Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
G52-72551X6
Trademarks
All trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.
NVIDIA, the NVIDIA logo, DualNet, and nForce are registered trademarks or trade-
marks of NVIDIA Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
AMD, Athlon™, Athlon™ XP, Thoroughbred™, and Duron™ are registered trade-
marks of AMD Corporation.
Intel® and Pentium® are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation.
PS/2 and OS ® /2 are registered trademarks of International Business Machines
Corporation.
W indows ® 95/98/2000/NT/XP are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
Netware® is a registered trademark of Novell, Inc.
Award® is a registered trademark of Phoenix Technologies Ltd.
AMI® is a registered trademark of American Megatrends Inc.
Revision History
Revision Revision History Date
V1.0 First release July 2006
V1.1 Include P4M900M Cover September 2006
Technical Support
If a problem arises with your system and no solution can be obtained from the user’s
manual, please contact your place of purchase or local distributor. Alternatively,
please try the following help resources for further guidance.
Visit the MSI website for FAQ, technical guide, BIOS updates, driver updates,
and other information: http://www.msi.com.tw/program/service/faq/
faq/esc_faq_list.php
Contact our technical staff at: http://support.msi.com.tw/
ii
iii
Notice 1
The changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for
compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
Notice 2
Shielded interface cables and A.C. power cord, if any, must be used in order to
comply with the emission limits.
Micro-Star International
MS-7255
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that
may cause undesired operation.
iv
viii
ix
Chapter 1
Getting Started
1-1
Mainboard Specifications
Processor Support*
- Supports Intel ® Pemtium 4 Extreme Edition, Pentium 4, Pentium
D (805/820), Pentium D (920/925/930), Celeron D and Intel ®
CoreTM 2 Duo processors in the LGA775 package.
- Supports 3/4 pin CPU Fan Pin-Header with Fan Speed Control.
- Supports EIST Technology
- Supports Hyper-Threading (HT) Technology
- Supports Intel Dual Core Technology
W e recommend use processor with 95w power consumption (805/
820/920/925/930)
Supported FSB
- 533/800/1066 MHz
Chipset
- North Bridge: VIA ® P4M890/P4M900
- South Bridge: VIA ® 8237A
M emory Support**
- DDRII 400/533 SDRAM (2GB Max)
- 2 DDRII DIMMs (240pin / 1.8V)
LAN
- Supports LAN 10/100 Fast Ethermet by VIA ® VT6103L
- Supports LAN 10/100/1000 Fast Ethermet by VIA ® VT6122(optional)
IEEE 1394 (Optional)
- Chip integrated by VIA VT 6307 or VT6308
Audio
- Chip integrated by VIA ® VT1708
- Flexible 8-channel audio with jack sensing
- Compliant with Azalia 1.x HD audio.
IDE
- 2 ports (4 IDE channels).
- Supports Ultra DMA 33/66/100/133 mode
- Supports PIO, Bus Master operation mode
SATA
- 2 SATA ports
- Supports 2 SATA devices.
- Supports storage and data transfers at up to 150 MB/s
Floppy
- 1 floppy port
- Supports 1 FDD with 360K, 720K, 1.2M, 1.44M and 2.88Mbytes
1-2
Connectors
Back Panel
- 1 PS/2 mouse port
- 1 PS/2 keyboard port
- 1 serial port (COM1)
- 1 parallel port supporting SPP/EPP/ECP mode
- 1 D-Sub VGA port
- 1 IEEE 1394 port (Optional)
- 4 USB 2.0 ports
- 1 LAN jack
- 6 flexible audio jacks.
On-Board Pinheaders
- 1 front Audio pinheader
- 1 CD-in pinheader
- 1 SPDIF-out pinheader
- 1 IEEE 1394 pinheader (Optional)
- 2 USB 2.0 pinheaders
- 1 serial port pinheader (JCOM2)
Slots
- 1 PCI Express x16 slot
- 1 PCI Express x1 slot
- 2 PCI slots.
- Support 3.3V/ 5V PCI bus Interface
Form Factor
- Micro-ATX (24.4cm X 21.0cm)
M ounting
- 6 mounting holes
1-3
Mainboard Layout
DIMM1
DIMM2
Top : m ou se
JCASE1
Bo ttom:
keyboard PWRFAN1
Winbond
CPUFAN1 W83627EHG
SYSFAN1
Top :
Parallel Port
JCOM2
Bottom:
COM portA
VGA port
FDD 1
Top:1394
Bottom: USB ports
JPWR1
IDE 2
VIA
VT6103L PCI E_2
BATT
+
PCI 1
VIA
VT6307 VIA
/ VT6308 SATA2
VT8237A
PCI 2 SATA1
JFP2
VT1708
JSPDIFOUT1 JUSB1 JUSB2 BIOS
JBAT1
JFP1
JAUD1 JCD1 J1394_1
1-4
Packing Checklist
User’s Guide
* The pictures are for reference only. Your packing contents may vary depending on
the model you purchased.
