Asus Z97-WS User Manual Download Page 175

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Z97-WS

6-7

Chapter 6

6.2 NVIDIA

SLI™ technology

The motherboard supports the NVIDIA

SLI™ (Scalable Link Interface) technology that

allows you to install multi-graphics processing units (GPU) graphics cards. Follow the

installation procedures in this section.

6.2.1 Requirements

• In SLI mode, you should have two identical SLI-ready graphics cards that are NVIDIA

certified.

• Ensure that your graphics card driver supports the NVIDIA SLI technology. Download the

latest driver from the NVIDIA website at

www.nvidia.com.

•

Ensure that your power supply unit (PSU) can provide at least the minimum power

required by your system.

•

We recommend that you install additional chassis fans for better thermal environment.

•

Visit the NVIDIA zone website (http://www.nzone.com) for the latest certified graphics

card and supported 3D application list.

6.2.2

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.

Insert the two graphics card into the PCIEX16 slots. If your motherboard has more than

two PCIEX16 slots, refer to Chapter 1 in

this user manual for the locations of the

PCIEX16 slots recommended for multi-

graphics card installation.

Ensure that the cards are properly

seated on the slots.

Summary of Contents for Z97-WS

Page 1: ...Motherboard Z97 WS ...

Page 2: ...pective 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 ...

Page 3: ... slots 1 10 1 2 6 Onboard buttons and switches 1 13 1 2 7 Jumpers 1 18 1 2 8 Onboard LEDs 1 18 1 2 9 Internal connectors 1 26 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 DIMM installation 2 6 2 1 5 ATX Power connection 2 7 2 1 6 SATA device connection 2 8 2 1 7 ...

Page 4: ...ion 3 40 3 6 7 Onboard Devices Configuration 3 42 3 6 8 APM Configuration 3 44 3 6 9 Network Stack Configuration 3 45 3 7 Monitor menu 3 46 3 8 Boot menu 3 50 3 9 Tool menu 3 56 3 9 1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 Utility 3 56 3 9 2 ASUS O C Profile 3 57 3 9 3 ASUS DRAM SPD Information 3 58 3 10 Exit menu 3 59 3 11 Updating BIOS 3 60 3 11 1 EZ Update 3 60 3 11 2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 3 61 3 11 3 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3...

Page 5: ...ws 5 8 5 2 3 Installing the RAID driver during Windows OS installation 5 8 Chapter 6 Multi GPU support 6 1 AMD CrossFireX technology 6 1 6 1 1 Requirements 6 1 6 1 2 Before you begin 6 1 6 1 3 Installing two CrossFireX graphics cards 6 2 6 1 4 Installing three CrossFireX graphics cards 6 3 6 1 5 Installing four CrossFireX graphics cards 6 4 6 1 6 Installing the device drivers 6 5 6 1 7 Enabling th...

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: ...s how to change system settings through the BIOS Setup menus Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided 4 Chapter 4 Software support This chapter describes the contents of the support DVD that comes with the motherboard package and the software 5 Chapter 5 RAID support This chapter describes the RAID configurations Where to find more information Refer to the following sources f...

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: ...1 USB3_E56 and SATA Express_E1 connectors share the same bandwidth The PCIe x4_1 s default setting is in Auto mode that automically optimizes the system bandwidth If you use two of these connectors the system automatically disables the unused connector VGA Integrated Graphics Processor Intel HD Graphics support Multi VGA output support DisplayPort Mini DisplayPort HDMI port Supports DisplayPort 1 ...

Page 10: ...N Dual interconnect between the integrated Media Access Controller MAC and physical layer PHY Intel I210 AT Gigabit LAN controller Audio Realtek ALC1150 8 channel high definition audio CODEC High Quality 112 dB SNR stereo playback output Line out at rear and 104 dB SNR recording Line in support Absolute pitch 192 KHz 24 bit True BD Lossless Sound BD audio layer content protection DTS UltraPC II DT...

Page 11: ...h ASUS Fan Xpert3 Featuring Fan Auto Tuning function and multiple thermistors selection for optimized system cooling control Turbo App Featuring automatic system performance tuning network priority and audio scene configuration for selected applications UEFI BIOS Most advanced options with fast response time M 2 and SATA Express onboard The latest transfer technologies with up to 10 Gb s data tran...

Page 12: ... Monitor your PC status with smart devices in real time USB BIOS Flashback with USB BIOS Flashback Wizard for EZ BIOS download scheduling UEFI BIOS EZ Mode featuring friendly graphics user interface ASUS O C Tuner ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 ASUS EZ Flash 2 Q Design ASUS Q Code ASUS Q Shield ASUS Q LED CPU DRAM VGA Boot Device LED ASUS Q Slot ASUS Q DIMM ASUS Q Connector ASUS Special Features USB 3 0 Bo...

Page 13: ...ipset voltage control SFS Stepless Frequency Selection BCLK PCIE frequency tuning from 80 MHz to 300 MHz at 0 1 MHz increment Overclocking Protection ASUS C P R CPU Parameter Recall Rear Panel I O Ports 1 x DisplayPort 1 x Mini DisplayPort 1 x HDMI port 1 x Optical S PDIF Out port 2 x LAN RJ45 ports 2 x Intel LAN 6 x USB 3 0 2 0 ports 2 x USB 2 0 1 1 ports bottom port supports USB BIOS Flashback t...

Page 14: ..._1 Power connector 1x CHAFAN_SEL header 1x COM port connector 1x Chassis Intruder header 1x T_Sensor1 header The CPU Q Fan control setting is set as default in Auto mode for detecting the type of CPU fan installed and switches to the control mode automatically BIOS features 64 Mb Flash ROM UEFI AMI BIOS PnP DMI 2 7 WfM 2 0 SM BIOS 2 7 ACPI 5 0 Multi language BIOS ASUS EZ Flash 2 CrashFree BIOS 3 F...

Page 15: ...following items UserManual ASUS Z97 WS motherboard User manual Support DVD 8 x Serial ATA 6 Gb s cables COM port bracket 1 x ASUS SLI bridge connector 1 x ASUS 4 Way SLI bridge connector 1 x ASUS 3 Way SLI bridge connector 1 x 2 in 1 Q connector 1 x I O Shield ...

Page 16: ...nts in the table above are not included in the motherboard package PC chassis Power supply unit Intel LGA1150 compatible CPU Fan Intel LGA1150 CPU DIMM SATA hard disk drive Graphics card Philips cross screwdriver SATA optical disc drive optional 1 bag of screws ...

Page 17: ...aster data retrieval It also 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 Intel Desktop ...

Page 18: ... retrieval and double bandwidth of current bus systems 1 1 2 ASUS exclusive workstation features PCI Express 3 0 for 4 Way CrossFireX and SLI Support Themotherboard provides PCI Express x16 slots for 4 Way AMD CrossFireX and NVIDIA SLI graphics cards giving you with ample graphics power to easily run even the most demanding computer games for enhanced entertainment Q Code Logger Q Code Logger is y...

