G1.Assassin 2 User's Manual Rev.
Motherboard G1.Assassin 2 Oct. 28, 2011 G1.Assassin 2 Motherboard Oct.
Copyright © 2011 GIGA-BYTE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD. All rights reserved. The trademarks mentioned in this manual are legally registered to their respective owners. Disclaimer Information in this manual is protected by copyright laws and is the property of GIGABYTE. Changes to the specifications and features in this manual may be made by GIGABYTE without prior notice.
Table of Contents Box Contents....................................................................................................................6 Optional Items..................................................................................................................6 G1.Assassin 2 Motherboard Layout.................................................................................7 G1.Assassin 2 Motherboard Block Diagram....................................................................
3-3 3-4 Technical Manuals.......................................................................................... 58 Contact........................................................................................................... 59 3-5 3-6 3-7 System............................................................................................................ 59 Download Center............................................................................................ 60 New Utilities..................
Box Contents 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 G1.Assassin 2 motherboard Motherboard driver disk User's Manual Quick Installation Guide Four SATA cables I/O Shield 3.5" Front Panel with 2 USB 3.0/2.0 ports One 2-Way SLI bridge connector One 3-Way SLI bridge connector One 2-Way CrossFireX bridge connector One GC-WIFI The box contents above are for reference only and the actual items shall depend on the product package you obtain. The box contents are subject to change without notice.
G1.Assassin 2 Motherboard Layout CPU_FAN KB_MS_USB ATX_12V_2X FAN1 HS FAN4 USB_ESATA2 LGA2011 Marvell 88SE9172 USB_ESATA1 System3 Temp. sensor Fresco FL1009 R_USB30 USB_LAN ATX Marvell 88E1118R PCIEX16_1 System1 Temp. sensor F_USB30 G1.
G1.Assassin 2 Motherboard Block Diagram 2 PCI Express x16 1 PCI Express x8 CPU CLK+/- (100 MHz) PCIe CLK (100 MHz) x8 x16 x16 PCI Express Bus 4 Channel Memory 2 USB 3.0/2.0 PCIe CLK (100 MHz) Dual BIOS Intel® X79 x1 x1 x1 PCI Express Bus BigFoot Killer E2100 PCI Express Bus Fresco FL1009 x1 RJ45 x1 2 USB 3.0/2.0 Fresco FL1009 Marvell 88E1118R phy Marvell 88SE9172 x1 DDR3 2133/1866/1600/1333/1066 MHz LAN 2 SATA 6Gb/s 2 SATA 6Gb/s Marvell 88SE9172 DMI 2.
Chapter 1 1-1 Hardware Installation Installation Precautions The motherboard contains numerous delicate electronic circuits and components which can become damaged as a result of electrostatic discharge (ESD). Prior to installation, carefully read the user's manual and follow these procedures: •• Prior to installation, make sure the chassis is suitable for the motherboard. •• Prior to installation, do not remove or break motherboard S/N (Serial Number) sticker or warranty sticker provided by your dealer.
1-2 Product Specifications CPU Support for Intel® Core™ i7 processors in the LGA2011 package (Go to GIGABYTE's website for the latest CPU support list.) L3 cache varies with CPU Chipset Intel® X79 Express Chipset Memory 4 x 1.5V DDR3 DIMM sockets supporting up to 32 GB of system memory * Due to Windows 32-bit operating system limitation, when more than 4 GB of physical memory is installed, the actual memory size displayed will be less than 4 GB.
Storage Interface 2 x Marvell 88SE9172 chips: - 2 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors (GSATA3 6/GSATA3 7) supporting up to 2 SATA 6Gb/s devices - 2 x eSATA 6Gb/s connectors (eSATA/USB Combo) on the back panel supporting up to 2 SATA 6Gb/s devices - Support for RAID 0 and RAID 1 USB Chipset: - Up to 14 USB 2.0/1.1 ports (8 ports on the back panel, including 2 eSATA/ USB Combo, 6 ports available through the internal USB headers) 2 x Fresco FL1009 chips: - Up to 4 USB 3.0/2.
Hardware Monitor BIOS Unique Features Bundled Software Operating System Form Factor System voltage detection CPU/System temperature detection CPU/System fan speed detection CPU overheating warning CPU/System fan fail warning CPU/System fan speed control * Whether the CPU/system fan speed control function is supported will depend on the CPU/system cooler you install.
1-3 Installing the CPU and CPU Cooler Read the following guidelines before you begin to install the CPU: •• Make sure that the motherboard supports the CPU. (Go to GIGABYTE's website for the latest CPU support list.) •• Always turn off the computer and unplug the power cord from the power outlet before installing the CPU to prevent hardware damage. •• Locate the pin one of the CPU. The CPU cannot be inserted if oriented incorrectly.
B. Follow the steps below to correctly install the CPU into the motherboard CPU socket. •• Before installing the CPU, make sure to turn off the computer and unplug the power cord from the power outlet to prevent damage to the CPU. •• To protect the socket contacts, do not remove the protective plastic cover unless the CPU is inserted into the CPU socket. Save the cover properly and replace it if the CPU is removed.