1-5
PC AlertTM 4
The PC AlertTM 4 is a utility you can find in the CD-ROM disk. The utility is just like
your PC doctor that can detect the following PC hardware status during real time
operation:
ö monitor CPU & system temperatures
ö monitor fan speeds
ö monitor system voltages
If one of the items above is abnormal, the program main screen will be immedi-
ately shown on the screen, with the abnormal item highlighted in red. This will
continue to be shown until the condition returns to the normal status.
Adjusting Keys
Temperature
Modes
Users can use the Adjusting Keys to change the minimum and maximum threshold
of each item for the system to send out a warning message. Click Temperature to
select the temperature modes of either Fahr-
enheit ( oF) or Celsius ( oC). The PC Alert™ 4
icon on the Status Area will show the current
CPU temperature.
Important
1-6
Chapter 2
Hardware Setup
2-1
2-2
This mainboard supports Intel® Pentium 4 processor in LGA 775 package. W hen you
are installing the CPU, make sure to install the cooler to prevent overheating.
If you do not have the CPU cooler, contact your dealer to purchase and install them
before turning on the computer.
For the latest information about CPU, please visit http://www.msi.com.tw/program/
products/mainboard/mbd/pro_mbd_cpu_support.php.
Important
1. Overheating will seriously damage the CPU and system. Always make
sure the cooling fan can work properly to protect the CPU from overheating.
2. Make sure that you apply an even layer of heat sink paste (or thermal tape)
between the CPU and the heatsink to enhance heat dissipation.
3. While replacing the CPU, always turn off the ATX power supply or unplug
the power supply’s power cord from the grounded outlet first to ensure the
safety of CPU.
2-3
1. The CPU has a plastic cap on it to 2. Remove the cap from lever hinge
protect the contact from damage. side (as the arrow shows).
Before you install the CPU, always
cover it to protect the socket pin.
2-4
Important
1. Confirm if your CPU cooler is firmly installed before turning on your system.
2. Do not touch the CPU socket pins to avoid damaging.
3. The availability of the CPU land side cover depends on your CPU packing.
5. Lift the load lever up and open the 6. After confirming the CPU direction
load plate. for correct mating, put down the
CPU in the socket housing frame.
Be sure to grasp on the edge of
the CPU base. Note that the align-
ment keys are matched.
alignment
key
7. Visually ins pect if the CPU is 8. Cover the load plate onto the
seated well into the socket. If not, package.
take out the CPU with pure vertical
motion and reinstall.
2-5
9. Press down the load lever lightly 10. Align the holes on the mainboard
onto the load plate, and then se- with the heatsink. Push down the
cure the lever with the hook under c ooler u nti l i ts f ou r c lip s g et
retention tab. wedged int o t he holes of t he
mainboard.
11. Press the four hooks down to fas- 12. Turn over the mainboard to con-
ten the cooler. Then rotate the lock- firm that the clip-ends are cor-
ing switch (refer to the correct di- rectly inserted.
rection marked on it) to lock the
hooks.
locking
switch
Important
1. Check the information in H/W M onitor in BIOS (Chapter 3) for the CPU
temperature.
2. Whenever CPU is not installed, always protect your CPU socket pin with the
plastic cap covered (shown in Figure 1) to avoid damaging.
3. Please note that the mating/unmating durability of the CPU is 20 cycles.
Therefore we suggest you do not plug/unplug the CPU too often.
2-6
Memory
The mainboard provides two 240-pin non-ECC DDRII DIMM slots.
For more information on compatible components, please visit http://www.msi.com.tw/
program/products/mainboard/mbd/pro_mbd_trp_list.php.
DDRII
240-pin, 1.8V
64x2=128 pin 56x2=112 pin
Important
You can barely see the golden finger if the module is properly inserted in the
DIMM slot.
3. The plastic clip at each side of the DIMM slot will automatically close.
Volt Notch
Important
- DDRII modules are not interchangeable with DDR and the DDRII standard is
not backwards compatible. You should always install DDRII memory mod-
ules in the DDRII DIMM slots and DDR memory modules in the DDR DIMM
slots.
- In dual-channel mode, make sure that you install memory modules of the
same type and density in different channel DDR DIMM slots.
- To enable successful system boot-up, always insert the memory modules
into the DIM M1 first.
