................... 50

ii

AGP and P2P Bridge Control ................................................... 51

CPU and PCI Bus Control........................................................ 52

Integrated Peripherals............................................................ 54

VIA OnChip IDE Device.......................................................... 56

VIA OnChip PCI Device .......................................................... 58

Super IO Device.................................................................... 60

Power Management Setup...................................................... 62

Power Management...............................................................65

Wake Up Events....................................................................67

IRQs Activities....................................................................... 69

PNP/PCI Configurations.......................................................... 70

IRQ Resources ...................................................................... 72

DMA Resources..................................................................... 73

PC Health Status.................................................................... 74

Load Defaults........................................................................ 75

Set Supervisor / User Password .............................................. 76

Save & Exit Setup.................................................................. 78

Exit Without Saving ............................................................... 79

Chapter 4................................................................................. 81

Driver Installation.................................................................. 81

Driver Utilities ....................................................................... 82

CD Content........................................................................... 84

iii

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iv

HAPTER

C

1

Specifications

The ultra-compact and highly integrated VIA EPIA uses the Mini-ITX
mainboard form-factor developed by VIA Technologies, Inc. as part
of the company’s open industry-wide Total Connectivity initiative.
The mainboard enables the creation of an exciting new generation of
small, ergonomic, innovative and affordable embedded systems.
Through a high level of integration, the Mini-ITX occupies 66% of
the size of FlexATX mainboard form factor. The mainboard comes
with an embedded VIA Processor, boasting of ultra-low power
consumption, cool and quiet operation.

1

Chapter 1

MAINBOARD SPECIFICATIONS

CPU

• VIA C3 / Eden EBGA Processor

Chipset

• VIA VT8601A North Bridge

• VIA VT8231 South Bridge

Graphics

• Integrated Trident Blade 3D graphics core

Audio

• VIA VT1612A AC'97 Codec

Memory

• 2 x PC100/133 DIMM slots

Expansion Slot

• 1 x PCI slot

IDE

• 2 x UltraDMA 33/66/100 connectors

LAN

• VIA VT6103 10/100 Base-T Ethernet PHY

2

Specifications

Back Panel I/O Ports

• 1 x PS/2 mouse port and 1 x PS/2 keyboard port

• 1 x RJ-45 LAN port

• 1 x Serial port

• 1 x Parallel port

• 2 x USB 1.1 ports

• 1 x VGA port

• 3 x Audio Jacks: Line-out, Line-in and Mic-in

Onboard I/O Connectors

• 1 x USB pin headers for 2 additional USB 1.1 ports

• 1 x Video-in pin header

• 1 x CD audio-in connector

• 1 x CIR pin header

• 1 x FIR pin header

• 2 x Fan connectors

BIOS

• Award BIOS with 2Mbit flash memory capacity

Form Factor

• Mini-ITX (4 layers)

• 17 cm X 17 cm

3

Chapter 1

MAINBOARD LAYOUT

J7

PCI Slot

J3

Front Panel

Connector

J2

Auto Reboot

Jumper

CD-ROM

Line-in

J8

Wake on

Modem

J6

CIR

BIOS

ROM

CR2032
Battery

VT8231

South

Bridge

J5

FIR

J9

USB

IDE 1

J10
Clear
CMOS

VT8601A

North

Bridge

J12

Video-in

Connector

FAN 1
FAN 2

EBGA

Processor

IDE 2

ATX Power Connector

DIMM 1

DIMM 2

4

Specifications

BACK PANEL LAYOUT

PS2

Mouse

Port

PS2

Keyboard

Port

Parallel Port

VGA Port

USB Ports

LAN Port

Serial Port

Line-inLine-out Mic-in

5

Chapter 1

BACK PANEL PORTS

Port Description Page

Audio ports Line-out, Line-in and Mic-in 19
COM Serial port 18
LPT Parallel port 19
PS/2 Mouse PS/2 mouse port 18
PS/2 Keyboard PS/2 keyboard port 18
RJ45 RJ45 port 19
USB USB 1.1 ports 19
VGA VGA port 18

SLOTS

Port Description Page

DDR DIMM Memory module slot 13
PCI Expansion card slot 31

6

Specifications

ONBOARD CONNECTORS

Connector Description Page

ATXPWR Power cable connector 16
FAN1-2 CPU fan connector 12
IDE 1-2 IDE drive connectors 20
J3 Front panel connector 21
J5 FIR connector 22
J6 CIR connector 23
J7 Onboard CD audio cable connector 25
J8 Wake-on Modem 27
J9 Universal Serial Bus 1.1 connector 24
J12 VIP connector 26

ONBOARD JUMPERS

Jumper Description Page

J2 Auto Reboot Function 30
J10 Reset CMOS settings 29

7

Chapter 1

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8

HAPTER

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2

Installation

This chapter provides you with information about hardware
installation procedures. It is recommended to use a grounded wrist
strap before handling computer components. Electrostatic discharge
(ESD) can damage some components.

