Users Guide

EVGA X58 SLI3 Motherboard

Table of Contents

Users Guide .................................................................................................................1 EVGA X58 SLI3 Motherboard .......................................................................................1 Before You Begin ......................................................................................................7 Parts NOT in the Kit ................................................................................................. 7 Intentions of the Kit .................................................................................................. 7 EVGA X58 SLI3 Motherboard ......................................................................................9 Motherboard Specifications...................................................................................... 9 Unpacking and Parts Descriptions .............................................................................11 Unpacking .............................................................................................................. 11 Equipment .............................................................................................................. 11 EVGA X58 SLI3 Motherboard ................................................................................ 12 Hardware Installation ..................................................................................................15 Safety Instructions .................................................................................................. 15 Preparing the Motherboard .................................................................................... 16 Installing the CPU .............................................................................................. 16 Installing the CPU Fan ....................................................................................... 17 Installing System Memory (DIMMs) ................................................................... 18 Installing the Motherboard...................................................................................... 19 Installing the I/O Shield ...................................................................................... 19 Securing the Motherboard into a System Case ................................................. 20 Connecting Cables ................................................................................................. 20 24-pin ATX Power (PW1) ............................................................................... 21

8-pin ATX 12V Power (PW12) ....................................................................... 22 Connecting SATA Cables .................................................................................. 22 Connecting Internal Headers ............................................................................. 23 Front Panel Header ........................................................................................ 23 IEEE1394a (Firewire) ..................................................................................... 24 USB Headers ................................................................................................. 25 Audio .............................................................................................................. 26 Fan Connections ................................................................................................ 27 Expansion Slots ................................................................................................. 28 PCI Slots ........................................................................................................ 29 PCI Express x1 Slots ..................................................................................... 29 PCI Express x16/x8 Slots ............................................................................... 29 Onboard Buttons .................................................................................................... 30 Clear CMOS Button ....................................................................................... 30 RESET and POWER Button .......................................................................... 30 Post Port Debug LED and LED Status Indicators .................................................. 31 Post Port Debug LED ..................................................................................... 31 LED Status Indicators .................................................................................... 31 Configuring the BIOS ..................................................................................................32 Enter BIOS Setup ................................................................................................... 33 Main Menu.............................................................................................................. 33 Standard CMOS Features Menu ........................................................................... 36 Date and Time .................................................................................................... 37 SATA Channel.................................................................................................... 37 Halt On ............................................................................................................... 39 Memory .............................................................................................................. 39 Advanced BIOS Features ...................................................................................... 40 Hard Disk Boot Priority ....................................................................................... 41

CD-ROM Device Priority .................................................................................... 41 First/Second/Third Boot Device ......................................................................... 41 Boot Other Device .............................................................................................. 42 Boot Up NumLock Status ................................................................................... 42 Security Option ................................................................................................... 42 Integrated Peripherals Menu .................................................................................. 43 OnChip PATA/SATA Device .............................................................................. 44 Onboard Device ................................................................................................. 45 USB Device Settings .......................................................................................... 46 Power Management Setup Menu .......................................................................... 47 ACPI Function .................................................................................................... 47 ACPI Suspend Type ........................................................................................... 48 Run VGABIOS if S3 Resume ............................................................................. 48 Soft-Off by PWR-BTTN ...................................................................................... 48 Wake-Up by PCI Card ........................................................................................ 48 USB KB Wake-Up From S3 ............................................................................... 48 Resume by Alarm ............................................................................................... 48 POWER ON Function ........................................................................................ 49 Hot Key Power On ............................................................................................. 49 PWRON after PWR-Fail ..................................................................................... 49 PnP/PCI Configuration Menu ................................................................................. 50 Init Display First .................................................................................................. 50 Reset Configuration ........................................................................................... 51 Resources Controlled By ................................................................................... 51 IRQ Resources ................................................................................................... 51 PCI/VGA Palette Snoop ..................................................................................... 52 INT Pin 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8 Assignment ................................................................... 52 Maximum Payload Size ...................................................................................... 52

PC Health Status Menu.......................................................................................... 53 SmartFan Function ............................................................................................. 54 Frequency/Voltage Control Menu .......................................................................... 55 Memory Feature ................................................................................................. 56 Voltage Control................................................................................................... 58 CPU Feature ...................................................................................................... 59 Installing Drivers and Software ..................................................................................62 Windows XP/Vista Driver Installation ..................................................................... 62 Appendix A. POST Codes for the EVGA X58 SLI3 Motherboard ...............................63

List of Figures

Figure 1. Figure 2. Figure 3. Figure 4. Figure 5. Figure 6. Figure 7. Figure 8. Figure 9. Figure 10. Figure 11. Figure 12. Figure 13.

EVGA X58 SLI3 Motherboard Layout .................................................... 13 Chassis Back Panel Connectors ............................................................ 14 PW1 Motherboard Connector ................................................................ 21 BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main Menu .................................................... 34 Standard CMOS Features Menu ............................................................ 36 Advanced BIOS Features Menu ............................................................ 40 Integrated Peripherals Menu .................................................................. 43 Power Management Setup Menu ........................................................... 47 PnP/PCI Configuration Menu ................................................................. 50 PC Health Status Menu ...................................................................... 53 Frequency/Voltage Control Menu ...................................................... 55 Memory Feature Menu ....................................................................... 56 Voltage Control................................................................................... 58

Before You Begin

Thank you for purchasing the EVGA X58 SLI3 Motherboard. This board is designed to take the already excellent performance of the EVGA lineup and push it into the future by adding support for SATA 6Gbps and USB 3.0. As always with this board you also get the added bonus of EVGAs industry leading 24/7 technical support in case you ever have any issues or questions.

Parts NOT in the Kit

This kit contains all the hardware necessary to install and connect your new EVGA X58 SLI3 Motherboard. However, it does not contain the following items that must be purchased separately to make the motherboard functional.

Intel Microprocessor System Memory Cooling fan for the Microprocessor Graphics Card Power Supply

EVGA assumes you have purchased all the necessary parts needed to allow for proper system functionality.

Intentions of the Kit

This kit provides you with the motherboard and all connecting cables necessary to install the motherboard into a system case. If you are building a PC, you will use most of the cables provided in the kit. If however, you are replacing a motherboard, you will not need many of the cables.

When replacing a motherboard in a system case, you will need to reinstall an operating system even though the current Hard Disk Drive may already have an operating system.

EVGA X58 SLI3 Motherboard

Thank you for purchasing the EVGA X58 SLI3 Motherboard. This motherboard offers enthusiast performance and when combined with two or three SLI-Ready NVIDIA GeForce graphics cards, you get innovative NVIDIA SLI technology for enhanced system performance.

