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Gigabyte GA-F2A85X-D3H User Manual

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GA-F2A85X-D3H
User's Manual
Rev. 1002
12ME-F285X3H-1002R

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Summary of Contents for Gigabyte GA-F2A85X-D3H

  • Page 1 GA-F2A85X-D3H User's Manual Rev. 1002 12ME-F285X3H-1002R...

  • Page 3: Identifying Motherboard Revision

    GIGABYTE's prior written permission. Documentation Classifications In order to assist in the use of this product, GIGABYTE provides the following types of docu- mentations: „ For quick set-up of the product, read the Quick Installation Guide included with the product.

  • Page 4: Table Of Contents

    Table of Contents Box Contents ........................6 Optional Items .........................6 GA-F2A85X-D3H Motherboard Layout ................7 GA-F2A85X-D3H Motherboard Block Diagram ..............8 Chapter 1 Hardware Installation ..................9 Installation Precautions ................... 9 1-2 Product Specifications ................... 10 Installing the APU and APU Cooler ............... 13 1-3-1 Installing the APU ....................13...
  • Page 5 Chapter 3 Drivers Installation ..................53 Installing Chipset Drivers ................53 Application Software ..................54 Technical Manuals ..................54 Contact......................55 System ......................55 Download Center ................... 56 New Program ....................56 Chapter 4 Unique Features ...................57 BIOS Update Utilities ..................57 4-1-1 Updating the BIOS with the Q-Flash Utility ............57 4-1-2...

  • Page 6: Box Contents

    Box Contents 5 F2A85X-D3H motherboard 5 Motherboard driver disk 5 User's Manual 5 Quick Installation Guide 5 Four SATA cables 5 I/O Shield The box contents above are for reference only and the actual items shall depend on the product package you obtain. The box contents are subject to change without notice.

  • Page 7: Ga-F2A85X-D3H Motherboard Layout

    GA-F2A85X-D3H Motherboard Layout KB_MS_USB SYS_FAN1 DVI_VGA ATX_12V Socket FM2 HDMI R_USB30 USB_LAN CPU_FAN AUDIO SYS_FAN2 PCIEX1_1 GA-F2A85X-D3H F_USB30 Realtek PCIEX16 GbE LAN PCIEX1_2 M_BIOS CODEC PCIEX1_3 B_BIOS PCIEX4 AMD A85X PCI1 SATA3 PCI2 CLR_CMOS F_AUDIO SPDIF_O F_USB2 F_USB1 F_PANEL - 7 -...

  • Page 8: Ga-F2A85X-D3H Motherboard Block Diagram

    GA-F2A85X-D3H Motherboard Block Diagram 1 PCI Express x16 APU CLK+/- (100 MHz) DISP CLK+/- (100 MHz) 3 PCI Express x1 DDR3 1866/1600/ PCIe CLK 1333/1066 MHz RJ45 AMD APU (100 MHz) Realtek Dual Channel Memory GbE LAN DVI-D PCI Express Bus HDMI D-Sub 1 PCI Express x4 Dual BIOS...

  • Page 9: Chapter 1 Hardware Installation

    Chapter 1 Hardware Installation Installation Precautions The motherboard contains numerous delicate electronic circuits and components which can become damaged as a result of electrostatic discharge (ESD). Prior to installation, carefully read the user's manual and follow these procedures: • Prior to installation, make sure the chassis is suitable for the motherboard. • Prior to installation, do not remove or break motherboard S/N (Serial Number) sticker or warranty sticker provided by your dealer.

  • Page 10: Product Specifications

    * The maximum 64 GB of system memory can be supported using 16 GB (or above) memory modules. GIGABYTE will update the memory support list on the official website when the memory modules are available on the market.
  • Page 11 Chipset: Š U p to 4 USB 3.0/2.0 ports (2 ports on the back panel, 2 ports available through the internal USB header) U p to 8 USB 2.0/1.1 ports (4 ports on the back panel, 4 ports available through the internal USB headers) Internal 1 x 24-pin ATX main power connector Š...
  • Page 12 ATX Form Factor; 30.5cm x 22.5cm Š * GIGABYTE reserves the right to make any changes to the product specifications and product-related information without prior notice. * Please visit the Support & Downloads\Utility page on GIGABYTE's website to check the supported operating system(s) for the software listed in the "Unique Features"...

  • Page 13: Installing The Apu And Apu Cooler

    Read the following guidelines before you begin to install the APU: • Make sure that the motherboard supports the APU. (Go to GIGABYTE's website for the latest APU support list.) • Always turn off the computer and unplug the power cord from the power outlet before installing the APU to prevent hardware damage.
  • Page 14 B. Follow the steps below to correctly install the APU into the motherboard APU socket. • Before installing the APU, make sure to turn off the computer and unplug the power cord from the power outlet to prevent damage to the APU. •...

