MSI

MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL

MS-6526 (v3.X) Micro ATX Mainboard

Version 3.0
G52-MA00613

i
Manual Rev: 3.0
Release Date: May 2002

FCC-B Radio Frequency Interference Statement

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a class
B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed
to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equip-
ment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses
and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accor-
dance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to
cause harmful interference, in which case the user will be required to correct
the interference at his own expense.

Notice 1
The changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party respon-
sible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

Notice 2
Shielded interface cables and A.C. power cord, if any, must be used in order to
comply with the emission limits.

VOIR LA NOTICE D’INSTALLATION AVANT DE RACCORDER AU

RESEAU.

Micro-Star International MS-6526

Tested to comply
with FCC Standard

For Home or Office Use

ii
Edition
May 2002

Copyright Notice
The material in this document is the intellectual property of MICRO-STAR
INTERNATIONAL. We take every care in the preparation of this document,
but no guarantee is given as to the correctness of its contents. Our products
are under continual improvement and we reserve the right to make changes
without notice.

Trademarks
All trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.

Intel® and Pentium® are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation.

PS/2 and OS®/2 are registered trademarks of International Business Machines
Corporation.
Windows ® 95/98/2000/NT/XP are registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation.
Netware® is a registered trademark of Novell, Inc.
Award® is a registered trademark of Phoenix Technologies Ltd.
AMI® is a registered trademark of American Megatrends Inc.

Revision History
Revision Revision History Date
V3.0 First release May 2002

iii
Safety Instructions

1. Always read the safety instructions carefully.

2. Keep this User’s Manual for future reference.
3. Keep this equipment away from humidity.
4. Lay this equipment on a reliable flat surface before setting it up.
5. The openings on the enclosure are for air convection hence protects the
equipment from overheating. DO NOT COVER THE OPENINGS.
6. Make sure the voltage of the power source and adjust properly 110/220V
before connecting the equipment to the power inlet.
7. Place the power cord such a way that people can not step on it. Do not
place anything over the power cord.
8. Always Unplug the Power Cord before inserting any add-on card or module.
9. All cautions and warnings on the equipment should be noted.
10. Never pour any liquid into the opening that could damage or cause electri-
cal shock.
11. If any of the following situations arises, get the equipment checked by a
service personnel:
z The power cord or plug is damaged.
z Liquid has penetrated into the equipment.
z The equipment has been exposed to moisture.
z The equipment has not work well or you can not get it work according
to User’s Manual.
z The equipment has dropped and damaged.
z If the equipment has obvious sign of breakage.
12. DO NOT LEAVE THIS EQUIPMENT IN AN ENVIRONMENT
UNCONDITIONED, STORAGE TEMPERATURE ABOVE 600 C (1400F), IT
MAY DAMAGE THE EQUIPMENT.

CAUTION: Danger of explosion if battery is incorrectly replaced.

Replace only with the same or equivalent type recommended by the
manufacturer.

iv
 CONTENTS
Chapter 1. Getting Started ........................................................................ 1-1
Mainboard Specification ...................................................................... 1-2
Mainboard Layout ............................................................................... 1-4
Quick Components Guide .................................................................... 1-5
MSI Special Features ........................................................................... 1-6
PC Alert™ III ................................................................................. 1-6
Chapter 2. Hardware Setup ....................................................................... 2-1
Central Processing Unit: CPU .............................................................. 2-2
CPU Installation Procedures ......................................................... 2-2
Installing the CPU Fan .................................................................. 2-3
CPU Core Speed Derivation Procedure ......................................... 2-4
Memory ................................................................................................ 2-5
Introduction to DDR SDRAM ....................................................... 2-5
DDR Module Combination ............................................................ 2-6
Installing DDR Modules ............................................................... 2-6
Power Supply ....................................................................................... 2-7
ATX 20-Pin Power Connector ....................................................... 2-7
ATX 12V Power Connector: JPW1 ................................................ 2-7
Back Panel ............................................................................................ 2-8
Mouse Connector ......................................................................... 2-8
Keyboard Connector ..................................................................... 2-9
USB Connectors ............................................................................ 2-9
Serial Port Connectors: COM A/COM2 ....................................... 2-10
VGA DB 15 Pin Connector .......................................................... 2-10
Joystick/Midi Connectors ........................................................... 2-11
Audio Port Connectors ............................................................... 2-11
RJ-45 LAN Jack (Optional) .......................................................... 2-11
Parallel Port Connector: LPT1 ...................................................... 2-12

v
 Connectors ......................................................................................... 2-13
Floppy Disk Drive Connector: FDD1 ........................................... 2-13
Hard Disk Connectors: IDE1 & IDE2 ........................................... 2-14
Fan Power Connectors: CPUFAN1/SYS_FAN ............................ 2-15
CD-In Connector: CD_IN1 .......................................................... 2-16
Aux Line-In Connector: AUX_IN1 .............................................. 2-16
Modem-In Connector: MDM_IN1 .............................................. 2-16
Chassis Intrusion Switch Connector: JCASE .............................. 2-17
IrDA Infrared Module Header: IR2 .............................................. 2-17
Front Panel Connectors: JFP1 & JFP2 ......................................... 2-18
Front Panel Audio Connector: JAUDIO1 .................................... 2-19
Front USB Connector: JUSB3/JUSB4 .......................................... 2-20
Jumpers .............................................................................................. 2-21
Clear CMOS Jumper: JBAT1 ........................................................ 2-21
BIOS Write-Protect Jumper: BIOS_WP ....................................... 2-22
Slots ................................................................................................... 2-23
AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) Slot ......................................... 2-23
PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) Slots .......................... 2-23
CNR (Communication Network Riser) Slot .................................. 2-23
PCI Interrupt Request Routing .................................................... 2-24
Chapter 3. AWARD® BIOS Setup ............................................................. 3-1
Entering Setup ...................................................................................... 3-2
Control Keys ................................................................................. 3-2
Getting Help .................................................................................. 3-3
The Main Menu ................................................................................... 3-4
Standard CMOS Features .................................................................... 3-6
Advanced BIOS Features .................................................................... 3-8
Advanced Chipset Features ............................................................... 3-12
Integrated Peripherals ........................................................................ 3-15

vi
 Power Management Setup ................................................................. 3-19
PNP/PCI Configurations ..................................................................... 3-23
PC Health Status ................................................................................ 3-25
Frequency/Voltage Control ................................................................ 3-26
Load Fail-Safe/Optimized Defaults ..................................................... 3-28
Set Supervisor/User Password ........................................................... 3-29
Glossary .................................................................................................... G-1

vii
 Getting Started

Chapter 1. Getting Started

Getting Started 1
Thank you for purchasing the MS-6526 v3.X Micro ATX mainboard. The
MS-6526 is based on Intel® Brookdale-G & ICH4 chipsets for optimal system
efficiency. Designed to fit the advanced Intel® Pentium® 4 processors in the
478 pin package, the MS-6526 delivers a high performance and professional
desktop platform solution.

TOPICS
Mainboard Specification 1-2
Mainboard Layout 1-4
Quick Components Guide 1-5
MSI Special Features 1-6

1-1
Chapter 1

Mainboard Specification

CPU
Supports socket 478 for Intel® Pentium® 4/Celeron® processors.
Supports 1.3GHz to 2.8GHz or higher speed.

Chipset
Intel® Brookdale-G GMCH chipset (760 mBGA)
- FSB 400/533 MHz.
- Multiplexed AGP and Intel® DVO port interface.
- Integrated 3D/2D graphic core.
(Core frequency=200 MHz, 350 MHz integrated 24-bit RAMDAC)
- Supports PC1600/2100 DDR technology.
Intel® ICH4 chipset (421 mBGA)
- 6 ports Hi-Speed USB (USB2.0) controller, 480Mb/sec.
- AC’97 3 Codec supported (6 channel).
- Supports both ACPI and legacy APM power management.
- Legacy free support.

Main Memory
Supports four memory banks using two 184-pin unbuffered DIMM.
Maximum memory size is 2GB w/o ECC (1GB/slot).
Supports 2.5V DDR DIMM.

Slots
One AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) slot.
Three 32-bit Master PCI Bus slots.
One CNR (Communication Network Riser) slot.

On-BoardIDE
Dual IDE controllers integrated in ICH4.
Supports PIO, Bus Master, Ultra DMA 66/100 operation modes.
Can connect up to four IDE devices.

