(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.
Contents Chapter 1 Introduction Package Contents Specifications Unique Features Motherboard Layout I/O Panel Chapter 2 Installation Installing the CPU Installing the CPU Fan and Heatsink Installing Memory Modules (DIMM) Expansion Slots (PCI and PCI Express Slots) Jumpers Setup Onboard Headers and Connectors and Quad SLI Operation Guide 2.7.1 Installing Two SLI...
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Intel® Rapid Start Technology Intel® Smart Connect Technology Intel® Remote Wake Technology 3.5.1 Configuring and Using MeshCentral 3.5.2 Configuring and Using Splashtop Intel® Extreme Tuning Utility (IXTU) Start8 Chapter 4 UEFI SETUP UTILITY Introduction 4.1.1 UEFI Menu Bar 4.1.2 Navigation Keys Main Screen OC Tweaker Screen Advanced Screen...
If you require technical support related to this mother- board, please visit our website for specific information about the model you are using. You may find the latest VGA cards and CPU support list on ASRock’s website as well. ASRock website http://www.asrock.com.
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Z87 Extreme3 Graphics • Intel® HD Graphics Built-in Visuals and the VGA outputs can be supported only with processors which are GPU integrated. • Supports Intel® HD Graphics Built-in Visuals : Intel® Quick Sync Video with AVC, MVC (S3D) and MPEG-2 Full HW Encode1, Intel®...
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Rear Panel • 1 x PS/2 Mouse/Keyboard Port • 1 x D-Sub Port • 1 x DVI-D Port • 1 x HDMI Port • 1 x Optical SPDIF Out Port • 2 x USB 2.0 Ports • 4 x USB 3.0 Ports • 1 x RJ-45 LAN Port with LED (ACT/LINK LED and SPEED LED) • HD Audio Jack: Rear Speaker / Central / Bass / Line in / Front...
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• Voltage Monitoring: +12V, +5V, +3.3V, CPU Vcore • Microsoft® Windows® 8 / 8 64-bit / 7 / 7 64-bit compliant Certifica- • FCC, CE, WHQL tions • ErP/EuP Ready (ErP/EuP ready power supply is required) * For detailed product information, please visit our website: http://www.asrock.com...
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Due to limitation, the actual memory size may be less than 4GB for the reservation for sys- tem usage under Windows® 32-bit operating systems. Windows® 64-bit operating systems do not have such limitations. You can use ASRock XFast RAM to utilize the memory that Windows® cannot use.
LED, FAN-Tastic Tuning, OC Tweaker and a whole lot more. ASRock Instant Flash ASRock Instant Flash is a BIOS flash utility embedded in Flash ROM. This conve- nient BIOS update tool allows you to update the system BIOS in a few clicks without preparing an additional floppy diskette or other complicated flash utility.
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And it also boosts the speed of Adobe Photoshop 5 times faster. Another advantage of ASRock XFast RAM is that it reduces the frequency of accessing your SSDs or HDDs in order to extend their lifespan.
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Windows® 8 brings the ultimate boot up experience. The lightning boot up speed makes it hard to access the UEFI setup. ASRock Restart to UEFI allows users to makes it hard to access the UEFI setup. ASRock Restart to UEFI allows users to enter the UEFI automatically when turning on the PC.
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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 temperature is met.
Z87 Extreme3 1.5 I/O Panel No. Description No. Description USB 2.0 Ports (USB01) Microphone (Pink) VGA Port Optical SPDIF Out Port LAN RJ-45 Port* USB 3.0 Ports (USB3_23) Central / Bass (Orange) USB 3.0 Ports (USB3_01) Rear Speaker (Black) HDMI Port...
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* There are two LEDs on each LAN port. Please refer to the table below for the LAN port LED indications. ACT/LINK LED SPEED LED LAN Port Activity / Link LED Speed LED Status Description Status Description No Link 10Mbps connection Blinking Data Activity Orange...
Chapter 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.
2.1 Installing the CPU 1. Before you insert the 1150-Pin CPU into the socket, please check if the PnP cap is on the socket, if the CPU surface is unclean, or if there are any bent pins in the socket. Do not force to insert the CPU into the socket if above situation is found.