2-7
Power Supply
12 6 +5V 18 GND
1
7 GND 19 GND
8 PWR OK 20 Res
9 5VSB 21 +5V
10 +12V 22 +5V
11 +12V 23 +5V
12 NC 24 GND
Important
1. Maker sure that all the connectors are connected to proper ATX power sup-
plies to ensure stable operation of the mainboard.
2. Power supply of 350 watts (and above) is highly recommended for system
stability.
3. ATX 12V power connection should be greater than 18A.
2-8
Back Panel
L-In RS-Out
Parallel 1394 Port LAN
Mouse
L-Out CS-Out
Mic SS-Out
Keyboard Serial Port VGA Port USB Ports
M ouse/Keyboard Connector
The standard PS/2® mouse/keyboard DIN connector is for a PS/2® mouse/keyboard.
Parallel Port Connector
A parallel port is a standard printer port that supports Enhanced Parallel Port (EPP)
and Extended Capabilities Parallel Port (ECP) mode.
Serial Port Connector
The serial port is a 16550A high speed communications port that sends/ receives 16
bytes FIFOs. You can attach a serial mouse or other serial devices directly to the
connector.
VGA Connector
The DB15-pin female connector is provided for VGA monitors.
IEEE 1394 Port
The 1394 port on the back panel provides connection to 1394 devices.
USB Connectors
The OHCI (Open Host Controller Interface) Universal Serial Bus root is for attaching
USB devices such as keyboard, mouse, or other USB-compatible devices.
LAN (RJ-45) Jack
The standard RJ-45 jack is for connection
to single Local Area Network (LAN). You Activity Indicator Link Indicator
can connect a network cable to it.
2-9
2-10
Connectors
Floppy Disk Drive Connector: FDD1
This standard FDD connector supports 360K, 720K, 1.2M, 1.44M and 2.88M floppy
disk types.
FDD1
IDE1 IDE2
Important
If you install two hard disks on cable, you must configure the second drive to
Slave mode by setting its jumper. Refer to the hard disk documentation
supplied by hard disk vendors for jumper setting instructions.
2-11
Connect to SATA1, 2
Important
Please do not fold the Serial ATA cable into 90-degree angle. Otherwise,
data loss may occur during transmission.
2-12
CONTROL
SENSOR SENSOR SENSOR
+1 2V +1 2V +1 2V
GND GND GND
Important
Please refer to the recommended CPU fans at Intel® official website or consult
the vendors for proper CPU cooling fan.
CINTRU 1
GND 2
JCASE1
2-13
Pin Definition
PIN SIGNAL PIN SIGNAL
1 TPA+ 2 TPA-
2 10
1 9 3 Ground 4 Ground
5 TPB+ 6 TPB-
J1394_1
7 Cable power 8 Cable power
Connected to J1394_1
Foolproof
design
2-14
JSPDIFOUT1
VCC GND
SPDIF
Connected to JSPDIFOUT1
Pin Definition
JCOM2
PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION
1 2
1 DCD Data Carry Detect
2 SIN Serial In or Receive Data
3 SOUT Serial Out or Transmit Data
4 DTR Data Terminal Ready
5 GND Ground
6 DSR Data Set Ready
9 7 RTS Request To Send
8 CTS Clear To Send
9 RI Ring Indicate
2-15
GND
L R
JCD1
JFP1
JFP2
10 9
8 7
+ Power - + Reset
- Switch + - Switch
Speaker Power
+ Power - HDD
- LED LED + LED
2 1 2 1
2-16
JAUD1
2 10
1 9
Important
If you don’t want to connect to the front audio header, pins 5 & 6 10
6, 9 & 10 have to be jumpered in order to have signal output
directed to the rear audio ports. Otherwise, the Line-Out con- 5 9
nector on the back panel will not function.
2-17
Pin Definition
PIN SIGNAL PIN SIGNAL
2 10 3 USB0- 4 USB1-
1 9 5 USB0+ 6 USB1+
7 GND 8 GND
9 Key (no pin) 10 USBOC
Important
Note that the pins of VCC and GND must be connected correctly to avoid
possible damage.
2-18
Jumpers
1 1
1
3 3
JBAT1
Keep Data Clear Data
Important
You can clear CMOS by shorting 2-3 pin while the system is off. Then return
to 1-2 pin position. Avoid clearing the CMOS while the system is on; it will
damage the mainboard.
2-19
Slots
Important
When adding or removing expansion cards, make sure that you unplug the
power supply first. Meanwhile, read the documentation for the expansion card
to configure any necessary hardware or software settings for the expansion
card, such as jumpers, switches or BIOS configuration.
2-20
2-21
Chapter 3
BIOS Setup
3-1
Entering Setup
Power on the computer and the system will start POST (Power On Self Test) process.
