Asus Z78-PLUS User Manual Download Page 1

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Motherboard

Z87-PLUS

Summary of Contents for Z78-PLUS

Page 2: ...ective companies and are used only for identification or explanation and to the owners benefit without intent to infringe Offer to Provide Source Code of Certain Software This product contains copyrighted software that is licensed under the General Public License GPL under the Lesser General Public License Version LGPL and or other Free Open Source Software Licenses Such software in this product i...

Page 3: ...oard layout 1 7 1 2 3 Central Processing Unit CPU 1 9 1 2 4 System memory 1 10 1 2 5 Expansion slots 1 24 1 2 6 Onboard buttons and switches 1 26 1 2 7 Jumper 1 31 1 2 8 Onboard LEDs 1 32 1 2 9 Internal connectors 1 34 Chapter 2 Basic installation 2 1 Building your PC system 2 1 2 1 1 Motherboard installation 2 1 2 1 2 CPU installation 2 3 2 1 3 CPU heatsink and fan assembly installation 2 4 2 1 4...

Page 4: ...ration 3 33 3 6 6 Platform Misc Configuration 3 34 3 6 7 Onboard Devices Configuration 3 35 3 6 8 APM 3 37 3 6 9 Network Stack 3 38 3 7 Monitor menu 3 39 3 8 Boot menu 3 42 3 9 Tools menu 3 48 3 9 1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 Utility 3 48 3 9 2 ASUS O C Profile 3 48 3 9 3 ASUS SPD Information 3 49 3 10 Exit menu 3 50 3 11 Updating BIOS 3 51 3 11 1 EZ Update 3 51 3 11 2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 3 52 3 11 3 ASUS CrashF...

Page 5: ...io configurations 4 24 Chapter 5 RAID support 5 1 RAID configurations 5 1 5 1 1 RAID definitions 5 1 5 1 2 Installing Serial ATA hard disks 5 2 5 1 3 Setting the RAID item in BIOS 5 2 5 1 4 Intel Rapid Storage Technology Option ROM utility 5 3 5 2 Creating a RAID driver disk 5 7 5 2 1 Creating a RAID driver disk without entering the OS 5 7 5 2 2 Creating a RAID driver disk in Windows 5 8 5 2 3 Ins...

Page 6: ...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 7: ...e system settings through the BIOS Setup 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 RAID support This chapter describes the RAID configurations Where to find more information Refer to the following sources for additional info...

Page 8: ...lete a task IMPORTANT Instructions that you MUST follow to complete a task NOTE Tips and additional information to help you complete a task 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 Ret...

Page 9: ...ode compatible with PCIe x1 and x2 devices 2 x PCI Express 2 0 x1 slots 2 x PCI slots VGA Integrated Graphics Processor Intel HD Graphics support Multi VGA output support Mini DisplayPort HDMI DVI D VGA port Supports DisplayPort 1 2 with max resolution 4096 x 2160 24Hz and 3840 x 2160 60Hz Supports HDMI with max resolution of 4096 x 2160 24Hz and 2560 x 1600 60Hz Supports DVI with max resolution o...

Page 10: ...ar I O USB Intel Z87 Express Chipset supports ASUS USB 3 0 Boost 2 x USB 3 0 2 0 ports at mid board for front panel support 2 x USB 3 0 2 0 ports at rear panel blue 8 x USB 2 0 1 1 ports at mid board ASMedia USB 3 0 controller supports ASUS USB 3 0 Boost 4 x USB 3 0 2 0 ports at rear panel blue ASUS Exclusive features ASUS Dual Intelligent Processors 4 with 4 Way Optimization 4 Way Optimization tu...

Page 11: ...ram in use USB 3 0 Boost featuring speedy USB 3 0 transmission USB Charger featuring quick charging function for all smart devices Ai Charger Disk Unlocker AI Suite 3 Anti Surge MemOK ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution ASUS Fan Xpert 2 ASUS Fanless Design Heat sink solution ASUS EZ DIY ASUS USB BIOS Flashback with USB BIOS Flashback Wizard for EZ BIOS download scheduling ASUS UEFI BIOS EZ Mode featuring ...

Page 12: ...rd mouse combo port 1 x Mini DisplayPort 1 x HDMI port 1 x DVI 1 x RGB 1 x Optical S PDIF Out port 1 x LAN RJ 45 port 6 x USB 3 0 2 0 ports blue 1 supports USB BIOS Flashback 8 channel Audio I O ports Internal I O connectors 1 x 19 pin USB 3 0 2 0 connector supports additional 2 USB ports 4 x USB 2 0 1 1 connectors support additional 8 USB ports 8 x SATA 6 0 Gb s connectors 6 x yellow 2 x dark bro...

Page 13: ...lti language BIOS ASUS EZ Flash 2 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 My Favorites Quick Note Last Modified log F12 PrintScreen F3 Shortcut functions and ASUS DRAM SPD Serial Presence Detect memory information Manageability WfM 2 0 DMI 2 7 WOL by PME PXE Support DVD contents Drivers ASUS Utilities EZ Update Anti virus software OEM version Form factor ATX form factor 12 in x 9 2 in 30 5 cm x 23 37 cm Z87 PLUS sp...

Page 14: ...cations may vary with different models The 1 x 2 in 1 ASUS Q Connector kit is for retailer version only UserManual ASUS Z87 PLUS motherboard User manual Support DVD 3 x Serial ATA 6 0 Gb s cables 1 x ASUS SLI bridge connector 1 x ASUS I O Shield 1 x 2 in 1 ASUS Q Connector kit Package contents Check your motherboard package for the following items ...

Page 15: ...oss screwdriver PC chassis Power supply unit Intel LGA1150 CPU Intel LGA1150 compatible CPU Fan DIMM SATA hard disk drive SATA optical disc drive optional Graphics card optional The tools and components in the table above are not included in the motherboard package ...

Page 16: ...xvi ...

Page 17: ... USB 2 0 and enables the iGPU function for Intel integrated graphics performance PCI Express 3 0 PCI Express 3 0 PCIe 3 0 is the PCI Express bus standard that provides twice the performance and speed of PCIe 2 0 It provides an optimal graphics performance unprecedented data speed and seamless transition with its complete backward compatibility to PCIe 1 0 2 0 devices Dual Channel DDR3 2800 O C 266...

Page 18: ... the energy use low 1 1 2 Dual Intelligent Processors 4 with 4 Way Optimization ASUS Dual Intelligent Processors 4 brings system control solution to a totally whole new level combining TPU EPU DIGI Power Control and Fan Xpert 2 functions to push the system s performance to its optimal potential It automatically pushes or reasonably balances the system s performance power saving levels and fan sett...

Page 19: ...erformance facilitates flexible frequency adjustments and easily delivers stable system level upgrades for every use USB 3 0 Boost ASUS USB 3 0 Boost which supports USB 3 0 standard UASP USB Attached SCSI Protocol significantly increases a USB device s transfer speed up to 170 faster than the already impressive USB 3 0 transfer speed It automatically accelerates data speeds for compatible USB 3 0 ...

Page 20: ...res a 0 dB thermal solution that offers you a noiseless PC environment The heatsink design also lowers the temperature of the chipset and power phase area through high efficient heat exchange Combined with usability and aesthetics the ASUS stylish heatsink will give you an extremely silent and cooling experience with its elegant appearance 1 1 5 ASUS EZ DIY ASUS UEFI BIOS EZ Mode ASUS UEFI BIOS a ...

Page 21: ... out of your audio entertainment across all formats and quality levels DTS Connect combines 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 connect their PC to a home theater system DTS Interactive is capable of performing mult channel encoding of DTS bitstreams on personal computers an...

