Asus P9X79 WS User Manual Download Page 51

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2.2.9

Internal connectors

1. Intel

X79 Serial ATA 6.0 Gb/s connectors (7-pin SATA6G_1/2 [gray])

These connectors connect to Serial ATA 6.0 Gb/s hard disk drives via Serial

ATA 6.0 Gb/s signal cables.

• These connectors are set to [IDE Mode] by default. If you intend to create

a Serial ATA RAID set using these connectors, set the SATA Mode item in

the BIOS to [RAID Mode]. Refer to section 3.5.4 SATA Configuration for

details.

• Before creating a RAID set, refer to section 4.4 RAID configurations or the

manual bundled in the motherboard support DVD.

• When using hot-plug and NCQ, set the SATA Mode in the BIOS to [AHCI

Mode]. Refer to section 3.5.4 SATA Configuration for details.

• You must install Windows

XP Service Pack 3 or later versions before using

Serial ATA hard disk drives. The Serial ATA RAID feature is available only if

you are using Windows

XP SP3 or later versions.

• You must load

IRST Driver

during OS installation for the system to detect

the Optical Disk Drive (the ODD should be connected to the SATA_3G

port), or else the ODD will not run.

ASUS P9X79 WS

2-23

Summary of Contents for P9X79 WS

Page 1: ...Motherboard P9X79 WS ...

Page 2: ...RCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE IN NO EVENT SHALL ASUS ITS DIRECTORS OFFICERS EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT SPECIAL INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS LOSS OF BUSINESS LOSS OF USE OR DATA INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS AND THE LIKE EVEN IF ASUS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES ARISING FROM ANY DEFECT OR ERROR IN...

Page 3: ...eed 2 1 2 2 Motherboard overview 2 2 2 2 1 Motherboard layout 2 2 2 2 2 Layout contents 2 3 2 2 3 Central Processing Unit CPU 2 4 2 2 4 System memory 2 5 2 2 5 Expansion slots 2 7 2 2 6 Onboard switches 2 9 2 2 7 Onboard LEDs 2 12 2 2 8 Jumper 2 21 2 2 9 Internal connectors 2 23 2 3 Building your computer system 2 35 2 3 1 Additional tools and components to build a PC system 2 35 2 3 2 CPU install...

Page 4: ...ontrol 3 10 3 4 1 DIGI Power Control 3 20 3 4 2 CPU Performance Settings 3 24 3 5 Advanced menu 3 29 3 5 1 CPU Configuration 3 30 3 5 2 CPU Power Management Configuration 3 31 3 5 3 System Agent Configuration 3 32 3 5 4 PCH Configuration 3 33 3 5 5 SATA Configuration 3 33 3 5 6 USB Configuration 3 36 3 5 7 Onboard Devices Configuraton 3 37 3 5 8 APM 3 39 3 6 Monitor menu 3 40 3 7 Boot menu 3 43 3 ...

Page 5: ...6 Probe II 4 12 4 3 7 Sensor Recorder 4 13 4 3 8 USB 3 0 Boost 4 14 4 3 9 ASUS SSD Caching 4 15 4 3 10 ASUS Update 4 16 4 3 11 MyLogo2 4 17 4 3 12 Audio configurations 4 19 4 4 RAID configurations 4 20 4 4 1 RAID definitions 4 20 4 4 2 Installing Serial ATA hard disks 4 21 4 4 3 Setting the RAID item in BIOS 4 21 4 4 4 Intel Rapid Storage Technology Option ROM utility 4 21 4 4 5 Marvell RAID utili...

Page 6: ...g the ATI CrossFireX technology 5 3 5 2 NVIDIA SLI technology 5 5 5 2 1 Requirements 5 5 5 2 2 Installing two SLI ready graphics cards 5 6 5 2 3 Installing three SLI ready graphics cards 5 7 5 2 4 Installing four SLI ready graphics cards 5 8 5 2 5 Installing the device drivers 5 9 5 2 6 Enabling the NVIDIA SLI technology 5 9 5 3 NVIDIA CUDA technology 5 12 5 3 1 Requirements 5 12 5 3 2 Installing ...

Page 7: ...ause harmful interference to radio or television reception which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the...

Page 8: ...ies other components as well as the packaging materials Please go to http csr asus com english Takeback htm for detailed recycling information in different regions DO NOT throw the motherboard in municipal waste This product has been designed to enable proper reuse of parts and recycling This symbol of the crossed out wheeled bin indicates that the product electrical and electronic equipment shoul...

Page 9: ...your area If you are not sure about the voltage of the electrical outlet you are using contact your local power company If the power supply is broken do not try to fix it by yourself Contact a qualified service technician or your retailer Operation safety Before installing the motherboard and adding devices on it carefully read all the manuals that came with the package Before using the product en...

Page 10: ...contains the following parts Chapter 1 Product introduction This chapter describes the features of the motherboard and the new technology it supports Chapter 2 Hardware information This chapter lists the hardware setup procedures that you have to perform when installing system components It includes description of the switches jumpers and connectors on the motherboard Chapter 3 BIOS setup This cha...

Page 11: ...ols used throughout this manual Typography Bold text Indicates a menu or an item to select Italics Used to emphasize a word or a phrase Key Keys enclosed in the less than and greater than sign means that you must press the enclosed key Example Enter means that you must press the Enter or Return key Key1 Key2 Key3 If you must press two or more keys simultaneously the key names are linked with a plu...

Page 12: ...Lists Expansion Slots 4 x PCIe 3 0 x16 slots dual x16 x16 Quad x8 x8 x8 x8 Triple x16 x8 x8 2 x PCIe 2 0 x16 slot White x4 speed This motherboard is ready to support PCIe 3 0 SPEC Functions will be available when using PCIe 3 0 compliant devices Please refer to www asus com for updated details Multi GPU support Supports NVIDIA 4 Way SLI Technology Supports AMD Quad GPU CrossFireX Technology Storag...

Page 13: ...SUS TPU Auto Tuning TurboV TPU Switch ASUS EPU EPU Utility EPU Switch ASUS Exclusive Features ASUS UEFI BIOS EZ Mode featuring friendly graphics user interface ASUS SSD Caching USB 3 0 Boost Front Panel USB 3 0 Support MemOK AI Suite II AI Charger ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution ASUS Fanless Design Heat pipe solution ASUS Fan Xpert ASUS EZ DIY USB BIOS Flashback ASUS O C Profile ASUS Q Connector ASUS ...

Page 14: ...x 8 channel Audio I O Internal I O Connectors 1 x USB 3 0 2 0 connector support additional 2 USB ports 19 pin 2 x USB 2 0 1 1 connectors support additional 4 USB ports 1 x USB 2 0 1 1 trpe A vertical ports 4 x SATA 6Gb s connectors 4 x SATA 3Gb s connectors 1 x CPU Fan connector 4 pin 1 x CPU Opt Fan connectors 4 pin 4 x Chassis Fan connectors 4 pin 1 x Front panel audio connector AAFP 1 x S PDIF ...

Page 15: ...es 4 x Serial ATA 3Gb s cables 1 x ASUS 4 Way SLI bridge connector 1 x ASUS 3 Way SLI bridge connector 1 x ASUS SLI bridge connector 2 in 1 Q connector I O shield User s Manual Support DVD Drivers ASUS Utilities ASUS Update Anti virus software OEM version Form Factor CEB Form Factor 12 x 10 5 ...

Page 16: ...xvi ...

Page 17: ...1 Chapter 1 Product introduction This chapter describes the motherboard features and the new technologies it supports ...

Page 18: ...ASUS P9X79 WS Chapter summary 1 1 1 Welcome 1 1 1 2 Package contents 1 1 1 3 Special features 1 2 ...

Page 19: ... damaged or missing contact your retailer 1 2 Package contents Check your motherboard package for the following items Motherboard ASUS P9X79 WS I O modules 1 x 2 port USB 2 0 1 port eSATA3 0 module Cables 4 x Serial ATA 6 0 Gb s cables 2 x Serial ATA 3 0 Gb s power cables 2 x Serial ATA 3 0 Gb s cables 1 x COM port cable Accessories 1 x ASUS Q Shield I O shield 1 x ASUS 2 in 1 Q Connector Kit Reta...