  • Page 15: Installing The Apu Cooler

    1-3-2 Installing the APU Cooler Follow the steps below to correctly install the APU cooler on the motherboard. Step 1: Step 2: Hook the APU cooler clip to the mounting lug on Apply an even and thin layer of thermal grease on one side of the retention frame.

  • Page 16: Installing The Memory

    • Make sure that the motherboard supports the memory. It is recommended that memory of the same capacity, brand, speed, and chips be used. (Go to GIGABYTE's website for the latest supported memory speeds and memory modules.) • Always turn off the computer and unplug the power cord from the power outlet before installing the memory to prevent hardware damage.

  • Page 17: Installing A Memory

    1-4-2 Installing a Memory Before installing a memory module, make sure to turn off the computer and unplug the power cord from the power outlet to prevent damage to the memory module. DDR3 and DDR2 DIMMs are not compatible to each other or DDR DIMMs. Be sure to install DDR3 DIMMs on this motherboard. Notch DDR3 DIMM A DDR3 memory module has a notch, so it can only fit in one direction. Follow the steps below to correctly install...

  • Page 18: Installing An Expansion Card

    Installing an Expansion Card Read the following guidelines before you begin to install an expansion card: • Make sure the motherboard supports the expansion card. Carefully read the manual that came with your expansion card. • Always turn off the computer and unplug the power cord from the power outlet before installing an expansion card to prevent hardware damage.

  • Page 19: Setup Of The Amd Dual Graphics Configuration

    1-6 Setup of the AMD Dual Graphics Configuration Combining the onboard GPU with a discrete graphics card, AMD's Dual Graphics technology can provide significantly advanced display performance for AMD platform. Read the following instructions on configuring a Dual Graphics system. A. System Requirements - AMD A series processor - Windows 7 operating system - An AMD Dual Graphics technology-supported motherboard (with the BIOS updated to the latest version) and correct driver (make sure the onboard graphics driver version is Rev. 8.981 or above) - An AMD Radeon HD 6000 series graphics card that supports AMD Dual Graphics technology (for more details, please visit AMD's official website) and correct driver B. Installing the Graphics Cards and Configuring BIOS Setup Step 1: Observe the steps in "1-5 Installing an Expansion Card"...

  • Page 20: Back Panel Connectors

    Back Panel Connectors USB 2.0/1.1 Port The USB port supports the USB 2.0/1.1 specification. Use this port for USB devices such as a USB key- board/mouse, USB printer, USB flash drive and etc. PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse Port Use this port to connect a PS/2 mouse or keyboard. D-Sub Port The D-Sub port supports a 15-pin D-Sub connector. Connect a monitor that supports D-Sub connection to this port. DVI-D Port (Note) The DVI-D port conforms to the DVI-D specification and supports a maximum resolution of 2560x1600.
  • Page 21 B. Playback of Blu-ray Discs: In order to get better playback quality, when playing the Blu-ray discs, refer to the recommended system requirements (or better) below. • Processor: AMD A series processors • Memory: Two 1 GB DDR3 1333 MHz memory modules with dual channel mode enabled • BIOS Setup: At least 512 MB of UMA Frame Buffer Size (refer to Chapter 2, "BIOS Setup," "Peripherals\ GFX Configuration," for more information) • Playback software: CyberLink PowerDVD 10.0 or later (Note: Please ensure Hardware Acceleration is enabled. Whether Hardware Acceleration can be enabled for 3D Blu-ray discs is dependent on the APU being used.) • HDCP compliant monitor(s) USB 3.0/2.0 Port The USB 3.0 port supports the USB 3.0 specification and is compatible to the USB 2.0/1.1 specification. Use this port for USB devices such as a USB keyboard/mouse, USB printer, USB flash drive and etc.

  • Page 22: Internal Connectors

    Internal Connectors ATX_12V F_PANEL F_AUDIO CPU_FAN SPDIF_O SYS_FAN1/SYS_FAN2/SYS_FAN3 F_USB1/F_USB2 CLR_CMOS F_USB30 SATA3 0/1/2/3/4/5/6/7 Read the following guidelines before connecting external devices: • First make sure your devices are compliant with the connectors you wish to connect. • Before installing the devices, be sure to turn off the devices and your computer. Unplug the power cord from the power outlet to prevent damage to the devices.
  • Page 23 1/2) ATX_12V/ATX (2x4 12V Power Connector and 2x12 Main Power Connector) With the use of the power connector, the power supply can supply enough stable power to all the components on the motherboard. Before connecting the power connector, first make sure the power supply is turned off and all devices are properly installed. The power connector possesses a foolproof design. Connect the power supply cable to the power connector in the correct orientation. The 12V power connector mainly supplies power to the CPU.
  • Page 24 3/4) CPU_FAN/SYS_FAN1/SYS_FAN2/SYS_FAN3 (Fan Headers) All fan headers on this motherboard are 4-pin. Most fan headers possess a foolproof insertion design. When connecting a fan cable, be sure to connect it in the correct orientation (the black connector wire is the ground wire). The motherboard supports APU fan speed control, which requires the use of a APU fan with fan speed control design. For optimum heat dissipation, it is recommended that a system fan be installed inside the chassis.

