MSI P965 Platinum Manual PDF
MSI P965 Platinum Manual PDF
MSI P965 Platinum Manual PDF
G52-72381X1
i
Copyright Notice
T he material in this doc ument is the intellec tual property of M ICRO-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.
NVIDIA, the NVIDIA logo, DualNet, and nForce are registered trademarks or trade-
marks of NVIDIA Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
AMD, Athlon™, Athlon™ XP, Thoroughbred™, and Duron™ are registered trade-
marks of AMD Corporation.
Intel® and Pentium® are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation.
PS/2 and OS ® /2 are registered trademarks of International Business Machines
Corporation.
W indows ® 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
V1.0 First release July 2006
Technical Support
If a problem arises with your system and no solution can be obtained from the user’s
manual, please contact your place of purchase or local distributor. Alternatively,
please try the following help resources for further guidance.
Visit the MSI website for FAQ, technical guide, BIOS updates, driver updates,
and other information: http://www.msi.com.tw/program/service/faq/
faq/esc_faq_list.php
Contact our technical staff at: http://support.msi.com.tw
ii
Safety Instructions
iii
FCC-B Radio Frequency Interference Statement
T h is eq uip men t h as been
tested and found to c omply
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 in a residential installation. This equipment generates,
uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accor-
dance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television
reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the measures listed
below.
† Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
† Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
† Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to
which the receiver is connected.
† Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/television technician for help.
Notice 1
The changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for
compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
Notice 2
Shielded interface cables and A.C. power cord, if any, must be used in order to
comply with the emission limits.
Micro-Star International
MS-7238
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that
may cause undesired operation.
iv
WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Statement
v
vi
vii
CONTENTS
Copyright Notice .............................................................................................................. ii
Trademarks ....................................................................................................................... ii
Revision History .............................................................................................................. ii
Technical Support ........................................................................................................... ii
Safety Instructions ......................................................................................................... iii
FCC-B Radio Frequency Interference Statement ........................................................ iv
W EEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Statement .................................... v
Chapter 1 Geeting Started ................................................................................... 1-1
Mainboard Specifications ................................................................................... 1-2
Mainboard Layout ................................................................................................ 1-4
Packing Checklist ................................................................................................. 1-5
Chapter 2 Hardware Setup .................................................................................. 2-1
Quick Components Guide .................................................................................... 2-2
CPU (Central Processing Unit) ............................................................................ 2-3
Introduction to LGA 775 CPU ...................................................................... 2-3
CPU & Cooler Installation ............................................................................. 2-4
Memory ................................................................................................................. 2-7
Dual Channel Memory Population Rules .................................................... 2-7
Memory Speed/ CPU FSB Support Matrix ................................................. 2-7
Installing DDRII Modules ............................................................................... 2-8
Power Supply ...................................................................................................... 2-9
ATX 24-Pin Power Connector: JPWR1 ...................................................... 2-9
ATX 12V Power Connector: JPWR2/ JPWR3 ............................................ 2-9
Back Panel .......................................................................................................... 2-10
Connectors ........................................................................................................ 2-12
Floppy Disk Drive Connector: FDD1 .......................................................... 2-12
Hard Disk Connector: IDE1 ........................................................................ 2-12
Serial ATA Connectors: SATA1~SATA7 ................................................... 2-13
Fan Power Connectors: CPUFAN1, SYSFAN1, NBFAN1 & PWRFAN1 .. 2-14
CD-In Connector: JCD1 ............................................................................. 2-14
IrDA Infrared Module Header: JIR1 ........................................................... 2-14
Front Panel Audio Connector: JAUD1 ...................................................... 2-15
IEEE 1394 Connectors: J1394_1 (Optional) ........................................... 2-15
Front Panel Connectors: JFP1/JFP2 ........................................................ 2-16
Chassis Intrusion Switch Connector: JCI1 .............................................. 2-16
Front USB Connectors: JUSB1, JUSB2, JUSB3 ...................................... 2-17
SPDIF-Out Connector: JSP1 (Optional) .................................................... 2-17
viii
D-Bracket™ 2 Connector: JDB1 ............................................................... 2-18
Jumpers .............................................................................................................. 2-19
Clear CMOS Jumper: JBAT1 ..................................................................... 2-19
Slots .................................................................................................................... 2-20
PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) Express Slots ....................... 2-20
PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) Slots ...................................... 2-20
PCI Interrupt Request Routing ................................................................... 2-21
Chapter 3 BIOS Setup ............................................................................................ 3-1
Entering Setup ..................................................................................................... 3-2
Control Keys ................................................................................................ 3-3
Getting Help .................................................................................................. 3-3
General Help <F1> ....................................................................................... 3-3
The Main Menu ..................................................................................................... 3-4
Standard CMOS Features ................................................................................... 3-6
Advanced BIOS Features ................................................................................... 3-9
Advanced Chipset Features ............................................................................. 3-11
Integrated Peripherals ....................................................................................... 3-13
Power Management Setup ............................................................................... 3-16
PNP/PCI Configurations ..................................................................................... 3-19
H/W Monitor ........................................................................................................ 3-21
Cell Menu ............................................................................................................ 3-22
BIOS Setting Password ..................................................................................... 3-26
Load Optimized Defaults ................................................................................... 3-27
Appendix A Introduction to DigiCell ................................................................. A-1
Activating DigiCell ................................................................................................ A-2
Main ...................................................................................................................... A-3
Introduction: ................................................................................................. A-3
H/W Diagnostic ..................................................................................................... A-5
Communication ..................................................................................................... A-6
Software Access Point ....................................................................................... A-7
Terminology .................................................................................................. A-7
Access Point Mode ..................................................................................... A-8
WLAN Card Mode ........................................................................................ A-9
Live Update ........................................................................................................ A-10
MEGA STICK ....................................................................................................... A-11
Basic Function ............................................................................................ A-11
Non-Unicode programs supported ........................................................... A-13
Power On Agent ................................................................................................ A-15
Power On ................................................................................................... A-15
ix
Power Off / Restart ................................................................................... A-16
Start W ith .................................................................................................... A-16
Auto Login .................................................................................................. A-17
Appendix B Dual Core Center ............................................................................. B-1
Activating Dual Core Center ............................................................................... B-2
Main ...................................................................................................................... B-3
Introduction: ................................................................................................. B-3
DOT (Dynamic OverClocking) ............................................................................. B-5
Clock ..................................................................................................................... B-6
Voltage ................................................................................................................. B-7
FAN Speed ........................................................................................................... B-8
Temperature ......................................................................................................... B-9
User Profile ........................................................................................................ B-10
Appendix C Intel ICH8R SATA RAID .................................................................... C-1
ICH8R Introduction ............................................................................................... C-2
BIOS Configuration .............................................................................................. C-3
Using the Intel Matrix Stroage Manager Option ROM ............................... C-3
Installing Software .............................................................................................. C-8
Install Driver in W indows XP / 2000 ........................................................... C-9
Installation of Intel Matrix Storage Console ............................................. C-10
RAID Migration Instructions ............................................................................... C-14
Create RAID Volume from Existing Disk ................................................... C-15
Degraded RAID Array ........................................................................................ C-21
Missing Hard Drive Member ...................................................................... C-21
Failed Hard Drive Member ......................................................................... C-21
Appendix D JMicron RAID Introduction ............................................................ D-1
Introduction .......................................................................................................... D-2
RAID - Redundant Array of Independent Disks ......................................... D-2
RAID 0 (Striping) .......................................................................................... D-2
RAID 1 (Mirroring) ........................................................................................ D-2
JBOD (Concatenate) ................................................................................... D-2
Creating and Deleting RAID sets with BIOS Utility ............................................ D-3
Creating RAID set ........................................................................................ D-4
Deleting RAID set ......................................................................................... D-7
Revert HDD to non-RAID .............................................................................. D-8
Slove Mirror Conflict .................................................................................... D-9
Rebuild Mirror Drive ..................................................................................... D-9
Installing the RAID Driver (For bootable RAID array) ...................................... D-10
Install Driver in W indows XP / 2000 ......................................................... D-10
x
JMicron Raid Configurer .................................................................................... D-11
Installing JMicron Raid Configurer ............................................................ D-11
Viewing RAID Array Configurations ........................................................ D-11
Appendix E Realtek ALC883 Audio .................................................................... E-1
Installing the Realtek HD Audio Driver ................................................................ E-2
Installation for W indows 2000/XP .............................................................. E-2
Software Configuration ...................................................................................... E-4
Sound Effect ................................................................................................ E-5
Mixer ............................................................................................................. E-8
Audio I/O ..................................................................................................... E-12
Microphone ................................................................................................ E-16
3D Audio Demo ........................................................................................... E-17
Information .................................................................................................. E-18
Hardware Setup ................................................................................................ E-18
xi
Getting Started
Chapter 1
Getting Started
1-1
M S-7238 M ainboard
Mainboard Specifications
Processor Support*
- Intel ® Pentium 4 and Pentium D processors in the LGA775 package.