On-Board Peripherals
External
- PS2 KBD + PS2 Mouse
- USB x 2 + RJ-45 (LAN port)
- Parallel + Serial x 2
- Game port + Audio (Mic_in, Line_in, Line_out)

1-2
 Getting Started

I Internal
- Front Panel (2 x 5 + 2 x 4) with Intel® & MSI pin-definition
- Front Audio (2 x5) with Intel® pin-definition
- Front IR with Intel® pin-definition
- Chassis Intrusion, Onboard buzzer
- IDE x 2, Floppy, ATX power connector
Audio
AC’97 link controller integrated in ICH4
Two-channel software codec ALC 201A
- Compliance with AC’97 v2.2 spec.
- Meets PC 2001 audio performance requirement.
LAN (Optional)
Intel® 82562ET chip
- Integrated Fast Ethernet MAC and PHY in one chip.
- Supports 10Mb/s and 100Mb/s.
- Compliance with PCI 2.2.
- Supports ACPI Power Management.

BIOS
PnP (Plug & Play) BIOS to detect peripheral devices and expansion cards
automatically.
DMI (Desktop Management Interface) function to record motherboard
specifications.

Dimension
Micro-ATX Form Factor: 9.6" x 9.1"

Mounting
6 mounting holes

1-3
Chapter 1

Mainboard Layout

Top : mouse
Bottom: keyboard

JPW1
Top : LAN jack

FDD 1
Bottom: USB ports

CPUFAN1

Power Supply
Intel
DA82562ET

ATX
Top :
Parallel Port

Bottom:
COM A
VGA Port

Top : Intel

IDE 1
IDE 2
Game port 845G
COM 2 Chipset
Bottom: JCASE
Line-Out
Line-In
Mic IR2
AGP Slot
Winbond
CD_IN1 W83627HF
DDR 1
DDR 2

BIOS_WP BATT
PCI Slot 1 +

BIOS
Intel
PCI Slot 2 ICH4
MDM_IN1
JBAT1
PCI Slot 3
SYS_FAN

JAUDIO1 JFP1 JFP2

CNR AUX_IN1

MS-6526 v3.X Micro ATX Mainboard

1-4
 Getting Started

Quick Components Guide

Component Function Reference

Socket 478 Installing CPU See p. 2-2
DDR1~2 Installing DDR modules See p. 2-5
ATX Power Connector Installing power supply See p. 2-7
USB Connectors Connecting to USB devices See p. 2-9
COM A/COM2 Serial port connector See p. 2-10
VGA Connector Connecting to VGA monitors See p. 2-10
RJ-45 LAN Jack Connecting to network devices See p. 2-11
LPT1 Parallel port connector See p. 2-12
FDD1 Floppy disk drive connector See p. 2-13
IDE1~ IDE2 Hard disk connectors See p. 2-14
CPUFAN1/SYS_FAN Fan power connectors See p. 2-15
CD/AUX/MDM_IN1 CD/AUX/Modem-in connectors See p. 2-16
JCASE Chassis intrusion switch See p. 2-17
IR2 IrDA infrared module header See p. 2-17
JFP1/JFP2 Front panel connector See p. 2-18
JAUDIO1 Front panel audio connector See p. 2-19
JUSB3/JUSB4 Front USB connector See p. 2-20
JBAT1 Clear CMOS jumper See p. 2-21
BIOS_WP BIOS write-protect jumper See p. 2-22
AGP Slot Connecting to VGA cards See p. 2-23
PCI Slots Connecting to expansion cards See p. 2-23
CNR Slot Connecting to expansion cards See p. 2-23

1-5
Chapter 1

MSI Special Features

PC Alert™ III
The PC AlertTM III is a utility you can find in the CD-ROM disk. The
utility is just like your PC doctor that can de-
tect the following PC hardware status during
real time operation:
* monitor CPU & system temperatures
* monitor fan speed(s)
* monitor system voltage
* monitor chassis intrusion
If one of the items above is abnormal,
the program main screen will be immediately
shown on the screen, with the abnormal item
highlighted in red. This will continue to be
shown until users disable the warning.

Note: Items shown on PC Alert III vary depending on your system’s

status.

1-6
 Hardware Setup

Chapter 2. Hardware Setup

Hardware Setup 2
This chapter provides you with the information about hardware setup
procedures. While doing the installation, be careful in holding the components
and follow the installation procedures. For some components, if you install in
the wrong orientation, the components will not work properly.
Use a grounded wrist strap before handling computer components. Static
electricity may damage the components.

TOPICS
Central Processing Unit: CPU 2-2
Memory 2-5
Power Supply 2-7
Back Panel 2-8
Connectors 2-13
Jumpers 2-21
Slots 2-23

2-1
Chapter 2

Central Processing Unit: CPU

The mainboard supports Intel® Pentium® 4 processor in the 478 pin
package. The mainboard uses a CPU socket called PGA478 for easy CPU
installation. When you are installing the CPU, make sure the CPU has a heat
sink and a cooling fan attached on the top to prevent overheating. If you do not
find the heat sink and cooling fan, contact your dealer to purchase and install
them before turning on the computer.

Open Lever
CPU Installation Procedures
1. Pull the lever sideways away Sliding
Plate
from the socket. Then, raise
the lever up to a 90-degree
angle.

2. Look for the dot/cut edge. The

dot/cut edge should point to- Dot / Cut edge
wards the lever pivot. The
CPU will only fit in the correct
orientation.

3. Press the CPU down firmly

into the socket and close the
lever. As the CPU is likely to
move while the lever is being Press down
the CPU Close
closed, always close the lever
Lever
with your finger pressing
tightly on top of the CPU to
make sure the CPU is properly
& completely embedded into
the socket.

Overheating will seriously damage the CPU and system,

always make sure the cooling fan can work properly to
WARNING! protect the CPU from overheating.

2-2
 Hardware Setup

Installing the CPU Fan

As processor technology pushes to faster speeds and higher
performance, thermal management becomes increasingly important. To dissi-
pate heat, you need to attach the CPU cooling fan and heatsink on top of the
CPU. Follow the instructions below to install the Heatsink/Fan:

1. Locate the CPU and its retention 2. Position the heatsink onto the reten-
mechanism on the motherboard. tion mechanism.
retention mechanism

3. Mount the fan on top of the heatsink. 4. Press the two levers down to fasten
Press down the fan until its four clips the fan. Each lever can be pressed
get wedged in the holes of the reten- down in only ONE direction.
tion mechanism.

levers

2-3
Chapter 2

5. Connect the fan power cable from the mounted fan to the 3-pin fan power connector
on the board.

fan power cable

CPU Core Speed Derivation Procedure

If CPU Clock = 100MHz

Core/Bus ratio = 14
then CPU core speed = Host Clock x Core/Bus ratio
= 100MHz x 14
= 1.4GHz

Overclocking
This motherboard is designed to support overclocking.
However, please make sure your components are able to
WARNING!
tolerate such abnormal setting, while doing overclocking.
Any attempt to operate beyond product specifications is not
recommended. We do not guarantee the damages or risks
caused by inadequate operation or beyond product
specifications.

2-4
 Hardware Setup

Memory
The mainboard provides 2 slots for 184-pin, 2.5V DDR DIMM with 4
memory banks. You can install DDR200/PC1600 or DDR266/PC2100 DDR
SDRAM modules on the DDR DIMM slots (DDR 1~2). To operate properly, at
least one DIMM module must be installed.

DDR 1
DDR 2

Introduction to DDR SDRAM

DDR (Double Data Rate) SDRAM is similar to conventional SDRAM,
but doubles the rate by transferring data twice per cycle. It uses 2.5 volts as
opposed to 3.3 volts used in SDR SDRAM, and requires 184-pin DIMM mod-
ules rather than 168-pin DIMM modules used by SDR SDRAM. Two types of
DDR are available at the time of writing: PC1600 & PC2100. PC1600 DDR SDRAM
running at 100MHz will produce about 1.6GB/s memory bandwidth. PC2100
running at 133MHz will produce 2.1GB/s memory bandwidth. High memory
bandwidth makes DDR an ideal solution for high performance PC, worksta-
tions and servers.

2-5
Chapter 2

DDR Module Combination

You can install either single sided or double sided 184-pin DDR DIMM
modules into DDR DIMM slots to meet your needs. Different from the SDR
DIMM, the DDR DIMM has only one notch on the center of module. The
number of pins on either side of the breaks are different. The module will only
fit in the right orientation.
You can install memory modules in any combination as follows:
Slot Memory Module Total Memory
DIMM 1 S/D 64MB~1GB
(Bank 0 & 1)
DIMM 2 S/D 64MB~1GB
(Bank 2 & 3)
Maximum System Memory Supported 64MB~2GB

S: Single Side D: Double Side

Installing DDR Modules

1. The DDR DIMM has only one notch on the center of module. The module
will only fit in the right orientation.
2. Insert the DIMM memory module vertically into the DIMM slot. Then
push it in until the golden finger on the memory module is deeply inserted
in the socket.
3. The plastic clip at each side of the DIMM slot will automatically close.