Motherboard Specifications
Size ATX form factor of 12 inch x 9.6 inch Microprocessor support Intel Core i7 processor Operating systems: Supports Windows XP, Vista, and Win 7 32/64 Bit Contains INTEL X58 and ICH10R chipset System Memory support Supports triple channel JEDEC DDR3-1600+. Officially supports up to 24GBs of DDR3 memory. USB 2.0 Ports Supports hot plug Twelve USB 2.0 ports (Eight rear panel ports, four onboard USB headers) Supports wake-up from S1 and S3 mode Supports USB 2.0 protocol up to a 480 Mbps transmission rate USB 3.0 Ports Supports hot plug Two USB 3.0 ports Backwards compatible USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 support Supports transfer speeds up to 5Gbps

Six (6) onboard SATA II 300MBps data transfer rate Six SATA II connectors from south bridge with support for RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 10 and RAID 5 Supports hot plug and NCQ (Native Command Queuing ) Two (2) SATA3 6Gbps onboard ports from Marvell 88SE9128 Chipset Onboard LAN Integrated LAN port Supports 10/100/1000 Mbit/sec Ethernet Onboard IEEE1394a (Firewire) Support hot plug Two IEEE1394a ports (two onboard headers) with a rate transmission of 400 Mbps Onboard Audio Realtek High-Definition audio Supports 8-channel audio Supports Jack-Sensing function PCI Express Support Three (3) PCI-E 2.0 Slots Supports up to 4 GB/sec (8 GB/sec concurrent) bandwidth Low power consumption and power management features 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 One PCI slot Two PCI Express x1 slot Three PCI Express x8/x16 slots

Unpacking and Parts Descriptions

Unpacking
The EVGA X58 SLI3 Motherboard comes with all the necessary cables for adding a motherboard to a system case. If replacing a motherboard, you may not need many of these cables. All parts shipped in this kit are RoHS-compliant (lead-free) parts.

Equipment
The following accessories are included with the EVGA X58 SLI3 Motherboard.
The EVGA X58 SLI3 Motherboard

This PCI Express motherboard contains the Intel X58 and ICH10R chipset and is SLI-ready for both 2-Way and 3-Way SLI configurations. 1 - Visual Guide Helps to quickly and visually guide you through the hardware installation of the motherboard. 1 - I/O Shield Installs in the system case to block radio frequency transmissions, protect internal components from dust, foreign objects, and aids in proper airflow within the chassis.

1 - 2-Port SATA Power Cables Allows a Molex power connector to adapt to a SATA power connector. 2 - SATA Data Cables Used to support the SATA protocol and each one connects a single drive to the motherboard. 1 - 2-Way SLI Bridge Bridges two (2) graphic cards together which allows for 2-Way SLI. 1 - 3-Way SLI Bridge Bridges three (3) graphic cards together which allows for 3-Way SLI. 1 - Installation CD Contains drivers and software needed to setup the motherboard.

EVGA X58 SLI3 Motherboard

The EVGA X58 SLI3 Motherboard with the Intel X58 and ICH10R chipset is a PCI Express, SLI-ready motherboard. Figure 1 shows the motherboard and Figures 2 shows the back panel connectors.

22 19 20 18 21 19 20 19

17

23 6 15 14 13 4 4 2 11 1

12

10

9
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. CPU Socket 1366 Intel X58 Chipset DDR3 DIMM Slots 1 6 Fan Connectors 24-Pin ATX Power Connector

24

16

5
21. Front Panel Audio Connector 22. Back Panel Connectors (Figure 2) 23. CPU Fan Connector 24. SATA 6Gbps connectors

11. IEEE1394a Connector 12. USB Headers 13. Clear CMOS Button 14. Power Button 15. Reset Button 16. Motherboard Battery 17. PC Speaker 18. PCI slots 19. PCI Express 2.0 Slots 20. PCI Express x1 Slot

8-pin ATX_12V Power Connector Intel ICH10R Chipset SATA II Connectors Debug LED Display - CPU Temperature Monitor

10. Front Panel Connector

Figure 1.

EVGA X58 SLI3 Motherboard Layout

1. PS/2 Keyboard Port 2. USB 2.0 Ports (Eight) 3. Clear CMOS Button 4. USB 3.0 Ports (two) 5. LAN Port with LEDs to indicate status:
Activity LED Status Off Blinking (Green) Description No data transmission Data transmission Speed/Link LED Status Yellow Green Off Description 1000 Mbps data rate 100 Mbps data rate 10 Mbps data rate

6. Audio Port Blue Green Pink Orange Black Grey

2-Channel Line-In Line-Out Mic In

6-Channel Line-In Front Speaker Out Mic In Center/Subwoofer Rear Speaker Out

8-Channel________ Line-In Front Speaker Out Mic In Center/Subwoofer Rear Speaker Out Side Speaker Out

Figure 2.

Chassis Back Panel Connectors

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 shock, and injury, always follow basic safety precautions. Remember to remove power from 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 bottom of the processor. Use the following procedure to install the CPU onto the motherboard:
1.

Unhook the socket lever by pushing down and away from the socket. Put your finger on the tail of the load plate and press down with light pressure to lift the load plate up. Lift the load plate. 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.

2.

3.

4.

Note:

Remove the process from its protective cover, making sure you hold it only by the edges. It is a good idea to save the cover so that whenever you remove the CPU you have a safe place to store it.

5.

Align the notches in the processor with the notches on the socket. Lower the processor straight down into the socket with out tilting or sliding it into the socket
Make sure the CPU is fully seated and level in the socket.
Align notches with notches on the CPU

6.

Note:

7.

Close the load plate over the CPU and press down while you close and engage the socket lever. The CPU installation is complete.

8.

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.

Installing System Memory (DIMMs)

Your new motherboard has six 240-pin slots for DDR3 memory. These slots support 1GB, 2GB, 4GB DDR3 DIMMs. There must be at least one memory bank populated to ensure normal operation. Use the following the recommendations for installing memory. (See Figure 1 on page 13 for the location of the memory slots.)

One DIMM: If using 1 DIMM (Single Channel), install into: DIMM slot 1. Two or Four DIMMs: If using 2 DIMMs (Dual Channel), install into: DIMM slots 1 and 3. If using 4 DIMMs (Dual Channel), install into: DIMM slots 2, 1, 4, and 3. Three DIMMs: If using 3 DIMMs (Triple Channel), install into: DIMM slots 1, 3 and 5. Six DIMMs: If using more than 4 DIMMs, use: DIMM slots 2, 1, 4, and 3 then proceed to occupy the following DIMM slots in this order: 5 and 6.
DIMM Slot 2 DIMM Slot 1 DIMM Slot 4 DIMM Slot 3 DIMM Slot 6 DIMM Slot 5

Use the following procedure to install DIMMs. Note that there is only one gap near the center of the DIMM slot. This slot matches the slot on the DIMM to ensure the component is installed properly.
1. 2.