Page 20: ...tandard delivers improved encoding for twice the performance of current PCIe 2 0 Total bandwidth for a x16 link reaches a maximum of 32GB s double the 16GB s of PCIe 2 0 in x16 mode PCIe 3 0 provides users unprecedented data speeds combined with the convenicnce and seamless transition offered by complete backward compatibility with PCIe 1 0 and PCIe 2 0 devices It is a must have feature PC users a...

Page 21: ...ly this ample graphics power can easily run even the most demanding PC games in full detail for enhanced entertainment WS 3 color LED At a glance workstation overclocking status with easy to understand color coding Red means overclocked blue means normal while green denotes power saving mode This is an essential and convenient tool to let users know more about overclocking conditions without enter...

Page 22: ...dition to CPU voltage control This evolution of innovative industry leading ASUS technology provides super accurate voltages for better efficiency stability and performance Best in class power efficiency and stability Two critical components work perfectly together to match digital power signal SVID requests from the CPU with ultra fast sensing and response to efficiently deliver the right level o...

Page 23: ...ion of SSD like performance and response and hard drive capacity with just one click no rebooting needed and instant activation for complete ease of use TPU Unleash your performance with ASUS simple onboard switch or AI Suite II utility The TPU chip offers precise voltage control and advanced monitoring through Auto Tuning and TurboVfunctions Auto tuning offers a user friendly way to automatically...

Page 24: ... overclocking capability ASUS Fanless Design Heat pipe solution The stylish heatsink offers 0dB cooling for a quiet PC environment Attractive design enhances the look of the board and case while temperatures in the chipset and power phase areas stay lower through high efficiency heat exchange Combining usability and aesthetics the stylish ASUS heatsink gives users an extremely silent and cool expe...

Page 25: ...tup info and troubleshooting New F3 Shortcut for most accessed info ASUS DRAM SPD Serial Presence Detect Information for accessing memory info detecting faulty DIMMs and helping with difficult POST situations ASUS Q Design ASUS Q Design enhances your DIY experience All of Q LED Q Slot Q Code and Q DIMM design speed up and simplify the DIY process ASUS Q Shield The specially designed ASUS Q Shield ...

Page 26: ...nes two enabling technologies DTS Neo PC upmixes stereo sources CDs MP3s WMAs internet radio into as many as 7 1 channels of incredible surround sound Consumers can then connect their PC to a home theater system DTS Interactive is capable of performing multi channel encoding of DTS bitstreams on personal computers and sending encoded bitstreams out of a digital audio connection such as S PDIF or H...

Page 27: ...ter 2 Hardware information This chapter lists the hardware setup procedures that you have to perform when installing system components It includes description of the jumpers and connectors on the motherboard ...

Page 28: ...ASUS P9X79 WS Chapter summary 2 2 1 Before you proceed 2 1 2 2 Motherboard overview 2 2 2 3 Building your computer system 2 30 2 4 Starting up for the first time 2 46 2 5 Turning off the computer 2 47 ...

Page 29: ...bject such as the power supply case to avoid damaging them due to static electricity Hold components by the edges to avoid touching the ICs on them Whenever you uninstall any component place it on a grounded antistatic pad or in the bag that came with the component Before you install or remove any component ensure that the ATX power supply is switched off or the power cord is detached from the pow...

Page 30: ...2 2 Motherboard overview 2 2 1 Motherboard layout Refer to 2 2 9 Internal Connectors for more information about rear panel connectors and internal connectors 2 2 Chapter 2 Hardware information ...

Page 31: ...3 0 Gb s connectors 7 pin SATA3G_3 6 blue 2 24 11 Marvell Serial ATA 6 0 Gb s connectors 7 pin SATA6G_E1 E2 navy blue 2 25 12 Q Code LED LED0 LED1 2 14 13 Chassis Fan control setting 3 pin CHAFAN_SEL 2 22 14 System panel connector 20 8 pin PANEL 2 34 15 USB 2 0 connectors Type A USB13 10 1 pin USB910 USB1112 2 27 16 Reset switch 2 12 17 Power on switch 2 26 18 TPM connector 20 1 pin TPM 2 25 19 Se...

Page 32: ...p 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 LGA2011 socket The product warranty does not cover damage to the socket contacts resulting from incorrect CPU inst...

Page 33: ...tem memory The motherboard comes with four Double Data Rate 3 DDR3 Dual Inline Memory Modules DIMM slots A DDR3 module is notched differently from a DDR or DDR2 module DO NOT install a DDR or DDR2 memory module to the DDR3 slot ASUS P9X79 WS 2 5 ...

Page 34: ... modules from the same vendor Due to the memory address limitation on 32 bit Windows OS when you install 4GB or more memory on the motherboard the actual usable memory for the OS can be about 3GB or less For effective use of memory we recommend that you do any of the following Use a maximum of 3GB system memory if you are using a 32 bit Windows OS Install a 64 bit Windows OS when you want to insta...

Page 35: ...physical injury and damage motherboard components Slot No Slot Description 1 PCIe 2 0 x16_1 slot single at x16 or dual at x8 x8 mode 2 PCIe 2 0 x16_2 slot x8 mode 3 PCIe 2 0 x16_3 slot x4 mode 4 PCIe 2 0 x16_4 slot single at x16 or dual at x8 x8 mode 5 PCIe 2 0 x16_5 slot x4 mode 6 PCIe 2 0 x16_6 slot x8 mode ASUS P9X79 WS 2 7 ...

Page 36: ...d USB 2 0 Controller 1 shared USB 2 0 Controller 2 shared HD Audio shared IRQ Priority Standard function 0 1 System Timer 1 2 Keyboard Controller 2 Programmable Interrupt 4 12 Communications Port COM1 5 13 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering 6 14 Reserved 7 15 Reserved 8 3 System CMOS Real Time Clock 9 4 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering 10 5 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering 11 6 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering 12 7 Res...

Page 37: ... motherboard comes with a power on switch that allows you to power up or wake up the system The switch also lights up when the system is plugged to a power source indicating that you should shut down the system and unplug the power cable before removing or plugging in any motherboard component The illustration below shows the location of the onboard power on switch 2 Reset switch Press the reset s...

Page 38: ...For ensuring system performance turn the switch setting to Enable when the system is powered off 4 TPU switch Turning this switch to Enable will automatically optimize the system for fast yet stable clock speeds For ensuring system performance turn the switch setting to Enable when the system is powered off 2 10 Chapter 2 Hardware information ...

Page 39: ...ing speed of the DIAG_DRAM increases indicating different test processes Due to memory tuning requirement the system automatically reboots when each timing set is tested If the installed DIMMs still fail to boot after the whole tuning process the DIAG_DRAM lights continuously Replace the DIMMs with ones recommended in the Memory QVL Qualified Vendors Lists in this user manual or on the ASUS websit...

Page 40: ...LED The Standby Power LEDs will light up once the system is connected to a power source 2 Diag LED These diagnosis LEDs of CPU DRAM VGA card and HDD indicate key component status during POST Power on Self Test providing an elegant embellishment to the motherboard design The LED lights will flash sequentially during system bootup If an error is found the LED next to the error device will continue l...

Page 41: ...4 TPU LED The TPU LED lights when the TPU switch is turned to Enable 3 EPU LED The EPU LED lights when the EPU switch is turned to Enable ASUS P9X79 WS 2 13 ...

Page 42: ...Ai Tweaker settings Instant O C status checking LED Activity Status Description Blue Normal Red Ai Tweaker Enabled Overclocking Green EPU Enabled Power saving mode 6 Q Code LEDs The Q Code LED design provides you the 2 digit display allowing you to know the system status Refer to the Q Code table below for details 2 14 Chapter 2 Hardware information ...

Page 43: ...t initialization after microcode loading 09 PCH initialization after microcode loading 0A Initialization after microcode loading 0B Cache initialization 0C 0D Reserved for future AMI SEC error codes 0E Microcode not found 0F Microcode not loaded 10 PEI Core is started 11 14 Pre memory CPU initialization is started 15 18 Pre memory System Agent initialization is started 19 1C Pre memory PCH initial...

Page 44: ...d or micro code update is failed 5A Internal CPU error 5B Reset PPI is not available 5C 5F Reserved for future AMI error codes E0 S3 Resume is stared S3 Resume PPI is called by the DXE IPL E1 S3 Boot Script execution E2 Video repost E3 OS S3 wake vector call E4 E7 Reserved for future AMI progress codes E8 S3 Resume Failed E9 S3 Resume PPI not Found EA S3 Resume Boot Script Error EB S3 OS Wake Erro...

