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Asus SABERTOOTH 55i - Motherboard - ATX User Manual Download Page 24

2-4

Chapter 2: Hardware information

Chapter 2

2.2.3 

Placement direction

When installing the motherboard, ensure that you place it into the chassis in the correct 

orientation. The edge with external ports goes to the rear part of the chassis as indicated in 

the image below.

2.2.4 

Screw holes

Place nine screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the motherboard to the 

chassis.

DO NOT overtighten the screws! Doing so can damage the motherboard.

Place this side towards 

the rear of the chassis

Summary of Contents for SABERTOOTH 55i - Motherboard - ATX

Page 1: ...Motherboard SABERTOOTH 55i ...

Page 2: ...ERCHANTABILITY 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 I...

Page 3: ...d overview 2 2 2 2 1 Motherboard layout 2 2 2 2 2 Layout contents 2 3 2 2 3 Placement direction 2 4 2 2 4 Screw holes 2 4 2 3 Central Processing Unit CPU 2 5 2 3 1 Installing the CPU 2 5 2 3 2 Installing the CPU heatsink and fan 2 8 2 3 3 Uninstalling the CPU heatsink and fan 2 9 2 4 System memory 2 10 2 4 1 Overview 2 10 2 4 2 Memory configurations 2 11 2 4 3 Installing a DIMM 2 17 2 4 4 Removing...

Page 4: ... 3 utility 3 5 3 2 4 ASUS BIOS Updater 3 5 3 3 BIOS setup program 3 8 3 3 1 BIOS menu screen 3 8 3 3 2 Menu bar 3 8 3 3 3 Navigation keys 3 9 3 3 4 Menu items 3 9 3 3 5 Submenu items 3 9 3 3 6 Configuration fields 3 9 3 3 7 Pop up window 3 9 3 3 8 Scroll bar 3 9 3 3 9 General help 3 9 3 4 Main menu 3 10 3 4 1 SATA 1 6 3 10 3 4 2 Storage Configuration 3 12 3 4 3 AHCI Configuration 3 13 3 4 4 System...

Page 5: ...rum Auto 3 20 3 5 22 PCIE Spread Spectrum Auto 3 20 3 6 Advanced menu 3 21 3 6 1 CPU Configuration 3 21 3 6 2 North Bridge Configuration 3 23 3 6 3 Onboard Devices Configuration 3 24 3 6 4 USB Configuration 3 25 3 6 5 PCIPnP 3 26 3 6 6 Intel VT d Disabled 3 26 3 6 7 T Probe Enabled 3 26 3 7 Power menu 3 27 3 7 1 Suspend Mode Auto 3 27 3 7 2 Repost Video on S3 Resume No 3 27 3 7 3 ACPI 2 0 Support ...

Page 6: ... Matrix Storage Manager option ROM utility 4 9 4 5 Creating a RAID driver disk 4 13 4 5 1 Creating a RAID driver disk without entering the OS 4 13 4 5 2 Creating a RAID driver disk in Windows 4 13 4 5 3 Installing the RAID driver during Windows OS installation 4 14 4 5 4 Using a USB floppy disk drive 4 14 Chapter 5 Multiple GPU technology support 5 1 ATI CrossFireX technology 5 1 5 1 1 Requirement...

Page 7: ...nt from that to which the receiver is connected Consult the dealer or an experienced radio TV technician for help Canadian Department of Communications Statement This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications This class B digital apparatus complies ...

Page 8: ...SS 1 LASER PRODUCT INVISIBLE LASER RADIATION AVOID EXPOSURE TO BEAM 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 ensure all cables are correctly connected and the power cables are not damaged If you detect any damage contact your dealer immediately To avoid short circuits keep paper cl...

Page 9: ...p menus Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided Chapter 4 Software support This chapter describes the contents of the support DVD that comes with the motherboard package and the software Chapter 5 Multiple GPU technology support This chapter describes how to install and configure multiple ATI CrossFireX and NVIDIA SLI graphics cards Where to find more information Refer to th...

Page 10: ...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 plus sign Example Ctrl Alt Del DANGER WARNING Information to prevent injury to yourself when trying to complete a task CAUTION Information to prevent damage to the components when trying to complete a task IMPOR...

Page 11: ...d GPU CrossFireX Technology Storage Intel P55 Express Chipset 6 x SATA 3 0 Gb s ports Intel Matrix Storage Technology supports SATA RAID 0 1 5 and 10 JMicron JMB363 SATA PATA controller 1 x Ultra DMA 133 100 66 for up to 2 PATA devices 1 x External SATA 3 0 Gb s port SATA On the Go JMicron JMB322 controller Drive Xpert Technology 2 x SATA 3 0 Gb s ports orange and white Supports EZ Backup and Supe...

Page 12: ...OS 3 ASUS EZ Flash 2 ASUS MyLogo 2 ASUS O C Profile Multi language BIOS Back panel I O ports 1 x PS 2 keyboard port purple 1 x PS 2 mouse port green 1 x Optical S PDIF Out port 1 x IEEE 1394a port 1 x External SATA port 1 x LAN RJ 45 port 8 x USB 2 0 1 1 ports 10 channel Audio I O ports Internal I O connectors 3 x USB connectors support additional 6 USB ports 1 x IDE connector 6 x SATA connectors ...