Page 22: ...d 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 power supply Failure to do so may cause severe damage to the motherboard peripherals or components 1 2 Motherboard overview ...

Page 23: ...ASUS Z87 PLUS 1 7 Chapter 1 Refer to 1 2 8 Internal connectors and 2 3 1 Rear I O connection for more information about rear panel connectors and internal connectors 1 2 2 Motherboard layout ...

Page 24: ...1 pin USB3_12 1 35 9 Direct connector 2 pin DRCT 1 43 10 Intel Z87 Serial ATA 6 0 Gb s connectors 7 pin SATA6G_1 6 yellow 1 34 11 ASMedia Serial ATA 6 0 Gb s connectors 7 pin SATA6G_E12 dark brown 1 35 12 TPU switch 1 29 13 Clear CMOS jumper 1 31 14 System panel connector 20 8 pin PANEL 1 42 15 USB 2 0 connectors 10 1 pin USB78 USB910 USB1112 USB1314 1 37 16 TPM connector 20 1 pin TPM 1 43 17 Seri...

Page 25: ...the motherboard ensure that the PnP cap is on the socket and the socket contacts are not bent Contact your retailer immediately if the PnP cap is missing or if you see any damage to the PnP cap socket contacts motherboard components ASUS will shoulder the cost of repair only if the damage is shipment transit related Keep the cap after installing the motherboard ASUS will process Return Merchandise...

Page 26: ... memory configurations 1 2 4 System 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 ...

Page 27: ... memory modules of the same version or data code D C from the same vendor Check with the vendor to get the correct memory modules You may install varying memory sizes in Channel A and Channel B The system maps the total size of the lower sized channel for the dual channel configuration Any excess memory from the higher sized channel is then mapped for single channel operation According to Intel CP...

Page 28: ...4x8GB DS 12 13 13 35 1 65 G SKILL F3 2800C12Q 32GTXDG XMP 32GB 4x8GB DS 12 14 14 35 1 65 APACER 78 BAGH5 AFD0C 8GB 2x4GB DS 12 14 14 35 1 65 APACER 78 CAGH6 AFD0C 16GB 2x8GB DS 12 14 14 35 1 65 CORSAIR CMD16GX3M4A2800C11 16GB 4x4GB DS 11 14 14 35 1 65 CORSAIR CMD16GX3M4A2800C12 16GB 4x4GB DS 12 14 14 36 1 65 Vendors Part No Size SS DS Chip Brand Chip NO Timing Voltage DIMM socket support Optional ...

Page 29: ...9R Ver4 13 XMP 16GB 4x4GB DS 2400 9 11 11 31 1 65 G SKILL F3 19200CL10Q 32GBZHD XMP 32GB 4x8GB DS 10 12 12 31 1 65 G SKILL F3 19200CL11Q 16GBZHD XMP 16GB 4x4GB DS 11 11 11 31 1 65 G SKILL F3 19200CL11Q 16GBZHD XMP 16GB 4x4GB DS 11 11 11 31 1 65 G SKILL F3 19200CL9D 4GBPIS XMP 4G 2x2GB DS 9 11 9 28 1 65 G SKILL F3 19200CL9Q 16GBZMD XMP 16GB 4x4GB DS 9 11 11 31 1 65 GEIL GOC316GB2400 C10QC XMP 16GB ...

Page 30: ...XLD XMP 16GB 4x4GB DS 9 11 9 28 1 65 G SKILL F3 17000CL9Q 16GBZH XMP 16GB 4x4GB DS 9 11 10 28 1 65 G SKILL F3 17066CL9D 8GBPID XMP 8GB 2x4GB DS 9 9 9 24 1 65 G SKILL F3 17066CL9Q 16GBTDD XMP 16GB 4x4GB DS 9 9 9 24 1 65 G SKILL F3 2133C11Q 32GZL XMP 32GB 4x8GB DS 11 11 11 31 1 5 KINGSTON KHX2133C11D3K4 16GX XMP 16GB 4x4GB DS 11 12 11 30 1 65 KINGSTON KHX2133C11D3T1K2 16GX XMP 16GB 2x8GB DS 9 9 9 24...

Page 31: ...48M2000C9 L XMP 2GB DS Team T3D1288LT 20 9 9 9 24 1 5 Team TXD32048M2000C9 L XMP 2GB DS Team T3D1288RT 20 9 9 9 24 1 6 Vendors Part No Size SS DS Chip Brand Chip NO Timing Voltage DIMM socket support Optional 1 2 4 CORSAIR CMD16GX3M2A1866C9 Ver5 29 XMP 16GB 2x8GB DS 1866 9 9 9 27 1 5 CORSAIR CMD16GX3M4A1866C9 Ver4 13 XMP 16GB 4x4GB DS 9 10 9 27 1 5 CORSAIR CMD16GX3M4A1866C9 Ver8 16 XMP 16GB 4x4GB ...

Page 32: ...L F3 1866C9Q 32GXM XMP 32GB 4x8GB DS 9 10 9 28 1 5 KINGSTON KHX1866C9D3K2 8GX XMP 8GB 2x4GB DS 1 65 Patriot PXD34G1866ELK XMP 4GB 2x2GB SS 9 9 9 24 1 65 Patriot PXD38G1866ELK XMP 8GB 2x4GB DS 9 11 9 27 1 65 Patriot PXD38G1866ELK XMP 8GB 2x4GB DS 9 11 9 27 1 65 Patriot PXD38G1866ELK XMP 8GB 2x4GB DS 1866 9 10 9 27 1 5 Team TLD34G1866HC9KBK XMP 4GB DS 9 11 9 27 1 5 Team TLD38G1866HC10SBK XMP 8GB DS ...

Page 33: ...MD8GX3M2A1600C8 Ver5 12 XMP 8GB 2x4GB DS 1600 8 8 8 24 1 5 CORSAIR CMD8GX3M2A1600C9 Ver2 12 XMP 8GB 2x4GB DS 9 9 9 24 1 5 CORSAIR CMG4GX3M2A1600C6 4GB 2x2GB DS 6 6 6 18 1 65 CORSAIR CML16GX3M4X1600C8 Ver 2 12 XMP 16GB 4x4GB DS Heat Sink Package 1 5 CORSAIR CMP6GX3M3A1600C8 XMP 6GB 3x2GB DS 8 8 8 24 1 65 CORSAIR CMP6GX3M3A1600C8 XMP 6GB 3x2GB DS 8 8 8 24 1 65 CORSAIR CMX6GX3M3C1600C7 XMP 6GB 3x2GB ...

Page 34: ...16GBXL XMP 16GB 4x4GB DS 9 9 9 24 1 5 G Skill F3 12800CL9Q 16GBZL XMP 16GB 4x4GB DS 9 9 9 24 1 5 G SKILL F3 1600C9Q 32GXM XMP 32GB 4x8GB DS 1 5 GEIL GET316GB160 0C9QC XMP 16GB 4x4GB DS 9 9 9 28 1 6 GEIL GUP34GB160 0C7DC XMP 4GB 2x2GB DS 7 7 7 24 1 6 GoodRam GR1600D364L9 2G 2GB DS GoodRam GF1008KC JN KINGMAX FLGE85F C8KL9A XMP 2GB SS KINGMAX N A 9 9 9 28 KINGMAX FLGF65F C8KL9A XMP 4GB DS KINGMAX N ...

