User’s Guide

EVGA P55 FTW Motherboard

 EVGA P55 FTW Motherboard

Table of Contents

User’s Guide .................................................................................................................1

EVGA P55 FTW Motherboard.......................................................................................1
Before You Begin… ......................................................................................................7
Before You Begin… ......................................................................................................7
Parts NOT in the Kit ................................................................................................. 7
EVGA P55 FTW Motherboard......................................................................................8
Motherboard Specifications...................................................................................... 8
Hardware Installation ..................................................................................................10
Safety Instructions .................................................................................................. 10
Preparing the Motherboard .................................................................................... 11
Installing the CPU .............................................................................................. 11
Installing the CPU Fan ....................................................................................... 12
Installing System Memory (DIMMs) ................................................................... 13
Installing the Motherboard...................................................................................... 13
Installing the I/O Shield ...................................................................................... 14
Securing the Motherboard into a System Case ................................................. 15
Connecting Cables ................................................................................................. 15
24-pin ATX Power (PW1) ............................................................................... 16
8-pin ATX 12V Power (PW12) ....................................................................... 16
Connecting Serial ATA Cables........................................................................... 16
Connecting Internal Headers ............................................................................. 18
Front Panel Header ........................................................................................ 18
IEEE1394a (Firewire) ..................................................................................... 19
 USB Headers ................................................................................................. 20
Audio .............................................................................................................. 21
Expansion Slots ................................................................................................. 22
PCI Slots ........................................................................................................ 22
PCI Express x1 Slots ..................................................................................... 22
PCI Express x16/x8/x4 Slots .......................................................................... 22
Onboard Buttons .................................................................................................... 23
Clear CMOS Button ....................................................................................... 23
RESET and POWER Button .......................................................................... 23
Post Port Debug LED and LED Status Indicators .................................................. 24
Post Port Debug LED ..................................................................................... 24
LED Status Indicators .................................................................................... 24
Jumper Settings ..................................................................................................... 24
PCIE Disable Jumper ..................................................................................... 24
Voltage Measure Point ........................................................................................... 25
EVGA Control Panel (ECP).................................................................................... 26
Configuring the BIOS ..................................................................................................31
Enter BIOS Setup ................................................................................................... 32
Main Menu.............................................................................................................. 32
Standard BIOS Features Menu .............................................................................. 34
System Time / System Date............................................................................... 35
Advanced BIOS Features ...................................................................................... 35
IDE Configuration ............................................................................................... 36
Boot Settings Configuration ............................................................................... 36
AHCI Configuration ............................................................................................ 36
Intel VT-d Configuration ..................................................................................... 37
USB Configuration ............................................................................................. 37
Advanced Chipset Features ................................................................................... 37
North Bridge Configuration ................................................................................. 37
PCI Express Configuration ................................................................................. 38
 EVGA P55 FTW Motherboard

ME Subsystem Configuration............................................................................. 39
PCI/PNP Resource Management .......................................................................... 40
Clear NVRAM ..................................................................................................... 40
Plug & Play O/S ................................................................................................. 40
PCI Latency Timer ............................................................................................. 40
Allocate IRQ to PCI VGA ................................................................................... 41
Palette Snooping ................................................................................................ 41
PCI IDE BusMaster ............................................................................................ 41
OffBoard PCI/ISA IDE Card ............................................................................... 41
IRQ Settings ....................................................................................................... 41
Boot Configuration Features .................................................................................. 42
Boot Device Priority ............................................................................................ 42
Hard Disk Drives ................................................................................................ 42
CD/DVD Drives .................................................................................................. 43
Power Management Features ................................................................................ 43
ACPI Configuration ............................................................................................ 43
SLP_S4# Min. Assertion Width .......................................................................... 44
Restore on AC Power Loss ................................................................................ 44
Hardware Health Configure.................................................................................... 44
H/W Health Function .......................................................................................... 44
CPU Fan Mode Setting ...................................................................................... 45
Frequency/Voltage Control Menu .......................................................................... 45
Memory Configure .............................................................................................. 45
CPU Configuration ............................................................................................. 46
Installing Drivers and Software ..................................................................................47
Windows XP/Vista/7 Driver Installation .................................................................. 47
Appendix A. POST Codes for the EVGA P55 FTW Motherboard ..............................48
 List of Figures

Figure 1. PW1 Motherboard Connector ................................................................ 16

Figure 2. CMOS Setup Utility Main Menu ............................................................. 33
Figure 3. Standard BIOS Features Menu .............................................................. 34
Figure 4. Advanced BIOS Features ...................................................................... 36
Figure 5. Advanced Chipset Features ................................................................... 37
Figure 6. PCI/PNP Resource Management .......................................................... 40
Figure 7. Boot Configuration Features .................................................................. 42
Figure 8. Power Management Features ................................................................ 43
Figure 9. Hardware Health Configure .................................................................... 44
Figure 10. Frequency/Voltage Control ................................................................ 45
 EVGA P55 FTW Motherboard

Before You Begin…

Parts NOT in the Kit

This kit contains all the hardware necessary to install and connect your new
EVGA P55 FTW Motherboard. However, it does not contain the following
items that must be purchased separately to make the motherboard functional.
 Intel Socket 1156 Processor
 DDR3 System Memory
 Socket 1156 or Socket 775 Cooling fan
 PCI Express or PCI Graphics Card
 Power Supply

