ASROCK FM2A78M-DG3+ User Manual
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ASROCK FM2A78M-DG3+ User Manual

ASROCK FM2A78M-DG3+ User Manual

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Summary of Contents for ASROCK FM2A78M-DG3+

  • Page 1 FM2A78M-DG3+ FM2A78M-DG3+ User Manual...

  • Page 2: Copyright Notice

    (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: Table Of Contents

    Contents Introduction Package Contents Specifications Unique Features Motherboard Layout I/O Panel Installation CPU Installation Installation of CPU Fan and Heatsink Installation of Memory Modules (DIMM) Expansion Slots (PCI and PCI Express Slots) Jumpers Setup Onboard Headers and Connectors AMD Dual Graphics Operation Guide Software and Utilities Operation UEFI SETUP UTILITY Introduction...
  • Page 4 4.4.1 CPU Configuration 4.4.2 North Bridge Configuration 4.4.3 South Bridge Configuration 4.4.4 Storage Configuration 4.4.5 Super IO Configuration 4.4.6 ACPI Configuration 4.4.7 USB Configuration Tool Hardware Health Event Monitoring Screen Boot Screen Security Screen Exit Screen...

  • Page 5: Introduction

    In case any modifications of this manual occur, the updated ver- sion will be available on 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 6: Specifications

    1.2 Specifications Platform • Micro ATX Form Factor • All Solid Capacitor design • High Density Glass Fabric PCB • Supports Socket FM2+ 95W / FM2 100W processors Chipset • AMD A78 FCH (Bolton-D3) Memory • Dual Channel DDR3 Memory Technology •...
  • Page 7 Panel I/O • 1 x D-Sub Port • 1 x DVI-D Port • 4 x USB 2.0 Ports (Supports ESD Protection (ASRock Full Spike Protection)) • 2 x USB 3.0 Ports (AMD A78 FCH (Bolton-D3)) (Supports ESD Protection (ASRock Full Spike Protec- tion)) •...
  • Page 8 8.1 32-bit / 8.1 64-bit / 8 32-bit / 8 64-bit / 7 32-bit / 7 64-bit Certifica- • FCC, CE, WHQL tions • ErP/EuP Ready (ErP/EuP ready power supply is re- quired) * For detailed product information, please visit our website: http://www.asrock.com...
  • Page 9 ® ® under Windows 8.1 / 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. Wake-On-WAN allows you to wake up this system from remote mobile devices, such as smart phones, tables, or other PCs.

  • Page 10: 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 11 Real-Time Analysis of Your Data: With the status window, you can easily recognize which data streams you are transferring currently. 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.
  • Page 12 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 13 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 14 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 15: Motherboard Layout

    FM2A78M-DG3+ 1.4 Motherboard Layout CPU_FAN1 PWR_FAN1 USB 3.0 T: USB3 B: USB4 USB 2.0 T: USB5 CHA_FAN1 B: USB6 HD_AUDIO1 FM2A78M-DG3+ PCIE1 (Bolton-D3) Chipset 64Mb BIOS USB_7_8 USB_9_10...
  • Page 16 No. Description ATX 12V Power Connector (ATX12V1) CPU Fan Connector (CPU_FAN1) 2 x 240-pin DDR3 DIMM Slots (DDR3_A1, DDR3_B1) TPM Header (TPMS1) ATX Power Connector (ATXPWR1) USB 3.0 Header (USB_11_12) SATA3 Connector (SATA_2) SATA3 Connector (SATA_4) SATA3 Connector (SATA_3) SATA3 Connector (SATA_1) Chassis Speaker Header (SPEAKER1) System Panel Header (PANEL1) USB 2.0 Header (USB_9_10)

  • Page 17: I/O Panel

    FM2A78M-DG3+ 1.5 I/O Panel No. Description No. Description USB 2.0 Ports (USB_1_2) USB 2.0 Ports (USB_5_6) LAN RJ-45 Port* USB 3.0 Ports (USB_3_4) Line In (Light Blue) D-Sub Port Front Speaker (Lime) DVI-D Port Microphone (Pink) PS/2 Mouse/Keyboard Port * There are two LEDs on the LAN port. Please refer to the table below for the LAN port LED indica- tions.

  • Page 18: Installation

    2. Installation This is a Micro 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.

  • Page 19: Cpu Installation

    FM2A78M-DG3+ 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 20: 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 21: Installation Of Memory Modules (Dimm)

    FM2A78M-DG3+ 2.3 Installation of Memory Modules (DIMM) This motherboard provides two 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 23: Expansion Slots (Pci And Pci Express Slots)

    FM2A78M-DG3+ 2.4 Expansion Slots (PCI and PCI Express Slots) There are 1 PCI slot and 2 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 24: 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 25: Onboard Headers And Connectors

    FM2A78M-DG3+ 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 four Serial ATA3 (SATA3) connectors support (SATA_1: see p.11, No.

