Supermicro X7DAL-E User Manual

Supermicro x7dal-e motherboards: user guide
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UPER
X7DAL-E
USER'S MANUAL
Revision 1.1a

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Summary of Contents for Supermicro X7DAL-E

  • Page 1 UPER X7DAL-E USER’S MANUAL Revision 1.1a...
  • Page 2 Clara County in the State of California, USA. The State of California, County of Santa Clara shall be the exclusive venue for the resolution of any such disputes. Supermicro's total liability for all claims will not exceed the price paid for the hardware product.
  • Page 3: Preface

    The X7DAL-E is ideal for high performance dual processor (DP) workstation environments. Please refer to the motherboard specifi cations pages on our web site (http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/) for updates on supported...
  • Page 4: Table Of Contents

    Conventions Used in the Manual ... iii Chapter 1: Introduction Overview ... 1-1 Checklist ... 1-1 Contacting Supermicro ... 1-2 X7DAL-E Image ... 1-3 X7DAL-E Layout ... 1-4 Quick Reference ... 1-5 Motherboard Features ... 1-6 Intel 5000X Chipset: System Block Diagram ... 1-8 Chipset Overview ...
  • Page 5 Reset Button ... 2-13 Power Button ... 2-13 2-5 Connecting Cables ... 2-14 ATX Power Connector ... 2-14 Processor Power Connector ... 2-14 Universal Serial Bus (USB) ... 2-15 Chassis Intrusion ... 2-15 Fan Headers ... 2-16 Power Force-On ... 2-16 ATX PS/2 Keyboard and Mouse Ports ...
  • Page 6 X7DAL-E User's Manual Floppy Connector ... 2-32 PCI-U Universal Slot ... 2-32 IDE Connectors ... 2-33 Chapter 3: Troubleshooting Troubleshooting Procedures ... 3-1 Before Power On ... 3-1 No Power ... 3-1 No Video ... 3-1 Losing the System’s Setup Confi guration ... 3-1 Memory Errors ...
  • Page 7: Chapter 1: Introduction

    Checklist Congratulations on purchasing your computer motherboard from an acknowledged leader in the industry. Supermicro boards are designed with the utmost attention to detail to provide you with the highest standards in quality and performance. Check that the following items have all been included with your motherboard. If anything listed here is damaged or missing, contact your retailer.
  • Page 8: Contacting Supermicro

    X7DAL-E User's Manual Contacting Supermicro Headquarters Address: SuperMicro Computer, Inc. 980 Rock Ave. San Jose, CA 95131 U.S.A. Tel: +1 (408) 503-8000 Fax: +1 (408) 503-8008 Email: marketing@supermicro.com (General Information) support@supermicro.com (Technical Support) Web Site: www.supermicro.com Europe Address: SuperMicro Computer B.V.
  • Page 9: X7Dal-E Image

    Chapter 1: Introduction X7DAL-E Image Note: The drawings and pictures shown in this manual were based on the latest PCB Revision available at the time of publishing of the manual. The motherboard you’ve received may or may not look exactly the same as the...
  • Page 10: X7Dal-E Layout

    X7DAL-E User's Manual X7DAL-E Motherboard Layout (not drawn to scale) JPW2 JPW3 JKM1 JPWF Force-On Alarm Reset JUSB3 J9B1 J8B2 J8B1 JCOM1 J7B3 J7B2 JCOM3 J7B1 LAN1/LAN2 JLAN1 Line-in/ Line-out Fan5 Fan6 Notes: 1. Jumpers not indicated are for test purposes only.
  • Page 11: Quick Reference

    Quick Reference (X7DAL-E) Jumper Description JBT1 CMOS Clear JI 2 C1/JI 2 C2 SMB to PCI Slot#1/Slot#2 Speed JPAC Audio Enable PWR Force-On JPL1/ JPL2 GLAN1/GLAN2 Enable JPWF (JP3) PWR Supply Failure Detect JWD (J19) Watch Dog Connector Description ATX PWR (JPW1)
  • Page 12: Motherboard Features

    • Two PCI-E slots (one x16: Slot#6, one x16 slot with x4 signal: Slot#4) • Two 64-bit PCI-X 133 MHz slots (Slot#2/Slot#3) • Two 32-bit PCI 33 MHz slots (Slot#1/Slot#5) • One PCI-U Slot: PCI-E x8 slot (Slot#0) (*For Supermicro's add-on expansion card. This slot also supports PCI-E cards from other manufacturers.) BIOS •...
  • Page 13 Chapter 1: Introduction ACPI Features • Slow blinking LED for suspend state indicator • Main switch override mechanism • ACPI Power Management (S1, S3, S4, S5) • Power-on mode for power recovery Onboard I/O • Six SATA ports (supporting RAID 0,1, 10 and 5) •...
  • Page 14 X7DAL-E User's Manual PROCESSOR#2 ISL6306 1067/1333 MT/S PCI-EX8 PORT #4,5 PCI-EX8 PORT #6,7 PORT PCI-EXP X4 PORT PCI-EX8 PORT #1,2 PCIX133 PORT PCI 33 RJ45 GB LAN GILGAL RJ45 Printer Block Diagram of the 5000X Chipset Note: This is a general block diagram. Please see the previous Motherboard Features pages for details on the features of each motherboard.
  • Page 15: Chipset Overview