  • Page 25: Bat Battery

    DEBUG DEBUG DEBUG PORT PORT PORT DEBUG DEBUG DEBUG PORT PORT PORT 6) SATA3 0/1/2/3/4/5/6/7 (SATA 6Gb/s Connectors) The SATA connectors conform to SATA 6Gb/s standard and are compatible with SATA 3Gb/s and SATA 1.5Gb/s standard. Each SATA connector supports a single SATA device. The AMD A85X Chipset supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10, and JBOD. Refer to Chapter 5, "Configuring SATA Hard Drive(s)," for instructions on configuring a RAID array.

  • Page 26: F_Panel

    8) F_PANEL (Front Panel Header) Connect the power switch, reset switch, speaker, chassis intrusion switch/sensor and system status indicator on the chassis to this header according to the pin assignments below. Note the positive and negative pins before connecting the cables. Message/Power/ Sleep LED Power Switch...

  • Page 27: Front Panel Audio Header

    9) F_AUDIO (Front Panel Audio Header) The front panel audio header supports Intel High Definition audio (HD) and AC'97 audio. You may connect your chassis front panel audio module to this header. Make sure the wire assignments of the module con- nector match the pin assignments of the motherboard header. Incorrect connection between the module connector and the motherboard header will make the device unable to work or even damage it. For HD Front Panel Audio: For AC'97 Front Panel Audio: Pin No.

  • Page 28: Usb 2.0/1.1 Headers

    11) F_USB1/F_USB2 (USB 2.0/1.1 Headers) The headers conform to USB 2.0/1.1 specification. Each USB header can provide two USB ports via an optional USB bracket. For purchasing the optional USB bracket, please contact the local dealer. Pin No. Definition Power (5V) Power (5V) USB DX- USB DY- USB DX+ USB DY+ No Pin F_USB30 F_AUDIO(H) 12) F_USB30 (USB 3.0/2.0 Header) The header conforms to USB 3.0/2.0 specification and can provide two USB ports. For purchasing the optional 3.5"...
  • Page 29 13) COM (Serial Port Header) The COM header can provide one serial port via an optional COM port cable. For purchasing the optional COM port cable, please contact the local dealer. Pin No. Definition NDCD- NSIN NSOUT NDTR- NDSR- NRTS- F_USB30 F_AUDIO(H) NCTS-...
  • Page 30 Hardware Installation - 30 -...

  • Page 31: Chapter 2 Bios Setup

    BIOS includes a BIOS Setup program that allows the user to modify basic system configuration settings or to activate certain system features. When the power is turned off, the battery on the motherboard supplies the necessary power to the CMOS to keep the configuration values in the CMOS. To access the BIOS Setup program, press the <Delete> key during the POST when the power is turned on. To upgrade the BIOS, use either the GIGABYTE Q-Flash or @BIOS utility. Q-Flash allows the user to quickly and easily upgrade or back up BIOS without entering the operating system. • @BIOS is a Windows-based utility that searches and downloads the latest version of BIOS from the Internet •...

  • Page 32: Startup Screen

    Startup Screen The following startup Logo screen will appear when the computer boots. Function Keys Function Keys: <DEL>: BIOS SETUP\Q-FLASH Press the <Delete> key to enter BIOS Setup or to access the Q-Flash utility in BIOS Setup. <F9>: SYSTEM INFORMATION Press the <F9> key to display your system information. <F12>: BOOT MENU Boot Menu allows you to set the first boot device without entering BIOS Setup. In Boot Menu, use the up arrow key <h> or the down arrow key <i> to select the first boot device, then press <Enter> to accept. The system will boot from the device immediately. Note: The setting in Boot Menu is effective for one time only. After system restart, the device boot order will still be based on BIOS Setup settings.

  • Page 33: The Main Menu

    The Main Menu A. The 3D BIOS Screen (Default) On GIGABYTE's uniquely designed 3D BIOS screen, you can use your mouse to move through the motherboard image and click to enter the function menu in each area for quick configuration. For example, pass your mouse arrow over the CPU and memory sockets and enter the System Tuning menu to configure CPU/memory frequency, memory timings, and voltage settings. For more detailed configuration items, you can click the...

  • Page 34: Bios Features

    BIOS Setup Program Function Keys <f><g> Move the selection bar to select a setup menu <h><i> Move the selection bar to select an configuration item on a menu <Enter> Execute command or enter a menu <+>/<Page Up> Increase the numeric value or make changes <->/<Page Down> Decrease the numeric value or make changes <F1>...