  • Page 26: Front Panel Audio Header

    1. High Definition Audio supports Jack Sensing, but the panel wire on the chassis must support HDA to function correctly. Please follow the instruction in our manual and chassis manual to install your system. 2. If you use AC’97 audio panel, please install it to the front panel audio header as below: A.
  • Page 27 FM2A78M-DG3+ HDLED (Hard Drive Activity LED): Connect to the hard drive activity LED on the chassis front panel. The LED is on when the hard drive is reading or writing data. The front panel design may differ by chassis. A front panel module mainly consists of power switch, reset switch, power LED, hard drive activity LED, speaker and etc.
  • Page 28 ATX Power Connector Please connect an ATX power supply to this connector. (24-pin ATXPWR1) (see p.11 No. 5) Though this motherboard provides 24-pin ATX power connector, it can still work if you adopt a traditional 20-pin ATX power supply. To use the 20-pin ATX power supply, please plug your power supply along with Pin 1 and Pin 13.
  • Page 29 FM2A78M-DG3+ Print Port Header This is an interface for print STB# SPD0 SPD1 (25-pin LPT1) SPD2 port cable that allows SLCT SPD3 SPD4 (see p.11, No. 17) BUSY convenient connection of SPD5 ACK# SPD6 SPD7 printer devices. SLIN# PINIT# ERROR# AFD#...

  • Page 30: Amd Dual Graphics Operation Guide

    2.7 AMD Dual Graphics Operation Guide This motherboard supports AMD Dual Graphics feature. Graphics brings multi-GPU performance capabilities by enabling an AMD A78 (Bolton-D3) integrated graphics processor and a discrete graphics processor to operate simultaneously with combined output to a single display for blisteringly- fast frame rates.
  • Page 31 FM2A78M-DG3+ 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 ”.

  • Page 32: 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 33: Using A-Tuning

    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“...

  • Page 34: Fast Boot

    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.

  • Page 35: System Info

    FM2A78M-DG3+ 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.
  • Page 36 Tech Service Contact Tech Service.
  • Page 37 3.3.1 Installing Start8 Install Start8, which is located in the folder at the following path of the Sup- port CD: \ ASRock Utility > Start8. 3.3.2 Configuring Start8 Style Select between the Windows 7 style and Windows 8 style Start Menu. Then...
  • Page 38 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 39 FM2A78M-DG3+ 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.

  • Page 40: 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.

  • Page 41: Navigation Keys

    FM2A78M-DG3+ 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 42: Oc Tweaker Screen

    4.3 OC Tweaker Screen In the OC Tweaker screen, you can set up overclocking features. CPU Configuration Overclock Mode Use this to select Overclock Mode. Configuration options: [Auto] and [Manual]. The default value is [Auto]. Spread Spectrum This item should always be [Auto] for better system stability. AMD Turbo Core Technology This item appears only when the processor you adopt supports this fea- ture.
  • Page 43 FM2A78M-DG3+ 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.
  • Page 44 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 45: Advanced Screen

    FM2A78M-DG3+ 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, USB Configuration and Trusted Computing. Setting wrong values in this section may cause the system to malfunction.

  • Page 46: 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]. Cool ‘n’ Quiet Use this item to enable or disable AMD’s Cool ‘n’ Quiet technology. The default value is [Enabled]. Configuration options: [Enabled] and [Disabled]. ®...

  • Page 47: North Bridge Configuration

    FM2A78M-DG3+ 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 48: South Bridge Configuration

    4.4.3 South Bridge Configuration Onboard HD Audio Select [Auto], [Enabled] or [Disabled] for the onboard HD Audio feature. If you select [Auto], the onboard HD Audio will be disabled when PCI Sound Card is plugged. Front Panel Select [Auto] or [Disabled] for the onboard HD Audio Front Panel. Onboard LAN This allows you to enable or disable the onboard LAN feature.

  • Page 49: Storage Configuration

    FM2A78M-DG3+ 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]. AMD AHCI BIOS ROM Use this item to enable or disable AMD AHCI BIOS ROM.

  • Page 50: Super Io Configuration

    4.4.5 Super IO Configuration PS2 Y-Cable Enable the PS2 Y-Cable or set this option to Auto. 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].

  • Page 51: Acpi Configuration

    FM2A78M-DG3+ 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 52 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 53: Usb Configuration

    FM2A78M-DG3+ 4.4.7 USB Configuration USB 2.0 Controller Use this item to enable or disable the use of USB 2.0 controller. A78X 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.

  • Page 54: Trusted Computing

    4.4.8 Trusted Computing Security Device Support Enable or disable BIOS support for security device.

  • Page 55: 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 56 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.
  • Page 57 FM2A78M-DG3+ Dehumidifier Period This allows users to configure the period of time until the computer powers on and enables “Dehumidifier” after entering S4/S5 state. 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”...

  • Page 58: 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 Setting This allows you to set the CPU fan 1 speed.

  • Page 59: Boot Screen

    FM2A78M-DG3+ 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].
  • Page 60 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 61: Security Screen

    FM2A78M-DG3+ 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 62: 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 63: Contact Information

    FM2A78M-DG3+ 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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