Page 13: ...sh ROM AMI BIOS PnP DMI 2 0 WfM 2 0 SM BIOS 2 5 ACPI 2 0a Multi language BIOS ASUS EZ Flash 2 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 Manageability WfM 2 0 DMI 2 0 WOL by PME WOR by PME PXE Support DVD contents Drivers ASUS Utilities ASUS Update Anti virus software OEM version Form factor ATX form factor 12 in x 9 6 in 30 5 cm x 24 4 cm ...

Page 14: ...xiv ...

Page 15: ...1 2 Package contents Check your motherboard package for the following items If any of the above items is damaged or missing contact your retailer The illustrated items above are for reference only Actual product specifications may vary with different models Chapter 1 Product introduction Chapter 1 ASUS SABERTOOTH 55i motherboard 1 x Ultra DMA 133 100 66 cable 1 x 2 port USB 2 0 and 1 port eSATA mo...

Page 16: ...rmance Refer to page 2 20 for details Quad GPU SLI and Quad GPU CrossFireX support SABERTOOTH 55i brings you the multi GPU choice of either SLI or CrossFireX The motherboard features the most powerful Intel P55 platform to optimize PCIe allocation in multiple GPU configurations Expect a brand new gaming style you ve never experienced before Refer to Chapter 5 for details Dual Channel DDR3 2000 180...

Page 17: ...COOL Thermal Solutions CeraM X Heatsink Coating Technology Innovative ceramics actively conducts heat away from the system It replaces traditional antioxidants to dissipate heat better with its microscopic irregular surface and enlarged area Better cooling leads to overall improvement in system stability DO NOT uninstall the heatsink module by yourself Doing so may bend the tubing and affect the h...

Page 18: ...des protection against electrostatic discharges which can damage the motherboard s components The ASUS exclusive Anti Static chip and circuit design and the I O shield provide four times better protection and ensure the motherboard s lifespan EMI Eliminator The EMI Eliminator Design provides better EMI Electronic Magnetic Interference protection and significantly reduces EMI to 30 lower than the i...

Page 19: ...r disconnect the chassis front panel cables to the motherboard This unique module eliminates the trouble of connecting the system panel cables one at a time and avoiding wrong cable connections Refer to page 2 39 for details ASUS EZ Flash 2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 is a user friendly utility that allows you to update the BIOS without using a bootable floppy disk or an OS based utility Refer to page 3 4 for...

Page 20: ...1 6 Chapter 1 Product Introduction Chapter 1 ...

Page 21: ...etal object 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 t...

Page 22: ...2 2 Chapter 2 Hardware information Chapter 2 2 2 1 Motherboard layout Refer to 2 8 Connectors for more information about rear panel connectors and internal connectors 2 2 Motherboard overview ...

Page 23: ... 7 MemOK switch 2 24 8 IDE connector 40 1 pin PRI_EIDE 2 30 9 Intel P55 Serial ATA 3 0 Gb s connectors 7 pin SATA1 6 Black 2 31 10 System panel connector 20 8 pin PANEL 2 38 11 JMicron JMB322 Serial ATA RAID connectors 7 pin SATA_E1 orange 7 pin SATA_E2 white 2 32 12 USB connectors 10 1 pin USB910 USB1112 USB1314 2 33 13 Clear RTC RAM 3 pin CLRTC 2 22 14 Reset switch 2 23 15 Power on switch 2 23 1...

Page 24: ... the correct orientation The edge with external ports goes to the rear part of the chassis as indicated in the image below 2 2 4 Screw holes Place nine screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the motherboard to the chassis DO NOT overtighten the screws Doing so can damage the motherboard Place this side towards the rear of the chassis ...

Page 25: ...ter installing the motherboard ASUS will process Return Merchandise Authorization RMA requests only if the motherboard comes with the cap on the LGA1156 socket The product warranty does not cover damage to the socket contacts resulting from incorrect CPU installation removal or misplacement loss incorrect removal of the PnP cap Ensure that all power cables are unplugged before installing the CPU 2...

Page 26: ...U socket PnP cap The CPU fits in only one correct orientation DO NOT force the CPU into the socket to prevent bending the connectors on the socket and damaging the CPU Gold triangle mark Alignment keys CPU notches 5 Position the CPU over the socket ensuring that the gold triangle is on the bottom left corner of the socket and then fit the socket alignment keys into the CPU notches ...

Page 27: ...ith pre applied thermal paste If so skip this step The Thermal Interface Material is toxic and inedible DO NOT eat it If it gets into your eyes or touches your skin wash it off immediately and seek professional medical help 7 Close the load plate A and then push down the load lever B ensuring that the front edge of the load plate slides under the retention lock C C B A 8 Insert the load lever unde...

Page 28: ...nly The LGA1156 socket is incompatible with the LGA775 and LGA1366 sockets in size and dimension Orient the heatsink and fan assembly such that the CPU fan cable is closest to the CPU fan connector To install the CPU heatsink and fan 1 Place the heatsink on top of the installed CPU ensuring that the four fasteners match the holes on the motherboard 2 Push down two fasteners at a time in a diagonal...

Page 29: ...lug this connector 2 3 3 Uninstalling the CPU heatsink and fan To uninstall the CPU heatsink and fan 1 Disconnect the CPU fan cable from the connector on the motherboard 2 Rotate each fastener counterclockwise 3 Pull up two fasteners at a time in a diagonal sequence to disengage the heatsink and fan assembly from the motherboard A A B B A A B B 4 Carefully remove the heatsink and fan assembly from...