Unlock a DIMM slot by pressing the module clips outward. Align the DIMM 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.
Note: Be sure that the CPU fan assembly has enough clearance for the system case covers to lock into place and for the expansion cards. Also make sure the CPU Fan assembly is aligned with the vents on the covers. This will depend on the system case being used.

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. If the I/O shield does not fit into the chassis, you would need to obtain the proper size from the chassis supplier.

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 off /spacers located inside the chassis. Align the mounting holes with the studs/spacers. Align the connectors to the I/O shield. Ensure that the fan assembly is aligned with the chassis vents according to the fan assembly instruction. Secure the motherboard with a recommended minimum of nine (9) screws.

2. 3. 4. 5.

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 SATA II SATA 3 Chassis Fans

USB 2.0

24-pin ATX Power (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

Card edge

PW1 connector Plug power cable from system power supply to PW1

Figure 3. Table 1.
Connector

PW1 Motherboard Connector PW1 Pin Assignments

Pin 1 Signal +3.3V +3.3V GND +5V GND +5V GND PWROK +5V_AUX +12V +12V +3.3V Pin 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Signal +3.3V -12V GND PS_ON GND GND GND RSVD +5V +5V +5V GND

12

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

13

24

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 SATA Cables

The SATA II connector is used to connect the SATA II device to the motherboard. These connectors support the thin SATA II cables for primary storage devices. The current SATA II interface allows up to 300MB/s data transfer rate. There are six (6) internal SATA connectors on this motherboard. Connection points SATA0 - SATA5, are controlled by the South Bridge Chipset. These connection points support RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5 and RAID 10 configurations. There are also two (2) SATA 6Gbps Connectors on the motherboard. Connection points SATA6 and SATA7 Which connect to SATA 6Gbps capable devices and allow a maximum transfer rate of up to 6Gbps.
RX+ TXTX+ GND RXGND GND

SATA 4 (bottom) SATA 5 (top)

SATA 2 (bottom) SATA 3 (top)

SATA 0 (bottom) SATA 6 (bottom) SATA 1 (top) SATA 7 (top) (SATA 6Gbps) Connect the locking cable end to the motherboard connector. Connect the end without the lock to the SATA device.

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 systems status. When the system is turn on status, the LED is on. When the system is turn off status, the LED is off. When the system is in S1, S1, S3, S4 status, the LED will blink.
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 the Table 2.Front Panel Header Pins power button on the front panel turns the system on and off rather than using Pin Signal the onboard button.
HD_LED

HD_LED

Attach the hard disk drive indicator LED cable to these two pins. The HDD indicator LED indicates the activity status of the hard disks. Attach the Reset switch cable from the front panel of the case to these two pins. The system restarts when the RESET switch is pressed.
RESET

PWRLED RESET PWRSW No Connect Empty

1 3 2 4 5 7 6 8 9

HD_PWR HD Active PWR LED STBY LED Ground RST BTN PWR BTN Ground +5V Empty

10

IEEE1394a (Firewire)
This motherboard has two (2) IEEE 1394a onboard headers. Alternatively, you can also connect these to your system case (if applicable)
1. 2.

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(s) to the IEEE1394a headers on the motherboard.

Table 3.
Connector

IEEE 1394a Connector Pins

Pin 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Signal TPA+ TPAGND GND TPB+ TPB+12V +12V Empty GND

IEEE 1394a Connector

10 8 6 4 2 9 7 5 3 1

Card Edge

USB Headers
This motherboard contains eight (8) USB 2.0 ports that are exposed on the rear panel of the chassis (Figure 2). The motherboard also contains two 10-pin internal header connectors onboard that can be used to connect an optional external bracket containing four 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). Connect the end of the cable to the USB 2.0 header on the motherboard.

2.

Table 4. USB 2.0 Header Pins

Connector USB 2.0 Header Connector Pin 1 3 5 7 9 Pin 2 4 6 8 10 Signal 5V_DUAL DD+ GND Empty Signal 5V_DUAL DD+ GND 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.
Connector

Front Audio Connector

Pin 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Signal PORT1_L AUD_GND PORT1_R PRECENCE_J PORT2_R SENSE1_RETURN SENSE_SEND Empty PORT2_L SENSE2_RETURN
Card Edge

Front Audio Connector

10 8 6 4 2

9 7 5 3 1

Fan Connections
There are six fan connections on the motherboard. The fan speed can be detected and viewed in the PC Health Status section of the CMOS Setup. The fans are automatically turned off after the system enters S3, S4 and S5 mode.

System Fan
Sense +12V Ground

Chassis Fan
Sense +12V Ground

AUX Fan
+12V Sense Ground

System Fan
+12V Sense Ground

Power Fan
+12V Sense Ground

CPU Fan Note: the CPU fan cable can be either a 3-pin or a 4-pin connector. Connect a 3-pin connector to pins 1, 2, and 3 on the motherboard connector.
Ground +12V Sense Control

Expansion Slots
The EVGA X58 SLI3 Motherboard contains six (6) expansion slots, five (5) PCI Express slots and one (1) PCI slots. For a full list of PCI Express graphic cards supported by this motherboard, visit: www.EVGA.com/Products
6 5 4 3 2 1

Slot Listing 1 PCI-E 2.0 x8/x16 - Slot 1 (Primary) 2 PCI-E x1 - Slot 1 3 PCI-E 2.0 x8 - Slot 2 4 PCI - Slot 1 5 PCI-E 2.0 x8 - Slot 3 6 PCI-E x1 - Slot 2

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 cards 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 1x cards, such as a Killer Xeno Network Card or Sound Card. The x1 slot provides 250 MB/sec bandwidth.

PCI Express x16/x8 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 cards metal bracket to the chassis back panel with the screw used to hold the blank cover.

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.

External Clear CMOS Button

RESET and POWER 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 systems 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 Button

POWER Clear CMOS 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

Theses LEDs indicate the systems status. POWER LED (Green): When the System is powered on: This LED is on. DIMM LED (Yellow): 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.

POWER LED (YELLOW)

DIMM LED (GREEN)

STANDBY LED (BLUE)

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 CMOS Features Advanced BIOS Features Integrated Peripherals Power Management Setup PnP/PCI Configurations PC Health Status 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. Use the following procedure to verify/change BIOS settings.
3. 4.