Page 35: ...0EL K XMP 8GB 2x4GB DS 9 9 9 24 1 65 Patriot PGD38G1600E LK XMP 8GB 2x4GB DS 9 9 9 24 1 5 Patriot PGS34G1600LLKA 4GB 2x2GB DS 7 7 7 20 1 7 Patriot PGS34G1600LL KA2 4GB 2x2GB DS 8 8 8 24 1 7 Patriot PV316G160C9Q KRD XMP 16GB 4x4GB DS 9 9 9 24 1 5 Patriot PV38G160C9KR D XMP 8GB 2x4GB DS 9 9 9 24 1 5 Patriot PVV38G1600L LK XMP 8GB 2x4GB DS 8 9 8 24 1 65 Patriot PX7312G1600L LK XMP 12GB 3x4GB DS 8 9 8...

Page 36: ...587MB3H 1 5 Apacer 78 A1GC6 9L1 2GB DS Apacer AM5D5808FEQSBG 9 Apacer 78 B1GDE 9L 10C 4GB DS Apacer AM5D5908CEHSBG 9 Asint SLA302G08 EDJ1C 2GB SS ASint 302G08 DJ1C Asint SLZ302G08 EDJ1C 4GB DS ASint 302G08 DJ1C ATP AQ12M72E8B KH9S 4GB DS SAMSUNG K4B2G0846C ECC BUFFALO D3U1333 1G 1GB SS Elpida J1108BFBG DJ F BUFFALO D3U1333 2G 2GB DS Elpida J1108BFBG DJ F BUFFALO D3U1333 4G 4GB DS NANYA NT5CB256M8B...

Page 37: ...09 2GB SS Hynix H5TQ2G83C FRH9C 9 9 9 24 INNODISK M3UN 4GHJA C09 4GB DS Hynix H5TQ2G83C FRH9C 9 9 9 24 KINGMAX FLFE85F B8KL9 2GB DS KINGMAX KFB8FNLXL BNF 15A KINGMAX FLFE85F C8KL9 2GB SS KINGMAX KFC8FNLBF GXX 12A KINGMAX FLFE85F C8KL9 2GB SS KINGMAX KFC8FNLXF DXX 15A KINGMAX FLFE85F C8KM9 2GB SS Kingmax KFC8FNMXF BXX 15A KINGMAX FLFF65F C8KL9 4GB DS KINGMAX KFC8FNLBF GXX 12A KINGMAX FLFF65F C8KL9 ...

Page 38: ... 7 Patriot PSD32G13332 2GB DS Prtriot PM128M8D3BU 15 9 RiDATA C304627CB1A G22Fe 2GB DS RiDATA C304627CB1AG22Fe 9 RiDATA E304459CB1A G32Cf 4GB DS RiDATA E304459CB1AG32Cf 9 SAMSUNG M378B5273CH 0 CH9 4GB DS SAMSUNG K4B2G0846C Silicon Power SP001GBLTE 133S01 1GB SS NANYA NT5CB128M8AN CG Silicon Power SP001GBLTU1 33S02 1GB SS S POWER 10YT3E5 9 Silicon Power SP002GBLTE1 33S01 2GB DS NANYA NT5CB128M8AN C...

Page 39: ...e pair of Dual channel memory configuration We suggest that you install the modules into slots A2 and B2 for better compatibility 4 Supports four 4 modules inserted into both the yellow slots and dark brown slots as two pairs of Dual channel memory configuration ASUS exclusively provides hyper DIMM support function Hyper DIMM support is subject to the physical characteristics of individual CPUs Lo...

Page 40: ...ower cord before adding or removing expansion cards Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components Slot No Slot Description 1 PCIe 2 0 x1_1 slot 2 PCIe 3 0 x16_1 slot 3 PCI_1 4 PCIe 2 0 x1_2 slot 5 PCIe 3 0 x16_2 slot 6 PCI_2 7 PCIe 2 0 x16_3 slot ...

Page 41: ... IRQ assignments for this motherboard VGA configuration PCIe Express 3 0 operating mode PCIe 3 0 2 0 x16_1 PCIe 3 0 2 0 x16_2 Single VGA PCIe card x16 single VGA recommended N A Dual VGA PCIe card x8 x8 A B C D E F G H PCIe x16_1 shared PCIe x16_2 shared PCIe x16_3 shared PCIe x1_1 shared PCIe x1_2 shared PCI1 shared PCI2 shared Intel SATA shared EHCI 0 shared EHCI 1 shared XHCI shared HD Audio sh...

Page 42: ...for overclockers and gamers who continually change settings to enhance system performance 1 Power on button The motherboard comes with a power on button that allows you to power up or wake up the system The button 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 installing any motherboard compo...

Page 43: ...safe 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 user manual ...

Page 44: ...T It also allows you to turn on or turn off your system and conveniently enter the BIOS during boot up When the system is on and you press the DirectKey button your system will shut down Press the DirectKey button again or the Power on button to reboot and enter the BIOS directly Turn off your system using the power on button to allow your system to go through POST without entering the BIOS when y...

Page 45: ...U_II CPU BCLK and Ratio Boost the system automatically adjusts the base clock rate BLCK and the CPU ratio for enhanced performance The TPU LED TPU_LED near the TPU switch lights up when the TPU switch is enabled Refer to section 1 2 8 Onboard LEDs for the exact location of the TPU LED If you enable this switch under Windows OS environment the TPU function will be activated after the next system bo...

Page 46: ...D2 near the EPU switch lights up when the EPU switch is enabled Refer to section 1 2 8 Onboard LEDs for the exact location of the EPU LED If you enable this switch under Windows OS environment the EPU function will be activated after the next system bootup You may change the EPU settings in the software application or BIOS setup program and enable the EPU function at the same time However the syst...

Page 47: ...fter the CMOS clearance reinstall the battery You do not need to clear the RTC when the system hangs due to overclocking For system failure due to overclocking use the C P R CPU Parameter Recall feature Shut down and reboot the system so the BIOS can automatically reset parameter settings to default values Due to the chipset behavior AC power off is required to enable C P R function You must turn ...

Page 48: ...ST State LEDs provide the status of these key components during POST Power On Self Test CPU memory modules VGA card and hard disk drive s If an error is found the critical component s LED stays lit up until the problem is solved 2 TPU LED The TPU LED lights up when the TPU switch is enabled ...

Page 49: ...ASUS Z87 PLUS 1 33 Chapter 1 3 EPU LED The EPU LED lights up when the EPU switch is enabled ...

Page 50: ...isk drives you can create a RAID 0 1 5 and 10 configuration with the Intel Rapid Storage Technology through the onboard Intel Z87 chipset These connectors are set to AHCI 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 6 3 SATA Configuration for details Before creating a RAID set refer to sectio...

Page 51: ...odule for additional USB 3 0 front or rear panel ports With an installed USB 3 0 module you can enjoy all the benefits of USB 3 0 including faster data transfer speeds of up to 5Gbps faster charging time for USB chargeable devices optimized power efficiency and backward compatibility with USB 2 0 The USB 3 0 module is purchased separately These connectors are based on xHCI specification We recomme...

Page 52: ...or 4 1 pin SPDIF_OUT This connector is for an additional Sony Philips Digital Interface S PDIF port 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 separately ...

Page 53: ...connectors are based on xHCI specification We recommend you to install the related driver to fully use the USB 2 0 ports under Windows 7 The plugged USB 2 0 device may run on xHCI or EHCI mode depending on the operating system s setting 5 USB 2 0 connectors 10 1 pin USB78 USB910 USB1112 USB1314 These connectors are for USB 2 0 ports Connect the USB module cable to any of these connectors then inst...

Page 54: ...nd pin of the connector The CPU_FAN connector supports the CPU fan of maximum 1A 12 W fan power The CPU_FAN connector and CHA_FAN connectors support the ASUS FAN Xpert 2 feature DO NOT forget to connect the fan cables to the fan connectors Insufficient air flow inside the system may damage the motherboard components These are not jumpers Do not place jumper caps on the fan connectors Ensure that t...