W hen the message below appears on the screen, press <DEL> key to enter Setup.
Important
1. The items under each BIOS category described in this chapter are under
continuous update for better system performance. Therefore, the descrip-
tion may be slightly different from the latest BIOS and should be held for
reference only.
2. Upon boot-up, the 1st line appearing after the memory count is the BIOS
version. It is usually in the format:
3-2
Control Keys
Getting Help
After entering the Setup menu, the first menu you will see is the Main Menu.
M ain M enu
The main menu lists the setup functions you can make changes to. You can use the
arrow keys ( ↑↓ ) to select the item. The on-line description of the highlighted setup
function is displayed at the bottom of the screen.
Sub-M enu
If you find a right pointer symbol (as shown in the right view) appears to the left of
certain fields that means a sub-menu can be
launched from this field. A sub-menu contains
additional options for a field parameter. You
can use arrow keys ( ↑↓ ) to highlight the
field and press <Enter> to call up the sub-menu. Then you can use the control keys
to enter values and move from field to field within a sub-menu. If you want to return
to the main menu, just press the <Esc >.
3-3
Standard CM OS Features
Use this menu for basic system configurations, such as time, date etc.
Integrated Peripherals
Use this menu to specify your settings for integrated peripherals.
H/W M onitor
This entry shows your PC health status.
Cell M enu
Use this menu to specify your settings for CPU/AGP frequency/voltage control and
overclocking.
3-4
3-5
Date (MM:DD:YY)
This allows you to set the system to the date that you want (usually the current date).
The format is <day> <month> <date> <year>.
day Day of the week, from Sun to Sat, determined by BIOS. Read only.
mon th The month from Jan. through Dec.
date The date from 1 to 31 can be keyed by numeric function keys.
year The year can be adjusted by users.
T ime (hh:mm:ss)
This allows you to set the system time that you want (usually the current time). The
time format is <hour> <minute> <second>.
3-6
Type
This item allows you to select how to define the HHD parameters.
Floppy A
This item allows you to set the type of the floppy drives installed.
Halt On
The setting determines whether the system will stop if an error is detected at boot.
Available options are:
[No Errors] The system doesn’t stop for any detected error.
[All, But Keyboard] The system doesn’t stop for a keyboard error.
**System Information**
CPU Type and memory status of your system (read only).
3-7
Quick Boot
Setting the item to [Enabled] allows the system to boot within 5 seconds since it will
skip some check items.
CPU Configuration
Press <Enter> to enter the sub-menu.
**CPU Information**
Manufacturer/Frequency/FSB Speed/Cache L1/Cache L2/Ratio Value
These items show the CPU related information of your system (read only).
CPU TM function
The item allows you to specify the CPU speed (at percentage) to which it will slow
down when the CPU reaches the predetermined overheat temperature.
3-8
C1E Support
This item allows you to enable/disable the C1E power management feature which
can also drop clock speed and voltage on the processor.
Hardware Prefetcher
This item allows you to to enable/disable the hardware prefetcher, or in other
words – hardware prefetch mechanism.
MPS Configuration
This field allows you to select which MPS (Multi-Processor Specification) version to
be used for the operating system. You need to select the MPS version supported by
your operating system. To find out which version to use, consult the vendor of your
operating system.
3-9
Important
Change these settings only if you are familiar with the chipset.
DRAM Frequency
Use this field to configure the clock frequency of the installed DRAM.
DRAM Timing
The value in this field depends on performance parameters of the installed memory
chips (DRAM). Do not change the value from the factory setting unless you install
new memory that has a different performance rating than the original DRAMs.
V-Link 8X Supported
This item enables or disables the 8X VLink Data Rate.
3-10
Integrated Peripherals
USB Functions
This setting is used to enable/disable the onboard USB host controller.
IDE Configuration
Press <Enter> to enter the sub-menu:
3-11
LAN Controller
This setting allows you to enable/disable the onboard LAN controller.
Audio Controller
This item allows you to enable/ disable the audio controller. Disable the function if you
want to use other controller cards to connect an audio device.
OnBoard 1394
This setting is used to enable/disable the onboard IEEE 1394 controller.
3-12
To operate the onboard parallel port as Standard Parallel Port only, choose [SPP].
To operate the onboard parallel port in the EPP mode simultaneously, choose [EPP].
By choosing [ECP], the onboard parallel port will operate in ECP mode only. Choos-
ing [ECP + EPP] will allow the onboard parallel port to support both the ECP and EPP
modes simultaneously.
3-13
Important
S3-related functions described in this section are available only
when your BIOS supports S3 sleep mode.
