Zotac IONITX-F-E User guide

WARNING!

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Statement

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device,
pursuant to Part 15 of FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection
against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and
can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with instructions
contained in this manual, may cause harmful interference to radio and television communications.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation.

If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can
be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or more of the following measures:

- REORIENT OR RELOCATE THE RECEIVING ANTENNA

- INCREASE THE SEPARATION BETWEEN THE EQUIPMENT AND THE RECEIVER

- CONNECT THE EQUIPMENT INTO AN OUTLET ON A CIRCUIT DIFFERENT FROM
THAT OF THE RECEIVER

- CONSULT THE DEALER OR AN EXPERIENCED AUDIO/TELEVISION TECHNICIAN

NOTE:

Connecting this device to peripheral devices that do not comply with Class B requirements, or
using an unshielded peripheral data cable, could also result in harmful interference to radio or
television reception.

The user is cautioned that any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party
responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate this equipment.

To ensure that the use of this product does not contribute to interference, it is necessary to use
shielded I/O cables.

Copyright

This manual is copyrighted with all rights reserved. No portion of this manual may be copied or
reproduced by any means.

Electronic Emission Notices

While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this manual, no responsibility for
errors or omissions is assumed. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the
use of the information contained herein.

Trademarks

All brand names, logos and registered trademarks mentioned are property of their respective
owners.

1

NVIDIA ION PCIEx16 series Motherboard

Table of Contents

Motherboard Specifications ------------------------------------------------------------------- 4
Motherboard Layout------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6
Hardware Installation ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9

Safety Instructions ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9

Preparing the Motherboard -------------------------------------------------------------------- 10

Installing Memory DIMMs -------------------------------------------------------------------- 10
Installing the Motherboard ------------------------------------------------------------------- 11
Installing the I/O Shield ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 11

Connecting Cables and Setting Switches ------------------------------------------------ 12

20-pin ATX Power-PW1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 13
Front Audio Header-FP_S1 ------------------------------------------------------------------ 13
serial Port Header - COM -------------------------------------------------------------------- 14
SPK Header ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14
USB Headers------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 14
SPDIF-out Header ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15
Front Panel Header ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15
Connecting Serial ATA Cables -------------------------------------------------------------- 16
Fan Connections ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16
Expansion Slots -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17
Mini PCIE Slot ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 17
PCI Express x16 slots -------------------------------------------------------------------- 17
Jumper Settings -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18

Configuring the BIOS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19

Enter BIOS Setup ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19

Main Menu -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20
Advanced Menu ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20

CPU Configuration ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20
IDE Configuration -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21
Floppy Configuration ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 21
ACPI Configuration ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 21
APM Configuration ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21
Event Log Configuration ----------------------------------------------------------------- 21
MPS Configuration ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 21
PCI Express Configuration -------------------------------------------------------------- 21
Smbios Configuration --------------------------------------------------------------------- 21
USB Configuration ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21

PCI/PnP Menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22
Boot Menu -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 23
Security Menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 24
Chipset Menu ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 25

2

Table of Contents

Exit Menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 25
Installing Drivers and Software -------------------------------------------------------------- 27
Drivers Installation ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 28
HDMI SETUP --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 35
REALTEK HD AUDIO DRIVER SETUP ----------------------------------------------------- 36

Getting Started ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 36
Sound Effect ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 36
Environment Simulation ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 36
Equalizer Selection --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 37
Frequently Used Equalizer Setting -------------------------------------------------------- 37
Karaoke Mode ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 37
Mixer----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 38
Playback control --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 38
Recording control -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 39
Audio I/O ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 40
Speaker Configuration ------------------------------------------------------------------- 41
Connector Settings ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 42
S/PDIF --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 42
Speaker Calibration ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 43
Microphone---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 44
Noise Suppression ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 44
Beam Forming ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 44
Acoustic Echo Cancellation ------------------------------------------------------------- 44
Audio Demo --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 45
Information --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 45

SATA RAID User Manual ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 46

Setting up the BIOS --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 46
Entering the RAID BIOS Setup ------------------------------------------------------------- 47
Installing the RAID Drives -------------------------------------------------------------------- 50