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Please save and replace the cover if the processor is removed. The cover must be placed if you wish to return the motherboard for after service.
2.3 Installing 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.
2.4 Expansion Slots (PCI and PCI Express Slots) There are 3 PCI slots and 3 PCI Express slots on the 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 documentation of the expansion card and make necessary hardware settings for the card before you start the installation.
Z87 Extreme3 2.5 Jumpers Setup The illustration shows how jumpers are setup. When the jumper cap is placed on the pins, the jumper is “Short”. If no jumper cap is placed on the pins, the jumper is “Open”. The illustration shows a 3-pin jumper whose pin1 and pin2 are “Short”...
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 to the motherboard. System Panel Header Connect the power PLED+ PLED-...
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Z87 Extreme3 Power LED Header Please connect the chassis (3-pin PLED1) power LED to this header PLED- PLED+ PLED+ (see p.11, No. 13) to indicate the system’s power status. Serial ATA3 Connectors These six SATA3 (SATA3_0_1: connectors support SATA see p.11, No. 9)
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1. High Definition Audio supports Jack Sensing, but the panel wire on the chassis must sup- port HDA to function correctly. Please follow the instructions in our manual and chassis manual to install your system. 2. If you use an AC’97 audio panel, please install it to the front panel audio header by the steps below: A.
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Z87 Extreme3 CPU Fan Connectors This motherboard pro- GN D + 12V (4-pin CPU_FAN1) vides a 4-Pin CPU fan CPU_ FAN_SPEED FAN_SPEED_CONTROL (see p.11, No. 3) (Quiet Fan) connector. If you plan to connect a (3-pin CPU_FAN2) 3-Pin CPU fan, please + 12V (see p.11, No.
2.7 SLI and Quad SLI Operation Guide ® This motherboard supports NVIDIA and Quad SLI (Scalable Link Interface) technology that allows you to install up to two identical PCI Express x16 ® graphics cards. Currently, NVIDIA and Quad SLI technology supports ®...
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Z87 Extreme3 Step 3 Align and insert the ASRock SLI_ Bridge_2S Card to the goldfingers on each graphics card. Make sure the ASRock SLI_ Bridge_2S Card is firmly in place. SLI_Bridge_2S Card ASRock SLI_Bridge_2S Card Step 4 Connect a VGA cable or a DVI cable to the...
2.7.2 Driver Installation and Setup Install the graphics card drivers to your system. After that, you can enable the ® Multi-Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) in the NVIDIA nView system tray utility. Please follow the below procedures to enable the multi-GPU. For SLI and Quad SLI mode...
Z87 Extreme3 2.8 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.
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Step 3 Connect a VGA cable or a DVI cable to the monitor connector or the DVI connec- tor of the graphics card that is inserted to PCIE2 slot.
Z87 Extreme3 2.8.3 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 un- install any previously installed Catalyst drivers prior to installation.
Chapter 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”...
Z87 Extreme3 3.2 A-Tuning A-Tuning is ASRock’s multi purpose software suite with a new interface, more new features and improved utilities, including XFast RAM, Dehumidifier, 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,...
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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.
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Z87 Extreme3 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. HDMI-IN Connect two different devices to one monitor and toggle between the primary and secondary screen without replugging the connectors every time.
Z87 Extreme3 3.3 Intel® Rapid Start Technology Intel® Rapid Start Technology enables your system to wake up faster from deep sleep, saving time and power consumption. Feel secure to know that your system will resume to working condition even if an unexpected power loss happens while the PC is in sleep mode.
3.3.2 Setup Guide Configuring Rapid Start Step 1 Run ASRock Rapid Start utility from Start -> All Programs -> ASRock Utility. Step 2 If you have more than one hard drives in your system, you must select one, then choose the Partition Size desired for your hidden partition and click on Create. The system will automatically create a hidden partition according to your settings.
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Z87 Extreme3 Step 3 When prompted to restart after the setup, click Yes to reboot. Step 4 Double-click the Intel® Rapid Start Technology Manager icon in the Windows system tray.
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Step 5 Make sure Rapid Start is on. Drag the slider to configure the time. For example, if the timer value is set to ten minutes, the system will enable Rapid Start mode after entering sleep state for ten minutes. If the timer is set to 0 minutes, Windows will immediately enable Rapid Start mode as it enters sleep state.
