Version 1.

0
Published December 2015
Copyright©2015 ASRock INC. All rights reserved.

Copyright Notice:
No part of this documentation may be reproduced, transcribed, transmitted, or
translated in any language, in any form or by any means, except duplication of
documentation by the purchaser for backup purpose, without written consent of
ASRock Inc.
Products and corporate names appearing in this documentation may or may not
be registered trademarks or copyrights of their respective companies, and are used
only for identification or explanation and to the owners’ benefit, without intent to
infringe.

Disclaimer:
Specifications and information contained in this documentation are furnished for
informational use only and subject to change without notice, and should not be
constructed as a commitment by ASRock. ASRock assumes no responsibility for
any errors or omissions that may appear in this documentation.
With respect to the contents of this documentation, ASRock does not provide
warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including but not limited to
the implied warranties or conditions of merchantability or fitness for a particular
purpose.
In no event shall ASRock, its directors, officers, employees, or agents be liable for
any indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages (including damages for
loss of profits, loss of business, loss of data, interruption of business and the like),
even if ASRock has been advised of the possibility of such damages arising from any
defect or error in the documentation or product.

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that
may cause undesired operation.

CALIFORNIA, USA ONLY

The Lithium battery adopted on this motherboard contains Perchlorate, a toxic substance
controlled in Perchlorate Best Management Practices (BMP) regulations passed by the
California Legislature. When you discard the Lithium battery in California, USA, please
follow the related regulations in advance.
“Perchlorate Material-special handling may apply, see www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate”

ASRock Website: http://www.asrock.com

AUSTRALIA ONLY
Our goods come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer
Law. You are entitled to a replacement or refund for a major failure and compensation for
any other reasonably foreseeable loss or damage caused by our goods. You are also entitled
to have the goods repaired or replaced if the goods fail to be of acceptable quality and the
failure does not amount to a major failure. If you require assistance please call ASRock Tel
: +886-2-28965588 ext.123 (Standard International call charges apply)
Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction 1
1.1 Package Contents 1

1.2 Specifications 2

1.3 Motherboard Layout 5

1.4 I/O Panel 7

Chapter 2 Installation 9
2.1 Installing the CPU 10

2.2 Installing the CPU Fan and Heatsink 13

2.3 Installing Memory Modules (DIMM) 14

2.4 Expansion Slots (PCI Express Slots) 16

2.5 Onboard Headers and Connectors 17

Chapter 3 Software and Utilities Operation 21

3.1 Installing Drivers 21

3.2 Intel® Smart Connect Technology 22

3.3 ASRock APP Shop 27

3.3.1 UI Overview 27

3.3.2 Apps 28

3.3.3 BIOS & Drivers 31

3.3.4 Setting 32

Chapter 4 UEFI SETUP UTILITY 33

4.1 Introduction 33

4.1.1 UEFI Menu Bar 33

4.1.2 Navigation Keys 34

4.2 Main Screen 35

4.3 OC Tweaker Screen 36

4.4 Advanced Screen 43

4.4.1 CPU Configuration 44

4.4.2 Chipset Configuration 46

4.4.3 Storage Configuration 48

4.4.4 Intel® Smart Connect Technology 49

4.4.5 ACPI Configuration 50

4.4.6 USB Configuration 52

4.4.7 Trusted Computing 53

4.5 Tools 54

4.6 Hardware Health Event Monitoring Screen 56

4.7 Boot Screen 57

4.8 Security Screen 60

4.9 Exit Screen 61

 H81M-VG4 R3.0

Chapter 1 Introduction
Thank you for purchasing ASRock H81M-VG4 R3.0 motherboard, a reliable
motherboard produced under ASRock’s consistently stringent quality control.
It delivers excellent performance with robust design conforming to ASRock’s
commitment to quality and endurance.

In this manual, Chapter 1 and 2 contains the introduction of the motherboard

and step-by-step installation guides. Chapter 3 contains the operation guide of the
software and utilities. Chapter 4 contains the configuration guide of the BIOS setup.

Because the motherboard specifications and the BIOS software might be updated, the
content of this documentation will be subject to change without notice. In case any
modifications of this documentation occur, the updated version will be available on
ASRock’s website without further notice. If you require technical support related to
this motherboard, please visit our website for specific information about the model
you are using. You may find the latest VGA cards and CPU support list on ASRock’s
website as well. ASRock website http://www.asrock.com.

1.1 Package Contents

• ASRock H81M-VG4 R3.0 Motherboard (Micro ATX Form Factor)
• ASRock H81M-VG4 R3.0 Quick Installation Guide
• ASRock H81M-VG4 R3.0 Support CD
• 2 x Serial ATA (SATA) Data Cables (Optional)
• 1 x I/O Panel Shield

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 1.2 Specifications

Platform • Micro ATX Form Factor

• Solid Capacitor for CPU power

th th TM
CPU • Supports New 4 and 4 Generation Intel® Core i7/i5/i3/
Xeon®/Pentium®/Celeron® Processors (Socket 1150)
• Supports Intel® Turbo Boost 2.0 Technology

Chipset • Intel® H81

Memory • Dual Channel DDR3 Memory Technology

• 2 x DDR3 DIMM Slots
• Supports DDR3 1600/1333/1066 non-ECC, un-buffered
memory
• Max. capacity of system memory: 16GB
(see CAUTION)
• Supports Intel® Extreme Memory Profile (XMP)1.3/1.2

Expansion • 1 x PCI Express 2.0 x16 Slot (PCIE2: x16 mode)

Slot • 1 x PCI Express 2.0 x1 Slot

Graphics • Intel® HD Graphics Built-in Visuals and the VGA outputs can
be supported only with processors which are GPU integrated.
• Supports Intel® HD Graphics Built-in Visuals : Intel® Quick
Sync Video with AVC, MVC (S3D) and MPEG-2 Full
HW Encode1, Intel® InTruTM 3D, Intel® Clear Video HD
Technology, Intel® InsiderTM, Intel® HD Graphics 4400/4600
• Pixel Shader 5.0, DirectX 11.1
• Max. shared memory 1024MB
• Supports D-Sub with max. resolution up to 1920x1200 @
60Hz