EVGA assumes you have purchased all the necessary parts needed to allow for
proper system functionality. For a full list of supported CPU’s on this
motherboard, please visit http://www.evga.com/support/motherboard/.
When replacing a motherboard in a system case, you will need to reinstall an
operating system even though the current hard disk may already have an
operating system.
 EVGA P55 FTW
Motherboard

Motherboard Specifications

 Size
ATX form factor of 12 inch x 9.6 inch
 Processor support
Intel Socket 1156 CPU’s
 Operating systems:
Supports Windows XP 32bit/64bit, Windows Vista 32bit/64bit, and
Windows 7 32bit/64bit
 Intel P55 Express Chipset
 System Memory support
Supports dual channel DDR3-1600+. Officially supports up to 16GBs of
DDR3 memory.
 USB 2.0 Ports
Supports hot plug
Thirteen USB 2.0 ports (Seven rear panel ports, six onboard USB headers)
Supports wake-up from S1 and S3 mode
Supports USB 2.0 protocol up to a 480 Mbps transmission rate
 Six(6) onboard Serial ATA II
300MBps data transfer rate
Six Serial ATA II connectors with support for RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 10,
and RAID 5
Supports hot plug and NCQ (Native Command Queuing )
 Dual Onboard LAN’s
Integrated LAN port’s
Supports 10/100/1000 Mb/sec Ethernet
 Onboard IEEE1394a (Firewire)
Support hot plug
Two IEEE1394a ports (One rear
panel port, one onboard 1394 header) with a rate transmission of 400 Mbps
 Onboard Audio
Realtek High-Definition audio
Supports 8-channel audio
Supports S/PDIF output (Optical and COAX)
Supports Jack-Sensing function
 Green Function
Supports ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface)
Supports S0 (normal), S1 (power on suspend), S3 (suspend to RAM), S4
(Suspend to disk - depends on OS), and S5 (soft - off)
 Expansion Slots
Two PCI slots
One PCI Express x1 slot
Three PCI Express x4/x8/x16 slots
 e-SATA
Two e-SATA ports at rear panel
300MBps data transfer rate
 Hardware Installation

This section will guide you through the installation of the motherboard. The
topics covered in this section are:
 Preparing the motherboard
 Installing the CPU
 Installing the CPU fan
 Installing the memory
 Installing the motherboard
 Connecting cables

Safety Instructions

To reduce the risk of fire, electric shocks, and injury, always follow basic
safety precautions.
Remember to remove power off your computer by disconnecting the AC
main source before removing or installing any equipment from/to the
computer chassis.
Preparing the Motherboard

Installing the CPU

Be very careful when handling the CPU. Hold
the processor only by the edges and do not
touch the contacts on the motherboard or
CPU. Any physical damage to the
motherbard pins will void the warranty.
Use the following procedure to install the
CPU onto the motherboard:

Unhook the socket lever by pushing down and

away from the socket.

Pull the socket lever back and the load plate will
automatically lift. There is a protective
socket cover within the CPU socket to
protect the socket when there is no CPU
installed.

Remove the protective socket cover from the

CPU Socket in a straight up motion.

Note: It is a good idea to save the cover so that whenever you remove the CPU
you have a safe place to store it.
 Align the notches in the processor with the
notches on the socket.

Lower the processor straight down into the

socket without tilting or sliding it into the
socket

Note: Make sure the CPU is fully seated and level.

Lower the load plate so it is resting on the

CPU. Align notches with notches on the CPU

Pull back the socket lever again to ensure the

load plate tip engages under the shoulder
screw cap.
Carefully close and latch the lever.

Load plate tip under screw cap

Installing the CPU Fan

There are many different fan types that can be used with this motherboard.
Follow the instruction that came with you fan assembly. Be sure that the fan
orientation is correct for your chassis type and your fan assembly.
Please note that there are 2 sets of mounting holes, the holes surrounded in
white are to be used for Socket 1156 heatsinks and are labeled. The other holes
are to be used for Socket 775 heatsinks.
In most cases, the Socket 1156 mounting holes will be used.
Installing System Memory (DIMMs)
Your new motherboard has four 240-pin slots for DDR3 memory. These slots
support 1GB, 2GB, 4GB DDR3 technologies. There must be at least one
memory bank populated to ensure normal operation. Use the following the
recommendations for installing memory.
 One DIMM: If using 1 DIMM (Single Channel), install into: DIMM slot 1.
 Two DIMMs: If using 2 DIMMs (Dual Channel), install into: DIMM slots
1 and 3.
 Four DIMMS: If using 4 DIMMs (Dual Channel), install into: DIMM
slots 2, 1, 4, and 3.

DIMM Slot 2
DIMM Slot 1
DIMM Slot 4
DIMM Slot 3

Use the following procedure to install memory DIMMs. Note that there is only
one gap near the center of the DIMM slot. This slot matches the slot on the
memory DIMM to ensure the component is installed properly.
1. Unlock a DIMM slot by pressing the module clips outward.
2. Align the memory module to the DIMM slot, and insert the module
vertically into the DIMM slot. The plastic clips at both sides of the DIMM
slot automatically lock the DIMM into the connector.