Volt Notch

How do I know if I have installed the memory modules correctly?

TIP: You can barely see the golden finger if the module is deeply inserted in the socket.

2-6
 Hardware Setup

Power Supply
The mainboard supports ATX power supply for the power system. Be-
fore inserting the power supply connector, always make sure that all compo-
nents are installed properly to ensure that no damage will be caused.

ATX 20-Pin Power Connector

This connector allows you to connect to an ATX power supply. To
connect to the ATX power supply, make sure the plugs of the power supply is
inserted in the proper orientation and the pins are aligned. Then push down
the power supply firmly into the connector. The power connector supports
instant power on function which means that system will boot up immediately
when the power supply connector is inserted on the board.

ATX 12V Power Connector: JPW1

This 12V power connector is used to provide power to the CPU.

10 20

JPW1
3 4
1 2

1 11

Pin Definition
PIN SIGNAL PIN SIGNAL
JPW1 Pin Definition
1 3.3V 11 3.3V
PIN SIGNAL 2 3.3V 12 -12V
1 GND 3 GND 13 GND
2 GND 4 5V 14 PS_ON
3 12V 5 GND 15 GND
4 12V 6 5V 16 GND
7 GND 17 GND
8 PW_OK 18 -5V
9 5V_SB 19 5V
10 12V 20 5V

2-7
Chapter 2

Back Panel
The Back Panel provides the following connectors:

LAN
Parallel Midi/Joystick
Mouse (optional)

Keyboard USB COM A VGA L-out L-in MIC

Mouse Connector
The mainboard provides a standard PS/2® mouse mini DIN connector for
attaching a PS/2 ® mouse. You can plug a PS/2® mouse directly into this
connector. The connector location and pin assignments are as follows:

Pin Definition
PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION
6 5
1 Mouse DATA Mouse DATA
4 3 2 NC No connection
3 GND Ground
4 VCC +5V
2 1
5 Mouse Clock Mouse clock
PS/2 Mouse (6-pin Female) 6 NC No connection

2-8
 Hardware Setup

Keyboard Connector
The mainboard provides a standard PS/2® keyboard mini DIN connector
for attaching a PS/2® keyboard. You can plug a PS/2® keyboard directly into
this connector.

Pin Definition
PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION
6 5
1 Keyboard DATA Keyboard DATA
4 3 2 NC No connection
3 GND Ground
4 VCC +5V
2 1
5 Keyboard Clock Keyboard clock
PS/2 Keyboard (6-pin Female) 6 NC No connection

USB Connectors
The mainboard provides a UHCI (Universal Host Controller Interface)
Universal Serial Bus root for attaching USB devices such as keyboard, mouse
or other USB-compatible devices. You can plug the USB device directly into
ths connector.

USB Port Description

PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION

1 2 3 4 1 VCC +5V
2 -Data 0 Negative Data Channel 0
3 +Data0 Positive Data Channel 0
4 GND Ground
5 6 7 8 5 VCC +5V
6 -Data 1 Negative Data Channel 1
7 +Data 1 Positive Data Channel 1
USB Ports 8 GND Ground

2-9
Chapter 2

Serial Port Connectors: COM A & COM2

The mainboard offers two 9-pin connectors as serial port COM A &
COM2. The ports are 16550A high speed communication ports that send/
receive 16 bytes FIFOs. You can attach a serial mouse or other serial devices
directly to the connectors.
1 2 3 4 5
Pin Definition
PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION
1 DCD Data Carry Detect
2 SIN Serial In or Receive Data
6 7 8 9
3 SOUT Serial Out or Transmit Data
9-Pin Serial Port Connector 4 DTR Data Terminal Ready
5 GND Ground
6 DSR Data Set Ready
9 7 5 3 1 7 RTS Request To Send
8 CTS Clear To Send
COM 2 9 RI Ring Indicate

8 6 4 2

VGA DB 15 Pin Connector

One DB 15-pin VGA connector is provided for connection to a VGA
monitor.
Pin Definition
Analog Video Display Connector (DB-15S)
PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION
1 Red
5 1 2 Green
3 Blue
4 Not used
5 Ground
6 Ground
7 Ground
8 Ground
15 11
9 Power
DB 15-Pin Female Connector 10 Ground
11 Not used
12 SDA
13 Horizontal Sync
14 Vertical Sync
15 SCL

2-10
 Hardware Setup

Joystick/Midi Connectors
You can connect a joystick or game pad to this connector.

Audio Port Connectors

Line Out is a connector for Speakers or Headphones. Line In is used for
external CD player, Tape player, or other audio devices. Mic is a connector for
microphones.

1/8” Stereo Audio Connectors

Line Out Line In MIC

RJ-45 LAN Jack (Optional)

The mainboard provides one standard RJ-45 jack for connection to Local
Area Network (LAN). You can connect a network cable to the LAN jack.

Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION

1 TDP Transmit Differential Pair
2 TDN Transmit Differential Pair
RJ-45 LAN Jack 3 RDP Receive Differential Pair
4 NC Not Used
5 NC Not Used
6 RDN Receive Differential Pair
7 NC Not Used
8 NC Not Used

2-11
Chapter 2

Parallel Port Connector: LPT1

The mainboard provides a 25-pin female centronic connector as LPT. A
parallel port is a standard printer port that supports Enhanced Parallel Port
(EPP) and Extended Capabilities Parallel Port (ECP) mode.

13 1

25 14

Pin Definition
PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION
1 STROBE Strobe
2 DATA0 Data0
3 DATA1 Data1
4 DATA2 Data2
5 DATA3 Data3
6 DATA4 Data4
7 DATA5 Data5
8 DATA6 Data6
9 DATA7 Data7
10 ACK# Acknowledge
11 BUSY Busy
12 PE Paper End
13 SELECT Select
14 AUTO FEED# Automatic Feed
15 ERR# Error
16 INIT# Initialize Printer
17 SLIN# Select In
18 GND Ground
19 GND Ground
20 GND Ground
21 GND Ground
22 GND Ground
23 GND Ground
24 GND Ground
25 GND Ground

2-12
 Hardware Setup

Connectors
The mainboard provides connectors to connect to FDD, IDE HDD, case,
modem, LAN, USB Ports, IR module and CPU/System FAN.
Floppy Disk Drive Connector: FDD1
The mainboard provides a standard floppy disk drive connector that
supports 360K, 720K, 1.2M, 1.44M and 2.88M floppy disk types.

FDD1

2-13
Chapter 2

Hard Disk Connectors: IDE1 & IDE2

The mainboard has a 32-bit Enhanced PCI IDE and Ultra DMA 33/66/100
controller that provides PIO mode 0~4, Bus Master, and Ultra DMA33/66/100
function. You can connect up to four hard disk drives, CD-ROM, 120MB Floppy
(reserved for future BIOS) and other devices. These connectors support the
provided IDE hard disk cable.

IDE 2

IDE 1

IDE1 (Primary IDE Connector)

The first hard drive should always be connected to IDE1. IDE1 can
connect a Master and a Slave drive. You must configure second hard
drive to Slave mode by setting the jumper accordingly.
IDE2 (Secondary IDE Connector)
IDE2 can also connect a Master and a Slave drive.

TIP:
If you install two hard disks on cable, you must configure the
second drive to Slave mode by setting its jumper. Refer to the
hard disk documentation supplied by hard disk vendors for jumper
setting instructions.

2-14
 Hardware Setup

Fan Power Connectors: CPUFAN1/SYS_FAN

The CPUFAN1 (processor fan) & SYS_FAN (system fan) support sys-
tem cooling fan with +12V. It supports three-pin head connector. When con-
necting the wire to the connectors, always take note that the red wire is the
positive and should be connected to the +12V, the black wire is Ground and
should be connected to GND. If the mainboard has a System Hardware Moni-
tor chipset on-board, you must use a specially designed fan with speed sensor
to take advantage of the CPU fan control.
SENSOR
+12V
GND

CPUFAN1

SYS_FAN
GND
+12V
SENSOR

Note:
1. Always consult the vendor for proper CPU cooling fan.
2. CPU Fan supports optional fan control. You can install the PC Alert
utility that will automatically control the CPU Fan speed accord-
ing to the actual CPU temperature.