Audio • 7.1 CH HD Audio (Realtek ALC887 Audio Codec)

* To configure 7.1 CH HD Audio, it is required to use an HD
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front panel audio module and enable the multi-channel audio

feature through the audio driver.
• Supports Surge Protection (ASRock Full Spike Protection)

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 H81M-VG4 R3.0

LAN • PCIE x1 Gigabit LAN 10/100/1000 Mb/s

• Realtek RTL8111C
• Supports Wake-On-LAN
• Supports Lightning/ESD Protection (ASRock Full Spike
Protection)
• Supports LAN Cable Detection
• Supports PXE

Rear Panel • 1 x PS/2 Mouse Port

I/O • 1 x PS/2 Keyboard Port
• 1 x D-Sub Port
• 2 x USB 2.0 Ports (Supports ESD Protection (ASRock Full
Spike Protection))
• 2 x USB 3.0 Ports (Supports ESD Protection (ASRock Full
Spike Protection))
• 1 x RJ-45 LAN Port with LED (ACT/LINK LED and SPEED
LED)
• HD Audio Jack: Line in / Front Speaker / Microphone

Storage • 2 x SATA3 6.0 Gb/s Connectors, support NCQ, AHCI and

Hot Plug
• 2 x SATA2 3.0 Gb/s Connectors, support NCQ, AHCI and
Hot Plug

Connector • 1 x Chassis Intrusion Header

• 1 x TPM Header
• 1 x CPU Fan Connector (4-pin)
• 1 x Chassis Fan Connector (4-pin)
• 1 x 24 pin ATX Power Connector
• 1 x 4 pin 12V Power Connector
• 1 x Front Panel Audio Connector
• 2 x USB 2.0 Headers (Support 4 USB 2.0 ports) (Supports ESD
Protection (ASRock Full Spike Protection))

BIOS • AMI UEFI Legal BIOS with multilingual GUI support

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Feature • ACPI 1.1 Compliant wake up events

• SMBIOS 2.3.1 support
• CPU, DRAM Voltage multi-adjustment

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 Hardware • CPU/Chassis temperature sensing
Monitor • CPU/Chassis Tachometer
• CPU Quiet Fan (Auto adjust chassis fan speed by CPU tem-
perature)
• CPU/Chassis Fan multi-speed control
• CASE OPEN detection
• Voltage monitoring: +12V, +5V, +3.3V, CPU Vcore

OS • Microsoft® Windows® 10 32-bit / 10 64-bit / 8.1 32-bit / 8.1 64-

bit / 8 32-bit / 8 64-bit / 7 32-bit / 7 64-bit
* ��������������������������������������������������������������
For the updated Windows® 10 driver, please visit ASRock’s web-
site for details: http://www.asrock.com

Certifica- • FCC, CE, WHQL

tions • ErP/EuP Ready (ErP/EuP ready power supply is required)

* For detailed product information, please visit our website: http://www.asrock.com

Please realize that there is a certain risk involved with overclocking, including adjust-
ing the setting in the BIOS, applying Untied Overclocking Technology, or using third-
party overclocking tools. Overclocking may affect your system’s stability, or even cause
damage to the components and devices of your system. It should be done at your own
risk and expense. We are not responsible for possible damage caused by overclocking.

Due to limitation, the actual memory size may be less than 4GB for the reservation
for system usage under Windows® 32-bit operating systems. Windows® 64-bit operat-
ing systems do not have such limitations. You can use ASRock XFast RAM to utilize
the memory that Windows® cannot use.
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 H81M-VG4 R3.0

1.3 Motherboard Layout

Keyboard

Mouse
PS2

PS2

CPU_FAN1

ATX12V1

DDR3_A1 (64 bit, 240-pin module)

DDR3_B1 (64 bit, 240-pin module)

VGA1

ATXPWR1
USB 3.0 LAN
T: USB0
B: USB1

PLED PWRBTN

HDLED RESET
H81M-VG4
PANEL1
1
USB 2.0

Intel
Top:
T: USB2 RJ-45 RoHS
B: USB3
1

H81 USB6_7 USB4_5

SATA_0

SATA_1

SATA_2

SATA_3

CLRMOS1

HD_AUDIO1
MIC IN
Bottom:

LINE IN
Top:
FRONT
Center:

TPMS1
1

1 1

CMOS
Battery BIOS
PCIE1 ROM CHA_FAN1
CI1
Audio 1
CODEC

SPEAKER1

PCIE2
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 No. Description
1 CPU Fan Connector (CPU_FAN1)
2 2 x 240-pin DDR3 DIMM Slots (DDR3_A1, DDR3_B1)
3 ATX Power Connector (ATXPWR1)
4 System Panel Header (PANEL1)
5 SATA2 Connector (SATA_2)
6 SATA2 Connector (SATA_3)
7 TPM Header (TPMS1)
8 USB 2.0 Header (USB4_5)
9 USB 2.0 Header (USB6_7)
10 SATA3 Connector (SATA_1)
11 SATA3 Connector (SATA_0)
12 Chassis Fan Connector (CHA_FAN1)
13 Chassis Speaker Header (SPEAKER1)
14 Chassis Intrusion Header (CI1)
15 Front Panel Audio Header (HD_AUDIO1)
16 ATX 12V Power Connector (ATX12V1)
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 H81M-VG4 R3.0

1.4 I/O Panel

3
1 2 4

9 8 7 6 5

No. Description No. Description

1 PS/2 Mouse Port 6 USB 2.0 Ports (USB23)
2 LAN RJ-45 Port* 7 USB 3.0 Ports (USB3_01)
3 Line In (Light Blue)** 8 D-Sub Port
4 Front Speaker (Lime)** 9 PS/2 Keyboard Port
5 Microphone (Pink)**

* There are two LEDs on each LAN port. Please refer to the table below for the LAN port LED indications.

