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No part of this manual may be reproduced, copied, translated, transmitted, or published in any form or by any means without GIGABYTE's prior written permission. 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.
Box Contents GA-F2A78M-D3H motherboard Motherboard driver disk User's Manual Quick Installation Guide Four SATA cables 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.
Chapter 1 Hardware Installation Installation Precautions The motherboard contains numerous delicate electronic circuits and components which can become manual and follow these procedures: Prior to installation, make sure the chassis is suitable for the motherboard. warranty sticker provided by your dealer. These stickers are required for warranty validation. Always remove the AC power by unplugging the power cord from the power outlet before installing or removing the motherboard or other hardware components.
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FM2+ Socket: AMD A series processors AMD Athlon ™ series processors Chipset AMD A78 Memory 4 x 1.5V DDR3 DIMM sockets supporting up to 64 GB of system memory the physical memory installed. website when the memory modules are available on the market. Dual channel memory architecture modules Onboard...
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Storage Interface Chipset: 6 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors Support for RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 10, and JBOD Chipset: Internal Connectors 6 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors 1 x APU fan header 2 x system fan headers 1 x front panel header 1 x front panel audio header 1 x S/PDIF Out header 1 x USB 3.0/2.0 header...
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Unique Features Support for @BIOS Support for Q-Flash Support for EasyTune Support for Smart Recovery 2 Bundled ® Software Operating System Form Factor prior notice. Support & Downloads\Utility for the software listed in the "Unique Features" and "Bundled Software" columns. Hardware Installation - 12 -...
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. Always turn off the computer and unplug the power cord from the power outlet before installing the APU to prevent hardware damage.
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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. APU orientation if this occurs.
1-3-2 Installing the APU Cooler Follow the steps below to correctly install the APU cooler on the motherboard. Step 1: Step 2: Apply an even and thin layer of thermal grease on Hook the APU cooler clip to the mounting lug on the surface of the installed APU.
Installing the Memory Read the following guidelines before you begin to install the memory: Make sure that the motherboard supports the memory. It is recommended that memory of the same capacity, brand, speed, and chips be used. Always turn off the computer and unplug the power cord from the power outlet before installing the memory to prevent hardware damage.
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. DDR3 DIMM your memory modules in the memory sockets.
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.
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Combining the onboard GPU with a discrete graphics card, AMD's Dual Graphics technology can provide Dual Graphics system. A. System Requirements - AMD A series processor that supports AMD Dual Graphics technology - An AMD Dual Graphics technology-supported motherboard and correct driver for an FM2 APU, please use an AMD Radeon ™...
Back Panel Connectors USB 2.0/1.1 Port 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 and supports a maximum resolution of 1920x1200. Connect a monitor that supports D-Sub connection to this port. DVI-D Port (Note 1) Connect a monitor that supports DVI-D connection to this port.
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B. Playback of Blu-ray ™ In order to get better playback quality, when playing the Blu-ray ™ discs, refer to the recommended system AMD A series processors Optical S/PDIF Out Connector This connector provides digital audio out to an external audio system that supports digital optical audio. Before using this feature, ensure that your audio system provides an optical digital audio in connector.
Internal Connectors ATX_12V F_AUDIO SPDIF_O CPU_FAN F_USB30 SYS_FAN1/2 F_USB1/F_USB2 SATA3 0/1/2/3/4/5 CLR_CMOS F_PANEL 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.
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1/2) ATX_12V/ATX (2x4 12V Power Connector and 2x12 Main Power Connector) 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. If the 12V power connector is not connected, the computer will not start.
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3/4) CPU_FAN/SYS_FAN1/SYS_FAN2 (Fan Headers) All fan headers on this motherboard are 4-pin. Most fan headers possess a foolproof insertion design. optimum heat dissipation, it is recommended that a system fan be installed inside the chassis. +12V Sense Speed Control Speed Control Sense Reserve Be sure to connect fan cables to the fan headers to prevent your APU and system from...
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6) SATA3 0/1/2/3/4/5 (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 A78 Chipset supports SATA3 SATA3 0 1 2 3 are to be used, the total number of hard drives must be an even number.