- Supports Prescott, Cedar Mill, Smithfield, Presler, Core 2 Duo.
Supported FSB
- 1066/ 800/ 533 MHz
Chipset
- North Bridge: Intel ® P965 chipset
- South Bridge: Intel ® ICH8R chipset
M emory Support**
- DDRII 800/ 667/ 533 SDRAM
- 4 DDRII DIMMs (DDRII 800 supports up to 4 GB, DDRII 667/ 533
support up to 8 GB, 240pin / 1.8V)
LAN
- Supports 10/100/1000 PCI Express LAN by Realtek 8111B
IEEE 1394 (optional)
- Chip integrated by VIA VT6308 or VT6307
- Transfer rate is up to 400Mbps
Audio
- Chip integrated by Realtek® ALC883
- Flexible 8-channel audio with jack sensing
- Compliant with Azalia 1.0 Spec
IDE
- 1 IDE port by JMicron JMB361
- Supports Ultra DMA 66/100/133 mode
- Supports PIO, Bus Master operation mode
SATA
- 6 SATA II ports by ICH8R
- 1 SATA II port by JMicron JMB361
- Supports storage and data transfers at up to 300 MB/s
RAID
- SATA1~6 support RAID 0/ 1/ 10 or RAID 5 mode by ICH8R
- SATA7 and IDE1 support RAID 0/ 1 or JBOD mode by JMB361
Floppy
- 1 floppy port
- Supports 1 FDD with 360K, 720K, 1.2M, 1.44M and 2.88Mbytes
1-2
Getting Started
Connectors
Back panel
- 1 PS/2 mouse port
- 1 PS/2 keyboard port.
- 1 Serial port
- 1 Parallel port supporting SPP/EPP/ECP mode
- 1 IEEE 1394 port
- 4 USB 2.0 Ports.
- 1 LAN jack (10/100/1000) by Realtek 8111B
- 5 flexible audio jacks
- 1 Optical SPDIF jack / 1 Coaxial SPDIF-out port
On-Board Pinheaders
- 1 D-Bracket TM 2 pinheader
- 1 IrDA pinheader
- 3 USB 2.0 pinheaders
- 1 SPDIF_Out pinheader
Slots
- 1 PCI Express x16 slot
- 1 PCI Express Lite slot (PCI_E4, it is compatible with PCI Express x
4 transfer rate)
- 2 PCI Express x1 slots (these 2 PCI Express x 1 slots are sharing with
PCI_E4, and they will auto disable while card plugged into
PCI_E4)
- 2 PCI slots, support 3.3V/ 5V PCI bus Interface, includes one orange
slot which supports 2 master for MSI special PCI function card (ex.
wireless LAN and bluetooth combo card.).
Form Factor
- ATX (30.5cm X 24.5cm)
M ounting
- 9 mounting holes
1-3
M S-7238 M ainboard
Mainboard Layout
JI R1
Top : mou se
B ot tom: k eybo ard
I/ O
Chip
F DD1
Top : P arallel P ort
B ott om:
CO M A
1394 Po rt
S PD IF_Out (coa xial)
U SB ports
CPU FA N1
Intel
T: LA N ja ck
P965
B : U SB port s
J PW R2
T: Line-I n
M:Line- Out
B :Mic
T:RS -Out J PW R3
M:C S- Out
J PW R1
B :S PD IF Out (opt ica l)
NB FA N1
D IMM1
D IMM2
D IMM3
D IMM4
P CI _E 1
JDB 1
RTL8111B
PC I_E 2
PC I_E 3
V IA J CI 1
V T630 7
JFP 2
JS P 1
PC I 1
ALC 883
S ATA 3 S ATA 2 S ATA 1
PW RFA N1
J AU D1 J CD1 S YS FA N1 SATA 7 I DE 1
J 1394_ 1
1-4
Getting Started
Packing Checklist
User’s Guide
* The pictures are for reference only. Your packing contents may vary depending on
the model you purchased.
1-5
Hardware Setup
Chapter 2
Hardware Setup
2-1
M S-7238 M ainboard
FDD1,
Back Panel, p.2-12
p.2-10
JPWR1,
p.2-9
JPWR3,
p.2-9
NBFAN1,
p.2-14
JDB1, p.2-18
PCIE x 1
Slots, p.2-20 JCI1, p.2-16
JBAT1, p.2-19
PCIE x 16
Slots, p.2-20 JFP2, p.2-16
JCD1, p.2-14
JAUD1, p.2-15 JUSB1~3, p.2-17
SYSFAN1, p.2-14
2-2
Hardware Setup
This mainboard supports Intel® Pentium 4 processor in LGA 775 package. W hen you
are installing the CPU, make sure to install the cooler to prevent overheating.
If you do not have the CPU cooler, contact your dealer to purchase and install them
before turning on the computer.
For the latest information about CPU, please visit http://www.msi.com.tw/program/
products/mainboard/mbd/pro_mbd_cpu_support.php
Important
1. Overheating will seriously damage the CPU and system. Always make
sure the cooling fan can work properly to protect the CPU from overheating.
2. Make sure that you apply an even layer of heat sink paste (or thermal tape)
between the CPU and the heatsink to enhance heat dissipation.
3. While replacing the CPU, always turn off the ATX power supply or unplug
the power supply’s power cord from the grounded outlet first to ensure the
safety of CPU.
2-3
M S-7238 M ainboard
1. The CPU has a plastic cap on it to 2. Remove the cap from lever hinge
protect the contact from damage. side (as the arrow shows).
Before you install the CPU, always
cover it to protect the socket pin.
2-4
Hardware Setup
Important
1. Confirm if your CPU cooler is firmly installed before turning on your system.
2. Do not touch the CPU socket pins to avoid damaging.
3. The availability of the CPU land side cover depends on your CPU packing.
5. Lift the load lever up and open the 6. After confirming the CPU direction
load plate. for correct mating, put down the
CPU in the socket housing frame.
Be sure to grasp on the edge of
the CPU base. Note that the align-
ment keys are matched.
alignment
key
7. Visually ins pect if the CPU is 8. Cover the load plate onto the
seated well into the socket. If not, package.
take out the CPU with pure vertical
motion and reinstall.
2-5
M S-7238 M ainboard
9. Press down the load lever lightly 10. Align the holes on the mainboard
onto the load plate, and then se- with the heatsink. Push down the
cure the lever with the hook under c ooler u nti l i ts f ou r c lip s g et
retention tab. wedged int o t he holes of t he
mainboard.
11. Press the four hooks down to fas- 12. Turn over the mainboard to con-
ten the cooler. Then rotate the lock- firm that the clip-ends are cor-
ing switch (refer to the correct di- rectly inserted.
rection marked on it) to lock the
hooks.
locking
switch
Important
1. Check the information in H/W M onitor of BIOS (Chapter 3) for the CPU
temperature.
2. Whenever CPU is not installed, always protect your CPU socket pin with the
plastic cap covered (shown in Figure 1) to avoid damaging.
3. Please note that the mating/unmating durability of the CPU is 20 cycles.
Therefore we suggest you do not plug/unplug the CPU too often.
2-6
Hardware Setup
Memory
The mainboard provides four 240-pin non-ECC DDRII 800/ 667/ 533 DIMM slots.
For more information on compatible components, please visit http://www.msi.com.tw/
program/products/mainboard/mbd/pro_mbd_trp_list.php
DDRII
240-pin, 1.8V
64x2=128 pin 56x2=112 pin
1 DIMM1
DIMM2
DIMM3
DIMM4
2 DIMM1
DIMM2
DIMM3
DIMM4
3 DIMM1
DIMM2
DIMM3
DIMM4
Memory
DDRII 533 DDRII 667 DDRII 800
CPU FSB
533 MHz OK
800 MHz OK OK OK
1066 MHz OK OK OK
2-7
M S-7238 M ainboard
Important
You can barely see the golden finger if the module is properly inserted in the
DIMM slot.