2-15
Chapter 2

CD-In Connector: CD_IN1

The connector is for CD-ROM audio connector.

Aux Line-In Connector: AUX_IN1

The connector is for DVD add-on card with Line-in connector.

Modem-In Connector: MDM_IN1

The connector is for modem with internal audio connector.

CD_IN1
R
GND

MDM_IN1
Phone_In AUX_IN1
GND

Mono_Out

R GND L

2-16
 Hardware Setup

Chassis Intrusion Switch Connector: JCASE

This connector is connected to 2-pin connector chassis switch. If the
Chassis is open, the switch will be short. The system will record this status. To
clear the warning, you must enter the BIOS settting and clear the status.

JCASE

IrDA Infrared Module Header: IR2

This connector allows you to connect to IrDA Infrared modules and is
compliant with Intel® Front Panel I/O Connectivity Design Guide. You must
configure the setting through the BIOS setup to use the IR function.

IR2
1 2

5 6

Pin Definition
Pin Signal
1 NC
2 NC
3 VCC
4 GND
5 IRTX
6 IRRX

2-17
Chapter 2

Front Panel Connectors: JFP1 & JFP2

The mainboard provides two front panel connectors for electrical con-
nection to the front panel switches and LEDs. JFP1 is compliant with Intel®
Front Panel I/O Connectivity Design Guide.

Power Power
LED Switch

2 10
JFP1 1 9

HDD Reset
LED Switch

Speaker

2 8
JFP2 1 7

Power
LED

JFP1 Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION

1 HD_LED_P Hard disk LED pull-up
2 FP PWR/SLP MSG LED pull-up
3 HD_LED_N Hard disk active LED
4 FP PWR/SLP MSG LED pull-up
5 RST_SW_N Reset Switch low reference pull-down to GND
6 PWR_SW_P Power Switch high reference pull-up
7 RST_SW_P Reset Switch high reference pull-up
8 PWR_SW_N Power Switch low reference pull-down to GND
9 RSVD_DNU Reserved. Do not use.

JFP2 Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL PIN SIGNAL

1 GND 2 SPK-
3 SLED 4 BUZ+
5 PLED 6 BUZ-
7 NC 8 SPK+

2-18
 Hardware Setup

Front Panel Audio Connector: JAUDIO1

The JAUDIO1 is a front panel audio connector for connection to the
front panel audio and is compliant with Intel® Front Panel I/O Connectivity
Design Guide.

JAUDIO1
9 1
10 2

JAUDIO1 Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION

1 AUD_MIC Front panel microphone input signal

2 AUD_GND Ground used by analog audio circuits
3 AUD_MIC_BIAS Microphone power
4 AUD_VCC Filtered +5V used by analog audio circuits
5 AUD_FPOUT_R Right channel audio signal to front panel
6 AUD_RET_R Right channel audio signal return from front panel
7 HP_ON Reserved for future use to control headphone amplifier
8 KEY No pin
9 AUD_FPOUT_L Left channel audio signal to front panel
10 AUD_RET_L Left channel audio signal return from front panel

CAUTION!!!
If you don’t want to connect to the front audio 9 5

header, pins 5 and 6, 9 and 10 have to be shorted

10 6
by jumper caps in order to have signal output
directed to the rear audio ports.

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Chapter 2

Front USB Connector: JUSB3/JUSB4

The mainboard provides two USB 2.0 pin headers JUSB3 & JUSB4
(optional USB 2.0 Bracket available). USB 2.0 technology increases data trans-
fer rate up to a maximum throughput of 480Mbps, which is 40 times faster than
USB 1.1, and is ideal for connecting high-speed USB interface peripherals such
as USB HDD, digital cameras, MP3 players, printers, modems and the like.
Both JUSB3 & JUSB4 are compliant with Intel® Front Panel I/O Connectivity
Design Guide.

9 1
10 2
JUSB4

9 1
10 2
JUSB3

Pin Definition

Pin Description Pin Description

1 VCC 2 VCC

3 USB0- 4 USB1-

5 USB0+ 6 USB1+

7 GND 8 GND

9 NC 10 OC0

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 Hardware Setup

Jumpers
The motherboard provides one jumper for you to set the computer’s
function. This section will explain how to change your motherboard’s function
through the use of the jumper.

Clear CMOS Jumper: JBAT1

There is a CMOS RAM on board that has a power supply from external
battery to keep the data of system configuration. With the CMOS RAM, the
system can automatically boot OS every time it is turned on. That battery has
long life time for at least 5 years. If you want to clear the system configuration,
use the JBAT1 (Clear CMOS Jumper ) to clear data. Follow the instructions
below to clear the data:

JBAT1

1 1

3 3
Keep Data Clear Data

You can clear CMOS by shorting 2-3 pin while the

system is off. Then return to 1-2 pin position. Avoid
WARNING! clearing the CMOS while the system is on; it will
damage the mainboard.

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Chapter 2

BIOS Write-Protect Jumper: BIOS_WP

This jumper is used to protect the BIOS boot block from virus infection.
When locked, the BIOS boot block cannot be accessed, making BIOS update
impossible. When BIOS update is intended, open this jumper to unlock the
BIOS boot block.

BIOS_WP

BIOS Flash Locked BIOS Flash Unlocked

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 Hardware Setup

Slots
The motherboard provides three 32-bit Master PCI bus slots, one AGP
slot and one CNR slot.

AGP Slot

PCI Slots

CNR Slot

AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) Slot

The AGP slot allows you to insert the AGP graphics card. AGP is an
interface specification designed for the throughput demands of 3D graphics.
It introduces a 66MHz, 32-bit channel for the graphics controller to directly
access main memory. The slot only supports 1.5V 4X AGP card.

PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) Slots

The PCI slots allow you to insert the expansion cards to meet your needs.
When adding or removing expansion cards, make sure that you unplug the
power supply first. Meanwhile, read the documentation for the expansion card
to make any necessary hardware or software settings for the expansion card,
such as jumpers, switches or BIOS configuration.

CNR (Communication Network Riser) Slot

The CNR slot allows you to insert the CNR expansion cards. CNR is a
specially designed network, audio, or modem riser card for ATX family
motherboards. Its main processing is done through software and controlled by
the motherboard’s chipset.

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Chapter 2

PCI Interrupt Request Routing

The IRQ, acronym of interrupt request line and pronounced I-R-Q, are
hardware lines over which devices can send interrupt signals to the
microprocessor. The PCI IRQ pins are typically connected to the PCI bus INT
A# ~ INT D# pins as follows:

Order 1 Order 2 Order 3 Order 4

PCI Slot 1 INT A# INT B# INT C# INT D#
PCI Slot 2 INT B# INT C# INT D# INT A#
PCI Slot 3 INT C# INT D# INT A# INT B#

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 AWARD® BIOS Setup

Chapter 3. AWARD® BIOS Setup

AWARD® BIOS Setup 3
This chapter provides information on the AWARD® BIOS Setup program and
allows you to configure the system for optimum use.
You may need to run the Setup program when:
An error message appears on the screen during the system booting up, and
requests you to run SETUP.
You want to change the default settings for customized features.

TOPICS
Entering Setup 4-2
The Main Menu 4-4
Standard CMOS Features 4-6
Advanced BIOS Features 4-8
Advanced Chipset Features 4-12
Integrated Peripherals 4-15
Power Management Setup 4-19
PNP/PCI Configurations 4-23
PC Health Status 4-25
Frequency/Voltage Control 4-26
Load Fail-Safe/Optimized Defaults 4-28
Set Supervisor/User Password 4-29

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Chapter 3

Entering Setup
Power on the computer and the system will start POST (Power On Self Test)
process. When the message below appears on the screen, press <DEL> key to
enter Setup.

Press DEL to enter SETUP

If the message disappears before you respond and you still wish to enter
Setup, restart the system by turning it OFF and On or pressing the RESET
button. You may also restart the system by simultaneously pressing <Ctrl>,
<Alt>, and <Delete> keys.

Control Keys

<↑> Move to the previous item

<↓> Move to the next item
<←> Move to the item in the left hand
<→> Move to the item in the right hand
<Enter> Select the item
<Esc> Jumps to the Exit menu or returns to the main menu from a submenu
<+/PU> Increase the numeric value or make changes
<-/PD> Decrease the numeric value or make changes
<F1> General help, only for Status Page Setup Menu and Option Page
Setup Menu
<F5> Restore the previous CMOS value from CMOS, only for Option Page
Setup Menu
<F6> Load the default CMOS value from Fail-Safe default table, only for
Option Page Setup Menu
<F7> Load Optimized defaults
<F10> Save all the CMOS changes and exit

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 AWARD® BIOS Setup

Getting Help
After entering the Setup menu, the first menu you will see is the Main Menu.