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Z87 Extreme3 state for a period of time. The power of the computer in Rapid Start mode can be cut off, it will not cause data loss of the programs or files you were executing before entering sleep state. When you wish to continue to use the computer just hit the power button, the system will rapidly return to Windows, the programs and files which you were using before entering sleep state will be accessible immediately.
3.4 Intel® Smart Connect Technology Intel® Smart Connect Technology is a feature that periodically wakes your computer from Windows® sleep state to refresh email or social networking applications. It saves your waiting time and keeps the content always up-to-date. 3.4.1 System Requirements •...
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3.4.2 Setup Guide Installing ASRock Smart Connect Utility Step 1 Install ASRock Smart Connect Utility, which is located in the folder at the following path of the Support CD: \ ASRock Utility > Smart Connect. Step 2 Once installed, run ASRock Smart Connect from your desktop or go to Windows...
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Step 3 Click the Add button. Take Foxmail as an example, add Foxmail to the Application list. Step 4 Select Foxmail from the Application List, then click the arrow pointing right to add this application to the Smart Connect List. Step 5 Click Apply to enable Smart Connect.
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Z87 Extreme3 Step 6 Double-click the Intel® Smart Connect Technology Manager icon in the Windows system tray. Step 7 Drag the slider to configure how often the system will connect to the network to download updates. Shorter durations will provide more frequent updates, but may cause more power consumption.
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The system will wake up from sleep state periodically, and then start to update Foxmail. The screen will not display anything so the computer can maintain minimum power usage. Afterwards, the system will automatically return to sleep state again. Upon waking up the system, you will find the new mail that were sent to you during sleep state are already updated and ready to be read in Foxmail.
Z87 Extreme3 3.5 Intel® Remote Wake Technology Intel® Remote Wake Technology allows you to use programs or services over the Internet to wake up your home computer from energy efficient sleep mode. Before configuring this feature, verify the following. •...
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Step 3 A new mesh window will pop up. Enter a mesh name and password. Step 4 Select all the checkboxes and click Create Mesh. Downloading and Installing Mesh Agent Step 1 Click Install on the My Account page. Step 2 Select the mesh and download both files.
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Z87 Extreme3 Step 4 Click Install / Update. Step 5 Wait a minute for the New Machine to appear in "My Device".
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Step 6 Check whether "Intel Remote Wake" appeared or not. Step 7 Click on Power Actions. Step 8 Click on Wake or Sleep.
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Z87 Extreme3 Waking up a PC using mobile device. Before waking up your home computer using a mobile device, please log out of MeshCentral on other previously used computers or devices. Step 1 Login to meshcentral.com/m. Step 2 Select a Machine.
Download and install Streamer on your home computer, which is located in the fold- er at the following path of the Support CD: \ ASRock Utility > Splashtop Streamer. Then enter your Splashtop Account. If you have not created a Splashtop acount, create one.
Z87 Extreme3 Using Remote Control Step 1 In "Splashtop 2”, tap an online machine from the list to connect to your home computer. Step 2 Start remotely accessing your home computer. The functionality and price of the Splashtop APP and subscription fee is subject to...
Z87 Extreme3 3.6 Intel® Extreme Tuning Utility (IXTU) Intel® Extreme Tuning Utility is an overclocking utility that allows you to tune and tweak your system for performance optimization while still maintaining system stability. Double-click on your desktop to access Intel® Extreme Tuning Utility.
System Information Displays the major information of your system. Manual Tuning Manual Tuning shows the major readings of your system and allows you to tune the parameters, including voltage for the CPU core, GPU, and TurboBoost functions. Click Apply to apply the settings. Click Save to save your current settings as a profile. Stress Test Stress Test allows maximum load testing on both CPU and memory.
3.7.1 Installing Start8 Install Start8, which is located in the folder at the following path of the Support CD: \ ASRock Utility > Start8. 3.7.2 Configuring Start8 Style Select between the Windows 7 style and Windows 8 style Start Menu. Then select...
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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...
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Z87 Extreme3 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.
Chapter 4 UEFI SETUP UTILITY 4.1 Introduction ASRock Interactive UEFI is a blend of system configuration tools, cool sound effects 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.