Power on the computer. Press the Del key when the following message briefly displays at the bottom of the screen during the Power On Self Test (POST).
Press F1 to continue, DEL to enter Setup.

Pressing Del takes you to the Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility.
Note: It is strongly recommended that you do not change the default BIOS settings. Changing some settings could damage your computer.

Main Menu
The main menu allows you to select from the list of setup functions and two exit choices. Use the Page Up and Page Down 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.
Note: that on the BIOS screens all data in white is for information only, data in yellow is changeable, data in blue is non-changeable, and data in a red box is highlighted for selection.

Phoenix AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

Standard CMOS Features Advanced BIOS Features Integrated Peripherals Power Management Setup PnP/PCI Configurations PC Health Status

Frequency/Voltage Control

Load Defaults Set Supervisor Password Set User Password Save & Exit Setup Exit Without Saving

Esc : Quit F10 : Save & Exit Setup

: Select Item

Time, Date, Hard Disk Type..,

Figure 4.

BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main Menu

Standard CMOS 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. Integrated Peripherals Use this menu to set up onboard peripherals such as IDE, RAID, USB, LAN, and MAC control. Power Management Setup Use this menu to configure power management, power on, and sleep features. PnP/PCI Configurations Use this menu to modify the systems Plug-and-Play and PCI configurations. PC Health Status Use this menu to monitor the real-time system status of your PC, including temperature, voltages, and fan speed.

Frequency/Voltage Control Use this menu to optimize system performance and configure clocks, voltages, memory timings, and more.

The following items on the CMOS Setup Utility main menu are commands rather than submenus:

Load Fail-Safe Defaults Load Fail-Safe defaults system settings. Load Optimized Defaults Load Optimized defaults system settings. Set Supervisor Password/Set User Password Use this command to set, change, and disable the password used to access the BIOS menu.

Save & Exit Setup Use this command to save settings to CMOS and exit setup. Exit Without Saving Use this command to abandon all setting changes and exit setup.

Standard CMOS Features Menu

The Standard CMOS Features menu is used to configure the standard CMOS information, such as the date, time, HDD model, and so on. Use the Page Up and Page Down 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 information shown in Item Help corresponds to the option highlighted.
Phoenix AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Standard CMOS Features Date (mm:dd:yy) Time (hh:mm:ss) SATA SATA SATA SATA SATA SATA 0 1 2 3 4 5 Thu, Oct 23 2008 12 : 48: 23 [None] [None] [None] [None] [None] [None] [All , But Keyboard] 640K 1047552K 1048576K Item Help Main Level

Change the day, month, year and century

Halt On Base Memory Extended Memory Total Memory

:Move

Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F5:Previous Values

F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help F7:Optimized Defaults

Figure 5.

Standard CMOS Features Menu

Note that all data in white is for information only, data in yellow is changeable, data in blue is non-changeable, and data in a red box is highlighted for selection.

Date and Time

Using the arrow keys, position the cursor over the month, day, and year. Use the Page Up and Page Down 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.
Date (mm:dd:yy) Time (hh:mm:ss) Sat, Jul 01 2006 14 : 48: 43

SATA Channel
Use these functions to detect and configure the SATA channels. Select a channel and press Enter to display the SATA sub-menu.
SATA SATA SATA SATA SATA SATA 0 1 2 3 4 5 [None] [None] [None] [None] [None] [None]

Press ENTER to display SATA Channel sub-menu

IDE Auto-Detect Extended IDE Drive Access Mode Capacity Cylinder Head Precomp Landing Zone Sector [Press Enter] [None} Auto 0 MB 0 0 0 0 0

Press Enter to auto-detect IDE and SATA channels in the system. Once the channel is detected, the values for Capacity, Cylinder, Heads, Precomp, Landing Zone, and Sector are automatically filled in. None There is no HDD installed or set. Auto The system can auto-detect the hard disk when booting up. Manual When you set the channel to [Manual] and change Access Mode to [CHS], you can then enter the number of cylinders, heads, Precomp, landing zone, and sector. You can manually enter the values or you can press Enter to display a window that tells you the min and max values.

IDE HDD Auto-Detect IDE Channel 0 Slave Access Mode Capacity Cylinder Head Precomp Landing Zone Sector [Press Enter] [Manual} [CHS] 0 MB .....0 [ 0] [ 0] [ 0] [ 0]

Press ENTER to display sub-menu or enter number manually

Cylinder

Min=

Max=65535 The BIOS supports the following HDD Access Modes: Key in a DEC number : CHS For HDD less than 528 MB. LBA :Move ENTER:Accept For HDD greater than 528 MB and supporting LBA (Logical Block Addressing). Large For HDD greater than 528 MB but not supporting LBA. Auto Recommended mode.

ESC:Abort

Halt On
determines whether or not the computer stops if an error is detected during power on. Use the Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the options or press Enter to display the Halt On sub-menu. Use the arrow keys to position the selector in the option you choose. Press Enter to accept the changes and return to the Standard CMOS Features menu.
Halt On
Halt On [All , But Keyboard]

Press ENTER to display sub-menu

Halt On All Errors No Errors All , But Keyboard ..... [ ] ..... [ ] ..... [ ]

All Errors Whenever the BIOS detects a nonfatal error, the system stops and prompts you. No Errors System boot does not stop for any detected errors. All, But Keyboard System boot does not stop for keyboard errors, but does stop for all other errors.

:Move

ENTER:Accept

ESC:Abort

Memory
These settings are display-only values that are determined by the BIOS POST (Power-On Self Test). Base Memory 640K
Extended Memory 1047552K Base Memory Total Memory 1048576K BIOS POST determines the amount of base (or conventional) memory installed in the system. Extended Memory BIOS determines how much extended memory is present during the POST. Total Memory This value represents the total memory of the system.

Advanced BIOS Features

Access the Advanced BIOS Features menu from the CMOS Utility Setup screen. Use the Page Up and Page Down 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.
Phoenix AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Advanced BIOS Features Hard Disk Boot Priority CD-ROM Boot Priority First Boot Device Second Boot Device Third Boot Device Boot Other Device Boot Up NumLock Status Security Option [Press Enter] [Press Enter] [Removable] [CDROM] [Hard Disk] [Enabled] [On] [Setup] Item Help Main Level

Select Removable Boot Device Priority

:Move

Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F5:Previous Values

F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help F7:Optimized Defaults

Figure 6.
Note:

Advanced BIOS Features Menu

That all data in white is for information only, data in yellow is changeable, data in blue is non-changeable, and data in a red box is highlighted for selection.