3. The plastic clip at each side of the DIMM slot will automatically close.
Volt Notch
Important
- DDRII modules are not interchangeable with DDR and the DDRII standard is
not backwards compatible. You should always install DDRII memory mod-
ules in the DDRII DIMM slots and DDR memory modules in the DDR DIMM
slots.
- In dual-channel mode, make sure that you install memory modules of the
same type and density in different channel DDR DIMM slots.
- To enable successful system boot-up, always insert the memory modules
into the DIM M1 first.
2-8
Hardware Setup
Power Supply
1 +3.3V 13 +3.3V
2 +3.3V 14 -12V
3 GND 15 GND
JPWR1 4 +5V 16 PS-ON#
5 GND 17 GND
6 +5V 18 GND
7 GND 19 GND
8 PWR OK 20 Res
9 5VSB 21 +5V
10 +12V 22 +5V
11 +12V 23 +5V
24 12
12 NC 24 GND
1 GND 5 +12V 1 5V
2 GND 6 +12V 2 GND
3 GND 7 +12V 3 GND
4 GND 8 +12V 4 12V
Important
1. Maker sure that all the connectors are connected to proper ATX power sup-
plies to ensure stable operation of the mainboard.
2. Power supply of 450 watts (and above) is highly recommended for system
stability.
2-9
M S-7238 M ainboard
Back Panel
L-In RS-Out
Parallel Port
M ou se LAN
M ouse/Keyboard Connector
The standard PS/2® mouse/keyboard DIN connector is for a PS/2® mouse/keyboard.
Parallel Port Connector
A parallel port is a standard printer port that supports Enhanced Parallel Port (EPP)
and Extended Capabilities Parallel Port (ECP) mode.
Serial Port Connector
The serial port is a 16550A high speed communications port that sends/ receives 16
bytes FIFOs. You can attach a serial mouse or other serial devices directly to the
connector.
Coaxial S/PDIF-Out connector
This SPDIF (Sony & Philips Digital Interconnect Format) connector is provided for
digital audio transmission to external speakers through a coaxial cable.
IEEE 1394 Port
The 1394 port on the back panel provides connection to 1394 devices.
LAN (RJ-45) Jack
The standard RJ-45 jack is for connection
Activity Indicator L i n k In d i c a t o r
to single Local Area Network (LAN). You (Left) (Right)
can connect a network cable to it.
2-10
Hardware Setup
USB Connectors
The OHCI (Open Host Controller Interface) Universal Serial Bus root is for attaching
USB devices such as keyboard, mouse, or other USB-compatible devices.
Audio Port Connectors
These audio connectors are used for audio devices. You can differentiate the color
of the audio jacks for different audio sound effects.
Blue audio jack - Line In, is used for external CD player, tapeplayer or
other audio devices. Or Side-Surround Out in 7.1 chan-
nel mode
Green audio jack - Line Out, is a connector for speakers or headphones.
Pink audio jack - Mic In, is a connector for microphones.
Black audio jack - Rear-Surround Out in 4-/ 5.1/ 7.1 channel mode.
Orange audio jack - Center/ Subwoofer Out in 5.1/ 7.1 channel mode.
Optical S/PDIF-Out connector
This SPDIF (Sony & Philips Digital Interconnect Format) connector is provided for
digital audio transmission to external speakers through a fiber cable.
2-11
M S-7238 M ainboard
Connectors
FDD1
IDE1
IDE1
IDE can connect a Master and a Slave drive. You must configure the second
hard drive to Slave mode by setting the jumper accordingly.
Important
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.
2-12
Hardware Setup
7
SATA1~ SATA7 Pin Definition
1 PIN SIGNAL PIN SIGNAL
1 GND 2 RXN
3 RXP 4 GND
7
5 TXN 6 TXP
7 GND
1
7 1
SATA7
Important
Please do not fold the Serial ATA cable into 90-degree angle. Otherwise,
data loss may occur during transmission.
2-13
M S-7238 M ainboard
CONTROL
+1 2V
GND
GND
Important
JCD1
R GND L
1 IRRX
JIR1 2 IRTX
5 1 3 GND
6 2
4 VCC5
5 Key (no pin)
6 NC
2-14
Hardware Setup
Pin Definition
5 TPB- 6 TPB+
7 Ground 8 Ground
Connected to 1394 connector 9 TPA- 10 TPA+
2-15
M S-7238 M ainboard
2 10 2 8
JFP1 JFP2 1 7
1 9
+ -
HDD Reset Power
LED Switch LED
JCI1
2-16
Hardware Setup
2 10 3 USB0- 4 USB1-
1 9 5 USB0+ 6 USB1+
7 GND 8 GND
9 Key (no pin) 10 N.C.
Important
Note that the pins of VCC and GND must be connected correctly to avoid
possible damage.
GND VCC
SPDIF
BIOS Sign On
1 2 Early Chipset Initialization 1 2 This will start showing information
3 4 3 4 about logo, processor brand name,
etc...
Processor Initialization
1 2 1 2 BootAttempt
This will show information regarding
This will set low stack and boot via
3 4 the processor (like brand name, sys- 3 4 INT 19h.
tem bus, etc...)
1 2 1 2
Testing RTC (Real Time Clock) Operating System Booting
3 4 3 4
2-18
Hardware Setup
Jumpers
3 1 3 1
1
JBAT1
Keep Data Clear Data
Important
You can clear CMOS by shorting 2-3 pin while the system is off. Then return
to 1-2 pin position. Avoid clearing the CMOS while the system is on; it will
damage the mainboard.
2-19
M S-7238 M ainboard
Slots
Important
When adding or removing expansion cards, make sure that you unplug the
power supply first. Meanwhile, read the documentation for the expansion card
to configure any necessary hardware or software settings for the expansion
card, such as jumpers, switches or BIOS configuration.
If you have a PCIE x16 graphics card, please always install it into the PCI
Express x 16 (white/ PCI_E1) slot to ensure the performance of graphics card.
2-20
Hardware Setup
2-21
BIOS Setup
Chapter 3
BIOS Setup
3-1
M S-7238 M ainboard
Entering Setup
Power on the computer and the system will start POST (Power On Self Test) process.
W hen the message below appears on the screen, press <DEL> key to enter Setup.
Important
1. The items under each BIOS category described in this chapter are under
continuous update for better system performance. Therefore, the descrip-
tion may be slightly different from the latest BIOS and should be held for
reference only.
2. Upon boot-up, the 1st line appearing after the memory count is the BIOS
version. It is usually in the format:
3-2
BIOS Setup
Control Keys
Getting Help
After entering the Setup menu, the first menu you will see is the Main Menu.
M ain M enu
The main menu lists the setup functions you can make changes to. You can use the
arrow keys ( ↑↓ ) to select the item. The on-line description of the highlighted setup
function is displayed at the bottom of the screen.
Sub-M enu
If you find a right pointer symbol (as shown in the right
view) appears to the left of certain fields that means a
sub-menu can be launched from this field. A sub-menu
contains additional options for a field parameter. You
can use arrow 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 >.
3-3
M S-7238 M ainboard
Standard CM OS Features
Use this menu for basic system configurations, such as time, date etc.
Integrated Peripherals
Use this menu to specify your settings for integrated peripherals.
PNP/PCI Configurations
This entry appears if your system supports PnP/PCI.
H/W M onitor
This entry shows your PC health status.
Cell M enu
Use this menu to specify your settings for frequency/voltage control and overclocking.
3-4
BIOS Setup
3-5
M S-7238 M ainboard
Date (MM:DD:YY)
This allows you to set the system to the date that you want (usually the current date).
The format is <day><month> <date> <year>.
day Day of the week, from Sun to Sat, determined by
BIOS. Read-only.
mon th The month from Jan. through Dec.
date The date from 1 to 31 can be keyed by numeric function keys.
year The year can be adjusted by users.
Time (HH:MM :SS)
This allows you to set the system time that you want (usually the current time). The
time format is <hour> <minute> <second>.
IDE Primary/Secondary Master/ Slave, IDE Third/ Fourth M aster
Press <Enter> to enter the sub-menu, and the following screen appears.
3-6
BIOS Setup
LBA/Large M ode
This allows you to enable or disable the LBA Mode. Setting to Auto enables LBA
mode if the device supports it and the devices is not already formatted with LBA
mode disabled.
DM A M ode
Select DMA Mode.
Important
Floppy Drive A
This item allows you to set the type of floppy drives installed. Available options:
[None], [360K, 5.25 in.], [1.2M, 5.25 in.], [720K, 3.5 in.], [1.44M, 3.5 in.], [2.88M, 3.5 in.].
