Preface Copyright This publication, including all photographs, illustrations and software, is protected under international copyright laws, with all rights reserved. Neither this manual, nor any of the material contained herein, may be reproduced without written consent of the author. Version 1.0A Disclaimer The information in this document is subject to change without notice.
ii Declaration of Conformity This device complies with part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the following conditions: • • This device may not cause harmful interference, and This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation Canadian Department of Communications This class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interferencecausing Equipment Regulations.
iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface i Chapter 1 1 Introducing the Motherboard 1 Introduction......................................................................................1 Feature ..............................................................................................2 Motherboard Components.............................................................5 Chapter 2 7 Installing the Motherboard 7 Safety Precautions...........................................................................
iv Integrated Peripherals.......................................................36 Power Management Setup.................................................37 PCI/PNP Configuration.....................................................39 PC Health Status................................................................40 M.I.B (MB Intelligent BIOS)..............................................41 Load Default Settings.......................................................44 Supervisor Password....................
1 Chapter 1 Introducing the Motherboard Introduction Thank you for choosing the GF8200A motherboard. This motherboard is a high performance, enhanced function motherboard that supports socket for AMD PhenomTM processor (socket AM2+)/AMD AthlonTM 64 X2 Dual-Core/AthlonTM 64/ SempronTM processors for high-end business or personal desktop markets. This motherboard is based on NVIDIA® GeForce8200 (MCP78S) Premium media and communications processor (MCP) for best desktop platform solution.
2 Feature Processor This motherboard uses a socket AM2+/AM2 that carries the following features: • Accommodates AMD PhenomTM processor (socket AM2+) AMD AthlonTM 64 X2 Dual-Core/AthlonTM 64/SempronTM processors • Supports HyperTransportTM (HT) 3.0 interface speeds HyperTransport TM Technology is a point-to-point link between two devices, it enables integrated circuits to exchange information at much higher speeds than currently available interconnect technologies.
3 Audio (Optional) The onboard Audio provides either of the following features: • • • • • 5.1 Channel High Definition Audio Codec DACs Support 96K/48K/44.1KHz DAC sample rate Power support: Digital:3.3V; Analog:5.0V WOWTM and Tru SurroundTM from SRS Provides single ended CD input with DRM solutions and legacy OS issues • • 7.1 Channel High Definition Audio Codec SPDIF In/Out supports 96K/48K/44.1KHz plus SPDIF OUT supports 88.2 KHz Power support: Digital:3.3V; Analog:5.
4 Integrated I/O The motherboard has a full set of I/O ports and connectors: • Two PS/2 ports for mouse and keyboard • One VGA port • One HDMI port • One eSATA port • Six USB ports • One LAN port • Audio jacks for microphone, line-in and 6/8-ch (optional) line-out BIOS Firmware The motherboard uses AMI BIOS that enables users to configure many system features including the following: • • • • Power management Wake-up alarms CPU parameters CPU and memory timing The firmware can also be used to set paramete
5 Motherboard Components Introducing the Motherboard
6 Table of Motherboard Components LABEL CO MPO NENTS 1. CPU Socket Socket for AMD Phenom TM processor (socket AM2+)/AMD Athlon TM 64 X2 Dual-Core/Athlon TM 64/Sempron TM processors 2. CPU_FAN CPU cooling fan connector 3. DDR2_1~4 240-pin DDR2 SDRAM slots 4. AT X_POWER Standard 24-Pin AT X Power connector 5. IDE Primary IDE connector 6. SPK Internal speaker header 7. SYS_FAN System cooling fan connector 8. SAT A1~5 Serial AT A connectors 9. IR Infrared header 10.
7 Chapter 2 Installing the Motherboard Safety Precautions • • • • • Follow these safety precautions when installing the motherboard Wear a grounding strap attached to a grounded device to avoid damage from static electricity Discharge static electricity by touching the metal case of a safely grounded object before working on the motherboard Leave components in the static-proof bags they came in Hold all circuit boards by the edges.