Page 55: ...ou 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 or an AC 97 front panel audio module to this connector set the Front Panel Type item in the BIOS setup to HD or AC97 8 Serial port connector 10 1 pin COM This connector is for a serial COM port Connect the serial port module...

Page 56: ... or may not boot up if the power is inadequate 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 stability 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 de...

Page 57: ...ENERTRONIX EN 300 300 Seventeam ST 550P AD 550 SHARKOON SHA R600M 600 Corsair CMPSU 850AX 850 Silverstone SST ST1500 1500 Geil TTB800G 800 DELUX DLP 650PG 450 HAMER MIT750 750 ENERMAX MAXREVO 1300 Segotep SG 400PYJ 400 Centurystar ST 330 320 Model Wattage SUPER FLOWER SF 350P14XE 350 AcBel IP 500 HB9024 400 CORSAIR CMPSU 1000HX 1000 THERMALTAKE TR2 RX 1200AH3CH 1200 Be quiet BQT LT 530W 530 Cooler...

Page 58: ...arning 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 operating system settings Pressing the power...

Page 59: ...t digital identities and ensures platform integrity 12 Direct Connector 2 pin DRCT This connector is for the chassis mounted button that supports the DirectKey function Connect the button cable that supports DirectKey from the chassis to this connector on the motherboard Ensure that your chassis comes with the extra button cable that supports the DirectKey feature Refer to the technical documentat...

Page 60: ...1 44 Chapter 1 Product introduction Chapter 1 ...

Page 61: ...ection are for reference only The motherboard layout may vary with models but the installation steps are the same for all models 1 Install the ASUS Q Shield to the chassis rear I O panel Chapter 2 Basic installation 2 Place the motherboard into the chassis ensuring that its rear I O ports are aligned to the chassis rear I O panel ...

Page 62: ...2 Chapter 2 Basic installation Chapter 2 3 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 ...

Page 63: ...US Z87 PLUS 2 3 Chapter 2 2 1 2 CPU installation Ensure that you install the correct CPU designed for LGA1150 socket only DO NOT install a CPU designed for LGA155 and LGA1156 socket on the LGA1150 socket ...

Page 64: ...lation Chapter 2 2 1 3 CPU heatsink and fan assembly 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 ...

Page 65: ...ASUS Z87 PLUS 2 5 Chapter 2 To uninstall the CPU heatsink and fan assembly ...

Page 66: ...2 6 Chapter 2 Basic installation Chapter 2 To remove a DIMM 2 1 4 DIMM installation ...

Page 67: ...ASUS Z87 PLUS 2 7 Chapter 2 2 1 5 ATX Power connection OR OR ...

Page 68: ...2 8 Chapter 2 Basic installation Chapter 2 2 1 6 SATA device connection OR OR ...

Page 69: ...AFP To install USB 2 0 connector To install front panel audio connector USB 3 0 To install USB 3 0 connector 2 1 7 Front I O Connectors To install ASUS Q Connector HDD LED POWER SW RESET SW HDD LED HDD LED PWR Reset Ground Ground HD D LED ...

Page 70: ...2 10 Chapter 2 Basic installation Chapter 2 2 1 8 Expansion Card installation To install PCIe x16 cards To install PCIe x1 cards To install PCI cards ...

Page 71: ...ve and install the USB BIOS Flashback Wizard Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the installation 2 Insert the USB storage device to the USB Flashback port We recommend you to use a USB 2 0 storage device to save the latest BIOS version for better compatibility and stability 3 Launch the USB BIOS Flashback Wizard to automatically download the latest BIOS version 4 Press the BIOS Flashback...

Page 72: ...nds and turns into a stable light this indicates that USB BIOS Flashback is not working properly due to improper USB flash drive connection BIOS file name error or incompatible BIOS file format If this happens restart the syetem 3 BIOS updating poses some risks If the BIOS program is damaged during the updating process and the system fails to reboot please contact your local ASUS Service Center fo...

Page 73: ... panel connectors 1 PS 2 keyboard mouse combo port 7 Mini DisplayPort 2 ASMedia USB 3 0 ports support ASUS USB 3 0 Boost 8 HDMI port 3 Optical S PDIF Out port 9 DVI port 4 VGA port 10 Intel USB 3 0 ports support ASUS USB 3 0 Boost Turbo Mode Bottom port supports USB BIOS Flashback and USB Charger 5 Intel LAN RJ 45 port 11 Audio I O ports 6 ASMedia USB 3 0 ports support ASUS USB 3 0 Boost ...

Page 74: ... We strongly recommend that you connect USB 3 0 devices to USB 3 0 ports for faster and better performance for your USB 3 0 devices Due to the design of the Intel 8 series chipset all USB devices connected to the USB 2 0 and USB 3 0 ports are controlled by the xHCI controller Some legacy USB devices must update their firmware for better compatibility Multi VGA output supports up to three displays ...

Page 75: ...or 8 channel configuration Port Headset 2 channel 4 channel 6 channel 8 channel Light Blue Line In Line In Line In Line In Lime Line Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out Pink Mic In Mic In Mic In Mic In Orange Center Subwoofer Center Subwoofer Black Rear Speaker Out Rear Speaker Out Rear Speaker Out Gray Side Speaker Out ...

Page 76: ...2 16 Chapter 2 Basic installation Chapter 2 Connect to 4 1 channel Speakers Connect to 5 1 channel Speakers Connect to 2 1 channel Speakers ...

Page 77: ...e on the chain c System power 6 After applying power the system power LED on the system front panel case lights up For systems with ATX power supplies the system LED lights up when you press the ATX power button If your monitor complies with the green standards or if it has a power standby feature the monitor LED may light up or change from orange to green after the system LED turns on The system ...

Page 78: ... detected One continuous beep followed by four short beeps Hardware component failure 7 At power on hold down the Delete key to enter the BIOS Setup Follow the instructions in Chapter 3 2 5 Turning off the computer While the system is ON press the power button for less than four seconds to put the system on sleep mode or soft off mode depending on the BIOS setting Press the power switch for more t...

Page 79: ...management and boot device configuration that are needed for system startup in the motherboard CMOS In normal circumstances the default BIOS settings apply to most conditions to ensure optimal performance DO NOT change the default BIOS settings except in the following circumstances An error message appears on the screen during the system bootup and requests you to run the BIOS Setup You have insta...

Page 80: ... how to erase the RTC RAM via the Clear CMOS button The BIOS setup program does not support the bluetooth devices BIOS menu screen The BIOS Setup program can be used under two modes EZ Mode and Advanced Mode You can change modes from the Exit menu or from the Exit Advanced Mode screen 3 2 BIOS setup program Use the BIOS Setup to update the BIOS or configure its parameters The BIOS screen include n...

Page 81: ...n 3 8 Boot menu for details The boot device options vary 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 Displays the selected shortcut items 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 BIO...

Page 82: ...y Favorites For saving the frequently used system settings and configuration 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 spe...

Page 83: ...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 in the menu and change the settings If you delete all shortcut items from the F3 Shortcut list the default shortcut items will reappear after your next startup General help At the top right corner of the menu screen is a brief description o...

Page 84: ...ites To add frequently used BIOS items to My Favorites 1 Use the arrow keys to select an item that you want to add When using a mouse hover the pointer to the item 2 Press F4 on your keyboard or right click on your mouse to add the item to My Favorites page You cannot add the following items to My Favorites Items with submenu options User configurable items such as language and boot device order C...