ACT/LINK LED

SPEED LED

LAN Port

Activity / Link LED Speed LED

Status Description Status Description
Off No Link Off 10Mbps connection
Blinking Data Activity Orange 100Mbps connection
On Link Green 1Gbps connection
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 ** To configure 7.1 CH HD Audio, it is required to use an HD front panel audio module and enable the multi-
channel audio feature through the audio driver.

Please set Speaker Configuration to “7.1 Speaker”in the Realtek HD Audio Manager.

Function of the Audio Ports in 7.1-channel Configuration:

Port Function
Light Blue (Rear panel) Rear Speaker Out
Lime (Rear panel) Front Speaker Out
Pink (Rear panel) Central /Subwoofer Speaker Out
Lime (Front panel) Side Speaker Out
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Chapter 2 Installation
This is a Micro ATX form factor motherboard. Before you install the motherboard,
study the configuration of your chassis to ensure that the motherboard fits into it.

Pre-installation Precautions
Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard components
or change any motherboard settings.
• Make sure to unplug the power cord before installing or removing the motherboard.
Failure to do so may cause physical injuries to you and damages to motherboard
components.
• In order to avoid damage from static electricity to the motherboard’s components,
NEVER place your motherboard directly on a carpet. Also remember to use a grounded
wrist strap or touch a safety grounded object before you handle the components.
• Hold components by the edges and do not touch the ICs.
• Whenever you uninstall any components, place them on a grounded anti-static pad or
in the bag that comes with the components.
• When placing screws to secure the motherboard to the chassis, please do not over-
tighten the screws! Doing so may damage the motherboard.
 2.1 Installing the CPU

1. Before you insert the 1150-Pin CPU into the socket, please check if the PnP cap is on
the socket, if the CPU surface is unclean, or if there are any bent pins in the socket.
Do not force to insert the CPU into the socket if above situation is found. Otherwise,
the CPU will be seriously damaged.
2. Unplug all power cables before installing the CPU.

2
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 H81M-VG4 R3.0

3 4

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 Please save and replace the cover if the processor is removed. The cover must be placed
if you wish to return the motherboard for after service.
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 H81M-VG4 R3.0

2.2 Installing the CPU Fan and Heatsink

1 2

N
FA
U_
CP

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 2.3 Installing Memory Modules (DIMM)

This motherboard provides two 240-pin DDR3 (Double Data Rate 3) DIMM slots,
and supports Dual Channel Memory Technology.

1. For dual channel configuration, you always need to install identical (the same
brand, speed, size and chip-type) DDR3 DIMM pairs.
2. It is unable to activate Dual Channel Memory Technology with only one memory
module installed.
3. It is not allowed to install a DDR or DDR2 memory module into a DDR3 slot;
otherwise, this motherboard and DIMM may be damaged.

The DIMM only fits in one correct orientation. It will cause permanent damage to
the motherboard and the DIMM if you force the DIMM into the slot at incorrect
orientation.
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 H81M-VG4 R3.0

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 2.4 Expansion Slots (PCI Express Slots)
There are 2 PCI Express slots on the motherboard.

Before installing an expansion card, please make sure that the power supply is
switched off or the power cord is unplugged. Please read the documentation of the
expansion card and make necessary hardware settings for the card before you start
the installation.

PCIe slots:

PCIE1 (PCIe 2.0 x1 slot) is used for PCI Express x1 lane width cards.

PCIE2 (PCIe 2.0 x16 slot) is used for PCI Express x16 lane width graphics
cards.
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 H81M-VG4 R3.0

2.5 Onboard Headers and Connectors

Onboard headers and connectors are NOT jumpers. Do NOT place jumper caps over
these headers and connectors. Placing jumper caps over the headers and connectors
will cause permanent damage to the motherboard.

System Panel Header GND Connect the power

(9-pin PANEL1) GND RESET# switch, reset switch and
PWRBTN# GND
(see p.5, No. 4) PLED- HDLED-
system status indicator on
PLED+ HDLED+ the chassis to this header
1
according to the pin
assignments below. Note
the positive and negative
pins before connecting
the cables.

PWRBTN (Power Switch):

Connect to the power switch on the chassis front panel. You may configure the way to
turn off your system using the power switch.

RESET (Reset Switch):

Connect to the reset switch on the chassis front panel. Press the reset switch to restart
the computer if the computer freezes and fails to perform a normal restart.

PLED (System Power LED):

Connect to the power status indicator on the chassis front panel. The LED is on when
the system is operating. The LED keeps blinking when the system is in S3 sleep state.
The LED is off when the system is in S4 sleep state or powered off (S5).

HDLED (Hard Drive Activity LED):

Connect to the hard drive activity LED on the chassis front panel. The LED is on when
the hard drive is reading or writing data.

The front panel design may differ by chassis. A front panel module mainly consists
of power switch, reset switch, power LED, hard drive activity LED, speaker and etc.
When connecting your chassis front panel module to this header, make sure the wire
assignments and the pin assignments are matched correctly.
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 Serial ATA2 Connectors These two SATA2

SATA_3
SATA_2
(SATA_2: connectors support SATA
see p.5, No. 5) data cables for internal
(SATA_3: storage devices with up to
see p.5, No. 6) 3.0 Gb/s data transfer rate.

Serial ATA3 Connectors These two SATA3

SATA_1
SATA_0
(SATA_0: connectors support SATA
see p.5, No. 11) data cables for internal
(SATA_1: storage devices with up to
see p.5, No. 10) 6.0 Gb/s data transfer rate.