Main Menu
The main menu lists the setup functions you can make changes to. You can use
the control keys ( ↑↓ ) to select the item. The on-line description of the high-
lighted setup function is displayed at the bottom of the screen.

Sub-Menu
If you find a right pointer symbol (as shown
in the right view) appears to the left of cer-
tain fields that means a sub-menu can be
launched from this field. A sub-menu con-
tains additional options for a field parameter.
You can use control keys ( ↑↓ ) to highlight
the field and press <Enter> to call up the
sub-menu. Then you can use the control keys to enter values and move from
field to field within a sub-menu. If you want to return to the main menu, just
press the <Esc >.

General Help <F1>

The BIOS setup program provides a General Help screen. You can call up this
screen from any menu by simply pressing <F1>. The Help screen lists the
appropriate keys to use and the possible selections for the highlighted item.
Press <Esc> to exit the Help screen.

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Chapter 3

The Main Menu

Once you enter Award® BIOS CMOS Setup Utility, the Main Menu (Figure 1)
will appear on the screen. The Main Menu allows you to select from twelve
setup functions and two exit choices. Use arrow keys to select among the items
and press <Enter> to accept or enter the sub-menu.

Standard CMOS Features

Use this Menu for basic system configurations.

Advanced BIOS Features

Use this menu to set the Advanced Features available on your system.

Advanced Chipset Features

Use this menu to change the values in the chipset registers and optimize your
system’s performance.

Integrated Peripherals
Use this menu to specify your settings for integrated peripherals.

Power Management Setup

Use this menu to specify your settings for power management.

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 AWARD® BIOS Setup

PnP/PCI Configurations
This entry appears if your system supports PnP/PCI.

PC Health Status
This entry shows your PC health status.

Frequency/Voltage Control
Use this menu to specify your settings for frequency/voltage control.

Load Fail-Safe Defaults

Use this menu to load the BIOS default values for minimal but stable system
performance.

Load Optimized Defaults

Use this menu to load the BIOS default values that are factory settings for
optimal system operations.

Set Supervisor/User Password

Use this menu to set User and Supervisor Passwords.

Save & Exit Setup

Save CMOS value changes to CMOS and exit setup.

Exit Without Saving

Abandon all CMOS value changes and exit setup.

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Chapter 3

Standard CMOS Features

The items in Standard CMOS Features Menu are divided into 10 categories.
Each category includes no, one or more than one setup items. Use the arrow
keys to highlight the item and then use the <PgUp> or <PgDn> keys to select
the value you want in each item.

Date
The date format is <day><month> <date> <year>.
day Day of the week, from Sun to Sat, determined by BIOS. Read-only.
month The month from Jan. through Dec.
date The date from 1 to 31 can be keyed by numeric function keys.
year The year, depends on the year of the BIOS
Time
The time format is <hour> <minute> <second>.

IDE Primary/Secondary Master/Slave

Press PgUp/<+> or PgDn/<-> to select Manual, None, Auto type. Note that the
specifications of your drive must match with the drive table. The hard disk will
not work properly if you enter improper information for this category. If your
hard disk drive type is not matched or listed, you can use Manual to define
your own drive type manually.
If you select Manual, related information is asked to be entered to the follow-

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 AWARD® BIOS Setup

ing items. Enter the information directly from the keyboard. This information
should be provided in the documentation from your hard disk vendor or the
system manufacturer.
If the controller of HDD interface is SCSI, the selection shall be “None”.
If the controller of HDD interface is CD-ROM, the selection shall be “None”.
Access Mode The settings are CHS, LBA, Large, Auto.
Capacity The formatted size of the storage device.
Cylinder Number of cylinders.
Head Number of heads.
Precomp Write precompensation.
Landing Zone Cylinder location of the landing zone.
Sector Number of sectors.

Drive A/B
This item allows you to set the type of floppy drives installed. Available
options are None, 360K, 5.25 in., 1.2M, 5.25 in., 720K, 3.5 in., 1.44M, 3.5 in.,
2.88M, 3.5 in.

Video
The setting controls the type of video adapter used for the primary monitor of
the system. Available options are EGA/VGA , CGA 40, CGA 80 and Mono.

Halt On
The setting determines whether the system will stop if an error is detected at
boot. Available options are:

All Errors The system stops when any error is detected.

No Errors The system doesn’t stop for any detected error.
All, But Keyboard The system doesn’t stop for a keyboard error.
All, But Diskette The system doesn’t stop for a disk error.
All, But Disk/Key The system doesn’t stop for either a disk or a
keyboard error.

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Chapter 3

Advanced BIOS Features

Virus Warning
The item is to set the Virus Warning feature for IDE Hard Disk boot sector
protection. If the function is enabled and any attempt to write data into this
area is made, BIOS will display a warning message on screen and beep. Settings:
Disabled and Enabled.

CPU L1 & L2 Cache

Cache memory is additional memory that is much faster than conventional
DRAM (system memory). When the CPU requests data, the system transfers
the requested data from the main DRAM into cache memory, for even faster
access by the CPU. The settings enable/disable the internal cache (also known
as L1 or level 1 cache) and external cache (also known as L2 or level 2 cache).
Setting options: Disabled, Enabled.

Fast Boot
The setting allows the system to boot within 10 seconds, which is compliant
with PC2001 spec. Fast Boot saves more boot time than Quick Boot by skip-
ping more check items and not displaying standard summary table on the
screen. With this field enabled, system BIOS will automatically set Quick Boot
to Enabled at the same time. Setting options: Enabled, Disabled.

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 AWARD® BIOS Setup

1st/2nd/3rd Boot Device

The items allow you to set the sequence of boot devices where BIOS attempts
to load the disk operating system. The settings are:
Floppy The system will boot from floppy drive.
LS120 The system will boot from LS-120 drive.
HDD-0 The system will boot from the first HDD.
SCSI The system will boot from the SCSI.
CDROM The system will boot from the CD-ROM.
HDD-1 The system will boot from the second HDD.
HDD-2 The system will boot from the third HDD.
HDD-3 The system will boot from the fourth HDD.
ZIP The system will boot from ATAPI ZIP drive.
LAN The system will boot from the Network drive.
Disabled Disable this sequence.

Boot Other Device

Setting the option to Enabled allows the system to try to boot from other
device if the system fails to boot from the 1st/2nd/3rd boot device.

SwapFloppy
Setting to Enabled will swap floppy drives A: and B:.

Seek Floppy
Setting to Enabled will make BIOS seek floppy drive A: before booting the
system. Settings: Disabled and Enabled.

Boot Up Num-Lock LED

This item is to set the Num Lock status when the system is powered on.
Setting to On will turn on the Num Lock key when the system is powered on.
Setting to Off will allow end users to use the arrow keys on the numeric keypad.
Settings: On and Off.

Gate A20 Option

This item is to set the Gate A20 status. A20 refers to the first 64KB of extended
memory. When the default value Fast is selected, the Gate A20 is controlled by
Port92 or chipset specific method resulting in faster system performance. When
Normal is selected, A20 is controlled by a keyboard controller or chipset
hardware.

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Chapter 3

Typematic Rate Setting

This item is used to enable or disable the typematic rate setting including
Typematic Rate & Typematic Delay.

Typematic Rate (Chars/Sec)

After Typematic Rate Setting is enabled, this item allows you to set the rate
(characters/second) at which the keys are accelerated. Settings: 6, 8, 10, 12,
15, 20, 24 and 30.

Typematic Delay (Msec)

This item allows you to select the delay between when the key was first pressed
and when the acceleration begins. Settings: 250, 500, 750 and 1000.

Security Option
This specifies the type of BIOS password protection that is implemented. Set-
tings are described below:
Option Description
Setup The password prompt appears only when end users try to
run Setup.
System A password prompt appears every time when the com-
puter is powered on or when end users try to run Setup.

APICMode
This field is used to enable or disable the APIC (Advanced Programmable
Interrupt Controller). Due to compliance with PC2001 design guide, the system
is able to run in APIC mode. Enabling APIC mode will expand available IRQ
resources for the system. Settings: Enabled and Disabled.

MPS Version Control For OS

This field allows you to select which MPS (Multi-Processor Specification)
version to be used for the operating system. You need to select the MPS
version supported by your operating system. To find out which version to use,
consult the vendor of your operating system. Settings: 1.4 and 1.1.

Boot OS/2 For DRAM > 64MB

This allows you to run the OS/2® operating system with DRAM greater than
64MB. Setting options: Yes, No.