Page 45: ...gent DXE SMM initialization is started 6B 6F System Agent DXE initialization System Agent module specific 70 PCH DXE initialization is started 71 PCH DXE SMM initialization is started 72 PCH devices initialization 73 77 PCH DXE Initialization PCH module specific 78 ACPI module initialization 79 CSM initialization 7A 7F Reserved for future AMI DXE codes 80 8F DXE initialization codes 90 Boot Device...

Page 46: ...eset 9C USB Detect 9D USB Enable 9E 9F Reserved for future AMI codes A0 IDE initialization is started A1 IDE Reset A2 IDE Detect A3 IDE Enable A4 SCSI initialization is started A5 SCSI Reset A6 SCSI Detect A7 SCSI Enable A8 Setup Verifying Password A9 Start of Setup AA Reserved for ASL see ASL Status Codes section below AB Setup Input Wait 2 18 Chapter 2 Hardware information ...

Page 47: ...ed for future AMI codes C0 CF BDS initialization codes D0 CPU initialization error D1 System Agent initialization error D2 PCH initialization error D3 Some of the Architectural Protocols are not available D4 PCI resource allocation error Out of Resources D5 No Space for Legacy Option ROM D6 No Console Output Devices are found D7 No Console Input Devices are found D8 Invalid password D9 Error loadi...

Page 48: ...0x10 System is waking up from the S1 sleep state 0x20 System is waking up from the S2 sleep state 0x30 System is waking up from the S3 sleep state 0x40 System is waking up from the S4 sleep state 0xAC System has transitioned into ACPI mode Interrupt controller is in PIC mode 0xAA System has transitioned into ACPI mode Interrupt controller is in APIC mode ACPI ASL Checkpoints 2 20 Chapter 2 Hardwar...

Page 49: ... process and enter BIOS setup to re enter data Except when clearing the RTC RAM never remove the cap on CLRTC jumper default position Removing the cap will cause system boot failure If the steps above do not help remove the onboard battery and move the jumper again to clear the CMOS RTC RAM data After the CMOS clearance reinstall the battery You do not need to clear the RTC when the system hangs d...

Page 50: ...ar fans control Set to pins 1 2 when using 3 pin fans or pins 2 3 when using 4 pin fans If you use a 4 pin fan but set the jumper to pin 1 2 the fan you installed may not work If you use a 3 pin fan but set the jumper for a 4 pin fan the fan control will not work and the fan you installed will always run at full speed 2 22 Chapter 2 Hardware information ...

Page 51: ...ting a RAID set refer to section 4 4 RAID configurations or the manual bundled in the motherboard support DVD When using hot plug and NCQ set the SATA Mode in the BIOS to AHCI Mode Refer to section 3 5 4 SATA Configuration for details You must install Windows XP Service Pack 3 or later versions before using Serial ATA hard disk drives The Serial ATA RAID feature is available only if you are using ...

Page 52: ...reate a Serial ATA RAID set using these connectors set the SATA Mode item in the BIOS to RAID Mode Refer to section 3 5 4 SATA Configuration for details Before creating a RAID set refer to section 4 4 RAID configurations or the manual bundled in the motherboard support DVD When using hot plug and NCQ set the SATA Mode in the BIOS to AHCI Mode Refer to section 3 5 4 SATA Configuration for details Y...

Page 53: ...r later versions before using Serial ATA hard disk drives Press Ctrl M during POST to enter the Marvell RAID utility to create or delete a RAID configuration If you want to install a Windows operating system to a RAID configuration created using the Marvell SATAcontroller you have to create a RAID driver disk using the motherboard support DVD and load the driver during OS installation For 32 64bit...

Page 54: ...hat supports up to 5 0 Gbps connection speed If the USB 3 0 front panel cable is available from your system chassis with this USB 3 0 connector you can have a front panel USB 3 0 solution You can connect the ASUS front panel USB 3 0 box to this connector to obtain the front panel USB 3 0 solution 2 26 Chapter 2 Hardware information ...

Page 55: ...4 cable to the USB connectors Doing so will damage the motherboard 5 USB 2 0 connectors Type A USB13 10 1 pin USB910 USB1112 These connectors are for USB 2 0 ports Connect the USB module cable to any of these connectors then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis These USB connectors comply with USB 2 0 specification that supports up to 480 Mbps connection speed ASU...

Page 56: ... to the IEEE 1394a connector Doing so will damage the motherboard The IEEE 1394a module is purchased separately 7 Digital audio connector 4 1 pin SPDIF_OUT This connector is for an additional Sony Philips Digital Interface S PDIF port s Connect the S PDIF Out module cable to this connector then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis The S PDIF module is purchased se...

Page 57: ... supports the CPU fan of maximum 2A 24 W fan power If you install two VGA cards we recommend that you plug the rear chassis fan cable to the motherboard connector labeled CHA_FAN1 CHA_FAN2 CHA_FAN3 for better thermal environment 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 pl...

Page 58: ...nition 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 if you want to connect an AC 97 front panel audio module to this connector set the item to AC97 By default this connector is set to HD 10 Serial port connector 10 1 pin COM1 This connector is for a serial COM port Connect the serial port ...

Page 59: ...ule TPM system which can securely store keys digital certificates passwords and data A TPM system also helps enhance network security protects digital identities and ensures platform integrity This connector can also serve for G P Diagnosis card installation ASUS P9X79 WS 2 31 ...

Page 60: ...t to connect the 8 pin EATX12 V power plug otherwise the system will not boot Use of a PSU with a higher power output is recommended when configuring a system with more power consuming devices 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 Calc...

Page 61: ... EZ Plug connector 4 pin EZ_PLUG This 4 pin connector is for HDD power supply plug When using 3 or more graphic cards more power may be needed Use this connector to enhance power by 12V ASUS P9X79 WS 2 33 ...

Page 62: ...4 pin connector is for the chassis mounted system warning speaker The speaker allows you to hear system beeps and warnings ATX power button soft off button 2 pin PWRSW This connector is for the system power button Pressing the power button turns the system on or puts the system in sleep or soft off mode depending on the BIOS settings Pressing the power switch for more than four seconds while the s...

Page 63: ...g of screws Philips cross screwdriver PC chassis Power supply unit Intel LGA 2011 CPU Intel LGA 2011 compatible CPU Fan DIMM SATA hard disk drive SATA optical disc drive optional Graphics card The tools and components in the table above are not included in the motherboard package ASUS P9X79 WS 2 35 ...

Page 64: ...ch Follow the instructions printed on the metal sealing hatch or the illustrations shown below in this manual The plastic cap will pop up automatically once the CPU is in place and the hatch properly sealed down 1 2 B A Load lever C B A 3 4 B A 2 36 Chapter 2 Hardware information ...

Page 65: ...9 7 8 5 6 Triangle mark B A B A ASUS P9X79 WS 2 37 ...

Page 66: ...sembly installation Apply the Thermal Interface Material to the CPU heatsink and CPU before you install the heatsink and fan if necessary To install the CPU heatsink and fan assembly 1 2 A B B A 2 38 Chapter 2 Hardware information ...

Page 67: ...1 2 3 To remove a DIMM 2 3 4 DIMM installation B A ASUS P9X79 WS 2 39 ...

Page 68: ...5 Motherboard installation The diagrams in this section are for reference only The motherboard layout may vary with models but the installation steps remain the same 2 1 2 40 Chapter 2 Hardware information ...

Page 69: ...DO NOT overtighten the screws Doing so can damage the motherboard 3 ASUS P9X79 WS 2 41 ...

Page 70: ...2 3 6 ATX Power connection 1 2 OR 2 42 Chapter 2 Hardware information ...

Page 71: ...2 3 7 SATA device connection 2 OR 1 ASUS P9X79 WS 2 43 ...

Page 72: ... SW RESET SW IDE_LED IDE_LED PWR Reset Ground Ground 1 2 USB AAFP To install ASUS Q Connector To install USB Connector To install front panel audio connector The actual location may vary with motherboards 2 44 Chapter 2 Hardware information ...

Page 73: ...al S PDIF Out port 3 IEEE 1394a port 9 USB 2 0 ports 5 and 6 4 LAN RJ 45 port 2 10 USB 2 0 ports 7 and 8 5 PS 2 keyboard port 11 USB 3 0 ports 1 and 2 6 USB 2 0 ports 1 2 3 and 4 12 Audio I O ports and Refer to the tables on the next page for LAN port and audio port definitions 2 11 12 10 8 9 7 6 5 1 4 3 ASUS P9X79 WS 2 45 ...