Hard Disk Boot Priority

Use this option to select the priority for HDD startup. Press Enter to see the list of bootable devices in your system. Use the arrow keys to go to the various devices. Then use the + or keys to move the device priority up or down in the list. To go back to the previous menu, press Esc.
1. Ch0. : ST3802110A 2. Bootable Add-in Cards Use the + and keys to move the priority of the device within the list

CD-ROM Device Priority

Use this option to select the priority for CD-ROM startup. Press Enter to see the list of removable devices in your system. Use the arrow keys to go to the various devices. Then use the + or keys to move the device priority up or down in the list. To go back to the previous menu, press Esc.
1. Ch0 M. ST3802110A : BENQ DVD DC DW1810

First/Second/Third Boot Device

Use this option to set the priority sequence of the devices booted at power on. Use the Page Up and Page Down 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.
First Boot Device Removable Hard Disk CDROM Legacy LAN Disabled ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... [ [ [ [ [ ] ] ] ] ]

:Move

ENTER:Accept

ESC:Abort

Boot Other Device

With the option set to Enable, the system boots from some other device if the first/second/third boot devices fail.

Boot Up NumLock Status

This option allows you to select the power-on state of NumLock. Select On to activate the keyboard NumLock when the system is started. Select Off to disable the NumLock key.

Security Option
The Security Options allows you to require a password every time the system boots or only when you enter setup. Select Setup to require a password to gain access to the CMOS Setup screen. Select System to require a password to access the CMOS Setup screen and when the system boots.

Integrated Peripherals Menu

Select Integrated Peripherals from the CMOS Setup Utility menu and press Enter to display the Integrated Peripherals menu.
Phoenix AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Integrated Peripherals Onboard PATA/SATA Device Onboard Device USB Device Setting [Press Enter] [Press Enter] [Press Enter] Item Help Main Level

:Move

Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F5:Previous Values

F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help F7:Optimized Defaults

Figure 7.

Integrated Peripherals Menu

OnChip PATA/SATA Device

Press Enter to display the OnChip PATA/SATA Device menu.
SATA Mode LEGACY Mode Support SATA 3.0 Storage Controlle [IDE] [Disabled] [Enabled]

SATA Mode This is allows you set the onboard Serial SATA mode. IDE: Use the SATA hard disk drivers as Parallel ATA storage devices. RAID: Create a RAID 0, 1, 10 and 5 configuration AHCI: Use the AHCI (Advanced Host Controller Interface) to enables advanced SATA features for improved performance with NCQ and Hot-plug features LEGACY Mode Support This function allows the SATA controller to operate in LEGACY mode. Selected Disabled if you install operating system that support Native mode. SATA 3.0 Storage Controller This function allows you to enable The Marvell SATA 3.0 Controller. The options are Enabled and Disabled.

Onboard Device
Press Enter to display the Onboard Device menu.
PE5 Slot (PCIE x1) Realtek GigaLan (LAN1) PE4 Slot (PCIE x1) Realtek Lan PXE Boot ROM TI 1394 Setting High Definition Audio P80 Show CPU Temp. [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Disabled] [Enabled] [Enabled] [Enabled]

PE5 Slot (PCIE x1) Use this function to set the PCI-e x1 Slot function. The options are Auto, Enabled and Disabled. Realtek GigaLan (LAN1) Use this function to set the onboard Realtek GigaLan function for LAN1. The options are Auto, Enabled and Disabled. PE4 Slot (PCIE x1) Use this function to set the PCI-e x1 Slot function. The options are Auto, Enabled and Disabled.

Realtek Lan PXE Boot ROM This function allows you to enable or disable the onboard Realtek Lan PXE Boot ROM for booting from LAN. High Definition Audio This function allows you to enable or disable the onboard Realtek High Definition Audio. TI 1394 Setting This function allows you to enable or disable the IEEE1394 (Firewire) interface. P80 Show CPU Temp. When this function is enabled the onboard Post Port LED will display the CPU temperature.

USB Device Settings

Press Enter to display the USB Device Settings menu.
USB USB USB USB USB USB USB *** 3.0 Controller [Enabled] 1.0 Controller [Enabled] 2.0 Controller [Enabled] Operation Mode [High Speed] Keyboard Function [Enabled] Mouse Function [Enabled] Storage Function [Enabled] USB Mass Storage Device Boot Setting ***

USB 3.0 Controller Use this function to enable the USB 3.0 controller. USB 1.0 Controller Use this function to enable the USB 1.0 controller.

USB 2.0 Controller Use this function to enable the USB 2.0 (EHCI) controller. USB Operation Mode Select the USB Operation Mode for USB device. Options are Full/Low Speed and High Speed. USB Keyboard Function Use this function to enable or disable support for USB keyboard under DOS. USB Mouse Function Use this function to enable or disable support for USB mouse under DOS USB Storage Function Use this function to enable or disable legacy support of USB Mass Storage

Power Management Setup Menu

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

x x

ACPI function APCI Suspend Type Run VGABIOS if S3 Resume Soft-Off by PWR-BTTN Wake-Up by PCI Card USB KB Wake-Up From S3 Resume by Alarm Day of Month Alarm Time (hh:mm:ss) Alarm HPET Support HPET Mode POWER ON Function Hot Key Power On PWRON After PWR-Fail

[Enabled] [S3(STR)] [Auto] [Instant-Off] [Enabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] 0 0 : 0 : 0 [Enable] [32Bit Mode] [Disabled] Ctrl-F1 [Off]

Item Help Main Level

:Move

Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F5:Previous Values

F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help F7:Optimized Defaults

Figure 8.

Power Management Setup Menu

ACPI Function
This function on the Power Management Setup menu allows you to enable or disable the ACPI function.

ACPI Suspend Type

This function on the Power Management Setup menu allows you to select an ACPI Suspend Type. Types to select from are [S1&S3], [S1(POS)], and [S3(STR)].

Run VGABIOS if S3 Resume

This function on the Power Management Setup menu allows you determines whether or not to enable the system to run the VGA BIOS when resuming from S3(STR) or S1&S3. The Options are Auto, Yes and No.

Soft-Off by PWR-BTTN
This function on the Power Management Setup menu allows you to set SoftOff by PBNT to [Instant-Off] or [Delay 4 Sec].

Wake-Up by PCI Card

This function on the Power Management Setup menu allows PCI Card to wakeup the system from Soft-off state.

USB KB Wake-Up From S3

This function on the Power Management Setup menu allows a USB keyboard device to wake-up the system from S3 state.

Resume by Alarm
This function on the Power Management Setup menu allows you to enable or disable the Power-on by alarm function. Set to [Disable] to prevent poweron by alarm. When set to [Enable], you can manually put in the day of the month and the time of the alarm.