8 Do not over-tighten the screws as this can stress the motherboard. Checking Jumper Settings This section explains how to set jumpers for correct configuration of the motherboard. Setting Jumpers Use the motherboard jumpers to set system configuration options. Jumpers with more than one pin are numbered. When setting the jumpers, ensure that the jumper caps are placed on the correct pins. The illustrations show a 2-pin jumper. When the jumper cap is placed on both pins, the jumper is SHORT.
9 Checking Jumper Settings The following illustration shows the location of the motherboard jumpers. Pin 1 is labeled. Jumper Settings Jumper Type Description Setting (default) CLR_CMOS 3-pin CLEAR CMOS 1-2: NORMAL 2-3: CLEAR Before clearing the 1 CMOS, make sure to CLR_CMOS turn the system off. Rear USB/PS2 USBPWR_R 3-pin Power Select Jumper 1-2: VCC5 2-3: VCC5_DUAL 1 USBPWR_R Front Panel USBPWR_F 3-pin USB Power Select Jumper 1-2: VCC5 2-3: VCC5_DUAL 1 USBPWR_F 1.
10 Installing Hardware Installing the Processor Caution: When installing a CPU heatsink and cooling fan make sure that you DO NOT scratch the motherboard or any of the surface-mount resistors with the clip of the cooling fan. If the clip of the cooling fan scrapes across the motherboard, you may cause serious damage to the motherboard or its components. On most motherboards, there are small surface-mount resistors near the processor socket, which may be damaged if the cooling fan is carelessly installed.
11 CPU Installation Procedure The following illustration shows CPU installation components. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Unhook the locking lever of the CPU socket. Pull the locking lever away from the socket and raising it to the upright position. Match the pin1 corner marked as the beveled edge on the CPU with the pin1 corner on the socket. Insert the CPU into the socket. Do not use force. Push the locking lever down and hook it under the latch on the edge of socket. Apply thermal grease to the top of the CPU.
12 Installation Procedure Refer to the following to install the memory modules. 1 2 3 This motherboard supports unbuffered DDR2 SDRAM only. Push the latches on each side of the DIMM slot down. Align the memory module with the slot. The DIMM slots are keyed with notches and the DIMMs are keyed with cutouts so that they can only be installed correctly. Check that the cutouts on the DIMM module edge connector match the notches in the DIMM slot.
13 Table A: DDR2 (memory module) QVL (Qualified Vendor List) The following DDR2 1066 (AM2+)/800/667/533/400 memory modules have been tested and qualified for use with this motherboard. Type Size Vendor Module Name DDR2 400 256 MB 512 MB Hynix HYMP532U646-E3 AA Nanya NT512T64U88A0F-5A 256 MB Elixir M2U25664TUH4A0F-37B DDR2 533 Aeneon AET660UD00-370A98Z Infineon HYS64T64400HU-3.7-A 1 GB Infineon HYS64T128920HU-3.
14 Type Size Vendor Module Name 256 MB Infineon HYS64T32000HU-25F-B A-DATA M2OAD6G3H3160I1E53 Aeneon AET660UD00-25DB98X 512 MB DDR2 800 1 GB 2 GB APOGEE AU51082-800P505 Infineon HYS64T64000HU-25F-B Infinity 04751208CZ5U2D Kingston KHX6400D2ULK2/1G Kingston KVR800D2N5/512 Micron MT8HTF6464AY-80ED4 Nanya NT512T64U88B0BY-25C PSC AL6E8E63H-8E1 Aeneon AET760UD00-25DC08X Aeneon AET860UD00-25DC08X Apacer 78.01GA0.