  • Page 35: M.i.t

    M.I.T. Whether the system will work stably with the overclock/overvoltage settings you made is dependent on your overall system configurations. Incorrectly doing overclock/overvoltage may result in damage to CPU, chipset, or memory and reduce the useful life of these components. This page is for advanced users only and we recommend you not to alter the default settings to prevent system instability or other unexpected results. (Inadequately altering the settings may result in system's failure to boot. If this occurs, clear the CMOS values and reset the board to default values.) This section provides information on the BIOS version, CPU base clock, CPU frequency, memory frequency, total memory size, CPU temperature, Vcore, and memory voltage.
  • Page 36 ` M.I.T. Current Status This screen provides information on CPU/memory frequencies/parameters. ` Advanced Frequency Settings & BCLK/PCIe Clock Control Allows you to manually set the CPU base clock and PCIe bus frequency in 1 MHz increments. (Default: Auto) Important: It is highly recommended that the CPU frequency be set in accordance with the CPU specifications. & NB Clock (Mhz) Allows you to manually set the CPU North Bridge frequency. The adjustable range is from 800 MHz to 6000 MHz.
  • Page 37 ` Advanced CPU Core Features & CPU Clock Ratio, CPU Frequency The settings above are synchronous to those under the same items on the Advanced Frequency Settings menu. & Core Performance Boost (Note) Allows you to determine whether to enable the Core Performance Boost (CPB) technology, a CPU performance-boost technology. (Default: Auto) &...
  • Page 38 & Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P.) (Note) Allows the BIOS to read the SPD data on XMP memory module(s) to enhance memory performance when enabled. Disabled Disables this function. (Default) Uses Profile 1 settings. Profile1 Uses Profile 2 settings. (Note) Profile2 & System Memory Multiplier Allows you to set the system memory multiplier. Auto sets memory multiplier according to memory SPD data. (Default: Auto) & Memory Frequency (MHz) This value is automatically adjusted according to the BCLK/PCIe Clock Control and System Memory Multiplier settings.
  • Page 39 ` Advanced Memory Settings & Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P.) , System Memory Multiplier, Memory (Note) Frequency(MHz) The settings above are synchronous to those under the same items on the Advanced Frequency Settings menu. & DRAM Timing Selectable Quick and Expert allows the memory timing settings below to be configurable. Options are: Auto (default), Quick, Expert. & Profile DDR Voltage When using a non-XMP memory module or Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P.) is set to Disabled, this item will display as 1.50V. When Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P.) is set to Profile1 or Profile2, this item will display the value based on the SPD data on the XMP memory.
  • Page 40 Channel A/B Timing Settings This sub-menu provides memory timing settings for each channel of memory. The respective timing setting screens are configurable only when DRAM Timing Selectable is set to Quick or Expert. Note: Your system may become unstable or fail to boot after you make changes on the memory timings. If this occurs, please reset the board to default values by loading optimized defaults or clearing the CMOS values.

  • Page 41: Pc Health Status

    ` PC Health Status & Reset Case Open Status Disabled Keeps or clears the record of previous chassis intrusion status. (Default) Clears the record of previous chassis intrusion status and the Case Open field will show Enabled "No" at next boot. & Case Open Displays the detection status of the chassis intrusion detection device attached to the motherboard CI header. If the system chassis cover is removed, this field will show "Yes", otherwise it will show "No". To clear the chassis intrusion status record, set Reset Case Open Status to Enabled, save the settings to the CMOS, and then restart your system.
  • Page 42 & CPU Vcore/Dram Voltage/+3.3V/+5V/+12V Displays the current system voltages. & CPU/System Temperature Displays current CPU/system temperature. & CPU/System FAN Speed Displays current CPU/system fan speeds. & CPU Warning Temperature Sets the warning threshold for CPU temperature. When CPU temperature exceeds the threshold, BIOS will emit warning sound. Options are: Disabled (default), 60 C/140 F, 70 C/158 F, 80 C/176 F, 90 C/194 &...

  • Page 43: System

    System This section provides information on your motherboard model and BIOS version. You can also select the default language used by the BIOS and manually set the system time. & System Language Selects the default language used by the BIOS. &...

  • Page 44: Bios Features

    BIOS Features & Boot Option Priorities Specifies the overall boot order from the available devices. For example, you can set hard drive as the first priority (Boot Option #1) and DVD ROM drive as the second priority (Boot Option #2). The list only displays the device with the highest priority for a specific type. For example, only hard drive defined as the first priority on the Hard Drive BBS Priorities submenu will be presented here. Removable storage devices that support GPT format will be prefixed with "UEFI:" string on the boot device list. To boot from an operating system that supports GPT partitioning, select the device prefixed with "UEFI:" string. Or if you want to install an operating system that supports GPT partitioning such as Windows 7 64-bit, select the optical drive that contains the Windows 7 64-bit installation disk and is prefixed with "UEFI:" string. BIOS Setup - 44 -...

