Page 2
Product warranty or service will not be extended if: (1) the product is repaired, modified or altered, unless such repair, modification of alteration is authorized in writing by ASUS; or (2) the serial number of the product is defaced or missing.
Contents Safety information ..................vi About this guide ..................vi P8H61-I LX specifications summary ............viii Chapter 1: Product introduction Before you proceed ..............1-1 Motherboard overview ..............1-2 1.2.1 Placement direction ............1-2 1.2.2 Screw holes ..............1-2 1.2.3 Motherboard layout ............
Page 4
Chapter 2: BIOS information Managing and updating your BIOS ..........2-1 2.1.1 ASUS Update utility ............2-1 2.1.2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 ............2-2 2.1.3 ASUS BIOS Updater ............2-3 BIOS setup program ..............2-6 Main menu .................. 2-10 2.3.1 System Language [English] ..........
Page 5
Setup Mode [EZ Mode] ..........2-24 2.7.6 Boot Option Priorities ............ 2-24 2.7.7 Boot Override ..............2-24 Tools menu ................. 2-25 2.8.1 ASUS EZ Flash Utility ........... 2-25 2.8.2 ASUS SPD Information ..........2-25 2.8.3 ASUS O.C. Profile ............2-25 Exit menu ..................2-26 Appendices Notices .......................A-1...
Safety information Electrical safety • To prevent electric shock hazard, disconnect the power cable from the electric outlet before relocating the system. • When adding or removing devices to or from the system, ensure that the power cables for the devices are unplugged before the signal cables are connected. If possible, disconnect all power cables from the existing system before you add a device.
Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product and software updates. ASUS websites The ASUS website provides updated information on ASUS hardware and software products. Refer to the ASUS contact information. Optional documentation Your product package may include optional documentation, such as warranty flyers, that may have been added by your dealer.
Dual-channel memory architecture * The Max. 16GB memory capacity can be supported with DIMMs of 8GB (or above). ASUS will update QVL once the DIMMs are available in the market. ** Refer to www.asus.com for the latest Memory QVL (Qualified Vendors List).
Page 9
P8H61-I LX specifications summary Rear panel ports 1 x PS/2 keyboard (Purple) 1 x PS/2 Mouse (Green) 1 x D-Sub output port 1 x DVI-D output port 1 x LAN (RJ-45) port 4 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports 3 x Audio jacks support 8-channel Internal connectors/ 2 x USB 2.0/1.1 connectors support additional 4 USB 2.0/1.1...
Chapter 1 Product introduction Thank you for buying an ASUS P8H61-I LX motherboard! ® Before you start installing the motherboard, and hardware devices on it, check the items in your motherboard package. Refer to page x for the list of accessories.
Place four screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the motherboard to the chassis. Do not overtighten the screws! Doing so can damage the motherboard. Place this side towards the rear of the chassis ASUS P8H61-I LX E6873_P8H61-I LX.indb 2 2/15/12 6:36:57 PM...
Contact your retailer immediately if the PnP cap is missing, or if you see any damage to the PnP cap/socket contacts/motherboard components. ASUS will shoulder the cost of repair only if the damage is shipment/transit-related. • Keep the cap after installing the motherboard. ASUS will process Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) requests only if the motherboard comes with the cap on the LGA1155 socket.
Page 15
Lift the load lever in the direction of the arrow until the load plate is completely lifted. Load plate Remove the PnP cap from the CPU socket by lifting the tab only. PnP cap Position the CPU over the socket, ensuring that the gold triangle is on the bottom-left corner of the socket, and CPU notches...
Page 16
Close the load plate (A), and then push down the load lever (B), ensuring that the front edge of the load plate slides under the retention knob (C). Insert the load lever under the retention tab. ASUS P8H61-I LX E6873_P8H61-I LX.indb 6 2/15/12 6:37:02 PM...
1.3.2 Installing the CPU heatsink and fan The Intel LGA1155 processor requires a specially designed heatsink and fan assembly to ® ensure optimum thermal condition and performance. • When you buy a boxed Intel processor, the package includes the CPU fan and ®...