Page 19: ... and sending encoded bitstreams out of a digital audio connection such as S PDIF or HDMI designed to deliver audio to an external decoder DTS UltraPC II DTS UltraPC II delivers a superior surround sound experience through your system s speakers and headphones while monitoring and balancing the loudness level difference between digital audio formats It also ehnances the audio settings through augme...

Page 20: ...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 21: ...TA6G_4 SATA6G_E1 SATA6G_5 SATA6G_E2 SATA6G_6 SATA6G_2 SATA6G_3 SATA6G_1 DRCT M 2 SOCKET3 24 4cm 9 6in Intel Z97 DDR3 DIMM_A1 64bit 240 pin module DDR3 DIMM_A2 64bit 240 pin module DDR3 DIMM_B1 64bit 240 pin module DDR3 DIMM_B2 64bit 240 pin module PANEL CHA_FAN2 CHA_FAN3 CHA_FAN1 EATX12V_1 CHAFAN_SEL CHASSIS TB_HEADER SPDIF_OUT 30 5cm 12 0in ASP 1257 ASM 1442K ASM 1061 ASM 1042AE ASM 1187e BIOS CO...

Page 22: ...ial ATA 6 Gb s connectors 7 pin SATA6G_1 6 SATAEXPRESS_1 15 ASMedia Serial ATA 6 Gb s connectors 7 pin SATA6G_E3 SATA6G_E4 SATAEXPRESS_E1 16 Clear CMOS button CLR_CMOS 17 DirectKey connector 2 pin DRCT 18 Chassis Fan control setting 3 1 pin CHAFEN_SEL 19 System panel connector 20 8 pin PANEL 20 TPM connector 20 1 pin TPM 21 T Sensor connector 2 pin T_SENSOR1 22 USB 2 0 connectors 10 1 pin USB910 U...

Page 23: ... 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 Authorization RMA requests only if the motherboard comes with the cap on the LGA1150 socket The product warranty does not cover damage to the socket contac...

Page 24: ...mory The motherboard comes with eight DDR 3 Double Data Rate 3 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 Z97 WS Z97 WS 240 pin DDR3 DIMM sockets DIMM_A1 DIMM_A2 DIMM_B1 DIMM_B2 ...

Page 25: ...byte MB The default memory operation frequency is dependent on its Serial Presence Detect SPD which is the standard way of accessing information from a memory module Under the default state some memory modules for overclocking may operate at a lower frequency than the vendor marked value To operate at the vendor marked or at a higher frequency refer to section 3 5 Ai Tweaker menu for manual memory...

Page 26: ...re to do so may cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components Slot No Slot Description 1 PCIe 3 0 2 0 x16_1 slot 2 PCIe 2 0 x1_1 slot 3 PCIe 3 0 2 0 x16_2 slot 4 PCIe 2 0 x4 slot 5 PCIe 3 0 2 0x16_3 slot 6 PCIe 2 0 x1_2 slot 7 PCIe 3 0 2 0 x16_4 slot Z97 WS PCIEX16_1 PCIEX4_1 PCIEX16_2 PCIEX16_3 PCIEX16_4 PCIEX1_1 PCIEX1_2 ...

Page 27: ...r labeled CHA_FAN1 4 when using multiple graphics cards for better thermal environment We recommend you connect an EATX 12V_1 cable when running CrossFireX and SLI Slot No PCI Express 3 0 operating mode Single VGA SLI CrossFireX 3 WAY SLI CrossFireX 4 WAY SLI CrossFireX 1 x16 single VGA recommended x16 x8 x8 3 x8 x8 5 x16 dual VGA recommended x16 x8 7 x8 ...

Page 28: ... x1_1 shared PCIe x1_2 shared SMBUS Controller shared VIA1394 shared SATA Controller shared Intel LAN1 i218 shared Intel LAN1 i210 shared ASMedia SATA Controller 1 1061 shared ASMedia SATA Controller 2 106SE shared Intel xHCI shared Intel EHCI 1 shared Intel EHCI 2 shared HD Audio shared ASMedia Controller 1042 shared IRQ assignments for this motherboard ...

Page 29: ... 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 component 2 Reset button Press the reset button to reboot the system Z97 WS Power ...

Page 30: ...ext set 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 th...

Page 31: ...usts the base clock rate BLCK and the CPU ratio for a more 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 bootup You may use the 5 Way Optimization and TPU fea...

Page 32: ... 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 system will use the last setting you have made Z97 WS Z97 WS EPU switch Disable Default Enable EPU 6 Clear CMOS...

Page 33: ...able Default Enable EZ_XMP 8 ASUS Dr POWER switch This switch allows you to enable or disable the ASUS Dr Power feature Install the bundled ASUS Dr Power Utility then enable this switch to allow the system to display notification messages in your Windows screen if a problem is detected with your Power Supply Unit PSU Z97 WS Z97 WS DR_POWER switch Disable Default Enable DR_POWER ...

Page 34: ...per to pins 2 3 To go back to its default CPU voltage setting insert the jumper to pins 1 2 1 2 8 Onboard LEDs 1 POST State LEDs The POST State LEDs provide the status of these key components during POST Power On Self Test CPU memory modules VGA card and hard disk drives If an error is found the critical component s LED stays lit up until the problem is solved Z97 WS Z97 WS CPU_OV setting 2 1 2 3 ...

Page 35: ...itch is enabled Z97 WS Z97 WS TPU LEDs TPU_LED 3 EPU LED OLED2 The EPU LED lights up when the EPU switch is enabled Z97 WS Z97 WS EPU LED OLED2 4 Power LED 12V_PWR LED This LED lights up when you turn on the system using the Power on button Z97 WS Z97 WS 12V_PWR LED 12V_PWR LED ...

Page 36: ...US Dr Power switch lights up when the ASUS Dr Power switch is on Enable 6 PWR_SUPPLY LED The ASUS Dr Power LED near the EATX PWR connector lights up when the ASUS Dr Power switch setting is on and the power supply unit has failed Z97 WS Z97 WS PWR_SUPPLY LED PWR_SUPPLY LED Z97 WS Z97 WS DR_POWER LED DR POWER LED ...

Page 37: ...hen you enable the EZ XMP switch Z97 WS Z97 WS XLED1 XLED1 8 Q Code LEDs The Q Code LED design provides you with a 2 digit error code that displays the system status Refer to the Q Code table on the next page for details Z97 WS Q Code LEDs Q_CODE1 Z97 WS Q_CODE2 ...