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 AWARD® BIOS Setup

Full Screen LOGO Show

This item enables you to show the company logo on the bootup screen. Set-
tings are:
Disabled Shows the POST messages at boot.
Enabled Shows a still image (logo) on the full screen at boot.

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Chapter 3

Advanced Chipset Features

The Advanced Chipset Features Setup option is used to change the values of
the chipset registers. These registers control most of the system options in the
computer.

Note: Change these settings only if you are familiar with the chipset.

Configure DRAM Timing

This setting determines whether DRAM timing is configured by reading the
contents of the SPD (Serial Presence Detect) EPROM on the DRAM module.
Selecting By SPD makes the following settings automatically determined by
BIOS according to the configurations on the SPD. Setting options: By SPD, By
User.
CAS# Latency
The field controls the CAS latency, which determines the timing delay
before SDRAM starts a read command after receiving it. Setting options:
1.5, 2, 2.5. 1.5 increases system performance while 2.5 provides more
stable system performance.
Precharge Delay
This setting controls the number of clock cycles for DRAM to be allowed
to precharge from the active state. Setting options: 7, 6, 5.

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 AWARD® BIOS Setup

RAS# to CAS# Delay

When DRAM is refreshed, both rows and columns are addressed
separately. This setup item allows you to determine the timing of the
transition from RAS (row address strobe) to CAS (column address strobe).
The less the clock cycles, the faster the DRAM performance. Setting
options: 3, 2.
RAS# Precharge
This item controls the number of cycles for Row Address Strobe (RAS) to
be allowed to precharge. If insufficient time is allowed for the RAS to
accumulate its charge before DRAM refresh, refresh may be incomplete
and DRAM may fail to retain data. This item applies only when synchro-
nous DRAM is installed in the system. The settings are: 2 and 3.

DRAM Frequency
Use this item to configure the clock frequency of the installed SDRAM. Set-
tings are: Auto, DDR200, DDR266.

Delayed Transaction
The chipset has an embedded 32-bit posted write buffer to support delayed
transactions cycles so that transactions to and from the ISA bus are buffered
and PCI bus can perform other transactions while the ISA transaction is
underway. Select Enabled to support compliance with PCI specification ver-
sion 2.1. The settings are: Enabled and Disabled.

AGP Aperture Size (MB)

This setting controls just how much system RAM can be allocated to AGP for
video purposes. The aperture is a portion of the PCI memory address range
dedicated to graphics memory address space. Host cycles that hit the aperture
range are forwarded to the AGP without any translation. The option allows the
selection of an aperture size of 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, and 256 (MB).

On-Chip VGA
This setting determines whether the system RAM can be allocated to on-chip
video controller for video purposes. When setting to Enabled, up to 128MB
system RAM will be allocated to on-chip video controller. Setting options:
Disabled, Enabled.

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Chapter 3

On-Chip Frame Buffer Size

The field specifies the size of system memory allocated for video memory.
Setting options: 1MB, 8MB.

Delay Prior to Thermal

When the CPU temperature reaches a factory preset level, a thermal monitoring
mechanism will be enabled following the appropriate timing delay specified in
this field. With the thermal monitoring enabled, clock modulation controlled
by the processor’s internal thermal sensor is also activated to keep the proces-
sor within allowable temperature limit. Setting options: 4 Min, 8 Min, 16 Min,
32 Min.

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 AWARD® BIOS Setup

Integrated Peripherals

On-Chip Primary/Secondary PCI IDE

The integrated peripheral controller contains an IDE interface with support for
two IDE channels. Choose Enabled to activate each channel separately.

IDE Primary/Secondary Master/Slave PIO

The four items allow you to set a PIO (Programmed Input/Output) mode for
each of the four IDE devices that the onboard IDE interface supports. Modes
0~4 provide increased performance. In Auto mode, BIOS automatically deter-
mines the best mode for each IDE device.

IDE Primary/Secondary Master/Slave UDMA

Ultra DMA implementation is possible only if your IDE device supports it and
your operating environment contains a DMA driver. If both your hard drive
and software support Ultra DMA 33 (or higher), select Auto to enable BIOS
support.

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Chapter 3

USB Controller
Select Enabled if your system contains a Universal Serial Bus (USB) controller
and you have USB peripherals. The settings are: Enabled, Disabled.

USB Keyboard/Mouse Support

Set to Enabled if your need to use an USB keyboard/mouse in the operating
system that does not support or have any USB driver installed, such as DOS
and SCO Unix.

AC’97 Audio
Auto allows the mainboard to detect whether an audio device is used. If the
device is detected, the onboard AC’97 (Audio Codec’97) controller will be
enabled; if not, it is disabled. Disable the controller if you want to use other
controller cards to connect an audio device. Settings: Auto and Disabled.

AC’97 Modem
Auto allows the mainboard to detect whether a modem is used. If a modem is
used, the onboard MC’97 (Modem Codec’97) controller will be enabled; if not,
it is disabled. Disable the controller if you want to use other controller cards to
connect to a modem. Settings: Auto and Disabled.

Onboard LAN Selection

The field determines whether the onboard LAN controller will be activated.
Setting options: Disabled, Enabled.

IDE HDD Block Mode

This allows your hard disk controller to use the fast block mode to transfer data
to and from the hard disk drive. Block mode is also called block transfer, multi-
ple commands or multiple sector read/write. Enabled enables IDE controller to
use block mode; Disabled allows the controller to use standard mode.

Floppy Controller
The item is used to enable or disable the onboard Floppy controller. Select
Enabled when you have installed a floppy disk drive and want to use it.

Serial Port A/B

The items specify the base I/O port address and IRQ for the onboard Serial Port
A/Serial Port B. Selecting Auto allows BIOS to automatically determine the
correct base I/O port address. Settings: Disabled, 3F8/IRQ4, 2F8/IRQ3, 3E8/
IRQ4, 2E8/IRQ3 and Auto.

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 AWARD® BIOS Setup

Serial Port B Mode

The field allows you to specify the operation mode for serial port “COM
B”. Settings are:
Normal: RS-232C Serial Port
IrDA: IrDA-compliant Serial Infrared Port
ASKIR: Amplitude Shift Keyed Infrared Port
RxD, TxD Active
This setting controls the receiving and transmitting speed of the IR pe-
ripheral in use. Setting options: Hi/Hi, Hi/Lo, Lo/Hi, Lo/Lo.
IR Transmission Delay
This setting determines whether the IR transmission rate will be delayed
while converting to receiving mode. Setting options: Disabled, Enabled.
IR Duplex Mode
This setting controls the operating mode of IR transmission/reception.
Setting options: Full, Half. Under Full Duplex mode, synchronous, bi-
directional transmission/reception is allowed. Under Half Duplex mode,
only asynchronous, bi-directional transmission/reception is allowed.
IR Pin Select
Please consult your IR peripheral documentation to select the correct set-
ting of the TxD and RxD signals. Setting options: RxD2/TxD2, IR-Rx2Tx2.

Parallel Port
This specifies the I/O port address and IRQ of the onboard parallel port. Settings:
378/IRQ7, 278/IRQ5, 3BC/IRQ7 and Disabled.
Parallel Port Mode
SPP : Standard Parallel Port
EPP : Enhanced Parallel Port
ECP : Extended Capability Port
ECP + EPP: Extended Capability Port + Enhanced Parallel Port
SPP/EPP/ECP/ECP+EPP
To operate the onboard parallel port as Standard Parallel Port only, choose
“SPP.” To operate the onboard parallel port in the EPP mode simultaneously,
choose “EPP.” By choosing “ECP”, the onboard parallel port will operate
in ECP mode only. Choosing “ECP + EPP” will allow the onboard parallel
port to support both the ECP and EPP modes simultaneously.

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Chapter 3

EPP Version
The onboard parallel port is EPP Spec. compliant, so after the user chooses
the onboard parallel port with the EPP function, the following message will
be displayed on the screen: “EPP Mode Select.” At this time either EPP 1.
7 spec or EPP 1.9 spec can be chosen.
ECP Mode Use DMA
The ECP mode has to use the DMA channel, so choose the onboard
parallel port with the ECP feature. After selecting it, the following message
will appear: “ECP Mode Use DMA.” At this time, the user can choose
between DMA channel 3 or 1.

Onboard Game Port

This setting disables or assigns an address for the onboard game port.

Onboard Midi Port

This setting disables or assigns an address for the onboard midi port.
Midi IRQ Select
This setting specifies an IRQ for the onboard midi port.