    Chapter 1: Introduction Chipset Overview Built upon the functionality and the capability of the 5000X chipset, the X7DAL-E motherboard provides the performance and feature set required for dual proces- sor-based workstations with confi guration options optimized for communications, presentation, storage, computation or database applications. The 5000X chipset supports a single or two Xeon 64-bit dual core/quad core processor(s) with front side bus speeds of up to 1333 MHz.
  • Page 16: Special Features

    The default setting is Last State. PC Health Monitoring This section describes the PC health monitoring features of the X7DAL-E. All have an onboard System Hardware Monitor chip that supports PC health monitoring. Onboard Voltage Monitors for the CPU Cores, Chipset Voltage, +1.8V, +3.3V, +5V, +12V, -12V, +3.3V Standby, +5V Standby and...
  • Page 17: Acpi Features

    System Resource Alert This feature is available when used with Supero Doctor III in the Windows OS en- vironment or used with Supero Doctor II in Linux. Supero Doctor is used to notify the user of certain system events. For example, you can also confi gure Supero Doctor to provide you with warnings when the system temperature, CPU tempera- tures, voltages and fan speeds go beyond a pre-defi...
  • Page 18: Power Supply

    It is even more important for processors that have high CPU clock rates. The X7DAL-E can only accommodate 24-pin ATX power supply. Although most power supplies generally meet the specifi cations required by the motherboard, some are inadequate. You should use one that will supply at least 400W of power. In addition, the 12V 8-pin and 4-pin power connectos are also required for adequate power supply to the system.
  • Page 19 Chapter 1: Introduction tor, drive interface control logic and interrupt and DMA logic. The wide range of functions integrated onto the Super I/O greatly reduces the number of components required for interfacing with fl oppy disk drives. The Super I/O supports 360 K, 720 K, 1.2 M, 1.44 M or 2.88 M disk drives and data transfer rates of 250 Kb/s, 500 Kb/s or 1 Mb/s.It also provides two high-speed, 16550 compatible serial communication ports (UARTs).
  • Page 20 X7DAL-E User's Manual Notes 1-14...
  • Page 21: Chapter 2: Installation

    Static-Sensitive Devices Electro-Static-Discharge (ESD) can damage electronic com ponents. To prevent damage to your system board, it is important to handle it very carefully. The following measures are generally suffi cient to protect your equipment from ESD. Precautions • Use a grounded wrist strap designed to prevent static discharge. •...
  • Page 22: Processor And Heatsink Fan Installation

    X7DAL-E User's Manual Processor and Heatsink Fan Installation When handling the processor package, avoid placing direct pressure on the label area of the fan. *Notes: 1. Always connect the power cord last and always remove it before adding, removing or changing any hardware components. Make sure that you install the processor into the CPU socket before you install the CPU heatsink.
  • Page 23 3. Use your thumb and your index fi nger to hold the CPU at the North Center Edge and the South Center Edge of the CPU. 4. Align CPU Pin1 (the CPU corner marked with a triangle) against the socket corner that is marked with a triangle cutout.
  • Page 24 X7DAL-E User's Manual Installation of the Heatsink CEK Heatsink Installation 1. Do not apply any thermal grease to the heatsink or the CPU die; the required amount has already been applied. 2. Place the heatsink on top of the CPU so that the four mounting holes are aligned with those on the retention mechanism.
  • Page 25 Mounting the Motherboard in the Chassis All motherboards have standard mounting holes to fi t different types of chas- sis. Make sure that the locations of all the mounting holes for both motherboard and chassis match. Make sure that the metal standoffs click in or are screwed in tightly.
  • Page 26: Installing Dimms

    Repeat for all modules (see step 1 above). Memory Support The X7DAL-E supports up to 24 GB fully buffered (FBD) ECC DDR2 667/533 in 6 DIMMs. Populating DIMM modules with pairs of memory modules of the same size and same type will result in Interleaved Memory which will increase memory performance.
  • Page 27 Possible System Memory Allocation & Availability System Device Size Physical Memory Remaining (-Available) (3 GB Total System Memory) Firmware Hub 1 MB 3.00 fl ash memory (System BIOS) Local APIC 4 KB 3.00 Area Reserved 2 MB 3.00 for the chipset I/O APIC (4 4 KB 3.00...
  • Page 28: Control Panel Connectors And Io Ports

    X7DAL-E User's Manual Control Panel Connectors/IO Ports The I/O ports are color coded in conformance with the PC 99 specifi cation. See the graphics below below for the colors and locations of the various I/O ports. A. Back Panel Connectors/IO Ports Back Panel I/O Port Locations and Defi...
  • Page 29: Front Control Panel