USB 2.0 Headers Besides two USB 2.0 ports

(9-pin USB4_5) on the I/O panel, there
(see p.5, No. 8) are two headers on this
(9-pin USB6_7) motherboard. Each USB
(see p.5, No. 9) 2.0 header can support
two ports.

Front Panel Audio Header 1 This header is for

MIC2_L GND
(9-pin HD_AUDIO1) MIC2_R PRESENCE# connecting audio devices
OUT2_R MIC_RET
(see p.5, No. 15) J_SENS E to the front audio panel.
OUT2_L OUT_RET

1. High Definition Audio supports Jack Sensing, but the panel wire on the chassis must
support HDA to function correctly. Please follow the instructions in our manual and
chassis manual to install your system.
2. If you use an AC’97 audio panel, please install it to the front panel audio header by
the steps below:
A. Connect Mic_IN (MIC) to MIC2_L.
B. Connect Audio_R (RIN) to OUT2_R and Audio_L (LIN) to OUT2_L.
C. Connect Ground (GND) to Ground (GND).
D. MIC_RET and OUT_RET are for the HD audio panel only. You don’t need to
connect them for the AC’97 audio panel.
E. To activate the front mic, go to the “FrontMic” Tab in the Realtek Control panel
and adjust “Recording Volume”.
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 H81M-VG4 R3.0

Chassis Speaker Header DUMMY SPEAKER Please connect the chassis

(4-pin SPEAKER1) 1 speaker to this header.
+5V DUMMY
(see p.5, No. 13)

Chassis Fan Connector GND Please connect fan cables

+12V
(4-pin CHA_FAN1) CHA_FAN_SPEED to the fan connectors and
(see p.5, No. 12) FAN_SPEED_CONTROL
match the black wire to
the ground pin.

CPU Fan Connector +12V This motherboard pro-

CPU_FAN_SPEED
(4-pin CPU_FAN1) GND FAN_SPEED_CONTROL vides a 4-Pin CPU fan
(see p.5, No. 1) (Quiet Fan) connector.
If you plan to connect a
3-Pin CPU fan, please
connect it to Pin 1-3.

ATX Power Connector 12 24 This motherboard pro-

(24-pin ATXPWR1) vides a 24-pin ATX power
(see p.5, No. 3) connector. To use a 20-pin
ATX power supply, please
plug it along Pin 1 and Pin
1 13 13.

ATX 12V Power This motherboard

Connector provides an 4-pin ATX
(4-pin ATX12V1) 12V power connector.
(see p.5, No. 16)

Chassis Intrusion Header 1 This motherboard

(2-pin CI1) GND supports CASE OPEN
(see p.5, No. 14) Signal detection feature that
detects if the chassis cove
has been removed. This
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feature requires a chassis

with chassis intrusion
detection design.

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 TPM Header This connector supports
(17-pin TPMS1) Trusted Platform Module
(see p.5, No. 7) (TPM) system, which can
securely store keys, digital
certificates, passwords,
and data. A TPM system
also helps enhance
network security, protects
digital identities, and
ensures platform integrity.
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 H81M-VG4 R3.0

Chapter 3 Software and Utilities Operation

3.1 Installing Drivers
The Support CD that comes with the motherboard contains necessary drivers and
useful utilities that enhance the motherboard’s features.

Running The Support CD

To begin using the support CD, insert the CD into your CD-ROM drive. The CD
automatically displays the Main Menu if “AUTORUN” is enabled in your computer.
If the Main Menu does not appear automatically, locate and double click on the file
“ASRSETUP.EXE” in the Support CD to display the menu.

Drivers Menu
The drivers compatible to your system will be auto-detected and listed on the
support CD driver page. Please click Install All or follow the order from top to
bottom to install those required drivers. Therefore, the drivers you install can work
properly.

Utilities Menu
The Utilities Menu shows the application software that the motherboard supports.
Click on a specific item then follow the installation wizard to install it.

To improve Windows 7 compatibility, please download and install the following hot
fix provided by Microsoft.
“KB2720599”: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2720599/en-us

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 3.2 Intel® Smart Connect Technology
Intel® Smart Connect Technology is a feature that periodically wakes your computer
from Windows® sleep state to refresh email or social networking applications. It
saves your waiting time and keeps the content always up-to-date.

3.2.1 System Requirements

• Confirm whether your motherboard supports this feature.

• Operating system: Microsoft Windows 8.1/8/7 (32- or 64-bit edition)

• Set the SATA mode to AHCI. If Windows 8.1/8/7 is already installed under
IDE mode, directly changing the SATA mode to AHCI may cause Windows
8.1/8/7 to crash while booting. If your system is not in AHCI mode, please
follow the instructions below.

There are certain risks. Please backup any important data before operating to avoid
loss.

1. Press Win + R simultaneously in Windows 8.1/8/7, type "Regedit" into the

word box then click OK.

2. Enter into HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\

msahci in Windows Registry Editor. Double click on the value Start and
change the value from 3 into 0. Click on OK.
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 H81M-VG4 R3.0

3.2.2 Setup Guide

Installing ASRock Smart Connect Utility
Step 1
Install ASRock Smart Connect Utility, which is located in the folder at the following
path of the Support CD: \ ASRock Utility > Smart Connect.

Step 2
Once installed, run ASRock Smart Connect from your desktop or go to Windows
Start -> All Programs -> ASRock Utility. English

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 Step 3
Click the Add button. Take Foxmail as an example, add Foxmail to the Application
list.

Step 4
Select Foxmail from the Application List, then click the arrow pointing right to add
this application to the Smart Connect List.

Step 5
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Click Apply to enable Smart Connect.

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 H81M-VG4 R3.0

Step 6
Double-click the Intel® Smart Connect Technology Manager icon in the
Windows system tray.

Step 7
Drag the slider to configure how often the system will connect to the network to
download updates. Shorter durations will provide more frequent updates, but may
cause more power consumption.

Using Smart Connect

1. Keep the applications which you wish to connect to the internet and receive
updates while the system is in sleep state running. Foxmail for instance, keep
Foxmail running.