Installing the Motherboard

The sequence of installing the motherboard into a system case depends on the
chassis you are using and if you are replacing an existing motherboard or
working with an empty system case. Determine if it would be easier to make all
the connections prior to this step or to secure the motherboard and then make
all the connections. It is normally easier to secure the motherboard first.
Use the following procedure to install the I/O shield and secure the
motherboard into the chassis.
Installing the I/O Shield

The motherboard kit comes with an I/O shield that is used to block radio
frequency transmissions, protects internal components from dust and foreign
objects, and promotes correct airflow within the chassis.
Before installing the motherboard, install the I/O shield from the inside of the
chassis. Press the I/O shield into place and make sure it fits securely.
Securing the Motherboard into a System Case
Most system cases have a base with mounting studs or spacers to allow the
motherboard to be secured to the chassis and help to prevent short circuits. If
there are studs that do not align with a mounting hole on the motherboard, it is
recommended that you remove that stud to prevent the possibility of a short
circuit. In most cases, it is recommended to secure the motherboard using a
minimum of nine (9) spacers and screws.
1. Carefully place the motherboard onto the stand offs located inside the
chassis.
2. Align the mounting holes with the stand offs.
3. Align the connectors to the I/O shield.
4. Ensure that the fan assembly is aligned with the chassis vents according to
the fan assembly instruction.
5. Secure the motherboard with a recommended minimum of nine (9) screws.

Connecting Cables

This section takes you through all the necessary connections on the
motherboard. This will include:
 Power Connections
24-pin ATX power (PW1)
8-pin ATX 12V power (PW12)
 Internal Headers
Front panel
IEEE 1394a
USB Headers
Audio
 Serial ATA II
 USB 2.0
 Expansion slots
 CMOS Clear Button
24-pin ATX Power (PW1)
PW1 is the main power supply connector located along the edge of the board
next to the DIMM slots. Make sure that the power supply cable and pins are
properly aligned with the connector on the motherboard. Firmly plug the power
supply cable into the connector and make sure it is secure.

PW1 connector
Plug power cable from system
power supply to PW1

Figure 1. PW1 Motherboard Connector

Table 1. PW1 Pin Assignments

Connector Pin Signal Pin Signal

1 +3.3V 13 +3.3V
1 12 2 +3.3V 14 -12V
3 GND 15 GND
4 +5V 16 PS_ON
5 GND 17 GND
6 +5V 18 GND
13 24
7 GND 19 GND
8 PWROK 20 RSVD
9 +5V_AUX 21 +5V
10 +12V 22 +5V
11 +12V 23 +5V
12 +3.3V 24 GND

8-pin ATX 12V Power (PW12)

PW12, the 8-pin ATX 12V power connection, is used to provide power to the CPU.
Align the pins to the connector and press firmly until seated.

Connecting Serial ATA Cables

The Serial ATA II connector is used to connect the Serial ATA II device to the
motherboard. These connectors support the thin Serial ATA II cables for
primary storage devices. The current Serial ATA II interface allows up to
300MB/s data transfer rate.
There are six (6) internal serial ATA connectors on this motherboard. These
connections are designed to be angled to not interfere with any expansions
cards. These connection points support RAID 0, RAID 1, and RAID 10
configurations.

SATA 4 (bottom) SATA 2 (bottom) SATA 0 (bottom)

SATA 5 (top) SATA 3 (top) SATA 1 (top)
Connecting Internal Headers
Front Panel Header
The front panel header on this motherboard is one connector used to connect
the following four cables.
(see Table 2 for pin definitions):
 PWRLED
Attach the front panel power LED
cable to these two pins of the
connector. The Power LED indicates
the system’s status. When the system is
turned on, the LED is on. When the
system is turned off, the LED is off.

Note: Some system cases do not have all four cables. Be sure to match the
name on the connectors to the corresponding pins.

 PWRSW
Attach the power button cable from
the case to these two pins. Pressing Table 2.Front Panel Header Pins
the power button on the front panel
turns the system on and off rather Pin Signal
than using the onboard button.
1 HD_PWR
HD_LED
3 HD Active
 HD_LED
2 PWR LED
Attach the hard disk drive indicator PWRLED
4 STBY LED
LED cable to these two pins. The
5 Ground
HDD indicator LED indicates the RESET
7 RST BTN
activity status of the hard disks.
6 PWR BTN
PWRSW
 RESET 8 Ground
Attach the Reset switch cable from No Connect 9 +5V
the front panel of the case to these Empty 10 Empty
two pins. The system restarts when
the RESET switch is pressed.
IEEE1394a (Firewire)
This motherboard has one IEEE 1394a onboard header. Alternatively, you can
also connect this to your system case (if applicable).
1. Secure the bracket to either the front or rear panel of the system case (not
all system cases are equipped with the front panel option).
Connect the end of the cable to the IEEE1394a header on the motherboard.

Table 3. IEEE 1394a Connector Pins

Connector Pin Signal
1 TPA+
IEEE 1394a Connector
2 TPA-
3 GND
10 9 4 GND
8 7 5 TPB+
6 5 6 TPB-
4 3
7 +12V
2 1
8 +12V
9 Empty
10 GND
USB Headers
This motherboard contains seven (7) USB 2.0
ports that are exposed on the rear panel of the chassis
(Figure 2). The motherboard also contains three (3) 10-
pin internal header connectors onboard that can be used
to connect an optional external bracket containing up to
six (6) USB 2.0 ports.