    JF1 contains header pins for various buttons and indicators that are normally located on a control panel at the front of the chassis. These connectors are designed specifi cally for use with Supermicro workstation chassis. See the graphics below for the descriptions of the various control panel buttons and LED indicators. Refer to the following section for descriptions and pin defi...
  • Page 30: Front Control Panel Pin Defi Nitions

    X7DAL-E User's Manual C. Front Control Panel Pin Defi nitions NMI Button The non-maskable interrupt button header is located on pins 19 and 20 of JF1. Refer to the table on the right for pin defi nitions. Power LED The Power LED connection is located on pins 15 and 16 of JF1.
  • Page 31: Hdd Led

    HDD LED The HDD LED connection is located on pins 13 and 14 of JF1. Attach the hard drive LED cable here to display disk activity (for any hard drives on the system, including SAS, Serial ATA and IDE). See the table on the right for pin defi...
  • Page 32: Overheat/Fan Fail Led

    X7DAL-E User's Manual Overheat/Fan Fail LED (OH) Connect an LED to the OH/Fan Fail connection on pins 7 and 8 of JF1 to provide advanced warning of chassis overheating or fan failure. Refer to the table on the right for pin defi nitions.
  • Page 33: Reset Button

    Reset Button The Reset Button connection is located on pins 3 and 4 of JF1. Attach it to the hardware reset switch on the computer case. Refer to the table on the right for pin defi nitions. Power Button The Power Button connection is located on pins 1 and 2 of JF1.
  • Page 34: Connecting Cables

    X7DAL-E User's Manual Connecting Cables ATX Power Connector There are a 24-pin main power supply connector(JPW1) and an 8-pin CPU PWR connector (JPW3) on the moth- erboard. These power connectors meet the SSI EPS 12V specifi cation. The 4-pin 12V PWR supply at JPW2 is required to provide adequate power to the PEI-Express slots.
  • Page 35: Universal Serial Bus (Usb)

    Universal Serial Bus (USB) There are eight USB 2.0 (Universal Serial Bus) ports/headers on the motherboard. Four of them are Back Panel USB ports (USB#0/#1/#2/#3: JUSB3), and the other four are Front Panel USB headers (USB#4/#5: JUSB1, USB#6/#7: JUSB2). See the tables on the right for pin defi...
  • Page 36: Fan Headers

    X7DAL-E User's Manual Fan Headers The X7DAL-E has six chassis/system fan headers (Fan1 to Fan6). (Note: all these fans are 4-pin fans. However, Pins 1-3 of the fan headers are backward compatible with the tra- ditional 3-pin fans.) See the table on the right for pin defi...
  • Page 37: Atx Ps/2 Keyboard And Mouse Ports

    ATX PS/2 Keyboard and PS/2 Mouse Ports The ATX PS/2 keyboard and the PS/2 mouse are located at JKM1. See the table on the right for pin defi nitions. (The mouse port is above the key- board port. See the table on the right for pin defi...
  • Page 38: Wake-On-Ring

    X7DAL-E User's Manual Wake-On-Ring The Wake-On-Ring header is des- ignated JWOR. This function allows your computer to receive and be awakened by an incoming call to the modem when in suspend state. See the table on the right for pin defi nitions.
  • Page 39 GLAN 1/2 (Giga-bit Ethernet Ports) Two G-bit Ethernet ports are desig- nated JLAN1 and JLAN2 on the I/O backplane. This port accepts RJ45 type cables. Power LED/Speaker On the JD1 header, pins 1-3 are for a power LED and pins 4-7 are for the speaker.
  • Page 40: Alarm Reset

    X7DAL-E User's Manual Alarm Reset If three power supplies are installed and Alarm Reset (JP5) is enabled, the system will notify you when any of the three power modules fail. Connect JP5 to a micro-switch to enable you to turn off the alarm that is activated when a power module fails.See the...
  • Page 41: Power Smb Connector

    Power SMB (I C) Connector Power SMB (I C) Connector (JPI C) monitors the status of the power supply, Fan and system temperature. See the table on the right for pin defi nitions. SGPIO Headers Two SGPIO (Serial General Purpose Input/Output) headers are located on the motherboard.
  • Page 42: Ac'97 Audio

    X7DAL-E User's Manual AC'97 Audio AC'97 provides high quality onboard audio. This motherboard features a 6-channel sound for front L&R, rear L&R, center and subwoofer speakers. This feature is activated with the Advanced software (in the CD-ROM included with your motherboard shipment.) Sound is then output through the Line In, Line Out and MIC jacks (see at right).
  • Page 43: Front Panel Audio Control

    Front Panel Audio Control When front panel headphones are plugged in, the back panel audio output is disabled. This is done through the FP Audio header (J8). If the front panel interface card is not connected to the front panel audio header, jumpers should be installed on pin pairs: 1-2, 5-6, and 9-10 of the header (J8).
  • Page 44: Jumper Settings