1-3-2 Installing the CPU Cooler Refer to the steps below to correctly install the CPU cooler on the motherboard. (Actual installation process may differ depending the CPU cooler to be used. Refer to the user's manual for your CPU cooler.) Step 1: Apply an even and thin layer of thermal grease on the surface of the installed CPU. Step 2: Place the cooler atop the CPU, aligning the four mounting screws with the mounting holes on the ILM.
1-4 Installing the Memory Read the following guidelines before you begin to install the memory: •• Make sure that the motherboard supports the memory. It is recommended that memory of the same capacity, brand, speed, and chips be used. (Go to GIGABYTE's website for the latest supported memory speeds and memory modules.) •• Always turn off the computer and unplug the power cord from the power outlet before installing the memory to prevent hardware damage. •• Memory modules have a foolproof design.
1-4-2 Installing a Memory Before installing a memory module, make sure to turn off the computer and unplug the power cord from the power outlet to prevent damage to the memory module. DDR3 and DDR2 DIMMs are not compatible to each other or DDR DIMMs. Be sure to install DDR3 DIMMs on this motherboard. 1 1 2 2 Z0 Z0 3 3 4 4 5 DIP 5 DIP Notch DDR3 DIMM A DDR3 memory module has a notch, so it can only fit in one direction.
1-5 Installing an Expansion Card Read the following guidelines before you begin to install an expansion card: •• Make sure the motherboard supports the expansion card. Carefully read the manual that came with your expansion card. •• Always turn off the computer and unplug the power cord from the power outlet before installing an expansion card to prevent hardware damage.
1-6 Setting up AMD CrossFireX™/NVIDIA SLI Configuration A.
1-7 Back Panel Connectors O.C. USB 2.0/1.1 Port The USB port supports the USB 2.0/1.1 specification. Use this port for USB devices such as a USB keyboard/mouse, USB printer, USB flash drive and etc. PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse Port Use this port to connect a PS/2 mouse or keyboard. CPU Overclcking Button Press this button to overclock your CPU. To return to the defaults, press this button again.
Line In/Mic In Jack (Blue) The line in/Mic in jack. Use this audio jack for line in devices such as optical drive, walkman, microphone, etc. Line Out Jack (Green) The line out jack. Use this audio jack for a headphone or 2-channel speaker. This jack can be used to connect front speakers in a 4/5.1/7.1-channel audio configuration. Optical S/PDIF Out Connector This connector provides digital audio out to an external audio system that supports digital optical audio.
1-8 Internal Connectors 3 1 4 4 2 13 6 5 7 8 10 11 4 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) ATX_12V_2X ATX CPU_FAN FAN1/2/3/4 BAT SATA3 0/1 SATA2 2/3/4/5 GSATA3 6/7 14 12 9 9) 10) 11) 12) 13) 14) 15) 15 4 F_PANEL F_AUDIO SPDIF_O F_USB1/F_USB2/F_USB3 F_USB30 TPM CLR_CMOS Read the following guidelines before connecting external devices: •• First make sure your devices are compliant with the connectors you wish to connect.
1/2) ATX_12V_2X/ATX (2x4 12V Power Connector and 2x12 Main Power Connector) With the use of the power connector, the power supply can supply enough stable power to all the components on the motherboard. Before connecting the power connector, first make sure the power supply is turned off and all devices are properly installed. The power connector possesses a foolproof design. Connect the power supply cable to the power connector in the correct orientation.
3/4) CPU_FAN/FAN1/FAN2/FAN3/FAN4 (Fan Headers) All fan headers on this motherboard are 4-pin and support fan speed control function. Most fan headers possess a foolproof insertion design. When connecting a fan cable, be sure to connect it in the correct orientation (the black connector wire is the ground wire). The speed control function requires the use of a fan with fan speed control design. For optimum heat dissipation, it is recommended that a system fan be installed inside the chassis.
BUG RT 6) SATA3 0/1 (SATA 6Gb/s Connectors, Controlled by Intel X79 Chipset) The SATA connectors conform to SATA 6Gb/s standard and are compatible with SATA 3Gb/s and SATA 1.5Gb/s standard. Each SATA connector supports a single SATA device. The SATA3 0 and SATA3 1 connectors support RAID 0 and RAID 1. RAID 5 and RAID 10 can be implemented on the two connectors with the SATA2 2/3/4/5 connector (Note). Refer to Chapter 5, "Configuring SATA Hard Drive(s)," for instructions on configuring a RAID array. G.
8) GSATA3 6/7 (SATA 6Gb/s Connectors, Controlled by Marvell 88SE9172 Chip) The SATA connectors conform to SATA 6Gb/s standard and are compatible with SATA 3Gb/s and SATA 1.5Gb/s standard. Each SATA connector supports a single SATA device. The Marvell 88SE9172 chip supports RAID 0 and RAID 1. Refer to Chapter 5, "Configuring SATA Hard Drive(s)," for instructions on configuring a RAID array. G.QBOFM GSATA3 7 1 7 1 7 6 Pin No.
9) F_PANEL (Front Panel Header) Connect the power switch, reset switch, speaker, chassis intrusion switch/sensor and system status indicator on the chassis to this header according to the pin assignments below. Note the positive and negative pins before connecting the cables.