Z87 Extreme3 4.1.2 Navigation Keys Use < > key or < > key to choose among the selections on the menu bar, and use < > key or < > key to move the cursor up or down to select items, then press <Enter>...
When you enter the UEFI SETUP UTILITY, the Main screen will appear and display the system overview. Active Page on Entry Select the default page when entering the UEFI setup utility. UEFI Guide UEFI Guide is a quick tutorial for ASRock's UEFI setup Utility. You may abort the tutorial by pressing "esc".
Z87 Extreme3 4.3 OC Tweaker Screen In the OC Tweaker screen, you can set up overclocking features. Because the UEFI software is constantly being updated, the following UEFI setup screens and descriptions are for reference purpose only, and they may not exactly match what you see on your screen.
CPU Configuration CPU Ratio The CPU speed is determined by the CPU Ratio multiplied with the BCLK. Increasing the CPU Ratio will increase the internal CPU clock speed without affecting the clock speed of other components. CPU Cache Ratio The CPU Internal Bus Speed Ratio. The maximum should be the same as the CPU Ratio.
Z87 Extreme3 Long Duration Power Limit Configure Package Power Limit 1 in watts. When the limit is exceeded, the CPU ratio will be lowered after a period of time. A lower limit can protect the CPU and save power, while a higher limit may improve performance.
DRAM Timing Configuration Load XMP Setting Load XMP settings to overclock the DDR3 memory and perform beyond standard specifications. DRAM Reference Clock Select Auto for optimized settings. DRAM Frequency If [Auto] is selected, the motherboard will detect the memory module(s) inserted and assign the appropriate frequency automatically.
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Z87 Extreme3 RAS# to CAS# Delay (tRCD) The number of clock cycles required between the opening of a row of memory and accessing columns within it. Row Precharge Time (tRP) The number of clock cycles required between the issuing of the precharge command and opening the next row.
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tREFI Configure refresh cycles at an average periodic interval. tCKE Configure the period of time the DDR3 initiates a minimum of one refresh command internally once it enters Self-Refresh mode. tRDRD Configure between module read to read delay. tRDRDDR Configure between module read to read delay from different ranks. tRDRDDD Use this to change DRAM tRWSR Auto/Manual settings.
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Z87 Extreme3 tRDWRDD Configure between module read to write delay from different DIMMs. RTL (CHA) Configure round trip latency for channel A. RTL (CHB) Configure round trip latency for channel B. IO-L (CHA) Configure IO latency for channel A. IO-L (CHB) Configure IO latency for channel B.
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CPU Voltage Mode Auto: For optimized settings. Adaptive: Add voltage to the CPU when the system is under heavy load. Override: The voltage is fixed. CPU Override Voltage Configure the voltage added to the CPU when the system is under heavy load. CPU Voltage Offset Configure the dynamic CPU voltage added to the CPU.
Z87 Extreme3 Voltage Configuration CPU Input Voltage Configure the voltage for the CPU. CPU Load-Line Calibration CPU Load-Line Calibration helps prevent CPU voltage droop when the system is under heavy load. DRAM Voltage Use this to configure DRAM Voltage. The default value is [Auto].
4.4 Advanced Screen In this section, you may set the configurations for the following items: CPU Configuration, Chipset Configuration, Storage Configuration, Intel® Rapid Start Technology, Intel® Smart Connect Technology, Super IO Configuration, ACPI Con- figuration and USB Configuration. Setting wrong values in this section may cause the system to malfunction.
Z87 Extreme3 4.4.1 CPU Configuration Intel Hyper Threading Technology Intel Hyper Threading Technology allows multiple threads to run on each core, so that the overall performance on threaded software is improved. Active Processor Cores Select the number of cores to enable in each processor package.
Package C State Support Enable CPU, PCIe, Memory, Graphics C State Support for power saving. CPU Thermal Throttling Enable CPU internal thermal control mechanisms to keep the CPU from overheat- ing. No-Execute Memory Protection Processors with No-Execution Memory Protection Technology may prevent certain classes of malicious buffer overflow attacks.
Enable/disable front panel HD audio. 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.