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8) F_PANEL (Front Panel Header) Connect the power switch, reset switch, speaker, chassis intrusion switch/sensor and system status indicator before connecting the cables. Power LED Power Switch Speaker Hard Drive Reset Power LED Activity LED Switch Chassis Intrusion Header PLED/PWR_LED System Status LED Connects to the power status indicator on the chassis front panel.
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9) F_AUDIO (Front Panel Audio Header) your chassis front panel audio module to this header. Make sure the wire assignments of the module connector match the pin assignments of the motherboard header. Incorrect connection between the module connector and the motherboard header will make the device unable to work or even damage it. For HD Front Panel Audio: For AC'97 Front Panel Audio: MIC2_L...
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11) F_USB30 (USB 3.0/2.0 Header) optional 3.5" front panel that provides two USB 3.0/2.0 ports, please contact the local dealer. VBUS VBUS 12) F_USB1/F_USB2 (USB 2.0/1.1 Headers) optional USB bracket. For purchasing the optional USB bracket, please contact the local dealer. USB DY- USB DY+ Prior to installing the USB bracket, be sure to turn off your computer and unplug the power cord...
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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. 14) LPT (Parallel Port Header) The LPT header can provide one parallel port via an optional LPT port cable. For purchasing the optional LPT port cable, please contact the local dealer.
BIOS includes a BIOS Setup program that allows 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.
Startup Screen The following startup Logo screen will appear when the computer boots. Function Keys arrow key < The system will boot from the device immediately. will still be based on BIOS Setup settings. BIOS Setup - 32 -...
The Main Menu to accept or enter a sub-menu. Or you can use your mouse to select the item you want. Setup Menus Enter Q-Flash Select Default Language Help Function Keys Current Settings BIOS Setup Program Function Keys < Move the selection bar to select a setup menu <...
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BIOS Setup Menus M.I.T. system/CPU temperatures, voltages, and fan speeds. System Information BIOS Features display adapter. Peripherals Power Management Save & Exit Save all the changes made in the BIOS Setup program to the CMOS and exit BIOS Setup. You can save Load Optimized Defaults item to set your system to its defaults.
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M.I.T. 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 This section provides information on the BIOS version, CPU base clock, CPU frequency, memory frequency, - 35 - BIOS Setup...
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M.I.T. Current Status This screen provides information on CPU/memory frequencies/parameters. Advanced Frequency Settings CPU Clock Control It is highly recommended that the CPU frequency be set in accordance with the CPU Processor Graphics Clock CPU NorthBridge Frequency CPU Clock Ratio Allows you to alter the clock ratio for the installed CPU.
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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) Turbo Performance Boost Ratio (Note) Core Performance Boost Ratio (Note) Allows you alter the ratio for the CPB.
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CPU Core Control Allows you to determine whether to manually enable/disable CPU cores. Automatic mode allows the BIOS (Note) enabled. (Note) System Memory Multiplier Allows you to set the system memory multiplier. Auto sets memory multiplier according to memory SPD Memory Frequency (MHz) This value is automatically adjusted according to the CPU Clock Control and System Memory Multiplier settings.
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Advanced Memory Settings , System Memory Multiplier, Memory (Note) Frequency(MHz) The settings above are synchronous to those under the same items on the Advanced Frequency Settings menu. Memory Timing Mode Manual and Advanced Manual allows the Channel Interleaving, Rank Interleaving, and memory timing is set to Disabled, this item will display as 1.50V is set to...
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Channel A/B Timing Settings This sub-menu provides memory timing settings for each channel of memory. This sub-menu provides memory Memory Timing Mode is set to Manual or Advanced Manual to boot after you make changes on the memory timings. If this occurs, please reset the board to default values Advanced Voltage Settings This sub-menu allows you to set CPU, chipset and memory voltages.
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PC Health Status Reset Case Open Status Enabled Clears the record of previous chassis intrusion status and the Case Open Case Open Displays the detection status of the chassis intrusion detection device attached to the motherboard CI clear the chassis intrusion status record, set Reset Case Open Status to Enabled, save the settings to the CMOS, and then restart your system.