Day of Month Alarm Time (hh:mm:ss) Alarm

[ 0] [0 : 0 : 0]

To enter a day or time, use the Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through numbers or enter the number using the keyboard number or the + and keys.

POWER ON Function
This function on the Power Management Setup menu allows you to define the power-on function. Options for this function are: Disabled Keyboard

Hot Key Power On

Use this function with the above POWER ON Function to set a combination of keys that can be used to power on the system. Options for this function are: Ctrl-Esc Ctrl-F1 Ctrl-Space Anykey

PWRON after PWR-Fail

This function enables your computer to automatically restart or return to its last operating status after power returns from a power failure. Off: The system stays off after a power failure. On: The system stays on after a power failure

PnP/PCI Configuration Menu

Select PnP/PCI Configuration from the CMOS Setup Utility menu and press Enter to display the PnP/PCI Configuration menu.
Phoenix AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility PnP/PCI Configuration Init Display First Reset Configuration
x

[PCI Slot] [Disabled] [Auto(ESCD)] Press Enter [Disabled] [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [10] [Auto] [7] [Disabled]

Item Help Main Level

Resources Controlled By IRQ Resources PCI/VGA Palette Snoop INT Pin 1 Assignment INT Pin 2 Assignment INT Pin 3 Assignment INT Pin 4 Assignment INT Pin 5 Assignment INT Pin 6 Assignment INT Pin 7 Assignment INT Pin 8 Assignment Reserved RC For Bridge

** PCI Express relative items ** Maximum Payload Size [128] :Move Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F5:Previous Values F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help F7:Optimized Defaults

Figure 9.

PnP/PCI Configuration Menu

Init Display First

This function on the PnP/PCI Configuration menu allows you to define if the initial display is in the PCI slot or in the PCI Express slot. Options are [PCI Slot] and [PCIEx].

Reset Configuration
This function on the PnP/PCI Configuration menu allows you to enable or disable the resetting of Extended System Configuration Data (ESCD) when you exit Setup. Set this to [Enabled] if you have installed a new add-on and the system reconfiguration has caused a serious conflict that prevents the OS from booting. The default setting is [Disabled].

Resources Controlled By
This function on the PnP/PCI Configuration menu allows you to define if the BIOS can automatically configure all the boot and plug-and-play compatible devices or if you can manually select IRQ, DMA, and memory base address fields. Select [Auto(ESCD)] if you want the BIOS to automatically populate these fields. If you select [Manual] so you can assign the resources, IRQ Resources is enabled for input.
Resources Controlled By [Auto(ESCD)] x IRQ Resources Press Enter Resources Controlled By [Manual)] IRQ Resources [Press Enter]

IRQ Resources
To enable this field for input, set Resources Controlled By to [Manual]. With this field enabled, press Enter to see options.
IRQ-5 IRQ-9 IRQ-10 IRQ-11 IRQ-14 IRQ-15 assigned assigned assigned assigned assigned assigned to to to to to to [PCI Device] [Reserved] [PCI Device] [PCI Device] [PCI Device] [PCI Device]

Use Legacy ISA for devices compliant with the original PC AT Bus specification. Use PCI/ISA PnP for devices compliant with the plug-and-play standard, whether designed for PCI or ISA Bus architecture.

PCI/VGA Palette Snoop

This item is designed to overcome problems that may be caused by some nonstandard VGA cards..

INT Pin 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8 Assignment

This function on the PnP/PCI Configuration menu allows you to set the INT Pin 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8 Assignment.

Maximum Payload Size

This function on the PnP/PCI Configuration menu allows you to set the maximum TLP payload size (in bytes) for the PCI Express devices. Use the Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through sizes or enter the number using the keyboard numbers or use the + and keys to go up and down the list of sizes.

PC Health Status Menu

Select PC Health Status from the CMOS Setup Utility menu and press Enter to display the PC Health Status menu.
Phoenix AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility PC Health Status SmartFan Function VCC 3.3V CPU Vcore DIMM Voltage CPU VTT Voltage IOH Vcore VCC +12V 3VSB VBT CPU temperature NB temperature VREG temperature System temperature CPU Fan Speed Power Fan Speed Chassis Fan Speed AUX Fan Speed :Move [Press Enter] 3.28V 1.19V 1.48V 1.23V 1.08V 4.96V 12.10V 3.23V 3.15V 31oC 55oC 50oC 33oC 3054 RPM 0 RPM 0 RPM 0 RPM Item Help Main Level

Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F5:Previous Values

F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help F7:Optimized Defaults

Figure 10.

PC Health Status Menu

All of the values shown in Blue are dynamic and change as the speed and voltages of the various components change with system usage.

SmartFan Function
Press Enter to display the SmartFan Function menu.
CPU Fan Type [PWM Fan (4pin)] CPU Speed Control [SmartFan] x Manual Fan Speed, % 100 If temp > 100C, Set Fan Speed 100% If temp < 30C, Set Fan Speed 50% Power Speed Control [SmartFan] Manual Fan Speed, % 100 If temp > 100C, Set Fan Speed 100% If temp < 30C, Set Fan Speed 50% Chassis Speed Control [SmartFan] Manual Fan Speed, % 100 If temp > 100C, Set Fan Speed 100% If temp < 30C, Set Fan Speed 50% Aux Fan Speed Control [100]

Use this menu to control the speed of the various fans on the motherboard. Set CPU fan speed to [SmartFan] when you want the speed of the fans automatically controlled based on temperature. To set the fan speed to a constant rate, select [Manual] and then enter the speed from 0% to 100%. Set the desired speed for the Power and Chassis fans from 0% to 100%. The system defaults to 100%.

EVGA X58 SLI3 Motherboard

Frequency/Voltage Control Menu

Select Frequency/Voltage Control from the CMOS Setup Utility menu and press Enter to display the Frequency/Voltage Control menu.
Phoenix AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Frequency/Voltage Control Dummy O.C. [Disabled] Extreme Cooling [Disabled] Memory Feature [Press Enter] Voltage Control [Press Enter] CPU Feature [Press Enter] CPU Clock Ratio [22X] CPU Host Frequency(Mhz) [133] Target CPU Frequency 3066 Mhz (133x23) Target memory Frequency 1067 Mhz MCH Strap [Auto] CPU Uncore Frequency(Mhz) [Auto] CPU Clock Skew [133] Spread Spectrum [Disabled] PCIE Frequency(Mhz) [100] OC Recover [Disable] Turbo Performance [Disable] Save Profile Load Profile :Move [Press Enter] [Press Enter] F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help F7:Optimized Defaults Item Help Main Level

Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F5:Previous Values

Figure 11.