Page 74: ...ctivity Link LED Speed LED Status Description Status Description OFF No link OFF 10 Mbps connection ORANGE Linked ORANGE 100 Mbps connection BLINKING Data activity GREEN 1 Gbps connection Due to USB 3 0 controller limitation USB 3 0 devices can only be used under Windows OS environment and after the USB 3 0 driver installation USB 3 0 devices can only be used as data storage only We strongly recom...

Page 75: ...Connect to Stereo Speakers Connect to 2 1 channel Speakers Connect to 4 1 channel Speakers ASUS P9X79 WS 2 47 ...

Page 76: ...Connect to 5 1 channel Speakers Connect to 7 1 channel Speakers 2 48 Chapter 2 Hardware information ...

Page 77: ...he BIOS Flashback button for 3 seconds and the light will begin to flash on the third second 4 The Flashback function is enabled once the light starts to flash 5 The flashing rate of the light signal accelerates along with the updating speed 2 3 11 USB BIOS Flashback Updating BIOS may have risks If the BIOS program is damaged during the process causing the system unable to reboot please contact th...

Page 78: ...may light up or change from orange to green after the system LED turns on The system then runs the power on self tests or POST While the tests are running the BIOS beeps refer to the BIOS beep codes table below or additional messages appear on the screen If you do not see anything within 30 seconds from the time you turned on the power the system may have failed a power on test Check the jumper se...

Page 79: ...ess than four seconds puts the system on sleep mode or soft off mode depending on the BIOS setting Pressing the power switch for more than four seconds lets the system enter the soft off mode regardless of the BIOS setting Refer to section 3 7 Boot Menu for details ASUS P9X79 WS 2 51 ...

Page 80: ...2 52 Chapter 2 Hardware information ...

Page 81: ...p the computer the system provides you with the opportunity to run this program Press Del during the Power On Self Test POST to enter the Setup utility Otherwise POST continues with its test routines If you wish to enter Setup after POST press Ctrl Alt Delete or press the reset button on the system chassis to restart the system You can also turn the system off and then turn it back on to restart t...

Page 82: ...ry depending on the devices you installed to the system The Boot Menu F8 button is available only when the boot device is installed to the system Exits the BIOS setup program without saving the changes saves the changes and resets the system or enters the Advanced Mode Selects the display language of the BIOS setup program Displays the CPU motherboard temperature CPU 5V 3 3V 12V voltage output CPU...

Page 83: ...p of the screen has the following main items Main For changing the basic system configuration Ai Tweaker For changing the overclocking settings Advanced For changing the advanced system settings Monitor For displaying the system temperature power status and changing the fan settings Boot For changing the system boot configuration Tool For configuring options for special functions Exit For selectin...

Page 84: ...figuration options for that item Scroll bar A scroll bar appears on the right side of a menu screen when there are items that do not fit on the screen Press the Up Down arrow keys or Page Up Page Down keys to display the other items on the screen Navigation keys At the bottom right corner of the menu screen are the navigation keys for the BIOS setup program Use the navigation keys to select items ...

Page 85: ... 0238 x64 Build Date 09 16 2011 EC Version MBEC X79 0218 ME Version 7 1 20 1089 CPU Information Genuine Intel R CPU 2 00GHz Speed 2066 MHz Memory Information Total Memory 4096 MB DDR3 Speed 1373 MHz System Language English System Date Friday 09 23 2011 System Time 16 46 15 Access Level Administrator Security Main Ai Tweaker Advanced Monitor Boot Tool Exit To clear the administrator password key in...

Page 86: ...s Enter when prompted to create confirm the password After you clear the password the Administrator Password item on top of the screen shows Not Installed User Password If you have set a user password you must enter the user password for accessing the system The User Password item on top of the screen shows the default Not Installed After you set a password this item shows Installed To set a user ...

Page 87: ...cking related items Be cautious when changing the settings of the Ai Tweaker menu items Incorrect field values can cause the system to malfunction The configuration options for this section vary depending on the CPU and DIMM model you installed on the motherboard Scroll down to display the following items ...

Page 88: ...echnology choose this item to set the profiles supported by your memory modules for optimizing the system performance The following three items appear only when you set the Ai Overclocking Tuner item to Manual BCLK Frequency XXX Allows you to adjust the CPU and VGA frequency to enhance the system performance Use the and keys to adjust the value You can also key in the desired value using the numer...

Page 89: ...uration options Auto DDR3 800MHz DDR3 1066MHz DDR3_1333MHz DDR3 1600MHz DDR3 1866MHz DDR3_2133MHz DDR3_2400MHz DDR3_2666MHz Selecting a very high memory frequency may cause the system to become unstable If this happens revert to the default setting EPU Power Saving MODE Disabled Allows you to enable or disable the EPU power saving function Configuration options Disabled Enabled EPU Setting Auto Th...

Page 90: ...DRAM timing control features Use the and keys to adjust the value To restore the default setting type auto using the keyboard and press the Enter key Changing the values in this menu may cause the system to become unstable If this happens revert to the default settings Scroll down to display the following items ...

Page 91: ...ASUS P9X79 WS 3 11 Chapter 3 Scroll down to display the following items Scroll down to display the following items ...

Page 92: ...from 4 to 15 with 1 interval DRAM RAS ACT Time Auto Use the and keys to adjust the value The values range from 4 to 40 with 1 interval DRAM COMMAND Mode Auto Use the and keys to adjust the value The values range from 1 to 3 with 1 interval Secondary Timings DRAM RAS to RAS Delay Auto Use the and keys to adjust the value The values range from 4 to 7 with 1 interval DRAM REF Cycle Time Auto Use the ...

Page 93: ...o adjust the value The values range from 0 to 7 with 1 interval tWWDR Auto Use the and keys to adjust the value The values range from 0 to 7 with 1 interval tWWDD Auto Use the and keys to adjust the value The values range from 0 to 7 with 1 interval tRWDR Auto Use the and keys to adjust the value The values range from 0 to 15 with 1 interval tRWDD Auto Use the and keys to adjust the value The valu...

Page 94: ...lock Delay 14 Clock DRAM IOL CHA D0 R1 Auto Configuration options Auto Advance 14 Clock Advance 13 Clock Advance 12 Clock Advance 11 Clock Advance 10 Clock Advance 9 Clock Advance 8 Clock Advance 7 Clock Advance 6 Clock Advance 5 Clock Advance 4 Clock Advance 3 Clock Advance 2 Clock Advance 1 Clock Normal Delay 1 Clock Delay 2 Clock Delay 3 Clock Delay 4 Clock Delay 5 Clock Delay 6 Clock Delay 7 C...

Page 95: ...0 Clock Advance 9 Clock Advance 8 Clock Advance 7 Clock Advance 6 Clock Advance 5 Clock Advance 4 Clock Advance 3 Clock Advance 2 Clock Advance 1 Clock Normal Delay 1 Clock Delay 2 Clock Delay 3 Clock Delay 4 Clock Delay 5 Clock Delay 6 Clock Delay 7 Clock Delay 8 Clock Delay 9 Clock Delay 10 Clock Delay 11 Clock Delay 12 Clock Delay 13 Clock Delay 14 Clock DRAM RTL CHB D0 R1 Auto Configuration op...

Page 96: ... Auto Configuration options Auto Advance 14 Clock Advance 12 Clock Advance 10 Clock Advance 8 Clock Advance 6 Clock Advance 4 Clock Advance 2 Clock Normal Delay 2 Clock Delay 4 Clock Delay 6 Clock Delay 8 Clock Delay 10 Clock Delay 12 Clock Delay 14 Clock DRAM IOL CHC D0 R0 Auto Configuration options Auto Advance 14 Clock Advance 13 Clock Advance 12 Clock Advance 11 Clock Advance 10 Clock Advance ...

Page 97: ...0 Clock Advance 9 Clock Advance 8 Clock Advance 7 Clock Advance 6 Clock Advance 5 Clock Advance 4 Clock Advance 3 Clock Advance 2 Clock Advance 1 Clock Normal Delay 1 Clock Delay 2 Clock Delay 3 Clock Delay 4 Clock Delay 5 Clock Delay 6 Clock Delay 7 Clock Delay 8 Clock Delay 9 Clock Delay 10 Clock Delay 11 Clock Delay 12 Clock Delay 13 Clock Delay 14 Clock DRAM RTL CHD D0 R0 Auto Configuration op...