15 Type Size Vendor 512 MB Kingston Apacer Kingston DDR2 1066 1 GB 2 GB Module Nam e Mem ory Recom m end Volt KVR1066D2N7/512 1.8V / 9905315-094.A00LF 78.0AG9S.9K4 KVR1066D2N7/1G 1.8V / 9905316-106.A01LF 1.8 V 1.9 V 1.8 V Micron MT8HTF12864AY-1GAE1 1.9 V OCZ OCZ2RPR10662GK 1.9 V ~ 2.3 V Qimonda HYS64T128020EU-19F-C 1.9 V Apacer 78.AAGAL.9KF 1.9V Micron MT16HTF25664AY-1GAE1 1.
16 Expansion Slots Installing Add-on Cards The slots on this motherboard are designed to hold expansion cards and connect them to the system bus. Expansion slots are a means of adding or enhancing the motherboard’s features and capabilities. With these efficient facilities, you can increase the motherboard’s capabilities by adding hardware that performs tasks that are not part of the basic system.
17 Follow these instructions to install an add-on card: 1 2 3 Remove a blanking plate from the system case corresponding to the slot you are going to use. Install the edge connector of the add-on card into the expansion slot. Ensure that the edge connector is correctly seated in the slot. Secure the metal bracket of the card to the system case with a screw.
18 Connecting Optional Devices Refer to the following for information on connecting the motherboard’s optional devices: F_AUDIO: Front Panel Audio header This header allows the user to install auxiliary front-oriented microphone and lineout ports for easier access.
19 IR: Infrared header The motherboard supports an Infrared (IR) data port. Infrared ports allow the wireless exchange of information between your computer and similarly equipped devices such as printers, laptops, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), and other computers.
20 CD_IN: Analog Audio Input connector Pin 1 2 3 4 Signal Name Function CD_L CD In left channel GND Ground GND CD_R Ground CD In right channel COM: Onboard serial port header Connect a serial port extension bracket to this header to add a second serial port to your system.
21 Installing a Hard Disk Drive/CD-ROM/SATA Hard Drive This section describes how to install IDE devices such as a hard disk drive and a CDROM drive. About IDE Devices Your motherboard has one IDE interface. An IDE ribbon cable supporting two IDE devices is bundled with the motherboard. You must orient the cable connector so that the pin1 (color) edge of the cable corresponds to the pin 1 of the I/O port connector.
22 Refer to the illustration below for proper installation: 1 2 3 Attach either cable end to the connector on the motherboard. Attach the other cable end to the SATA hard drive. Attach the SATA power cable to the SATA hard drive and connect the other end to the power supply. This motherboard supports the “Hot-Plug” function.
23 Connecting I/O Devices The backplane of the motherboard has the following I/O ports: PS2 Mouse Use the upper PS/2 port to connect a PS/2 pointing device. PS2 Keyboard Use the lower PS/2 port to connect a PS/2 keyboard. VGA Port Connect your monitor to the VGA port. HDMI Port Connect the HDMI port to the HDMI devices. USB Ports Use the USB ports to connect USB devices. eSATA Port Use this port to connect to an external SATA box or a Serial ATA port multiplier.
24 This motherboard may adopt 6-channel audio ports. Use the three audio ports to connect audio devices. The first jack is for stereo line-in signal. The second jack is for stereo line-out signal. The third jack is for microphone.
25 Connecting Case Components After you have installed the motherboard into a case, you can begin connecting the motherboard components. Refer to the following: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Connect the CPU cooling fan cable to CPU_FAN. Connect the system cooling fan connector to SYS_FAN. Connect the standard power supply connector to ATX_POWER. Connect the auxiliary case power supply connector to ATX12V. Connect the case switches and indicator LEDs to the F_PANEL. Connect the power cooling fan connector to PWR_FAN.
26 Connecting 4-pin power cable The ATX12V power connector is used to provide power to the CPU. When installing 4-pin power cable, the latches of power cable and the ATX12V match perfectly. 4-pin power cable CPU_FAN: CPU cooling FAN Power Connector Pin 1 2 3 4 Signal Name Function System Ground Power +12V Sensor CPU FAN control GND +12V Sense Control Users please note that the fan connector supports the CPU cooling fan of 1.1A ~ 2.2A (26.4W max) at +12V.