Page 85: ...ity settings Security The Security menu items allow you to change the system security settings If you have forgotten your BIOS password erase the CMOS Real Time Clock RTC RAM to clear the BIOS password See section 1 2 6 Onboard buttons and switches for information on how to erase the RTC RAM via the Clear CMOS button The Administrator or User Password items on top of the screen show the default No...

Page 86: ...urrent password then press Enter 3 From the Create New Password box key in a new password then press Enter 4 Confirm the password when prompted To clear the administrator password follow the same steps as in changing an administrator password but press Enter when prompted to create confirm the password After you clear the password the Administrator Password item on top of the screen shows Not Inst...

Page 87: ...nging a user password but press Enter when prompted to create confirm the password After you clear the password the User Password item on top of the screen shows Not Installed 3 5 Ai Tweaker menu The Ai Tweaker menu items allow you to configure overclocking related items Be cautious when changing the settings of the Ai Tweaker menu items Incorrect field values can cause the system to malfunction T...

Page 88: ...ncy to enhance the system performance Use the or keys to adjust the value The values range from 80 0MHz to 300 0MHz The following item appears only when you set the Ai Overclocking Tuner to X M P eXtreme Memory Profile Allows you to select the X M P mode supported by your memory module Configuration options Profile 1 Profile 2 ASUS MultiCore Enhancement Enabled Enabled Default set to Enabled for m...

Page 89: ...installed Max CPU Cache Ratio Auto Allows you to set the maximum possible ratio on the Uncore part of the processor Use the or keys to adjust the value The values depend on the CPU installed Internal PLL Overvoltage Auto Allows you to enable the internal PLL Overvoltage for K SKU CPUs to get the extreme overclocking capability Configuration options Auto Enabled Disabled CPU bus speed DRAM speed ra...

Page 90: ...ptions Auto 1 63 DRAM COMMAND Mode Auto Configuration options Auto 1 3 Secondary Timings DRAM RAS to RAS Delay Auto Configuration options Auto 1 15 DRAM REF Cycle Time Auto Configuration options Auto 1 511 DRAM Refresh Interval Auto Configuration options Auto 1 65535 DRAM WRITE Recovery Time Auto Configuration options Auto 1 16 DRAM READ to PRE Time Auto Configuration options Auto 1 15 OC Tuner As...

Page 91: ...AM RTL CHA_R1D0 Auto Configuration options Auto 1 63 DRAM RTL CHA_R1D1 Auto Configuration options Auto 1 63 DRAM RTL CHB_R0D0 Auto Configuration options Auto 1 63 DRAM RTL CHB_R0D1 Auto Configuration options Auto 1 63 DRAM RTL CHB_R1D0 Auto Configuration options Auto 1 63 DRAM RTL CHB_R1D1 Auto Configuration options Auto 1 63 DRAM IO L CHA_R0D0 Auto Configuration options Auto 1 15 DRAM IO L CHA_R0...

Page 92: ...Auto 1 15 tRDRD_dd Auto Configuration options Auto 1 15 tWRRD Auto Configuration options Auto 1 63 tWRRD_dr Auto Configuration options Auto 1 15 tWRRD_dd Auto Configuration options Auto 1 15 tWRWR Auto Configuration options Auto 1 7 tWRWR_dr Auto Configuration options Auto 1 15 tWRWR_dd Auto Configuration options Auto 1 15 Dec_WRD Configuration options Auto 0 1 tRDWR Auto Configuration options Aut...

Page 93: ...could get higher voltage and good overclocking performance but increases the CPU and VRM thermal conditions Select from Level 1 to Level 8 to adjust CPU power voltage from 0 to 100 The actual performance boost may vary depending on your CPU specification DO NOT remove the thermal module The thermal conditions should be monitored CPU Voltage Frequency Auto Frequency switching affects the VRM transi...

Page 94: ...l to Manual Adjustment Manual Adjustment Fast Allows you to set a faster phase response for the CPU to increase system performance or to slower phase response to decrease DRAM power efficiency Configuration options Ultra Fast Fast Medium Regular CPU Power Duty Control T Probe DIGI VRM Duty Control adjusts the current of every VRM phase and the thermal conditions of every phase component T Probe Se...

Page 95: ... to set a fixed DRAM frequency to increase the overclocking range or a low DRAM frequency for better system stability Use the or keys to adjust the value The values range from 300kHz to 500kHz with a 50kHz interval DRAM Power Phase Control Auto Auto Allows you to set the Auto mode Optimized Allows you to set the ASUS optimized phase tuning profile Extreme Allows you to set the full phase mode CPU ...

Page 96: ...23 875 with a 0 125 interval CPU Internal Power Switching Frequency Frequency Tuning Mode Auto Allows you to increase or decrease the switching frequency of the internal regulator Decrease to help consume less power or increase to help votlage stability When this item is set to or the Frequency Tuning Offset appears and allows you to set its value from 0 to 6 CPU Internal Power Fault Control Therm...

Page 97: ... the balance between optimal regulating while staying below the current threshold Configuration options Auto 100 87 5 75 0 62 5 50 0 37 5 25 0 12 5 0 12 5 25 0 37 5 50 0 62 5 75 0 87 5 100 Power Fast Ramp Response Auto Allows you to increase to enhance the response of the voltage regulator during the load transient Configuration options Auto 0 00 1 50 CPU Internal Power Saving Control Power Saving...

Page 98: ... the voltage by a positive value To offset the voltage by a negative value CPU Core Voltage Offset Use the or keys to adjust the value The values range from 0 001V to 0 999V with a 0 001V interval The following item appears only when you set the CPU Core Voltage to Adaptive Mode Additional Turbo Mode CPU Core Voltage Auto Allows you to add voltage for Turbo Mode CPU core Use the or keys to adjust ...

Page 99: ...CPU Cache Voltage to Manual Mode CPU Cache Voltage Override Auto Allows you to set the CPU Cache Voltage override Use the or keys to adjust the value The values range from 0 001V to 1 920V with a 0 001V interval The following items appear only when you set the CPU Core Voltage to Offset Mode Offset Mode Sign To offset the voltage by a positive value To offset the voltage by a negative value CPU Ca...

Page 100: ...g with the external voltage regulator Configuration options Auto Disabled Enabled The following item appears only when you set SVID Support to Enabled SVID Voltage Override Auto Allows you to set the SVID Voltage override By default this item takes the standard value of the installed CPU You can use the or keys to adjust the value The values range from 0 001V to 2 440V with a 0 001V interval CPU I...

Page 101: ... interval DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHA CHB Auto This item is the DRAM reference voltage for the data lines on Channels A and B You can use the or keys to adjust the value The values range from 0 395x to 0 630x with a 0 005x interval Clock Crossing VBoot Auto Allows you to increase the value of the clock crossing voltage boot when the rising edge of the BCLK DN is equal to the falling edge of the B...

Page 102: ... 3 6 Advanced menu The Advanced menu items allow you to change the settings for the CPU and other system devices Be cautious when changing the settings of the Advanced menu items Incorrect field values can cause the system to malfunction ...

Page 103: ...d to cool down Disabled Disables the CPU thermal monitor function Hyper threading Enabled The Intel Hyper Threading Technology allows a hyper threading processor to appear as two logical processors to the operating system allowing the operating system to schedule two threads or processes simultaneously Enabled Two threads per activated core are enabled Disabled Only one thread per activated core i...

Page 104: ...system to virtually function as several systems Disabled Disables this function Hardware Prefetcher Enabled Enabled Allows a hardware platform to automatically analyze the requirements and prefetch data and codes for the CPU Disabled Disables this function Adjacent Cache Line Prefetch Enabled Enabled Allows a hardware platform to perform adjacent cache line prefetching Disabled Disables this funct...