1. Secure the bracket to either the front or rear panel

of your chassis (not all chassis are equipped with the
front panel option).
2. Connect the end of the cable(s) to the USB 2.0
header on the motherboard.

Table 4. USB 2.0 Header Pins

Connector Pin Signal

USB 2.0 Header Connector 1 5V_DUAL

3 D-
5 D+
7 GND
9 Empty
Pin Signal
2 5V_DUAL
4 D-
6 D+
8 GND
10 No Connect
Audio
The audio connector supports HD audio standard and provides two kinds of
audio output choices: the Front Audio, the Rear Audio. The front Audio
supports re-tasking function.

Table 5. Front Audio Connector

Connector Pin Signal
Front Audio Connector 1 PORT1_L
2 AUD_GND
10 9
3 PORT1_R
8 7
6 5 4 PRECENCE_J
4 3 5 PORT2_R
2 1 6 SENSE1_RETURN
7 SENSE_SEND
8 Empty
9 PORT2_L
10 SENSE2_RETURN
Expansion Slots
PCI Slots
The PCI slot supports many expansion cards such as a LAN card, USB card,
SCSI card and other cards that comply with PCI specifications. When installing
a card into the PCI slot, be sure that it is fully seated. Secure the card’s metal
bracket to the chassis back panel with the screw used to hold the blank cover.

PCI Express x1 Slots

There is one PCI Express x1 slot that is designed to accommodate PCIe x1
cards, such as an EVGA Killer Xeno Network Card or Sound Card. The x1 slot
provides 250 MB/sec bandwidth.

PCI Express x16/x8/x4 Slots

These PCI Express slots are reserved for Graphic Cards and PCI Express x1
and x4 devices. The design of this motherboard supports multiple Graphic Card
technology.
When installing a PCI Express Graphic Card, be sure the retention clip snaps
and locks the card into place. If the card is not seated properly, it could cause a
short across the pins. Secure the card’s metal bracket to the chassis back panel
with the screw used to hold the blank cover.
For SLI use, it is very important to use only slots PCI Express Slots 1 and 3
(primary and third) for optimal performance.
Onboard Buttons

These onboard buttons include RESET, POWER and Clear CMOS. These
functions allow you to easily reset the system, turn on/off the system, or clear
the CMOS.

Clear CMOS Button

The motherboard uses the CMOS RAM to store all the set parameters. The
CMOS can be cleared by pressing the Clear CMOS button either onboard
or on the external I/O Panel.

RESET and POWER Button External Clear CMOS Button

These onboard buttons allow you to easily turn on/off the system. These
buttons allow for easy debugging and testing of the system during
troubleshooting situations.
The POWER button with LED indicates the system’s status. When the system
is powered on, the LED remains a solid red.
The RESET button with an integrated LED indicates the activity status of the
hard disk drives and will flicker accordingly.

RESET POWER Clear CMOS

Button Button Button
Post Port Debug LED and LED Status
Indicators

Post Port Debug LED

Provides two-digit POST codes to show why the system may be failing to boot.
It is useful during troubleshooting situations. This Debug LED will also display
current CPU temperatures after the system has fully booted into the Operating
System.

Debug LED with CPU

Temperature Monitor

LED Status Indicators

The LEDs near the 24pin ATX connector indicate the system’s status.
 POWER LED (Green):
When the System is powered on: This LED is on.
 DIMM LED (Orange):
When the Memory slot is functional: This LED is on.
 STANDBY LED (Blue):
When the System is in Standby Mode: This LED is on. This LED will
remain on as long as the motherboard is receiving constant power.

Jumper Settings

PCIE Disable Jumper

For the ease of troubleshooting Multiple Video Cards, or testing individual
Video Card’s Overclocking, EVGA has implemented 3 Jumpers you can
use to disable individual PCIE slots. You don’t need to remove any of your
video cards but simply disable the slot the particular card is in and the
Motherboard will treat it as invisible.
 The PCIe disable jumpers are located right beside the 24pin ATX
Connector. In default shipping configurations, all slots are enabled with the
jumpers in the left position. From top to bottom, PCIE slots 1,2,3
respectively. To disable a PCIE Slot, move the jumper over to the right
position.
Example: Remove the Jumper cap of JPE2, PCIE Slot 2 is disabled while
the rest are enabled. The PCIE Disable Function can also be extended onto
the ECP discussed later on.

Do this when the PC is turned off, NOT when it is running!