Page 98: ... Advance 3 Clock Advance 2 Clock Advance 1 Clock Normal Delay 1 Clock Delay 2 Clock Delay 3 Clock Delay 4 Clock Delay 5 Clock Delay 6 Clock Delay 7 Clock Delay 8 Clock Delay 9 Clock Delay 10 Clock Delay 11 Clock Delay 12 Clock Delay 13 Clock Delay 14 Clock DRAM RTL CHD D1 R1 Auto Configuration options Auto Advance 14 Clock Advance 12 Clock Advance 10 Clock Advance 8 Clock Advance 6 Clock Advance 4...

Page 99: ...ue The values range from 0 to 31 with 1 interval MCH Duty Sense CHB Auto Use the and keys to adjust the value The values range from 0 to 31 with 1 interval MCH Duty Sense CHC Auto Use the and keys to adjust the value The values range from 0 to 31 with 1 interval MCH Duty Sense CHD Auto Use the and keys to adjust the value The values range from 0 to 31 with 1 interval MCH Recheck Auto Configuration...

Page 100: ...ine is defined by Intel spec and affects CPU voltage The CPU working voltage will decrease proportionally to CPU loading Higher value could get higher voltage and good overclocking performance but increase the CPU thermal This item allows you to adjust the voltage range from the following percentages to boost the system performance 0 Regular 25 Medium 50 High 75 Ultra High 100 Extreme Configuratio...

Page 101: ... options 100 110 120 130 CPU VCCSA Boot Up Voltage Auto This adjusts the voltage for VCCSA at initial boot up Set to higher values for better overclocking results Use the and keys to adjust the value The values range from 0 800 to 1 700 with 0 005 interval CPU Voltage Frequency Auto Switching frequency will affect the transient response and component thermal Setting a higher frequency gets faster ...

Page 102: ...ed by current A step Manual Adjustment Regular This item appears when you set the CPU Power Phase Control item to Manual Adjustment Select Ultra Fast for a faster response The reaction time will be longer when Regular is selected Configuration options Ultra Fast Fast Medium Regular Do not remove the thermal module when switching to Extreme and Manual mode The thermal conditions should be monitored...

Page 103: ...AM CD Voltage Frequency Auto This item allows you to adjust the DRAM switching frequency Assign a fixed high DRAM frequency to increase O C range or a lower DRAM frequency for better system stability Configuration options Auto manual DRAM CD Power Phase control Auto Auto Proceeds preset phase tuning profile Optimized Allows you to set ASUS optimized phase tuning profile Extreme Allows you to set t...

Page 104: ...p Technology Enabled Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology allows the system operation system to dynamically adjust processor voltage and cores frequency which can result in decreased average power consumption and decreased average heat production Configuration options Disabled Enabled Main Ai Tweaker Advanced Monitor Boot Tool Exit Version 2 10 1208 Copyright C 2011 American Megatrends Inc Allows u...

Page 105: ...ond power limit to provide rapid protection when package power exceeds Power Limit 1 Default setting is 1 25 times Power Limit 1 Intel recommends that the platform must be capable of supporting over Power Limit 2 for up to 10 msec ASUS board can support over Power Limit 2 for a long duration Use the and keys to adjust the value Additional Turbo Voltage Auto Maximum additional voltage can be applie...

Page 106: ...e The values range from 0 800V to 1 700V with a 0 005V interval Offset Mode Sign This item appears only when you set the CPU VCCSA Voltage item to Offset Mode To offset the voltage by a positive value To offset the voltage by a negative value CPU VCCSA Offset Voltage Auto This item appears only when you set the CPU VCCSA Voltage item to Offset Mode and allows you to set the VCCSA offset voltage Th...

Page 107: ...may need better cooling system to work stably under high voltage settings VTTDDR Voltage CHA CHB Auto Allows you to set the active termination voltage for DRAM on Channel A and B The values range from 0 6250V to 1 10V with a 0 00625V interval VTTDDR Voltage CHC CHD Auto Allows you to set the active termination voltage for DRAM on Channel C and D The values range from 0 6250V to 1 10V with a 0 0062...

Page 108: ...5x interval Different ratio might enhance DRAM overclocking ability DRAM Read REF Voltage on CHB Auto Allows you to set the DRAM Voltage for CPU IMC to reference Reads on Channel B The values range from 0 3850x to 0 6150x with a 0 005x interval Different ratio might enhance DRAM overclocking ability DRAM Read REF Voltage on CHC Auto Allows you to set the DRAM Voltage for CPU IMC to reference Reads...

Page 109: ...er Advanced Monitor Boot Tool Exit CPU Configuration Parameters UEFI BIOS Utility Advanced Mode Version 2 10 1208 Copyright C 2011 American Megatrends Inc Select Screen Select Item Enter Select Change Opt F1 General Help F2 Previous Values F3 Shortcut F5 Optimized Defaults F6 ASUS Ratio Boost F10 Save ESC Exit F12 Print Screen CPU Configuration System Agent Configuration PCH Configuration SATA Con...

Page 110: ...per activated core are enabled Enabled for Windows XP and Linux OS optimized for Hyper Threading Technology Main Ai Tweaker Advanced Monitor Boot Tool Exit Version 2 10 1208 Copyright C 2011 American Megatrends Inc Includes TM1 TM2 and EMTTM Select Screen Select Item Enter Select Change Opt F1 General Help F2 Previous Values F3 Shortcut F5 Optimized Defaults F6 ASUS Ratio Boost F10 Save ESC Exit F...

Page 111: ...ture flag to always return to zero 0 Intel Virtualization Tech Enabled Enabled Allows a hardware platform to run multiple operating systems separately and simultaneously enabling one system to virtually function as several systems Disabled Disables this function 3 5 2 CPU Power Management Configuration CPU Ratio Auto Allows user to manually adjust the maximum non turbo CPU ratio The value will be ...

Page 112: ... condition CPU C1E Auto Disabled Disables this function Enabled Enables the C1E support function This item should be enabled in order to enable the Enhanced Halt State CPU C3 Report Auto Allows you to disable or enable the CPU C3 report to OS CPU C6 Report Auto Allows you to disable or enable the CPU C6 report to OS CPU C7 Report Auto Allows you to disable or enable the CPU C7 report to OS Main Ai...

Page 113: ...ng SATA port Main Ai Tweaker Advanced Monitor Boot Tool Exit 1 IDE Mode 2 AHCI Mode 3 RAID Mode Back Advanced SATA Configuration UEFI BIOS Utility Advanced Mode SATA Configuration SATA Mode AHCI Mode S M A R T Status Check Enabled SATA 6G_1 Gray Not Present Hot Plug Disabled SATA 6G_2 Gray Not Present Hot Plug Disabled SATA 3G_3 Blue Not Present Hot Plug Disabled SATA 3G_4 Blue Not Present Hot Plu...

Page 114: ...g Technology is a monitor system When read write of your hard disk errors occur this feature allows the hard disk to report warning messages during the POST Configuration options Disabled Enabled SATA6G_1 Gray Hot Plug Disabled This item appears only when you set the previous item to AHCI Mode and RAID mode It allows users to enable disable SATA Hot Plug Support Configuration options Disabled Enab...

Page 115: ...guration options Disabled Enhance Compatible Serial ATA Controller 1 Enhanced Allows you to enabled disabled the Serial ATA Controller 1 Configuration options Disabled Enhance S M A R T Status Check Enabled S M A R T Self Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology is a monitor system When read write of your hard disk errors occur this feature allows the hard disk to report warning messages durin...

Page 116: ...e is detected the legacy USB support is disabled Legacy USB3 0 Support Enabled Disabled Disables the function Enabled Enables the support for USB 3 0 devices on legacy operating systems OS EHCI Hand off Disabled Disabled Disables the function Enabled Enables the support for operating systems without an EHCI hand off feature Main Ai Tweaker Advanced Monitor Boot Tool Exit Enables Legacy USB support...

Page 117: ...y AC97 SPDIF Out Type SPDIF SPDIF Sets to SPDIF for SPDIF audio output HDMI Sets to HDMI for HDMI audio output Main Ai Tweaker Advanced Monitor Boot Tool Exit Version 2 10 1208 Copyright C 2011 American Megatrends Inc Enabled Disabled Azalia HD Audio Back Advanced Onboard Devices Configuration UEFI BIOS Utility Advanced Mode Azalia HD Audio Enabled Front Panel Type HD SPDIF Out Type SPDIF Intel LA...

Page 118: ...troller Enabled This item allows user to enable disable VIA 1394 Controller Configuration options Disabled Enabled Asmedia USB 3 0 Controller Enabled This item allows user to enable disable Asmedia USB 3 0 Configuration options Disabled Enabled Marvell Storage OPROM Enabled This item allows user to enable disable Marvell Storage OPROM Configuration options Disabled Enabled Serial Port Configuratio...

Page 119: ...vent Power On By Ring Disabled Disabled Disables the Ring device from generating a wake event Enabled Enables the Ring device to generate a wake event Power On By RTC Disabled Disabled Disables RTC from generating a wake event Enabled When set to Enabled the items RTC Alarm Date Days and Hour Minute Second will become user configurable with set values Use and keys to adjust the values ErP Ready Di...

Page 120: ...bled CPU Fan Speed Low Limit 600 RPM CPU Fan Profile Standard Chassis 1 Q Fan Control Enabled Chassis 1 Fan Speed Low Limit 600 RPM Chassis 1 Fan Profile Standard Select Screen Select Item Enter Select Change Opt F1 General Help F2 Previous Values F3 Shortcut F5 Optimized Defaults F6 ASUS Ratio Boost F10 Save ESC Exit F12 Print Screen Version 2 10 1208 Copyright C 2011 American Megatrends Inc Chas...

Page 121: ...e CPU temperature Silent Minimizes the fan speed for quiet CPU fan operation Turbo Achieves maximum CPU fan speed Manual Users can assign detailed fan speed control parameters The following four items appear only when you set CPU Fan Profile to Manual CPU Upper Temperature 70 in celsius Use the and keys to set the upper limit of the CPU temperature The values range from 20 C to 75 C When the CPU t...

Page 122: ... CPU temperature The values range from 40 C to 90 C When the CPU temperature reaches the upper limit CPU fan will operate at maximum duty cycle in full speed Chassis 1 2 3 4 Fan Max Duty Cycle 100 Use the and keys to adjust the maximum chassis fan duty cycle The values range from 60 to 100 The minimum value cannot be lower than the setting of the Min Duty Cycle Chassis 1 2 3 4 Lower Temperature 40...

Page 123: ...the Full Screen Logo item to Disabled This item allows you to select the desired Post Report waiting time from 1 10 sec Configuration options 1 sec 2 sec 3 sec 4 sec 5 sec 6 sec 7 sec 8 sec 9 sec 10 sec Until Press ESC Main Ai Tweaker Advanced Monitor Boot Tool Exit Version 2 10 1208 Copyright C 2011 American Megatrends Inc Select the keyboard NumLock state UEFI BIOS Utility Advanced Mode Bootup N...

Page 124: ... to do so Setup Mode EZ Mode Advanced Mode Sets Advanced Mode as the default screen for entering the BIOS setup program EZ Mode Sets EZ Mode as the default screen for entering the BIOS setup program Boot Option Priorities These items specify the boot device priority sequence from the available devices The number of device items that appears on the screen depends on the number of devices installed ...

Page 125: ...3 10 2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility 3 8 2 ASUS DRAM SPD Information This menu shows information on the DIMM slots OK DRAM is working fine N A DRAM is not installed Abnormal DRAM error Main Ai Tweaker Advanced Monitor Boot Tool Exit UEFI BIOS Utility Advanced Mode Back Tool ASUS Dram SPD Information DIMM_A1 N A DIMM_A2 N A DIMM_B1 N A DIMM_B2 N A DIMM_C1 OK DIMM_C2 N A DIMM_D1 OK DIMM_D2 N A Click to en...

Page 126: ...rofile Allows you to save the current BIOS settings to the BIOS Flash and create a profile Key in a profile number from one to eight or use and keys to adjust the number Press Enter and then select Yes Load from Profile Allows you to load the previous BIOS settings saved in the BIOS Flash Key in the profile number that saved your BIOS settings or use and keys to adjust the number Press Enter and t...

Page 127: ..._E2 drive Normal Mode When using only one hard disk in Normal Mode connect the hard disk to the SATA6G_E1 connector on the motherboard Super Speed EZ Backup Please plug two EMPTY hard drives to the SATA6G_E1 and SATA6G_E2 connectors before using this function or else all data stored in the two hard drives will be destroyed Mode change might damage the operating system if the operating system is al...

Page 128: ... from the Exit menu to ensure the values you selected are saved When you select this option or if you press F10 a confirmation window appears Select Yes to save changes and exit Discard Changes Exit This option allows you to exit the Setup program without saving your changes When you select this option or if you press Esc a confirmation window appears Select Yes to discard changes and exit ASUS EZ...

Page 129: ...S environment using the motherboard support DVD and a USB flash disk drive Refer to the corresponding sections for details on these utilities Save a copy of the original motherboard BIOS file to a USB flash disk in case you need to restore the BIOS in the future Copy the original motherboard BIOS using the ASUS Update or BIOS Updater utilities 3 10 1 ASUS Update utility The ASUS Update is a utilit...

Page 130: ...c If you want to enable the BIOS downgradable function and auto BIOS backup function check the checkboxs before the two items on the screen 4 You can decide whether to change the BIOS boot logo which is the image appearing on screen during the Power On Self Tests POST Click Yes if you want to change the boot logo or No to continue 5 Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the update process 3...

Page 131: ...software configuration Updating the BIOS through a BIOS file To update the BIOS through a BIOS file 1 From the ASUS Update screen select Update BIOS from file and then click Next 2 Locate the BIOS file from the Open window click Open and click Next 3 You can decide whether to change the BIOS boot logo Click Yes if you want to change the boot logo or No to continue 4 Follow the onscreen instruction...

Page 132: ...S EZ Flash Utility and press Enter to enable it 3 Press Tab to switch to the Drive field 4 Press the Up Down arrow keys to find the USB flash disk that contains the latest BIOS and then press Enter 5 Press Tab to switch to the Folder Info field 6 Press the Up Down arrow keys to find the BIOS file and then press Enter to perform the BIOS update process Reboot the system when the update process is d...

Page 133: ...l drive or the USB flash drive containing the BIOS file to the USB port 3 The utility automatically checks the devices for the BIOS file When found the utility reads the BIOS file and enters ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility automatically 4 The system requires you to enter BIOS Setup to recover BIOS setting To ensure system compatibility and stability we recommend that you press F5 to load default BIOS valu...

Page 134: ... the current BIOS file that you can use as a backup when the BIOS fails or gets corrupted during the updating process The succeeding utility screens are for reference only The actual utility screen displays may not be same as shown Before updating BIOS 1 Prepare the motherboard support DVD and a USB flash drive in FAT32 16 format and single partition 2 Download the latest BIOS file and BIOS Update...

Page 135: ...VER Unknown DATE Unknown BIOS backup is done Press any key to continue D bupdater oOLDBIOS1 rom Filename Extension Backing up the current BIOS To backup the current BIOS file using the BIOS Updater Ensure that the USB flash drive is not write protected and has enough free space to save the file 1 At the FreeDOS prompt type bupdater o filename and press Enter The filename is any user assigned filen...

Page 136: ...hard disk drives after updating the BIOS file if you have disconnected them Updating the BIOS file To update the BIOS file using BIOS Updater 1 At the FreeDOS prompt type bupdater pc g and press Enter ASUSTek BIOS Updater for DOS V1 18 2011 04 29 Current ROM Update ROM A Note Enter Select or Load Tab Switch V Drive Info Up Down Home End Move B Backup Esc Exit P8P67D ROM 4194304 2011 08 05 17 30 48...

Page 137: ...install Motherboard settings and hardware options vary Use the setup procedures presented in this chapter for reference only Refer to your OS documentation for detailed information Ensure that you install the Windows XP Service Pack 3 or later versions before installing the drivers for better compatibility and system stability The contents of the support DVD are subject to change at any time witho...

Page 138: ...ader from the Utilities menu before opening the files The screenshots in this section are for reference only The actual software manuals containing in the support DVD vary by models 1 Click on the Manual tab Click on ASUS Motherboard Utility Guide from the manual list on the left 2 The Manual folder of the support DVD appears Double click the folder of your selected software 3 Some software manual...

Page 139: ...de under TurboV EVO Click to select a utility Click to monitor sensors or CPU frequency Click to update the motherboard BIOS Click to show the system information Click to customize the interface settings Using AI Suite II AI Suite II automatically starts when you enter the Windows operating system OS The AI Suite II icon appears in the Windows notification area Click on the icon to open the AI Sui...

Page 140: ...ltage and DRAM Bus voltage in Windows environment and takes effect in real time without exiting and rebooting the OS Refer to the CPU documentation before adjusting CPU voltage settings Setting a high voltage may damage the CPU permanently and setting a low voltage may make the system unstable For system stability all changes made in TurboV will not be saved to BIOS settings and will not be kept o...

Page 141: ...wer Management in BIOS and set the Turbo Ratio item to Maximum Turbo Ratio setting in OS 1 Click on the CPU Ratio tab 2 Drag the adjustment bar upwards or downwards to the desired value 3 Click on Apply to make the change take effect CPU Ratio Click to restore all start up settings Adjustment bar Applies all changes immediately Undoes all changes without applying Set the CPU Ratio Setting item in ...

Page 142: ...r CPU and memory Using Fast Tuning 1 Click the Auto Tuning tab and then click Fast 2 Read through the warning messages and click OK to start auto overclocking CPU Strap Allows you to manually adjust CPU Strap 1 Click on the CPU Strap tab 2 Click on the adjustment bar to the desired value The graph on the right will change value accordingly 3 Click on Apply to make the change take effect CPU Strap ...

Page 143: ...verclocks the CPU and memory and restarts the system After re entering Windows a message appears indicating the current overclocking result To keep the result click Stop 4 If you did not click Stop in the previous step TurboV automatically starts further system overclocking and stability test An animation appears indicating the overclocking process Click Stop if you want to cancel the Overclocking...

Page 144: ...vides wider total power range for overclocking A higher value setting gets higher VRM power consumption delivery 3 CPU Voltage Frequency Switching frequency will affect the VRM transient response and component thermal Higher frequency gets quicker transient response 4 VCCSA Load line Calibration The behavior of the DRAM Controller is decided by the VCCSA Load line Set to a higher value for system ...

Page 145: ...der total power range and extends the overclocking frequency range simultaneously 2 DRAM Voltage Frequency Allows you to adjust the DRAM switching frequency for system stability or to increase OC Range 3 DRAM Power Phase Control Select Extreme for full phase mode to increase system performance or select Optimized for ASUS optimized phase tuning profile to increase DRAM power efficiency Application...

Page 146: ...l EPU on the AI Suite II main menu bar Select From EPU Installation to show the CO2 that has been reduced since you installed EPU Select From the Last Reset to show the total CO2 that has been reduced since you click the Clear button Refer to the software manual in the support DVD or visit the ASUS website at www asus com for detailed software configuration Shifts between the display of Total and ...

Page 147: ...a quiet and cool environment Launching FAN Xpert After installing AI Suite II from the motherboard support DVD launch FAN Xpert by clicking Tool FAN Xpert on the AI Suite II main menu bar Fan setting Disable disables the FAN Xpert function Standard adjusts fan speed in a moderate pattern Silent minimizes fan speed for quiet fan operation Turbo maximizes the fan speed for the best cooling effect Us...

Page 148: ...te II from the motherboard support DVD launch Probe II by clicking Tool Probe II on the AI Suite II main menu bar Loads the default threshold values for each sensor Applies your changes Loads your saved configuration Saves your configuration Configuring Probe II Click the Voltage Temperature Fan Speed tabs to activate the sensors or to adjust the sensor threshold values The Preference tab allows y...

Page 149: ...Recorder Click on Voltage Temperature Fan Speed tabs for the status you want to monitor Colored lines will automatically appear on the diagram to indicate the immediate changes in the system status Using History Record 1 Click on the History Record tab and adjust the settings on the left for Record Interval and Record Duration according to need 2 Click on Recording to start measurement and recordi...

Page 150: ... the motherboard support DVD launch USB 3 0 Boost by clicking Tool USB 3 0 Boost on the AI Suite II main menu bar Configuring USB 3 0 Boost 1 Connect a USB 3 0 device to the USB 3 0 port 2 USB 3 0 Boost automatically detects the property of the connected device and switches to Turbo mode or UASP mode if UASP is supported by the connected device 3 You can manually switch the USB 3 0 mode back to No...

Page 151: ...one HDD and one SSD to the the Marvell SATA ports SATA6G_E1 E2 ASUS SSD Caching automatically detects the HDD and SSD 2 Click on Caching Now to initialize the connected disks Initialization status is shown on the program interface 3 Caching function will be activated once initialization is complete 4 Click on Disable when deactivating SSD caching During initialization you can proceed with doing an...

Page 152: ...k on Next and follow the instructions to complete your request Update BIOS from Internet Download the latest BIOS utility from the ASUS service website www asus com and follow the suggested procedures to update the BIOS version on your system Download BIOS from Internet Download the latest BIOS utility from the ASUS service website www asus com and save for later use Update BIOS from file Use the ...

Page 153: ...nning Launching ASUS Update After installing AI Suite II from the motherboard support DVD launch MyLogo by clicking Update MyLogo on the AI Suite II main menu bar Using MyLogo Select the way you would like to do update your boot logo Then click Next and follow the given instructions Change the BIOS boot logo of my motherboard 1 Under Current BIOS click Browse and choose the desired image for your ...

Page 154: ...ou restart your computer Change the boot logo of a downloaded BIOS file and update or do not update this BIOS to the motherboard 1 At BIOS File Browse to download the requested BIOS file to your system This utility will help you detect the compatibility of the BIOS version 2 Then at Picture File Browse to select the desired image for boot logo Click Next 3 Follow steps 2 5 in Change the BIOS boot ...

Page 155: ...e Realtek Audio Driver from the support DVD that came with the motherboard package If the Realtek audio software is correctly installed you will find the Realtek HD Audio Manager icon on the taskbar Double click on the icon to display the Realtek HD Audio Manager Control settings Configuration option tabs vary with the audio devices connected Device advanced settings Information button Exit button...

Page 156: ... data access and storage Use of two new identical hard disk drives is required for this setup RAID 1 Data mirroring copies and maintains an identical image of data from one drive to a second drive If one drive fails the disk array management software directs all applications to the surviving drive as it contains a complete copy of the data in the other drive This RAID configuration provides data p...

Page 157: ...BIOS Setup Refer to Chapter 3 for details on entering and navigating through the BIOS Setup Due to chipset limitation when set any of SATA ports to RAID mode all SATA ports run at RAID mode together 4 4 4 Intel Rapid Storage Technology Option ROM utility To enter the Intel Rapid Storage Technology Option ROM utility 1 Turn on the system 2 During POST press Ctrl I to display the utility main menu I...

Page 158: ...us and select the menu options The RAID BIOS setup screens shown in this section are for reference only and may not exactly match the items on your screen Intel R Rapid Storage Technology Option ROM v10 0 0 1032 Copyright C 2003 10 Intel Corporation All Rights Reserved CREATE VOLUME MENU HELP Enter a unique volume name that has no special characters and is 16 characters or less Change TAB Next ESC...

Page 159: ...D 10 64KB RAID 5 64KB We recommend a lower stripe size for server systems and a higher stripe size for multimedia computer systems used mainly for audio and video editing WARNING ALL DATA ON SELECTED DISKS WILL BE LOST Are you sure you want to create this volume Y N 9 Press Y to create the RAID volume and return to the main menu or N to go back to the CREATE VOLUME menu 7 When the Capacity item is...

Page 160: ... set you want to delete and then press Del The following warning message appears 3 Press Y to delete the RAID set and return to the utility main menu or press N to return to the DELETE VOLUME menu Intel R Rapid Storage Technology Option ROM v10 0 0 1032 Copyright C 2003 10 Intel Corporation All Rights Reserved DELETE VOLUME MENU HELP Deleting a volume will reset the disks to non RAID WARNING ALL D...

Page 161: ... ST3160812AS PD 8 ST3160812AS Vendor ID 1B4B Device ID 9130 Revision ID B1 BIOS Version 1 0 0 1028 Firmware Version 2 2 0 1105 PCIe Speed Rate 5 0Gbps Configure SATA as AHCI Mode Create a RAID Array 1 Move the selection bar to HBA 0 Marvell 0 and press Enter 2 Select Configuration Wizard and press Enter 3 Press Space to select the hard drives to be included in the RAID array An asterisk appears in...