Z87 Extreme3 4.4.3 Storage Configuration SATA Controller(s) Enable/disable the SATA controllers. SATA Mode Selection IDE: For better compatibility. AHCI: Supports new features that improve performance. RAID: Combine multiple disk drives into a logical unit. AHCI (Advanced Host Controller Interface) supports NCQ and other new features that will improve SATA disk performance but IDE mode does not have these advantages.
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Hard Disk S.M.A.R.T. S.M.A.R.T stands for Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology. It is a monitoring system for computer hard disk drives to detect and report on various indicators of reliability.
Z87 Extreme3 4.4.4 Intel® Rapid Start Technology ® Intel Rapid Start Technology Intel® Rapid Start Technology is a new zero power hibernation mode which allows users to resume in just 5-6 seconds.
4.4.5 Intel® Smart Connect Technology ® Intel Smart Connect Technology ® Intel Smart Connect Technology automatically updates your email and social networks, such as Twitter, Facebook, etc. while the computer is in sleep mode.
Z87 Extreme3 4.4.6 Super IO Configuration Serial Port Enable or disable the Serial port. Serial Port Address Select the address of the Serial port. Infrared Port Enable or disable the Infrared port.
4.4.7 ACPI Configuration Suspend to RAM Select disable for ACPI suspend type S1. It is recommended to select auto for ACPI S3 power saving. 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.
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Z87 Extreme3 Ring-In Power On Allow the system to be waked up by onboard COM port modem Ring-In signals. RTC Alarm Power On Allow the system to be waked up by the real time clock alarm. Set it to By OS to let it be handled by your operating system.
4.4.8 USB Configuration USB Controller Enable or disable all the USB ports. USB 3.0 Controller Enable or disable all the USB 3.0 ports. Legacy USB Support Enable or disable Legacy OS Support for USB 2.0 devices. If you encounter USB compatibility issues it is recommended to disable legacy USB support.
In order to prevent users from bypassing 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.
Save UEFI files in your USB storage device and run Instant Flash to update your UEFI. Internet Flash ASRock Internet Flash downloads and updates the latest UEFI firmware version from our servers for you. Please setup network configuration before using Internet Flash.
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Z87 Extreme3 Dehumidifier Period Configure the period of time until the computer powers on and enables Dehumidifier after entering S4/S5 state. Dehumidifier Duration Configure the duration of the dehumidifying process before it returns to S4/S5 state. Dehumidifier CPU Fan Setting Configure the speed of the CPU fan while Dehumidifier is enabled.
4.6 Hardware Health Event Monitoring Screen This section allows you to monitor the status of the hardware on your system, including the parameters of the CPU temperature, motherboard temperature, fan speed and voltage. CPU Fan 1 & 2 Setting Select a fan mode for CPU Fans 1&2, or choose Customize to set 5 CPU temperatures and assign a respective fan speed for each temperature.
Z87 Extreme3 4.7 Boot Screen This section displays the available devices on your system for you to configure the boot settings and the boot priority. Fast Boot Fast Boot minimizes your computer's boot time. In fast mode you may not boot from an USB storage device.
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Full Screen Logo Enable to display the boot logo or disable to show normal POST messages. AddOn ROM Display Enable AddOn ROM Display to see the AddOn ROM messages or configure the AddOn ROM if you've enabled Full Screen Logo. Disable for faster boot speed. Boot Failure Guard If the computer fails to boot for a number of times the system automatically restores the default settings.
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Z87 Extreme3 Launch PXE OpROM Policy Select UEFI only to run those that support UEFI option ROM only. Select Legacy only to run those that support legacy option ROM only. Do not launch? Launch Storage OpROM Policy Select UEFI only to run those that support UEFI option ROM only. Select Legacy only to run those that support legacy option ROM only.
4.8 Security Screen In this section you may set or change the supervisor/user password for the system. You may also clear the user password. Supervisor Password Set or change the password for the administrator account. Only the administrator has authority to change the settings in the UEFI Setup Utility. Leave it blank and press enter to remove the password.
Z87 Extreme3 4.9 Exit Screen Save Changes and Exit When you select this option the following message, “Save configuration changes and exit setup?” will pop out. Select [OK] to save changes and exit the UEFI SETUP UTILITY. Discard Changes and Exit When you select this option the following message, “Discard changes and exit...
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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