    X7DAL-E User's Manual Jumper Settings Explanation of Jumpers To modify the operation of the motherboard, jumpers can be used to choose between optional settings. Jumpers create shorts between two pins to change the function of the connector. Pin 1 is identifi ed with a square solder pad on the printed circuit board.
  • Page 45: Cmos Clear

    CMOS Clear JBT1 is used to clear CMOS. Instead of pins, this "jumper" consists of contact pads to prevent the accidental clearing of CMOS. To clear CMOS, use a metal object such as a small screwdriver to touch both pads at the same time to short the connection.
  • Page 46: Audio Enable/Disable

    X7DAL-E User's Manual Audio Enable/Disable JPAC enables or disables Audio Controller on the motherboard. See the table on the right for jumper settings. The default set- ting is enabled. C Bus to PCI Slots Jumpers JI C1/JI C2 allow you to connect...
  • Page 47: Power Force-On

    If you only have one or two power supply units installed, you should disable this (the default setting) with JPWF to prevent false alarms. Note: This feature is only available when using Supermicro redundant power supplies. JPWF Force-On Alarm Reset...
  • Page 48: Onboard Indicators

    X7DAL-E User's Manual Onboard Indicators GLAN LEDs There are two GLAN ports on the moth- erboard. Each Gigabit Ethernet LAN port has two LEDs. The green LED indicates activity. The power LED may be green, orange or off to indicate the speed of the connection.
  • Page 49: Cpu Vrm Overheat Led

    CPU VRM Overheat LED Indicators (LE2/LE3) There are two CPU VRM Overheat LEDs (LE2, LE3) on the motherboard. LE2 is for CPU1VRM and LE3 is for CPU2 VRM. When the temperature of CPU VRM is normal, the CPU VRM Overheat LED is green.
  • Page 50: Status Led

    X7DAL-E User's Manual Status LED (D31) There is a Status LED Indicator (D31) located on the motherboard. This LED displays different colors to show the sta- tus of the system. When this amber LED is on, the power cable is still connected.
  • Page 51 Parallel, Floppy Drive, PCI-U Universal and Hard Disk Drive Connections Note the following when connecting the fl oppy and hard disk drive cables: • The fl oppy disk drive cable has seven twisted wires. • A red mark on a wire typically designates the location of pin 1. Parallel (Printer) Header The parallel (printer) header is located at J21.
  • Page 52: Floppy Connector

    X7DAL-E User's Manual Floppy Connector The fl oppy connector is located at J22. See the table below for pin defi nitions. PCI-U Universal Slot There is a PCI-E x8 Slot, designed for Supermicro's storage controller. However, it can also support other compatible PCI-E controllers.
  • Page 53: Ide Connectors

    IDE Connector There is one IDE Connector on the motherboard. The IDE Connector is located at JIDE1. See the table on the right for pin defi nitions. JPWF Alarm Force-On Reset LAN1/LAN2 Line-in/ Line-out Fan5 Fan6 Chapter 2: Installation IDE Drive Connectors Pin Defi...
  • Page 54 X7DAL-E User's Manual Notes 2-34...
  • Page 55: Chapter 3: Troubleshooting

    Troubleshooting Troubleshooting Procedures Use the following procedures to troubleshoot your system. If you have followed all of the procedures below and still need assistance, refer to the ‘Technical Support Procedures’ and/or ‘Returning Merchandise for Service’ section(s) in this chapter. Note: Always disconnect the power cord before adding, changing or installing any hardware components.
  • Page 56: Losing The System's Setup Confi Guration

    1. Please go through the ‘Troubleshooting Procedures’ and 'Frequently Asked Ques- tion' (FAQ) sections in this chapter or see the FAQs on our web site www.supermicro.com/support/faqs/) before contacting Technical Support. 2. BIOS upgrades can be downloaded from our web site at...
  • Page 57: Frequently Asked Questions

    Question: What are the various types of memory that my motherboard can support? Answer: The X7DAL-E has six 240-pin DIMM slots that support DDR2 FBD ECC 667/533 SDRAM modules. It is strongly recommended that you do not mix memory modules of different speeds and sizes. (See Chapter 2 for detailed Information.)
  • Page 58: Returning Merchandise For Service

    X7DAL-E User's Manual Question: What's on the CD that came with my motherboard? Answer: The supplied compact disc has quite a few drivers and programs that will greatly enhance your system. We recommend that you review the CD and install the applications you need.
  • Page 59: Chapter 4: Bios

    4-1 Introduction This chapter describes the Phoenix BIOS™ Setup utility for the X7DAL-E. The Phoenix ROM BIOS is stored in a fl ash chip and can be easily upgraded using a fl oppy disk-based program. Note: Due to periodic changes to the BIOS, some settings may have been added or deleted and might not yet be recorded in this manual.
  • Page 60: Running Setup

    X7DAL-E User's Manual Running Setup *Default settings are in bold text unless otherwise noted. The BIOS setup options described in this section are selected by choosing the ap- propriate text from the main BIOS Setup screen. All displayed text is described in this section, although the screen display is often all you need to understand how to set the options (see the next page).
  • Page 61: Main Bios Setup Menu