27 ATX12V: ATX 12V Power Connector Pin 1 2 3 4 Signal Name Ground Ground +12V +12V SPK: Internal speaker header Pin 1 2 3 4 Signal Name VCC Key GND Signal Installing the Motherboard
28 Front Panel Header The front panel header (F_PANEL) provides a standard set of switch and LED headers commonly found on ATX or Micro ATX cases.
29 Chapter 3 Using BIOS About the Setup Utility The computer uses the latest “American Megatrends Inc. ” BIOS with support for Windows Plug and Play. The CMOS chip on the motherboard contains the ROM setup instructions for configuring the motherboard BIOS. The BIOS (Basic Input and Output System) Setup Utility displays the system’s configuration status and provides you with options to set system parameters.
30 Press the delete key to access the BIOS Setup Utility. CMOS Setup Utility -- Copyright (C) 1985-2007, American Megatrends, Inc. f Standard CMOS Setup f Advanced Setup f Advanced Chipset Setup f Integrated Peripherals f Power Management Setup f PCI/PnP Setup f PC Health Status mn < > : Move fM.I.B.
31 For the purpose of better product maintenance, the manufacture reserves the right to change the BIOS items presented in this manual. The BIOS setup screens shown in this chapter are for reference only and may differ from the actual BIOS. Please visit the manufacture’s website for updated manual. Standard CMOS Setup This option displays basic information about your system. CMOS Setup Utility -- Copyright (C) 1985-2007, American Megatrends, Inc.
32 Type (Auto) Use this item to configure the type of the IDE device that you specify. If the feature is enabled, it will enhance hard disk performance by reading or writing more data during each transfer. LBA/Large Mode (Auto) Use this item to set the LAB/Large mode to enhance hard disk performance by optimizing the area the hard disk is visited each time. Block Mode (Auto) If the feature is enabled, it will enhance hard disk performance by reading or writing more data during each transfer.
33 Advanced Setup This page sets up more advanced information about your system. Handle this page with caution. Any changes can affect the operation of your computer. CMOS Setup Utility - Copyright (C) 1985-2007, American Megatrends, Inc.
34 fHard Disk Drives (Press Enter) Scroll to this item and press to view the following screen: CMOS Setup Utility - Copyright (C) 1985-2007, American Megatrends, Inc. Hard Disk Drives Help Item Hard Disk Drives *1st Drive mn < > Hard Drive Specifies the boot sequence from the available devices. : Move Enter : Select +/-/: Value F10: Save ESC: Exit F1: General Help F9: Load Default settings “*” The default value will change according to the type of the HDD you installed.
35 Advanced Chipset Setup This page sets up more advanced information about your system. Handle this page with caution. Any changes can affect the operation of your computer. CMOS Setup Utility - Copyright (C) 1985-2007, American Megatrends, Inc.
36 Integrated Peripherals This page sets up some parameters for peripheral devices connected to the system. CMOS Setup Utility - Copyright (C) 1985-2007, American Megatrends, Inc.
37 OnBoard AUDIO Function (Enabled) Use this item to enable or disable the onboard Audio function. OnBoard LAN Function (Enabled) Use this item to enable or disable the onboard LAN function. OnBoard LAN Boot ROM (Disabled) Use this item to enable or disable the booting from the onboard LAN or a network add-in card with a remote boot ROM installed. Serial Port1 Address (3F8/IRQ4) Use this item to enable or disable the onboard COM1 serial port, and to assign a port address.
38 Soft-off by PWR-BTTN (Instant off) Under ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power management Interface) you can create a software power down. In a software power down, the system can be resumed by Wake Up Alarms. This item lets you install a software power down that is controlled by the power button on your system. If the item is set to Instant-Off, then the power button causes a software power down.