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 AWARD® BIOS Setup

Power Management Setup

The Power Management Setup allows you to configure you system to most
effectively save energy while operating in a manner consistent with your own
style of computer use.

IPCA Function
This item is to activate the ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Man-
agement Interface) Function. If your operating system is ACPI-aware, such as
Windows 98SE/2000/ME, select Enabled. Settings: Enabled and Disabled.

ACPI Standby State

This item specifies the power saving modes for ACPI function. Options are:

S1/POS The S1 sleep mode is a low power state. In this state, no

system context (CPU or chipset) is lost and hardware
maintains all system context.

S3/STR The S3 sleep mode is a power-down state in which power

is supplied only to essential components such as main
memory and wake-capable devices and all system con-
text is saved to main memory. The information stored in

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Chapter 3

memory will be used to restore the PC to the previous

state when an “wake up” event occurs.

Power Management/APM
This item is used to select the degree (or type) of power saving and is related
to these modes: Suspend Mode and HDD Power Down. There are three op-
tions for power management:
Min Saving Minimum Power Management. Suspend Mode = 1 Hour.
Max Saving Maximum Power Management. Suspend Mode = 1 Min.
User Define Allows end users to configure each mode separately.

Suspend Type
This setting allows you to select the type of Suspend mode. Setting options:
Stop Grant (saves the state of the entire system to disk and then powers off
the system), PwrOn Suspend (the CPU and core system remain powered on in
a very low-power mode).

Modem Use IRQ

Name the interrupt request (IRQ) line assigned to the modem (if any) on your
system. Activity of the selected IRQ always awakens the system. Settings are
3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11 and NA.

Suspend Time Out

If system activity is not detected for the length of time specified in this field, all
devices except CPU will be shut off. Settings are Disabled, 1 Min, 2 Min, 4
Min, 8 Min, 12 Min, 20 Min, 30 Min, 40 Min and 1 Hour.

Power Button Function

This setting determines the function of the power button. When set to Power
Off, the power button works as normal power off button. When set to Suspend,
the computer will enter the suspend/sleep mode if you press the power button.
But if the button is pressed for more than four seconds, the computer is turned
off. Setting options: Power Off, Suspend.

Wake Up On PME, Wake Up On Ring/LAN, USB Wakeup From S3

These fields specify whether the system will be awakened from power saving
modes when activity or input signal of the specified hardware peripheral or
component is detected.
Note: To use the function of “Wake Up On Ring” & “Wake Up On LAN”,
you need to install a modem/LAN card supporting power on function.

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 AWARD® BIOS Setup

CPU THRM-Throttling
The item allows you to specify the CPU speed (at percentage) to which it will
slow down when the CPU reaches the predetermined overheat temperature.
Settings range from 12.5% to 87.5% at 12.5% increment.

Resume by RTC Alarm

The field is used to enable or disable the feature of booting up the system on
a scheduled time/date.
Date (of Month) Alarm
The field specifies the date for Resume by RTC Alarm. Settings: 0~31.
Time (hh:mm:ss) Alarm
The field specifies the time for Resume by RTC Alarm. Format is <hour>
<minute><second>.

POWER ON Function
This setting controls which part on the PS/2 mouse or keyboard can power on
the system. Settings: Password, Hot KEY, Mouse Left, Mouse Right, Any KEY,
BUTTON ONLY and Keyboard 98. Please note that this function will only work
under S3 mode.

KB Power ON Password
If POWER ON Function is set to Password, then you can set a password in the
field for the PS/2 keyboard to power on the system. Please note that this
function will only work under S3 mode.

Hot Key Power ON

If POWER ON Function is set to Hot KEY, you can assign a hot key combina-
tion in the field for the PS/2 keyboard to power on the system. Settings: Ctrl-
F1 through Ctrl-F12. Please note that this function will only work under S3
mode.

Power Again
This setting specifies whether your system will reboot after a power failure or
interrupts occurs. Available settings are:
Power Off Leaves the computer in the power off state.
Power On Reboots the computer.
Last State Restores the system to the status before power failure or
interrupt occurs.

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Chapter 3

Reload Global Timer Events: Primary/Secondary Master/Slave IDE, FDC/

LPT/COM Ports
Global Timer Events are I/O events whose occurrence can prevent the system
from entering a power saving mode or can awaken the system from such a
mode. In effect, the system remains alert for anything which occurs to a device
that is configured as Enabled, even when the system is in a power down mode.

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 AWARD® BIOS Setup

PNP/PCI Configurations
This section describes configuring the PCI bus system. PCI, or Peripheral
Component Interconnect, is a system which allows I/O devices to operate at
speeds nearing the speed the CPU itself uses when communicating with its
own special components. This section covers some very technical items and it
is strongly recommended that only experienced users should make any changes
to the default settings.

Reset Configuration Data

Normally, you leave this field Disabled. Select Enabled to reset Extended Sys-
tem Configuration Data (ESCD) when you exit Setup if you have installed a
new add-on and the system reconfiguration has caused such a serious conflict
that the operating system can not boot. The settings are: Enabled and Disabled.

Resource Controlled By
The Award Plug and Play BIOS has the capacity to automatically configure all
of the boot and Plug and Play compatible devices. However, this capability
means absolutely nothing unless you are using a Plug and Play operating
system such as Windows® 95/98. If you set this field to “manual” choose
specific resources by going into each of the sub menu that follows this field (a
sub menu is preceded by a “¾”). The settings are: Auto (ESCD), Manual.

IRQ Resources
The items are adjustable only when Resources Controlled By is set to Manual.

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Chapter 3

Press <Enter> and you will enter the sub-menu of the items. IRQ Resources list
IRQ 3/4/5/7/9/10/11/12/14/15 for users to set each IRQ a type depending on the
type of device using the IRQ. Settings are:
PCI Device For Plug & Play compatible devices designed for PCI
bus architecture.
Reserved The IRQ will be reserved for further request.

PCI/VGA Palette Snoop

When set to Enabled, multiple VGA devices operating on different buses can
handle data from the CPU on each set of palette registers on every video
device. Bit 5 of the command register in the PCI device configuration space is
the VGA Palette Snoop bit (0 is disabled). For example, if there are two VGA
devices in the computer (one PCI and one ISA) and the:
VGA Palette Snoop
Bit Setting Action
Disabled Data read or written by the CPU is only directed to the PCI
VGA device’s palette registers.
Enabled Data read or written by the CPU is directed to both the PCI
VGA device’s palette registers and the ISA VGA device’s
palette registers, permitting the palette registers of both VGA
devices to be identical.

The setting must be set to Enabled if any ISA bus adapter in the system
requires VGA palette snooping.

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 AWARD® BIOS Setup

PC Health Status
This section monitors the current hardware status including CPU/system
temperature, CPU/system fan speeds, Vcore etc. Monitor function is available
only if there is hardware monitoring mechanism onboard.

Current System/CPU Temperature, CPU/System/Power Fan, Vcore, VTT, 3.

3V, +5V, +12V, -12V, -5V, VBAT(V), 5VSB(V)
These items display the current status of all of the monitored hardware de-
vices/components such as CPU voltages, temperatures and all fans’ speeds.
Chassis Intrusion Detect
Set this option to enable, reset, or disable the chassis intrusion detector. Dur-
ing Enabled, any intrusion on the system chassis will be recorded. The next
time you turn on the system, it will show a warning message. To be able to clear
those warnings, choose Reset. After clearing the message it will go back to
Enabled.

CPU Critical Temperature

If the CPU temperature reaches the upper limit preset in this setting, the warn-
ing mechanism will be activated. This helps you to prevent the CPU overheat
problem.

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Chapter 3

Frequency/Voltage Control
This section controls the frequency/voltage of the CPU and certain onboard
hardware to enhance overall system performance.

CPU Ratio Selection

This setting controls the multiplier that is used to determine the internal clock
speed of the processor relative to the external or motherboard clock speed.

Auto Detect PCI Clock

This item is used to auto detect the PCI slots. When set to Enabled, the system
will remove (turn off) clocks from empty PCI slots to minimize the electromag-
netic interference (EMI). Setting options: Enabled, Disabled.

Spread Spectrum
When the motherboard’s clock generator pulses, the extreme values (spikes)
of the pulses creates EMI (Electromagnetic Interference). The Spread Spec-
trum function reduces the EMI generated by modulating the pulses so that the
spikes of the pulses are reduced to flatter curves. If you do not have any EMI
problem, leave the setting at Disabled for optimal system stability and
performance. But if you are plagued by EMI, activate the Spread Spectrum for
EMI reduction. Remember to disable Spread Spectrum if you are overclocking
because even a slight jitter can introduce a temporary boost in clockspeed
which may just cause your overclocked processor to lock up.