Frequency/Voltage Control Menu

Memory Feature
Select Memory Feature from the Frequency/Voltage Control menu and press Enter to display the Memory Feature menu.
Phoenix AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Memory Feature Memory SPD [Standard] Memory Control Setting [Disabled] Memory Frequency [Auto] Target memory Frequency 1067 Mhz Channel Interleave Setting [6 way] Rank Interleave Setting [4 way] Memory Low Gap [Auto] Parameters tCL Setting tRCD Setting tRP Setting tRAS Setting tRFC Setting Command Rate tRRD Setting tFAW Setting tRTP Setting tWR Setting Round Trip Latency tddWrTRd Setting :Move Setting [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] Current 8 8 8 19 59 1T 4 20 4 8 52 5 F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help F7:Optimized Defaults Item Help Main Level

Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F5:Previous Values

Figure 12.

Memory Feature Menu

Memory Control Setting This function is allows you to select the Memory Control Setting. Memory Frequency This function is allows you to select the Memory Frequency. The options are Auto, 800Mhz, 1067Mhz, 1333Mhz, and 1600Mhz. Channel Interleave Setting This function is allows you to select the Channel Interleave Setting. The options are 1 way, 2 way, 3 way, 4 way, 5 way and 6 way.

Rank Interleave Setting This function is allows you to select the Rank Interleave Setting. The options are 1 way, 2 way and 4 way. tCL Setting This function is set the CAS latency. The options are 0 through 18. tRCD Setting This function is set the RAS to CAS Delay for Read/Write commands to the same bank. The options are 0 through 15. tRP Setting This function is set the Row Precharge time. This is the Precharge-to-Active or Auto-to-Refresh of the same bank. The options are 0 through 15. tRAS Setting This function is set the minimum RAS# active time. The options are 0 through 31. Command Rate This function is set the command timing setting on a per clock unit basis. The options are Auto, 1T and 2T.

Voltage Control
Select Voltage Control from the Frequency/Voltage Control menu and press Enter to display the Voltage Control menu.
Phoenix AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Voltage Control EVGA VDroop control CPU VCore CPU VTT Voltage CPU PLL Vcore QPI PLL Vcore DIMM Voltage DIMM DQ Vref QPI PLL Vcore IOH Vcore IOH/ICH I/O Voltage ICH Vcore [With VDroop] [Auto] 1.2750V [Auto] +0mv [Auto] 1.800V [Auto] 1.100V [Auto] 1.500V [+0mv] +0mv [Auto] 1.100V [Auto] 1.100V [Auto] 1.500V [Auto] 1.050V Item Help Main Level

Users should exercise caution when overvoltaging, as it can cause system instability or even void warranties and damage components.

:Move

Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F5:Previous Values

F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help F7:Optimized Defaults

Figure 13.

Voltage Control

EVGA VDroop Control EVGA VDroop control is a safety measure by motherboards to protect the CPU. Select [With VDroop] to calibrate CPU VDroop or select [Without VDroop] to disable this function CPU VCore Use the Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the voltages or select [Auto] to automatically set the voltage level for the CPU Core. CPU VTT Voltage Use the Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the voltages or select [Auto] to automatically set the voltage level for the CPU VTT Voltage.

CPU PLL VCore Use the Page Up and Page Down to scroll through the voltages or select [Auto] to automatically set the voltage level for the CPU PLL Voltage. QPI PLL VCore Use the Page Up and Page Down to scroll through the voltages or select [Auto] to automatically set the voltage level for the QPI PLL Voltage. DIMM Voltage This function defines the voltage level for the DRAM. Use the Page Up and Page Down keys to select a voltage or select [Auto] to automatically set the voltage. DIMM DQ Vref This function defines the voltage level for the DRAM DQ Vref. Use the Page Up and Page Down keys to select and set the voltage. IOH VCore This function defines the core voltage level for the Intel IOH chip. Use the Page Up and Page Down keys to select a voltage or select [Auto] to automatically set the voltage. IOH/ICH I/O Voltage This function defines the core voltage level for the Intel IOH/ICH I/O voltage. Use the Page Up and Page Down keys to select a voltage or select [Auto] to automatically set the voltage. ICH VCore This function defines the core voltage level for the Intel ICH chip. Use the Page Up and Page Down keys to select a voltage or select [Auto] to automatically set the voltage.

CPU Feature
Select CPU Feature from the Frequency/Voltage Control menu and press Enter to display the CPU Feature menu.

Phoenix AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility CPU Feature Intel SpeedStep Turbo Mode Function CxE Function Execute Disable Bit Virtualization Technology [Enabled] [Enabled] [Auto] [Enabled] [Enabled] Item Help Main Level

***** Logical Processor Setting ***** Intel HT Technology [Enabled] Active Processor Cores [All] ***** QPI Controller Setting ***** QPI Controller Setting [Enabled] QPI Link Fast Mode [Enabled] QPI Frequency Selection [Auto]

:Move

Enter:Select +/-/PU/PD:Value F5:Previous Values

F10:Save ESC:Exit F1:General Help F7:Optimized Defaults

Figure 14.

CPU Feature Menu

Intel SpeedStep Use this function to enable the Intel SpeedStep technology (EIST). The options are Enabled and Disabled. Turbo Mode Function Use this function to enable the Intel Turbo Mode Function. The options are Enabled and Disabled. CxE Function This function allows you to select the lowest C state supported according as CPU and MB. The options are Auto, Disabled, C1, C1E, C3 and C6. Execute Disable Bit When this function is disabled, it forces the XD feature flag to always return to zero (0).

Virtualization Technology When this function is enabled, it allows a VMM to utilize the additional hardware capabilities provided by Intel Virtualization Technology.

Logical Processor Setting

Intel HT Technology This function is allows you to enable the Intel HT Technology. The options are Enabled and Disabled. Active Processor Cores This function active number of cores to enable in each processor package. The options are All, 1 and 2.

QPI Controller Setting

QPI Controller Setting This function is allows you to enable the QPI (QuickPath Interconnect) Controller Setting. The options are Enabled and Disabled. QPI Link Fast Mode This function is allows you to enable the QPI Link Fast Mode. The options are Enabled and Disabled. QPI Frequency Selection This function is allows you to select the QPI Frequency. The options are Auto, 4.800 GT/s, 5.866 GT/s and 6.400 GT/s.

Installing Drivers and Software

Note:

It is important to remember that before installing the driver CD that is shipped in the kit, you need to load your operating system. The motherboard supports Windows XP 32bit and 64bit and is Vista-capable.