10) F_AUDIO (Front Panel Audio Header) The front panel audio header supports Intel High Definition audio (HD) and AC'97 audio. You may connect your chassis front panel audio module to this header. Make sure the wire assignments of the module connector match the pin assignments of the motherboard header. Incorrect connection between the module connector and the motherboard header will make the device unable to work or even damage it. For HD Front Panel Audio: Pin No.
The headers conform to USB 2.0/1.1 specification. Each USB header can provide two USB ports via an optional USB bracket. For purchasing the optional USB bracket, please contact the local dealer. 9 10 1 2 Pin No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Definition Power (5V) Power (5V) USB DXUSB DYUSB DX+ USB DY+ GND GND No Pin NC 13) F_USB30 (USB 3.0/2.0 Header) F_USB30 F_AUDIO(H) The header conforms to USB 3.0/2.0 specification and can provide two USB ports. You can also install the included 3.
DB_PORT BIOS Switc 1 14) TPM (Trusted Platform Module Header) 1 1 19 Voltage measurement module(X58A-OC) PWM Swi DIP TPM w/housing 1 You may connect a TPM (Trusted Platform Module) to this header. 2 20 Pin No. Definition Pin No.
Chapter 2 BIOS Setup BIOS (Basic Input and Output System) records hardware parameters of the system in the CMOS on the motherboard. Its major functions include conducting the Power-On Self-Test (POST) during system startup, saving system parameters and loading operating system, etc. BIOS includes a BIOS Setup program that allows the user to modify basic system configuration settings or to activate certain system features.
2-1 Startup Screen The following startup Logo screen will appear when the computer boots. Function Keys Function Keys: : POST SCREEN Press the key to skip the startup Logo. To turn off the startup Logo, refer to the instructions on the Full Screen LOGO Show item on page 49. : BIOS SETUP\Q-FLASH Press the key to enter BIOS Setup or to access the Q-Flash utility in BIOS Setup. : SYSTEM INFORMATION Press the key to display your system information.
2-2 The Main Menu A. The 3D BIOS Screen On GIGABYTE's uniquely designed 3D BIOS screen, you can use your mouse to move through the motherboard image and click to enter the function menu in each area for quick configuration. For example, pass your mouse arrow over the CPU and memory sockets and enter the System Tuning menu to configure CPU/memory frequency, memory timings, and voltage settings.
BIOS Setup Program Function Keys <+>/ <->/ Move the selection bar to select a setup menu Move the selection bar to select an configuration item on a menu Execute command or enter a menu Increase the numeric value or make changes Decrease the numeric value or make changes Switch to 3D BIOS screen Restore the previous BIOS settings for the current menu Load the optimized BIOS default settings for the current menu Access the
2-3 M.I.T. Whether the system will work stably with the overclock/overvoltage settings you made is dependent on your overall system configurations. Incorrectly doing overclock/overvoltage may result in damage to CPU, chipset, or memory and reduce the useful life of these components. This page is for advanced users only and we recommend you not to alter the default settings to prevent system instability or other unexpected results. (Inadequately altering the settings may result in system's failure to boot.
`` M.I.T. Current Status This screen provides information on CPU/memory frequencies/parameters. `` Advanced Frequency Settings && BCLK/PCIe Clock Control Enables or disables the control of CPU base clock and PCIe bus frequency. Enabled will allow the Host Clock Frequency and Processor Base Clock items below to be configurable. Note: If your system fails to boot after overclocking, please wait for 20 seconds for automated system reboot, or clear the CMOS values to reset the board to default values.
`` Advanced CPU Core Features && CPU Clock Ratio, CPU Frequency The settings under the two items above are synchronous to that under the same items on the Advanced Frequency Settings menu. && Internal CPU PLL Overvoltage Enabled allows CPU PLL voltage to operate at a higher value. Disabled allows CPU PLL voltage to operate at default value. Auto lets the BIOS automatically configure this setting.
&& CPU Core Enabled (Note 1) Allows you to determine the number of CPU cores you want to enable. Auto lets the BIOS automatically configure this setting. (Default: Auto) && Hyper-Threading Technology (Note 1) Allows you to determine whether to enable Hyper-Threading technology when using an Intel CPU that supports this function. This feature only works for operating systems that support multi-processor mode. Auto lets the BIOS automatically configure this setting.
&& Memory Frequency(Mhz) The first memory frequency value is the normal operating frequency of the memory being used; the second is the memory frequency that is automatically adjusted according to the Host Clock Frequency, Processor Base Clock, and System Memory Multiplier settings. `` Advanced Memory Settings && Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P.
&& Channel Interleaving Enables or disables memory channel interleaving. Enabled allows the system to simultaneously access different channels of the memory to increase memory performance and stability. Auto lets the BIOS automatically configure this setting. (Default: Auto) && Rank Interleaving Enables or disables memory rank interleaving. Enabled allows the system to simultaneously access different ranks of the memory to increase memory performance and stability.
`` Advanced Voltage Settings `` 3D Power Control - 41 - BIOS Setup
&& PWM Phase Control Allows you to automatically change the PWM phase according to the CPU load. The power-saving levels are (from lowest to highest): eXm Perf (Extreme Performance ), High Perf (High Performance), Balanced, Perf (Performance), Mid PWR (Mid Power), and Lite PWR (Light Power). Auto lets the BIOS automatically configure this setting. (Default: Auto). && Vcore Voltage Response Allows you to configure the response time for Vcore changes using four preset levels.