Page 30: ...ons as a DDR2 DIMM but is notched differently to prevent installation on a DDR2 DIMM socket DDR3 modules are developed for better performance with less power consumption The figure illustrates the location of the DDR3 DIMM sockets Recommended memory configurations One DIMM Install one memory module in slot A1 or B1 first as a single channel operation Four DIMMs dual channel operation Two DIMMs dua...

Page 31: ...efinition X M P DIMMs and DDR3 1600 are supported for one DIMM per channel only According to Intel CPU spec DIMM voltage below 1 65V is recommended to protect the CPU According to Intel CPU spec CPUs with a core frequency of 2 66G support the maximum DIMM frequency of up to DDR3 1333 To use DIMMs of a higher frequency with a 2 66G CPU enable the DRAM O C Profile feature in BIOS Always install DIMM...

Page 32: ...GX XMP 6GB Kit of 3 N A Heat Sink Package 9 1066 8 8 8 20 1 65 OCZ OCZ3P2000EB2GK 2GB Kit of 2 N A Heat Sink Package 9 8 8 1066 8 7 7 20 1 8 Gingle 9CAASS37AZZ01D1 2GB N A Heat Sink Package 9 9 9 24 Capability for CPU at 2 66GHz Capability for CPU at 2 8 and 2 93GHz CPU Vendor Part No Size Chip Brand Chip NO Timing Lable Bios Voltage DIMM socket support Optional A B C CORSAIR BoxP N TW3X4G1800C8DF...

Page 33: ...12800D3K3 12GX XMP 12GB Kit of 3 N A Heat Sink Package 9 1066 9 9 9 24 N A KINGSTON KHX12800D3K2 4G 4GB Kit of 2 N A Heat Sink Package 9 1333 9 9 9 24 1 9 KINGSTON KHX12800D3LLK3 6GX XMP 6GB Kit of 3 N A Heat Sink Package 1066 8 8 8 20 1 65 OCZ OCZ3G1600LV3GK 3GB Kit of 3 N A Heat Sink Package 8 8 8 1066 7 7 7 20 1 65 OCZ OCZ3P1600LV3GK 3GB Kit of 3 N A Heat Sink Package 7 7 7 1066 7 7 7 20 1 65 O...

Page 34: ...eat Sink Package 7 7 7 1333 7 7 7 20 1 9 OCZ OCZ3P1600EB4GK 4GB Kit of 2 N A Heat Sink Package 7 7 6 1333 7 7 7 20 1 8 OCZ OCZ3G1600LV6GK 6GB Kit of 3 N A Heat Sink Package 8 8 8 1066 7 7 7 20 1 65 OCZ OCZ3G1600LV6GK 6GB Kit of 3 N A Heat Sink Package 8 8 8 1066 7 7 7 16 1 65 OCZ OCZ3X1600LV6GK XMP 6GB Kit of 3 N A Heat Sink Package 8 8 8 1600 8 8 8 24 1 65 OCZ OCZ3X1600LV6GK XMP 6GB Kit of 3 N A ...

Page 35: ... MICRON D9KPT 9 1333 9 9 9 24 N A MICRON MT9JSF12872AZ 1G4F1 1GB SS MICRON D9KPT ECC 9 1333 9 9 9 24 N A MICRON MT16JF25664AZ 1G4F1 2GB DS MICRON D9KPT 9 1333 9 9 9 24 N A MICRON MT16JTF25664AZ 1G4F1 2GB DS MICRON 9FF22 D9KPT 9 1066 8 8 8 20 N A MICRON MT18JSF25672AZ 1G4F1 2GB DS MICRON D9KPT ECC 9 1333 9 9 9 24 N A OCZ OCZ3RPX1333EB2GK 1GB SS N A Heat Sink Package 1066 6 5 5 20 N A OCZ OCZ3P1333L...

Page 36: ...872AZ 1G1F1 1GB MICRON D9KPT ECC 7 1066 9 9 9 25 N A MICRON MT16JTF25664AY 1G1D1 2GB MICRON 7VD22 7 N A MICRON MT16JTF25664AZ 1G1F1 2GB MICRON 8ZF22 D9KPV 7 1066 7 7 7 20 N A MICRON MT16JTF25664AZ 1G1F1 2GB MICRON D9KPT 7 1066 7 7 7 20 N A MICRON MT18JSF25672AZ 1G1F1 2GB MICRON D9KPT ECC 7 1066 7 7 7 20 N A SAMSUNG M378B5273BH1 CF8 4GB SAMSUNG K4B2G0846B HCF8 8 7 7 7 20 1 5 Transcend TS256MLK64V1U...

Page 37: ...g clips snap back in place and the DIMM is properly seated Ensure to unplug the power supply before adding or removing DIMMs or other system components Failure to do so may cause severe damage to both the motherboard and the components A DIMM is keyed with a notch so that it fits in only one direction DO NOT force a DIMM into a socket to avoid damaging the DIMM To install a DIMM 1 Press the retain...

Page 38: ...lot 5 Secure the card to the chassis with the screw you removed earlier 6 Replace the system cover 2 5 2 Configuring an expansion card After installing the expansion card configure it by adjusting the software settings 1 Turn on the system and change the necessary BIOS settings if any See Chapter 3 for information on BIOS setup 2 Assign an IRQ to the card Refer to the tables on the next page 3 Ins...

Page 39: ...OS 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 Reserved 13 8 Numeric Data Processor 14 9 Primary IDE Channel A B C D E F G H PCIE x16_1 shared PCIE x16_2 shared PCIE x1_1 shared PCIE x1_2 shared PCIE x1_3 shared LAN1 8112 shared JMicron ATA Controller shared SATA controller 1 shared SATA controller 2 shared USB 2 0 controll...