Connect the CPU fan cable to the connector on the motherboard labeled CPU_FAN. CPU_FAN P8H61-I LX CPU fan connector Do not forget to connect the CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring errors can occur if you fail to plug this connector.
• The Max. 16GB memory capacity can be supported with DIMMs of 8GB (or above). ASUS will update the QVL once the DIMMs are available in the market. • For system stability, use a more efficient memory cooling system to support a full memory load (2 DIMMs) or overclocking condition.
• A*: Supports one module inserted into either slot as single-channel memory configuration. • B*: Supports one pair of modules inserted into both slots as one pair of dual-channel memory configuration. Visit the ASUS website at www.asus.com for the latest QVL. 1-12 ASUS P8H61-I LX E6873_P8H61-I LX.indb 12...
1.4.3 Installing a DIMM Unplug the power supply before adding or removing DIMMs or other system components. Failure to do so can cause severe damage to both the motherboard and the components. Press the retaining clips outward to DIMM notch unlock a DIMM socket.
Normal Clear RTC (Default) P8H61-I LX Clear RTC RAM To erase the RTC RAM: 1. Turn OFF the computer and unplug the power cord. 2. Move the jumper cap from pins 1-2 (default) to pins 2-3. Keep the cap on pins 2-3 for about 5-10 seconds, then move the cap back to pins 1-2.
Lime (Front panel) – – – Side Speaker Out To configure an 8-channel audio output: Use a chassis with HD audio module in the front panel to support 8-channel audio output. 1-16 ASUS P8H61-I LX E6873_P8H61-I LX.indb 16 2/15/12 6:37:21 PM...
Legacy AC 97 pin definition compliant definition P8H61-I LX Front panel audio connector • We recommend that you connect a high-definition front panel audio module to this connector to avail of the motherboard’s high-definition audio capability. • If you want to connect a high-definition front panel audio module to this connector, set the Front Panel Type item in the BIOS setup to [HD].
Page 28
The system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is inadequate. • If you are uncertain about the minimum power supply requirement for your system, refer to the Recommended Power Supply Wattage Calculator at http://support.asus. com/PowerSupplyCalculator/PSCalculator.aspx?SLanguage=en-us for details. Speaker connector (4-pin SPEAKER) The 4-pin connector is for the chassis-mounted system warning speaker.
Page 29
CPU_FAN CHA_FAN P8H61-I LX fan connectors Do not forget to connect the fan cables to the fan connectors. Insufficient air flow inside the system may damage the motherboard components. These are not jumpers! Do not place jumper caps on the fan connectors! The CPU_FAN connector supports a CPU fan of maximum 2A (24 W) fan power.
Page 30
Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s signal cables. SATA3G_1 SATA3G_2 SATA3G_3 SATA3G_4 P8H61-I LX SATA 3.0Gb/s connectors • You must install Windows XP Service Pack 3 or later version before using Serial ATA ® hard disk drives. • When using hot-plug and NCQ, set the SATA Mode item in the BIOS to [AHCI Mode].
Page 31
HD_LED- PLED+ HD_LED+ PIN 1 P8H61-I LX System panel connector • System power LED (2-pin PLED) This 2-pin connector is for the system power LED. Connect the chassis power LED cable to this connector. The system power LED lights up when you turn on the system power, and blinks when the system is in sleep mode.
The contents of the Support DVD are subject to change at any time without notice. Visit the ASUS website at www.asus.com for updates. To run the Support DVD Place the Support DVD into the optical drive.
BIOS in the future. Copy the original motherboard BIOS using the ASUS Update utility. 2.1.1 ASUS Update utility The ASUS Update is a utility that allows you to manage, save, and update the motherboard BIOS in Windows environment. ®...
Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the updating process. 2.1.2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 The ASUS EZ Flash 2 feature allows you to update the BIOS without using an OS-based utility. Before you start using this utility, download the latest BIOS file from the ASUS website at www.asus.com.
2.1.3 ASUS BIOS Updater The ASUS BIOS Updater allows you to update BIOS in DOS environment. This utility also allows you to copy the current BIOS file that you can use as a backup when the BIOS fails or gets corrupted during the updating process.