ACPI Function
This item is to activate the ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Management
Interface) Function. If your operating system is ACPI-aware, such as Windows 98SE/
2000/ME/XP, select [Enabled]. Settings: [Enabled] and [Disabled].
ACPI Standby
This item specifies the power saving modes for ACPI function. If your operating
system supports ACPI, such as W indows 98SE, W indows ME and W indows 2000,
you can choose to enter the Standby mode in S1 (POS) or S3 (STR) fashion through
the setting of this field. Options are:
[S1(POS)] The S1 sleep mode is a low power state. In this state, no system
context is lost (CPU or chipset) and hardware maintains all sys-
tem context.
[S3(STR)] The S3 sleep mode is a lower power state where the information
of system configuration and open applications/files is saved to
main memory that remains powered while most other hardware
components turn off to save energy. The information stored in
memory will be used to restore the system when a “wake up”
event occurs.
Resume On KBC
The item specifies how the system will be awakened from power saving mode
when input signal of the keyboard is detected.
Wake-Up Key
This setting only works Resume On KBC is set to [Enabled]. This setting speci-
fies how the system will be awakened from power saving mode when input
signal of the keyboard is detected.
Resume On Lan
The item specifies how the system will be awakened from power saving mode
when input signal of the Lan is detected.
3-15
Clear NVRAM
The NVRAM (Non-volatile Random Access Memory) is where the BIOS stores re-
source information for both PNP and non-PNP devices in a bit string format. W hen the
item is set to [Yes], the system will reset NVRAM right after the system is booted up
and then set the setting of the item back to [No] automatically.
3-16
DM A Resources Setup
Press <Enter> and you will enter the sub-menu of the items.DMA Resources 0/1/3/5/
6/7 for setting determine if BIOS should remove a DMA from the available DMAs
passed to devices that are configurable by the system BIOS. The available DMA pool
is determined by reading the NVRAM. If more DMAs must be removed from the pool,
the end user can reserve the DMA.
3-17
H/W Monitor
This section shows the status of your CPU, fan, overall system status, etc. Monitor
function is available only if there is hardware monitoring mechanism onboard.
Chassis Intrusion
The field enables or disables the feature of recording the chassis intrusion status and
issuing a warning message if the chassis is once opened. To clear the warning
message, set the field to [Reset]. The setting of the field will automatically return to
[Enabled] later.
3-18
Cell Menu
The items here includes some important settings of CPU and PCI functions.
Important
Change these settings only if you are familiar with the chipset.
Important
The settings shown in different color in CPU Voltage, DDR Voltage and NB
Voltage help to verify if your setting is proper for your system.
G ray: Default setting.
Whi te: Safe setting.
Yellow: High performance setting.
Red: Not recommended setting and the system may be unstable.
Changing CPU Voltage, DDR Voltage and NB Voltage may result in the insta-
bility of the system; therefore, it is NOT recommended to change the default
setting for long-term usage.
3-19
Spread Spectrum
W hen the motherboard’s clock generator pulses, the extreme values (spikes) of the
pulses creates EMI (Electromagnetic Interference). The Spread Spectrum function
reduces the EMI generated by modulating the pulses so that the spikes of the pulses
are reduced to flatter curves. If you do not have any EMI problem, leave the setting at
[Disabled] for optimal system stability and performance. But if you are plagued by EMI,
select the desired range for EMI reduction. Remember to disable Spread Spectrum
function if you are overclocking, because even a slight jitter can introduce a tempo-
rary boost in clock speed which may just cause your overclocked processor to lock
up.
3-20
The two options on the main menu allow users to restore all of the BIOS settings to
the default Fail-Safe or Optimized values. The Optimized Defaults are the default
values set by the mainboard manufacturer specifically for optimal performance of the
mainboard. The Fail-Safe Defaults are the default values set by the BIOS vendor for
stable system performance.
W hen you select Load Fail-Safe Defaults, a message as below appears:
Pressing Y loads the BIOS default values for the most stable, minimal system
performance.
Pressing Y loads the default factory settings for optimal system performance.
3-21
W hen you select this function, a message as below will appear on the screen:
Type the password, up to 6 characters in length, and press <Enter>. The password
typed now will replace any previously set password from CMOS memory. You will be
prompted to confirm the password. Retype the password and press <Enter>. You
may also press <Esc> to abort the selection and not enter a password.
To clear a set password, just press <Enter> when you are prompted to enter the
password. A message will show up confirming the password will be disabled. Once
the password is disabled, the system will boot and you can enter Setup without
entering any password.
W hen a password has been set, you will be prompted to enter it every time you try to
enter Setup. This prevents an unauthorized person from changing any part of your
system configuration.
3-22
Serial ATA (SATA) is the latest generation of the ATA interface. SATA
hard drives deliver blistering transfer speeds of up to 150MB/sec.
