ASROCK FM2A78 PRO4+ User Manual
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ASROCK FM2A78 PRO4+ User Manual

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Summary of Contents for ASROCK FM2A78 PRO4+

  • Page 1 User Manual...
  • Page 2 (including damages for loss of profits, loss of business, loss of data, interruption of business and the like), even if ASRock has been advised of the possibility of such damages arising from any defect or error in the documentation or product.
  • Page 3 If you require assistance please call ASRock Tel : +886-2-28965588 ext.123 (Standard International call charges apply) The terms HDMI™...

  • Page 4: Table Of Contents

    Contents 1. Introduction ..............1 Package Contents ..............1 1.2 Specifications ................2 Unique Features ................ 6 Motherboard Layout ..............11 I/O Panel .................. 13 2. Installation ..............15 Pre-installation Precautions ..............15 CPU Installation ................. 16 Installation of CPU Fan and Heatsink ........17 Installation of Memory Modules (DIMM) ........
  • Page 5 Tool .................... 63 Hardware Health Event Monitoring Screen ....... 66 Boot Screen ................67 Security Screen ................. 69 Exit Screen ................70...

  • Page 6: Introduction

    ASRock website without further notice. You may find the latest VGA cards and CPU support lists on ASRock website as well. ASRock website http://www.asrock.com...

  • Page 7: Specifications

    1.2 Specifications Platform - ATX Form Factor - All Solid Capacitor design A-Style - Home Cloud - Supports Socket FM2+ 95W / FM2 100W processors - 4 + 2 Power Phase design Chipset - AMD A78 FCH (Bolton-D3) Memory - Dual Channel DDR3 Memory Technology - 4 x DDR3 DIMM Slots - Supports DDR3 2600+(OC)/2400(OC)/2133/1866/1600/ 1333/1066 non-ECC, un-buffered memory (see CAUTION 1)
  • Page 8 - Supports Blu-ray Stereoscopic 3D with HDMI Port - Supports AMD Steady Video 2.0: New video post processing capability for automatic jitter reduction on home/online video - Supports HDCP with DVI-D and HDMI Ports - Supports Full HD 1080p Blu-ray (BD) playback with DVI-D and HDMI Ports Audio - 7.1 CH HD Audio with Content Protection (Realtek ALC892 Audio Codec) - Premium Blu-ray Audio support ®...
  • Page 9 Certifications - FCC, CE, WHQL - ErP/EuP ready (ErP/EuP ready power supply is required) * For detailed product information, please visit our website: http://www.asrock.com WARNING Please realize that there is a certain risk involved with overclocking, including adjusting the setting in the BIOS, applying Untied Overclocking Technology, or using third-party overclocking tools.
  • Page 10 4GB for the reservation for system usage un- ® ® der Windows 8 / 7. For Windows 64-bit OS with 64-bit CPU, there is no such limitation. You can use ASRock XFast RAM to ® utilize the memory that Windows cannot use. ®...

  • Page 11: Unique Features

    OC Tweaker and a whole lot more. ASRock Instant Boot ASRock Instant Boot allows you to turn on your PC in just a few seconds, provides a much more efficient way to save energy, time, money, and improves system running speed for your sys- tem.
  • Page 12 ASRock XFast RAM ASRock XFast RAM is included in A-Tuning. It fully utilizes the memory space that cannot be used under Windows® 32-bit operating systems. ASRock XFast RAM shortens the loading time of previously visited websites, making web surfing faster than ever.
  • Page 13 S4/S5 state. ASRock Easy RAID Installer ASRock Easy RAID Installer can help you to copy the RAID driver from a support CD to your USB storage device. After copying the RAID driver to your USB storage device, please change “SATA Mode”...
  • Page 14 UEFI setup. AS- Rock Restart to UEFI technology is designed for those requiring frequent UEFI access. It is included in ASRock’s exclusive all- in-one A-Tuning tuning program that allows users to easily enter the UEFI automatically when turning on the PC next time.
  • Page 15 USB Key and let your computer log in to windows automatically! ASRock FAN-Tastic Tuning ASRock FAN-Tastic Tuning is included in A-Tuning. Configure up to five different fan speeds using the graph. The fans will automatically shift to the next speed level when the assigned...