Auto Lets the BIOS automatically configure this setting and sets V-droop following Intel specifications. (Default) +0.00mΩ~+12.00mΩ Adjusts the V-droop value. && DDR CH(C/D) Voltage Loadline Calibration Allows you to configure Load-Line Calibration for Channel C and Channel D memory voltage. This item allows you to adjust V-droop. The higher the V-droop value, the lower the output voltage will be under heavy load.
&& DDR CH(A/B) Current Protection Allows you to set the current limit on Channel A and Channel B memory voltage for over-current protection in terms of percentage. The adjustable range is from 50.0% to 160.0%. Auto lets the BIOS automatically configure this setting. (Default: Auto) && DDR CH(C/D) Current Protection Allows you to set the current limit on Channel C and Channel D memory voltage for over-current protection in terms of percentage. The adjustable range is from 50.0% to 160.0%.
`` PC Health Status && Reset Case Open Status Disabled Keeps or clears the record of previous chassis intrusion status. (Default) Enabled Clears the record of previous chassis intrusion status and the Case Opened field will show "No" at next boot. && Case Opened Displays the detection status of the chassis intrusion detection device attached to the motherboard CI header. If the system chassis cover is removed, this field will show "Yes", otherwise it will show "No".
&& CPU Vcore/Dram Channel A/B Voltage/Dram Channel C/D Voltage/+5V/+12V+/CPU VTT Displays the current system voltages. && CPU Temperature/PCH Temperature Displays current CPU/Chipset temperature. && System Temperature/2nd System Temperature/3rd System Temperature Displays current system temperatures detected by each system temperature sensor on the motherboard. && CPU FAN Speed/System FAN Speed Displays current CPU/system fan speeds.
&& Slope PWM Allows you to control the system fan speed. This item is configurable only when 2nd System Fan Speed Control is set to Manual. Options are: 0.75 PWM value /oC ~ 2.50 PWM value /oC. `` Miscellaneous Settings && Isochronous Support Determines whether to enable specific streams within the CPU and Chipset. This item is present only when you install a CPU that supports this feature. For more information about Intel CPUs' unique features, please visit Intel's website.
2-4 System This section provides information on your CPU, memory, motherboard model, and BIOS version. You can also select the default language used by the BIOS and manually set the system time. && System Language Selects the default language used by the BIOS. && System Date Sets the system date. The date format is week (read-only), month, date, and year. Use to switch between the Month, Date, and Year fields and use the up arrow or down arrow key to set the desired value.
2-5 BIOS Features && Boot Option Priorities Specifies the overall boot order from the available devices. For example, you can set hard drive as the first priority (Boot Option #1) and DVD ROM drive as the second priority (Boot Option #2). The list only displays the device with the highest priority for a specific type. For example, only hard drive defined as the first priority on the Hard Drive BBS Priorities submenu will be presented here.
&& Init Display First Specifies the first initiation of the monitor display from the PCI Express graphics cards . PCIe Slot1 Sets the graphics card on the PCIEX16_1 slot as the first display. (Default) PCIe Slot2 Sets the graphics card on the PCIEX8 slot as the first display. PCIe Slot3 Sets the graphics card on the PCIEX16_2 slot as the first display. && Limit CPUID Maximum (Note) Allows you to determine whether to limit CPUID maximum value.
2-6 Peripherals && USB 2.0 Devices (Intel X79 Chipset) Enables or disables the USB 2.0 controllers integrated with the Intel X79 Chipset. (Default: Enabled) && Intel SATA Control Mode Enables or disables RAID for the SATA controllers integrated in the Intel X79 Chipset or configures the SATA controllers to AHCI mode. IDE Mode Disables RAID for the SATA controllers and configures the SATA controllers to IDE mode. RAID Mode Enables RAID for the SATA controllers.
&& USB Storage Devices Displays a list of connected USB mass storage devices. You can configure how each device is going to be treated. For example, you can emulate a USB flash drive as a floppy disk drive. (Default: Auto) `` Marvell ATA Controller Configuration && GSATA Controller (Marvell 88SE9172 Chip, GSATA3 6 and GSATA3 7 connectors) Enables or disables RAID for the SATA controllers integrated in the Marvell 88SE9172 chip or configures the SATA controllers to AHCI mode.
2-7 Power Management && AC BACK Determines the state of the system after the return of power from an AC power loss. Always Off The system stays off upon the return of the AC power. (Default) Always On The system is turned on upon the return of the AC power. Memory The system returns to its last known awake state upon the return of the AC power. && Power On By Keyboard Allows the system to be turned on by a PS/2 keyboard wake-up event.
S3(Suspend to RAM) Enables the system to enter the ACPI S3 sleep state. In S3 sleep state, the system appears to be off and consumes less power than in the S1 state. When signaled by a wake-up device or event, the system resumes to its working state exactly where it was left off. (Default) Suspend Disabled Disables this function. && High Precision Event Timer (Note) Enables or disables High Precision Event Timer (HPET) for Windows 7/Vista operating system.
