Biostar N4SLI-A9 User Manual
Biostar N4SLI-A9 User Manual

Biostar N4SLI-A9 User Manual

Biostar n4sli-a9 motherboard: user guide
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N4SLI-A9
FCC Information and Copyright
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits of a Class
B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are
designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. There
is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation.
The vendor makes no representations or warranties with respect to the
contents here and specially disclaims any implied warranties of
merchantability or fitness for any purpose. Further the vendor reserves the
right to revise this publication and to make changes to the contents here
without obligation to notify any party beforehand.
Duplication of this publication, in part or in whole, is not allowed without first
obtaining the vendor's approval in writing.
The content of this user's manual is subject to be changed without notice and
we will not be responsible for any mistakes found in this user's manual. All the
brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies.
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Summary of Contents for Biostar N4SLI-A9

  • Page 1 N4SLI-A9 FCC Information and Copyright This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits of 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.
  • Page 2: Table Of Contents

    Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction... 1 Motherboard Features ... 1 Package Checklist... 6 Layout & Components ... 7 Chapter 2: Hardware Installation ... 8 Central Processing Unit (CPU)... 8 Fan Headers ... 9 Memory Modules Installation ... 10 Connectors & Slots ... 11 Chapter 3: Headers &...
  • Page 3: Chapter 1: Introduction

    Note: Do not support Windows 98SE and Windows ME. Dimensions ATX Form Factor: 29.4cm (L) x 24.35cm (W) On-board IDE 2 on-board connectors support 4 IDE disk drives. Supports PIO mode 5, Block Mode and Ultra DMA 33/66/100/133 bus master mode. N4SLI-A9 EATURES...
  • Page 4 N4SLI-A9 System Memory Supports Dual Channel DDR. Supports 8 banks in total. Supports DDR333 and DDR400. Maximum memory size is 4GB. DIMM Socket Location DIMM1 128MB/256MB/512MB/1GB *1 DIMM2 128MB/256MB/512MB/1GB *1 DIMM3 128MB/256MB/512MB/1GB *1 DIMM4 128MB/256MB/512MB/1GB *1 Expansion Slots Three 32bit PCI bus master slots.
  • Page 5 N4SLI-A9 Super I/O Chip: ITE IT8712F. Low Pin Count Interface. Provides the most commonly used legacy Super I/O functionality. Environment Control initiatives, H/W Monitor Fan Speed Controller ITE's "Smart Guardian" function Serial ATA 4 on-board Serial ATA connectors support 4 serial ATA (SATA) ports.
  • Page 6 N4SLI-A9 1 IEEE1394A header supports 1 1394A Firewire port (optional).
  • Page 7: Bundled Software

    N4SLI-A9 1 SPDIF-in connector supports digital audio-in function (optional). 1 floppy connector supports 2 FDD devices with 360K, 720K, 1.2M, 1.44M and 2.88Mbytes. 2 IDE connectors support 4 IDE disk drives. 3 USB headers support 6 USB 2.0 ports at front panel.
  • Page 8: Package Checklist

    N4SLI-A9 ACKAGE HECKLIST FDD Cable x 1 HDD Cable x 1 User’s Manual x 1 Serial ATA Cable x 1 BRI-2 SLI Bridge x 1 Fully Setup Driver CD x 1 Rear I/O Panel for ATX Case x 1 SLI-NF4 Selector Card x 1 (pre-installed) SPDIF Cable x 1 (optional) USB 2.0 Cable x 1 (optional)
  • Page 9: Layout & Components

    Giga LAN PEX1-1 PEX1-2 JCDIN1 PEX16-2 Codec PCI1 JSPDIF_OUT PCI2 Super I/O JSPDIF_IN1 (optional) PCI3 JCI2 (optional) Note: ■ represents the 1 pin. N4SLI-A9 JCFAN1 SLI1 nForce4 CK8-04 IEEE 1394 Chip JUSB1 JUSB3 (optional) J1394A1 (optional) JUSB2 J1394PWR1 (optional) BIOS JUSBV1...
  • Page 10: Chapter 2: Hardware Installation

    Step 2: Pull the lever toward direction A from the socket and then raise the lever up to a 90-degree angle. Step 3: Look for the white triangle on socket, and the gold triangle on CPU should point forwards this white triangle. The CPU will fit only in the correct orientation. N4SLI-A9 (CPU)
  • Page 11: Fan Headers

    It supports 3 pin head connector. When connecting with wires onto connectors, please note that the red wire is the positive and should be connected to pin#2, and the black wire is Ground and should be connected to GND. N4SLI-A9 JCFAN1 Assignment...
  • Page 12: Memory Modules Installation

    “SS” represents Single Side DDR memory module. “DS” represents Double Side DDR memory module. Star sign “*” represents leave the DIMM socket empty. DIMM1 SS/DS DIMM2 DIMM3 DIMM4 N4SLI-A9 NSTALLATION SS/DS SS/DS SS/DS SS/DS SS/DS SS/DS SS/DS...
  • Page 13: Connectors & Slots

    This connector supports the provided floppy drive ribbon cables. IDE1/IDE2: Hard Disk Connectors The motherboard has two 32-bit Enhanced PCI IDE Controller that provides PIO Mode 0~5, Bus Master, and Ultra DMA 33/66/100/133 functionality. It has two HDD connectors IDE1 (primary) and IDE2 (secondary).
  • Page 14 N4SLI-A9 PCI1~PCI3: Peripheral Component Interconnect Slots This motherboard is equipped with 3 standard PCI slot. PCI stands for Peripheral Component Interconnect, and it is a bus standard for expansion cards. This PCI slot is designated as 32 bits. PEX16-1/PEX16-2/PEX1-1/PEX1-2:PCI-Express Slots PEX16-1 (Normal Mode): PCI Express 1.0a compliant.
  • Page 15: Chapter 3: Headers & Jumpers Setup

    “close”, if not, that means the jumper is “open”. Pin opened ETAIL ETTINGS JATXPWR1/JATXPWR2: ATX Power Source Connectors This connector allows user to connect 24-pin power connector on the ATX power supply. N4SLI-A9 Pin closed Pin1-2 closed Assignment +3.3V +3.3V Ground Ground...
  • Page 16 N4SLI-A9 JATXPWR2: ATX Power Source Connector By connecting this connector, it will provide +12V to CPU power circuit. JPEXPWR1: PCI-Express x16 Slot Power Source Connector When SLI mode is enabled, please plug in this PEX power source connector to make sure the system is working under a stable environment.
  • Page 17 N4SLI-A9 J1394_USBV1/JUSBV1: Power Source Headers for USB Ports Pin 1-2 Close: J1394_USBV1: +5V for USB ports at J1394_USB1 and JUSBLAN1. JUSBV1: +5V for front USB headers (JUSB1/JUSB2/JUSB3). Pin 2-3 Close: J1394_USBV1: USB ports at J1394_USB1 and JUSBLAN1 are powered with +5V standby voltage.
  • Page 18 N4SLI-A9 JSPDIF_OUT/JSPDIF_IN1: Digital Audio-out Connectors (JSPDIF_IN1 is optional.) These connectors allow user to connect the PCI bracket SPDIF output or input header. JAUDIO2: Front Panel Audio-out Header This connector will allow user to connect with the front audio out put headers on the PC case.
  • Page 19 N4SLI-A9 J1394PWR1 (optional): Power Source Header for 1394 Chip J1394A1 (optional): Header for 1394A Firewire Port at Front Panel This header allows user to connect the front 1394 port for digital image devices. JUSB1~JUSB3: Headers for USB Ports at Front Panel This connector allows user to connect additional USB cables at PC front panel, and also can be connected with internal USB devices, like USB card reader.
  • Page 20 N4SLI-A9 JCMOS1: Clear CMOS Header By placing the jumper on pin2-3, it allows user to restore the BIOS safe setting and the CMOS data, please carefully follow the procedures to avoid damaging the motherboard. ※ ※ ※ ※ Clear CMOS Proced ures: Remove AC power line.
  • Page 21 N4SLI-A9 JSATA1~JSATA4: Serial ATA Connectors The motherboard has a SATA Controller in nForce4 CK8-04 SLI with 4 channels SATA interface, it satisfies the SATA 2.0 spec and with transfer rate of 3.0Gb/s. JPANEL1: Header for Front Panel Facilities This 24-pin connector includes Power-on, Reset, HDD LED, Power LED, Sleep button, speaker and IrDA Connection.
  • Page 22: Chapter 4: Useful Help

    BIOS contents are corrupted. In this Case, please follow the procedure below to restore the BIOS: Make a bootable floppy disk. Download the Flash Utility “AWDFLASH.exe” from the Biostar website: www.biostar.com.tw Confirm motherboard model and download the respectively BIOS from Biostar website.
  • Page 23 If the system shutdown automatically after power on system for seconds, that means the CPU protection function has been activated. When the CPU is over heated, the motherboard will shutdown automatically to avoid a damage of the CPU, and the system may not power on again.
  • Page 24: Troubleshooting

    Screen message says “Invalid Configuration” or “CMOS Failure.” Cannot boot system after installing second hard drive. N4SLI-A9 Solution Make sure power cable is securely plugged in. Replace cable. Contact technical support.
  • Page 25: Chapter 5: Nvidia Sli Function

    SLI-NF4 S LACING THE There is a pre-installed SLI-NF4 selector card on the motherboard. The default setting is Normal Mode, only supports single graphics card. To use two graphics cards, firstly, you have to set the selector card to SLI Mode, to support dual video cards.
  • Page 26 N4SLI-A9 Step 3: Invert the selector card and insert the edge labeled “SLI MODE”. Step 4: Push down the selector card until the retention clips snap into place. Notice: Make sure to insert the card into the slot completely. ○...
  • Page 27: Things To Notice

    Step 3: Insert the first one graphics card into the yellow slot (PEX16-1). Step 4: Insert the second graphics card into the black slot (PEX16-2). Notice: Make sure both the graphics cards are seated into slots completely. N4SLI-A9 RAPHICS ARDS PEX16- PEX16-...
  • Page 28 N4SLI-A9 Step 5: Connect a 4-pin ATX power cable to PEX power connector (JPEXPWR1), this will ensure the stabilization of your system. Step 6: Insert the SLI Bridge (BRI-2) connector on the gold-fingers on each graphics card. Front view Step 7: To securely fix the connector between two graphics cards, a retention bracket must be installed.
  • Page 29: Enabling Multi-Gpu Feature In Windows

    N4SLI-A9 -GPU F NABLING ULTI EATURE IN INDOWS After the graphics cards are installed, enable the Multi-GPU feature in NVIDIA nView properties. Step 1: Click NVIDIA Settings icon on the Windows taskbar. Step 2: Select nView Properties in nView Desktop Manager pop-up menu.
  • Page 30 N4SLI-A9 Step 5: Select NVIDIA GeForce tab, and then click on Multi-GPU item on the left dialog box. Step 6: Check before Enable SLI multi-GPU item, and click on OK to complete the setting.
  • Page 31: Chapter 6: Nvidia Raid Functions

    Benefits: provides increased data throughput, especially for large files. No capacity loss penalty for parity. Drawbacks: Does not deliver any fault tolerance. If any drive in the array fails, all data is lost. Fault Tolerance: No. N4SLI-A9 Block 1 Block 3 Block 5 Block 2...
  • Page 32 N4SLI-A9 RAID 1: Every read and write is actually carried out in parallel across 2 disk drives in a RAID 1 array system. The mirrored (backup) copy of the data can reside on the same disk or on a second redundant drive in the array.
  • Page 33 Fault Tolerance: Yes. ※ For more detailed setup information, please refer to the Driver CD, or go to http://www.nvidia.com/page/pg_20011106217193.html NVIDIA nForce Tutorial Flash. N4SLI-A9 Single Logical Drive to download Disk 1: 40GB Disk 2: 80GB Disk 3: 40GB...
  • Page 34: Chapter 7: Warpspeeder

    YSTEM EQUIREMENT OS Support: Windows 98 SE, Windows Me, Windows 2000, Windows XP DirectX: DirectX 8.1 or above. (The Windows XP operating system includes DirectX 8.1. If you use Windows XP, you do not need to install DirectX 8.1.) N4SLI-A9...
  • Page 35: Installation

    Tray Icon utility and [WarpSpeeder™] utility will be automatically and immediately launched after you click “Finish” button. Usage: The following figures are just only for reference, the screen printed in this user manual will change according to your motherboard on hand. N4SLI-A9...
  • Page 36: Warpspeederâ„¢] Includes 1 Tray Icon And 5 Panels

    N4SLI-A9 ™] PEEDER INCLUDES TRAY ICON AND PANELS 1. Tray Icon: Whenever the Tray Icon utility is launched, it will display a little tray icon on the right side of Windows Taskbar. This utility is responsible for conveniently invoking [WarpSpeeder™] Utility.
  • Page 37 N4SLI-A9 2. Main Panel If you click the tray icon, [WarpSpeeder™] utility will be invoked. Please refer to the following figure; the utility’s first window you will see is Main Panel. Main Panel contains features as follows: Display the CPU Speed, CPU external clock, Memory clock, AGP clock, and PCI clock information.
  • Page 38 N4SLI-A9 3. Voltage Panel Click the Voltage button in Main Panel, the button will be highlighted and the Voltage Panel will slide out to up as the following figure. In this panel, you can decide to increase CPU core voltage and Memory voltage or not.
  • Page 39 N4SLI-A9 4. Overclock Panel Click the Overclock button in Main Panel, the button will be highlighted and the Overclock Panel will slide out to left as the following figure. Overclock Panel contains the these features: “–3MHz button”, “-1MHz button”, “+1MHz button”, and “+3MHz button”: provide user the ability to do real-time overclock...
  • Page 40 N4SLI-A9 “Auto-overclock button”: User can click this button and [WarpSpeeder™] will set the best and stable performance and frequency automatically. [WarpSpeeder™] utility will execute a series of testing until system fail. Then system will do fail-safe reboot by using Watchdog function. After reboot, the [WarpSpeeder™] utility will restore to the hardware default...
  • Page 41 N4SLI-A9 6. About Panel Click the “about” button in Main Panel, the button will be highlighted and the About Panel will slide out to up as the following figure. In this panel, you can get model name and detail information in hints of all the chipset that are related to overclocking.
  • Page 42 N4SLI-A9 Note: Because the overclock, overvoltage, and hardware monitor features are controlled by several separate chipset, [WarpSpeeder™] divide these features to separate panels. If one chipset is not on board, the correlative button in Main panel will be disabled, but will not interfere other panels’...

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