  • Page 16: Motherboard Layout

    1.4 Motherboard Layout USB 2.0 T: USB1 PWR_FAN1 CPU_FAN2 B: USB2 CPU_FAN1 USB 3.0 T: USB3 B: USB4 USB 2.0 T: USB5 B: USB6 USB 2.0 Top: T: USB7 RJ-45 B: USB8 Fast LAN CHA_FAN3 CHA_FAN2 PCIE1 PCI Express 3.0 FM2A78 Pro4+ PCIE2 CMOS...
  • Page 17 No. Description Power Fan Connector (PWR_FAN1) ATX 12V Power Connector (ATX12V1) CPU Fan Connector (CPU_FAN1) CPU Fan Connector (CPU_FAN2) 2 x 240-pin DDR3 DIMM Slots (DDR3_A1, DDR3_B1) 2 x 240-pin DDR3 DIMM Slots (DDR3_A2, DDR3_B2) ATX Power Connector (ATXPWR1) USB 3.0 Header (USB3_9_10) SATA3 Connector (SATA3_4) 10 SATA3 Connector (SATA3_2) SATA3 Connector (SATA3_1) SATA3 Connector (SATA3_3)

  • Page 18: I/O Panel

    1.5 I/O Panel No. Description No. Description USB 2.0 Ports (USB_1_2)* Microphone (Pink) D-Sub Port Optical SPDIF Out Port USB 3.0 Ports (USB3_34) USB 2.0 Ports (USB_78) (AMD A78 FCH (Bolton-D3)) eSATA Connector USB 2.0 Ports (USB_5_6) LAN RJ-45 Port** Clear CMOS Button Central / Bass (Orange) HDMI Port...
  • Page 19 * It is recommended to install the USB Keyboard/Mouse cable to USB 2.0 ports (USB_1_2, USB_5_6 or USB_78) instead of USB 3.0 ports. ** There are two LEDs on the LAN port. Please refer to the table below for the LAN port LED indica- tions.

  • Page 20: Installation

    2. Installation This is an ATX form factor motherboard. Before you install the motherboard, study the configuration of your chassis to ensure that the motherboard fits into it. Pre-installation Precautions Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard components or change any motherboard settings. Before you install or remove any component, ensure that the power is switched off or the power cord is detached from the power supply.

  • Page 21: Cpu Installation

    2.1 CPU Installation Step 1. Unlock the socket by lifting the lever up to a 90 angle. Step 2. Position the CPU directly above the socket such that the CPU corner with the golden triangle matches the socket corner with a small triangle. Step 3.

  • Page 22: Installation Of Cpu Fan And Heatsink

    2.2 Installation of CPU Fan and Heatsink After you install the CPU into this motherboard, it is necessary to install a larger heatsink and cooling fan to dissipate heat. You also need to spray thermal grease between the CPU and the heatsink to improve heat dis- sipation.

  • Page 23: Installation Of Memory Modules (Dimm)

    2.3 Installation of Memory Modules (DIMM) This motherboard provides four 240-pin DDR3 (Double Data Rate 3) DIMM slots, and supports Dual Channel Memory Technology. 1. For dual channel configuration, you always need to install identical (the same brand, speed, size and chip-type) DDR3 DIMM pairs. 2.

  • Page 25: Expansion Slots (Pci And Pci Express Slots)

    2.4 Expansion Slots (PCI and PCI Express Slots) There are 3 PCI slots and 4 PCI Express slots on this motherboard. Before installing an expansion card, please make sure that the power supply is switched off or the power cord is unplugged. Please read the documenta- tion of the expansion card and make necessary hardware settings for the card before you start the installation.

  • Page 26: Jumpers Setup

    2.5 Jumpers Setup The illustration shows how jumpers are setup. When the jumper cap is placed on pins, the jumper is “Short”. If no jumper cap is placed on pins, the jumper is “Open”. The illustration shows a 3-pin jumper whose pin1 and pin2 are “Short”...

  • Page 27: Onboard Headers And Connectors

    2.6 Onboard Headers and Connectors Onboard headers and connectors are NOT jumpers. Do NOT place jumper caps over these headers and connectors. Placing jumper caps over the headers and connectors will cause permanent damage of the motherboard! Serial ATA3 Connectors These five Serial ATA3 (SATA3) connectors support (SATA3_1: see p.11, No.
  • Page 28 Infrared Module Header This header supports an optional wireless transmitting (5-pin IR1) and receiving infrared module. (see p.11 No. 17) Front Panel Audio Header This is an interface for the front PRESENCE# panel audio cable that allows (9-pin HD_AUDIO1) MIC_RET OUT_RET convenient connection and (see p.11 No.
  • Page 29 RESET (Reset Switch): Connect to the reset switch on the chassis front panel. Press the reset switch to restart the computer if the computer freezes and fails to per- form a normal restart. PLED (System Power LED): Connect to the power status indicator on the chassis front panel. The LED is on when the system is operating.
  • Page 30 (3-pin PWR_FAN1) +12V (see p.11 No. 1) PWR_FAN_SPEED CPU Fan Connectors Please connect the CPU fan FAN_SPEED_CONTROL cable to the connector and (4-pin CPU_FAN1) CPU_FAN_SPEED +12V match the black wire to the (see p.11 No. 3) ground pin. 1 2 3 4 Though this motherboard provides 4-Pin CPU fan (Quiet Fan) support, the 3-Pin CPU fan still can work successfully even without the fan speed control function.
  • Page 31 Serial port Header This COM1 header supports a serial port module. (9-pin COM1) (see p.11 No. 22) Chassis Intrusion Header This motherboard supports CASE OPEN detection feature (2-pin CI1) that detects if the chassis cover (see p.11, No. 24) Signal has been removed.

  • Page 32: Crossfirex Tm And Quad Crossfirex Tm Operation Guide

    2.7 CrossFireX and Quad CrossFireX Operation Guide This motherboard supports CrossFireX and Quad CrossFireX that allows you to install up to two identical PCI Express x16 graphics cards. Currently ® CrossFireX and Quad CrossFireX are supported with Windows 7 / 7 64-bit / 8 / 8 64-bit OS.
  • Page 33 Step 3 Connect a VGA cable or a DVI cable to the monitor connector or the DVI connector of the graphics card that is inserted to PCIE2 slot.
  • Page 34 2.7.2 Driver Installation and Setup Step 1 Power on your computer and boot into OS. Step 2 Remove the AMD drivers if you have any VGA drivers installed in your system. The Catalyst Uninstaller is an optional download. We recommend using this utility to uninstall any previously installed Catalyst drivers prior to installation. Please check AMD’s website for AMD driver updates.

  • Page 35: Dual Graphics Operation Guide

    2.8 AMD Dual Graphics Operation Guide This motherboard supports AMD Dual Graphics feature. AMD Dual Graphics brings multi-GPU performance capabilities by enabling an AMD A78 FCH (Bolton-D3) integrated graphics processor and a discrete graphics processor to operate simultaneously with combined output to a single display for blisteringly-fast frame ®...
  • Page 36 Step 7. You can also click “AMD VISION Engine Control Center” on your ® Windows taskbar to enter AMD VISION Engine Control Center. AMD VISION Engine Control Center Step 8. In AMD VISION Engine Control Center, please choose “Performance”. Click “AMD CrossFire ”. Step 9. Click “Enable CrossFire ” and click “Apply“ to save your change. Step 10. Reboot your system. Then you can freely enjoy the benefit of Dual Graphics feature. * Dual Graphics appearing here is a registered trademark of AMD Technologies Inc., and is used only for identification or explanation and to the owners’ benefit, without intent to infringe.

  • Page 37: Software And Utilities Operation

    3. Software and Utilities Operation 3.1 Installing Drivers The Support CD that comes with the motherboard contains necessary drivers and useful utilities that enhance the motherboard’s features. Running The Support CD To begin using the support CD, insert the CD into your CD-ROM drive. The CD automatically displays the Main Menu if “AUTORUN”...

  • Page 38: A-Tuning

    A-Tuning is ASRock’s multi purpose software suite with a new interface, more new features and improved utilities, including XFast RAM, Dehumidi- fier, Good Night LED, FAN-Tastic Tuning, OC Tweaker and a whole lot more. 3.2.1 Installing A-Tuning When you install the all-in-one driver to your system from ASRock’s support CD, A-Tuning will be auto-installed as well. After the installation, you will find the icon “A-Tuning“ on your desktop. Double-click the “A-Tuning“ icon, A-Tuning main menu will pop up.
  • Page 39 Tools Various tools and utilities. XFast RAM Boost the system’s performance and extend the HDD’s or SDD’s lifespan! Create a hidden partition, then assign which files should be stored in the RAM drive. Fast Boot Fast Boot minimizes your computer's boot time. Please note that Ultra Fast mode is only supported by Windows 8 and the VBIOS must support UEFI GOP if you are using an external graphics card. Schedule the starting and ending hours of Internet access granted to other users.
  • Page 40 FAN-Tastic Tuning Configure up to five different fan speeds using the graph. The fans will automatically shift to the next speed level when the assigned temperature is met. Dehumidifier Prevent motherboard damages due to dampness. Enable this function and configure the period of time until the computer powers on, and the duration of the dehumidifying process. OC Tweaker Configurations for overclocking the system. System Info View information about the system.
  • Page 41 Tech Service Contact Tech Service.

  • Page 42: Qualcomm ® Atheros ® Security Wake On Internet Technology

    ® ® 3.3 Qualcomm Atheros Security Wake On Internet Technology ® ® Qualcomm Atheros Security Wake On Internet Technology allows you to wake up and remote control your home computer from energy efficient sleep mode. Before configuring this feature, verify the following. • Make sure that the "PCI Devices Power On" is enabled in BIOS SETUP UTILITY > Advanced > ACPI Configuration. •...
  • Page 43 3.3.1 Configuring and Using Sunlogin Oray Sunlogin is a remote control software that lets you easily access and control the remote host that is installed with the Oray SunLogin Client software. Installing Sunlogin remote client Step 1 Login to sunlogin.oray.com. If you have not created a Sunlogin account, create one.
  • Page 44 Step 4 Double-click the Sunlogin Remote Control icon in the Windows system tray. Step 5 Make sure that "Remote wakeup module" and "Remote control module" is set to On. Then set up the passwords for remote wakeup and remote access.
  • Page 45 Installing Sunlogin control client Step 1 For Windows users: Download "Sunlogin Remote" from the Download section of sunlogin.oray. com and execute it. Log-in with your Sunlogin Account and Password. For iPad/iPhone users: Download “Sunlogin” from the App Store and install the app. Then fill in your Sunlogin Account and Password.
  • Page 46 For Andriod mobile device users: Search “Sunlogin” in Google PLAY and then install the app. Then fill in your Sunlogin Account and Password. Using Remote Wakeup For Windows users: Select one Host (Offline with Gray power button) on the control client panel to wake up your home computer. For iPad/iPhone users: Tap one Host (Offline with Gray power button ) on the Host List. Then tap the Power button to wakeup your home computer.
  • Page 47 For Andriod mobile device users: Tap one Host (Offline with Blue power button ) on the Host List. Then tap the Power button to wakeup your home computer.
  • Page 48 Using Remote Control For Windows users: Right-click on a Host (Online with Blue Windows logo) on the control client panel. Then key in your remote access password. For iPad/iPhone users: Tap one online machine on the Host List and fill in the Access password to start using remote control.
  • Page 49 For Andriod mobile device users: Tap one online machine and fill in the Access password to start using remote control. Tutorial Video...

  • Page 50: Start8

    Install Start8, which is located in the folder at the following path of the Sup- , which is located in the folder at the following path of the Sup- port CD: \ ASRock Utility > Start8. 3.4.2 Configuring Start8 Style Select between the Windows 7 style and Windows 8 style Start Menu.
  • Page 51 Configure Configure provides configuration options, including icon sizes, which shortcuts you want Start Menu to display, quick access to recently used apps, the functionality of the power button, and more. Control...
  • Page 52 Control lets you configure what a click on the start button or a press on the Windows key does. Desktop Desktop allows you to disable the hot corners when you are working on the desktop. It also lets you choose whether or not the system boots directly into desktop mode and bypass the Metro user interface. About Displays information about Start8.

  • Page 53: Uefi Setup Utility

    4. UEFI SETUP UTILITY 4.1 Introduction ASRock Interactive UEFI is a blend of system configuration tools, cool sound ef- fects and stunning visuals. Not only will it make BIOS setup less difficult but also a lot more amusing. This section explains how to use the UEFI SETUP UTILITY to configure your system. The UEFI chip on the motherboard stores the UEFI SETUP UTILITY. You may run the UEFI SETUP UTILITY when you start up the computer.

  • Page 54: Navigation Keys

    4.1.2 Navigation Keys Please check the following table for the function description of each navigation key. Navigation Key(s) Function Description Moves cursor left or right to select Screens Moves cursor up or down to select items + / - To change option for the selected items <Tab>...

  • Page 55: Oc Tweaker Screen

    4.3 OC Tweaker Screen In the OC Tweaker screen, you can set up overclocking features. EZ OC Mode You can use this option to adjust EZ overclocking setting. Please note that overclocing may cause damage to your components and motherboard. It should be done at your own risk and expense.
  • Page 56 Processor Maximum Frequency It will display Processor Maximum Frequency for reference. Processor Maximum Voltage It will display Processor Maximum Voltage for reference. Multiplier/Voltage Change This item is set to [Auto] by default. If it is set to [Manual], you may adjust the value of Processor Frequency and Processor Voltage. However, it is recommended to keep the default value for system stability. Boost Frequency Multiplier For safety and system stability, it is not recommended to adjust the value of this item.
  • Page 57 DRAM Timing Control DRAM Slot Use this item to view SPD data. DRAM Timing Control Use this item to control DRAM timing. Power Down Enable Use this item to enable or disable DDR power down mode. Bank Interleaving Interleaving allows memory accesses to be spread out over banks on the same node, or accross nodes, decreasing access contention.

  • Page 58: Advanced Screen

    4.4 Advanced Screen In this section, you may set the configurations for the following items: CPU Configu- ration, Nouth Bridge Configuration, South Bridge Configuration, Storage Configura- tion, Super IO Configuration, ACPI Configuration, USB Configuration and Trusted Computing. Setting wrong values in this section may cause the system to malfunction.

  • Page 59: Cpu Configuration

    4.4.1 CPU Configuration Core C6 Mode Use this item to enable or disable Core C6 mode. The default value is [Enabled]. Package C6 Mode This item appears only when you enable the item “Core C6 Mode”. Use this item to enable or disable Package C6 mode. The default value is [Dis- abled].

  • Page 60: North Bridge Configuration

    4.4.2 North Bridge Configuration IOMMU This allows you to enable or disable IOMMU support. Primary Graphics Adapter This item will switch the PCI Bus scanning order while searching for video card. It allows you to select the type of Primary VGA in case of multiple video controllers.

  • Page 61: South Bridge Configuration

    Select [Auto] or [Disabled] for the onboard HD Audio Front Panel. On/Off Play With ASRock On/Off Play users can connect their portable audio devices, such as an MP3 player or a mobile phone to the PC and listen to music through the computer’s speakers even when the computer is turned off.

  • Page 62: Storage Configuration

    4.4.4 Storage Configuration SATA Controller Use this item to enable or disable the “SATA Controller” feature. SATA Mode Use this item to adjust SATA Mode. The default value of this option is [AHCI Mode]. Configuration options: [AHCI Mode], [RAID Mode] and [IDE Mode]. If you set this item to RAID mode, it is suggested to install SATA ODD driver on SATA3_5 and eSATA ports.

  • Page 63: Super Io Configuration

    4.4.5 Super IO Configuration Serial Port Use this item to enable or disable the onboard serial port. Serial Port Address Use this item to set the address for the onboard serial port. Configuration options: [3F8h / IRQ4] and [3E8h / IRQ4]. Infrared Port Use this item to enable or disable the onboard infrared port. Infrared Port Address Use this item to set the address for the onboard infrared port.