2-8 Save & Exit Setup && Save & Exit Setup Press on this item and select Yes. This saves the changes to the CMOS and exits the BIOS Setup program. Select No or press to return to the BIOS Setup Main Menu. && Exit Without Saving Press on this item and select Yes. This exits the BIOS Setup without saving the changes made in BIOS Setup to the CMOS. Select No or press to return to the BIOS Setup Main Menu.
BIOS Setup - 56 -
Chapter 3 Drivers Installation •• Before installing the drivers, first install the operating system. •• After installing the operating system, insert the motherboard driver disk into your optical drive. The driver Autorun screen is automatically displayed which looks like that shown in the screen shot below. (If the driver Autorun screen does not appear automatically, go to My Computer, double-click the optical drive and execute the Run.exe program.
3-2 Application Software This page displays all the utilities and applications that GIGABYTE develops and some free software. You can click the Install button on the right of an item to install it. 3-3 Technical Manuals This page provides GIGABYTE's application guides, content descriptions for this driver disk, and the motherboard manuals.
3-4 Contact For the detailed contact information of the GIGABYTE Taiwan headquarter or worldwide branch offices, click the URL on this page to link to the GIGABYTE website. 3-5 System This page provides the basic system information.
3-6 Download Center To update the BIOS, drivers, or applications, click the Download Center button to link to the GIGABYTE website. The latest version of the BIOS, drivers, or applications will be displayed. 3-7 New Utilities This page provides a quick link to GIGABYTE's lately developed utilities for users to install. You can click the Install button on the right of an item to install it.
Chapter 4 4-1 Unique Features Xpress Recovery2 Xpress Recovery2 is a utility that allows you to quickly compress and back up your system data and perform restoration of it. Supporting NTFS, FAT32, and FAT16 file systems, Xpress Recovery2 can back up data on PATA and SATA hard drives and restore it. Before You Begin: •• Xpress Recovery2 will check the first physical hard drive (Note) for the operating system.
Step 3: When partitioning your hard drive, make sure to leave unallocated space (10 GB or more is recommended; actual size requirements vary, depending on the amount of data) and begin the installation of the operating system. Step 4: After the operating system is installed, click Start, right-click the Computer and select Manage. Go to Disk Management to check disk allocation. Step 5: Xpress Recovery2 will save the backup file to the unallocated space (black stripe along the top).
D. Using the Restore Function in Xpress Recovery2 Select RESTORE to restore the backup to your hard drive in case the system breaks down. The RESTORE option will not be present if no backup is created before. E. Removing the Backup Step 1: If you wish to remove the backup file, select REMOVE. Step 2: After the backup file is removed, no backup image file will be present in Disk Management and hard drive space will be freed up. F. Exiting Xpress Recovery2 Select REBOOT to exit Xpress Recovery2.
4-2 BIOS Update Utilities GIGABYTE motherboards provide two unique BIOS update tools, Q-Flash™ and @BIOS™. GIGABYTE Q-Flash and @BIOS are easy-to-use and allow you to update the BIOS without the need to enter MS-DOS mode. Additionally, this motherboard features the DualBIOS™ design, which enhances protection for the safety and stability of your computer by adding one more physical BIOS chip. What is DualBIOS™? Motherboards that support DualBIOS have two BIOS onboard, a main BIOS and a backup BIOS.
B. Updating the BIOS In the main menu of Q-Flash, use the keyboard or mouse to select an item to execute. When updating the BIOS, choose the location where the BIOS file is saved. The following procedure assumes that you save the BIOS file to a USB flash drive. Step 1: 1. Insert the USB flash drive containing the BIOS file into the computer. In the main menu of Q-Flash, select Update BIOS From Drive. •• The Save Main BIOS to Drive option allows you to save the current BIOS file.
Step 4: After the system reboots, you will see the new BIOS version on the POST screen. Step 5: During the POST, press to enter BIOS Setup. Select Load Optimized Defaults on the Save & Exit screen and press to load BIOS defaults. System will re-detect all peripheral devices after a BIOS update, so we recommend that you reload BIOS defaults. Select Yes to load BIOS defaults Step 6: Select Save & Exit Setup and press . And then select Yes to save settings to CMOS and exit BIOS Setup.
4-2-2 Updating the BIOS with the @BIOS Utility A. Before You Begin 1. 2. 3. 4. In Windows, close all applications and TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) programs. This helps prevent unexpected failures when performing a BIOS update. During the BIOS update process, ensure the Internet connection is stable and do NOT interrupt the Internet connection (for example, avoid a power loss or switching off the Internet). Failure to do so may result in a corrupted BIOS or a system that is unable to start.
4-3 EasyTune 6 GIGABYTE's EasyTune 6 is a simple and easy-to-use interface that allows users to fine-tune their system settings or do overclock/overvoltage in Windows environment. The user-friendly EasyTune 6 interface also includes tabbed pages for CPU and memory information, letting users read their system-related information without the need to install additional software. The EasyTune 6 Interface Tabs Information Tab Function The CPU tab provides information on the installed CPU and motherboard.