2. Click on Windows Start -> the arrow next to Shut down, and click on Sleep.
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3. Windows system will enter sleep state.

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 4. The system will wake up from sleep state periodically, and then start to update
Foxmail. The screen will not display anything so the computer can maintain
minimum power usage. Afterwards, the system will automatically return to
sleep state again.

5. Upon waking up the system, you will find the new mail that were sent to you
during sleep state are already updated and ready to be read in Foxmail.
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 H81M-VG4 R3.0

3.3 ASRock APP Shop

The ASRock APP Shop is an online store for purchasing and downloading software
applications for your ASRock computer. You can install various apps and support
utilities quickly and easily, and optimize your system and keep your motherboard
up to date simply with a few clicks.

Double-click on your desktop to access ASRock APP Shop utility.

*You need to be connected to the Internet to download apps from the ASRock APP Shop.

3.3.1 UI Overview
Category Panel Hot News

Information Panel

Category Panel: The category panel contains several category tabs or buttons that
when selected the information panel below displays the relative information.

Information Panel: The information panel in the center displays data about the
currently selected category and allows users to perform job-related tasks.

Hot News: The hot news section displays the various latest news. Click on the image
to visit the website of the selected news and know more.
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 3.3.2 Apps
When the "Apps" tab is selected, you will see all the available apps on screen for you
to download.

Installing an App
Step 1
Find the app you want to install.

The most recommended app appears on the left side of the screen. The other various
apps are shown on the right. Please scroll up and down to see more apps listed.

You can check the price of the app and whether you have already intalled it or not.

- The red icon displays the price or "Free" if the app is free of charge.

- The green "Installed" icon means the app is installed on your computer.

Step 2
Click on the app icon to see more details about the selected app.
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 H81M-VG4 R3.0

Step 3

If you want to install the app, click on the red icon to start downloading.

Step 4
When installation completes, you can find the green "Installed" icon appears on the
upper right corner.

To uninstall it, simply click on the trash can icon .

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*The trash icon may not appear for certain apps.

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 Upgrading an App
You can only upgrade the apps you have already installed. When there is an
available new version for your app, you will find the mark of "New Version"
appears below the installed app icon.

Step 1
Click on the app icon to see more details.

Step 2

Click on the yellow icon to start upgrading.

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 H81M-VG4 R3.0

3.3.3 BIOS & Drivers

Installing BIOS or Drivers

When the "BIOS & Drivers" tab is selected, you will see a list of recommended or
critical updates for the BIOS or drivers. Please update them all soon.

Step 1

Please check the item information before update. Click on to see more details.
Step 2

Click to select one or more items you want to update.

Step 3

Click Update to start the update process.

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 3.3.4 Setting
In the "Setting" page, you can change the language, select the server location, and
determine if you want to automatically run the ASRock APP Shop on Windows
startup.
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 H81M-VG4 R3.0

Chapter 4 UEFI SETUP UTILITY

4.1 Introduction
ASRock Interactive UEFI is a blend of system configuration tools, cool sound effects
and stunning visuals. Not only will it make BIOS setup less difficult but also a lot
more amusing. This section explains how to use the UEFI SETUP UTILITY to
configure your system. You may run the UEFI SETUP UTILITY by pressing <F2>
or <Del> right after you power on the computer, otherwise, the Power-On-Self-Test
(POST) will continue with its test routines. If you wish to enter the UEFI SETUP
UTILITY after POST, restart the system by pressing <Ctl> + <Alt> + <Delete>, or
by pressing the reset button on the system chassis. You may also restart by turning
the system off and then back on.

Because the UEFI software is constantly being updated, the following UEFI setup
screens and descriptions are for reference purpose only, and they may not exactly
match what you see on your screen.

4.1.1 UEFI Menu Bar

The top of the screen has a menu bar with the following selections:

Main For setting system time/date information

OC Tweaker For overclocking configurations

Advanced For advanced system configurations

Tool Useful tools

H/W Monitor Displays current hardware status

Boot For configuring boot settings and boot priority

English

Security For security settings

Exit Exit the current screen or the UEFI Setup Utility

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 4.1.2 Navigation Keys
Use < > key or < > key to choose among the selections on the menu bar, and
use < > key or < > key to move the cursor up or down to select items, then
press <Enter> to get into the sub screen. You can also use the mouse to click your
required item.

Please check the following table for the descriptions of each navigation key.

Navigation Key(s) Description

+ / - To change option for the selected items

<Tab> Switch to next function

<PGUP> Go to the previous page

<PGDN> Go to the next page

<HOME> Go to the top of the screen

<END> Go to the bottom of the screen

<F1> To display the General Help Screen

<F4> Toggle sound on/off

<F7> Discard changes and exit the SETUP UTILITY

<F9> Load optimal default values for all the settings

<F10> Save changes and exit the SETUP UTILITY

<F12> Print screen

<ESC> Jump to the Exit Screen or exit the current screen

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 H81M-VG4 R3.0

4.2 Main Screen

When you enter the UEFI SETUP UTILITY, the Main screen will appear and
display the system overview.

Active Page on Entry

Select the default page when entering the UEFI setup utility.

UEFI Guide
UEFI Guide is a quick tutorial for ASRock's UEFI setup Utility. You may abort the
tutorial by pressing "esc". English

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 4.3 OC Tweaker Screen
In the OC Tweaker screen, you can set up overclocking features.

Because the UEFI software is constantly being updated, the following UEFI setup
screens and descriptions are for reference purpose only, and they may not exactly
match what you see on your screen.
English

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 H81M-VG4 R3.0

CPU Configuration
Intel SpeedStep Technology
Intel SpeedStep technology allows processors to switch between multiple frequen-
cies and voltage points for better power saving and heat dissipation.

Intel Turbo Boost Technology

Intel Turbo Boost Technology enables the processor to run above its base operating
frequency when the operating system requests the highest performance state.