Voltage Measure Point

The motherboard is equipped with eight voltage measure point pad. You
can use a voltmeter to measure the voltage you want to know.
 CPU Vcore voltage

Memory voltage

CPU VTT voltage

North-bridge of chipset voltage

CPU PLL voltage

QPI PLL voltage

I/O voltage of South-bridge chipset

South-bridge chipset voltage

Ground

EVGA Control Panel V2 (ECP)

For the convenience of users, EVGA has bundled an easy to Access Control
Panel:

To use the ECP, simply hook up the black ECP Cable to the motherboard at
the ECP header location. (See visual guide)

The other end of the Cable should be connected to the ECP as shown:
**Before turning on the PC, please check to see that the CPU VCore
Booster is in the Off position clicked up.**

If you wish to access the PCIE Disable Function via the ECP, please follow
these instructions:
Locate the PCIE Disable Jumpers (see visual guide)
Remove the 3 jumpers.
Connect the PCIE Cable with the Red wires occupying the left most pins:
It doesn’t matter which end of the PCIE Cable goes onto the Motherboard.
Please be reminded to do this when PC is not running.

Next, connect the other end of PCIE Cable onto the ECP as shown:
The Red wires should be occupying the pins on the top row.

Now, access the Disable/Enable Function at the front of the Control Panel:

From Right to Left, PCIE Slots 1,2,3. When Jumper is in top position, PCIE
slot is enabled. When in bottom position PCIE slot is disabled. Above shows
example of PCIE slot 2 disabled while the rest are enabled.

CPU VCore Booster

For convenience of users when overclocking, the ECP houses 2 CPU Vcore
Boosters for real-time boost of CPU VCore upwards of +0.1v per button.
The Red LED will light up when VCore booster is pressed. When one Red
LED is lit, VCore is boosted by +0.v. When 2 Red LEDs are lit, VCore is
boosted by +0.2v. To stop the VCore boost, just press again and VCore will go
down to what you have set. The 2 buttons are exactly the same in function each.

Vtt Booster

The far right button on the EVGA ECP increases the VTT voltage by +0.1v.
 Configuring the BIOS

This section discusses how to change the system settings through the BIOS
Setup menus. Descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided.
This section includes the following information:
 Enter BIOS Setup
 Main Menu
 Standard BIOS Features
 Advanced BIOS Features
 Advanced Chipset Features
 PCI/PnP Resource Management
 Boot Configuration Features
 Power Management Features
 Hardware Health Configure
 Frequency/Voltage Control
Enter BIOS Setup

The BIOS is the communication bridge between hardware and software.

Correctly setting the BIOS parameters is critical to maintain optimal system
performance and stability.
Use the following procedure to verify/change BIOS settings.
3. Power on the computer.
4. Press the Del key when the following message briefly displays at the bottom
of the screen during the Power On Self Test (POST).
Press F2 to Load Defaults, DEL to enter Setup.
Pressing Del takes you to the AMI BIOS CMOS Setup Utility.

Main Menu

The main menu allows you to select from the list of setup functions and two
exit choices. Use the + and - keys to scroll through the options or press Enter
to display the associated submenu. Use the  arrow keys to position the
selector in the option you choose. To go back to the previous menu, press Esc.

CMOS Setup Utility – Copyright (C) 1985-2005, American Megatrends

 Hardware Health Configure

 Standard BIOS Features
 Frequency/Voltage Control
 Advanced BIOS Features

 Advanced Chipset Features Load Optimal Defaults

 PCI/PNP Resource Management Discard Changes

 Boot Configuration Features Save & Exit Setup

 Power Management Features Discard Changes and Exit

: Move Enter:Select +/-/:Valve F10:Save ESC:Exit F1: General Help

F7:Previous Values F9: Optimized Defaults

Configure Time and Date. Display System Information...

v02.67 (C)Copyright 1985-2009, American Megatrends, Inc.
 Configuring the BIOS

Figure 2. CMOS Setup Utility Main Menu

 Standard BIOS Features

Use this menu to set up the basic system configuration.
 Advanced BIOS Features
Use this menu to set up the advanced system features and boot sequence.
 Advanced Chipset Features
Use this menu to set up onboard peripherals such as IDE, RAID, USB, LAN,
and MAC control.
 PCI/PNP Resource Management
Use this menu to configure resource management.
 Boot Configuration Features
Use this menu to modify the system’s boot configuration.
 Power Management Features
Use this menu to modify power management, power on, and sleep features.
 Hardware Health Configure
Use this menu to view system vitals.
 Frequency/Voltage Control
Use this menu to optimize system performance and configure clocks, voltages,
memory timings, and more.
 Load Optimal Defaults
Load default system settings.
 Discard Changes
Use this command to abandon all setting changes and exit setup.
 Save Changes & Exit
Use this command to save settings to CMOS and exit setup.
 Discard Changes and Exit
Use this command to abandon all setting changes and exit setup.
Standard BIOS Features Menu

The Standard CMOS Features menu is used to configure the standard CMOS
information, such as the date, time, and so on. Use the + and - keys to scroll
through the options. Use the  arrow keys to position the selector in the
option you choose. To go back to the previous menu, press Esc.
CMOS Setup Utility – Copyright (C) 1985-2005, American Megatrends
Standard BIOS Features

System Overview Help Item

______________________________________________
AMIBIOS Use [ENTER] , [TAB]
Version :08.00.16 Or [SHIFT-TAB] to
Build Date:07/16/10 select a field.
ID :1E655000
Use [+] or [-] to
Processor Configure system Time.
Intel(R) Core(TM) CPU 750 @ 2.67GHz
Speed :2666MHz
Count :1

System Memory
Size :4088MB

System Time [13:37:00]

System Date [Fri 07/16/2010]