Page 38: ...tialization is started 2B 2F Memory initialization 30 Reserved for ASL see ASL Status Codes section below 31 Memory Installed 32 36 CPU post memory initialization 37 3A Post Memory System Agent initialization is started 3B 3E Post Memory PCH initialization is started 4F DXE IPL is started 50 53 Memory initialization error Invalid memory type or incompatible memory speed 54 Unspecified memory initi...

Page 39: ...ation is started 68 PCI host bridge initialization 69 System Agent DXE initialization is started 6A System Agent DXE SMM initialization is started 6B 6F System Agent DXE initialization System Agent module specific 70 PCH DXE initialization is started 71 PCH DXE SMM initialization is started 72 PCH devices initialization 73 77 PCH DXE Initialization PCH module specific 78 ACPI module initialization...

Page 40: ...al Address MAP Begin B1 Runtime Set Virtual Address MAP End B2 Legacy Option ROM Initialization B3 System Reset B4 USB hot plug B5 PCI bus hot plug B6 Clean up of NVRAM B7 Configuration Reset reset of NVRAM settings B8 BF Reserved for future AMI codes D0 CPU initialization error D1 System Agent initialization error D2 PCH initialization error D3 Some of the Architectural Protocols are not availabl...

Page 41: ...m is entering S4 sleep state 05 System is entering S5 sleep state 30 System is waking up from the S3 sleep state 40 System is waking up from the S4 sleep state AC System has transitioned into ACPI mode Interrupt controller is in PIC mode AA System has transitioned into ACPI mode Interrupt controller is in APIC mode ...

Page 42: ... motherboard support DVD The M 2 Socket 3 and SATAEXPRESS_1 connectors share the same PCIe x2 bandwidth When you use both connectors the system automatically detects the devices connected to these connectors and set a higher priority to M 2 Socket 3 than SATA_EXPRESS_1 interface Refer to section 3 6 3 PCH Storage Configuration of this user guide for more details The SATAEXPRESS_1 connector can sup...

Page 43: ... Digital audio connector 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 Z97 WS ASMedia SATA 6 Gb s connectors Z97 WS SATA6G_E1 SATAEXPRESS_E1 SATA6G_E2 GND RSATA_TXP1 RSATA_TXN1 ...

Page 44: ... 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 Audio or AC97 5 T_Sensor connector 2 pin T_SENSOR1 This connector is for the thermistor cable that allows you to monitor the temperature of your motherboard s critical components and connected devices Z97 WS Z97 WS Analog front panel connector AAFP GND PRESENCE...

Page 45: ...ing 1 2 2 3 3 pin DC FAN Default 4 Pin Force PWM FAN CHAFAN_SEL 7 TPM connector 20 1 pin TPM This connector supports a Trusted Platform Module TPM system which securely store keys digital certificates passwords and data A TPM system also helps enhance network security protect digital identities and ensures platform integrity The TPM module is purchased separately Z97 WS TPM Connector PIN 1 TPM PWR...

Page 46: ... based on xHCI specification We recommend you to install the related driver to fully use the USB 3 0 ports under Windows 7 The plugged USB 3 0 device may run on xHCI or EHCI mode depending on the operating system s setting These USB 3 0 ports only support Turbo Mode when using USB 3 0 Boost feature Z97 WS Z97 WS USB3 0 connectors USB3_E12 Vbus IntA_P1_SSRX IntA_P1_SSRX GND IntA_P1_SSTX IntA_P1_SST...

Page 47: ...e is purchased separately 9 USB 2 0 connectors 10 1 pin USB1112 USB1314 These connectors are for USB 2 0 ports Connect the USB module cable to any of these connectors then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis These USB connectors comply with USB 2 0 specification that supports up to 48 Mb s connection speed Z97 WS USB2 0 connectors USB 5V USB_P12 USB_P12 GND NC US...

Page 48: ...d Mode Monitor CPU Q Fan Control item in BIOS The chassis fan connectors support DC and PWM modes To set these fans to DC or PWM go to Advanced Mode Monitor Chassis Fan 1 4 Q Fan Control items in BIOS 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 c...

Page 49: ...equirement for your system refer to the Recommended Power Supply Wattage Calculator at http support asus com PowerSupplyCalculator PSCalculator aspx SLanguage en us for details 11 ATX power connectors 24 pin EATXPWR 8 pin EATX12V1 8 pin EATX12V 8 pin EATX12V1 6 pin EATX12V These connectors are for ATX power supply plugs The power supply plugs are designed to fit these connectors in only one orient...

Page 50: ...ystem 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 switch for more than four seconds while the system is ON turns the system OFF...

Page 51: ... documentation that came with the chassis for details Z97 WS Z97 WS CPU_OV setting PIN 1 DRCT DRCT GND 14 Thunderbolt header 5 pin TB_HEADER This connector is for the add on Thunderbolt I O card that supports Intel s Thunderbolt Technology allowing you to connect up to six Thunderbolt enabled devices and a DisplayPort enabled display in a daisy chain configuration The add on Thunderbolt I O card a...

Page 52: ... guide for more details When using Intel Desktop Responsiveness technologies with PCIe M 2 device ensure to set up the Windows UEFI operating system under RAID mode The M 2 NGFF SSD module is purchased separately Z97 WS Z97 WS M 2 SOCKET3 M 2 SOCKET3 16 IEEE 1394 port connector 10 1 pin IE1394 This connector is for an IEEE 1394 port Connect the IEEE 1394 module cable to this connector then install...

Page 53: ... This connector is for a chassis mounted intrusion detection sensor or switch Connect one end of the chassis intrusion sensor or switch cable to this connector The chassis intrusion sensor or switch sends a high level signal to this connector when a chassis component is removed or replaced The signal is then generated as a chassis intrusion event By default the pin labeled Chassis Signal and Groun...

Page 54: ...1 38 Chapter 1 Product introduction Chapter 1 ...

Page 55: ...ion 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 56: ...hapter 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 Z97 WS ...

Page 57: ...Z97 WS 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 LGA1155 and LGA1156 sockets on the LGA1150 socket ...

Page 58: ...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 59: ...Z97 WS 2 5 Chapter 2 To uninstall the CPU heatsink and fan assembly ...

Page 60: ...2 6 Chapter 2 Basic installation Chapter 2 To remove a DIMM 2 1 4 DIMM installation ...

Page 61: ...Z97 WS 2 7 Chapter 2 2 1 5 ATX Power connection OR ...

Page 62: ...2 8 Chapter 2 Basic installation Chapter 2 2 1 6 SATA device connection OR OR ...

Page 63: ...I O Connector To install ASUS Q Connector USB 2 0 AAFP To install USB 2 0 connector To install front panel audio connector USB 3 0 To install USB 3 0 connector HDD LED POWER SW RESET SW HDD LED HDD LED PWR Reset Ground Ground HD D LED ...

Page 64: ...2 10 Chapter 2 Basic installation Chapter 2 2 1 8 Expansion Card installation To install PCIe x16 cards To install PCIe x1 cards ...