PCIE PLL Selection

Select SB PLL when overclocking.

Long Duration Power Limit

Configure Package Power Limit 1 in watts. When the limit is exceeded, the CPU
ratio will be lowered after a period of time. A lower limit can protect the CPU and
save power, while a higher limit may improve performance.

Long Duration Maintained

Configure the period of time until the CPU ratio is lowered when the Long
Duration Power Limit is exceeded.

Short Duration Power Limit

Configure Package Power Limit 2 in watts. When the limit is exceeded, the CPU
ratio will be lowered immediately. A lower limit can protect the CPU and save
power, while a higher limit may improve performance.

Primary Plane Current Limit

Configure the current limit of the CPU under Turbo Mode in ampere. A lower
limit can protect the CPU and save power, while a higher limit may improve
performance.

GT Frequency
Configure the frequency of the integrated GPU.

GT Voltage Mode
Auto: For optimized settings.
English

Adaptive: Add voltage to the integrated GPU when the system is under heavy load.

Override: The voltage is fixed.

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 GT Adaptive Voltage
Configure the fixed voltage added to the integrated GPU.

GT Voltage Offset
Configure the voltage added to the integrated GPU when the system is under heavy
load.

DRAM Timing Configuration

Load XMP Setting
Load XMP settings to overclock the DDR3 memory and perform beyond standard
specifications.

DRAM Frequency
If [Auto] is selected, the motherboard will detect the memory module(s) inserted
and assign the appropriate frequency automatically.

DRAM Configuration

CAS# Latency (tCL)

English

The time between sending a column address to the memory and the beginning of the data
in response.

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RAS# to CAS# Delay (tRCD)

The number of clock cycles required between the opening of a row of memory and
accessing columns within it.

Row Precharge Time (tRP)

The number of clock cycles required between the issuing of the precharge command
and opening the next row.

RAS# Active Time (tRAS)

The number of clock cycles required between a bank active command and issuing the
precharge command.

Command Rate (CR)

The delay between when a memory chip is selected and when the first active command can
be issued.

Write Recovery Time (tWR)

The amount of delay that must elapse after the completion of a valid write operation,
before an active bank can be precharged.

Refresh Cycle Time (tRFC)

The number of clocks from a Refresh command until the first Activate command to
the same rank.

RAS to RAS Delay (tRRD)

The number of clocks between two rows activated in different banks of the same
rank.

Write to Read Delay (tWTR)

The number of clocks between the last valid write operation and the next read
command to the same internal bank.

Read to Precharge (tRTP)

The number of clocks that are inserted between a read command to a row pre-
charge command to the same rank.

Four Activate Window (tFAW)

English

The time window in which four activates are allowed the same rank.

CAS Write Latency (tCWL)

Configure CAS Write Latency.
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 tREFI
Configure refresh cycles at an average periodic interval.

tCKE
Configure the period of time the DDR3 initiates a minimum of one refresh
command internally once it enters Self-Refresh mode.

tRDRD
Configure between module read to read delay.

tRDRDDR
Configure between module read to read delay from different ranks.

tRDRDDD
Use this to change DRAM tRWSR Auto/Manual settings. The default is [Auto].

tWRRD
Configure between module write to read delay.

tWRRDDR
Configure between module write to read delay from different ranks.

tWRRDDD
Use this to change DRAM tRRSR Auto/Manual settings. The default is [Auto].

Configure between module write to read delay from different DIMMs.

tWRWR
Configure between module write to write delay.

tWRWRDR
Configure between module write to write delay from different ranks.

tWRWRDD
Configure between module write to write delay from different DIMMs.

tRDWR
Configure between module read to write delay.
English

tRDWRDR
Configure between module read to write delay from different ranks.

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tRDWRDD
Configure between module read to write delay from different DIMMs.

RTL (CHA)
Configure round trip latency for channel A.

RTL (CHB)
Configure round trip latency for channel B.

IO-L (CHA)
Configure IO latency for channel A.

IO-L (CHB)
Configure IO latency for channel B.

ODT WR (CHA)
Configure the memory on die termination resistors' WR for channel A.

ODT WR (CHB)
Configure the memory on die termination resistors' WR for channel B.

ODT NOM (CHA)

Use this to change ODT (CHA) Auto/Manual settings. The default is [Auto].

ODT NOM (CHB)

Use this to change ODT (CHB) Auto/Manual settings. The default is [Auto].

Command Tri State

Enable for DRAM power saving.

MRC Fast Boot

Enable Memory Fast Boot to skip DRAM memory training for booting faster.

DIMM Exit Mode

Select Slow Exit to reduce power consumption, or Fast Exit for better performance.

FIVR Configuration
English

FIVR Switch Frequency Signature

Select whether to boost or lower the FIVR Switch Frequency.

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 FIVR Switch Frequency Offset
Configure the percentage of frequency boost or deduction.

Vcore Override Voltage

Configure the voltage added to the Vcore when the system is under heavy load.

Vcore Voltage Additional Offset

Configure the dynamic Vcore voltage added to the Vcore.

CPU Cache Override Voltage

Add voltage to the CPU Cache when the system is under heavy load.

CPU Cache Voltage Offset

Configure the voltage for the CPU Cache. Setting the voltage higher may increase
system stability when overclocking.

System Agent Voltage Offset

Configure the voltage for the System Agent. Setting the voltage higher may increase
system stability when overclocking.

CPU Analog IO Voltage Offset

CPU I/O Analog Voltage.

CPU Digital IO Voltage Offset

CPU I/O Digital Voltage.

CPU Integrated VR Faults

Disable FIVR Faults to raise the threshold to trigger CPU over current protection
and over voltage protection for better overclocking capabilities.

CPU Integrated VR Efficiency Mode

Enable FIVR Efficiency Management for power saving. Disable for better
performance and overclocking capabilities.