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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 Temperature Warning C/140 F, 70 C/158 F, 80 C/176 F, 90 C/194 CPU/System Fan Fail Warning Allows the system to emit warning sound if the CPU fan or system fan are not connected or fail. Check CPU Fan Speed Control Allows you to determine whether to enable the fan speed control function and adjust the fan speed.
System Information 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. System Date value.
BIOS Features Boot Option Priorities Boot Option #1 Boot Option #2 Hard Drive BBS Priorities submenu will be presented here. string. BIOS Setup - 44 -...
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A password is required for booting the system and for entering the BIOS Setup program. Full Screen LOGO Show Allows you to determine whether to display the GIGABYTE Logo at system startup. Disabled skips the Fast Boot Enables or disables Fast Boot to shorten the OS boot process. Ultra Fast provides the fastest bootup VGA Support Allows you to select which type of operating system to boot.
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CSM Support Windows 8 Features is set to Windows 8 or Boot Mode Selection Allows you to select which type of operating system to boot. UEFI and Legacy Allows booting from operating systems that support legacy option ROM or UEFI Legacy Only Allows booting from operating systems that only support legacy Option ROM.
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User Password Setup. However, the user password only allows you to make changes to certain BIOS settings but not all. - 47 - BIOS Setup...
Peripherals IOMMU OnChip USB Controller HD Audio Azalia Device If you wish to install a 3rd party add-in audio card instead of using the onboard audio, set this item to Disabled. Legacy USB Support XHCI Hand-off EHCI Hand-off Determines whether to enable EHCI Hand-off feature for an operating system without EHCI Hand-off Port 60/64 Emulation Enables or disables emulation of I/O ports 64h and 60h.
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Onboard LAN Controller Disabled. Primary Video Device graphics. SB PCIe Slot Video Sets the PCI Express graphics card on the PCI Express slot controlled by the Integrated Graphics Enables or disables the onboard graphics function. Auto The BIOS will automatically enable or disable the onboard graphics depending on Disabled Disables the onboard graphics.
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OnChip SATA Channel OnChip SATA Type to AHCI mode. RAID Enables RAID for the SATA controller. OnChip SATA Port4-5 Type (SATA3 4~SATA3 5 connectors) OnChip SATA Type is set to RAID or AHCI mode of the integrated SATA3 4~SATA3 5 connectors. As SATA Type The mode depends on the OnChip SATA Type SATA Hot Plug on PORT0~SATA Hot Plug on PORT5 SATA Power on PORT0~SATA Power on PORT5...
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Parallel Port Device Mode Parallel Port is set to Enabled. It allows you to select an operating - 51 - BIOS Setup...
Power Management Resume by Alarm If enabled, set the date and time as following: AC power, or the settings may not be effective. HPET Timer (Note) Soft-Off by PWR-BTTN Delay 4 Sec. Press and hold the power button for 4 seconds to turn off the system. If the power button is pressed for less than 4 seconds, the system will enter suspend mode.
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Power On By Keyboard Allows the system to be turned on by a PS/2 keyboard wake-up event. Password Set a password with 1~5 characters to turn on the system. Any key Press any key to turn on the system. Power On Password Set the password when Power On By Keyboard is set to Password.
Save & Exit Save & Exit Setup Yes. This saves the changes to the CMOS and exits the BIOS Setup program. Select No Exit Without Saving Yes. This exits the BIOS Setup without saving the changes made in BIOS Setup to the CMOS. Select No Load Optimized Defaults Yes to load the optimal BIOS default settings.
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RAID Levels RAID 0 RAID 1 RAID 10 Minimum Drives Array Capacity drive smallest drive smallest drive Fault Tolerance D. Install the SATA RAID/AHCI driver and operating system Before you begin Motherboard driver disk. A. Installing SATA hard drive(s) in your computer Attach one end of the SATA signal cable to the rear of the SATA hard drive and the other end to available SATA port on the motherboard.