4-4 Q-Share Q-Share is an easy and convenient data sharing tool. After configuring your LAN connection settings and Q-Share, you are able to share your data with computers on the same network, making full use of Internet resources. Directions for using Q-Share After installing Q-Share from the motherboard driver disk, go to Start>All Programs>GIGABYTE>Q-Share.exe to launch the Q-Share tool.
4-5 Smart 6™ GIGABYTE Smart 6™ (Note 1) is designed with user-friendliness in mind, and offers a combination of 6 innovative software utilities that provide easier and smarter PC system management. Smart 6™ allows you to speed up system performance, reduce boot-up time, manage a secure platform and recover specified files easily with a click of the mouse button.
SMART Recovery 2 Smart Recovery 2 allows you to back up a partition as an image file every hour. You can use these images to restore your system or files when needed. The Smart Recovery 2 main menu: Button Settings Backup Now File Recovery... System Recovery...
Recovering your system with Smart Recovery 2 (Windows 7 only): Steps: 1. Click the System Recovery button on the main menu. 2. Select the partition where your backup is saved. 3. Use the time slider to select a time point. 4. Select a partition backup created on the selected time point and click Restore. 5. Confirm whether to restart your system to proceed with the restore immediately or later. Once you respond "Yes" the system will restart to the Windows recovery environment.
SMART Recorder SMART Recorder monitors and records the activities in a system such as the time when the computer was turned on/off or even when large data files were moved within the hard drive or copied to an external storage device (Note 2). Instructions: Select the Enable check box at the bottom of the ON/OFF Recorder or File Monitor tab to enable the recording of system on/off time or files copying. Entering the Smart 6™ password is required before you make any changes to the previous settings.
4-6 eXtreme Hard Drive (X.H.D) With GIGABYTE eXtreme Hard Drive (X.H.D) (Note 1), users can quickly configure a RAIDready system for RAID 0 when a new SATA drive is added. For a RAID 0 array that already exists, users also can use X.H.D to easily add a hard drive into the array to expand its capacity. All with a simple click of a button, X.H.D helps to enhance your hard drive read/ write performance without the need for complex and time-consuming configurations.
4-7 Cloud OC Cloud OC (Note 1) is an easy-to-use overclocking utility designed for system overclocking via virtually any Internet-connected device, such as a smart phone, iPhone, notebook PC, etc. By simply connecting to an Internet browser via LAN, wireless LAN, or Bluetooth (Note 2) and logging in to the Cloud OC server, you can easily access three major functions of Cloud OC, including Tuner (system tweaking), System Info (system monitoring), and Control (system status control). A.
4-8 TouchBIOS TouchBIOS allows you to configure your BIOS settings in Windows environment with a click of your mouse and a touch of your screen. The TouchBIOS Interface Button Information Table Description Button Button Description Allows you to change CPU ratio, BCLK, memory speed, Vcore and memory voltages. Allows you to configure Integrated Peripherals settings. Allows you to configure Advanced BIOS Features. Allows you to configure Power Management settings. Enables QuickBoost utility.
Chapter 5 5-1 Appendix Configuring SATA Hard Drive(s) RAID Levels RAID 0 Minimum Number of Hard ≥2 Drives Array Capacity Number of hard drives * Size of the smallest drive Fault Tolerance No RAID 1 RAID 5 RAID 10 2 ≥3 ≥4 Size of the smallest drive Yes (Number of hard drives -1) * Size of the smallest drive Yes (Number of hard drives/2) * Size of the smallest drive Yes To configure SATA hard drive(s), follow the steps below: A. B. C. D. Install SATA hard drive(s) in your computer.
B. Configuring SATA controller mode in BIOS Setup Make sure to configure the SATA controller mode correctly in system BIOS Setup. Step 1: Turn on your computer and press to enter BIOS Setup during the POST (Power-On Self-Test). To create RAID, set Intel SATA Controller Mode under the Peripherals menu to RAID Mode (Figure 1) (AHCI mode by default). If you do not want to create RAID, set this item to IDE Mode or AHCI Mode. Figure 1 Step 2: Save changes and exit BIOS Setup.
C. Configuring a RAID array in RAID BIOS Enter the RAID BIOS setup utility to configure a RAID array. Skip this step and proceed with the installation of Windows operating system for a non-RAID configuration. Step 1: After the POST memory test begins and before the operating system boot begins, look for a message which says "Press to enter Configuration Utility" (Figure 2). Press + to enter the RAID Configuration Utility.
Step 3: After entering the CREATE VOLUME MENU screen, enter a volume name with 1~16 letters (letters cannot be special characters) under the Name item and press . Then, select a RAID level (Figure 4). RAID levels supported include RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 10, and RAID 5 (the selections available depend on the number of the hard drives being installed). Press to proceed. Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology enterprise - SATA Option ROM - 3.0.0.1184 Copyright(C) 2003-11 Intel Corporation.
Step 5: Enter the array capacity and press . Finally press on the Create Volume item to begin creating the RAID array. When prompted to confirm whether to create this volume, press to confirm or to cancel (Figure 6). Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology enterprise - SATA Option ROM - 3.0.0.1184 Copyright(C) 2003-11 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved. [ CREATE VOLUME MENU ] Name : Volume0 RAID Level : RAID0(Stripe) Disks : Select Disks Strip Size : 128 KB Capacity : 111.