Voltage Configuration
Power Saving Mode
English

Enable Power Saving Mode to reduce power consumption.

DRAM Voltage
Use this to configure DRAM Voltage. The default value is [Auto].

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4.4 Advanced Screen

In this section, you may set the configurations for the following items: CPU Con-
figuration, Chipset Configuration, Storage Configuration, Intel® Smart Connect
Technology, ACPI Configuration, USB Configuration and Trusted Computing.

Setting wrong values in this section may cause the system to malfunction.

English

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 4.4.1 CPU Configuration

Active Processor Cores

Select the number of cores to enable in each processor package.

CPU C States Support

Enable CPU C States Support for power saving. It is recommended to keep C3, C6
and C7 all enabled for better power saving.

Enhanced Halt State (C1E)

Enable Enhanced Halt State (C1E) for lower power consumption.

CPU C3 State Support

Enable C3 sleep state for lower power consumption.

CPU C6 State Support

Enable C6 deep sleep state for lower power consumption.

CPU C7 State Support

Enable C7 deep sleep state for lower power consumption.
English

Package C State Support

Enable CPU, PCIe, Memory, Graphics C State Support for power saving.

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 H81M-VG4 R3.0

CPU Thermal Throttling

Enable CPU internal thermal control mechanisms to keep the CPU from overheat-
ing.

No-Execute Memory Protection

Processors with No-Execution Memory Protection Technology may prevent certain
classes of malicious buffer overflow attacks.

Intel Virtualization Technology

Intel Virtualization Technology allows a platform to run multiple operating systems
and applications in independent partitions, so that one computer system can
function as multiple virtual systems.

Hardware Prefetcher
Automatically prefetch data and code for the processor. Enable for better
performance.

Adjacent Cache Line Prefetch

Automatically prefetch the subsequent cache line while retrieving the currently
requested cache line. Enable for better performance.

English

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 4.4.2 Chipset Configuration

Primary Graphics Adapter

Select a primary VGA.

VT-d
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O helps your virtual machine
monitor better utilize hardware by improving application compatibility and
reliability, and providing additional levels of manageability, security, isolation, and
I/O performance.

PCIE2 Link Speed

Select the link speed for PCIE2.

Share Memory
Configure the size of memory that is allocated to the integrated graphics processor
when the system boots up.

IGPU Multi-Monitor
Select disable to disable the integrated graphics when an external graphics card is
English

installed. Select enable to keep the integrated graphics enabled at all times.

Render Standby
Power down the render unit when the GPU is idle for lower power consumption.

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 H81M-VG4 R3.0

Onboard HD Audio
Enable/disable onboard HD audio. Set to Auto to enable onboard HD audio and
automatically disable it when a sound card is installed.

Front Panel
Enable/disable front panel HD audio.

Onboard LAN
Enable or disable the onboard network interface controller.

Deep Sleep
Configure deep sleep mode for power saving when the computer is shut down.

Restore on AC/Power Loss

Select the power state after a power failure. If [Power Off] is selected, the power will
remain off when the power recovers. If [Power On] is selected, the system will start
to boot up when the power recovers.

English

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 4.4.3 Storage Configuration

SATA Controller(s)
Enable/disable the SATA controllers.

SATA Mode Selection

IDE: For better compatibility.

AHCI: Supports new features that improve performance.

AHCI (Advanced Host Controller Interface) supports NCQ and other new features
that will improve SATA disk performance but IDE mode does not have these advan-
tages.

SATA Aggressive Link Power Management

SATA Aggressive Link Power Management allows SATA devices to enter a low
power state during periods of inactivity to save power. It is only supported by AHCI
mode.

Hard Disk S.M.A.R.T.

English

S.M.A.R.T stands for Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology. It is a

monitoring system for computer hard disk drives to detect and report on various
indicators of reliability.

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4.4.4 Intel® Smart Connect Technology

Intel® Smart Connect Technology

Intel® Smart Connect Technology automatically updates your email and social
networks, such as Twitter, Facebook, etc. while the computer is in sleep mode.

English

49
 4.4.5 ACPI Configuration

Suspend to RAM
It is recommended to select auto for ACPI S3 power saving.

Check Ready Bit

Enable to enter the operating system after S3 only when the hard disk is ready, this
is recommended for better system stability.

ACPI HPET Table

Enable the High Precision Event Timer for better performance and to pass WHQL
tests.

PS/2 Keyboard Power On

Allow the system to be waked up by a PS/2 Keyboard.

PCIE Devices Power On

Allow the system to be waked up by a PCIE device and enable wake on LAN.

RTC Alarm Power On

English

Allow the system to be waked up by the real time clock alarm. Set it to By OS to let
it be handled by your operating system.

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 H81M-VG4 R3.0

USB Keyboard/Remote Power On

Allow the system to be waked up by an USB keyboard or remote controller.

USB Mouse Power On

Allow the system to be waked up by an USB mouse.

English

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 4.4.6 USB Configuration

USB Controller
Enable or disable all the USB 2.0 ports.

Intel USB 3.0 Mode

Enable or disable all the USB 3.0 ports. It is recommended to select [Smart Auto].

Legacy USB Support

Enable or disable Legacy OS Support for USB 2.0 devices. If you encounter USB
compatibility issues it is recommended to disable legacy USB support. Select UEFI
Setup Only to support USB devices under the UEFI setup and Windows/Linux
operating systems only.

Legacy USB 3.0 Support

Enable or disable Legacy OS Support for USB 3.0 devices.

USB Compatibility Patch

If your USB devices (i.e. USB mouse or storage) encounter compatibility problems,
please enable this option to fix it. Please note that after enabling this option, it is
normal that the system will postpone booting up after pressing the power button.
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 H81M-VG4 R3.0

4.4.7 Trusted Computing

Security Device Support

Enable to activate Trusted Platform Module (TPM) security for your hard disk
drives.