    Chapter 4: BIOS Main BIOS Setup Menu Main Setup Features System Time To set the system date and time, key in the correct information in the appropriate fi elds. Then press the <Enter> key to save the data. System Date Using the arrow keys, highlight the month, day and year fi...
  • Page 62 X7DAL-E User's Manual IDE Channel 0 Master/Slave, SATA Port0, SATA Port1, SATA Port2 and SATA Port3 These settings allow the user to set the parameters of IDE Channel 0 Master/ Slave, SATA Port0, SATA Port1, SATA Port2, and SATA Port3 slots. Hit <Enter>...
  • Page 63 Chapter 4: BIOS CHS Format The following items will be displayed by the BIOS: TYPE: This item displays the type of IDE or SATA Device. Cylinders: This item indicates the status of Cylinders. Headers: This item indicates the number of headers. Sectors: This item displays the number of sectors.
  • Page 64 X7DAL-E User's Manual Parallel ATA This setting allows the user to enable or disable the function of Parallel ATA. The options are Disabled and Enabled. Serial ATA This setting allows the user to enable or disable the function of Serial ATA. The options are Disabled and Enabled.
  • Page 65: Advanced Setup

    Chapter 4: BIOS System Memory This display informs you how much system memory is recognized as being present in the system. Extended Memory This display informs you how much extended memory is recognized as being present in the system. Advanced Setup Choose Advanced from the Phoenix BIOS Setup Utility main menu with the arrow keys.
  • Page 66 X7DAL-E User's Manual Boot Features Access the submenu to make changes to the following settings. QuickBoot Mode If enabled, this feature will speed up the POST (Power On Self Test) routine by skipping certain tests after the computer is turned on. The settings are Enabled and Disabled.
  • Page 67 Chapter 4: BIOS Memory Cache Cache System BIOS Area This setting allows you to designate a reserve area in the system memory to be used as a System BIOS buffer to allow the BIOS to write (cache) data into this reserved memory area.
  • Page 68 X7DAL-E User's Manual to be cached into the buffer and written into the system memory at the same time. Select "Write Protect" to prevent data from being written into the extended memory area above 1 MB. Select "Write Back" to allow the CPU to write data back directly from the buffer without writing data to the System Memory for fast CPU data processing and operation.
  • Page 69 Slot1 PCI 33MHz, Slot2 PCI-X 133MHz, Slot3 PCI-X 133MHz, Slot4 PCI-Exp x4, Slot5 PCI 33MHz, Slot6 PCI-Exp x16 Access the submenu for each of the settings above to make changes to the following: Option ROM Scan When enabled, this setting will initialize the device expansion ROM. The options are Enabled and Disabled.
  • Page 70 X7DAL-E User's Manual Memory Branch Mode This option determines how the memory branch operates. System address space can either be interleaved between two channels or Sequential from one channel to another. Single Channel 0 allows a single DIMM population during system manufacturing.
  • Page 71 Chapter 4: BIOS Advanced Processor Options Access the submenu to make changes to the following settings. CPU Speed This is a display that indicates the speed of the installed processor. Frequency Ratio (*Available when supported by the CPU.) The feature allows the user to set the internal frequency multiplier for the CPU. The options are: Default, x12, x13, x14, x15, x16, x17 and x18.
  • Page 72 X7DAL-E User's Manual Adjacent Cache Line Prefetch (*Available when supported by the CPU.) The CPU fetches the cache line for 64 bytes if this option is set to Disabled. The CPU fetches both cache lines for 128 bytes as comprised if Enabled. The options are Disabled and Enabled.
  • Page 73 Chapter 4: BIOS Interrupt This setting allows you to select the IRQ (interrupt request) for serial port A. The options are IRQ3 and IRQ4. Serial Port B This setting allows you to assign control of serial port B. The options are Enabled (user defi...
  • Page 74 X7DAL-E User's Manual DMI Event Logging Access the submenu to make changes to the following settings. Event Log Validity This is a display to inform you of the event log validity. It is not a setting. Event Log Capacity This is a display to inform you of the event log capacity. It is not a setting.
  • Page 75 Chapter 4: BIOS Console Redirection Access the submenu to make changes to the following settings. COM Port Address This item allows you to specify which COM port to direct the remote console to: Onboard COM A or Onboard COM B. This setting can also be Disabled. BAUD Rate This item allows you to set the BAUD rate for console redirection.
  • Page 76 X7DAL-E User's Manual Hardware Monitor Logic *Note: The Phoenix BIOS will automatically detect the type of CPU(s) and hardware monitoring chip used on the motherboard and will display the Hardware Monitoring Screen accordingly. Your Hardware Monitoring Screen may look like the one shown on this page, on P.
  • Page 77 Chapter 4: BIOS Hardware Monitor Logic (*See the Note on Page 4-18.) CPU Temperature Threshold This option allows the user to set a CPU temperature threshold that will activate the alarm system when the CPU temperature reaches this pre-set temperature threshold.
  • Page 78 X7DAL-E User's Manual Hardware Monitor Logic CPU Temperature Threshold (*See the Note on Page 4-18.) This option allows the user to set a CPU temperature threshold that will activate the alarm system when the CPU temperature reaches this pre-set temperature threshold.
  • Page 79 Chapter 4: BIOS Security Choose Security from the Phoenix BIOS Setup Utility main menu with the arrow keys. You should see the following display. Security setting options are displayed by highlighting the setting using the arrow keys and pressing <Enter>. All Security BIOS settings are described in this section.
  • Page 80 X7DAL-E User's Manual Password on Boot This setting allows you to decide if a password is required for a user to enter the CMOS when the system boots up. The options are Enabled (password required) and Disabled (password not required).
  • Page 81: Exit