Page 65: ...nstructions 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 Refer to section 2 3 1 Rear I O connection for the location of the USB port that supports USB BIOS Flashback 3 Launch the USB BIOS Flashback Wizard to automatically download the lat...

Page 66: ...rmat error If this scenario happens please restart the system to turn off the light Updating BIOS may have risks If the BIOS program is damaged during the process and results to the system s failure to boot up please contact your local ASUS Service Center Q Code Logger Q Code Logger allows you to easily check Q Code event logs with opening the computer s case Simply insert a USB storage device to ...

Page 67: ... definitions Rear panel connectors 1 Optical S PDIF Out port 8 DisplayPort 2 HDMI port 9 eSATA port 3 USB 2 0 ports 5 and 6 10 USB BIOS Flashback button 4 Q Code Logger button 11 USB 3 0 ports 5 and 6 5 Mini DisplayPort 12 USB 3 0 ports 3 and 4 6 Intel LAN port LAN2 13 USB 3 0 ports 1 and 2 7 Intel LAN port LAN1 14 Audio I O ports 7 14 9 13 6 12 1 8 2 3 4 5 10 11 ...

Page 68: ...ter compatibility Multi VGA output supports up to three displays under Windows OS environment two displays under BIOS and one display under DOS Intel display architecture design supports the following maximum supported pixel clocks Pixel Clock H total x V Total x Frame Rate Fresh screen rate DisplayPort Mini DisplayPort 533 MHz HDMI port 300 MHz LAN ports LED indications ACT LINK LED SPEED LED LAN...

Page 69: ...ion 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 Side Speaker Out For Windows 8 1 only ...

Page 70: ...lation Chapter 2 Connect to 4 1 channel Speakers Connect to 5 1 channel Speakers Connect to 2 1 channel Speakers If you are using Windows 8 1 platform use only the gray audio port for Side Speaker Out in a 6 channel configuration ...

Page 71: ...n 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 the...

Page 72: ... 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 73: ...gement 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 installed...

Page 74: ...lear 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 navigation keys and brief onscreen h...

Page 75: ...section 3 8 Boot menu for details The boot device options vary depending on the devices you installed to the system Saves the changes and resets the system Selects the display language of the BIOS setup program Displays the CPU motherboard temperature CPU voltage output CPU chassis power fan speed and SATA information Displays the system properties of the selected mode Click or to switch EZ System...

Page 76: ...efer to the following sections for the detailed configurations To switch from EZ Mode to Advanced Mode click Advanced Mode F7 or press F7 hotkey Configuration fields Menu bar Item description Sub menu item Menu items Scroll bar Last modified settings Language EZ Tuning Wizard MyFavorite Quick Note Hot Keys Goes back to EZ Mode Displays the CPU motherboard temperature CPU and memory voltage output ...

Page 77: ...ems Submenu items A greater than sign before each item on any menu screen means that the item has a submenu To display the submenu select the item and press Enter Language This button above the menu bar contains the languages that you can select for your BIOS Click this button to select the the language that you want to display in your BIOS screen MyFavorites F3 This button above the menu bar show...

Page 78: ...re are items that do not fit on the screen Press the Up Down arrow keys or Page Up Page Down keys to display the other items on the screen General help At the top right corner of the menu screen is a brief description of the selected item Use F12 key to capture the BIOS screen and save it to the removable storage device Configuration fields These fields show the values for the menu items If an ite...

Page 79: ...ure the operating speed of your CPU and chassis fans Click to select a fan to be configured Click to activate PWM Mode Click to undo the changes Click to apply the fan setting Click to go back to main menu Select a profile to apply to your fans Click to activate DC Mode Select to manually configure your fans ...

Page 80: ...configure your fans operating speed To configure your fans 1 Select the fan that you want to configure and to view its current status 2 Click and drag the speed points to adjust the fans operating speed 3 Click Apply to save the changes then click Exit ESC Speed points Click or tap to manually configure your fans ...

Page 81: ...ress F11 on your keyboard or click from the BIOS screen to open EZ Tuning Wizard screen then click Next 2 Select a PC scenario Daily Computing or Gaming Media Editing then click Next 3 Select the CPU fan type Box cooler Tower cooler or Water cooler that you installed then click Next If you are not sure of the CPU fan type click I m not sure The system automatically detects the CPU fan type 4 Click...

Page 82: ...t the type of storage for your RAID Easy Backup or Super Speed then click Next a For Easy Backup click Next then select from Easy Backup RAID1 or Easy Backup RAID10 4 After selecting the type of RAID click Next then click Yes to continue the RAID setup 5 After the RAID setup is done click Yes to exit the setup then click OK to reset your system You can only select Easy Backup RAID 10 if you connec...

Page 83: ...Z97 WS 3 11 Chapter 3 3 3 My Favorites MyFavorites is your personal space where you can easily save and access your favorite BIOS items ...

Page 84: ...then click the submenu that you want to save as favorite from the submenu panel and tap or click or press Enter on your keyboard You cannot add the following items to My Favorite items Items with submenu options User managed items such as language and boot order Configuration items such as Memory SPD Information system time and date 4 Click Exit ESC or press esc key to close Setup Tree Map screen ...

Page 85: ... 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 Not I...

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: ...ng 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 The ...

Page 88: ...tion options 8Ohm dbl 7Ohm dbl 6Ohm dbl 5Ohm dbl 4Ohm dbl 3Ohm dbl 2Ohm dbl PLL Selection Auto This item is set to LC PLL by default for better stability Select SB PLL when the BCLK base clock frequency is far away from 100 MHz This may affect the function of other devices that need precise clock jitters Configuration options Auto LC PLL SB PLL Filter PLL Auto Set this item to high BCLK base clock...

Page 89: ...u assign a value for 2 Core Ratio Limit do not set the 1 Core Ratio Limit to Auto 3 Core Ratio Limit Auto Select Auto to apply the CPU default Turbo Ratio setting or manually assign a 3 Core Limit value that must be higher than or equal to the 4 Core Ratio Limit If you assign a value for 3 Core Ratio Limit do not set the 1 Core Ratio Limit and 2 Core Ratio Limit to Auto 4 Core Ratio Limit Auto Sel...

Page 90: ...tio Auto This item allows you to configure the CPU graphics ratio The ratio may vary depending on the system load OC Tuner Ratio First This item allows you to automatically overclock the CPU and DRAM frequencies and voltage for an enhanced system performance It also accelerates the CPU graphics performance to the extreme depending on the CPU graphics loading Configuration options Keep Current Sett...

Page 91: ...e 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 DRAM FOUR ACT WIN Time Auto Configuration options Auto 1 255 DRAM WRITE to READ Delay Auto Configuration options Auto 1 15 DRAM CKE Minimum Pulse Width Auto Configuration o...