:Move Enter:Select +/-/:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help

F5:Previous Values F7:Optimized Defaults

Figure 3. Standard BIOS Features Menu

 Configuring the BIOS

System Time / System Date

Using the arrow keys, position the cursor over the month, day, and year. Use
the + and - keys to scroll through dates and times. Note that the weekday (Sun
through Sat) cannot be changed. This field changes to correspond to the date
you enter. Note that the hour value is shown in a
24-hour clock format. Time is represented as hour : minute : second.
System Time [13:37:00]
System Date [Fri 07/16/2010]

Time (hh:mm:ss) 14 : 48: 43

Advanced BIOS Features

Access the Advanced BIOS Features menu from the CMOS Setup Utility
screen. Use the + and - keys to scroll through the options or press Enter to
display the sub-menu. Use the  arrow keys to position the selector in the
option you choose. To go back to the previous menu, press Esc.

The options that have associated sub-menus are designated by a , which precedes
the option. Press Enter to display the sub-menus.
 Advanced Settings Help Item
______________________________________________
WARNING: Setting wrong values in below sections
may cause system to malfunction. Main Level 

 IDE Configuration [Press Enter] Select Removable Boot

 Boot Settings Configuration[Press Enter] Device Priority
 AHCI Configuration [Press Enter]
 USB Configuration [Press Enter]

:Move Enter:Select +/-/:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help

F5:Previous Values F7:Optimized Defaults

Figure 4. Advanced BIOS Features

IDE Configuration
Use this to configure your storage drivers and to enable RAID or switch
between IDE and AHCI mode. Please note for Windows Vista / Windows 7, it
is recommended to use AHCI mode for new system installations.

Boot Settings Configuration

Use this option to configure various system options, such as Bootup Num-Lock
status, Quiet Boot and other advanced features.

AHCI Configuration
This menu will allow you to change advanced AHCI settings, such as S.M.A.R.T.
status and more.
 Configuring the BIOS

USB Configuration
This option menu allows you to enable Legacy USB support, force USB 1.1
mode and more.

Advanced Chipset Features

Select Advanced Chipset Features from the CMOS Setup Utility menu and
press Enter to change the settings.

Advanced Chipset Settings Help Item

______________________________________________
WARNING: Setting wrong values in below sections Configure North Bridge
may cause system to malfunction. features.

 North Bridge Configuration [Press Enter]

 PCI Express Configuration [Press Enter]
Intel VT-d [Disabled]
HD Audio Controller [Enabled]
IEEE1394 [Enabled]
LAN1 Controller [Enabled]
LAN2 Controller [Enabled]
LAN Boot [Disabled]
ESATA Controller [Enabled]
ESATA Boot [Disabled]
PE1 Slot [Auto]
P80 Show CPU Temperature Slot[Enabled]
 ME Subsystem Configuration [Press Enter]
:Move Enter:Select +/-/:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help
F5:Previous Values F7:Optimized Defaults

Figure 5. Advanced Chipset Features

North Bridge Configuration

This option menu will allow you to set the primary graphics adapter, and more.
PCI Express Configuration
This option menu will allow you to set advanced PCI Express options, such as
Payload size. It is not recommended to adjust these settings.

Intel VT-d Configuration

This option menu allows you to enable, or disable, Virtualization Technology
for Directed I/O. This setting can help improve performance in a virtualized
environment, it is recommended to leave this disabled for standard system
setups.

The Advanced Chipset Features menu also allows you to enable/disable some
onboard devices, they are as follows:
 HD Audio Controller
Use this function to set the onboard audio function. It is recommended to
leave this enabled, unless you are using an external sound, add-on sound card.
 IEEE1394
This function allows you to enable or disable the IEEE1394 (Firewire)
interface.
 LAN1 Controller
This function allows you to enable or disable the onboard primary network
controller. It is recommended to leave this enabled, unless you are using an
external Network Controller, such as an EVGA Killer Xeno card.
 LAN2 Controller
This function allows you to enable or disable the onboard secondary network
controller. It is recommended to leave this enabled, unless you are using an
external Network Controller, such as an EVGA Killer Xeno card.
 ESATA Controller
This function allows you to enable or disable the SATA interface.
 PE1 Slot
This function allows you to enable or disable the PE1 Slot.
 P80 Show CPU Temperature
When this function is enabled the onboard Post Port LED will display the
CPU temperature.
 Configuring the BIOS

ME Subsystem Configuration

Select this option to change advanced ME Subsystem settings.

PCI/PNP Resource Management

Select PCI/PNP Resource Management from the CMOS Setup Utility menu
and press Enter to display the advanced settings.

Advanced PCI/PnP Settings Help Item

______________________________________________
WARNING: Setting wrong values in below sections Clear NVRAM during
may cause system to malfunction. System Boot.

Clear NVRAM [No]

Plug & Play O/S [No]
PCI Latency Timer [64]
Allocate IRQ to PCI VGA [Yes]
Palette Snooping [Disabled]
PCI IDE BusMaster [Enabled]
OffBoard PCI/ISA IDE Card [Auto]
IRQ3 [Available]
IRQ4 [Available]
IRQ5 [Available]
IRQ7 [Available]
IRQ9 [Available]
IRQ10 [Available]

:Move Enter:Select +/-/:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help

F5:Previous Values F7:Optimized Defaults

Figure 6. PCI/PNP Resource Management

Clear NVRAM
This function clears the NVRAM during System Boot.