39 PCI / PnP Setup This page sets up some parameters for devices installed on the PCI bus and those utilizing the system plug and play capability. CMOS Setup Utility - Copyright (C) 1985-2007, American Megatrends, Inc.
40 PC Health Status On motherboards support hardware monitoring, this item lets you monitor the parameters for critical voltages, temperatures and fan speeds. CMOS Setup Utility - Copyright (C) 1985-2007, American Megatrends, Inc. PC Health Status Hardware Health Event Monitoring f Smart Fan Function ShutDown Temperature Vcore VDIMM VNB VHT CPU FAN Speed SYS FAN Speed CPU Temperature System Temperature mn < > Help Item Press Enter Disabled : 1.224V : 1.840V : 1.064V : 1.
41 ShutDown Temperature (Disabled) Enable you to set the maximum temperature the system can reach before powering down. System Component Characteristics These items display the monitoring of the overall inboard hardware health events, such as System & CPU temperature, CPU & DIMM voltage, CPU & system fan speed,...etc. • • • • • • • • Vcore VDIMM VNB VHT CPU FAN Speed SYS FAN Speed CPU Temperature SYS Temperature Press to return to the main menu setting page. M.I.
42 NB Clk This item shows the frequency of Northbridge clock. Auto Detect DIMM/PCI Clk (Enabled) When this item is enabled, BIOS will disable the clock signal of free DIMM/PCI slots. CPU/LDT Spread Spectrum (Enabled) If you enable spread spectrum, it can significantly reduce the EMI (Electro-Magnetic Interference) generated by CPU/LDT. PCI Spread Spectrum (Enabled) If you enable spread spectrum, it can significantly reduce the EMI (Electro-Magnetic Interference) generated by PCI.
43 When using black-boxed CPU, the following screen appears. f CMOS Setup Utility - Copyright (C) 1985-2007 American Megatrends, Inc. M.I.
44 Load Default Settings This option opens a dialog box to ask if you are sure to install optimized defaults or not. You select [OK], and then , the Setup Utility loads all default values; or select [Cancel], and then , the Setup Utility does not load default values. Supervisor Password This page helps you install or change a password. CMOS Setup Utility - Copyright (C) 1985-2007, American Megatrends, Inc.
45 User Password This page helps you install or change a password. CMOS Setup Utility - Copyright (C) 1985-2007, American Megatrends, Inc. User Password User Password : Not Installed Help item Install or Change the password. mn < > : Move Enter : Select +/-/: Value F10: Save ESC: Exit F1: General Help F9: Load Default settings User Password (Not Installed) This item indicates whether a user password has been set. If the password has been installed, Installed displays. If not, Not Installed displays.
46 Updating the BIOS You can download and install updated BIOS for this motherboard from the manufacturer’s Web site. New BIOS provides support for new peripherals, improvements in performance, or fixes for known bugs. Install new BIOS as follows: 1 If your motherboard has a BIOS protection jumper, change the setting to allow BIOS flashing. 2 If your motherboard has an item called Firmware Write Protect in Advanced BIOS features, disable it. (Firmware Write Protect prevents BIOS from being overwritten.
47 Chapter 4 Using the Motherboard Software About the Software CD-ROM The support software CD-ROM that is included in the motherboard package contains all the drivers and utility programs needed to properly run the bundled products. Below you can find a brief description of each software program, and the location for your motherboard version. More information on some programs is available in a README file, located in the same directory as the software.
48 Setup Tab Setup Click the Setup button to run the software installation program. Select from the menu which software you want to install. Browse CD The Browse CD button is the standard Windows command that allows you to open Windows Explorer and show the contents of the support CD. Before installing the software from Windows Explorer, look for a file named README.TXT, INSTALL.TXT or something similar. This file may contain important information to help you install the software correctly.
49 2. Click Next. The following screen appears: 3. Check the box next to the items you want to install. The default options are recommended. 4. Click Next run the Installation Wizard. An item installation screen appears: 5. Follow the instructions on the screen to install the items. 1. Drivers and software are automatically installed in sequence. Follow the onscreen instructions, confirm commands and allow the computer to restart a few times to complete the installation. 2.