Page 162: ...figuration options 32K 64K Name Enter a name with 1 10 letters no special characters for the RAID array 5 Move the selection bar to Next and press Enter The following warning message appears Do you want to create this virtual disk Yes No Create Virtual Disk Press Y to create the RAID array or press N to cancel The new RAID array appears under Virtual Disks as shown in the image below Marvell BIOS ...

Page 163: ...HBA 0 Marvell 0 Virtual Disks VD 0 New_VD PD 0 ST3160812AS PD 8 ST3160812AS Free Physical Disks ID 0 Name New_VD Status Functional Stripte Size 64K RAID Mode RAID0 Size 304128MB BGA Status N A Number of PDs 2 Members 0 8 Topology Information Delete Marvell BIOS Setup c 2009 Marvell Technology Group Ltd Help Marvell RAID on chip controller ENTER Operation F10 Exit Save ESC Return HBA 0 Marvell 0 Vi...

Page 164: ... selected RAID array The following warning message appears Do you want to delete MBR from this virtual disk Yes No Delete MBR Press Y to delete the Master Boot Record MBR from the selected RAID array 3 Press F10 The following warning message appears Press Y to save the RAID setting and exit the Marvell RAID utility Do you want to exit from Marvell BIOS Setup Yes No Exit ...

Page 165: ... setup utility 3 Set the optical drive as the primary boot device 4 Insert the support DVD into the optical drive 5 Save changes and exit BIOS 6 Restart your computer 7 When the Make Disk menu appears press 1 to create a RAID driver disk 8 Insert a formatted floppy disk into the USB floppy disk drive then press Enter 9 Follow the succeeding screen instructions to complete the process 4 5 2 Creatin...

Page 166: ...ons to complete the installation To install the RAID driver for Windows Vista or later OS 1 During the OS installation click Load Driver to allow you to select the installation media containing the RAID driver 2 Insert the USB flash drive with RAID driver into the USB port or the support DVD into the optical drive and then click Browse 3 Click the name of the device you ve inserted go to Drivers R...

Page 167: ...e and insert the floppy disk containing the RAID driver 2 Right click My Computer on the Windows desktop or start menu and then select Manage from the pop up window 3 Select Device Manager From the Universal Serial Bus controllers right click xxxxxx USB Floppy and then select Properties from the pop up window The name of the USB floppy disk drive varies with different vendors or 4 Click Details ta...

Page 168: ...f the two sections id USB VID_xxxx PID_xxxx usbstor 10 Save and exit the file Add the same line to both sections The VID and PID vary with different vendors 7 Use Notepad to open the file HardwareIds scsi iaAHCI_DesktopWorkstationServer id PCI VEN_8086 DEV_1C02 CC_0106 iaStor id USB VID_03EE PID_6901 usbstor HardwareIds scsi iaStor_DesktopWorkstationServer id PCI VEN_8086 DEV_2822 CC_0104 iaStor i...

Page 169: ...5 Multiple GPU technology support This chapter describes how to install and configure multiple ATI CrossFireX and NVIDIA SLI graphics cards ...

Page 170: ...ASUS P9X79 WS Chapter summary 5 5 1 ATI CrossFireX technology 5 1 5 2 NVIDIA SLI technology 5 5 5 3 NVIDIA CUDA technology 5 12 ...

Page 171: ... provide at least the minimum power required by your system 5 1 2 Before you begin For ATI CrossFireX to work properly you have to uninstall all existing graphics card drivers before installing ATI CrossFireX graphics cards to your system To uninstall existing graphics card drivers 1 Close all current applications 2 For Windows XP go to Control Panel Add Remove Programs For Windows Vista go to Con...

Page 172: ...Installing CrossFireX graphics cards The following pictures are for reference only The graphics cards and the motherboard layout may vary with models but the installation steps remain the same 1 Prepare two CrossFireX ready graphics cards 2 Insert the two graphics card into the PCIEX16 slots If your motherboard has more than two PCIEX16 slots refer to Chapter 2 in this user manual for the location...

Page 173: ...ics cards and the device drivers enable the CrossFireX feature through the ATI Catalyst Control Center in Windows environment Launching the ATI Catalyst Control Center To launch the ATI Catalyst Control Center 1 Right click on the Windows desktop and select Catalyst TM Control Center You can also right click the ATI icon in the Windows notification area and select Cayalist Control Center 2 The Cat...

Page 174: ...ireX settings 1 In the Catalyst Control Center window click Graphics Settings CrossFireX Configure 2 From the Graphics Adapter list select the graphics card to act as the display GPU 3 Select Enable CrossFireX 4 Click Apply and then click OK to exit the window 1 2 3 4 ...

Page 175: ...three identical SLI ready graphics cards that are NVIDIA certified Ensure that your graphics card driver supports the NVIDIA SLI technology Download the latest driver from the NVIDIA website www nvidia com Ensure that your power supply unit PSU can provide at least the minimum power required by your system We recommend that you install additional chassis fans for better thermal environment The NVI...

Page 176: ...e PCIEX16 slots If your motherboard has more than two PCIEX16 slots refer to Chapter 2 in this user manual for the locations of the PCIEX16 slots recommended for multi graphics card installation 3 Ensure that the cards are properly seated on the slots 4 Align and firmly insert the SLI bridge connector to the goldfingers on each graphics card Ensure that the connector is firmly in place 5 Connect t...

Page 177: ...er manual for the locations of the PCIEX16 slots recommended for multi graphics card installation 3 Ensure that the cards are properly seated on the slots 4 Align and firmly insert the 3 Way SLI bridge connector to the goldfingers on each graphics card Ensure that the connector is firmly in place 5 Connect three independent auxiliary power sources from the power supply to the three graphics cards ...

Page 178: ...manual for the locations of the PCIEX16 slots recommended for multi graphics card installation 3 Ensure that the cards are properly seated on the slots 4 Align and firmly insert the 4 Way SLI bridge connector to the goldfingers on each graphics card Ensure that the connector is firmly in place 5 Connect four independent auxiliary power sources from the power supply to the four graphics cards separ...

Page 179: ...IA Control Panel by the following two methods A Right click on the empty space of the Windows desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel The NVIDIA Control Panel window appears See Step B5 on page 5 10 B1 If you cannot see the NVIDIA Control Panel item in step A select Personalize Ensure that your PCI Express graphics card driver supports the NVIDIA SLI technology Download the latest driver from the ...

Page 180: ... GPU technology support B2 From the Personalization window select Display Settings B3 From the Display Settings dialog box click Advanced Settings B4 Select the NVIDIA GeForce tab and then click Start the NVIDIA Control Panel ...

Page 181: ...ered content When done click Apply Enabling Triple SLI settings 1 From the NVIDIA Control Panel window select Set SLI Configuration and then click Enable 3 way NVIDIA SLI When done click Apply 2 Select the 3D Settings tab and enable the Show SLI Visual Indicators item When this item is enabled a green bar appears on the left side of the screen while 3D demonstrations are rendered indicating the 3 ...

Page 182: ...rmal environment The installation steps might be a little different with the Telsa cards you selected and the VGA output functions Visit http www nvidia com for more details if needed Visit the NVIDIA CUDA Zone website at http www nvidia com object cuda_home html for the latest driver list of CUDA certified graphics card and supported 3D application list 5 3 2 Installing CUDA ready graphics cards ...

Page 183: ...ware tab and then click Device Manager Click the sign before Display adapters and the installed graphics card and computing processor card s should appear The screen differs based on the components you installed 2 Connect either one 8 pin power connector or two 6 pin power connectors from the power supply to the Quadro graphics card and Tesla computing processor card s 3 Connect a display cable to...

Page 184: ...5 14 Chapter 5 Multiple GPU technology support ...

Page 185: ...mont CA 94539 USA Telephone 1 812 282 3777 Fax 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 Fax 49 2102 959911 Web site www asus de Online contact www asus de sales Technical Support Telephone 49 1805 010923 Support ...

Page 186: ...02 326 3 V1 3 1 2007 09 EN 301 357 2 V1 3 1 2006 05 EN 302 623 V1 1 1 2009 01 2006 95 EC LVD Directive EN 60950 1 2006 EN 60950 1 2006 A11 2009 EN 60065 2002 A1 2006 A11 2008 2009 125 EC ErP Directive Regulation EC No 1275 2008 EN 62301 2005 Regulation EC No 642 2009 EN 62301 2005 Regulation EC No 278 2009 EN 62301 2005 Ver 110101 CE marking Declaration Date Oct 21 2011 Year to begin affixing CE m...

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