Page 36
ASUSTek BIOS Updater for DOS V1.18 Current ROM Update ROM BOARD: P8H61-I LX BOARD: Unknown VER: 0103 VER: Unknown DATE: 08/23/2011 DATE: Unknown PATH: BIOS backup is done! Press any key to continue. Note Saving BIOS: ASUS P8H61-I LX E6873_P8H61-I LX.indb 4 2/15/12 6:37:36 PM...
Page 37
At the FreeDOS prompt, type bupdater /pc /g and press <Enter>. D:\>bupdater /pc /g The BIOS Updater screen appears as below. ASUSTek BIOS Updater for DOS V1.18 Current ROM Update ROM BOARD: P8H61-I LX BOARD: Unknown VER: 0103 VER: Unknown...
• The BIOS setup screens shown in this section are for reference purposes only, and may not exactly match what you see on your screen. • Visit the ASUS website at www.asus.com to download the latest BIOS file for this motherboard.
CPU/chassis fan speed the system, or enters the Advanced Mode EFI BIOS Utility - EZ Mode Exit/Advanced Mode P8H61-I LX English BIOS Version : 0103 Build Date : 08/23/2011 CPU Type : Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-2400 CPU @ 3.10GHz...
The Advanced Mode provides advanced options for experienced end-users to configure the BIOS settings. The figure below shows an example of the Advanced Mode. Refer to the following sections for the detailed configurations. To access the EZ Mode, click Exit, then select ASUS EZ Mode. Menu items Menu bar...
Menu items The highlighted item on the menu bar displays the specific items for that menu. For example, selecting Main shows the Main menu items. The other items (Ai Tweaker, Advanced, Monitor, Boot, Tool, and Exit) on the menu bar have their respective menu items.
RTC RAM. • The Administrator or User Password items on top of the screen show the default Not Installed. After you set a password, these items show Installed. 2-10 ASUS P8H61-I LX E6873_P8H61-I LX.indb 10 2/15/12 6:37:42 PM...
Administrator Password If you have set an administrator password, we recommend that you enter the administrator password for accessing the system. Otherwise, you might be able to see or change only selected fields in the BIOS setup program. To set an administrator password: Select the Administrator Password item and press <Enter>.
Advanced Monitor Boot Tool Forces a DDR3 frequency slower than Target DRAM Speed : xxxxMHz the common tCK detected via SPD. According to Intel spec, ASUS H61 Series motherboard supports 1066/1333MHz Memory Frequency Auto DRAM (only). iGPU Max. Frequency Auto >...
2.4.3 GPU Boost [OK] [OK] Select [OK] to automatically optimize the iGPU frequency. [Cancel] Select [Cancel] to use a fixed iGPU frequency. 2.4.4 DRAM Timing Control The sub-items in this menu allow you to set the DRAM timing control features. Use the <+> and <->...
<-> keys or the numeric keypad to adjust the ratio. The valid value ranges vary according to your CPU model. Intel Adaptive Thermal Monitor [Enabled] [Enabled] Enables the overheated CPU to throttle its clock speed to cool down. [Disabled] Disables the CPU thermal monitor function. 2-14 ASUS P8H61-I LX E6873_P8H61-I LX.indb 14 2/15/12 6:37:45 PM...
Page 47
Hyper-threading [Enabled] The Intel Hyper-Threading Technology allows a hyper-threading processor to appear as two logical processors to the operating system, allowing the operating system to schedule two threads or processes simultaneously. [Enabled] Two threads per activated core are enabled. [Disabled] Only one thread per activated core is enabled.
Vista / 7. Please use ® [IDE Mode] on Windows ® • [IDE] is the default SATA type. Under Windows XP, there is no need to change the ® SATA type. 2-16 ASUS P8H61-I LX E6873_P8H61-I LX.indb 16 2/15/12 6:37:46 PM...