Page 105: ...e Enabled Allows your processor to reduce power when the system is in idle mode Configuration options Enabled Disabled CPU C3 Report Enabled Allows you to disable or enable the CPU C3 report to the operating system Configuration options Enabled Disabled CPU C6 Report Enabled Allows you to disable or enable the CPU C6 report to the operating system Configuration options Enabled Disabled C6 Latency ...

Page 106: ...s Auto Gen1 Gen2 Intel Rapid Start Technology Disabled Allows you to enable or disable Intel Rapid Start Technology Configuration options Enabled Disabled The following items appear only when you set the Intel Rapid Start Technology to Enabled Entry on S3 RTC Wake Enabled The system automatically wakes up and set to Rapid Start Technology S3 mode Configuration options Enabled Disabled Entry After ...

Page 107: ... or disable the hybrid hard disk support Configuration options Enabled Disabled Intel Smart Connect Technology Disabled Allow you to enable or disable the Intel Smart Connect Technology Configuration options Enabled Disabled 3 6 3 SATA Configuration While entering Setup the BIOS automatically detects the presence of SATA devices The SATA Port items show Not Present if no SATA device is installed t...

Page 108: ...he order of commands RAID Set to RAID Mode when you want to create a RAID configuration from the SATA hard disk drives Aggressive LPM Support Auto Allows you to enable the PCH to aggressively enter link power state Configuration options Disabled Enabled Auto 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 d...

Page 109: ...n Allows you to select a primary display from iGPU and PCIe graphical devices Primary Display Auto Allows you to select which of the iGPU PCIE Graphics device for Primary Display Configuration options Auto iGPU PCIE PCI iGPU Memory Auto Allows you to select the amount of system memory allocated to DVMT 5 0 used by the iGPU Configuration options Auto 32M 64M 96M 128M 160M 192M 224M 256M 288M 320M 3...

Page 110: ...u to configure the PCIEx16 speed Configuration options Auto Gen1 Gen2 Gen3 DMI Link ASPM Control Auto Allows you to enable or disable the control of Active State Power Management on SA side of the DMI Link Configuration options Auto Disabled L0s L1 L0sL1 PEG ASPM Disabled Allows you to control ASPM support for the PEG device Configuration options Disabled Auto ASPM L0s ASPM L1 ASPM L0sL1 Memory Co...

Page 111: ... enabled If no USB device is detected the legacy USB support is disabled Intel xHCI Mode Smart Auto Auto Keeps the last operation of xHCI controller in OS during bootup Smart Auto Enables the operation of xHCI controller Enabled Enables the xHCI controller Disabled Disables the xHCI controller EHCI Hand off Disabled Enabled Enables the support for operating systems without an EHCI hand off feature...

Page 112: ...sabled Allows you to enhance the power saving feature of PCI Express and perform ASPM operations in the operating system Configuration options Disabled Enabled The following item appears only when you set the PCI Express Native Power Management to Enabled Native ASPM Disabled Enabled Vista controls the ASPM support for the device Disabled BIOS controls the ASPM support for the device ...

Page 113: ... the HD Audio Controller to Enabled Front Panel Type HD Allows you to set the front panel audio connector AAFP mode to legacy AC 97 or high definition audio depending on the audio standard that the front panel audio module supports HD Sets the front panel audio connector AAFP mode to high definition audio AC97 Sets the front panel audio connector AAFP mode to legacy AC 97 SPDIF Out Type SPDIF SPDI...

Page 114: ...OPROM Disabled This item appears only when you set the previous item to Enabled and allows you to enable or disable the PXE OptionRom of the Intel LAN controller Configuration options Enabled Disabled Serial Port Configuration The sub items in this menu allow you to set the serial port configuration This item only functions if there is a serial port COM1 connector on the motherboard Serial Port En...

Page 115: ...he system Ctrl Esc Sets the Ctrl Esc key on the PS 2 keyboard to turn on the system Power Key Sets Power key on the PS 2 keyboard to turn on the system This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides at least 1A on the 5VSB lead Power On By PCIE PCI Disabled Disabled Disables the PCIE PCI devices to generate a wake on LAN feature of the Intel LAN device or other installed PCIE LAN devices ...

Page 116: ...ws user to disable or enable the UEFI network stack Configuration options Disable Enable The following item appears only when you set the Network Stack to Enabled Ipv4 Ipv6 PXE Support Enabled Allows you to enable or disable the Ipv4 Ipv6 PXE boot option Configuration options Disabled Enabled ...

Page 117: ...atures CPU Fan Speed xxxx RPM or Ignore N A CPU OPT Speed xxxx RPM or Ignore N A Chassis Fan 1 4 Speed xxxx RPM or Ignore N A The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the CPU chassis and power fan speed in rotations per minute RPM If the fan is not connected to the motherboard the field shows N A Select Ignore if you do not wish to display the detected speed CPU core 0 3 Vol...

Page 118: ... Set to minimize the fan speed for quiet CPU fan operation Turbo Set to achieve maximum CPU fan speed Manual Set to assign the detailed fan speed control parameters The following items appear only when you set the CPU Fan Profile to Manual CPU Upper Temperature 70 Use the or keys to adjust the upper limit of the CPU temperature The values range from 20ºC to 75ºC CPU Fan Max Duty Cycle 100 Use the ...

Page 119: ... control parameters The following items appear only when you set the Chassis Fan Profile to Manual Chassis Upper Temperature 1 4 70 Use the or keys to adjust the upper limit of the CPU temperature The values range from 40ºC to 75ºC Chassis Fan Max Duty Cycle 1 4 100 Use the or keys to adjust the maximum chassis fan duty cycle The values range from 60 to 100 When the chassis temperature reaches the...

Page 120: ... system to accelerate the boot speed The following items appear only when you set the Fast Boot to Enabled USB Support Partial In Disabled All USB devices will not be available until OS boot up for a fastest POST time Full Initialization All USB devices will be available during POST This process will extend the POST time Partial Initialization For a faster POST time only USB ports with keyboard an...

Page 121: ...OS Setup Allows the system to power on and go to the BIOS Setup directly when you press the DirectKey button PS 2 Keyboard and Mouse Support Auto Select any of these settings when PS 2 keyboard and mouse are installed These settings only apply when Fast Boot is enabled Auto For a faster POST time PS 2 devices will only be available when the system boots up or rebooted when the PS 2 devices have no...

Page 122: ...ture will only work when set under normal boot Bootup NumLock State On On Set the power on state of the NumLock to On Off Set the power on state of the NumLock to Off Wait For F1 If Error Enabled Disabled Disables the function Enabled The system waits for the F1 key to be pressed when error occurs Option ROM Messages Force BIOS Force BIOS The third party ROM messages will be displayed during the b...

Page 123: ...acy OpROM first UEFI driver first Ignore Boot from Storage Devices Legacy OpROM first Allows you to select the type of storage devices that you want to launch Configuration options Both Legacy OpROM first Both UEFI first Legacy OpROM first UEFI driver first Ignore Boot from PCIe PCI Expansion Devices Legacy OpROM first Allows you to select the type of PCIe PCI expansion devices that you want to la...

Page 124: ...cure Boot keys will not be active Configuration options Yes No Load PK from File Allows you to load the downloaded PK from a USB storage device The PK file must be formatted as a UEFI variable structure with time based authenticated variable KEK Management The KEK Key exchange Key or Key Enrollment Key manages the Signature database db and Revoked Signature database dbx Key exchange Key KEK refers...

Page 125: ...at more images can be loaded securely The db file must be formatted as a UEFI variable structure with time based authenticated variable DBX Management The dbx Revoked Signature database lists the forbidden images of db items that are no longer trusted and cannot be loaded Delete the dbx Allows you to delete the dbx file from your system Load dbx from File Allows you to load the downloaded dbx from...