3

NVIDIA ION PCIEx16 series Motherboard

Motherboard Specications

q Chipset
v NVIDIA MCP7A-ION Series
q Size
v Mini-ITX form factor of 6.69inch x 6.69 inch(171mm x 171mm)
q Microprocessor support
v Intel ATOM 230 / 330 CPU
v Support for 533 MT/s(533MHz FSB)
q Operating systems:
v Supports Windows XP 32bit/64bit and Windows Vista 32bit/64bit
q System Memory support
v Supports DDRII667/800. Supports up to 4GBs DDRII memory.
v Supports dual Channel DDR2 128-Bit Memory Interface
q USB 2.0 Ports
v Supports hot plug and play
v Ten USB 2.0 ports (six rear panel ports, four from onboard USB headers)
v Supports USB 2.0 protocol up to 480 Mbps transmission rate
q Onboard Serial ATA II
v Independent DMA operation on four ports (three is onboard SATA headers,
one is rear panel e-SATA).
v Data transfer rates of 3Gb/s.
q On board RTL8211CL Gigabit LAN(Optional)
v Supports 10/100/1000M bps operation
q On board RTL8201EL Fast Ethernet(Optional)
v Supports 10/100Mbps operation
v Supports half/full duplex operation
q Onboard Audio(Optional)
v Azalia High-Definition audio

v Supports 6-channel
v Supports Jack-Sensing function
q Green Function
v Supports ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface)
v RTC timer to power-on the system
v AC power failure recovery
q PCI Express Interface
v PCI Express Generation 2.0 compatible
v 5 GHz support, for a total bandwidth of 5 Gbps per direction per lane
v Wake up function is supported
v Clock spread spectrum capability.

4

Motherboard Specifications

q Onboard Graphics support
v Integrated 300MHz DAC for analog displays with resolutions up to 1920x1440

at 75Hz.

v Integrated GeForce 9xxx Series GPU,Supports DX10
v VGA / DVI / HDMI output support(optional)
q Integrated HDMI Interface with HDCP
v Supports DVI or HDMI 1.3 interfaces
v Secure digital audio merged from integrated HDA codec with no external audio

signals required

v Support for HDCP 1.3 using soft or hard HDCP keys
v HDCP encryption support when configured as DVI or HDMI link without the

need for external HDCP key crypto ROM

q Dual Head Display Controller
v Full NVIDIA nView™ multi-display technology capability, with independent

display controllers for the CRT, TMDS, DisplayPort, and HDMI interface
v Each controller can drive same or different display contents to different resolu­ tions and refresh rates

q Expansion Slots
v One Mini PCI Express slot.(Occupied by WiFi module in some models)
v One PCI Express x16 slot

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Motherboard Layout

Figure 1 shows the motherboard and Figure 2 shows the back panel connectors.

Figure 1. Board Layout

20-pin ATX Power Connector

1.

System Fan Connector

2.

Front Panel Header

3.

Speaker Header

4.

SPDIF-out Header

5.

COM Header

6.

Serial-ATA (SATA) Connectors

7.

PCI Express x16

8.

Clear CMOS Jumper

9.

10.

Mini PCIE Slot

6

Chip Fan Connector

11.

Front Audio Header

12.

Backpanel Connectors

13.

USB power Jumper(PCB Ver:01)

14.

USB Headers

15.

CPU

16.

Chipset

17.

CPU Fan Connector

18.

19.

DDRII DIMM Sockets

Figure 2: Backpanel connectors

6

11

5

10

15

7

3

5

6

8

9

10

1. PS/2 keyboard connector

2. USB Connectors

3. HDMI Port

4. SPDIF Out(Coaxial / Optical)

5. DVI Connector

6. eSATA Connector

7.Port 2-Channel 4-Channel 6-Channel

Blue Line-In Rear Speaker Out Rear Speaker Out

Green Line-Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out

Pink Mic In Mic In Center/Subwoofer

8. LAN Connector

Lan Port with LEDs to indicate status.