Serial-ATA Controller 0 [Enhanced] This item appears only when you set the SATA Mode item to [IDE Mode]. [Disabled] Disables the SATA function. [Enhanced] Set to [Enhanced] to support more than four SATA devices. [Compatible] Set to [Compatible] when using Windows 98/NT/2000/MS-DOS. Up to four SATA devices are supported under these operating systems.
Sets the front panel audio connector (AAFP) mode to high definition audio. [AC97] Sets the front panel audio connector (AAFP) mode to legacy AC’97. Realtek LAN Controller [Enabled] [Enabled] Enables the Realtek LAN controller. [Disabled] Disables the controller. 2-18 ASUS P8H61-I LX E6873_P8H61-I LX.indb 18 2/15/12 6:37:47 PM...
Realtek PXE OPROM [Disabled] This item appears only when you set the previous item to [Enabled] and allows you to enable or disable the PXE OptionRom of the Realtek LAN controller. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] 2.5.7 Restore AC Power Loss [Power Off] [Power On] The system goes into on state after an AC power loss.
N/A. Select Ignore if you do not wish to display the detected speed. 2.6.3 CPU Q-Fan Control [Enabled] [Disabled] Disables the CPU Q-Fan control feature. [Enabled] Enables the CPU Q-Fan control feature. 2-20 ASUS P8H61-I LX E6873_P8H61-I LX.indb 20 2/15/12 6:37:48 PM...
CPU Fan Speed Low Limit [600 RPM] This item appears only when you enable the CPU Q-Fan Control feature and allows you to disable or set the CPU fan warning speed. Configuration options: [Ignore] [200 RPM] [300 RPM] [400 RPM] [500 RPM] [600 RPM] CPU Fan Profile [Standard] This item appears only when you enable the CPU Q-Fan Control feature and allows you to set the appropriate performance level of the CPU fan.
Select Ignore if you do not want to detect this item. 2.6.6 Anti Surge Support [Disabled] This item allows you to enable or disable the Anti Surge function. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] 2-22 ASUS P8H61-I LX E6873_P8H61-I LX.indb 22 2/15/12 6:37:49 PM...
[Disabled] Disables the full screen logo display feature. Set this item to [Enabled] to use the ASUS MyLogo 2™ feature. Post Report [5 sec] This item appears only when the Full Screen Logo item is set to [Disabled] and allows you to set the waiting time for the system to display the post report.
• To select the boot device during system startup, press <F8> when ASUS Logo appears. • To access Windows OS in Safe Mode, do any of the following: - Press <F5>...
> ASUS O.C. Profile 2.8.1 ASUS EZ Flash Utility Allows you to run ASUS EZ Flash 2. Press [Enter] to launch the ASUS EZ Flash 2 screen. For more details, see section 2.1.2 ASUS EZ Flash 2. 2.8.2 ASUS SPD Information...
This option allows you to enter the EZ Mode screen. Launch EFI Shell from filesystem device This option allows you to attempt to launch the EFI Shell application (shellx64.efi) from one of the available devices that have a filesystem. 2-26 ASUS P8H61-I LX E6873_P8H61-I LX.indb 26 2/15/12 6:37:51 PM...
: (1) cet appareil ne doit pas provoquer d’interférences et (2) cet appareil doit accepter toute interférence, y compris celles susceptibles de provoquer un fonctionnement non souhaité de l’appareil. ASUS P8H61-I LX E6873_P8H61-I LX.indb 1 2/15/12 6:37:52 PM...
ASUS Recycling/Takeback Services ASUS recycling and takeback programs come from our commitment to the highest standards for protecting our environment. We believe in providing solutions for you to be able to responsibly recycle our products, batteries, other components as well as the packaging materials. Please go to http://csr.asus.com/english/Takeback.htm for the detailed recycling information in different...
+1-510-739-3777 +1-510-608-4555 Web site usa.asus.com Technical Support Telephone +1-812-282-2787 Support fax +1-812-284-0883 Online support support.asus.com ASUS COMPUTER GmbH (Germany and Austria) Address Harkort Str. 21-23, D-40880 Ratingen, Germany +49-2102-959911 Web site www.asus.de Online contact www.asus.de/sales Technical Support Telephone (Component) +49-1805-010923*...