Delete RAID Volume To delete a RAID array, select Delete RAID Volume in MAIN MENU and press . In the DELETE VOLUME MENU section, use the up or down arrow key to select the array to be deleted and press . When prompted to confirm your selection (Figure 8), press to confirm or to abort. Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology enterprise - SATA Option ROM - 3.0.0.1184 Copyright(C) 2003-11 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
5-1-2 Configuring Marvell 88SE9172 SATA Controllers A. Installing SATA hard drive(s) in your computer Attach one end of the SATA signal cable to the rear of the SATA hard drive and the other end to available SATA port on the motherboard. The Marvell 88SE9172 SATA controllers control the onboard GSATA3 6/7 and eSATA connectors. Then connect the power connector from your power supply to the hard drive. B.
Figure 2 The first GSATA Controller item controls the "GSATA3 6" and "GSATA3 7" connectors. The second GSATA Controller item controls the eSATA ports on the back panel. Step 2: Save changes and exit BIOS Setup. C. Configuring a RAID array in RAID BIOS Enter the RAID BIOS setup utility to configure a RAID array. Skip this step and proceed to the installation of Windows operating system for a non-RAID configuration.
On the main screen of the RAID setup utility (Figure 4), use the left or right arrow key to move through tabs. [ Adapter ] Marvell BIOS Setup (c) 2009 Marvell Technology Group Ltd. [ Devices ] [ RAID ] Adapter 0 Vendor ID Device ID: BIOS Version: PCI Slot: IRQ Number: Raid Mode: ENTER/SPACE: Select, ESC: Back/Exit 1B4B:91A2 1.0.1.0025 00 0A RAID0 RAID1 Figure 4 Create a RAID Array: Step 1: On the main screen, press on the RAID tab. Then the RAID Config menu appears (Figure 5).
Step 2: The next screen displays the two hard drives you installed. Press or on the two hard drives respectively to add them into the RAID array. Selected hard drives are marked with an asterisk (Figure 6). Then press on NEXT. Marvell BIOS Setup (c) 2009 Marvell Technology Group Ltd. [ Adapter] [ Devices] [ RAID ] RAID Config Select free disks to create Port Disk Name * S0 SATA: WDC WD800JD-22LSA0 * S1 SATA: WDC WD800JD-22LSA0 NEXT Size 76.3GB 76.
6. NEXT: After completing the settings above, move to NEXT and press to begin creating the array. When prompted to confirm, press to confirm or to cancel (Figure 8). Marvell BIOS Setup (c) 2009 Marvell Technology Group Ltd.
Delete the RAID Array: To deleted the existing array, press on the RAID tab and select Delete VD. When the Delete VD menu appears, press on the array to select it and then press on NEXT. When prompted, press to confirm (Figure 10). When the message "Do you want to delete the VD's MBR?" appears, press to clear the MBR or press other keys to ignore. Marvell BIOS Setup (c) 2009 Marvell Technology Group Ltd.
5-1-3 Installing the SATA RAID/AHCI Driver and Operating System With the correct BIOS settings, you are ready to install the operating system. A. Installing Windows 7/Vista (The following instructions use Windows 7 as the example operating system.) Step 1: Boot from the Windows 7/Vista setup disk and perform standard OS installation steps. When you arrive at the "Where do you want to install Windows?" screen, select Load Driver.
B. Installing Windows XP (For the Marvell 88SE9172) (Note) Before installing Windows XP, connect a USB floppy disk drive to your computer first because you need to install the SATA RAID/AHCI driver from a floppy disk that contains the driver during the OS installation. Without the driver, the hard drive(s) may not be recognized during the Windows setup process. First, copy the driver from the motherboard driver disk to a floppy disk. Refer to the methods below.
Refer to the following for installing the driver during the Windows setup process. Step 1: Restart your system to boot from the Windows XP setup disk and press as soon as you see the message "Press F6 if you need to install a 3rd party SCSI or RAID driver." A screen will then appear asking you to specify an additional SCSI adapter. Press . Step 2: Insert the floppy disk containing the SATA RAID/AHCI driver and press .
C. Rebuilding an Array Rebuilding is the process of restoring data to a hard drive from other drives in the array. Rebuilding applies only to fault-tolerant arrays such as RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10 arrays. The procedures below assume a new drive is added to replace a failed drive to rebuild a RAID 1 array. (Note: The new drive must have equal or greater capacity than the old one.) For the Intel X79: Turn off your computer and replace the failed hard drive with a new one. Restart your computer.
•• Performing the Rebuild in the Operating System While in the operating system, make sure the Chipset driver and Intel Rapid Storage Technology Enterprise RAID Port Drivers have been installed from the motherboard driver disk. Then launch Intel Rapid Storage Technology enterprise from All Programs in the Start menu. Step 2: Select a new drive to rebuild the RAID and click Rebuild. Step 1: On the right panel of the screen, click Rebuild to another disk under Volume Properties.