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 AWARD® BIOS Setup

CPU Host/PCI Clock

This setting specifies the clock frequencies of the CPU host bus (FSB) and PCI
buses. It provides a method for end users to overclock the processor
accordingly. When set to Default, the BIOS will use the default clock frequen-
cies for the CPU host bus and PCI buses.

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Chapter 3

Load Fail-Safe/Optimized Defaults

The two options on the main menu allow users to restore all of the BIOS
settings to the default Fail-Safe or Optimized values. The Optimized Defaults
are the default values set by the mainboard manufacturer specifically for opti-
mal performance of the mainboard. The Fail-Safe Defaults are the default val-
ues set by the BIOS vendor for stable system performance.
When you select Load Fail-Safe Defaults, a message as below appears:

Pressing Y loads the BIOS default values for the most stable, minimal system
performance.

When you select Load Optimized Defaults, a message as below appears:

Pressing Y loads the default factory settings for optimal system performance.

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 AWARD® BIOS Setup

Set Supervisor/User Password

When you select this function, a message as below will appear on the screen:

Type the password, up to six characters in length, and press <Enter>. The
password typed now will replace any previously set password from CMOS
memory. You will be prompted to confirm the password. Retype the password
and press <Enter>. You may also press <Esc> to abort the selection and not
enter a password.

To clear a set password, just press <Enter> when you are prompted to enter the
password. A message will show up confirming the password will be disabled.
Once the password is disabled, the system will boot and you can enter Setup
without entering any password.

When a password has been set, you will be prompted to enter it every time you
try to enter Setup. This prevents an unauthorized person from changing any
part of your system configuration.

Additionally, when a password is enabled, you can also have Award BIOS to
request a password each time the system is booted. This would prevent unau-
thorized use of your computer. The setting to determine when the password
prompt is required is the Security Option of the ADVANCED BIOS FEATURES
menu. If the Security Option is set to System, the password is required both at
boot and at entry to Setup. If set to Setup, password prompt only occurs when
you try to enter Setup.

About Supervisor Password & User Password:

Supervisor password: Can enter and change the settings of

the setup menu.
User password: Can only enter but do not have the right
to change the settings of the setup menu.

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 Glossary
Glossary
Glossary
ACPI (Advanced Configuration & Power Interface)
This power management specification enables the OS (operating system) to control the
amount of power given to each device attached to the computer. Windows 98/98SE,
Windows 2000 and Windows ME can fully support ACPI to allow users managing the
system power flexibly.

AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port)

A new, high-speed graphics interface that based on PCI construction and designed
especially for the throughput demands of 3-D graphics. AGP provides a direct channel
(32-bit wide bus) between the display controller and main memory for high graphics
quality and performance.

ATX
A modern shape and layout of mainboard that supersedes the widely-used Baby AT
form factor. It improves many placement of components and makes a more efficient
design.

BIOS (basic input/output system)

On PCs, an essential software that contains all the control code of input/output inter-
face (such as keyboard, disk drives, etc.). It executes hardware test on booting the
system, starts the OS, and provides an interface between the OS and the components.
The BIOS is stored in a ROM chip.

Bus
A set of hardware lines within the computer system, through which the data is trans-
ferred among different components. In a PC, the term bus usually refers to a local bus
that connects the internal components to the CPU and main memory.

Cache
A special memory subsystem that is used to speed up the data transfer. It stores the
contents of frequently accessed RAM locations and the addresses where these data
items are stored.

Chipset
A collection of integrated chips designed to perform one or more related functions. For

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Glossary

example, a modem chipset contains all the primary circuits for transmitting and receiv-
ing data; a PC chipset provides the electronic interfaces between all subsystems.

CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor)

CMOS is a widely used type of semiconductor, which features high speed and low
power consumption. PCs usually contain a small amount of battery-powered CMOS
memory to retain the date, time, and system setup parameters.

COM
In MS-DOS system, the name of a serial communications port. DOS supports four
serial ports. For example, if a modem is connected to one serial port and a serial mouse
to another, they are identified as COM1 and COM2.

DIMM (dual in-line memory module)

A small circuit board that holds memory chips. A SIMM (single in-line memory
module) has a 32-bit path to the memory chips whereas a DIMM has 64-bit path.

DRAM (Dynamic RAM)

A most common type of computer memory. It usually uses one transistor and a
capacitor to represent a bit. As the development of technology, the memory type and
specification used in computer becomes variety, such as SDRAM, DDR SDRAM, and
RDRAM. For further instruction, please see the table below:

Dynamic RAM (DRAM) Memory Technologies

Type First Used Clock Rate Bus* Width Peak Volts
Bandwidth
FPM (60,70ns) 1990 25MHz 64 bits 200 MBps 5v
EDO (50,60,70ns) 1994 40MHz 64 bits 320 MBps 5v
SDRAM (66MHz) 1996 66MHz 64 bits 528 MBps 3.3v
SDRAM (100MHz) 1998 100MHz 64 bits 800 MBps 3.3v
SDRAM (133MHz) 1999 133MHz 64 bits 1.1 GBps 3.3v
RDRAM (Direct Rambus) 1999 400MHz 16 bits 1.6 GBps 2.5v
DDR SDRAM (100MHz) 2000 100MHz 64 bits 1.6 GBps 3.3v
DDR SDRAM (133MHz) 2000 133MHz 64 bits 2.1 GBps 3.3v
* Memory channel width (64 bits started with 75MHz Pentium)

Source: Computer Desktop Encyclopedia

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 Glossary

ECC Memory (error correcting code memory)

A type of memory that contains special circuitry for testing the accuracy of data and
correcting the errors on the fly.

IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics)

A type of disk-drive interface widely used to connect hard disks, CD-ROMs and tape
drives to a PC, in which the controller electronics is integrated into the drive itself,
eliminating the need for a separate adapter card. The IDE interface is known as the
ATA (AT Attachment) specification.

IEEE 1394
A new, high speed external bus standard, also known as FireWire or iLink, which
supports data transfer rates of up to 400 Mbps for connecting up to 63 external
devices.

IrDA (Infrared Data Association)

A group of device vendors, including computer, component and telecommunications,
who have developed a standard for transmitting data via infrared light waves. This
enables you to transfer data from one device to another without any cables.

LAN (local area network)

A computer network that covers a relatively smaller area, such as in a building or an
enterprise. It is made up of servers, workstations, shared resources, a network oper-
ating system and a communications link. These individual PCs and devices on a LAN
are known as “nodes”, and are connected by cables to access data and devices any-
where on the LAN, so that many users can share expensive devices and data.

LED (light emitting diode)

A semiconductor device that converts electrical energy into light. Since it lights up
(usually red) when electricity is passed through it, it is usually used for the activity
lights on computer’s component, such as disk drivers.

LPT (line printer terminal)

Logical device name for a line printer; a name reserved by the MS-DOS for up to three
parallel printer ports: LPT1, LPT2, and LPT3. It is frequently used by the OS to
identify a printer.

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Glossary

PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect)

A local bus standard developed by Intel that first appeared on PCs in late 1993. PCI
provides “plug and play” capability and allows IRQs to be shared. The PCI controller
can exchange data with the system's CPU either 32 bits or 64 bits at a time.

PnP (Plug and Play)

A set of specifications that allows a PC to configure itself automatically to work with
peripherals. The user can "plug" in a peripheral device and "play" it without configur-
ing the system manually. To implement this useful feature, both the BIOS that sup-
ports PnP and a PnP expansion card are required.

POST (Power On Self Test)

During booting up your system, the BIOS executes a series of diagnostic tests, include
checking the RAM, the keyboard, the disk drives, etc., to see if they are properly
connected and operating.

PS/2 Port
A type of port developed by IBM for connecting a mouse or keyboard to a PC. The
PS/2 port supports a mini DIN plug containing just 6 pins. Most modern PCs equipped
with PS/2 ports so that the special port can be used by another device, such as a
modem.

USB (universal serial bus)

A hardware interface for low-speed peripherals such as the keyboard, mouse, joystick,
etc. USB provides a maximum bandwidth of 12 Mbit/sec (Mbps) for connecting up to
127 peripheral devices to PC. USB features hot swap capability and multiple data
streams, allows external devices to be plugged in and unplugged without turning the
system off.

Virus
A program or a piece of code that infects computer files by inserting in those files
copies of itself. The virus code is buried within an existing program, and is activated
when that program is executed. All the viruses are man-made, and often have damaging
side effects.

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