Page 92: ...ration options Auto 1 15 DRAM IO L CHA_R0D1 Auto Configuration options Auto 1 15 DRAM IO L CHA_R1D0 Auto Configuration options Auto 1 15 DRAM IO L CHA_R1D1 Auto Configuration options Auto 1 15 DRAM IO L CHB_R0D0 Auto Configuration options Auto 1 15 DRAM IO L CHB_R0D1 Auto Configuration options Auto 1 15 DRAM IO L CHB_R1D0 Auto Configuration options Auto 1 15 DRAM IO L CHB_R1D1 Auto Configuration o...

Page 93: ...onfiguration options Auto Enabled Disabled DRAM CLK Period Auto This item allows you to set a DRAM clock period Configuration options Auto 1 14 Channel A B DIMM Control Enable Both DIMMs This item allows you to enable or disable the DIMMs on channels A and B Configuration options Enable Both DIMMS Disable DIMM0 Disable DIMM1 Disable Both DIMMS Scrambler Setting Optimized ASUS This item allows you ...

Page 94: ...on could get higher voltage and good overclocking performance but increases the CPU and VRM thermal conditions Select from levels 1 to 9 to adjust the CPU power voltage from 0 to 125 Configuration options Auto Level 1 Level 9 The actual performance boost may vary depending on your CPU specification DO NOT remove the thermal module The thermal conditions should be monitored CPU VRM Switching Freque...

Page 95: ...aintain the VRM thermal balance Extreme Select to maintain the current VRM balance CPU Current Capability Auto This item provides a total power range for CPU overclocking A higher value setting provides higher power consumption delivery and extends the overclocking frequency range simultaneously Configuration options Auto 100 110 120 130 140 CPU Power Thermal Control 120 A higher temperature bring...

Page 96: ...ode to Enabled Turbo Mode Parameters Long Duration Package Power Limit Auto Allows you to limit the Turbo Ratio s time duration that exceeds the TDP Thermal Design Power for maximum performance Use the or keys to adjust the value The values range from 1 W t0 4096 W Package Power Time Window Auto Also known as Power Limit 1 this item allows you to maintain the time window for Turbo Ratio over TDP T...

Page 97: ...ntegrated Voltage Regulator as the processor goes into low current state Configuration options Auto Disabled Enabled Idle Power in Response Auto This item allows you to set the slew rate for the Fully Integrated Voltage Regulator when it enters manual override mode Configuration options Auto Regular Fast Idle Power out Response Auto This item allows you to set the slew rate for the Fully Integrate...

Page 98: ...ng potential Higher value provides better power saving condition Use or key to adjust the value The values range from 0 A to 30 A at 1A increment Extreme Over voltage This item allows you to set higher voltages for overclocking When you enable this item you can choose a high level voltage to overclock but does not guarantee the CPU life You can only enable this item when the onboard OC_CPU jumper ...

Page 99: ...em appears only when you set the CPU Cache Voltage to Manual Mode CPU Cache Voltage Override Auto This item allows you to set the CPU Cache 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 1 920 V with a 0 001 V interval The following items appear only when you set the CPU Core Voltage to...

Page 100: ... amount of voltage to enhance the overclocking capability You can use the or keys to adjust the value The values range from 0 001 V to 0 999 V with a 0 001 V interval CPU Digital I O Voltage Offset Mode Sign To offset the voltage by a positive value To offset the voltage by a negative value CPU Digital I O Voltage Offset Auto This item allows you to set the amount of voltage fed to the digital por...

Page 101: ...Voltage CPU Manual Voltage CPU Offset Voltage iGPU Manual Voltage iGPU Offset Voltage DRAM Voltage VCCSA Voltage VCCIO Voltage and PCH Voltage items are labeled in different color indicating the risk levels of high voltage settings The system may need better cooling system for a more stable performance under high voltage settings PCH VLX Voltage Auto This item allows you to set the I O voltage on ...

Page 102: ...ssing reset voltage when the rising edge of the BCLK DN is equal to the falling edge of the BCLK D You can use the or keys to adjust the value The values range from 0 1 V to 1 9 V with a 0 00625 V interval Clock Crossing Voltage Auto This item allows you to increase the value of the clock crossing voltage when the rising edge of the BCLK DN is equal to the falling edge of the BCLK D You can use th...

Page 103: ...vanced 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 104: ...ions Disabled Enabled 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 is enabled Active Processor Cores All This it...

Page 105: ...ance This item allows you to select the CPU performance state during system boot before the operating system takes control The CPU runs at a selected performance ratio based on CPU configuration Configuration options Max Non Turbo Performance Max Battery Turbo Performance Dynamic Storage Accelerator Disabled This item allows you to accelerate the performance of the SSDs Solid State Drives by dynam...

Page 106: ... Enabled Disabled CPU C6 Report Enabled This item allows you to disable or enable the CPU C6 report to the operating system Configuration options Enabled Disabled C6 Latency Short This item allows you to set the duration of C6 latency for C6 state Configuration options Short Long CPU C7 Report CPU C7s This item allows you to disable or enable the CPU C7 report to the operating system Configuration...

Page 107: ...led 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 0 This item allows you to set the RTC wake up timer at S3 entry The time ranges from 0 minute immediately to 120 minutes Active Page Threshold Support Enabled The system automatically goes into sleep mode when the partition size is not enou...

Page 108: ...ATA Port items show Empty if no SATA device is installed to the corresponding SATA port Scroll down to display the other BIOS items SATA Express SATAEXPRESS_1 and M 2 Configuration Auto This item allows you to set an automatic detection between the SATA Express devices and M 2 devices Auto The system automatically detects the connected SATA Express and M 2 devices and set a higher priority to SATA...

Page 109: ...want to create a RAID configuration from the SATA hard disk drives The following item appears only when you set the SATA Mode Selection to RAID Pcie Nand Configuration Auto This item allows you to enable or disable PCIe NAND Configuration options Disabled Enabled Auto Aggressive LPM Support Disabled This item is designed for LPM link power management support with a better energy saving conditions ...

Page 110: ...gy 5 0 used by the CPU graphics Configuration options Auto 32MB 64MB 96MB 128MB 160MB 192MB 224MB 256MB 288MB Render Standby Auto This item allows you to enable or disable Intel graphics render standby support to reduce the iGPU power consumption when the system is idle Configuration options Auto Enabled Disabled CPU Graphics Multi Monitor Disabled This item allows you to empower both integrated a...

Page 111: ...p Enabled Set this item to Enabled to support DRAM address remapping for 64 bit operating systems Configuration options Enabled Disabled 3 6 5 USB Configuration The items in this menu allow you to change the USB related features The Mass Storage Devices item shows the auto detected values If no USB device is detected the item shows None Legacy USB Support Enabled Enabled Your system supports the U...