    Chapter 4: BIOS Exit Choose Exit from the Phoenix BIOS Setup Utility main menu with the arrow keys. You should see the following display. All Exit BIOS settings are described in this section. Exit Saving Changes Highlight this item and hit <Enter> to save any changes you made and to exit the BIOS Setup utility.
  • Page 82 X7DAL-E User's Manual Notes 4-24...
  • Page 83: Appendix Abios Post Messages

    Appendix A: BIOS POST Messages Appendix A BIOS POST Messages During the Power-On Self-Test (POST), the BIOS will check for problems. If a prob- lem is found, the BIOS will activate an alarm or display a message. The following is a list of such BIOS messages.
  • Page 84 X7DAL-E User's Manual System CMOS checksum bad - Default confi guration used System CMOS has been corrupted or modifi ed incorrectly, perhaps by an application program that changes data stored in CMOS. The BIOS installed Default Setup Values. If you do not want these values, enter Setup and enter your own values.
  • Page 85 Appendix A: BIOS POST Messages System cache error - Cache disabled RAM cache failed and BIOS disabled the cache. On older boards, check the cache jumpers. You may have to replace the cache. See your dealer. A disabled cache slows system performance considerably.
  • Page 86 X7DAL-E User's Manual Fixed Disk n Fixed disk n (0-3) identifi ed. Invalid System Confi guration Data Problem with NVRAM (CMOS) data. I/O device IRQ confl ict I/O device IRQ confl ict error. PS/2 Mouse Boot Summary Screen: PS/2 Mouse installed.
  • Page 87 Appendix A: BIOS POST Messages Parity Check 2 nnnn Parity error found in the I/O bus. BIOS attempts to locate the address and display it on the screen. If it cannot locate the address, it displays ????. Press <F1> to resume, <F2> to Setup, <F3> for previous Displayed after any recoverable error message.
  • Page 88 X7DAL-E User's Manual Notes...
  • Page 89: Appendix Bbios Post Codes

    Appendix B BIOS POST Codes This section lists the POST (Power On Self Test) codes for the PhoenixBIOS. POST codes are divided into two categories: recoverable and terminal. Recoverable POST Errors When a recoverable type of error occurs during POST, the BIOS will display an POST code that describes the problem.
  • Page 90 X7DAL-E User's Manual POST Code Description 8254 timer initialization 8237 DMA controller initialization Reset Programmable Interrupt Controller 1-3-1-1 Test DRAM refresh 1-3-1-3 Test 8742 Keyboard Controller Set ES segment register to 4 GB Auto size DRAM Initialize POST Memory Manager...
  • Page 91 POST Code Description Test RAM between 512 and 640 kB Test extended memory Test extended memory address lines Jump to UserPatch1 Confi gure advanced cache registers Initialize Multi Processor APIC Enable external and CPU caches Setup System Management Mode (SMM) area Display external L2 cache size Load custom defaults (optional) Display shadow-area message...
  • Page 92 X7DAL-E User's Manual POST Code Description Check for SMART Drive (optional) Set up Power Management Initialize security engine (optional) Enable hardware interrupts Determine number of ATA and SCSI drives Set time of day Check key lock Initialize typematic rate Erase <ESC> prompt Scan for <ESC>...
  • Page 93 POST Code Description Unknown interrupt Check Intel Branding string Alert Standard Format initialization Late init for IPMI Log error if micro-code not updated properly The following are for boot block in Flash ROM POST Code Description Initialize the chipset Initialize the bridge Initialize the CPU Initialize system timer Initialize system I/O...
  • Page 94 X7DAL-E User's Manual Notes...
  • Page 95: Appendix C: Intel Hostraid Setup Guidelines