The kit comes with a CD that contains utilities, drivers, and additional software. The CD that has been shipped with the EVGA X58 SLI3 Motherboard contains the following software and drivers:

Chipset Drivers Audio drivers RAID drivers LAN Drivers Matrix Storage EVGA E-LEET Adobe Acrobat Reader Users Manual

Windows XP/Vista Driver Installation

5. 6.

Insert the Intel X58 Express installation CD for the motherboard included in the kit. 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 X58 SLI3 Motherboard

This section provides the Award POST Codes (Table 6) for the EVGA X58 SLI3 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 temperatures after the system has fully booted into the Operating System.
Debug LED with CPU Temperature Monitor

Table 6.
Code

Award POST Code

Name Description

Award POST Codes 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0A 0B 0C Reserved Jumps to E000 segment Early SuperIO Reserved Blank video Reserved Init KBC KB test Reserved Mouse Init Reserved Reserved Initialized the mouse Keyboard controller init Test the Keyboard Reset Video controller Execution of POST routines in E000 Init Early Initialized the super IO

Award POST Codes

Code Name Description

0D 0E 0F 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 1A 1B

Reserved CheckSum Check Reserved Autodetect EEPROM Reserved Test CMOS Reserved Load Chipset Reserved Init Clock Reserved Init CPU Reserved Reserved Setup Interrupt Vector Table CMOS Battery Check Early PM Reserved Re-initial KB Reserved HPM init Reserved Program chipset Init PNP Shadow VBIOS Clock Gen Early Programming of chipset registers Init PNP Shadow system/video BIOS Init onboard clock generator and sensor Init Heuristic Power Management (HPM) Load keyboard matrix Initialize first 120 interrupt vectors with SPURIOUS_INT_HDLR and initialize INT 00h-1Fh according to INT_TBL Test CMOS and check Battery Fail Early PM initialization CPU ID and initialize L1/L2 cache Initialize onboard clock generator Load Chipset Defaults Test and Reset CMOS Check Flash type and copy flash write/erase routines Check the integrity of the ROM,BIOS and message

1C 1D 1E 1F 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Award POST Codes

Code Name Description

27 28 29 2A 2B 2C 2D 2E 2F 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 3A 3B 3C 3D 3E 3F

Setup BDA Reserved CPU Speed detect Reserved Init video Reserved Video memory test Reserved Reserved Reserved Reserved Reserved Early keyboard reset Reserved Test DMA Controller 0 Reserved Test DMA Controller 1 Reserved Test DMA Page Registers Reserved Reserved Test Timer Reserved Test 8259-1 Mask Reserved

Setup BIOS DATA AREA (BDA) Chipset programming and CPU Speed detect

Initialize Video Test Video Memory and display Logos

Early Keyboard Reset

Test DMA channel 0

Test DMA channel 1

Test DMA Page Registers

Test 8254 Timer 0 Counter 2. Verify 8259 Channel 1 masked interrupts by alternately turning off and on the interrupt lines.

Award POST Codes

Code Name Description

40 41 42 43

Test 8259-2 Mask Reserved Reserved Test Stuck Interrupt Reserved Reinit serial port Reserved EISA Test

Verify 8259 Channel 2 masked interrupts by alternately turning off and on the interrupt lines.

Turn off interrupts then verify no 8259's interrupt mask register is on. Test 8259 Force an interrupt and verify the interrupt occurred. Reinitialize Preboot agent serial port

44 45 46 47

If EISA non-volatile memory checksum is good, execute EISA initialization. If not, execute ISA tests and clear EISA mode flag. Size base memory from 256K to 640K and extended memory above 1MB.

48 49 4A 4B 4C 4D 4E 4F 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57

Reserved Size Memory Reserved Reserved Reserved Reserved Init APIC Reserved USB init Reserved Memory Test Reserved Reserved CPU display Reserved PnP Init PnP logo and PnP early init Detect CPU speed and display CPU vendor specific version string and turn on all necessary CPU features Test all memory of memory above 1MB using Virtual 8086 mode, page mode and clear the memory Initialize USB controller Initialize APIC and set MTRR

Award POST Codes

Code Name Description

Display 58 59 5A 5B 5C 5D 5E 5F 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 6A 6B 6C 6D 6E 6F 70 71 72 Reserved Setup Virus Reserved Awdflash Load Reserved Onboard I/O Reserved Reserved Setup enable Reserved Reserved Initialize Mouse Reserved PS2 Mouse special Reserved ACPI init Reserved Init Cache Reserved Setup Reserved Initialize Floppy Reserved FDD install Reserved Reserved Reserved Install FDD and setup BIOS data area parameters Initialize floppy disk drive Enter setup check and autoconfiguration check up Initialize cache controller ACPI sub-system initializing Special treatment to PS2 Mouse port Detect if mouse is present, initialize mouse, install interrupt vectors. Display setup message and enable setup functions Init Initializing onboard superIO If required, will auto load Awdflash.exe in POST Setup virus protect according to Protect Setup

Award POST Codes

Code Name Description

73 74 75 76 77 78 79 7A 7B 7C 7D 7E 7F 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 8A 8B

Initialize Hard Drive Reserved Detect HDD Reserved Detect serial ports Reserved Reserved Detect parallel ports Reserved HDD Write Protect Reserved Reserved POST error check Reserved Reserved Security Check Write CMOS Display PNP USB Final Init Reserved Reserved Reserved Setup ACPI tables Reserved Option ROM Detect

Initialize hard drive controller

IDE device detection Initialize serial ports.

Initialize parallel ports.

HDD check for write protection

Check POST error and display them and ask for user intervention

Ask password security. Write all CMOS values back to RAM and clear screen. Display PNP devices Final USB initialization

Setup ACPI tables

Scan for Option ROMs

Award POST Codes

Code Name Description

8C 8D 8E 8F 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 C0 C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 CF B0 B1 BF E1-EF FF

Reserved Enable Parity Check Reserved IRQ12 Enable Reserved Reserved Reserved Boot Medium Read Final Init NumLock Boot Attempt Base CPU test Memory Presence Early Memory Extend Memory Special Display Early Shadow Cache presence CMOS Check Spurious Unclaimed NMI Program MCP Setup Pages Boot Detect and store boot partition head and cylinders values in RAM Final init for last micro details before boot Set NumLock status according to Setup Set low stack Boot via INT 19h. Read/Write CPU registers Base memory detect Board Initialization Turn on extended memory, cache initialization First display initialization Early shadow enable for fast boot External cache size detection CMOS checkup If interrupt occurs in protected mode. If unmasked NMI occurs, display Press F1 to disable NMI, F2 reboot. To program chipset from defaults values E1- Page 1, E2 - Page 2, etc. Enable IRQ12 if mouse present Enable Parity Check

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 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