Page 112: ...sabled Enabled Enables the support for operating systems without an EHCI hand off feature Disabled Disables the EHCI Hand off support Mass Storage Devices Auto This item allows your system to detect the devices according to their media formats Configuration options Auto Floppy Forced FDD Hard Disk CD ROM USB Single Port Control This item allows you to enable or disable the individual USB ports Ref...

Page 113: ...e Power Management on both NB NorthBridge side and SB SouthBridge side of the DMI Link Configuration options Disabled Enabled ASPM Support Disabled This item allows you to select the ASPM state for energy saving conditions Configuration options Disabled L0s L1 L0sL1 Auto SA PCI Express options DMI Link ASPM Control Disabled This item allows you to control the Active State Power Management on both ...

Page 114: ...u set the HD Audio Controller to Enabled Front Panel Type HD Audio This item 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 Audio Sets the front panel audio connector AAFP mode to high definition audio AC97 Sets the front panel audio connector AAFP mode to legacy AC 9...

Page 115: ...you to enable the ASMedia USB 3 0 controller of your system Configuration options Disabled Enabled The following item appears only when you set the Asmedia USB 3 0 Controller to Enabled Asmedia USB 3 0 Battery Charging Support Disabled This item allows you to enable the ASMedia USB 3 0 battery charging support of your system Configuration options Disabled Enabled ASM106SE Storage Controller SATAEX...

Page 116: ...items in this menu allow you to set the serial port configuration Serial Port Enabled Allows you to enable or disable the serial port COM Configuration options Enabled Disabled Change Settings IO 3F8h IRQ 4 This item appears only when you set the Serial Port to Enabled and allows you to select the Serial Port base address Configuration options IO 3F8h IRQ 4 IO 2F8h IRQ 3 IO 3E8h IRQ 4 IO 2E8h IRQ ...

Page 117: ...able or disable the Ring function to generate a wake event Configuration options Disabled Enabled Power On By RTC Disabled This item allows you to enable or disable the RTC Real Time Clock to generate a wake event and configure the RTC alarm date When enabled you can set the days hours minutes or seconds to schedule an RTC alarm date Configuration options Disabled Enabled 3 6 9 Network Stack Confi...

Page 118: ... PCH Core and SENSOR1 temperatures Select Ignore if you do not wish to display the detected temperatures CPU Fan Speed xxxx RPM or Ignore N A CPU Optional Fan 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 moth...

Page 119: ...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 20 C to 75 C CPU Fan Max Duty Cycle 100 Use the or keys to adjust the maximum C...

Page 120: ...fan warning speed Configuration options Ignore 200 RPM 300 RPM 400 RPM 500 RPM 600 RPM Chassis Fan 1 4 Profile Standard This item allows you to set the appropriate performance level of the chassis fan Standard Set to make the chassis fan adjust automatically depending on the chassis temperature Silent Set to minimize the fan speed for quiet chassis fan operation Turbo Set to achieve maximum chassi...

Page 121: ...ycle The values range from 60 to 100 When the chassis temperature is under 40 C the chassis fan operates at the minimum duty cycle Anti Surge Support Enabled This item allows you to enable or disable the OVP Over Voltage Protection and UVP Under Voltage Protection functions This causes the system to automatically shut down when the voltage exceeds the safe range that protects the motherboard s com...

Page 122: ...l devices connected to SATA ports are available during POST This process extends the POST time Hard Drive Only Only hard drives connected to SATA ports are detected during POST Boot Drive Only Only boot drives connected to a SATA ports are detected during POST USB Support Partial Initialization Disabled All USB devices will not be available until OS boot up for a fastest POST time Full Initializat...

Page 123: ...ST Full Screen Sets the boot logo display in full screen during POST Disabled Disables the boot logo display during POST The following item appears only when you set the Boot Logo Display to Auto and Full Screen Post Delay Time 3 sec This item allows you to select a desired additional POST waiting time to easily enter the BIOS Setup You can only execute the POST delay time during normal boot The v...

Page 124: ... item allows you to configure the CSM Compatibility Support Module items to fully support the various VGA bootable devices and add on devices for better compatibility Launch CSM Enabled Auto The system automatically detects the bootable devices and the add on devices Enabled For better compatibility enable the CSM to fully support the non UEFI driver add on devices or the Windows UEFI mode Disable...

Page 125: ...e Microsoft Secure Boot only supports Windows UEFI mode Key Management This allows you to manage the Secure Boot keys Install Default Secure Boot keys This item allows you to immediately load the default Security Boot keys Platform key PK Key exchange Key KEK Signature database db and Revoked Signatures dbx When the default Secure boot keys are loaded the PK state will change from Unloaded mode to...

Page 126: ... management The KEK file must be formatted as a UEFI variable structure with time based authenticated variable DB Management The db Authorized Signature database lists the signers or images of UEFI applications operating system loaders and UEFI drivers that you can load on the single computer Delete the db Allows you to delete the db file from your system Doing so may cause boot failures Load Defa...

Page 127: ... forbid certain customized UEFI executable files The dbx file must be formatted as a UEFI variable structure with time based authenticated variable Boot Option Priorities These items specify the boot device priority sequence from the available devices The number of device items that appears on the screen depends on the number of devices installed in the system To access Windows OS in Safe Mode pre...

Page 128: ...nimator This item allows you to enable or disable the Setup animator Configuration options Disabled Enabled 3 9 1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 Utility This item allows you to run ASUS 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 ...

Page 129: ...S file only coming from the same memory CPU configuration and BIOS version Profile Name This item allows you to key in a profile name Save to Profile This item allows you to save the current BIOS settings to the BIOS Flash and create a profile Key in a profile number from one to eight press Enter and then select Yes Load Save Profile from to USB Drive This item allows you to load or save profile f...

Page 130: ...3 58 Chapter 3 BIOS setup Chapter 3 3 9 3 ASUS DRAM SPD Information This item allows you to view the DRAM SPD information ...

Page 131: ...fault values Save Changes Reset 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 OK 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...

Page 132: ...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 the BIOS in DOS environment using the motherboard support DVD and a USB fla...

Page 133: ...tains 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 arrow k...

Page 134: ...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 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 t...

Page 135: ...t your USB flash drive is in single partition and in FAT32 16 format Turn off the computer Ensure that your computer has a DVD optical drive Booting the system in DOS environment To boot the system in DOS 1 Insert the USB flash drive with the latest BIOS file and BIOS Updater to the USB port 2 Boot your computer then press F8 to launch the select boot device screen 3 When the select boot device sc...

Page 136: ...rompt type bupdater pc g and press Enter 2 On the BIOS Updater screen press Tab to switch from Files panel to Drives panel then select D Welcome to FreeDOS http www freedos org C d D D bupdater pc g Files panel Drives panel 3 Press Tab to switch from Drives panel to Files panel then press Up Down or Home End keys to select the BIOS file and press Enter 5 On the FreeDOS prompt type d then press Ent...