· Yellow/Light Up/Blink = 10 Mbps/Link/Activity

· Yellow and Orange/Light Up/Blink = 100 Mbps/link/Activity

· Yellow and Orange/Light Up/Blink = 1000 Mbps/link/Activity

9. VGA Port

Rear Panel

7

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10. WiFi antenna connctor(Optional)
Remove the red antenna connector cover(as picture 1), install the antenna to the connector
and make sure that screw down clockwise(as picture 2),at last as picture 3.



5



4





6

According to your requirement modulate to the
antenna as right picture.







* How to identify PCB Versionto identify PCB Version PCB Version

The bottom side of motherboard PCB
shows “236-DA123-xx01F”

Motherboard PCB Version:01

Note:

* Different motherboard PCB version could carry slightly different features and components

placement . Please refer to the following diagram to identify PCB version:

8

Hardware Installation

Hardware Installation

This section will guide you through the installation of the motherboard. The topics
covered in this section are:

q Preparing the motherboard

v Installing the memory

q Installing the motherboard

q Connecting cables and setting switches

Safety Instructions

To reduce the risk of fire, electric shock, and injury, always follow basic safety precations.

Remember to remove power from your computer by disconnecting the AC main source
before removing or installing any equipment from/to the computer chassis

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Preparing the Motherboard

The motherboard shipped in the box does not contain a memory. You need to pur­chase these to complete this installation.

Installing Memory DIMMs

Your new motherboard has two 1.8V 240-pin slots for DDR2 memory. These slots
support 256 MB, 512 Mb, 1GB / 2GB / 4GB DDR2 technologies. There must be at
least one memory bank populated to ensure normal operation. Use the following the
recommendations for installing memory. (See Figure 1 for the location of the memory
slots.)

q One DIMM: You can install the DIMM into any slot.

q Two DIMMs: Install into slots 1 and 2. The idea is to run on dual channel

mode.

10

DDRII-1
DDRII-2

Hardware Installation

Use the following procedure to install memory DIMMs into the slots on the mother­board. Note that there is only one gap near the center of the DIMM slot. This slot
matches the slot on the memory DIMM to ensure the component is installed prop­erly.

1. Unlock a DIMM slot by pressing the module clips outward.

2. Align the memory module to the DIMM slot, and insert the module vertically into

the DIMM slot. The plastic clips at both sides of the DIMM slot automatically lock
the DIMM into the connector.

Installing the Motherboard

The sequence of installing the motherboard into the chassis depends on the chassis
you are using and if you are replacing an existing motherboard or working with an
empty chassis. Determine if it would be easier to make all the connections prior to this
step or to secure the motherboard and then make all the connections. It is normally
easier to secure the motherboard first.

Use the following procedure to install the I/O shield and secure the motherboard into
the chassis.

Installing the I/O Shield

The motherboard kit comes with an I/O shield that is used to block radio frequency
transmissions, protects internal components from dust and foreign objects, and
promotes correct airflow within the chassis.

Before installing the motherboard, install the I/O shield from the inside of the chassis.
Press the I/O shield into place and make sure it fits securely. If the I/O shield does
not fit into the chassis, you would need to obtain the proper size from the chassis
supplier.

11

NVIDIA ION PCIEx16 series Motherboard

Connecting Cables and Setting Switches

This section takes you through all the connections and switch settings necessary on
the motherboard. This will include:
q Power Connections
v 20-pin ATX power-PW1
v Front Audio Header-FP_S1
q Internal Headers
v Serial Port Header - COM
v SPK Header
v USB Headers
v SPDIF-out Headers
v Front panel header

q Serial ATA

q Chassis Fans

q Mini PCIE Connector

q Jumper settings

See Figure 1 to locate the connectors and jumpers referenced in the following
procedure.

12

Hardware Installation

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20-pin ATX Power-PW1

PW1 is the main power supply connector located along the edge of the board next to
the DIMM slots. Make sure that the power supply cable and pins are properly aligned
with the connector on the motherboard. Firmly plug the power supply cable into the
connector and make sure it is secure.