Page 126: ...S EZ Flash 2 When you press Enter a confirmation message appears Use the left right arrow key to select between Yes or No then press Enter to confirm your choice For more details refer to section 3 11 2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 3 9 2 ASUS O C Profile This item allows you to store or load multiple BIOS settings The Setup Profile Status items show Not Installed if no profile is created Label Allows you to ke...

Page 127: ... you to load the previous BIOS settings saved in the BIOS Flash Key in the profile number that saved your BIOS settings press Enter and then select Yes 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 3 9 3 ASUS SPD Information Allows you to ...

Page 128: ...Once you are finished making your selections choose this option 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 confirmatio...

Page 129: ...wing utilities allow you to manage and update the motherboard BIOS setup program 1 EZ Update Updates the BIOS in Windows environment 2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 Updates the BIOS using a USB flash drive 3 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 Restores the BIOS using the motherboard support DVD or a USB flash drive when the BIOS file fails or gets corrupted 4 ASUS BIOS Updater Updates and back ups the BIOS in DOS environment...

Page 130: ...hat contains the latest BIOS file to the USB port 2 Enter the Advanced Mode of the BIOS setup program Go to the Tool menu to select ASUS 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 ...

Page 131: ...B 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 http support asus com and save it to a USB flash drive Recovering the BIOS To recover the BIOS 1 Turn on the system 2 Insert the motherboard support DVD to the optical drive or the U...

Page 132: ...and save them on the USB flash drive NTFS is not supported under DOS environment Do not save the BIOS file and BIOS Updater to a hard disk drive or USB flash drive in NTFS format Do not save the BIOS file to a floppy disk due to low disk capacity 3 Turn off the computer and disconnect all SATA hard disk drives optional Booting the system in DOS environment 1 Insert the USB flash drive with the lat...

Page 133: ... below 3 Press Tab to switch between screen fields and use the Up Down Home End keys to select the BIOS file and press Enter BIOS Updater checks the selected BIOS file and prompts you to confirm BIOS update Welcome to FreeDOS http www freedos org C d D D bupdater pc g ASUSTek BIOS Updater for DOS V1 30 2013 02 22 Current ROM Update ROM A Note Enter Select or Load Tab Switch V Drive Info Up Down Ho...

Page 134: ... failure For BIOS Updater version 1 04 or later the utility automatically exits to the DOS prompt after updating BIOS Ensure to load the BIOS default settings to ensure system compatibility and stability Select the Load Optimized Defaults item under the Exit BIOS menu See Chaper 3 of your motherboard user manual for details Ensure to connect all SATA hard disk drives after updating the BIOS file i...

Page 135: ...necessary drivers to use the devices The Utilities menu shows the applications and other software that the motherboard supports The AHCI RAID Driver menu contains the RAID AHCI driver disk The Manual menu contains the list of supplementary user manuals Click an item to open the folder of the user manual Click the Contact tab to display the ASUS contact information Click an icon to display DVD moth...

Page 136: ...bat Reader from the Utilities tab before opening the files To read about your motherboard s utility guide 1 Click Manual tab ASUS Motherboard Utility Guide The screenshots in this section are for reference only The actual software manuals containing in the support DVD vary by models 2 From the Manual folder open the folder of the software manual that you wish to read 3 Some software manuals are pr...

Page 137: ...rt DVD to the optical drive The Special tab appears if your computer has enabled the Autorun feature 2 Click Utilities tab AI Suite 3 3 Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the installation 4 After the AI Suite 3 is installed restart your computer Using AI Suite 3 You can launch the AI Suite 3 for the following Windows operating systems For Windows 7 click on the notification area For Wind...

Page 138: ...ard Wi Fi GO 4 Way Optimization USB 3 0 Boost 4 3 2 Dual Intelligent Processors 4 Dual Intelligent Processors 4 comes with these five utilities in one interface 4 Way Optimization TPU EPU DIGI Power Control and Fan Xpert 2 On some motherboard models Dual Intelligent Processors 4 appear at AI Suite 3 s launch 4 Way Optimization The 4 Way Optimization utility allows you automatically tweak the TPU E...

Page 139: ...boost performance 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 lead to an unstable system For system stability all changes made in TurboV will not be saved to BIOS settings and will not be kept on the next system boot Use the Save Profile function to save your customized overclocking setting...

Page 140: ...ly the adjustments Click to undo the adjustments Drag to adjust CPU Core Voltage offset GPU Boost Drag to adjust the iGPU Max Voltage Click to save the adjustment into a profile Click to load the saved profile Click to apply the adjustments Click to undo the adjustments Click to enable the default settings Click or to adjust the CPU VCCSA voltage The overclocking result varies with the CPU model a...

Page 141: ...ngs in Away mode Tick to select a setting for Voltage Decrement Click to undo the adjustments Click to enable the default settings Click to apply the adjustments When you enable Configured Max CPU Power for advanced energy saving condition the CPU frequency may display 800 MHz in the Windows OS information of your computer However the true CPU frequency varies depending on the wattage that you man...

Page 142: ...o get more transient and better thermal performance by increasing the phase number under heavy system loading To increase VRM efficiency reduce the phase number under light system loading The system automatically sets the default to Extreme when using the Intel iGPU CPU Voltage Frequency CPU Voltage Frequency affects the VRM transient response and thermal components Higher VRM frequency gets quick...

Page 143: ...eed Click to increase the fan s speed for a high cooling capability Click to maximize the fan speed Using Fan Xpert 2 Click to switch between CPU and chassis fan screens Customizing the fan settings Smart Mode Smart Mode allows you to customize the fans rotation speeds and responsiveness based on your system s temperature Click to switch between the CPU and chassis fan screens Click to apply the c...

Page 144: ...oud storage System requirements PC Smart device OS Windows 7 Windows 8 Android 2 3 or later versions iOS5 or later versions Utilities ASUS AI Suite 3 ASUS Wi Fi GO NFC Remote System requirements When the CPU temperature reaches 75o C the fan will automatically run at full speed to protect the CPU For motherboard models without the CPU fan detection latch only 4 pin CPU fans are controllable in Fan...

Page 145: ...tions of your smart devices Use your smart device to scan QR Codes for more information Click to set a password Using Remote GO To use Remote GO click on the top edge of the screen then click Remote GO on the AI Suite 3 main menu bar Launch Wi Fi GO NFC Remote on your smart device to use the Wi Fi GO NFC remote control functions For more details refer to section Wi Fi GO NFC Remote of this user ma...

Page 146: ... using your smart device DLNA Media Hub Allows you to stream media files to a DLNA supported device and remotely control playback using your smart device File Transfer Allows you to transfer files between your computer and your smart device Using the Wake on LAN If you want to wake up your computer using the smart device ensure that you enable the computer s Wake on LAN settings To configure your ...

Page 147: ... smart device ensure that you log into your cloud accounts on your computer Due to the cloud storage limitation you can only upload or synchronize files with a maximum size of 100 MB Ensure to set the correct system time of your computer for the Cloud GO to work properly When you synchronize the files they will automatically synchronize under the Remote GO folder of each cloud storage For the back...

Page 148: ...then click Enter Using DLNA Media Hub on the smart device 1 On your smart device tap DLNA Media Hub 2 Select and tap the receiver name 3 Tap Enter to remotely control your computer Using DLNA Media Hub To stream media files to a DLNA display enable the remote control functions in your Windows Media Player To do this launch Windows Media Player click Stream then tick Allow remote control of my Play...