50 Method 1. Run Reboot Setup Windows Vista will block startup programs by default when installing drivers after the system restart. You must select taskbar icon Run Blocked Program and run Reboot Setup to install the next driver, until you finish all drivers installation. Method 2. Disable UAC (User Account Control) * For administrator account only. Standard user account can only use Method 1.
51 2. Select Classic View. 3. Set User Account. 4. Select Turn User Account Control on or off and press Continue.
52 5. Disable User Account Control (UAC) to help protect your computer item and press OK, then press Restart Now. Then you can restart your computer and continue to install drivers without running blocked programs. Manual Installation Insert the CD in the CD-ROM drive and locate the PATH.DOC file in the root directory. This file contains the information needed to locate the drivers for your motherboard.
53 HDMI Audio setting SOP OS: XP system 1. Control Panel-->Sound and Audio Device Properties 2. a. Audio--> Sound playback--> Default device--> HD Auido Output b. Audio--> Sound playback--> Default device--> HDMI Auido Output 3. a. User Playback Audio speaker function working b.
54 OS: Vista system Control Panel--> Soundback--> Sound--> Digital Output Device (HDMI) --> Set Default 1. Volume --> Playback 2.
55 3. Speaker --> Set Default --> OK User Speaker Palyback function working 4. SPDIF-Out --> Set Default --> OK User SPDIF-Out Playback function working This concludes chapter 4.
56 Memo Using the Motherboard Software
57 Chapter 5 Setting Up NVIDIA RAID Configuration There are two ways to setup NVIDIA RAID Configuration: One is to create a RAID 1 Array for backup or a RAID 0 Array for increased performance just by adding additional disk array without changing the original OS (Non-Bootable RAID Array); while the other is to configure the RAID Array disks when reinstalling the OS (Bootable RAID Array).
58 3 From the Integrated Peripherals Window, globally set SATA Mode select to RAID Mode (see Figure 1.2). 4 Press F10 to save the configuration and exit (F10 is the navigation key to save the current configuration and exit setup in BIOS setting). The PC reboots. Installing the NVIDIA RAID Software Under Windows This section describes how to run the setup application and install the RAID software. 1 Start the nForce Setup program to open the NVIDIA Windows nForce Drivers page. Figure 1.
59 Setting Up a Bootable RAID Array This section explains how to configure a bootable NVIDIA RAID array. Setting Up the BIOS 1 Start your computer, then press Delete to enter the BIOS setup. The BIOS CMOS Setup Utility screen appears. Figure 1.4 2 BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main Screen Use the arrow keys to select Integrated Peripherals (see Figure 1.4), then press Enter. The Integrated Peripherals screen (or a screen similar to it) appears. Figure 1.
60 6 Press F10 to save the configuration and exit. The PC reboots. 7 Enter the RAID BIOS Setup by pressing F10 when prompted, and proceed to set up the NVIDIA RAID BIOS as described in the next section. Configuring the NVIDIA RAID BIOS The NVIDIA RAID BIOS set up lets you choose the RAID type and which hard drives you want to make part of the array. Entering the RAID BIOS Setup: 1 Wait until you see the RAID software prompting you to press F10.
61 The NVIDIA RAID Utility—Define a New Array screen appears (Figure 1.7). Figure 1.7 MediaShield BIOS By default, RAID Mode is set to Mirroring and Striping Block is set to Optimal. Using the Define a New Array Screen If necessary, press the tab key to move from field to field until the appropriate field is highlighted. • • Selecting the RAID Mode By default, this is set to Mirroring.
62 Figure 1.8 illustrates the Define a New Array screen after one disk have been assigned as RAID 0 array disk. Figure 1.8 MediaShield BIOS—Array Disks Assigned Completing the RAID BIOS Setup 1 After assigning your RAID array disk, press F7. The Clear disk array prompt appears. Figure 1.