9

Chapter 2

CPU

The VIA C3 E-Series Processor

The VIA EPIA Mini-ITX mainboard includes an embedded VIA C3 or Eden
Processor. The VIA C3 Processor provides ultra-low power consumption and
advanced thermal dissipation properties. The VIA C3 Processor requires
heatsink and a CPU fan to provide sufficient cooling. Ensure that the CPU
fan is correctly installed as shown.

10

Installation

The VIA Eden Processor

Providing ultra-low power consumption and advanced thermal dissipation
properties, the VIA Eden Processor features a fanless design. The VIA Eden
Processor requires only a heatsink as shown.

WARNING: This mainboard is not designed to support overclocking.
Any attempt to operate beyond product specifications is not
recommended. We do not guarantee against damages or risks
caused by inadequate operation or beyond product specifications.

11

Chapter 2

CPU Fan and System Fan: CPUFAN and SYSFAN

The CPUFAN (CPU fan) and SYSFAN (system fan) run on +12V and maintain
system cooling. When connecting the wire to the connectors, always be
aware that the red wire is the Positive and should be connected to the +12V.
The black wire is Ground and should always be connected to GND. The CPU
system and power fan connectors have sensors to support fan monitoring.

FAN1

FAN2

EBGA

Processor

VT8231

South

Bridge

VT8601A

North

Bridge

12

Installation

MEMORY MODULE INSTALLATION

The VIA EPIA Mini-ITX mainboard provides one 168-pin DIMM slot for
PC100/133 SDRAM memory modules and supports memory sizes up to
512MB per slot.

DDR SDRAM Module Installation Procedures

• Locate the DIMM sockets in the motherboard.

EBGA

Processor

DIMMs

VT8231

South

Bridge

VT8601A

North

Bridge

13

Chapter 2

• Unlock a DIMM socket by pressing the retaining clips outward.

• Align a DIMM on the socket such that the notch on the DIMM

matches the break on the socket.

• Firmly insert the DIMM into the socket until the retaining clips snap
back in place and the DIMM is properly seated.

14

Installation

Available DDR SDRAM Configurations

Refer to the table below for available DDR SDRAM configurations on the
mainboard.

Slot Module Size Total

DIMM 1 32MB, 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB 32MB-512MB
DIMM 2 32MB, 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB 32MB-512MB
Maximum supported system memory 1GB

15

Chapter 2

CONNECTING THE POWER SUPPLY

The VIA EPIA Mini-ITX mainboard supports a conventional ATX power supply
for the power system. Before inserting the power supply connector, always
make sure that all components are installed correctly to ensure that no
damage will be caused.

ATX 20-Pin Power Connector

To connect the ATX power supply, make sure the power plug is inserted in
the proper orientation and the pins are aligned. Then push down the plug
firmly into the connector.

EBGA

Processor

ATX

Connector

VT8231

South

Bridge

VT8601A

North

Bridge

16

Installation

ATX 20 Pin Power Connector
Pin Signal Pin Signal

1 +3.3V 11 +3.3V
2 +3.3V 12 -12V
3 GND 13 GND
4 +5V 14 Power Supply On
5 GND 15 GND
6 +5V 16 GND
7 GND 17 GND
8 Power Good 18 NC
9 +5V Standby 19 +5V
10 +12V 20 +5V

17

Chapter 2

BACK PANEL PORTS

The back panel has the following ports:

Keyboard and Mouse

The green 6-pin connector is for a PS/2 mouse. The purple
connector is for a PS/2 keyboard.

VGA Out

The 15-pin female VGA connector can be used to
connect to any analog VGA monitor.

Serial port: COM 1

This 9-pin COM 1 port is for pointing devices or other
serial devices.

18

Installation

RJ45 10/100 LAN Connector

The mainboard provides a standard RJ-45 port. This port
allows connection to a Local Area Network (LAN) through a
network hub

USB 1.1 ports 1and 2

These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports are available for
connecting USB 1.1 devices.

LPT port

The 25-pin female parallel port for connecting
printers supports Enhanced Parallel Port and
Extended Capabilities Port modes.

Audio Port:

Line Out jack

This Line Out (lime) jack connects a headphone or a speaker.

Line In jack

This Line In (light blue) jack connects a tape player or other audio devices.

Microphone jack

This Mic (pink) jack connects a microphone.

19

Chapter 2

CONNECTORS

Hard Disk Connectors: IDE1 & IDE2

The two IDE connectors support Ultra DMA 33/66/100 modes. Both IDE
connectors can connect a master and a slave drive. The IDE connectors can
support up to four IDE devices.

If two drives are connected to a single cable, the jumper on the second
drive must be set to slave mode. Refer to the drive documentation supplied
by the vendor for the jumper settings.

EBGA

Processor

VT8231

South

Bridge

VT8601A

North

Bridge

Primary IDE

Secondary IDE

20