English

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 4.5 Tools

UEFI Tech Service

Contact ASRock Tech Service if you are having trouble with your PC. Please setup
network configuration before using UEFI Tech Service.

Easy Driver Installer

For users that don’t have an optical disk drive to install the drivers from our support
CD, Easy Driver Installer is a handy tool in the UEFI that installs the LAN driver
to your system via an USB storage device, then downloads and installs the other
required drivers automatically.

Instant Flash
Save UEFI files in your USB storage device and run Instant Flash to update your
UEFI.

Internet Flash
ASRock Internet Flash downloads and updates the latest UEFI firmware version
from our servers for you. Please setup network configuration before using Internet
Flash.
*For BIOS backup and recovery purpose, it is recommended to plug in your USB
English

pen drive before using this function.

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 H81M-VG4 R3.0

Network Configuration
Use this to configure internet connection settings for Internet Flash.

Internet Setting
Enable or disable sound effects in the setup utility.

UEFI Download Server

Select a server to download the UEFI firmware.

Save User Default

Type a profile name and press enter to save your settings as user default.

Load User Default

Load previously saved user defaults.
English

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 4.6 Hardware Health Event Monitoring Screen
This section allows you to monitor the status of the hardware on your system,
including the parameters of the CPU temperature, motherboard temperature, fan
speed and voltage.

CPU Fan 1 Setting

Select a fan mode for CPU Fans 1, or choose Customize to set 5 CPU temperatures
and assign a respective fan speed for each temperature.

Chassis Fan 1 Setting

Select a fan mode for Chassis Fan 1, or choose Customize to set 5 CPU temperatures
and assign a respective fan speed for each temperature.

Case Open Feature

Enable or disable Case Open Feature to detect whether the chassis cover has been
removed.
English

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 H81M-VG4 R3.0

4.7 Boot Screen

This section displays the available devices on your system for you to configure the
boot settings and the boot priority.

Fast Boot
Fast Boot minimizes your computer's boot time. In fast mode you may not boot
from an USB storage device. Ultra Fast mode is only supported by Windows 8.1 / 8
and the VBIOS must support UEFI GOP if you are using an external graphics card.
Please notice that Ultra Fast mode will boot so fast that the only way to enter this
UEFI Setup Utility is to Clear CMOS or run the Restart to UEFI utility in Windows.

Boot From Onboard LAN

Allow the system to be waked up by the onboard LAN.

Setup Prompt Timeout

Configure the number of seconds to wait for the setup hot key.

Bootup Num-Lock
Select whether Num Lock should be turned on or off when the system boots up.

Boot Beep
English

Select whether the Boot Beep should be turned on or off when the system boots up. Please
note that a buzzer is needed.

57
 Full Screen Logo
Enable to display the boot logo or disable to show normal POST messages.

AddOn ROM Display

Enable AddOn ROM Display to see the AddOn ROM messages or configure the
AddOn ROM if you've enabled Full Screen Logo. Disable for faster boot speed.

Boot Failure Guard

If the computer fails to boot for a number of times the system automatically restores
the default settings.

Boot Failure Guard Count

Configure the number of attempts to boot until the system automatically restores
the default settings.

CSM (Compatibility Support Module)

CSM
Enable to launch the Compatibility Support Module. Please do not disable unless
you’re running a WHCK test. If you are using Windows 8.1 / 8 64-bit and all of your
English

devices support UEFI, you may also disable CSM for faster boot speed.

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 H81M-VG4 R3.0

Launch PXE OpROM Policy

Select UEFI only to run those that support UEFI option ROM only. Select Legacy
only to run those that support legacy option ROM only.

Launch Storage OpROM Policy

Select UEFI only to run those that support UEFI option ROM only. Select Legacy
only to run those that support legacy option ROM only.

Launch Video OpROM Policy

Select UEFI only to run those that support UEFI option ROM only. Select Legacy
only to run those that support legacy option ROM only.

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 4.8 Security Screen
In this section you may set or change the supervisor/user password for the system.
You may also clear the user password.

Supervisor Password
Set or change the password for the administrator account. Only the administrator
has authority to change the settings in the UEFI Setup Utility. Leave it blank and
press enter to remove the password.

User Password
Set or change the password for the user account. Users are unable to change the
settings in the UEFI Setup Utility. Leave it blank and press enter to remove the
password.

Secure Boot
Enable to support Windows 8.1 / 8 Secure Boot.
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 H81M-VG4 R3.0

4.9 Exit Screen

Save Changes and Exit

When you select this option the following message, “Save configuration changes
and exit setup?” will pop out. Select [OK] to save changes and exit the UEFI SETUP
UTILITY.

Discard Changes and Exit

When you select this option the following message, “Discard changes and exit
setup?” will pop out. Select [OK] to exit the UEFI SETUP UTILITY without saving
any changes.

Discard Changes
When you select this option the following message, “Discard changes?” will pop
out. Select [OK] to discard all changes.

Load UEFI Defaults

Load UEFI default values for all options. The F9 key can be used for this operation.

Launch EFI Shell from filesystem device

Copy shellx64.efi to the root directory to launch EFI Shell.
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Contact Information
If you need to contact ASRock or want to know more about ASRock, you’re welcome
to visit ASRock’s website at http://www.asrock.com; or you may contact your dealer
for further information. For technical questions, please submit a support request
form at http://www.asrock.com/support/tsd.asp

ASRock Incorporation
2F., No.37, Sec. 2, Jhongyang S. Rd., Beitou District,

Taipei City 112, Taiwan (R.O.C.)

ASRock EUROPE B.V.

Bijsterhuizen 11-11

6546 AR Nijmegen

The Netherlands

Phone: +31-24-345-44-33

Fax: +31-24-345-44-38

ASRock America, Inc.

13848 Magnolia Ave, Chino, CA91710

U.S.A.

Phone: +1-909-590-8308

Fax: +1-909-590-1026