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Step 1: 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 4/5 and eSATA connectors, set OnChip SATA Type to RAID and set OnChip SATA Port4/5 Type to As SATA Type Figure 1 Step 2: and exit BIOS Setup.
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\BootDrv\UEFI RAID Utility folder in your motherboard driver Step 1: In BIOS Setup, go to BIOS Features and set Windows 8 Features to Windows 8 and CSM Support to Never. Figure 2 Running the UEFI RAID Utility as shown in Figure 3. To run the UEFI RAID utility, enter the following commands. You can enter the commands at Shell or EFI Shell version 2.31 [4.653] Current running mode 1.1.2...
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Checking Disk Information LIST and DISK LIST displayed on the screen. rcadm -M -qa fs0:\> rcadm -M -qa Figure 4 Creating a RAID Array succeeded, the message which says "created sucessfully" will appear. rcadm -C -r0 -d 0 1 -s 40000 ("C"= s x0000 fs0:\>rcadm -C -r0 -d 0 1 -s 40000...
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Deleting an Array rcadm -D -a 1 ("D"= YES to delete or NO fs0:\>rcadm -D -a 1 Delete Array 1, are you sure?(YES, NO): yes deleting array 1 deleting array //./Core1/Route0/Device 1 fs0:\> Figure 7 - 59 -...
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Steps: After the POST memory test begins and before the operating system boot begins, look for a message which AMD-RAID Controller BIOS (6.1.1-00075) (c) 2012-2013 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. * BIOS defaults restored. * 1--Legacy, 79GB, Normal (NA) 2--Legacy, 79GB, Normal (NA) Figure 8 Creating a RAID Array Create Array...
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The selection bar will move to the Disks section on the right of the screen. Select the hard drives to be included and the selection bar will move to the User Input RAID0: Stripe set - distributes space across disks for higher performance Arrays Disks 0-00, 79GB, Ready...
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Read and Write-back Caching. (Some data may be lost in a crash) Arrays 0-00, 79GB, Ready 1-01, 79GB, Ready Create Array Disks: 0, 1 Type: RAID 0 Total Size: 158GB Cachin Mode: Read/Write User Input Select Caching Mode Available Keys Read/Write <...
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Deleting an Array The Delete Array(s) menu option allows for deletion of disk array assignments. Deleting an existing disk array could result in loss of data. Record all array information including the 1. Select Delete Array(s) in the Main Menu 2.
Installing the SATA RAID/AHCI Driver and Operating System A. Installing Windows 8/7 Step 1: You need to install the SATA RAID/AHCI driver during the OS installation. Use an alternative system to copy Hw8_A88 folder under BootDrv in the driver disk. Step 2: you to load the driver appears, select Browse.
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B. Installing Windows XP (32-bit) \BootDrv\Hxp Steps: 1: Use an alternative system and insert the motherboard driver disk. 2: From your optical drive folder, double click the Menu.exe BootDrv folder. A Command Prompt window will open similar to that in Figure 2. example, from the menu in Figure 2, for the AMD A78, select 6) hseries AHCI/RAID for XP.
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Step 1: "Press F6 if you need to install a 3rd party SCSI or RAID driver." A screen will then appear asking you to specify Step 2: to that in Figure 3 will appear. Select AMD AHCI Compatible RAID Controller-x86 platform Windows Setup using a device support disk provided by an adapter manufacturer.
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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 and RAID 10 arrays. To replace the old drive, make sure to use a new drive of equal or greater capacity.
Some device drivers will restart your system automatically during the driver installation. After the 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.
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.
Download Center To update the BIOS, drivers, or applications, click the Download Center button to link to the GIGABYTE website. The latest version of the BIOS, drivers, or applications will be displayed. Drivers Installation - 72 -...
Chapter 5 Unique Features BIOS Update Utilities GIGABYTE motherboards provide two unique BIOS update tools, Q-Flash and @BIOS . GIGABYTE Q-Flash ™ ™ and @BIOS are easy-to-use and allow you to update the BIOS without the need to enter MS-DOS mode.