Halt On
The setting determines whether the system will stop if an error is detected at boot.
Available options are:
[No Errors] The system doesn’t stop for any detected error.
[All, But Keyboard] The system doesn’t stop for a keyboard error.
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System Information
Press <Enter> to enter the sub-menu, and the following screen appears.
This sub-menu shows the CPU information, BIOS version and memory status of your
system (read only).
3-8
BIOS Setup
Quick Booting
Setting the item to [Enabled] allows the system to boot within 10 seconds since it will
skip some check items.
Hyper-Threading Function
The processor uses Hyper-Threading technology to increase transaction rates and
reduces end-user response times. The technology treats the two cores inside the
processor as two logical processors that can execute instructions simultaneously.
In this way, the system performance is highly improved. If you disable the function,
the processor will use only one core to execute the instructions. Please disable
this item i f y our operating sy ste m doesn’t support HT F unction, or
unreliability and instability may occur.
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Important
IOAPIC Function
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.
Boot Sequence
Press <Enter> to enter the sub-menu and the following screen appears:
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BIOS Setup
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M emory Hole
In order to improve performance, certain space in memory can be reserved for ISA
peripherals. This memory must be mapped into the memory space below 16MB. W hen
this area is reserved, it cannot be cached.
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BIOS Setup
Integrated Peripherals
USB Functions
This setting allows you to enable/disable the onboard USB controller.
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SATA#1 Configuration
It allows you to configure the SATA#1 controller.Settings are:
[Disabled] Disable the SATA devices
[Compatible] Enable the SATA devices and release the IRQ14/ 15 for SATA
devic es
[Enhanced] Select Enhanced if you want to use the SATA as IDE / RAID or
AHCI function
Configure SATA#1 as
W hen the SATA#1 Configuration sets to [Enhanced], the field is adjustable. It
allows user to configure the SATA devices as IDE/ AHCI or RAID.
SATA#2 Configuration
W hen the Configure SATA#1 as sets to [IDE], the field is adjustable. It allows
you to Enable/ Disable the SATA#2 controller (SATA5~6).
I/O Device
Press <Enter> to enter the sub-menu and the following screen appears:
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BIOS Setup
COM Port 1/ 2
Select an address and corresponding interrupt for the serial port 1/ 2.
Parallel Port
There is a built-in parallel port on the on-board Super I/O chipset that provides
Standard, ECP, and EPP features. It has the following options:
[Disabled]
[3BC] Line Printer port 0
[278] Line Printer port 2
[378] Line Printer port 1
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Important
S3-related functions described in this section are available only when your
BIOS supports S3 sleep mode.
ACPI Function
This item is to activate the ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Management
Interface) Function. If your operating system is ACPI-aware, such as W indows 2000/
XP, select [Yes].
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BIOS Setup
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3-18
BIOS Setup
PNP/PCI Configurations
This section describes configuring the PCI bus system and PnP (Plug & Play) feature.
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 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.
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IRQ 3/4/5/7/9/10/11/14/15
These items specify the bus where the specified IRQ line is used.
The settings determine if AMIBIOS should remove an IRQ from the pool of avail-
able IRQs passed to devices that are configurable by the system BIOS. The
available IRQ pool is determined by reading the ESCD NVRAM. If more IRQs must
be removed from the IRQ pool, the end user can use these settings to reserve
the IRQ by assigning an [Reserved] setting to it. Onboard I/O is configured by
AMIBIOS. All IRQs used by onboard I/O are configured as [Available]. If all IRQs
are set to [Reserved], and IRQ 14/15 are allocated to the onboard PCI IDE, IRQ 9
will still be available for PCI and PnP devices.
Important
IRQ (Interrupt Request) lines are system resources allocated to I/O devices.
When an I/O device needs to gain attention of the operating system, it sig-
nals this by causing an IRQ to occur. After receiving the signal, when the
operating system is ready, the system will interrupt itself and perform the
service required by the I/O device.
DM A Resource Setup
Press <Enter> to enter the sub-menu and the following screen appears.
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BIOS Setup
H/W Monitor
Chassis Intrusion
The field enables or disables the feature of recording the chassis intrusion status
and issuing a warning message if the chassis is once opened. To clear the warning
message, set the field to [Reset]. The setting of the field will automatically return to
[Enabled] later.
CPU/ System Temperature, CPU/ NB/ SYSTEM FAN Speed, CPU Vcore,
+5VSB, +5.0V, +12.0V, +3.3V
These items display the current status of all of the monitored hardware devices/
components such as CPU voltage, temperatures and all fans’ speeds.
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Cell Menu
Important
Change these settings only if you are familiar with the chipset.
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BIOS Setup
Important
Important
Any changes for the voltage may cause a stability issue, so changing the
voltage for long-term purpose is NOT recommended.
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Spread Spectrum
This setting is used to enable or disable the Spread Spectrum feature. W hen
overclocking, always set it to [Disabled].
Important
1. 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,
select Enabled for EMI reduction.
2. The greater the Spread Spectrum value is, the greater the EMI is reduced,
and the system will become less stable. For the most suitable Spread
Spectrum value, please consult your local EMI regulation.
3. Remember to disable Spread Spectrum if you are overclocking because
even a slight jitter can introduce a temporary boost in clock speed which
may just cause your overclocked processor to lock up.
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BIOS Setup
Important
2. At the fourth reboot, BIOS will determine that the previous overclocking is failed
and restore the default settings automatically. Please press any key to boot the
system normally when the following message appears on screen.
Clear CM OS
- Please refer to “chapter 2” for more information about how to clear CMOS data.
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The option on the main menu allows users to restore all of the BIOS settings to the
default Optimized values. The Optimized Defaults are the default values set by the
mainboard manufacturer specifically for optimal performance of the mainboard.
Pressing Y loads the default factory settings for optimal system performance.
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BIOS Setup
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.
W hen 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.
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Introduction to DigiCell
Appendix A
Introduction to DigiCell
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Activating DigiCell
Once you have your DigiCell installed (locate the setup source file in the setup CD
accompanying with your mainboard, path: Utility --> MSI Utility --> MSI DigiCell), it
will have an icon in the system tray, a short cut icon on the desktop, and a short
cut path in your “Start-up” menu. You may double-click on each icon to enable DigiCell.
A-2
Introduction to DigiCell
Main
Before using this utility, it is required to have all the integrated peripherals/cards (LAN
card, W ireless LAN card, MegaStick... etc.) and all the necessary drivers (onboard
LAN driver, audio driver, CoreCenter, Live Update... etc.) installed correctly.
The icon representing each item will be lit up if it is inserted/installed correctly and
properly. Otherwise, the icon will remain gray and user is not able to view the
functionality/connection of that item.
Introduction:
Click on each icon appearing above to enter the sub-menu to make further configuration.
M SI
Click on this button to link to MSI website:
http://www.msi.com.tw.
Quick Guide
Click on this button and the quick guide of DigiCell will be displayed for you
to review.
H/W Diagnostic
In this sub-menu, it provides the information of each DigiCell button for you to
check if the representing peripherals/cards/drivers are correctly installed.
Comm.
In this sub-menu, you can see the configuration details for communication
products, including the status, strength, speed and channel of the connec-
tion of the Ethernet LAN & W ireless LAN.
Live Update
You can take advantage of Live Update to detect and update BIOS and
drivers online.
M EGA STICK
If you have your MEGA STICK connected to your system, this icon will be lit
up. Click this blue icon to turn DigiCell into a MP3 player, and then you can load
media files from your MEGA STICK or the system, and edit the preferred
playlist.
Power on Agent
In this sub-menu, you can configure date, time and auto-executed programs
of the power-on, power-off and restarting features.
Important
Click on back button in every sub-menu and it will bring you back to the
main menu.
A-4
Introduction to DigiCell
H/W Diagnostic
In the H/W Diagnostic sub-menu, you can see the information, status and note of
each DigiCell. You may double check the connection and installation of the item
marked as gray.
You may also click on the Mail to MSI button to send your questions or suggestions
to MSI’s technical support staff.
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Communication
In the Communication sub-menu, you can see the status of all the LAN / W LAN /
Bluetooth on the screen if the hardware is installed. The first icon indicates the
onboard LAN on your system, the second icon indicates the wireless LAN status,
and the third one is the information about the bluetooth on your system. Click on each
item for details.
This icon indicates the information and connection status of onboard LAN,
which is read-only.
The second icon indicates the wireless connection. You may click this icon
to configure the advanced settings in the WLAN Card Mode dialogue box.