  • Page 45: Bootup Numlock State

    A password is required for booting the system and for entering the BIOS Setup program. System (Default) & Full Screen LOGO Show Allows you to determine whether to display the GIGABYTE Logo at system startup. Disabled skips the GIGABYTE Logo when the system starts up. (Default: Enabled) & CSM Support Enables or disables UEFI CSM (Compatibility Support Module) to support a legacy PC boot process.

  • Page 46: Network Stack

    & Display Boot Option Control Allows you to select whether to enable the UEFI or legacy option ROM for the graphics controller. Disables option ROM. Disabled Enables legacy option ROM only. (Default) Legacy Only UEFI Only Enables UEFI option ROM only. Enables legacy option ROM first. Legacy First UEFI First Enables UEFI option ROM first. This item is configurable only when CSM Support is set to Always. &...

  • Page 47: Peripherals

    Peripherals & OnChip SATA Channel Enables or disables the integrated SATA controllers. (Default: Enabled) & OnChip SATA Type Enables or disables RAID for the SATA controllers integrated in the AMD Chipset or configures the SATA controllers to AHCI mode. IDE Configures the SATA controller to IDE mode. Enables RAID for the SATA controller. RAID AHCI C onfigures the SATA controllers to AHCI mode. Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI) is an interface specification that allows the storage driver to enable advanced Serial ATA features such as Native Command Queuing and hot plug. (Default) & OnChip SATA Port4-7 Type (SATA3 4~SATA3 7 connectors) This option is configurable only when OnChip SATA Type is set to RAID or AHCI. Configures the operating mode of the integrated SATA3 4~SATA3 7 connectors.

  • Page 48: Trusted Computing

    & Legacy USB Support Allows USB keyboard/mouse to be used in MS-DOS. (Default: Enabled) & XHCI Hand-off Determines whether to enable XHCI Hand-off feature for an operating system without XHCI Hand-off support. (Default: Enabled) & EHCI Hand-off Determines whether to enable EHCI Hand-off feature for an operating system without EHCI Hand-off support. (Default: Disabled) &...

  • Page 49: Integrated Graphics

    ` GFX Configuration & Primary Video Device Specifies the first initiation of the monitor display from the installed PCI Express graphics card or the onboard graphics. IGD Video Sets the onboard graphics as the first display. NB PCIe Slot Video Sets the PCI Express graphics card on the PCI Express slot controlled by the North Bridge as the first display. (Default) SB PCIe Slot Video Sets the PCI Express graphics card on the PCI Express slot controlled by the South Bridge as the first display.

  • Page 50: Power Management

    Power Management & Resume by Alarm Determines whether to power on the system at a desired time. (Default: Disabled) If enabled, set the date and time as following: Wake up day: Turn on the system at a specific time on each day or on a specific day in a month. Wake up hour/minute/second: Set the time at which the system will be powered on automatically. Note: When using this function, avoid inadequate shutdown from the operating system or removal of the AC power, or the settings may not be effective. & HPET Timer (Note) Enables or disables High Precision Event Timer (HPET) for Windows 7/Vista operating system. (Default: Enabled) & ErP Determines whether to let the system consume least power in S5 (shutdown) state. (Default: Disabled) Note: When this item is set to Enabled, the following functions will become unavailable: PME event wake up, power on by mouse, power on by keyboard, and wake on LAN.

  • Page 51: Power On Password

    & Power On By Keyboard Allows the system to be turned on by a PS/2 keyboard wake-up event. Note: To use this function, you need an ATX power supply providing at least 1A on the +5VSB lead. Disabled Disables this function. (Default) Set a password with 1~5 characters to turn on the system. Password Press POWER button on the Windows 98 keyboard to turn on the system.

  • Page 52: Save & Exit

    Save & Exit & Save & Exit Setup Press <Enter> on this item and select Yes. This saves the changes to the CMOS and exits the BIOS Setup program. Select No or press <Esc> to return to the BIOS Setup Main Menu. & Exit Without Saving Press <Enter> on this item and select Yes. This exits the BIOS Setup without saving the changes made in BIOS Setup to the CMOS. Select No or press <Esc> to return to the BIOS Setup Main Menu. &...

  • Page 53: Chapter 3 Drivers Installation

    • After "Xpress Install" installs all of the drivers, a dialog box will appear asking whether to install new GIGABYTE utilities. Click Yes to automatically install the utilities. Or click No if you want to manually select the utilities to install on the Application Software page later.

  • Page 54: Application Software

    Application Software This page displays all the utilities and applications that GIGABYTE develops and some free software. You can click the Install button on the right of an item to install it. Technical Manuals This page provides the content descriptions for this driver disk.

  • Page 55: Contact

    Contact For the detailed contact information of the GIGABYTE Taiwan headquarter or worldwide branch offices, click the URL on this page to link to the GIGABYTE website. System This page provides the basic system information. - 55 - Drivers Installation...

  • Page 56: Download Center

    The latest version of the BIOS, drivers, or applications will be displayed. New Program This page provides a quick link to GIGABYTE's lately developed utilities for users to install. You can click the Install button on the right of an item to install it.