Page 137: ...m boot failure Ensure to load the BIOS default settings to ensure system compatibility and stability Select Load Optimized Defaults item under the Exit BIOS menu See section 3 10 Exit menu for details 4 After the BIOS Updater checks the selected BIOS file select Yes to confirm the BIOS update Are you sure you want to update the BIOS Yes No The BIOS Backup feature is not supported due to security r...

Page 138: ...3 66 Chapter 3 BIOS setup Chapter 3 ...

Page 139: ... Support DVD information The contents of the support DVD are subject to change at any time without notice Visit the ASUS website at www asus com for updates 4 2 1 Running the support DVD Ensure that you have an Administrator account before running the support DVD in Windows 7 Windows 8 or Windows 8 1 operating systems To run the support DVD 1 Place the Support DVD into the optical drive 2 In the A...

Page 140: ... 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 guides Click or tap an item to open the folder of the user guide Click or tap to display the ASUS contact information Click or tap an icon to display DVD motherboard information Click or tap an item to install Support DV...

Page 141: ...om the Utilities tab before opening the files To read about your motherboard s utility guide 1 Click or tap 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 provided...

Page 142: ...ntegrates several ASUS utilities and allows you to launch and operate these utilities simultaneously Installing AI Suite 3 Ensure that you have an Administrator account before installing AI Suite 3 in Windows 7 Windows 8 or Windows 8 1 operating systems To install AI Suite 3 on your computer Windows 7 OS 1 Place the Support DVD into the optical drive 2 In the AutoPlay dialog box click or tap Run A...

Page 143: ...the AI Suite 3 app on the Start Screen Windows 8 and Windows 8 1 OS 1 Place the Support DVD into the optical drive then follow onscreen instructions 2 From the ASUS motherboard support DVD main menu select the Utilities tab and click or tap AI Suite 3 3 Follow the succeeding onscreen instructions If the ASUS motherboard support DVD main menu did not appear try the following a Go to the Start Scree...

Page 144: ...ty The AI Suite main menu includes is a quick access menu bar that allows you to swiftly launch any of the integrated ASUS utilities Click or tap on the top right corner of the menu to launch the menu bar The Ai Suite 3 screenshots in this section are for reference only and can vary depending on motherboard model Some functions in the AI Suite 3 main menu in this user guide may vary depending on t...

Page 145: ...ly in selected motherboard models Tick to enable or disable Ai Charger Click or tap 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 disconnect and reco...

Page 146: ...atically detects the USB 3 0 devices that support UASP For a list of UASP supported USB 3 0 devices visit the ASUS website at www asus com The data transfer speed varies with USB devices For a higher data transfer performance use a USB 3 0 device Click or tap to select a USB device Click or tap to enable the USB device s normal data transfer rate Click or tap to enable UASP or Turbo Mode for a fas...

Page 147: ...the BIOS and select the boot logo that displays during POST Launching EZ Update To launch EZ Update click or tap on the top right corner of the AI Suite 3 main menu then select EZ Update Using EZ Update Click or tap to automatically update your motherboard driver software and firmware Click or tap to search and select the BIOS file Click or tap to select a boot logo Click or tap to update the BIOS...

Page 148: ...t logo Click or tap to search an image file for your boot logo Click or tap to go back to EZ Update main screen Click or tap to proceed the updating BIOS and boot logo After you click or tap BIOS Update button click or tap Flash to update the BIOS and upload the boot logo in your system ...

Page 149: ... USB BIOS Flashback USB BIOS Flashback is available only in selected motherboard models Scheduling the BIOS download 1 In the Download Setting field tick Schedule days then select the number of days for the BIOS download schedule 2 Click or tap Apply to save the BIOS download schedule Click or tap Cancel to cancel the download schedule Using USB BIOS Flashback Set a schedule for the BIOS Update do...

Page 150: ... Refer to section 2 3 1 Rear I O connection of this user guide for more details To download the updated BIOS 1 From the USB BIOS Flashback screen click or tap Check for New BIOS Update Wait for the system to check the latest BIOS version 2 After the utility detects a new BIOS click or tap from the Save to field select the USB flash drive then click or tap Download 3 After the download is complete ...

Page 151: ...to detect the connected USB device Click or tap to apply the settings Click or tap to discard the settings Click or tap to fast charge your USB device Indicates that the connected USB device is in charging mode Click or tap to stop charging your USB device Click or tap 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 por...

Page 152: ...e AI Suite 3 main menu then select Push Notice Push Notice screen Click or tap to enable Push Notice Click or tap to apply the settings Click or tap to discard the settings Tick to select the smart device You can also enable the Push Notice via the Push Notice shortcut on the lower right corner of your screen To do this click or tap then click or tap then select Pairing your computer and smart dev...

Page 153: ... minutes to send the alert before the PC mode s activatation Key in your messages for more information Tick to select the smart device Setting up PC Status alerts This feature allows you to send alerts of the unusual activities of the voltage temperature and fan settings of your computer to your smart device Tick to select and send alerts to your smart device Tick to send alert when the components...

Page 154: ...ges to your smart device You can also send messages via the Push Notice messaging shortcut on the lower right corner of your screen To do this click or tap then click or tap then select Click or tap to key in your message Tick to select the smart device Click or tap to send your message Tap to view PC mode alerts Tap to view PC status alerts Tap to view PC sent messages Tap to scan more host compu...

Page 155: ...Launching the System Information To launch System Information click or tap on the top right corner of the AI Suite 3 main menu then select System Information Viewing the motherboard information Click or tap the MB tab to view the motherboard s information Viewing the CPU information Click or tap the CPU tab to view the processor s information ...

Page 156: ... 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 you will find the Realtek HD Audio Manager icon on the taskbar Double click or tap on the icon to displa...

Page 157: ...Audio Manager with DTS UltraPC II for Windows 8 1 Windows 8 Windows 7 Configuration option tabs vary with the audio devices connected Advanced settings Set default device button Control settings panel Analog and digital connector status ...

Page 158: ...Onboard buttons and switches for additional details If the switch is disabled the Dr Power icon will not be available on the Windows notification area Installing Dr Power Utility To install Dr Power on your computer 1 Place the support DVD in the optical drive The setup window will be displayed if Autorun is enabled on your system 2 Click the Drivers tab and then click ASUS Dr Power 3 Follow the i...

Page 159: ...ayed for 15 seconds or until you click the Close button ASUS Dr Power will notify you of the power status if the same conditions are present on your system ASUS Dr Power can be configured to provide notifications at regular intervals 15 minutes Messages will be displayed every 15 minutes 4 hours Messages will be displayed every 4 hours Not showing Messages for any power issues will not be displaye...

Page 160: ...4 22 Chapter 4 Software support Chapter 4 ...