Page 149: ...omputer To transfer files from your smart device to your computer tap File Transfer then tap Enter Tick the file that you want to transfer then click Send When transferring files from your computer to your iOS device you can only receive files in PNG BMP JPG GIF and TIFF formats To receive files on your iOS devices go to Settings Privacy Photos then turn the Wi Fi GO NFC Remote on Using File Trans...

Page 150: ...0 device to the USB 3 0 port 2 From the USB 3 0 Boost screen select a USB device 3 To enable UASP on your USB device click UASP To revert to its normal transfer rate click Normal Refer to the software manual in the support DVD or visit the ASUS website at www asus com for detailed software configuration Use the USB 3 0 devices for high performance The data transfer speed varies with USB devices Cl...

Page 151: ...the download schedule Downloading the updated BIOS Before you start downloading ensure that you have installed the USB storage device to your computer s USB port that supports USB BIOS Flashback Refer to section 2 3 1 Rear I O connection of your user manual for more details Current BIOS information Set a schedule for the BIOS Update download Click to check for a new BIOS update available for downl...

Page 152: ...4 18 Chapter 4 Software support Chapter 4 2 After the utility detects a new BIOS click from the Save to field select the USB flash drive then click Download 3 After the download is complete click OK ...

Page 153: ...hen click Ai Charger on the AI Suite 3 main menu bar Tick to enable or disable Ai Charger Tick to apply the selection Ai Charger screen Check the manufacturer if your USB device is a Battery Charging Specification 1 1 BC 1 1 compliant or compatible device Actual charging speeds may vary depending on the charging rate and specifications of your USB device To ensure normal charging function disconne...

Page 154: ... can also manually update the BIOS and select the boot logo that will display during POST Launching EZ Update To launch EZ Update click on the top edge of the screen then click EZ Update on the AI Suite 3 main menu bar EZ Update screen Click to automatically update your motherboard s driver software and firmware Click to search and select the BIOS file Click to select a boot logo Click to update t...

Page 155: ...nsure to install the LAN drivers before using this utility Network iControl can only support the onboard LAN EZ Start screen Click to activate Network iControl Tick to enable the selected profile Click to select a profile Click to apply the changes made EZ Profile screen Tick to assign a schedule of your network programs to avoid network congestions Click to save the profile settings or rename the...

Page 156: ...USB Charger screen Click to detect the connected USB device Click to apply the settings Click to discard the settings Click to fast charge your USB device Indicates that the connected USB device is in charging mode Click to stop charging your USB device Click to select the type of USB device that you wish to charge when the system is off Ensure to connect your USB device into the USB port that sup...

Page 157: ...Information To launch System Information click on the top edge of the screen then click System Information on the AI Suite 3 main menu bar Viewing the motherboard information From the System Information screen click MB tab to view the motherboard s information Viewing the CPU information From the System Information screen click CPU tab to view the processor s information ...

Page 158: ...ut support and interrupt capability The CODEC also includes the Realtek proprietary UAJ Universal Audio Jack technology for all audio ports eliminating cable connection errors and giving users plug and play convenience Follow the installation wizard to install the Realtek Audio Driver from the support DVD that came with the motherboard package If the Realtek audio software is correctly installed y...

Page 159: ...indows 8 Windows 7 Configuration option tabs vary with the audio devices connected Advanced settings Set default device Control settings panel Analog and digital connector status This version of Realtek HD Audio Manager supports Intel 8 Series motherboards and other selected models ...

Page 160: ...with DTS UltraPC II for Windows 8 Windows 7 Control settings Configuration option tabs vary with the audio devices connected Advanced settings Information Connector settings Analog and digital connector status Click to set default device Click to exit Click to minimize To launch Realtek HD Audio Manager click from the taskbar then double click To display Quick Volume Adjustment Bar click from the ...

Page 161: ...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 drive RAID 5 stri...

Page 162: ...s 3 Connect a SATA power cable to the power connector on each drive 5 1 3 Setting the RAID item in BIOS You must enable the RAID function in the BIOS Setup before creating RAID sets using SATA HDDs To do this 1 Enter the BIOS Setup during POST 2 Go to the Advanced menu SATA Configuration and then press Enter 3 Set the SATA Mode item to RAID Mode 4 Save your changes and then exit the BIOS Setup Ref...

Page 163: ...screen The utility supports maximum four hard disk drives for RAID configuration Intel R Rapid Storage Technology Option ROM v10 5 1 1070 Copyright C 2003 10 Intel Corporation All Rights Reserved MAIN MENU DISK VOLUME INFORMATION RAID Volumes None defined Physical Devices Port Device Model Serial Size Type Status Vol ID 0 ST3160812AS 9LS0HJA4 149 0GB 1 ST3160812AS 9LS0F4HL 149 0GB 2 ST3160812AS 3L...

Page 164: ... SELECT DISKS screen appears CREATE VOLUME MENU HELP Enter a unique volume name that has no special characters and is 16 characters or less Name RAID Level Disks Strip Size Capacity Sync Create volume Intel R Rapid Storage Technology Option ROM v10 5 1 1070 Copyright C 2003 10 Intel Corporation All Rights Reserved Select ESC Exit ENTER Select Menu Volume0 SELECT DISKS Port Drive Model Serial Size ...

Page 165: ... 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 7 When the Capacity item is selected enter the RAID volume capacity that you want and press Enter The default value indicates the maximum allowed capacity 8 When the Create Volume item is selected press Enter The following warning...

Page 166: ...e 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 ALL DATA IN THE VOLUME WILL BE LOST This does not apply to Recovery volumes Are you sure you want to delete volume Volume0 Y N DELETE VOLUME VERIFICATION DELETE VOLUME MENU HELP Deleting a volume will reset the disks to non RAID WARNING Select ...

Page 167: ...ector You have to use a USB floppy disk drive when creating a SATA RAID driver disk 5 2 1 Creating a RAID driver disk without entering the OS To create a RAID driver disk without entering the OS 1 Boot your computer 2 Press delete 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 BI...

Page 168: ...RAID driver during Windows OS installation To install the RAID driver for Windows 7 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 RAID an...

Page 169: ...use harmful interference to radio communications However there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation If this equipment does cause 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 reloc...

Page 170: ...a Cet appareil numérique de la Classe B respecte toutes les exigences du Règlement sur le matériel brouilleur du Canada Cet appareil est conforme aux normes CNR exemptes de licence d Industrie Canada Le fonctionnement est soumis aux deux conditions suivantes 1 cet appareil ne doit pas provoquer d interférences et 2 cet appareil doit accepter toute interférence y compris celles susceptibles de prov...

Page 171: ...should not be placed in municipal waste Check local regulations for disposal of electronic products DO NOT throw the mercury containing button cell battery in municipal waste This symbol of the crossed out wheeled bin indicates that the battery should not be placed in municipal waste ASUS Recycling Takeback Services ASUS recycling and takeback programs come from our commitment to the highest stand...

Page 172: ...orate Way Fremont 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 01...

Page 173: ...1 1 2009 05 EN 301 489 24 V1 5 1 2010 09 EN 302 326 2 V1 2 2 2007 06 EN 302 326 3 V1 3 1 2007 09 EN 301 357 2 V1 4 1 2008 11 EN 302 291 1 V1 1 1 2005 07 EN 302 291 2 V1 1 1 2005 07 2006 95 EC LVD Directive EN 60950 1 A12 2011 EN 60065 2002 A12 2011 2009 125 EC ErP Directive Regulation EC No 1275 2008 Regulation EC No 642 2009 Regulation EC No 278 2009 2011 65 EU RoHS Directive Ver 130208 CE markin...

Page 174: ...A 6 Appendices Appendices ...

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