  • Page 64: Acpi Configuration

    4.4.6 ACPI Configuration Suspend to RAM Use this item to select whether to auto-detect or disable the Suspend-to- RAM feature. Select [Auto] will enable this feature if the OS supports it. Check Ready Bit Enable to enter the operating system after S3 only when the hard disk is ready, this is recommended for better system stability.
  • Page 65 USB Keyboard/Remote Power On Use this item to enable or disable USB Keyboard/Remote to power on the system. USB Mouse Power On Use this item to enable or disable USB Mouse to power on the system. ACPI HPET table Use this item to enable or disable ACPI HPET Table. The default value is [Enabled].

  • Page 66: Usb Configuration

    4.4.7 USB Configuration USB 2.0 Controller Use this item to enable or disable the use of USB 2.0 controller. A78 USB 3.0 Controller Use this item to enable or disable the use of USB 3.0 controller. Legacy USB Support Use this option to select legacy support for USB devices. There are four confi guration options: [Enabled], [Auto], [Disabled] and [UEFI Setup Only].

  • Page 67: Trusted Computing

    4.4.8 Trusted Computing Security Device Support Enable to activate Trusted Platform Module (TPM) security for your hard disk drives.

  • Page 68: Tool

    OMG, guest accounts without permission to modify the system time are required. UEFI Tech Service Contact ASRock Tech Service if you are having trouble with your PC. Please setup network configuration before using UEFI Tech Service. Easy RAID Installer Easy RAID Installer helps you to copy the RAID driver from the support CD to your USB storage device.
  • Page 69 UEFI file to your USB flash drive, floppy disk or hard drive and launch this tool, then you can update your UEFI only in a few clicks without prepar- ing an additional floppy diskette or other complicated flash utility. Please be noted that the USB flash drive or hard drive must use FAT32/16/12 file system. If you execute Instant Flash utility, the utility will show the UEFI files and their respective information. Select the proper UEFI file to up- date your UEFI, and reboot your system after the UEFI update process is completed.
  • Page 70 Dehumidifier Duration This allows users to configure the duration of the dehumidifying process before it returns to S4/S5 state. Dehumidifier CPU Fan Setting Use this setting to configure CPU fan speed while “Dehumidifier” is en- abled. Would you like to save current setting user defaults? In this option, you are allowed to load and save three user defaults according to your own requirements.

  • Page 71: Hardware Health Event Monitoring Screen

    4.6 Hardware Health Event Monitoring Screen In this section, it allows you to monitor the status of the hardware on your system, including the parameters of the CPU temperature, motherboard temperature, CPU fan speed, chassis fan speed, and the critical voltage. CPU Fan 1 &...

  • Page 72: Boot Screen

    4.7 Boot Screen In this section, it will display the available devices on your system for you to config- ure the boot settings and the boot priority. Fast Boot Fast Boot minimizes your computer’s boot time. There are three con- figuration options: [Disabled], [Fast] and [Ultra Fast]. The default value is [Disabled]. Please refer to below descriptions for the details of these three options: [Disabled] - Disable Fast Boot. [Fast] - The only restriction is you may not boot by using an USB flash drive.
  • Page 73 Option ROM Messages [Force BIOS] - The third-party ROM messages will be forced to display during the bootsequence. [Keep Current] - The third-party ROM messages will be displayed only if the third-partymanufacturer had set the add-on device to do so. Boot Failure Guard Enable or disable the feature of Boot Failure Guard.

  • Page 74: Security Screen

    4.8 Security Screen In this section, you may set or change the supervisor/user password for the system. For the user password, you may also clear it. Secure Boot ® Enable to support Windows 8 Secure Boot.

  • Page 75: Exit Screen

    4.9 Exit Screen Save Changes and Exit When you select this option, it will pop-out the following message, “Save configuration changes and exit setup?” Select [OK] to save the changes and exit the UEFI SETUP UTILITY. Discard Changes and Exit When you select this option, it will pop-out the following message, “Discard changes and exit setup?”...
  • Page 76 Contact Information If you need to contact ASRock or want to know more about ASRock, you’re welcome to visit ASRock’s website at http://www.asrock.com; or you may contact your dealer for further information. For technical questions, please submit a support request form at http://www.asrock.com/support/tsd.asp...

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