Serial ATA uses long, thin cables, making it easier to connect your drive
and improving the airflow inside your PC.
Introduction
This section gives a brief introduction on the RAID-related background knowledge and
a brief introduction on VIA SATA RAID Host Controller. For users wishing to install their
VIA SATA RAID driver and RAID software, proceed to Driver and RAID Software
Installation section.
RAID Basics
RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) is a method of combining two or more
hard disk drives into one logical unit. The advantage of an Array is to provide better
performance or data fault tolerance. Fault tolerance is achieved through data redundant
operation, where if one drives fails, a mirrored copy of the data can be found on
another drive. This can prevent data loss if the operating system fails or hangs. The
individual disk drives in an array are called “members”. The configuration information of
each member is recorded in the “reserved sector” that identifies the drive as a member.
All disk members in a formed disk array are recognized as a single physical drive to the
operating system.
Hard disk drives can be combined together through a few different methods. The
different methods are referred to as different RAID levels. Different RAID levels
represent different performance levels, security levels and implementation costs. The
RAID levels which the VIA VT8237 SATA RAID Host Controller supports are RAID 0 and
RAID 1. The table below briefly introduced these RAID levels.
RAID 0 (Striping)
RAID 0 reads and writes sectors of data interleaved between multiple drives. If
any disk member fails, it affects the entire array. The disk array data capacity is equal
to the number of drive members times the capacity of the smallest member. The striping
block size can be set from 4KB to 64KB. RAID 0 does not support fault tolerance.
RAID 1 (Mirroring)
RAID 1 writes duplicate data onto a pair of drives and reads both sets of data in
parallel. If one of the mirrored drives suffers a mechanical failure or does not respond,
the remaining drive will continue to function. Due to redundancy, the drive capacity of
the array is the capacity of the smallest drive. Under a RAID 1 setup, an extra drive
called the .spare drive. can be attached. Such a drive will be activated to replace a
failed drive that is part of a mirrored array. Due to the fault tolerance, if any RAID 1 drive
fails, data access will not be affected as long as there are other working drives in the
array.
A-2
BIOS Configuration
Important
The BIOS Configuration pictures shown below is for your reference only,
and may vary from actual ones.
W hen the system powers on during the POST (Power-On Self Test) process, press
<Tab> key to enter the BIOS configuration.
The Serial ATA RAID volume may be configured using the VIA Tech. RAID BIOS. Always
use the arrow keys to navigate the main menu, use up and down arrow key to select
the each item and press <Enter> to call out the list of creation steps. The main interface
of BIOS configuration utility is as below:
A-3
Important
The “Channel”, “Drive Name”, “Mode” and “Size (GB)” in the following
example might be different from your system.
Select Array Mode and press <Enter>, a list of array modes will appear. Highlight the
target array mode that you want to create, and press <Enter> to confirm the selection.
If RAID 1 is selected, an option list will popup and enable the users to select Create
and duplicate which allows BIOS copy the data from the source to the mirroring drive.
A-4
After array mode is selected, there are two methods to create a disk array. One
method is “Auto Setup” and the other one is “Select Disk Drives”. Auto Setup
allows BIOS to select the disk drives and create arrays automatically, but it does not
duplicate the mirroring drives even if the user selected Create and duplicate for
RAID 1. It is recommended all disk drives are new ones when wanting to create an
array. Select Disk Drives lets the user select the array drives by their requirements.
When using Select Disk Drives, the channel column will be activated. Highlight the
target drives that you want to use and press <Enter> to select them. After all drives
have been selected, press <Esc> to go back to the creation steps menu.
If user selects a RAID 0 array in step 2, the block size of the array can also be selected.
Use the arrow key to highlight Block Size and press <Enter>, then select a block size
from the popup menu. The block size can be 4KB to 64KB.
A-5
Important
Even though 64KB is the recommended setting for most users, you
should choose the block size value which is best suited to your specific
RAID usage model.
4KB: For specialized usage models requiring 4KB blocks
8KB: For specialized usage models requiring 8KB blocks
16KB: Best for sequential transfers
32KB: Good for sequential transfers
64KB: Optimal setting
Use the arrow key to highlight Start Create Process and press <Enter>. A warning
message will appear, Press Y to finish the creation, or press N to cancel the creation.
Important note: All existing content in the hard drive will be destroyed after array
creation.
Deleting a disk array will destroy all the data on the disk array except RAID 1
arrays. W hen a RAID is deleted, the data on these two hard disk drives will be
reserved and become two normal disk drives.
A-6
To delete a spare drive, highlight Create/Delete Spare and press <Enter>. The spare
drive will be highlighted, press <Enter> to delete the spare drive.