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B. Updating the BIOS Step 1: Update BIOS From Drive. The Save BIOS to Drive Select USB Flash Drive. Q-Flash Utility v1.05 Model Name : F2A78M-D3H BIOS Version : F1a BIOS Date : 12/09/2013 Flash Type/Size : MXIC 25L6465E/6406E Update BIOS From Drive Save BIOS to Drive Select Device Return to BIOS setup...
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Step 4: Load Optimized Defaults on the Save & Exit so we recommend that you reload BIOS defaults. Select Yes to load BIOS defaults Step 5: Select Save & Exit Setup Yes to save settings to CMOS and exit BIOS Setup.
BIOS update. corrupted BIOS or a system that is unable to start. GIGABYTE product warranty does not cover any BIOS damage or system failure resulting from an inadequate B. Using @BIOS Click Update BIOS from GIGABYTE Server, select the @BIOS server site closest to your location and complete.
EasyTune 6 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 Description tab provides information on the installed CPU and motherboard. Memory Tuner tab allows you to change memory settings and voltages.
Smart Recovery 2 The Smart Recovery 2 main menu: Button Description Allows you to select the source and destination Settings partition Allows you to perform the backup immediately File image Recovery... System Allows you to recover your system from the backup image Recovery...
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Steps: 1. Click the File 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.
Chapter 6 Appendix The motherboard provides three audio jacks on the back panel which support 2/4/5.1/7.1 -channel audio. The picture to the right shows the Line In default audio jack assignments. Front Speaker Out capability that allows the user to change the function for each jack Mic In through the audio driver.
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The pictures to the right show the 7.1-channel speaker 7.1-Channel Speakers: Front Speaker Out Rear Speaker Out Center/Subwoofer Speaker Out Side Speaker Out 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.
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C. Activating an AC'97 Front Panel Audio Module If your chassis provides an AC'97 front panel audio module, to activate the AC'97 functionality, click the tool icon on the tab. On the Connector Settings dialog box, select the Disable front panel jack detection check box.
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The S/PDIF Out jack can transmit audio signals to an external decoder for decoding to get the best audio quality. 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. Connects to a S/PDIF optical cable On the Digital Output(Optical) screen , click the Default Format tab and then select the sample rate and...
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Step 1: The HD Audio Manager icon will appear Double-click the icon to access the HD Audio Manager. Step 2: back panel cannot be used at the same time. Step 3: Go to the Microphone screen. Do not mute the recording volume, or you'll not be able to record the sound.
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Step 5: To open the Sounder Recorder, move the mouse cursor to the bottom left corner of the screen, click the Start icon to switch to the Start click the All apps icon on the bottom right corner of the screen to access the Apps screen. Step 6: On this screen, click Sound Recorder for audio recording.
Step 2: On the Recording tab, right-click on an empty space and select Show Disabled Devices. Step 3: Stereo Mix item appears, right-click on this item and select Enable. Then set it as the default device. Step 4: HD Audio Manager Stereo Mix and use Sound Recorder to record the sound.
In Device Manager, right-click on the computer name and select Scan for hardware changes Add New Hardware Wizard appears, click Cancel. Then install the onboard HD audio driver from the moth- erboard driver disk or download the audio driver from GIGABYTE's website to install. For more details, go to the page on our website and search for "onboard HD audio driver."...
6-2-2 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.
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The power supply, CPU or CPU socket might fail. The graphics card, expansion slot, or monitor Check if there is display on your monitor. might fail. Turn off the computer. Plug in the keyboard and mouse and restart the computer. The keyboard or keyboard Check if the keyboard is working properly.
This document must not be copied without our written permission, and the contents there of must not be imparted information contained herein was accurate in all respects at the time of printing. GIGABYTE cannot, however, assume any responsibility for errors or omissions in this text. Also note that the information in this document is subject to change without notice and should not be construed as a commitment by GIGABYTE.
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FCC Notice (U.S.A. Only) This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation.
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Spain Serbia Greece Kazakhstan Czech Republic You may go to the GIGABYTE website, select your language in the language list on the top right corner of the website. GIGABYTE Global Service System question, please link to: http://ggts.gigabyte.com.tw Then select your language to enter the system.
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