Page 40: ...rds and other cards that comply with the PCI Express specifications Refer to the figure below for the location of the slots 2 5 6 PCI Express 2 0 x16 slots This motherboard has two PCI Express 2 0 x16 slots that support PCI Express x16 2 0 graphic cards complying with the PCI Express specifications Refer to the figure below for the location of the slots PCI Express x1_1 slot PCI Express x1_2 slot ...

Page 41: ...s x16 graphics cards to get better performance We recommend that you provide sufficient power when running CrossFireX or SLI mode See page 2 37 for details Connect a chassis fan to the motherboard connector labeled CHA_FAN1 2 when using multiple graphics cards for better thermal environment See page 2 35 for details VGA configuration PCI Express operating mode PCIe x16_1 PCIe x16_2 Single VGA PCIe...

Page 42: ...puter 4 Hold down the Del key during the boot 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 ...

Page 43: ...nce 1 Power on switch The motherboard comes with a power on switch that allows you to power up or wake up the system This 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 Rese...

Page 44: ...t of failsafe settings The blinking speed of the DRAM_LED 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 DRAM_LED lights continuously Replace the DIMMs with ones recommended in the Memory QVL Qualified Vendors Lists in this use...

Page 45: ...xtra high overvoltage ability use the BIOS items first to adjust the desired DRAM performance Ensure your system functions well under the highest BIOS voltage settings before you change the setting of this switch According to Intel CPU spec DIMMs voltage below 1 65V is recommended to protect the CPU The system may need a better cooling system for example a water cooling system to work stably under...

Page 46: ...4 USB 2 0 ports 5 8 9 USB 2 0 ports 1 and 2 5 Optical S PDIF Out port 10 Audio I O ports and Refer to the tables on the next page for LAN port and audio port definitions DO NOT insert a different connector to the external SATA port To enable external SATA device hot plugging set the J Micron eSATA PATA Controller item in the BIOS setting to AHCI Mode and then reboot the system Refer to section 3 6...

Page 47: ...o I O ports Connect to Headphone and Mic Audio 2 4 6 8 or 10 channel configuration Port Headset 2 channel 4 channel 6 channel 8 channel 10 channel Light Blue Line In Line In Line In Line In Additional Side Speaker Out Lime Line Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out Pink Mic In Mic In Mic In Mic In Mic In Orange Center Subwoofer Center Subwoofer Center Subwoofe...

Page 48: ...2 28 Chapter 2 Hardware information Chapter 2 Connect to 4 1 channel Speakers Connect to Stereo 2 1 channel Speakers Connect to 5 1 channel Speakers ...

Page 49: ...ASUS SABERTOOTH 55i 2 29 Chapter 2 Connect to 7 1 channel Speakers Connect to 9 1 channel Speakers ...

Page 50: ... This prevents incorrect insertion when you connect the IDE cable Use the 80 conductor IDE cable for Ultra DMA 133 100 66 IDE devices If any device jumper is set as Cable Select ensure that all other device jumpers have the same setting 1 IDE connector 40 1 pin PRI_EIDE The onboard IDE connector is for the Ultra DMA 133 100 66 signal cable There are three connectors on each Ultra DMA 133 100 66 si...

Page 51: ...l ATA boot data hard disk drives to these connectors If you intend to create a Serial ATA RAID set using these connectors set the Configure SATA as item in the BIOS to RAID See section 3 4 2 Storage Configuration for details Before creating a RAID set refer to section 4 4 RAID configurations or the manual bundled in the motherboard support DVD You must install Windows XP Service Pack 2 or later ve...

Page 52: ...s one hard disk with operating system already installed and two hard disks for Drive Xpert configuration Before using the Drive Xpert technology ensure that you have connected the SATA signal cables and installed SATA hard disk drives to the SATA_E1 E2 connectors The SATA_E1 orange and SATA_E2 white ports are for SATA hard drives only ATAPI devices and hot plug function are not supported Drive Xpe...

Page 53: ... specification that supports up to 480 Mbps connection speed Never connect a 1394 cable to the USB connectors Doing so will damage the motherboard You can connect the front panel USB cable to the ASUS Q Connector USB blue first and then install the Q Connector USB to the USB connector onboard if your chassis supports front panel USB ports 5 Optical drive audio connector 4 pin CD These connectors a...

Page 54: ...ening at the back of the system chassis Never connect a USB cable to the IEEE 1394a connector Doing so will damage the motherboard 7 Serial port connector 10 1 pin COM1 This connector is for a serial COM port Connect the serial port module cable to this connector then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis The COM module is purchased separately The IEEE 1394a module...

Page 55: ...ct the fan cables to the fan connectors Insufficient air flow inside the system may damage the motherboard components These are not jumpers Do not place jumper caps on the fan connectors The CPU_FAN connector supports the CPU fan of maximum 2A 24 W fan power Only the CPU_FAN CHA_FAN 1 and CHA_FAN 2 connectors support the ASUS Fan Xpert feature If you install two VGA cards we recommend that you plu...

Page 56: ...sis mounted front panel audio I O module that supports either HD Audio or legacy AC 97 audio standard Connect one end of the front panel audio I O module cable to this connector We recommend that you connect a high definition front panel audio module to this connector to avail of the motherboard s high definition audio capability If you want to connect a high definition front panel audio module to...

Page 57: ...or may not boot up if the power is inadequate If you are uncertain about the minimum power supply requirement for your system refer to the Recommended Power Supply Wattage Calculator at http support asus com PowerSupplyCalculator PSCalculator aspx SLanguage en us for details If you want to use two or more high end PCI Express x16 cards use a PSU with 1000W power or above to ensure the system stabi...

Page 58: ...stem warning speaker 4 pin SPEAKER This 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 switc...

Page 59: ...now the detailed pin definitions and then match them to their respective front panel cable labels The labels on the front panel cables may vary depending on the chassis model 2 Install the ASUS Q Connector to the system panel connector ensuring the orientation matches the labels on the motherboard 3 The front panel functions are now enabled The figure shows the Q Connector is properly installed on...

Page 60: ...uence during motherboard booting process If an error is found the LED next to the error device will continue lighting until the problem is solved This user friendly design provides an intuitional way to locate the root problem within a second You may disable the POST State LEDs in BIOS Refer to section 3 8 2 Boot Settings Configuration for details ...

Page 61: ...are running the BIOS beeps see 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 settings and connections or call your retailer for assistance 7 At power on hold down the Delete key to enter the BIOS Setup Follow the instructions i...

Page 62: ...2 42 Chapter 2 Hardware information Chapter 2 ...

Page 63: ...ropriate BIOS updating may result in the system s failure to boot Carefully follow the instructions of this chapter to update your BIOS if necessary Visit the ASUS website www asus com to download the latest BIOS file for this motherboard The following utilities allow you to manage and update the motherboard BIOS setup program 1 ASUS Update Updates the BIOS in Windows environment 2 ASUS EZ Flash 2...

Page 64: ...ackage ASUS Update requires an Internet connection either through a network or an Internet Service Provider ISP Installing ASUS Update To install ASUS Update 1 Place the support DVD in the optical drive 2 From the Main menu click the Utilities tab then click Install ASUS Update VX XX XX 3 The ASUS Update utility is copied to your system Quit all Windows applications before you update the BIOS usin...

Page 65: ...rs 2 Select Update BIOS from a file from the dropdown menu then click Next SABER55I SABER55I ROM Ensure to load the BIOS default settings to ensure system compatibility and stability Select the Load Setup Defaults item under the Exit menu See section 3 10 Exit Menu for details 5 Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the update process The ASUS Update utility is capable of updating itself th...

Page 66: ... ROM Utility V4 00b Current ROM Update ROM A Note Enter Select or Load Tab Switch V Drive Info Up Down Home End Move B Backup Esc Exit FLASH TYPE MXIC 25L1605A PATH A BOARD SABERTOOTH 55i VER 0301 DATE 07 30 2009 BOARD Unknown VER Unknown DATE Unknown 2 Press Tab to switch between drives until the correct BIOS file is found When the correct BIOS file is found EZ Flash 2 performs the BIOS update pr...

Page 67: ...ess You can restore a corrupted BIOS file using the motherboard support DVD or a USB flash drive that contains the BIOS file The BIOS file in the motherboard support DVD may be older than the BIOS file published on the ASUS official website If you want to use the newer BIOS file download the file at support asus com and save it to a USB flash drive Recovering the BIOS To recover the BIOS 1 Turn on...

Page 68: ... BIOS screens are for reference only The actual BIOS screen displays may not be same as shown 1 Copy BIOS Updater BUPDATER EXE from the motherboard support DVD to the bootable floppy disk 2 Boot the system in DOS mode and then at the prompt type bupdater o filename The filename is any user assigned filename with no more than eight alphanumeric characters for the main filename and three alphanumeri...

Page 69: ...1605A PATH A BOARD SABERTOOTH 55i VER 0301 DATE 07 30 2009 BOARD Unknown VER Unknown DATE Unknown 4 The BIOS Updater screen appears as below 6 Select Yes and press Enter When BIOS update is done press ESC to exit BIOS Updater Restart your computer DO NOT shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS to prevent system boot failure For BIOS Updater version 1 04 or later the utility automatic...

Page 70: ...the Exit menu See section 3 10 Exit Menu for details If the system fails to boot after changing any BIOS setting try to clear the CMOS and reset the motherboard to the default value See section 2 6 Jumpers for details 3 3 1 BIOS menu screen 3 3 2 Menu bar The menu bar on top of the screen has the following main items Main For changing the basic system configuration Ai Tweaker For changing the over...

Page 71: ...ser configurable A configurable field is enclosed in brackets and is highlighted when selected To change the value of a field select it and press Enter to display a list of options Refer to 3 3 7 Pop up window 3 3 7 Pop up window Select a menu item and press Enter to display a pop up window with the configuration options for that item 3 3 8 Scroll bar A scroll bar appears on the right side of a me...

Page 72: ...ht 1985 2009 American Megatrends Inc BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main Ai Tweaker Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit Use ENTER TAB or SHIFT TAB to select a field Use or to configure system Date Select Screen Select Item Change Field Tab Select Field F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit System Time 13 51 25 System Date Thu 08 09 2009 Language English SATA1 HDT722516DLA380 SATA2 Not Detected SATA3 ATAPI DVD...

Page 73: ...the data transfer from and to the device occurs one sector at a time PIO Mode Auto Auto Allows automatic selection of the PIO Programmed input output modes which correspond to different data transfer rates 0 1 2 3 4 Sets the PIO mode to Mode 0 1 2 3 or 4 DMA Mode Auto DMA Direct Memory Access allows your computer to transfer data to and from the hardware devices installed with much less CPU overhe...

Page 74: ...e SATA hard disk drives AHCI Set to AHCI when you want the SATA hard disk drives to use the AHCI Advanced Host Controller Interface The AHCI allows the onboard storage driver to enable advanced Serial ATA features that increases storage performance on random workloads by allowing the drive to internally optimize the order of commands Hard Disk Write Protect Disabled Enabled Enables device write pr...

Page 75: ...ur hard disk errors occur this feature allows the hard disk to report warning messages during the POST Enabled Enables the SMART monitoring feature Disabled Disables the SMART monitoring feature 3 4 4 System Information This menu gives you an overview of the general system specifications The BIOS automatically detects the BIOS information CPU specification and system memory in this menu BIOS SETUP...

Page 76: ... 61 C Copyright 1985 2009 American Megatrends Inc BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main Ai Tweaker Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit Press ENTER to run the utility to Tuner BCLK Select Screen Select Item Change Option F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit Configure System Performance Settings Ai Overclock Tuner Auto CPU Ratio Setting Auto Intel R SpeedStep TM Tech Enabled Intel R TurboMode Tech Enabled Xtreme...

Page 77: ...DRAM voltage Configuration options DDR3 1600MHz DDR3 1800MHz DDR3 1866MHz DDR3 2000MHz DRAM Frequency MHz CPU Frequency GHz 2 66 2 8 2 93 1333 Auto Auto Auto 1600 D O C P Auto Auto Above 1600 D O C P D O C P D O C P When using DIMMs with a frequncy higher than the Intel CPU spec use this ASUS exclusive DRAM O C Profile function to overclock the DRAM Adjust BCLK frequency to obtain a better perform...

Page 78: ...Enables Full Power Mode to ensure the best CPU overclocking performance The following two items appear only when you set the Ai Overclock Tuner item to Manual D O C P or X M P 3 5 6 BCLK Frequency XXX Allows you to adjust the CPU operating frequency to enhance the system performance Use the and keys to adjust the value You can also key in the desired value using the numeric keypad The values range...

Page 79: ...DRAM Clock 88 DRAM Clock 90 DRAM Clock 100 DRAM Clock 110 DRAM Clock 122 DRAM Clock 132 DRAM Clock 140 DRAM Clock 150 DRAM Clock 160 DRAM Clock 170 DRAM Clock 180 DRAM Clock DRAM WRITE Recovery Time Auto Configuration options Auto 1 DRAM Clock 18 DRAM Clock DRAM READ to PRE Time Auto Configuration options Auto 3 DRAM Clock 15 DRAM Clock DRAM FOUR ACT WIN Time Auto Configuration options Auto 1 DRAM...

Page 80: ...o Configuration options Auto 4 DRAM Clock 6 DRAM Clock 3 5 11 CPU Differential Amplitude Auto Different AMP might enhance BCLK overclocking ability Configuration options Auto 700mV 800mV 900mV 1000mV 3 5 12 CPU Clock Skew Auto Adjusting this item may help enhancing BCLK overclocking ability You may need to adjust the CPU Clock Skew item at the same time Configuration options Auto Normal Delay 100p...

Page 81: ...ntroller voltage The values range from 1 1V to 1 7V with a 0 00625V interval Current IMC Voltage Displays the current IMC voltage 3 5 15 DRAM Voltage Auto Allows you to set the DRAM voltage The values range from 1 50V to 2 5V with a 0 0125V interval Current DRAM Voltage Displays the current DRAM voltage The value 2 5V of the DRAM Voltage item is supported only if the OV_DRAM switch is enabled Othe...

Page 82: ...Sets to Enabled for EMI control 3 5 22 PCIE Spread Spectrum Auto Auto Automatic configuration Disabled Enhances the PCIE overclocking ability Enabled Sets to Enabled for EMI control Blue Yellow Purple Red IMC Voltage 1 10000V 1 16875V 1 17500V 1 22500V 1 23125V 1 30000V 1 30625V 1 70000V DRAM Voltage 1 5000V 1 5625V 1 5750V 1 6250V 1 6375V 1 6875V 1 7000V 2 0000V DRAM Voltage OV DRAM Enabled 1 500...

Page 83: ...down to display the following items BIOS SETUP UTILITY Advanced Sets the ratio between CPU Core Clock and the FSB Frequency NOTE If an invalid ratio is set in CMOS then actual and setpoint values may differ NOTE Please key in ratio numbers directly Select Screen Select Item F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit Configure advanced CPU settings Module Version 01 04 Manufacturer Intel Brand Stri...

Page 84: ... The processor fetches only the currently requested cache line Max CPUID Value Limit Disabled Enabled Allows legacy operating systems to boot even without support for CPUs with extended CPUID functions Disabled Disables this function Intel R Virtualization Tech Enabled Enabled Allows a hardware platform to run multiple operating systems separately and simultaneously enabling one system to virtuall...

Page 85: ...State Technology supported CPU Disabled Disables this function C State package limit setting Auto This item appears only when you set the Intel R C STATE Tech item to Enabled We recommend that you set this item to Auto for BIOS to automatically detect the C State mode supported by your CPU Configuration options Auto C1 C3 C6 3 6 2 North Bridge Configuration The North Bridge Configuration menu allo...