Press the F1 key to show the array status on the lower screen. If there are no disk
arrays then nothing will be displayed on the screen.
A-7
If user selects Continue to boot, it will enable duplicating the array after booting into
OS.
If BIOS detects a broken RAID 1 array but there is a spare hard drive available for
rebuilding the broken array, the spare hard drive will automatically become the mirroring
drive. BIOS will show a main interface just like a duplicated RAID 1. Selecting Continue
to boot enables the user to duplicate the array after booting into operating system.
If BIOS detects a broken RAID 1 array but there is no spare hard drive available for
rebuilding the array, BIOS will provide several operations to solve such problem.
A-8
Highlight the target hard drive and press <Enter>, a warning message will appear.
Press Y to use that hard drive to rebuild, or press N to cancel. Please note selecting
option Y will destroy all the data on the selected hard drive.
4. Continue to boot:
This item enables BIOS to skip the problem and continue booting into OS.
A-9
A-10
Once the installation is complete, go to Start ---> Programs --->VIA ---> RAID --->
raid_tool.exe to enable VIA RAID Tool.
The main interface is divided into two windows and the toolbar above contain the main
functions. Click on these toolbar buttons to execute their specific functions. The left
windowpane displays the controller and disk drives and the right windowpane displays
the details of the controller or disk drives. The available features are as following:
View by Controller
View by Devices
Help Topics
A-11
It means that VT8237 SATA RAID only has the feature of monitoring the status of RAID
0 or RAID 1.
Click on or button to determine the viewing type of left window pane. There are
two viewing types: By controllers and by device. Click on the object in the left window
pane to display the status of the object in the right windowpane. The following screen
shows the status of Array 0---RAID 0.
Click on the plus (+) symbol next to Array 0---RAID 0 to see the details of each disk.
A-12
You may also use the same or button to view the status of Array 0---RAID 1.
Click on the plus (+) symbol next to Array 0---RAID 1 to see the details of each disk.
A-13
Appendix B
VIA VT1708 Audio
B-1
You need to install the driver for VIA VT1708 codec to function properly before you
can get access to 2-, 4-, 6-, 8- channel or 7.1+2 channel audio operations. Follow the
procedures described below to install the drivers for different operating systems.
Click here
Important
B-2
Click here
S el ec t t hi s
option
Click here
B-3
Software Configuration
Important
Adeck only supports the VIA HD audio chip series with VIA HD audio driver
installed.
After installing the audio driver, you are able to use the 2-, 4-, 6- or 8- channel
audio feature now. Click the audio icon from the system tray at the lower-right
corner of the screen to activate the HD Audio Deck.
Double click
B-4
Display Mode
The VIA Adeck has two basic display modes: “Simple Mode” and “Full Mode”.
Simple Mode
Once Adeck has been launched, the panel will be displayed in the center of windows
desktop. The Adeck system is initialized using the simple mode. In this mode, the user
only has limited control and audio information. The basic controls include: master
volume and mute. The basic audio information includes: peak meter, number of
channels, S/PDIF out status or sound effect status, etc.
If you want to control the sound effects in detail, you can click on the buttons located
on the lower portion of the panel. These buttons are labeled: Speaker, Mixer, Effect,
Jack, S/PDIF and Info. W hen any of the buttons are activated, the Adeck system will
go into full mode for detailed control.
To exit Adeck, simply click the Power button on the Adeck panel.
Full Mode
In the full mode, the bottom portion of Adeck expands. Depending upon the button that
was selected, different panels will be displayed in the expanded portion.
B-5
PANEL DETAIL
Adeck consists of two parts: a top and bottom panel. In the simple mode, only the top
panel will be fully shown. In the full mode, both the top and bottom panel will be fully
visible.
Mute
Top Panel
Volume Control S/PDIF Output Status
Power Button
Volume control: This is the global volume control. The global volume is controlled
using a slider. Moving the slider to the left decreases the volume. Moving the slider to
the right increases the volume.
Mute button: This is the global mute control. W hen the mute button is activated, all
speakers connected to the system will be silenced.
Channels Display: On the right of the peak meter, there is a display that shows the
number of audio channels that is being used in the system. The number of channels
can be changed in the speaker configuration panel.
Peak Meter: The volume peak meter is located to the left of the channel display. The
number of peak meters changes according to the number of channels used in the
system.
S/PDIF Output Status: The S/PDIF output status is located to the right of the Channel
Display. If “Digital PCM” is shown, that means the audio system will allow a PCM music
stream output from the S/PDIF output jack.