Please note that it is only available when the Software Access Point is
set to WLAN Card M ode.
The third icon indicates the connection using bluetooth devices. If your
system is connected to the bluetooth device, the icon will light up.
A-6
Introduction to DigiCell
In the Software Access Point sub-menu, you can see the communication status on
your system and choose the desired software access point mode by clicking on the
desired icon, in which the default settings are configured for your usage. The default
software access point mode is set to WLAN Card M ode. For more advanced
security settings and channels switching, click on “Setting” button to enter its sub-
menu.
Terminology
Here are the introduction of W LAN / AP communication terminology.
WEP Key
In the wireless network environment, the administrator can set up password
(Network Key) to protect the network from being attacked or unauthorized
access. W hen building the network, you can set up 4 sets of W EP keys,
which can be 5 characters (10 hex-adecimal digital) or 13 characters (26
hex-adecimal digital) and specify one of them to use.
Ad-hoc M ode
An Ad-hoc network is a local area network or other small network, especially
one with wireless or temporary plug-in connections, in which some of the
network devices are part of the network only for the duration of a communi-
cations session. Users in the network can share files, print to a shared
printer, and access the Internet with a shared modem. In this kind of network,
new devices can be quickly added; however, users can only communicate
with other wireless LAN computers that are in this wireless LAN workgroup,
and are within range.
Infrastructure M ode
The difference between Infrastructure network and Ad-hoc network is that
the former one includes an Access Point. In an Infrastructure network, the
Access Point can manage the bandwidth to maximize bandwidth utilization.
Additionally, the Access Point enables users on a wireless LAN to access an
existing wired network, allowing wireless users to take advantage of the
wired networks resources, such as Internet, email, file transfer, and printer
sharing. The scale and range of the Infrastructure networking are larger and
wider than that of the Ad-hoc networking.
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IP Sharing
Click on this icon to enable/disable the IP sharing. The default of this setting is disabled.
Disabled Enabled
A-8
Introduction to DigiCell
enable this feature, only PCs with MAC address located in Association Control List
can connect to the wireless LAN.
M AC Address
MAC stands for Media Access Control. A MAC address is the hardware address of
a device connected to a network.
Security
This option allows you to enable/disable the authentication function.
Authentication
Open: Communicates the key across the network.
Shared: Devices must have identical W EP settings to communicate.
If the network you are selecting is encrypted (WEP shown in the Encryption column),
the screen will display as below. You need to enter the correct W EP key defined by
AP in the specified WEP Key 1~4 fields to make the connection.
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Live Update
Click on the Live Update icon in the main menu and the Live Update program will be
enabled.
The Live Update 3™ is a tool used to detect and update your BIOS/
drivers/VGA BIOS/VGA Driver/Utility online so that you don’t need to
search for the correct BIOS/driver version throughout the whole
W eb site. To use the function, you need to install the “MSI Live
Update 3” application. After the installation, the “MSI Live Update 3”
icon (as shown on the right) will appear on the screen.
Double click the “MSI Live Update 3” icon, and the following screen
will appear:
Several buttons are placed on the left column of the screen. Click the desired button
to start the update process.
If the product you purchased does not support any of the functions listed above, a
“sorry” message is displayed. For more information on the update instructions, insert
the companion CD and refer to the “Live Update Guide” under the “Manual” Tab.
A-10
Introduction to DigiCell
MEGA STICK
In the MEGA STICK sub-menu, you can configure the settings of MSI MEGA STICK
and the media files (*.m3u, *.mp3, *.wav, *.cda, *.wma) on your system.
Basic Function
Here you can edit your own play list with the buttons “load”, “save”, “delete”,
“shuttle”, “repeat” & “print”.
Load To load media files or the playlist of mp3 files (*.m3u) on your system or
on your MEGA STICK.
Save To save a loaded playlist of mp3 files (*.m3u) on your system or on
your MEGA STICK.
Del ete Click on the media files in the Play List: field and use “Delete” button
to remove the media file from the play list. You may remove multi media
files simultaneously by using “Ctrl” to select multi files.
Shuffle To play the media file in the Play List: in a random order.
Repeat To repeat the selected files in the Play List:.
Print This button has 2 functions:
1. To print out the details of current play list through your printer with
the following information:
Song title --- Song length --- Singer name
2. To save the details of current play list and save the file in the plain
text file format in the \\Program files\MSI\DigiCell\MyMusic.txt for
your reference. The MyMusic.txt file is with the following information:
Song title --- Song length --- Singer name
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There is also a toolbar for you to execute some basic function, like play, stop, pause,
previous/next song, song info and volume adjust. There is also a scroll bar on the top
for you to forward/rewind.
pause
previous next
f orward/rewind
bar
Right-click on the MP3 file and choose “Info”, a MP3 Info dialogue
will pop up to show the information of the file, including the title, artist,
album, release year and others. You may also add your own comment
in the comment field. Then click “Save” to save the change, click
“Cancel” to discard the change, or click “Remove” to remove all
this information.
A-12
Introduction to DigiCell
2. Go to the [Languages] tab and enable the check box of [Install files for East
Asian languages]. A dialogue box will pop up to remind you the above selection
is chosen.
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3. Then go to the [Advanced] tab and select the language you want to be
supported (the language of the filename in the MegaStick) from the drop-
down list in the [Language for non-Unicode programs], then click [Apply]. The
system will install the necessary components from your Microsoft Setup CD
immediately.
A-14
Introduction to DigiCell
Power On Agent
In the Power on Agent sub-menu, you can configure setting of power-on, power-
off and restarting status.
In the screen below, you can set the date, time, start-up programs respectively for
power-on, power-off and restarting.
Power On
Here are the available settings for Power On function:
Date Use the drop-down list to select the date for power-on.
T im e Use the arrow keys to select the hour/minute/second for power-on,
power-off and restarting. Then click “Apply” to save the changes. As
you click “Apply”, the following dialogue will appear to show you the
next power-on schedule, and the system will start to count down to
restart. Click “OK” to restart the computer right away or click “Later”
to restart your computer later.
Important
Please note that the new setting will not take effect until you restart your
computer.
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Start With
Use the button “+Add” to add the start-up programs
as DigiCell is activated next time. For example, you
may like to have Outlook activated or a specified
website linked when you get to the office every
morning.
Step 1: Click on the Program: field and click “>>” add the des ired
button to browse for the path of Outlook or start-with program
Internet Explorer.
Step 2: Click on “OK” to apply the setting.
Step 3: For specified file or specified website, you
may enter the file name with the complete
path or the website link in the Parameters: field.
Of course you may use the button “-Delete” to remove the added programs, or you
can right-click on the selected program and click Delete.
Important
You can also enable the Every turn on function, which will enable the
specified program(s) and file(s) every time the DigiCell utility runs.
A-16
Introduction to DigiCell
Auto Login
Since the Power On function allows the system to power on automatically, you may
have to enable this Auto Login function in the following situations:
1. If you are using a computer belonging to a domain in office, and you need to
enter your user name & password everytime when you boot up your computer.
2. If there are multi users using the same computer and you’d like to power on the
computer automatically with one specific user.
Default Password
It is only available for W indows 2000 & W indows XP.
-- If you are using a computer belonging to a domain in office, please enter your
login password in this field.
-- If you are using a computer with multi-users (for Windows XP operating system),
please enter the password for the user name you’d like to auto power-on in
this field.
A-17
Dual Core Center
Appendix B
Dual Core Center
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Once you have your Dual Core Center installed (locate the setup source file in the
setup CD accompanying with your mainboard, path: Utility --> MSI Utility --> Dual
Core Center), it will have an icon in the system tray, a short cut icon on the
desktop, and a short cut path in your “Start-up” menu. You may double-click on each
icon to enable Dual Core Center.
Important
All the information/ pictures in this appendix are for reference only and might
different from your system.
B-2
Dual Core Center
Main
Before using this utility, we have to remind you: only when installing the MSI V044
(V044 has to install with the version 8.26 or newer driver)/ V046 or V060 graphics
card can activate the full function of this utility. If you install a graphics card of other
brand, only hardware status of the MSI mainboard would be available.
Introduction:
Click each button appearing above to enter sub-menu to make further configuration
or to execute the function.
MB
Click MB button to read current CPU temperature, FSB and CPU clock of
mainboard will show below.
VGA
Click VGA button to read current GPU temperature, GPU clock and memory
clock of graphics card will show below.
DO T
Click DOT button to enable or disable the Dynamic Overclocking Technology.