  • Page 57: Chapter 4 Unique Features

    What is @BIOS ™ @BIOS allows you to update the system BIOS while in the Windows environment. @BIOS will download the latest BIOS file from the nearest @BIOS server site and update the BIOS. 4-1-1 Updating the BIOS with the Q-Flash Utility A. Before You Begin From GIGABYTE's website, download the latest compressed BIOS update file that matches your motherboard model. Extract the file and save the new BIOS file (e.g. 2A85XD3H.F1) to your USB flash drive or hard drive. Note: The USB flash drive or hard drive must use FAT32/16/12 file system. Restart the system. During the POST, press the <End> key to enter Q-Flash. Note: You can access Q-Flash by either pressing the <End> key during the POST or pressing the <F8> key in BIOS Setup. However, if the BIOS update file is saved to a hard drive in RAID/AHCI mode or a hard drive attached to an independent SATA controller, use the <End> key during the POST to access Q-Flash. Because BIOS flashing is potentially risky, please do it with caution. Inadequate BIOS flashing may result in system malfunction.
  • Page 58 B. Updating the BIOS In the main menu of Q-Flash, use the keyboard or mouse to select an item to execute. When updating the BIOS, choose the location where the BIOS file is saved. The following procedure assumes that you save the BIOS file to a USB flash drive. Step 1: 1. Insert the USB flash drive containing the BIOS file into the computer. In the main menu of Q-Flash, select Update BIOS From Drive. • The Save BIOS to Drive option allows you to save the current BIOS file. • Q-Flash only supports USB flash drive or hard drives using FAT32/16/12 file system. • If the BIOS update file is saved to a hard drive in RAID/AHCI mode or a hard drive attached to an independent SATA controller, use the <End> key during the POST to access Q-Flash. Select USB Flash Drive. Q-Flash Utility v1.05 Model Name : F2A85X-D3H BIOS Version : F1c BIOS Date : 09/24/2012 Flash Type/Size : MXIC 25L6465E/6406E...
  • Page 59 Step 4: During the POST, press <Delete> to enter BIOS Setup. Select Load Optimized Defaults on the Save & Exit screen and press <Enter> to load BIOS defaults. System will re-detect all peripheral devices after a BIOS update, so we recommend that you reload BIOS defaults. Select Yes to load BIOS defaults Step 5: Select Save & Exit Setup and press <Enter>. And then select Yes to save settings to CMOS and exit BIOS Setup.

  • Page 60: Updating The Bios With The @Bios Utility

    B. Using @BIOS Update the BIOS Using the Internet Update Function: Click Update BIOS from GIGABYTE Server, select the @BIOS server site closest to your location and then download the BIOS file that matches your motherboard model. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete. If the BIOS update file for your motherboard is not present on the @BIOS server site, please manually download the BIOS update file from GIGABYTE's website and follow the instructions in "Update the BIOS without Using the Internet Update Function"...

  • Page 61: Easytune 6

    EasyTune 6 GIGABYTE's EasyTune 6 is a simple and easy-to-use interface that allows users to fine-tune their system settings or do overclock/overvoltage in Windows environment. The user-friendly EasyTune 6 interface also includes tabbed pages for CPU and memory information, letting users read their system-related information without the need to install additional software. The EasyTune 6 Interface Tabs Information Function The CPU tab provides information on the installed CPU and motherboard.

  • Page 62: Q-Share

    4-3 Q-Share Q-Share is an easy and convenient data sharing tool. After configuring your LAN connection settings and Q-Share, you are able to share your data with computers on the same network, making full use of Internet resources. Directions for using Q-Share After installing Q-Share from the motherboard driver disk, go to Start>All Programs>GIGABYTE>Q-Share.exe to launch the Q-Share tool. Find the Q-Share icon in the notification area and right-click on this icon to configure the data sharing settings. Figure 1. Data Sharing Disabled Figure 2.

  • Page 63: Smart Recovery 2

    Smart Recovery 2 Smart Recovery 2 allows you to back up a partition as an image file every hour. You can use these images to restore your system or files when needed. The Smart Recovery 2 main menu: Button Function Settings Allows you to select the source and destination partition Backup Now Allows you to perform the backup immediately File Recovery... Allows you to recover your files from the backup image System Allows you to recover your system from the backup Recovery...
  • Page 64 Recovering your system with Smart Recovery 2 (Windows 7 only): Steps: 1. Click the System Recovery button on the main menu. 2. Select the location where your backup is saved. 3. Use the time slider to select a time point. 4. Select a partition backup created on the selected time point and click Restore.

  • Page 65: Auto Green

    Auto Green Auto Green is an easy-to-use tool that provides users with simple options to enable system power savings via a Bluetooth cell phone. When the phone is out of the range of the computer's Bluetooth receiver, the system will enter the specified power saving mode. The Configuration dialog box: First, you have to set your Bluetooth cell phone as a portable key. On the Auto Green main menu, click Configure and then click Configure BT devices.
  • Page 66 Unique Features - 66 -...

  • Page 67: Chapter 5 Appendix

    Chapter 5 Appendix 5-1 Configuring SATA Hard Drive(s) RAID Levels RAID 0 RAID 1 RAID 5 RAID 10 Minimum Number of Hard ≥2 ≥3 ≥4 Drives Array Capacity Number of hard Size of the smallest (Number of hard (Number of hard drives * Size of the drive drives -1) * Size of drives/2) * Size of the smallest drive the smallest drive smallest drive Fault Tolerance To configure SATA hard drive(s), follow the steps below:...
  • Page 68 B. Configuring SATA controller mode in BIOS Setup Make sure to configure the SATA controller mode correctly in system BIOS Setup. Step 1: Turn on your computer and press <Delete> to enter BIOS Setup during the POST (Power-On Self-Test). Make sure OnChip SATA Channel is enabled. To enable RAID for the SATA3 0/1/2/3 connectors, set OnChip SATA Type to RAID. To enable RAID for the SATA3 4~7 connectors, set OnChip SATA Type to RAID and set OnChip SATA Port4-7 Type to As SATA Type (Figure 1).
  • Page 69 C. Configuring RAID set in RAID BIOS Enter the RAID BIOS setup utility to configure a RAID array. Skip this step and proceed with the installation of Windows operating system for a non-RAID configuration. Step 1: After the POST memory test begins and before the operating system boot begins, look for a message which says "Press <Ctrl-F> to enter RAID Option ROM Utility" (Figure 2). Press <Ctrl> + <F> to enter the RAID BIOS setup utility. RAID Option ROM Version 3.3.1540.17 (c) 2011 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. All rights reserved. No Array is defined..
  • Page 70 LD No LD Name RAID Mode LD 1 Logical Drive 1 RAID 0 Stripe Block 64 KB Initialization Fast Gigabyte Boundary Sector Size 512 B Read Policy Read Ahead Write Policy WriteBack [ Drives Assignments ] Port:ID Drive Model Capabilities...
  • Page 71 In the following procedure, we'll create RAID 0 as an example. 1. Under the RAID Mode section, press the <SPACE> key to select RAID 0. 2. Set the Stripe Block size. 64 KB is the default. 3. Under the Drives Assignments section, press the up or down arrow key to highlight a drive. 4. Press the <SPACE> key or <Y>to change the Assignment option to Y.
  • Page 72 View Drive Assignments The View Drive Assignments option in the Main Menu displays whether the attached hard drives are assigned to a disk array or are unassigned. Under the Assignment column, drives are labeled with their assigned disk array or shown as Free if unassigned. Option ROM Utility (c) 2011 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.

  • Page 73: Installing The Sata Raid/Ahci Driver And Operating System

    5-1-2 Installing the SATA RAID/AHCI Driver and Operating System With the correct BIOS settings, you are ready to install Windows 7/Vista/XP. A. Installing Windows 7/Vista (The following instructions use Windows 7 as the example operating system.) Step 1: You need to install the SATA RAID/AHCI driver during the OS installation. Use an alternative system to copy the SATA RAID/AHCI driver from the motherboard driver disk to a USB flash drive. Copy the Hw7 folder under BootDrv in the driver disk. Step 2: Boot from the Windows 7 setup disk and perform standard OS installation steps. When the screen requesting you to load the driver appears, select Browse.
  • Page 74 B. Installing Windows XP Before installing Windows XP, connect a USB floppy disk drive to your computer first because you need to install the SATA RAID/AHCI driver from a floppy disk that contains the driver during the OS installation. Without the driver, the hard drive(s) may not be recognized during the Windows setup process. First, copy the driver from the motherboard driver disk to a floppy disk. Refer to the methods below. Method A: • For the AMD A85X Chipset, copy all files in the \BootDrv\Hxp folder to your floppy disk. Method B: Steps: 1. Use an alternative system and insert the motherboard driver disk. 2. From your optical drive folder, double click the Menu.exe file in the BootDrv folder. A Command Prompt window will open similar to that in Figure 2.
  • Page 75 Refer to the following for installing the driver during the Windows setup process. Step 1: Restart your system to boot from the Windows XP setup disk and press <F6> as soon as you see the message "Press F6 if you need to install a 3rd party SCSI or RAID driver." A screen will then appear asking you to specify an additional SCSI adapter. Press <S>. Step 2: Insert the floppy disk containing the SATA RAID/AHCI driver and press <Enter>. Then a controller menu similar to that in Figure 3 will appear.
  • Page 76 Rebuilding an Array: Rebuilding is the process of restoring data to a hard drive from other drives in the array. Rebuilding applies only to fault-tolerant arrays such as RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10. To replace the old drive, make sure to use a new drive of equal or greater capacity.