    RAID Utility program to confi gure the RAID Level that you desire before installing the Windows XP/2000/2003 operating system and other software drivers. (The necessary drivers are all included on the Supermicro CD that came packaged with your motherboard.) Note that the current version of the ESB2 SATA RAID Utility can only support Windows XP/2000/2003 Operating Systems.
  • Page 96 X7DAL-E User's Manual The Intel HostRAID Confi gurations The following types of Intel's HostRAID confi gurations are supported: RAID 0 (Data Striping): this writes data in parallel, interleaved ("striped") sections of two hard drives. Data transfer rate is doubled over using a single disk.
  • Page 97 (*Note: All graphics and screen shots shown in the manual are for reference only. The screen shots shown in the manual do not imply Supermicro's endorsement or non-en- dorsement on any 3rd party's product. Your screens may or many not look exactly the same as the graphics shown in this manual.)
  • Page 98 X7DAL-E User's Manual Creating a RAID 0 Volume: a. Select "Create RAID Volume" from the main menu and press the <Enter> key. The following screen will appear: b. Specify a name for the RAID 0 set and press the <Tab> key or the <Enter> key to go to the next fi...
  • Page 99 Appendix C: Intel HostRAID Setup Guidelines Creating a RAID 1 Volume: a. Select "Create RAID Volume" from the main menu and press the <Enter> key. The following screen will appear: b. Specify a name for the RAID 1 set and press the <Tab> key or the <Enter> key to go to the next fi...
  • Page 100 X7DAL-E User's Manual Creating a RAID 10 (RAID 1+ RAID 0): a. Select "Create RAID Volume" from the main menu and press the <Enter> key. The following screen will appear: b. Specify a name for the RAID 10 set and press <Enter>.
  • Page 101 Appendix C: Intel HostRAID Setup Guidelines Creating a RAID 5 Set (Parity): a. Select "Create RAID Volume" from the main menu and press the <Enter> key. The following screen will appear: b. Specify a name for the RAID 5 set and press <Enter>. c.
  • Page 102 X7DAL-E User's Manual Deleting RAID Volume: (Warning: Be sure to back up your data before deleting a RAID set. You will lose all data on the disk drives when deleting a RAID set.) a. From the main menu, select item2-Delete RAID Volume, and press <Enter>.
  • Page 103 Resetting to Non-RAID and Resetting a RAID HDD (Warning: Be cautious when you reset a RAID volume HDD to non- RAID or Resetting a RAID HDD. Resetting a RAID volume HDD or Resetting a RAID HDD will reformat the HDD and delete the internal RAID structure on the drive.) a.
  • Page 104 X7DAL-E User's Manual C-2 Installing the Windows XP/2000/2003 OS for systems with RAID Functions Installing a New Operating System-Windows XP/2000/2003 OS a. Insert Microsoft's Windows XP/2000/2003 Setup CD in the CD Driver, and the system will start booting up from CD.
  • Page 105: Appendix D: Adaptec Hostraid Setup Guidelines

    After all the hardware has been installed, you must fi rst confi gure the Adaptec Embedded Serial ATA RAID before you install the Windows operating system. The necessary drivers are all included on the Supermicro bootable CDs that came packaged with your motherboard. *Note: The following section provides information on the Adaptec SATA RAID Driver based on the Intel Enterprise South Bridge 2 (ESB2) Controller.
  • Page 106 X7DAL-E User's Manual To confi gure the Adaptec SATA RAID for Operating Systems that sup- port RAID functions(--Windows, Red Hat & SuSe, Linux) 1. Press the <Del> key during system bootup to enter the BIOS Setup Utility. Note: If it is the fi rst time powering on the system, we recommend you load the Optimized Default Settings.
  • Page 107 (RAID 10) provides multiple RAID 1 mirrors and a RAID 0 stripe, maximizing data security and system effi ciency. By incorporating the Adaptec Embedded Serial ATA into the motherboard design, Supermicro's X7DAL-Eoffers the user the benefi ts of SATARAID without the high costs associated with hardware RAID applications.
  • Page 108 X7DAL-E User's Manual Managing Arrays Select this option to view array properties, and confi gure array settings. To select this option, using the arrow keys and the <enter> key, select "Managing Arrays" from the main menu as shown above.
  • Page 109 Appendix D: Adaptec HostRAID Setup Guidelines Confi guring Disk Drives You may need to confi gure a disk drive before you can use it. Caution: Confi guring a disk may overwrite the partition table on the disk and may make any data on the disk inaccessible. If the drive is used in an array, you may not be able to use the array again.
  • Page 110 X7DAL-E User's Manual 2. From the "Select Drives for Confi guring" List (shown below,) select the drives you want to confi gure and press <Insert>. 3. The drive you've selected will appear in the "Selected Drives Dialog Box" on the right (as shown below.) Repeat the same steps until all drives that you want to confi...
  • Page 111 Appendix D: Adaptec HostRAID Setup Guidelines 5. Read the warning message as shown in the screen below. 6. Make sure that you have selected the correct disk drives to confi gure. If correct, type Y to continue.
  • Page 112 X7DAL-E User's Manual Creating Arrays Before you create arrays, make sure that the disks for the array are connected and installed in your system. Note that disks with no usable space, or disks that are un-initialized or not formatted are shown in gray and cannot be used. (*Note: It is recommended that you confi...
  • Page 113 Assigning Array Properties Once a new array is completed, you can assign properties to the array. *Caution: Once the array is created and its properties are assigned, and you cannot change the array properties using this utility. To assign properties to the new array: 1.
  • Page 114 X7DAL-E User's Manual 5. When you are fi nished, press <Done> (as the screen shown below). Notes: 1. Before adding a new drive to an array, be sure to back up any data stored on the new drive; otherwise, all data will be lost.
  • Page 115 Appendix D: Adaptec HostRAID Setup Guidelines Adding a Bootable Array To make an array bootable: 1. From the Main menu, select Manage Arrays. 2. From the List of Arrays, select the array you want to make bootable, and press <Ctrl> and <B>. 3.
  • Page 116 X7DAL-E User's Manual Adding/Deleting Hotspares To add a Hotspare: (*Note: In order to rebuild a RAID (RAID 0 or RAID 1), you would need to add a new HDD as a hotspare.) 1. From the main menu (shown on Page D-4), select Add/Delete Hotspares.
  • Page 117 Appendix D: Adaptec HostRAID Setup Guidelines Viewing Array Properties To view the properties of an existing array: 1. From the main menu, select Manage Arrays and hit <Enter> (as shown on the previous page.) 2. From the List of Arrays dialog box (shown below), select the array you want to view and press Enter.
  • Page 118 X7DAL-E User's Manual Rebuilding Arrays *Note 1: Rebuilding applies to Fault Tolerant array (RAID 1) only. If an array building process is interrupted or when one critical member is missing, you must perform a "Rebuild" to restore its functionality. For a critical array rebuild operation, the optimal drive is the source drive.
  • Page 119 Appendix D: Adaptec HostRAID Setup Guidelines Deleting Arrays *Warning: Back up the data on an array before you delete it to prevent data loss Deleted arrays cannot be restored. To delete an existing array: 1. From the main menu (shown on Page D-4), select Manage Arrays. 2.
  • Page 120: Using The Disk Utilities