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Important
Before clicking the AV/ Game/ Office/ Silence or Cool button, select Smooth
mode or Sharp mode to decide whether you want the system to reach the
optimal values smoothly or quickly.
Sharp mode Smooth mode
Clock
In this sub-menu, you can adjust and monitor the clocks of MB and graphics
card.
Voltage
In this sub-menu, you can adjust and monitor the voltages of MB and graphics
card.
FAN Speed
In this sub-menu, you can adjust and monitor the fan speeds of MB and
graphics card.
Temperature
In this sub-menu, you can monitor the temperatures of MB and graphics card.
User Profile
In this sub-menu, you can set the values of clock, voltage and fan speed by
your need and save them in a profile. You can save 3 profiles for further use.
Important
Click on the icon , the clock, voltage, fan, and temperature buttons will
appear beside the icon.
B-4
Dual Core Center
DOT FSB-UP
Rate button
DOT FSB-DOWN
Rate button
Important
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Clock
In the Clock sub-menu, you can see clock status (including FSB/ CPU clock of
mainboard and GPU/ memory clock of graphics card) of your system. And you can
select desired value for overclocking. There will be several items for you to select for
overclocking after you click button. You can click the plus sign button
to increase the clock, or click the minus sign button to decrease the clock. And
finally, click the Apply button to apply the values adjusted. If you do not want to apply
the adjustments, click the Cancel button to cancel. Or click the Default button to
restore the default values.
On the underside, it shows the graphs of the clocks. Only the curves of the item
which the button is lit up with red color will be shown.
Important
In the user profile, clicking the Save button can save the changes to it. In the
default profile, the Save button is not available.
B-6
Dual Core Center
Voltage
In the Voltage sub-menu, you can see voltage status (including Vcore, memory, GPU
voltage... etc.) of your system, and you can select desired value for overclocking. It I
will show several items to select for overclocking after you click the button.
You can click the plus sign button to increase the voltage, or click the minus sign
button to decrease. And finally, click the Apply button to apply the adjustments.
If you do not want to apply the adjustments, click the Cancel button to cancel. Or click
the Default button to restore the default values.
On the underside, it shows the graphs of the voltages. Only the curves of the item
which the button is lit up with red color will be shown.
Important
In the user profile, clicking the Save button can save the changes to it. In the
default profile, the Save button is not available.
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FAN Speed
In the FAN Speed sub-menu, you can read fan status of your system. Select higher
speed for better cooling effect. There are several sections for you to change the fan
speed to a section after clicking button. Click the plus sign button to
increase the fan speed to a section, or click the minus sign button to decrease.
Or click the Default button to restore the default values.
On the underside, it shows the graphs of the fan speed. Only the curves of the item
which the button is lit up with red color will be shown.
Important
1. When you set the fan speed manually, please make sure to disabled the
“Smart FAN Target” item in the BIOS.
2. In the user profile, clicking the Save button can save the changes to it. In
the default profile, the Save button is not available.
B-8
Dual Core Center
Temperature
In the Temperature sub-menu, you can see temperature status of your system.
On the underside, it shows the graphs of the temperatures. Only the curves of the
item which the button is lit up with red color will be shown.
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User Profile
In the User Profile sub-menu, click the setting button that besides the user profile
bar, and the next screen will appear.
Here you can define the clock/ fan speed/ voltage by your need, click the
button to choose a value quickly, or click the plus / minus sign button to
increase/ decrease the value.
B-10
Dual Core Center
Use the draw bar to set the max system temperature. W hen the system temperature
exceeds the threshold you defined, the system will pop up a warning message and
shut down the system.
Use the draw bar to set the minimal fan speed. When the fan speed is lower than the
threshold you defined, the system will pop up a warning message.
After setting all values you need, you can change the user profile name in the box
then click the save button to save all changes in a profile.
Finally, you can choose the user profile by click the button in the left side and click the
Apply button to load the user profile.
B-11
Intel ICH8R SATA RAID
Appendix C
Intel ICH8R SATA RAID
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ICH8R Introduction
The ICH8R provides a hybrid solution that combines 6 independent SATAII ports for
support of up to 6 Serial ATAII (Serial ATAII RAID) drives.
Serial ATAII (SATAII) is the latest generation of the ATA interface. SATA hard drives
deliver blistering transfer speeds up to 300MB/sec. Serial ATA uses long, thin cables,
making it easier to connect your drive and improving the airflow inside your PC. The
most outstanding features are:
1. Supports 300MB/s transfers with CRC error checking.
2. Supports Hot-plug-n-play feature.
3. Data handling optimizations including tagged command queuing, elevator
seek and packet chain command.
Intel® ICH8R offers RAID level 0 (Striping), RAID level 1 (Mirroring and Duplexing),
RAID level 5 (Block Interleaved Distributed Parity), RAID level 10 (A Stripe of Mirrors)
and Intel® Martix Storage Technology.
RAID 0 breaks the data into blocks which are written to separate hard drives. Spreading
the hard drive I/O load across independent channels greatly improves I/O performance.
RAID 1 provides data redundancy by mirroring data between the hard drives and
provides enhanced read performance. RAID 5 Provides data striping at the byte level
and also stripe error correction information. This results in excellent performance
and good fault tolerance. Level 5 is one of the most popular implementations of RAID.
RAID 10 Not one of the original RAID levels, multiple RAID 1 mirrors are created, and
a RAID 0 stripe is created over these. Intel Matrix RAID Technology is the advanced
ability for two RAID volumes to share the combined space of two hard drives being
used in unison.
Important
The least number of hard drives for RAID 0, RAID 1 or Matrix mode is 2. The
least number of hard drives for RAID 10 mode is 4. And the least number of
hard drives for RAID 5 mode is 3.
All the information/ volumes/ pictures listed in your system might differ from
the illustrations in this appendix.
C-2
Intel ICH8R SATA RAID
BIOS Configuration
The Intel Matrix Storage Manager Option ROM should be integrated with the system
BIOS on all motherboards with a supported Intel chipset. The Intel Matrix Stroage
Manager Option ROM is the Intel RAID implementation and provides BIOS and DOS
disk services. Please use <Ctrl> + <I> keys to enter the “Intel(R) RAID for Serial ATA”
status screen, which should appear early in system boot-up, during the POST
(Power-On Self Test). Also, you need to enable the RAID function in BIOS to create,
delete and reset RAID volumes.
Important
The “Driver Model”, “Serial #” and “Size” in the following example might be
different from your system.
After the above message shows, press <Ctrl> and <I> keys simultaneously to enter
the RAID Configuration Utility.
Important
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After pressing the <Ctrl> and <I> keys simultaneously, the following window will
appear:
C-4
Intel ICH8R SATA RAID
3. In the Disk field, press <Enter> key and the following screen appears. Use
<Space> key to select the disks you want to create for the RAID volume, then
click <Enter> key to finish selection.
4. Then select the strip value for the RAID array by using the “upper arrow” or
“down arrow” keys to scroll through the available values, and pressing the
<Enter> key to select and advance to the next field. The available values
range from 4KB to 128 KB in power of 2 increments. The strip value should be
chosen based on the planned drive usage. Here are some typical values:
RAID0 – 128KB
RAID10 – 64KB
RAID5 – 64KB
5. Then select the capacity of the volume in the Capacity field. The default
value is the maximum volume capacity of the selected disks.
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Important
Since you want to create two volumes (Intel Matrix RAID Technology), this
default size (maximum) needs to be reduced. Type in a new size for the first
volume. As an example: if you want the first volume to span the first half of the
two disks, re-type the size to be half of what is shown by default. The second
volume, when created, will automatically span the remainder of two hard
drives.
6. Then the following screen appears for you to confirm if you are sure to
create the RAID volume. Press <Y> to continue.
7. Then the following screen appears to indicate that the creation is finished.
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Intel ICH8R SATA RAID
Important
If your system currently boots to RAID and you delete the RAID volume in the
Intel RAID Option ROM, your system will become unbootable.
Select option 2 Delete RAID Volume from the main menu window and press
<Enter> key to select a RAID volume for deletion. Then press <Delete> key to
delete the selected RAID volume. The following screen appears.
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Important
1. You will lose all data on the RAID drives and any internal RAID structures
when you perform this operation.
2. Possible reasons to ‘Reset Disks to Non-RAID’ could include issues such
as incompatible RAID configurations or a failed volume or failed disk.
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Intel ICH8R SATA RAID
Installing Software
Important
Please follow the instruction below to make an “Intel IAA RAID Driver For
ICH8R (NH82801GR)” for yourself.
1. Insert the MSI CD into the CD-ROM drive.
2. Click the “Browse CD” on the Setup screen.
3. Copy all the contents in \\IDE\Intel\ICH8R\Floppy to a formatted floppy
diskette.
4. The driver diskette for Intel® ICH8R RAID Controller is done.
4. Choose the driver Intel(R) ICH8R SATA RAID Controller from the drop-
down list that appears on W indows XP Setup screen, and press the <Enter>
key.
5. Press <Enter> to continue with installation or if you need to specify any
additional devices to be installed, do so at this time. Once all devices are
specified, press <Enter> to continue with installation.
6. From the W indows XP/2000 Setup screen, press the <Enter> key. Setup will
now load all device files and then continue the Windows XP/2000 installation.
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Intel ICH8R SATA RAID
The InstallShield Wizard will begin automatically for installation showed as following:
Click on the Next button to proceed the installation in the welcoming window.
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The window shows the components to be installed. Click Next button to continue.
After reading the license agreement in the following window, click Yes button to
continue.
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Intel ICH8R SATA RAID
The following window appears to show the Readme File Information. It shows the
system requirements and installation information.
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Important
A Create from Existing Disk operation will delete all existing data from the
added disk and the data cannot be recovered. It is critical to backup all
important data on the added disk before proceeding. However, during the
migration process, the data on the source disk is preserved.
After the Intel Matrix Storage Console has been successfully installed and the sys-
tem has rebooted, click on the Intel Application Accelerator shortcut link (Start --> All
Programs --> Intel M atrix Storage Manager --> Intel Matrix Storage Console)
and the following window will appear:
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Intel ICH8R SATA RAID
The Create RAID Volume from Existing Hard Drive Wizard pops up to lead you
for the following procedure. Click Next to continue.
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† RAID Level:
Select the desired RAID level:
RAID 0 (Performance) – A volume optimized for performance will allow you to
access your data more quickly.
RAID 1 (Redundancy) – A volume optimized for data redundancy will provide
you with a realtime duplicate copy of your data. Note:
Only half of the available volume space will be avail-
able for data storage.
RAID 5 (Useful) – RAID 5 can be used on three or more disks, with zero
or more spare-disks. The resulting RAID-5 device size
will be (N-1)*S, where N is the how many drive, S is the
size of the smallest drive in the array. If one of the disks
fail, all data are still intact. It can rebuild the disk from
the parity information. If spare disks are available, re-
construction will begin immediately after the device
failure. If two disks fail simultaneously, all data are lost.
RAID-5 can survive one disk failure, but not two or
more. Both read and wri te perf ormanc e us ually
increase, but can be hard to predict how much. Reads
are similar to RAID-0 reads, writes can be either rather
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Intel ICH8R SATA RAID
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Intel ICH8R SATA RAID
(5) Start Creating RAID Volume from Existing Hard Drive Wizard
Before you continue the procedure of RAID volume creation from existing hard drive,
read the dialogue box below carefully. Please note that once you click Finish, the
existing data on the selected hard drive(s) will be deleted permanently and this
operation cannot be undone. It is critical that you backup all important data before
selecting Finish to start the migration process.
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Intel ICH8R SATA RAID
A RAID 1, RAID 5 or RAID 10 volume is reported as degraded when one of its hard
drive members fails or is temporarily disconnected, and data mirroring is lost. As a
result, the system can only utilize theremaining functional hard drive member. To re-
establish data mirroring and restore data redundancy, refer to the procedure below
that corresponds to the current situation.
4. Select the port of the destination disk for rebuilding, and then press ENTER.
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5. Exit Intel RAID Option ROM, and then reboot to W indows system.
6. W hen prompted to rebuild the RAID volume, click 'Yes'.
7. The Intel(R) Storage Utility will be launched. Right-click the new hard drive and
select 'Rebuild to this Disk'. The 'Rebuild W izard' will be launched which will
guide you through the process of rebuilding to the new hard drive.
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JMicron RAID
Appendix D
JMicron RAID Introduction
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Introduction
RAID - Redundant Array of Independent Disks
RAID technology manages multiple disk drives to enhance I/O performance and pro-
vide redundancy in order to withstand the failure of any individual member, without
loss of data. RAID provides two RAID Set types, Striping (RAID 0) and Mirroring (RAID
1).
RAID 0 (Striping)
Striping is a performance-oriented, non-redundant data mapping technique. W hile
Striping is discussed as a RAID Set type, it actually does not provide fault tolerance.
Striping arrays use multiple disks to form a larger virtual disk.
RAID 1 (Mirroring)
Disk mirroring creates an identical twin for a selected disk by having the data simul-
taneously written to two disks. This redundancy provides instantaneous protection
from a single disk failure. If a read failure occurs on one drive, the system reads the
data from the other drive.
JBOD (Concatenate)
JBOD provides a method for combining drives of different sizes into one large disk
Important
All the information/pictures illustrations in this chapter might differ from the
listed in your system.
D-2
JMicron RAID
M ain M enu
The Main Menu in the upper left corner is used to choose the operation to be
performed. The selections are:
Create RAID set - is used to create a new legacy RAID set.
Delete RAID set - is used to delete a legacy RAID set.
Revert HDD to non-RAID - is used to revert an existed-RAID HDD to non-RAID.
Solve Mirror Conflict - is used to solve the conflict in RAID 1.
Rebulid Mirror Drive - is used to rebuild any rebuildable mirror drive.
Save And Exit Setup - save all settings and exit the BIOS utility.
Exit W ithout Saving - exit the BIOS utiltiy without any saving.
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2. Then in the Name field, specify a RAID set name and then press the <Enter> to go
to the next field.
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JMicron RAID
4. In the Hard Disk Disk List menu, use <Space> key to select the disks you want
to create for the RAID set, then click <Enter> key to finish selection.
5. Then select the strip value for the RAID array by using the “upper arrow” or “down
arrow” keys to scroll through the available values, and pressing the <Enter> key to
select and advance to the next field. The available values range from 4KB to 128 KB.
The default and typical value for RAID 0 is 128KB. (This field only available for RAID
0 mode.)
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6. Then select the capacity of the RAID set in the Size field. The default value is the
maximum capacity of the selected disks. Then press <Enter> to the Confirm Creation
field.
7. The Creation field will display a message to ask you to confirm the creation. Then
press <Y> key to proceed with the RAID set creation.
8. Then the following screen appears to indicate that the creation is finished.
8. Go to the Save And Exit Setup field and press <Enter>, a message will display to
ask you to confirm the setup. Then press <Y> key to save the setting and exit the
BIOS utility.
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JMicron RAID
2. In the RAID Disk Driver List menu, use <Space> key to select the RAID set you
want to delete. Then press <Del> key.
3. Press “Y” to accept the deletion when a deletion message is appeared.
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Important
1. You will lose all data on the RAID drives and any internal RAID structures
when you perform this operation.
2. Possible reasons to ‘Revert HDD to non-RAID’ could include issues such as
incompatible RAID configurations or a failed volume or failed disk.
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JMicron RAID
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Important
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JMicron RAID
There is an application called JMicron Raid Configurer which helps you perform the
following tasks of nVDIA RAID.
• Viewing RAID Array Configurations
View an array configuration (mirrored, striped)
• Create RAID
• Create RAID From Existing Disk
• Deleting a RAID Array
Left-click the “Show Disks” button and the information of all hard disks will display
on the right side of the window.
Important
The information in the figures in this part may very from what it is shown in your
system.
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Deleting RAID
1. Right-click the name of the disk array you want to delete and the “Remove” menu
will appear.
2. A warning message appears to remind you that the data will be lost. Press the
“Yes” button if you really want to delete the disk array.
D-12
Realtek ALC883 Audio
Appendix E
Realtek ALC883 Audio
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You need to install the driver for Realtek ALC883 codec to function properly before
you can get access to 2-, 4-, 6-, 8- channel or 7.1+2 channel audio operations.
Follow the procedures described below to install the drivers for different operating
systems.
Click here
Important
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Realtek ALC883 Audio
Click here
S el ec t t hi s
option
Click here
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Software Configuration
After installing the audio driver, you are able to use the 2-, 4-, 6- or 8- channel audio
feature now. Click the audio icon from the system tray at the lower-right corner of
the screen to activate the HD Audio Configuration. It is also available to enable the
audio driver by clicking the Azalia HD Sound Effect M anager from the Control
Panel.
Double click
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Realtek ALC883 Audio
Sound Effect
Here you can select a sound effect you like from the Environment list.
Environment Simulation
You will be able to enjoy different sound experience by pulling down the arrow,
totally 23 kinds of sound effect will be shown for selection. Realtek HD Audio Sound
Manager also provides five popular settings “Stone Corridor”, “Bathroom”, “Sewer
pipe”, “Arena” and “Audio Corridor” for quick enjoyment.
You may choose the provided sound effects, and the equalizer will adjust automatically.
If you like, you may also load an equalizer setting or make an new equalizer setting to
save as an new one by using the “Load EQ Setting” and “Save Preset” button,
click “Reset EQ Setting” button to use the default value, or click “Delete EQ Set-
ting” button to remove a preset EQ setting.
There are also other pre-set equalizer models for you to choose by clicking “Others”
under the Equalizer part.
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Equalizer Selection
Equalizer frees users from default settings; users may create their owned preferred
settings by utilizing this tool.
Save Reset
The settings are saved 10 bands of equalizer
permanently for future would go back to the de-
use fault setting
Enable / Disable Lo ad
To disable, you can tem- W henever you would like to
porarily s top the sound use preload settings, simply
effect without losing the click this, the whole list will
settings be shown for your selection.
Delete
To delete the pre-saved settings which are created from previous steps.
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Realtek ALC883 Audio
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Mixer
In the Mixer part, you may adjust the volumes of the rear and front panels individually.
1. Adjust Volume
You can adjust the volume of the speakers that you pluged in front or rear panel.
Important
Before set up, please make sure the playback devices are well plugged in the
jacks on the rear or front panel.
2. Multi-Stream Function
ALC883 supports an outstanding feature called Multi-Stream, which means you may
play different audio sources simultaneously and let them output respectively from the
indicated real panel or front panel. This feature is very helpful when 2 people are
using the same computer together for different purposes.
Click the button and the Mixer ToolBox menu will appear. Then check the Enable
playback multi-streaming and click OK to save the setup.
Important
You have to plug the device into the jacks on the rear and front panel first
before enable the multi-stream function.
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Realtek ALC883 Audio
W hen you are playing the first audio source (for example: use W indows Media
Player to play DVD/VCD), the output will be played from the rear panel, which is the
default setting.
Then you must to select the Realtek HD Audio 2nd output from the scroll list
first, and use a different program to play the second audio source (for example: use
Winamp to play MP3 files). You will find that the second audio source (MP3 music) will
come out from the Line-Out audio jack of Front Panel.
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3. Playback control
Playback device
Tool Mute This function is to let you freely decide which ports to
output the sound. And this is essential when multi-
streaming playback enabled.
- Realtek HD Audio Output
- Realtek HD Audio 2nd Output
M u te
You may choose to mute single or multiple volume controls or to completely mute
sound output.
Tool
- Show the following volume controls
This is to let you freely decide which volume control items to be displayed.
- Advanced controls
- Enable playback multi-streaming
W ith this function, you will be able to have an audio chat with your friends via
headphone (stream 1 from front panel) while still have music (stream 2 from back
panel) in play. At any given period, you can have maximum 2 streams operating
simultaneously.
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Realtek ALC883 Audio
4. Recording control
Recording device
Tool Mute
-Realtek HD Digital input
-Realtek HD Audio input
M u te
You may choose to mute single or multiple volume controls or to completely mute
sound input.
Tool
- Show the following volume controls
This is to let you freely decide which volume control items to be displayed.
- Enable recording multi-streaming
Important
ALC883 allows you to record the CD, Line, Mic and Stereo Mix channels
simultaneously, frees you from mixing efforts. At any given period, you may
choose 1 of the following 4 channels to record.
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Audio I/O
In this tab, you can easily configure your multi-channel audio function and speakers.
You can choose a desired multi-channel operation here.
a. Headphone for the common headphone
b. 2CH Speaker for Stereo-Speaker Output
c. 4CH Speaker for 4-Speaker Output
d. 6CH Speaker for 5.1-Speaker Output
e. 8CH Speaker for 7.1-Speaker Output
Speaker Configuration:
2. Dialogue “connected device” will pop up for your selection. Please select the
device you have plugged in.
- If the device is being plugged into the correct jack, you will be able to find the icon
beside the jack changed to the one that is same as your device.
- If not correct, Realtek HD Audio Manager will guide you to plug the device into the
correct jack.
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Realtek ALC883 Audio
Connector Settings
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S/PDIF
Short for Sony/Philips Digital Interface, a standard audio file transfer format. S/PDIF
allows the transfer of digital audio signals from one device to another without having
to be converted first to an analog format. Maintaining the viability of a digital signal
prevents the quality of the signal from degrading when it is converted to analog.
Output Source
No S/PDIF out: There will no S/PDIF out.
Output digital audio source: The digital audio format (such as .wav, .mp3,.midi etc)
will come out through S/PDIF-Out.
S/PDIF-in to S/PDIF -out pass though mode: The data from S/PDIF-In can be real-
time played from S/PDIF-Out.
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Realtek ALC883 Audio
Test Speakers
You can select the speaker by clicking it to test its functionality. The one you select
will light up and make testing sound. If any speaker fails to make sound, then check
whether the cable is inserted firmly to the connector or replace the bad speakers
with good ones. Or you may click the auto test button to test the sounds of
each speaker automatically.
Center
Side Right
Subwoof er
Side Left
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Microphone
In this tab you may set the function of the microphone. Select the Noise Suppres-
sion to remove the possible noise during recording, or select Acoustic Echo
Cancelltion to cancel the acoustic echo druing recording.
Acoustic Echo Cancelltion prevents playback sound from being recorded by mi-
crophone together with your sound. For example, you might have chance to use
VOIP function through Internet with your friends. The voice of your friend will come
out from speakers (playback). However, the voice of your friend might also be
recorded into your microphone then go back to your friend through Internet. In that
case, your friend will hear his /her own voic e again. W ith AEC(Ac oustic Echo
Cancellation) enabled at your side, your friend can enjoy the benefit with less echo.
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Realtek ALC883 Audio
3D Audio Demo
In this tab you may adjust your 3D positional audio before playing 3D audio applica-
tions like gaming. You may also select different environment to choose the most
suitable environment you like.
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Information
In this tab it provides some information about this HD Audio Configuration utility,
including Audio Driver Version, DirectX Version, Audio Controller & Audio Codec. You
may also select the language of this utility by choosing from the Language list.
Also there is a selection Show icon in system tray. Switch it on and an icon
will show in the system tray. Right-click on the icon and the Audio Accessories
dialogue box will appear which provides several multimedia features for you to take
advantage of.
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Realtek ALC883 Audio
Hardware Setup
Back Panel
1 4
7 3
6
1 Line In
2 Line Out (Front channels)
3 MIC
4 Line Out (Rear channels, but no functioning in this mode)
5 Line Out (Center and Subwoofer channel, but no functioning in this mode)
6 S/PDIF Out-Optical
7 S/PDIF Out-Coaxial
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Back Panel
4
1
2
5
3
7 6
Description:
Connect two speakers to back
panel’s Line Out connector and
two speakers to the real-chan-
nel Line Out connector.
1 Line In
2 Line Out (Front channels)
3 MIC
4 Line Out (Rear channels)
5 Line Out (Center and Subwoofer channel, but no functioning in this mode)
6 S/PDIF Out-Optical
7 S/PDIF Out-Coaxial
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Realtek ALC883 Audio
Back Panel
4
1
2 5
7
3
6
Description:
Connect two speakers to back
panel’s Line Out connector, two
speakers to the rear-channel
Line out connec tor and two
s peaker s t o t he c ent er /
6-Channel Analog Audio Output subwoofer-channel Line Out
connector.
1 Line In
2 Line Out (Front channels)
3 MIC
4 Line Out (Rear channels)
5 Line Out (Center and Subwoofer channel)
6 S/PDIF Out-Optical
7 S/PDIF Out-Coaxial
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1 4
2 5
3 6
Description:
Connect two speakers to back
panel’s Line Out connector, two
speakers to the rear-channel
Line out connector, two speak-
ers to the center/subwoofer-
8-Channel Analog Audio Output channel Line Out connector and
two speakers to the side-chan-
nel Line Out connector.
1 Side Surround Out (Side channels)
2 Line Out (Front channels)
3 MIC
4 Line Out (Rear channels)
5 Line Out (Center and Subwoofer channel)
6 S/PDIF Out-Optical
7 S/PDIF Out-Coaxial
E-22