ATXPWR-Pin Assignments

Pin Signal Pin Signal

1 +3.3V 11 +3.3V

2 +3.3V 12 -12V

3 GND 13 GND

4 +5V 14 PS_ON

5 GND 15 GND

6 +5V 16 GND

7 GND 17 GND

8 PWROK 18 -5V

9 +5V_AUX 19 +5V

10 +12V 20 +5V

Front Audio Header-FP_S1

The audio connector supports HD audio standard and provides two
kinds of audio output choices: the Front Audio, the Rear Audio. The
front Audio supports re-tasking function.

FP Audio-Pin Definition

PIN Assignment PIN Assignment

1 MIC2(L) 6 Reserved

2 GND 7 FAVDIO-JD

3 MIC(R) 8 Key(No pin)

4 -ACZ-DET 9 Front Audio(L)

5 Front Audio(R) 10 Reserved

Note:

In order to utilize the front audio header, your chassis must have front audio connector.
Also please make sure the pin assignment on the cable is the same as the pin assignment
on the mainboard header. To find out if the chassis you are buying supports a front audio
connector, please contract your dealer.

10

9

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110

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Serial Port Header - COM

COM-Pin Definition

PIN Assignment PIN Assignment

1 DCD 6 DSR

2 RXD 7 RTS

3 TXD 8 CTS

4 DTR 9 RI

5 GND 10 NC

SPK Header

SPK-Pin Definition

PIN Assignment

1 VCC

2 NC

3 NC

4 SPK-

SPK

1

COM
2
1

10
9

USB Headers

This motherboard contains six USB 2.0
ports that are exposed on the rear panel
of the chassis(Figure 2). The motherboard
also contains six 10-pin internal header
connectors onboard.

1. Secure the bracket to either the front or
rear panel of your chassis (not all chassis
are equipped with the front panel option).

14

1 9

1 9

FP_U1

FP_U2

102

102

USB-Pin Definition

PIN Assignment PIN Assignment

1 VCC 6 USBP1+

2 VCC 7 GND

3 USBP0- 8 GND

4 USBP1- 9 KEY

5 USBP0+ 10 OC#

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SPDIF-out Header

SPDIF-Pin Definition

PIN Assignment

1 GND

2 SPDIF-out

3 VCC

SPDIF

1

Front panel header

The front panel header on this motherboard is one
connector used to connect the following four cables :

FP1-Pin Definition

Pin Signal Pin Signal

1 HDD_LED+ 6 PWR_SW

2 PW_LED+ 7 RESET

3 HDD_LED- 8 GND

4 PW_LED- 9 NC

5 GND 10 KEY

FP1
2
1

Hardware Installation

10
9

q PWRLED

Attach the front panel power LED cable to these two pins of the connector. The
Power LED indicates the system’s status.

q PWR SW

Attach the power button cable from the case to these two pins. Pressing the
power button on the front panel turns the system on and off rather than using the
power supply button.

q HDD LED

Attach the hard disk drive indicator LED cable to these two pins. The HDD indicator
LED indicates the activity status of the hard disks.

q RST SW

Attach the Reset switch cable from the front panel of the case to these two pins.
The system restarts when the RESET switch is pressed.

Note: Some chassis do not have all four cables. Be sure to match the name on
the connectors to the corresponding pins.

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Connecting Serial ATA II Cables

The Serial ATA II connector is used to connect the Serial ATA II device to the
motherboard. These connectors support the thin Serial ATA II cables for primary
storage devices. The current Serial ATA II interface allows up to 3Gb/s data transfer
rate.
There are three serial ATA II connectors on the motherboard that support AHCI and
RAID configurations.

SATA II Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL

1 GND
2 TXP
3 TXN
4 GND
5 RXN
6 RXP
7 GND

1 SATA -1

1 SATA -2

1

Fan Connections

There are three fan connections on
the motherboard. The fan speed
can be detected and viewed in the
PC Health Status section of the
CMOS Setup.
If your system working at a torrid
room,you can append a FAN to the
heatsink.Connect the FAN cable(as
picture 11) to SYS fan connector(as
picture 10) and fixup the FAN on the
heatsink with screw(as picture 12).

note:
Fan is only for
330 CPU board!

10

16

11



SATA -3

SYS FAN Connector

GND
+12V

Sense

CHIP FAN Connector

5V

GND

12

CPU FAN Connector

Control

Sense

+12V

GND