    X7DAL-E User's Manual Using the Disk Utilities The Disk Utilities enable you to format or verify the media of your Serial ATA hard disks. To access the disk utilities: 1. From the Adaptec RAID Confi guration Utility Menu, select Disk Utilities (as shown above) and press <Enter>.
  • Page 121 Appendix D: Adaptec HostRAID Setup Guidelines To format a disk: *Note: The operation of Formatting Disk allows you to perform a low-level formatting of a hard drive by writing zeros to the entire disk. Serial ATA drives are low-level formatted at the factory and do not need to be low-level formatted again. 3 When the screen shown below displays, select Format Disk and press <Enter>.
  • Page 122 X7DAL-E User's Manual To verify disk media: 3 When the screen shown above displays, select Verify Disk Media and press <Enter>. 4 A message will display, indicating that the selected drive will be scanned for media defects. Select Yes and hit <Enter> to proceed with disk verifying; otherwise, select No and hit <Enter>.
  • Page 123 Appendix D: Adaptec HostRAID Setup Guidelines To Exit Adaptec RAID Confi guration Utility 1. Once you have completed RAID array confi gurations, press ESC to exit. The following screen will appear. 2. Press Yes to exit the Utility. D-19...
  • Page 124 X7DAL-E User's Manual D-2 Installing Intel's ESB2 Driver by Adaptec and Installing the OS a. Insert Supermicro's bootable CD that came with the package into the CD Drive during the system reboot, and the screen: "Super Micro Driver Diskette Maker" will appear.
  • Page 125: Appendix E Installing Other Software Programs And Drivers

    Appendix E: Installing Other Software Programs and Drivers Appendix E Installing Other Software Programs and Drivers A. Installing Drivers other than the Adaptec Embedded Serial ATA RAID Controller Driver After you've installed the Windows Operating System, a screen as shown below will appear.
  • Page 126 X7DAL-E User's Manual B. Confi guring Supero Doctor III The Supero Doctor III program is a Web-based management tool that supports remote management capability. It includes Remote and Local Management tools. The local management is called the SD III Client. The Supero Doctor III program included on the CDROM that came with your motherboard allows you to monitor the environment and operations of your system.
  • Page 127 Appendix E: Installing Other Software Programs and Drivers Supero Doctor III Interface Display Screen-II (Remote Control) (*Note: SD III Software can be downloaded from our Web site at: ftp://ftp.supermicro. com/utility/Supero_Doctor_III/. You can also download SDIII User's Guide at: http:// www.supermicro.com/PRODUCT/Manuals/SDIII/UserGuide.pdf. For Linux, we will...
  • Page 128 X7DAL-E User's Manual Notes...
  • Page 129 (Disclaimer Continued) The products sold by Supermicro are not intended for and will not be used in life support systems, medical equipment, nuclear facilities or systems, aircraft, aircraft devices, aircraft/emergency communication devices or other critical systems whose failure to perform be reasonably expected to result in signifi cant injury or loss of life or catastrophic property damage.

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