  • Page 77: Configuring Audio Input And Output

    5-2 Configuring Audio Input and Output 5-2-1 Configuring 2/4/5.1/7.1-Channel Audio The motherboard provides five audio jacks on the back panel which support 2/4/5.1/7.1-channel audio. (Note) The picture to the right shows the default audio jack Center/Subwoofer Line In assignments. Speaker Out Front Speaker Out The integrated HD (High Definition) audio provides jack Rear Speaker Out retasking capability that allows the user to change the Mic In function for each jack through the audio driver.
  • Page 78 Step 2: Connect an audio device to an audio jack. The The current connected device is dialog box appears. Select the device according to the type of device you connect. Then click OK. Step 3: On the Speakers screen, click the Speaker Configura- tion tab.

  • Page 79: Configuring S/Pdif Out

    5-2-2 Configuring S/PDIF Out The S/PDIF Out jack can transmit audio signals to an external decoder for decoding to get the best audio quality. 1. Connecting a S/PDIF Out Cable: Connect a S/PDIF optical cable to the corresponding S/PDIF out connector as shown below and an external decoder for transmitting the S/PDIF digital audio signals.

  • Page 80: Configuring Microphone Recording

    5-2-3 Configuring Microphone Recording Step 1: After installing the audio driver, the HD Audio Manager icon will appear in the notification area. Double-click the icon to access the HD Audio Manager. Step 2: Connect your microphone to the Mic in jack (pink) on the back panel or the Mic in jack (pink) on the front panel. Then configure the jack for microphone functionality. Note: The microphone functions on the front panel and back panel cannot be used at the same time. Step 3: Go to the Microphone screen.
  • Page 81 Step 5: After completing the settings above, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Sound Recorder to begin the sound recording. * Enabling Stereo Mix If the HD Audio Manager does not display the recording device you wish to use, refer to the steps below. The following steps explain how to enable Stereo Mix (which may be needed when you want to record sound from your computer).

  • Page 82: Using The Sound Recorder

    Step 4: Now you can access the HD Audio Manager to con- figure Stereo Mix and use Sound Recorder to record the sound. 5-2-4 Using the Sound Recorder A. Recording Sound 1. Make sure you have connected the sound input device (e.g. microphone) to the computer. 2. To record the audio, click the Start Recording button 3.

  • Page 83: Troubleshooting

    Troubleshooting 5-3-1 Frequently Asked Questions To read more FAQs for your motherboard, please go to the Support & Downloads\FAQ page on GIGABYTE's website. Q: Why is the light of my keyboard/optical mouse still on after the computer shuts down? A: Some motherboards provide a small amount of standby power after the computer shuts down and that's why the light is still on.

  • Page 84: Troubleshooting Procedure

    5-3-2 Troubleshooting Procedure If you encounter any troubles during system startup, follow the troubleshooting procedure below to solve the problem. START Turn off the power. Remove all peripherals, connecting cables, and power cord etc. Make sure the motherboard does not short-circuit with the chassis or Isolate the short circuit.
  • Page 85 The power supply, CPU or When the computer is turned on, is the CPU cooler running? CPU socket might fail. The problem is verified and solved. The graphics card, expansion slot, or monitor Check if there is display on your monitor. might fail. The problem is verified and solved. Turn off the computer. Plug in the keyboard and mouse and restart the computer.

  • Page 86: Regulatory Statements

    "end of life" product. Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive Statement GIGABYTE products have not intended to add and safe from hazardous substances (Cd, Pb, Hg, Cr+6, PBDE and PBB). The parts and components have been carefully selected to meet RoHS requirement. Moreover, we at GIGABYTE are continuing our efforts to develop products that do not use internationally banned toxic chemicals. Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive Statement GIGABYTE will fulfill the national laws as interpreted from the 2002/96/EC WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) directive. The WEEE Directive specifies the treatment, collection, recycling and disposal of electric...
  • Page 87 FAX: +86-29-85510930 Shenyang Web address: http://latam.giga-byte.com • Giga-Byte SINGAPORE PTE. LTD. - Singapore TEL: +86-24-83992901 WEB address : http://www.gigabyte.sg FAX: +86-24-83992909 • Thailand • GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY (INDIA) LIMITED - India WEB address : http://th.giga-byte.com WEB address : http://www.gigabyte.in • Vietnam • Saudi Arabia WEB address : http://www.gigabyte.vn WEB address : http://www.gigabyte.com.sa • Gigabyte Technology Pty. Ltd. - Australia WEB address : http://www.gigabyte.com.au...
  • Page 88 • Greece • Kazakhstan WEB address : http://www.gigabyte.com.gr WEB address : http://www.gigabyte.kz • Czech Republic You may go to the GIGABYTE website, select your language WEB address : http://www.gigabyte.cz in the language list on the top right corner of the website. • GIGABYTE Global Service System To submit a technical or non-technical (Sales/Marketing) question, please link to: http://ggts.gigabyte.com.tw...

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