Plug & Play O/S

This function sets whether the O/S or BIOS configures Plug and Play devices.
A setting of [No] is default.

PCI Latency Timer

This function sets the value in units of PCI clocks.
 Configuring the BIOS

Allocate IRQ to PCI VGA

This function allows an IRQ to be assigned to a PCI VGA.

Palette Snooping
This function allows the BIOS to inform the system that an ISA graphics device
is installed.

PCI IDE BusMaster

This function allows the BIOS to use PCI BusMastering for reading or writing
to IDE drives.

OffBoard PCI/ISA IDE Card

This function allows manual override of PCI/ISA external cards. A setting of
[Auto] works for most devices.

IRQ Settings
The various IRQ settings allows you to reserve IRQ’s if necessary, it is
recommended to leave this as Available.

DMA Channel
The various DMA settings allow you to specify a DMI to be used by PCI/PnP
devices.

Reserved Memory Size

This option allows you to specify the size of the memory block to reserve for
legacy ISA devices.
Boot Configuration Features

Select Boot Configuration Features from the CMOS Setup Utility menu and
press Enter to display the settings.

 Boot Device Priority [Press Enter] Help Item

 Hard Disk Drives [Press Enter]
 CD/DVD Drives [Press Enter] Specifies the
Boot Device
Priority sequence.

:Move Enter:Select +/-/:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help

F5:Previous Values F7:Optimized Defaults
:Move Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help
F5:Previous Values F6:Fail-Safe Defaults F7:Optimized Defaults

Figure 7. Boot Configuration Features

Boot Device Priority

This option menu will allow specification of the boot device priority sequence.

Hard Disk Drives

This option menu allows you specification of the Hard Disk boot priority
sequence.
 Configuring the BIOS

CD/DVD Drives
This option menu allows you specification of the CD/DVD boot priority
sequence.

Power Management Features

Select Power Management Features from the CMOS Setup Utility menu and
press Enter to display the settings.

Power Management Features Help Item

______________________________________________
Section for Advanced
 ACPI Configuration [Press Enter] ACPI Configuration.
SLP_S4# Min. Assertion Width [4 to 5 seconds]
 Restore on AC Power Loss [Power Off]

:Move Enter:Select +/-/:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help

F5:Previous Values F7:Optimized Defaults
:Move Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help
F5:Previous Values F6:Fail-Safe Defaults F7:Optimized Defaults

Figure 8. Power Management Features

ACPI Configuration
This menu will allow adjustment of Advanced ACPI configurations.
SLP_S4# Min. Assertion Width
This function allows adjustment of the SLP assertion width.

Restore on AC Power Loss

This menu allows adjustment of the AC Power Loss parameters.

Hardware Health Configure

Select Hardware Health Configure from the CMOS Setup Utility menu and
press Enter to display the settings.

Hardware Health Configure Help Item

H/W Health Function [Enabled]
______________________________________________ Enables Hardware
Health Monitoring
CPU Temperature Sensor :34C/93F Device.
VREG Temperature Sensor :48C/118F
System Temperature Sensor :34C/93F

CPU Fan Speed :3264 RPM

Power Fan Speed :1337 RPM
Chassis Fan Speed :3864 RPM

VCore :1.337 V
Memory :1.481 V
CPU VTT :1.021 V
PCH :1.031 V
+5V :4.961 V

:Move Enter:Select +/-/:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help

F5:Previous Values F7:Optimized Defaults
:Move Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help
F5:Previous Values F6:Fail-Safe Defaults F7:Optimized Defaults

Figure 9. Hardware Health Configure

H/W Health Function

This will enable or disable Hardware Health Monitoring.
 Configuring the BIOS

CPU Fan Mode Setting

This function allows change of the fan mode configuration.

Frequency/Voltage Control Menu

Select Frequency/Voltage Control from the CMOS Setup Utility menu and
press Enter to display the settings.
Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility
Frequency/Voltage Control

 Memory Configure [Press Enter] Item Help

 CPU Configuration [Press Enter]

CPU Multiplier Setting [20] Main Level 

CPU Frequency Setting [133]
PCIE Frequency Setting [100]

EVGA VDroop Control [With VDroop]

Current CPU VCore : 1.33700V
CPU VCore [Auto]
Current Dimm Voltage : 1.50V
DIMM Voltage [Auto]
Current VTT : 1.050V
VTT [Auto]
Current PCH Voltage : 1.050V
PCH [Auto]
Current CPU PLL : 1.800V
CPU PLL [Auto]
DIMM 1/2 DQ Vref [ 849 KHz ]

:Move Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help

F5:Previous Values F6:Fail-Safe Defaults F7:Optimized Defaults

Figure 10. Frequency/Voltage Control

Memory Configure
This menu will allow the configuration of advanced memory timings, including
memory frequency and memory timings.
CPU Configuration
This menu will allow the configuration of advanced CPU settings, such as
Virtualization Technology, CPU SpeedStep, or CPU power saving options.
 Configuring the BIOS

Installing Drivers and

Software

The CD that has been shipped with the EVGA P55 FTW Motherboard
contains the following software and drivers:
 Chipset Drivers
 Audio drivers
 LAN Drivers
 RAID Drivers
 EVGA E-LEET Overclocking Utility
 Adobe Acrobat Reader
 User’s Manual

Windows XP/Vista/7 Driver Installation

5. Insert the Intel P55 installation CD for the motherboard included in the kit.
6. The CD will autorun, install the drivers and utilities listed on the install
screen.
If the CD does not run, go to My Computer and click on the CD to open.
Appendix A. POST Codes for the EVGA
P55 FTW Motherboard

This section provides the AMI POST Codes (Table 6)

for the EVGA P55 FTW Motherboard during system
boot up.
The POST Codes are displayed on the Debug LED
readout located directly onboard the motherboard.