Bass M anagement Indicator: The Bass Management Indicator is located below
the Channel Display. If it is enabled, “BM” will be visible. Notice that the “Bass Man-
agement” and “Equalizer” functions can not be enabled at the same time.
Equalizer Indicator: The Equalizer Indicator is located to the right of the Bass
Management Indicator. If it is enabled, “EQ” will be visible. As mentioned earlier, the
Equalizer and Bass Management functions can not be enabled at the same time.
Configuration Panels: On the bottom of the top panel, there is a row of buttons.
W hen any of the buttons are activated (except the "Power" button), the bottom panel
expands to show the selected panel.
Power Button: W hen the Power button is activated, Adeck will hide itself in the
system tray.
B-6
Configuration Panels
Test Speakers
Speaker Volume
Select Channels
Center/LFE Swap
B-7
If the “Independent Headphone” feature has been enabled, the maximum number of
channels will be six. To control the headphone volume, click on the headphone icon
at the bottom-right corner.
To switch back to the speaker volume controls, click on the speaker icon at the
bottom-right corner.
Headphone Volume
B-8
Mute Volume
Analog To Line Out
On the Recording Mixer, all possible input devices are shown. Below shows the
Recording Mixer. Each of the Recording items has a volume, balance and item select.
Please note that there can only be one source at any given time. On the bottom side
of this page, there are Mic boost control check box. You could enlarge the recording
sound of MIC by checking on this feature. There is also a peak meter to show the
volume of the audio input.
Balance
Recording Control Default Playback Device
B-9
The “Headphone” and “Front Microphone” configuration panels may or may not be
shown depending on your computer system. The “Headphone” mixer controls work
the same way as the “Playback” mixer controls, but it is only visible when the ”Inde-
pendent Headphone” feature is enabled.
Balance
Headphone Control Default Playback Device
Volume
Mute
The "Front Microphone" configuration panel is shown in the figure below. This con-
figuration panel only contains one mixer control because the front microphone only
has one input jack.
Balance
Front Microphone Control Default Playback Device
Volume
B-10
Equalizer On/Off
Equalizer Control Smooth Adjustment Sound Effect
The below figure shows an example of an adjustment being made to the 500 Hz band
without the "Smooth Slider" enabled.
If "Smooth Slider" is enabled, any adjustment to any of the Equalizer bands will cause
the surrounding bands to be affected so as to produce a smoother sound.
B-11
The below figure shows the "Bass Management" features. You can enable the
"Bass Management" features by clicking on the "On/Off" button at the top of the
"Bass Management" controls. The "Bass Management" feature allows you to control
the low frequency limits for the speakers. W hen the low frequency limit is set for a
speaker, any audio signal below the limit will be automatically channeled to the
subwoofer. Each speaker (except for the subwoofer) can be configured to have a
different low frequency limit. For example, if you wants to set the low frequency limit
for front-left speaker to 310 Hz, then you can click on the picture of the front-left
speaker and change the "Cutoff Frequency" to 310 Hz.
Additionally, you can enhance the bass by checking the "Bass Boost" checkbox.
Subwoofer Configuration
When set to “User Customizable”, you
can click on the speakers to enable/dis-
able Speaker Bass Cutoff. Bass Boost
B-12
The "Front Panel" controls usually only has two jacks listed: "Headphone" and "Front
Mic".
B-13
The jack detection function can be enabled by checking the "Auto Show Dialog"
checkbox. W hen a new device is plugged-in, a new panel will be displayed. The
below figure shows an example of a jack being plugged into the green jack. W hen the
jack insertion is detected, Adeck will be displayed. You will see a red arrow indicating
the jack insertion event. Even the “Auto Show Dialog” is disabled, you still can press
the “Manual Detect” to detect status of jacks.
W hen you clicks on the jack indicated by the arrow, an extension of the panel will be
displayed. There you can assign the jack to any available function. Functions that are
not available will not have a checkbox next to it.
B-14
The Headphone Configuration Panel is shown in the below figure. There are two
headphone configurations that can be chosen: "Independent Headphone" or "Redi-
rected Headphone".
Redirected Headphone
Important
Before set up, please make sure the playback devices are well plugged in the
jacks on the rear or front panel. The VIA HD Audio front Headphone item will
appear after you plugging the speakers into the jacks on the front panel.
B-15
In the default setting, the first selective audio source will be played from the rear
panel. For the second audio source output, you must select the VIA HD Audio front
output from the scroll list. Then this second audio can be played back from the Front
out by different audio playback AP.
B-16
Select Language
B-17
W hen a hot key is pressed, the screen will show a green volume control bar at the
bottom of the screen and a mute/un-mute icon at the top-right corner of the screen.
The on-screen display can be hidden by pressing the "Show/Hide" hot key.
B-18