63 2 Press Y to clear the disk data. The Array List screen appears, where you can review the RAID arrays that you have set up. Figure 1.10 Array List Window 3 Use the arrow keys to select the array that you want to set up, then press B to specify the array as bootable. 4 Press Enter to view and verify details. The Array Detail screen shows various information about the array that you selected, such as Striping Block used, RAID Mode, Striping Width, Disk Model Name, and disk capacity.
64 Installing the RAID Drivers Your system may come with a Windows install CD that already includes NVIDIA RAID drivers. If so, then this section is not relevant. If that is not the case (or you are trying to install a new version of Windows), then you will need an NVIDIA RAID driver F6 install floppy. Check to see if one came with your system. If not, you can create one by downloading the appropriate driver package and following the steps in this section.
65 b Select “NVIDIA RAID CLASS DRIVER (required)” and then press Enter. c Press S again at the Specify Devices screen, then press Enter. d Select “NVIDIA NForce Storage Controller (required)” and then press Enter. The following Windows Setup screen appears listing both drivers:. Figure 2.15 5 Windows Setup—NVIDIA drives listed Press Enter to continue with Windows XP Installation.
66 Memo NVIDIA RAID Configuration
67 Chapter 6 NVIDIA® Hybrid SLI® Technology Support This motherboard supports the NVIDIA® Hybrid SLI® Technology. Hybrid SLI® technology, based on NVIDIA’s industry-leading SLI technology, delivers multi-GPU (graphics processing unit) benefits when an NVIDIA® motherboard GPU is combined with an NVIDIA discrete GPU. Follow the installation procedure in this section. Key Features Hybrid SLI increases graphics performance with GeForce Boost® and provides intelligent power management with HybridPowerTM.
68 Hybrid SLI products Hybrid SLI Enabled Motherboard GPUs Hybrid Power Technology GeForce Boost Technology GeForce 8300 GeForce 8200 Yes Yes Yes Yes GeForce 8100 nForce 730a nForce 720a Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Hybrid SLI Enabled Graphics Card GPUs GeForce 9800 GX2 GeForce 9800 GTX GeForce 8500 GT GeForce 8400 GS Hybrid SLI Technology Hybrid Power Yes Yes No GeForce Boost No No Yes No Yes Reference Website http://www.nvidia.com/object/hybrid_sli.html.
69 Hybrid Requirements and Constraints 1 You should have a Hybrid SLI Enabled Motherboard and Hybrid SLI Enabled Graphics Card. 2 Hybrid SLI is only supported with the Vista operating system. 3 GeForce Boost mode allows up to two displays to be connected to either mGPU or to the dGPU. When displays are connected to both adapters, hybrid mode is disabled and multi adapter extended desktop mode is enabled.
70 Installation and Use 1. Prepare one Hybrid SLI enabled graphics card. 2. Insert the Hybrid SLI enabled graphics card into the PCIEX16 Slot on the motherboard. 3. Start your computer, then press Delete to enter the BIOS setup; use the arrow keys to select Advanced Chipset Setup, then press Enter; set the item Hybrid SLI supprt to Enabled. 4. Press F10 to save the configuration and exit the BIOS.
71 5. Enter Window Vista to install the latest driver which supports the NVIDIA Hybrid SLI technology. 6. Restart your computer after installing the driver. You can see the green icon of NVIDIA Hybrid SLI in the bottom right-hand corner while accessing the Windows Vista again. 7. Click the green Hybrid SLI icon, then the choosing menu appears. Select a graphics mode. There are three SLI modes for you to select: Save Power, Boost Performance and Additional Displays.
72 8. Click with your right mouse button on My Computer, then click the option Manage and choose the Device Manager, finally, click the Display Adapters. The following screen appears. All in all, the NVIDIA SLI technology works. This concludes Chapter 6.