Page 86: ... Gigabit LAN Boot ROM Disabled Disables the LAN Boot ROM Onboard 1394 Controller Enabled Enabled Enables the onboard IEEE 1394a controller Disabled Disables the controller J Micron eSATA PATA Controller IDE Mode Allows you to select the JMicron eSATA PATA controller operating mode Disabled Disables the controller IDE Mode Set to IDE Mode when you want to use the Serial ATA hard disk drives as Para...

Page 87: ...ce of USB devices at startup If detected the USB controller legacy mode is enabled If no USB device is detected the legacy USB support is disabled Enabled Enables the support for USB devices on legacy operating systems OS Disabled Disables the function BIOS EHCI Hand off Enabled Enabled Enables the support for operating systems without an EHCI hand off feature Disabled Disables the function USB Co...

Page 88: ...S configures all the devices in the system 3 6 6 Intel VT d Disabled Disabled Disables the Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I O Enabled Enables the Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I O 3 6 7 T Probe Enabled Disabled Disables the T Probe function Enabled Enables the T Probe function that detects and equalizes the temperature of vCore power components Advanced PCI PnP Setting...

Page 89: ...I 2 0 specifications Enabled The system adds additional tables as per ACPI 2 0 specifications 3 7 4 ACPI APIC Support Enabled Disabled The system disables the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface ACPI support in the Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller APIC Enabled The ACPI APIC table pointer is included in the RSDT pointer list 3 7 5 EuP Ready Disabled Disabled Disables the Energy Usi...

Page 90: ...t turns the system power on Power On By PCI Devices Disabled Disabled Disables the PME to wake up from S5 by PCI devices Enabled Allows you to turn on the system through a PCI LAN or modem card This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides at least 1A on the 5VSB lead Power On By PCIE Devices Disabled Disabled Disables the PCIE devices to generate a wake event Enabled Enables the PCIE de...

Page 91: ...u enable the CPU Q Fan Control feature and allows you to set the appropriate performance level of the CPU fan Standard Sets to Standard to make the CPU fan automatically adjust depending on the CPU temperature Silent Sets to Silent to minimize the fan speed for quiet CPU fan operation Turbo Sets to Turbo to achieve maximum CPU fan speed Chassis Q Fan Control Disabled Disabled Disables the Chassis ...

Page 92: ... the chassis fan Standard Sets to Standard to make the chassis fan automatically adjust depending on the chassis temperature Silent Sets to Silent to minimize the fan speed for quiet chassis fan operation Turbo Sets to Turbo to achieve maximum chassis fan speed CPU Voltage 3 3V Voltage 5V Voltage 12V Voltage The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the voltage output through the onboard ...

Page 93: ...r had set the add on device to do so Bootup Num Lock On Off Sets the power on state of the NumLock to Off On Sets the power on state of the NumLock to On Wait For F1 If Error Enabled Disabled Disables this function Enabled The system waits for the F1 key to be pressed when error occurs Hit DEL Message Display Enabled Disabled Disables this function Enabled The system displays the message Press DEL...

Page 94: ...ears If you have forgotten your BIOS password you can clear clear it by erasing the CMOS Real Time Clock RTC RAM See section 2 6 Jumpers for information on how to erase the RTC RAM After you have set a supervisor password the other items appear to allow you to change other security settings Security Settings Supervisor Password Not Installed User Password Not Installed Change Supervisor Password C...

Page 95: ...ox that appears type a password composed of at least six letters and or numbers then press Enter 3 Confirm the password when prompted The message Password Installed appears after you set your password successfully To change the user password follow the same steps as in setting a user password Clear User Password Select this item to clear the user password Password Check Setup Setup BIOS checks for...

Page 96: ...OS file to the BIOS Flash In the Name sub item key in your profile name and press Enter and then choose a profile number to save your CMOS settings in the Save to sub item v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2009 American Megatrends Inc BIOS SETUP UTILITY Tools Typing your profile name 0 9 a z A Z are acceptable Select Screen Select Item F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit O C PROFILE Configuration O C...

Page 97: ...a USB flash disk with FAT 32 16 format and single partition only DO NOT shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS to prevent the system boot failure We recommend that you update the BIOS file only coming from the same memory CPU configuration and BIOS version Only the CMO file can be loaded Load CMOS Profiles Allows you to load the previous BIOS settings saved in the BIOS Flash Press E...

Page 98: ...al data of the SATA_E2 white hard disk will be erased for EZ Backup setup Drive Xpert configuration Drive Xpert Group Current Mode Normal Mode Driver Xpert Mode Update Update To Super Speed Press Enter Update To EZ Backup Press Enter Update To Normal Mode Press Enter Drive Xpert Device s List SATA_E1 Orange ST380817AS SATA_E2 White ST380817AS BIOS SETUP UTILITY Tools Update Drive Xpert Mode change...

Page 99: ...s When using only one hard disk in Normal Mode connect the hard disk to the SATA_E1 orange connector on the motherboard Create Ultra Space Press Enter This item appears only when you created a Super Speed or a EZ Backup set using two hard drives with different capacity and allows you to create a single drive partition using all the drive space unused by Drive Xpert Delete Ultra Space Press Enter T...

Page 100: ... if you do not want to save the changes that you made to the Setup program If you made changes to fields other than System Date System Time and Password the BIOS asks for a confirmation before exiting Discard Changes This option allows you to discard the selections you made and restore the previously saved values After selecting this option a confirmation appears Select Ok to discard any changes a...

Page 101: ...to 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 2 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 wi...