This Debug LED will also display current CPU

Debug LED with CPU
temperatures after the system has fully booted Temperature Monitor
into the Operating System.

Table 6. AMI POST Code

Code Description
03 Initialize BIOS.
04 Check Battery Power and CMOS
05 Initialize interrupt controlling hardware/vector table
06 Initialize system timer
07 Fixes CPU POST interface calling pointer
08 Primary initialization of CPU
C0 Secondary initialization of CPU
C1 Set up boot strap processor information
C2 Set up boot strap processor for POST
C5 Enumerate and set up application processors
C6 Re-enable cache for boot strap processor
C7 Early CPU initialization exit
0A Initialize keyboard controller
0B Detect Mouse
0C Detect Keyboard
0E Test input devices
13 Early POST initialization of chipset registers
 Configuring the BIOS

Code Description
20 Relocate System Management interrupt vector
24 Uncompress and initialize BIOS module
2A Initialize devices primary
2C Initialize devices secondary
2E Initialize output devices
31 Allocate memory for ADM module
33 Initialize silent boot module
37 Display sign-on message
38 Initialize USB controller
39 Initialize DMAC-1 & DMAC-2
3A Initialize real time clock
3B Test system memory
3C Initialization of chipset registers
40 Detect coprocessor
52 Update CMOS memory size
60 Initialize NUM-LOCK
75 Initialize Int-13
78 Initialize IPL devices
7C Generate and write contents of ESCD
84 Log errors encountered
85 Display errors, if no display check monitor/video card
87 Execute BIOS setup if needed or requested
8C Late POST initialization of chipset registers
8D Build ACPI tables
8E Program peripheral parameters
90 Initialize system management interrupt
A1 Prepare for system boot
A2 Initialize IRQ routing table
A4 Display boot option popup
A7 Display system configuration screen
A9 Wait for user input at configuration display
 Code Description
AA Uninstall POST vector
AB Prepare BBS for Int 19 boot
AC End of POST initialization
B1 Save system context for ACPI
00 Pass control to OS
(can vary) Show CPU Temp (if enabled)

EVGA Glossary of Terms

ACPI - Advanced Configuration and Power Interface

AFR – Alternate Frame Rendering
APIC - Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller
BIOS - Basic Input Output System
CD-ROM - Compact Disc Read-Only Memory
CMOS - Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor
CPU – Central Processing Unit
D-ICE – Dry Ice Cooling
DDR2 - Double Data Rate 2
DDR3 - Double Data Rate 3
DIMM - Dual In-line Memory Module
DRAM - Dynamic random access memory
DVD - Digital Versatile Disc
DVI – Digital Video Interface
FDC - Floppy Disk Controller
FSB – Front Side Bus
FTW – For The Win!
GHz – Gigahertz
GPU – Graphics Processing Unit
 Configuring the BIOS

HDD - Hard Disk Drive

HDMI - High-Definition Multimedia Interface

HDR – High Dynamic Range Lighting

HPET - High Precision Event Timer

HT – Hyper-Threading
HSF - Heat Sink Fan
I/O - Input/Output
IDE - Integrated Drive Electronics
IEEE - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
IGP - Integrated Graphics Processors
IRQ - Interrupt Request
JBOD - Just a Bunch of Disks
JEDEC - Joint Electron Device Engineering Council
LAN - Local Area Network
LCD - Liquid Crystal Display
LGA – Land Grid Array
LN2 – Liquid Nitrogen Cooling
MAC - Media Access Control
MCP - Media and Communications Processor
MHz - Megahertz
NB - Northbridge
NCQ - Native Command Queuing
NIC - Network Interface Card
NTFS - New Technology File System
OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer
PATA - Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment
PCB - Printed Circuit Board
PCI - Peripheral Component Interconnect
PCIe - Peripheral Component Interconnect Express
PCI-x - Peripheral Component Interconnect Extended
POST – Power on Self Test
PWM – Pulse Width Modulation
QDR - Quad Data Rate

QPI – Quick Path Interconnect

RAID - Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks
RGB - Red Green Blue
SATA - Serial Advanced Technology Attachment
SB - Southbridge
SCSI - Small Computer System Interface
SFR – Split Frame Rendering
SLI - Scalable Link Interface
SPD - Serial Presence Detect
SPDIF - Sony/Philips Digital Interconnect Format
SPP - System Platform Processors
TCP/IP - Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
USB - Universal Serial Bus
VDroop - V-core Voltage Drop
VGA - Video Graphics Array