For the Marvell 88SE9172: Turn off your computer and replace the failed hard drive with a new one. Restart your computer. To enable an automatic rebuild in the operating system, you have to set the new hard drive as a Spare drive in the RAID setup utility first. •• Enabling Automatic Rebuild Step 1: When the message "Press + to enter BIOS Setup or to continue" appears, press + to enter the RAID setup utility.
Step 3: Make sure you have installed the Marvell RAID driver and Marvell Storage Utility from the motherboard driver disk. While in the operating system, launch the Marvell Storage Utility from Start\All Programs\Marvell Storage Utility\Marvell Tray, right-click on the icon in the notification area, and select Open MSU. Then login the Marvell Storage Utility.
5-2 Bigfoot Killer Network Manager The Bigfoot Killer Network Manager allows you to view your network connection status and Internet bandwidth and to configure your network settings. It also displays your system information and CPU/memory usage. After installing the LAN driver, you can access the Bigfoot Killer Network Manager in Start\All Programs\Bigfoot Networks\Killer Network Manager or right-click on the icon in the notification area (Note 1).
You can change the upload and download bandwidth for each application as well. Click the application you want and move the cursor to the arrow on the right end of the bar. When the cursor changes to a double-headed arrow, drag it to change the bandwidth. Bandwidth Testing After installing the LAN driver from the motherboard driver disk and restarting your computer, the Bigfoot Killer Network Manager screen will automatically appear.
5-3 Configuring Audio Input and Output 5-3-1 Configuring 2/4/5.1/7.1-Channel Audio The motherboard supports 2/4/5.1/7.1-channel audio. Refer to the following for multi-channel speaker configurations. Center/Subwoofer Line In/Mic In Speaker Out •• 2-channel audio: Headphone or Line out. Rear Speaker Out Front Speaker •• 4-channel audio: Front speaker out and Rear Out Side Speaker Out peaker out. •• 5.1-channel audio: Front speaker out, Rear speaker out, and Center/Subwoofer speaker out. •• 7.
5-3-2 Configuring S/PDIF Out The S/PDIF Out jack can transmit audio signals to an external decoder for decoding to get the best audio quality. 1. Connecting a S/PDIF Out Cable: Connect a S/PDIF optical cable to an external decoder for transmitting the S/PDIF digital audio signals. O.C. Connects to a S/PDIF optical cable 2. Configuring S/PDIF Out: Step 1: While in the operating system, right-click on the icon in the notification area and select Playback devices.
5-3-3 Creative Software Suite (The following instructions use Windows 7 as the example operating system.) After installing the audio driver, you can find the Creative Software Suite in Start\All Programs\Creative. The Creative Software Suite includes the Creative Audio Control Panel, Creative Software AutoUpdate, Alchemy, and Sound Blaster X-Fi.
Sound Blaster X-Fi Sound Blaster X-Fi provides users with three different modes of operation. Users are able to customize their audio settings for different scenarios. For details on how to use each function, click the help icon on the top right corner of the screen to open the help file. Go to Start\All Programs\Creative\Sound Blaster X-Fi to open the Creative Console Launcher. To toggle between different modes, click the Mode icon on the bottom left corner of the screen to open the MODE SWITCHER.
Step 3: Enabling Dolby Digital Live: Select the Dolby Digital Live option and then click the Settings button on the right to access the next screen. On the next screen, select the default output device. Enabling DTS Connect: Select the DTS Connect option.
5-3-5 Configuring Audio Recording After installing the audio driver, go to Start\All Programs\ Creative\Sound Blaster X-Fi and open the Creative Console Launcher. Switch to Audio Creation Mode. Step 2: In the Recorder section at the right bottom of the AUDIO CREATION MODE screen, select the record format and click to begin the recording. To stop the recording, click . Step 3: Enter the name of the recording file and then specify where you want to save it. Then click Save to complete.
5-4 Troubleshooting 5-4-1 Frequently Asked Questions To read more FAQs for your motherboard, please go to the Support & Downloads\FAQ page on GIGABYTE's website. Q: In the BIOS Setup program, why are some BIOS options missing? A: Some advanced options are hidden in the BIOS Setup program. Press to enter BIOS Setup during the POST. In the Main Menu, press + to show the advanced options.
5-4-2 Troubleshooting Procedure If you encounter any troubles during system startup, follow the troubleshooting procedure below to solve the problem. START Turn off the power. Remove all peripherals, connecting cables, and power cord etc. Make sure the motherboard does not short-circuit with the chassis or other metal objects. No Yes Isolate the short circuit. The problem is verified and solved. Check if the CPU cooler is attached to the CPU securely.
A When the computer is turned on, is the CPU cooler running? Yes No The power supply, CPU or CPU socket might fail. The problem is verified and solved. Check if there is display on your monitor. Yes No The graphics card, expansion slot, or monitor might fail. The problem is verified and solved. Turn off the computer. Plug in the keyboard and mouse and restart the computer. Check if the keyboard is working properly. Yes No The keyboard or keyboard connector might fail.
5-4-3 Regulatory Statements Regulatory Notices This document must not be copied without our written permission, and the contents there of must not be imparted to a third party nor be used for any unauthorized purpose. Contravention will be prosecuted. We believe that the information contained herein was accurate in all respects at the time of printing. GIGABYTE cannot, however, assume any responsibility for errors or omissions in this text.
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