Page 102: ... Reader 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 the Manual tab Click 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 manuals a...

Page 103: ...r is always at a healthy operating condition Launching PC Probe II 1 Install PC Probe II from the motherboard support DVD 2 Launch PC Probe II by clicking Start All Programs ASUS PC Probe II PC Probe II v1 xx xx The PC Probe II main window appears 3 The PC Probe II icon appears in the Windows notification area Click this icon to close or restore the application PC Probe II main window Refer to the...

Page 104: ...ture and the fan speed ratio Click to apply the settings Click to cancel the settings Click to open the Calibration window Fan profiles 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 Intelligent automatically adjusts the CPU fan speed according to t...

Page 105: ...o experience on your computer The software provides Jack Detection Multi Streaming Front Panel Jack Retasking and S PDIF Out support Follow the installation wizard to install the VIA Audio Driver from the support CD DVD that came with the motherboard package If the VIA audio software is correctly installed you will find the VIA HD Audio Deck icon on the Windows notification area Click on the icon ...

Page 106: ... single drive partition using all the drive space unused by Drive Xpert Before using the Drive Xpert function or changing an existing Drive Xpert mode ensure that you have backed up all your data in your hard disks For using Drive Xpert in Windows operating system we recommend that you prepare three hard disks one hard disk with operating system already installed and two hard disks for Drive Xpert...

Page 107: ... screen instructions to complete installation Before using ASUS T Probe You have to configure BIOS settings before using ASUS T Probe 1 Press Del during the Power On Self Test POST to enter the Setup utility 2 Set the T Probe item in the Advanced menu to Enabled 3 Save BIOS settings and restart the computer Refer to Chapter 3 of the motherboard user manual for detailed instructions of BIOS setting...

Page 108: ...e 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 protection and increases fault tolerance to the entire system Use two new drives or use an existing drive and a new drive for this setup The new drive must be of the same size or larger than the existing...

Page 109: ...e 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 Matrix Storage Manager option ROM utility To enter the Intel Matrix Storage Manager option ROM utility 1 Turn on the system 2 During POST press Ctrl I to display the utility main menu Int...

Page 110: ...nd 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 Matrix Storage Manager option ROM v8 9 0 1014 PCH D wRAID5 Copyright C 2003 09 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 Ne...

Page 111: ...RAID 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...

Page 112: ...wn arrow key to select the RAID 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 Matrix Storage Manager option ROM v8 9 0 1014 PCH D wRAID5 Copyright C 2003 09 Intel Corporation All Rights Reserved DELETE VOLUME MENU HELP Deleting a volume will ...

Page 113: ...t your computer 2 Press Del during POST to enter the BIOS 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 When the Make Disk menu appears press 1 to create a 32 64bit Intel AHCI RAID driver disk 7 Insert a formatted floppy disk into the USB floppy disk drive then press Enter 8 Follow the succeeding scre...

Page 114: ...rom the pop up window The name of the USB floppy disk drive varies with different vendors or 4 5 3 Installing the RAID driver during Windows OS installation To install the RAID driver for Windows XP 1 During the OS installation the system prompts you to press the F6 key to install third party SCSI or RAID driver 2 Press F6 and then insert the floppy disk with RAID driver into the USB floppy disk d...

Page 115: ...e Vendor ID VID and Product ID PID are displayed 5 Browse the contents of the RAID driver disk to locate the file txtsetup oem 6 Double click the file A window appears allowing you to select the program for opening the oem file 7 Use Notepad to open the file ...

Page 116: ... to the bottom of 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 HardwareIds scsi iaAHCI_PCH id PCI VEN_8086 DEV_3A22 CC_0106 iaStor id USB VID_03EE PID_6901 usbstor HardwareIds scsi iaStor_8R9R10RDOPCH id PCI VEN_8086 DEV_3A22 CC_0106 iaStor id USB VID_03EE PID_6901 usbstor ...

Page 117: ... 2 for details 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 Control Panel Programs and Features 3 Select you...

Page 118: ...two 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 locations of th...

Page 119: ...pported by Windows Vista only 5 1 5 Enabling the ATI CrossFireX technology After installing your graphics 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 ...

Page 120: ...lect Enable CrossFireX 4 Click Apply and then click OK to exit the window Enabling Triple CrossFireX technology 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 From the list select the appropriate GPU combination to apply the CrossFireX technology 5 ...

Page 121: ...wer required by your system See Chapter 2 for details 5 2 2 Installing two SLI ready 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 SLI ready graphics cards 2 Insert the two graphics card into the PCIEX16 slots If your motherboard has more than two PCIEX16 slots...

Page 122: ...ard package to install the device drivers Ensure that your PCI Express graphics card driver supports the NVIDIA SLI technology Download the latest driver from the NVIDIA website www nvidia com Goldfingers SLI bridge 5 2 4 Enabling the NVIDIA SLI technology After installing your graphics cards and the device drivers enable the SLI feature in NVIDIA Control Panel under the Windows Vista operating sy...

Page 123: ...5i 5 7 Chapter 5 B1 If you cannot see the NVIDIA Control Panel item in step A select Personalize B2 From the Personalization window select Display Settings B3 From the Display Settings dialog box click Advanced Settings ...

Page 124: ...eForce tab and then click Start the NVIDIA Control Panel B5 The NVIDIA Control Panel window appears Enabling SLI settings From the NVIDIA Control Panel window select Set SLI Configuration Click Enable SLI and set the display for viewing SLI rendered content When done click Apply ...

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