Page 161: ...t 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 stripes both data and pa...

Page 162: ...nect 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 set the RAID item in BIOS 1 Enter the BIOS Setup during POST 2 Go to the Advanced menu SATA Configuration then press Enter 3 Set the SATA Mode item to RAID Mode 4 Save your changes and then exit the BIOS Se...

Page 163: ...enus and select the menu options The RAID BIOS setup screens shown in this section are for reference only and may not exactly match the items on your screen The utility supports maximum four hard disk drives for RAID configuration RAID Volumes None defined Physical Devices Port Device Model Serial Size Type Status Vol ID 0 ST3160812AS 9LS0HJA4 149 0GB Non RAID Disk 1 ST3160812AS 9LS0F4HL 149 0GB N...

Page 164: ...disk drives you want to include in the RAID set The SELECT DISKS screen appears Enter a unique volume name that has no special characters and is 16 characters or less HELP Name Volume 0 RAID Level aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Disks dssdsdsds Strip Size aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Capacity aaaaaaaaaaaaaa Sync aaaaaaaaaa Create volume SELECT DISKS Port Device Model Serial Size Status 0 ST3160812AS 9LS0HJA4 149 0GB Non RAID...

Page 165: ...4 KB RAID 5 64 KB 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 me...

Page 166: ...lete 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 Deleting a volume will reset the disks to non RAID WARNING ALL DISK DATA WILL BE DELETED This does not apply to Recovery volumes HELP DELETE VOLUME MENU Name Level Drives Capacity Status Bootable Volume0 RAID0 Stripe 2 298 0GB Normal Yes Sel...

Page 167: ...y drive connector 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...

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: ...de at least the minimum power required by your system See Chapter 1 for details We recommend that you install additional chassis fans for better thermal environment Visit the AMD Game website http game amd com for the latest certified graphics card and the supported 3D application list 6 1 2 Before you begin For AMD CrossFireX to work properly you have to uninstall all existing graphics card drive...

Page 170: ...s 2 Insert the two graphics card into the PCIEX16 slots If your motherboard has more than two PCIEX16 slots refer to Chapter 1 in this user manual for the locations of the PCIEX16 slots recommended for multi graphics card installation 3 Ensure that the cards are properly seated on the slots 4 Align and firmly insert the CrossFireX bridge connector to the goldfingers on each graphics card Ensure th...

Page 171: ...motherboard has more than three PCIEX16 slots refer to Chapter 1 in this user manual for the locations of the PCIEX16 slots recommended for multi graphics card installation 3 Ensure that the cards are properly seated on the slots 4 Align and firmly insert the two CrossFireX bridge connectors to the goldfingers on each graphics card Ensure that the connectors are firmly in place 5 Connect three ind...

Page 172: ...tions of the PCIEX16 slots recommended for multi graphics card installation 3 Ensure that the cards are properly seated on the slots 4 Align and firmly insert the three CrossFireX bridge connectors to the goldfingers on each graphics card Ensure that the connectors are firmly in place 5 Connect four independent auxiliary power sources from the power supply to the four graphics cards separately 6 C...

Page 173: ...logy Download the latest driver from the AMD website www amd com 6 1 7 Enabling the AMD CrossFireX technology After installing your graphics cards and the device drivers enable the CrossFireX feature through the AMD Vision Engine Control Center in Windows environment Launching the AMD VISION Engine Control Center To launch the AMD VISION Engine Control Center 1 Right click on the Windows desktop a...

Page 174: ...Dual CrossFireX technology 1 In the AMD Vision Engine Control Center window click Performance AMD CrossFireXTM 2 Select Enable CrossFireXTM 3 Select a GPU combination from the drop down list 4 Click Apply to save and activate the GPU settings made 1 2 3 4 ...

Page 175: ...nimum power required by your system We recommend that you install additional chassis fans for better thermal environment Visit the NVIDIA zone website http www nzone com for the latest certified graphics card and supported 3D application list 6 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 model...

Page 176: ...e to the graphics card 6 2 3 Installing three SLI ready graphics cards Refer to the documentation that came with your graphics card package to install the device drivers 1 Prepare three SLI ready graphics cards 2 Insert the three graphics cards into the PCIEX16 slots If your motherboard has more than two PCIEX16 slots refer to Chapter 1 in this user manual for locations of the PCIEX16 slots recomm...

Page 177: ...ics cards 2 Insert the four graphics cards into the PCIEX16 slots If your motherboard has more than two PCIEX16 slots refer to Chapter 1 in this user manual for the locations of the PCIEX16 slots recommended for multi graphics card installation 3 Ensure that the cards are properly seated on the slots 4 Align and firmly insert the 4 way SLI bridge connector to the goldfingers on each graphics card ...

Page 178: ... two methods A Right click on the empty space of the Windows desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel The NVIDIA Control Panel window appears See Step B3 B1 If you cannot see the NVIDIA Control Panel item in step A select Screen Resolution 6 2 5 Installing the device drivers Refer to the documentation that came with your graphics card package to install the device drivers Ensure that your PCI Expre...

Page 179: ...ettings B3 The NVIDIA Control Panel window appears Enabling SLI settings From the NVIDIA Control Panel window select Configure SLI Surround PhysX In the Quad SLI enabled click Maximize 3D Performance SLI to set the display for viewing SLI rendered content When done click Apply ...

Page 180: ...6 12 Chapter 6 Multiple GPU support Chapter 6 ...

Page 181: ...se 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 reloca...

Page 182: ...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 183: ...ng solutions for you to be able to responsibly recycle our products batteries other components as well as the packaging materials Please go to http csr asus com english Takeback htm for detailed recycling information in different regions RF Equipment Notices CE European Community Compliance Statement The equipment complies with the RF Exposure Requirement 1999 519 EC Council Recommendation of 12 J...

Page 184: ...e License Terms Copyright 2014 Google Inc All Rights Reserved Licensed under the Apache License Version 2 0 the License you may not use this file except in compliance with the License You may obtain a copy of the License at http www apache org licenses LICENSE 2 0 Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing software distributed under the License is distributed on an AS IS BASIS WITHO...

Page 185: ...INTERNATIONAL America Address 800 Corporate Way Fremont CA 94539 USA Telephone 1 510 739 3777 Fax 1 510 608 4555 Web site http www asus com us Technical Support Support fax 1 812 284 0883 Telephone 1 812 282 2787 Online support http www service asus com ASUS COMPUTER GmbH Germany and Austria Address Harkort Str 21 23 D 40880 Ratingen Germany Fax 49 2102 959911 Web site http www asus com de Online ...

Page 186: ...A 6 Appendices Appendices ...

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Summary of Contents for Z97-WS

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Asus Z97-WS, User Manual, Page: 175 / 186

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Summary of Contents for Z97-WS

Reviews: