ASROCK FM2A78M-HD+ User manual

Version 1.1
Published December 2013
Copyright©2013 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 identication or explanation and to the owners’ benet, without intent to
infringe.
Disclaimer:
Specications 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 tness for a particular
purpose.
In no event shall ASRock, its directors, ocers, employees, or agents be liable for
any indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages (including damages for
loss of prots, 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.
e terms HDMI™ and HDMI High-Denition Multimedia Interface, and the HDMI
logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing LLC in the United
States and other countries.
is 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
e 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
: [phone] ext.123 (Standard International call charges apply)
e terms HDMI™ and HDMI High-Denition Multimedia Interface, and the HDMI
logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing LLC in the United
States and other countries.

PB 1
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FM2A78M-HD+
Motherboard Layout
SOCKET FM2b
AMD
A78
(Bolton-D3)
Chipset
4
1
1415
ATXPWR1
CPU_FAN1
64Mb
BIOS
FM2A78M-HD+
DDR3_A1 (64 bit, 240-pin module)
DDR3_B1 (64 bit, 240-pin module)
USB8_9
USB_10_11
USB6_7
1213
1718192021 16
USB 3.0
T: USB0
B: USB1
RJ-45 LAN
USB 2.0
T: USB2
B: USB3
USB 2.0
T: USB4
B: USB5
PCI Express 3.0
PWR_FAN1
2
3
5
6
7
8
9
23
22
VGA1
DVI1
HDMI
CHA_FAN1
11
1
TPMS1
10
X
Fast LAN
X
Fast RAM

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FM2A78M-HD+
No. Description
1 ATX 12V Power Connector (ATX12V1)
2 Power Fan Connector (PWR_FAN1)
3 CPU Fan Connector (CPU_FAN1)
4 2 x 240-pin DDR3 DIMM Slots (DDR3_A1, DDR3_B1)
5 ATX Power Connector (ATXPWR1)
6Chassis Speaker Header (SPEAKER1)
7 System Panel Header (PANEL1)
8SATA3 Connector (SATA_1)
9SATA3 Connector (SATA_2)
10 TPM Header (TPMS1)
11 Chassis Fan Connector (CHA_FAN1)
12 SATA3 Connector (SATA_4)
13 SATA3 Connector (SATA_3)
14 SATA3 Connector (SATA_6)
15 SATA3 Connector (SATA_5)
16 USB 2.0 Header (USB6_7)
17 USB 2.0 Header (USB8_9)
18 USB 3.0 Header (USB_10_11)
19 Print Port Header (LPT1)
20 COM Port Header (COM1)
21 Front Panel Audio Header (HD_AUDIO1)
22 Clear CMOS Jumper (CLRCMOS1)
23 Chassis Intrusion Header (CI1)

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FM2A78M-HD+
I/O Panel
No. Description No. Description
1 PS/2 Mouse Port (Green) 7 USB 2.0 Ports (USB45)
2 D-Sub Port (VGA1) 8 USB 2.0 Ports (USB23)
3 LAN RJ-45 Port* 9 USB 3.0 Ports (USB01)
4 Line In (Light Blue) 10 HDMI Port
5Front Speaker (Lime) 11 DVI-D Port (DVI1)
6Microphone (Pink) 12 PS/2 Keyboard Port (Purple)
1 2 35
4
678910
1112

4 PB
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FM2A78M-HD+
* There are two LEDs on the LAN port. Please refer to the table below for the LAN port LED indica-
tions.
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
ACT/LINK LED
SPEED LED
LAN Port

PB 5
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FM2A78M-HD+
1. Introduction
Thank you for purchasing ASRock FM2A78M-HD+ motherboard, a reliable moth-
erboard produced under ASRock’s consistently stringent quality control. It delivers
excellent performance with robust design conforming to ASRock’s commitment to
quality and endurance.
This Quick Installation Guide contains introduction of the motherboard and step-by-
step installation guide. More detailed information of the motherboard can be found
in the user manual presented in the Support CD.
 BecausethemotherboardspecicationsandtheBIOS softwaremight
be updated, the content of this manual will be subject to change without
notice.Incaseanymodicationsofthismanualoccur,theupdatedver-
sion will be available on ASRock website without further notice. You may
ndthelatestVGAcardsandCPUsupportlistsonASRockwebsiteas
well. ASRock website http://www.asrock.com
If you require technical support related to this motherboard, please visit
ourwebsiteforspecicinformationaboutthemodelyouareusing.
www.asrock.com/support/index.asp
1.1 Package Contents
ASRock FM2A78M-HD+ Motherboard (Micro ATX Form Factor)
ASRock FM2A78M-HD+ Quick Installation Guide
ASRock FM2A78M-HD+ Support CD
2 x Serial ATA (SATA) Data Cables (Optional)
1 x I/O Panel Shield

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1.2 Specications
Platform • Micro ATX Form Factor
• All Solid Capacitor design
CPU • Supports Socket FM2+ 95W / FM2 100W processors
Chipset • AMD A78 FCH (Bolton-D3)
Memory • Dual Channel DDR3 Memory Technology
• 2 x DDR3 DIMM Slots
• Supports 1866/1600/1333/1066 non-ECC, un-buffered
memory (see CAUTION 1)
• Max. capacity of system memory: 32GB (see CAUTION
2)
• Supports Intel®ExtremeMemoryProle(XMP)1.3/1.2
• SupportsAMDMemoryProle(AMP)
Expan-
sion
Slot
• 1 x PCI Express 3.0 x16 Slot (PCIE1 @ x16 mode)
* PCIE 3.0 is only supported with FM2+ CPU. With FM2
CPU, it only supports PCIE 2.0.
• 1 x PCI Express 2.0 x1 Slot
• 1 x PCI Slot
• Supports AMD Dual Graphics
Graphics • Integrated AMD Radeon HD 8000/7000 series graphics
in A-series APU
• DirectX 11.1, Pixel Shader 5.0 with FM2+ CPU. DirectX
11, Pixel Shader 5.0 with FM2 CPU.
• Max. shared memory 2GB
• Three VGA output options: D-Sub, DVI-D and HDMI
Ports
• Supports Triple Monitor
• Supports HDMI Technology with max. resolution up to
1920x1200 @ 60Hz
• Supports Dual-link DVI-D with max. resolution up to
2560x1600 @ 60Hz

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Graphics • Supports D-Sub with max. resolution up to 1920x1200 @
60Hz
• Supports Auto Lip Sync, Deep Color (12bpc), xvYCC
and HBR (High Bit Rate Audio) with HDMI Port
(Compliant HDMI monitor is required)
• Supports Blu-ray Stereoscopic 3D with HDMI Port
• Supports AMD Steady VideoTM 2.0: New video post
processing capability for automatic jitter reduction on
home/online video
• Supports HDCP with DVI-D and HDMI Ports
• Supports Full HD 1080p Blu-ray (BD) playback with
DVI-D and HDMI Ports
Audio • 5.1 CH HD Audio (Realtek ALC662 Audio Codec)
LAN • PCIE x1 Gigabit LAN 10/100/1000 Mb/s
• Realtek RTL8111FR
• Supports Realtek RealWoW! Technology
• Supports Wake-On-LAN
• Supports LAN Cable Detection
• SupportsEnergyEfcientEthernet802.3az
• Supports PXE
Rear
Panel I/O
• 1 x PS/2 Mouse Port
• 1 x PS/2 Keyboard Port
• 1 x D-Sub Port
• 1 x DVI-D Port
• 1 x HDMI Port
• 4 x USB 2.0 Ports
• 2 x USB 3.0 Ports (AMD A78 FCH (Bolton-D3))
• 1 x RJ-45 LAN Port with LED (ACT/LINK LED and
SPEED LED)
• HD Audio Jacks: Line in / Front Speaker / Microphone
Storage • 6 x SATA3 6.0 Gb/s Connectors, support RAID (RAID 0,
RAID 1 and RAID 10), NCQ, AHCI and Hot Plug

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FM2A78M-HD+
Connec-
tor
• 1 x Print Port Header
• 1 x COM Port Header
• 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 Power Fan Connector (3-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)
• 1 x USB 3.0 Header by AMD A78 FCH (Bolton-D3)
(Supports 2 USB 3.0 ports)
BIOS
Feature
• 64Mb AMI UEFI Legal BIOS with GUI support
• Supports “Plug and Play”
• ACPI 1.1 Compliant wake up events
• Supports jumperfree
• SMBIOS 2.3.1 support
• DRAM, CPU Voltage multi-adjustment
Support
CD
• Drivers, Utilities, AntiVirus Software (Trial Version),
Google Chrome Browser and Toolbar, Start8 (30 days
trial)
Hardware
Monitor
• CPU temperature sensing
• Chassis temperature sensing
• CPU Fan Tachometer
• Chassis Fan Tachometer
• CPU/Chassis Quiet Fan
• CPU/Chassis Fan multi-speed control
• CASE OPEN detection
• Voltage monitoring: +12V, +5V, +3.3V, Vcore
OS • Microsoft®Windows®8.1 32-bit / 8.1 64-bit / 8 32-bit / 8
64-bit / 7 32-bit / 7 64-bit
Certica-
tions
• FCC, CE, WHQL
• ErP/EuP Ready (ErP/EuP ready power supply is re-
quired)

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FM2A78M-HD+
WARNING
Please realize that there is a certain risk involved with overclocking,
including adjusting 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.
CAUTION!
1. Whether 1866/1600MHz memory speed is supported depends
on the CPU you adopt. If you want to adopt DDR3 1866/1600
memory module on this motherboard, please refer to the mem-
ory support list on our website for the compatible memory mod-
ules.
ASRock website http://www.asrock.com
2. Due to the operating system limitation, the actual memory size
may be less than 4GB for the reservation for system usage un-
der Windows®8 / 7. For Windows®64-bit OS with 64-bit CPU,
there is no such limitation. You can use ASRock XFast RAM to
utilize the memory that Windows®cannot use.
* For detailed product information, please visit our website: http://www.asrock.com

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1.3 Unique Features
ASRock A-Tuning
A-Tuning is ASRock’s multi purpose software suite with a new
interface, more new features and improved utilities, including
XFast RAM, Dehumidier, Good Night LED, FAN-Tastic Tun-
ing, OC Tweaker and a whole lot more.
ASRock Instant Boot
ASRock Instant Boot allows you to turn on your PC in just a few
seconds,providesa much moreefcientway to saveenergy,
time, money, and improves system running speed for your sys-
tem. It leverages the S3 and S4 ACPI features which normally
enable the Sleep/Standby and Hibernation modes in Windows®
toshortenbootuptime.BycallingS3andS4atspecictiming
during the shutdown and startup process, Instant Boot allows
you to enter your Windows®desktop in a few seconds.
ASRock Instant Flash
 ASRockInstantFlashisaBIOSashutilityembeddedinFlash
ROM. This convenient BIOS update tool allows you to update
systemBIOSwithoutenteringoperatingsystemsrstlikeMS-
DOS or Windows®. With this utility, you can press the <F6> key
during the POST or the <F2> key to enter into the BIOS setup
menu to access ASRock Instant Flash. Just launch this tool and
savethenewBIOSletoyourUSBashdrive,oppydiskor
hard drive, then you can update your BIOS only in a few clicks
withoutpreparinganadditionaloppydisketteorothercompli-
catedashutility.Pleasebenoted thattheUSBashdriveor
harddrivemustuseFAT32/16/12lesystem.
ASRock APP Charger
If you desire a faster, less restricted way of charging your
Apple devices, such as iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch, ASRock has
prepared a wonderful solution for you - ASRock APP Charger.
Simply install the APP Charger driver, it makes your iPhone
charge much quickly from your computer and up to 40% faster
than before. ASRock APP Charger allows you to quickly charge
many Apple devices simultaneously and even supports continu-
ous charging when your PC enters into Suspend to RAM (S3),

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FM2A78M-HD+
hibernation mode (S4) or power off (S5). With APP Charger
driver installed, you can easily enjoy the marvelous charging
experience.
ASRock XFast LAN
ASRock XFast LAN provides a faster internet access, which
includes the benefits listed below. LAN Application Prioritiza-
tion:Youcancongureyourapplication’spriorityideallyand/or
add new programs. Lower Latency in Game: After setting online
game’spriorityhigher,itcanlowerthelatencyingames.Trafc
Shaping: You can watch Youtube HD videos and download si-
multaneously. Real-Time Analysis of Your Data: With the status
window, you can easily recognize which data streams you are
transferring currently.
ASRock XFast RAM
ASRock XFast RAM is included in A-Tuning. It fully utilizes the
memory space that cannot be used under Windows®32-bit
operating systems. ASRock XFast RAM shortens the loading
timeofpreviouslyvisitedwebsites,makingwebsurngfaster
than ever. And it also boosts the speed of Adobe Photoshop 5
times faster. Another advantage of ASRock XFast RAM is that
it reduces the frequency of accessing your SSDs or HDDs in
order to extend their lifespan.
ASRock Crashless BIOS
ASRock Crashless BIOS allows users to update their BIOS
without fear of failing. If power loss occurs during the BIOS up-
dateprocess,ASRockCrashlessBIOSwillautomaticallynish
the BIOS update procedure after regaining power. Please note
thatBIOSlesneed to be placedinthe root directory of your
USB disk. Only USB2.0 ports support this feature.
ASRock OMG (Online Management Guard)
Administrators are able to establish an internet curfew or restrict
internetaccessatspeciedtimesviaOMG.Youmayschedule
the starting and ending hours of internet access granted to other
users. In order to prevent users from bypassing OMG, guest
accounts without permission to modify the system time are re-
quired.

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ASRock Internet Flash
ASRock Internet Flash searches for available UEFI firmware
updates from our servers. In other words, the system can auto-
detectthelatestUEFIfromourserversandashthemwithout
entering Windows®OS.
ASRock UEFI System Browser
ASRock UEFI system browser is a useful tool included in
graphical UEFI. It can detect the devices and configurations
that users are currently using in their PC. With the UEFI system
browser,youcaneasilyexaminethecurrentsystemcongura-
tion in UEFI setup.
ASRock UEFI Tech Service
Contact ASRock Tech Service by sending a support request
from the UEFI setup utility if you are having trouble with your
PC.
ASRock Dehumidier Function
Users may prevent motherboard damages due to dampness by
enabling“Dehumidier Function”. Whenenabling Dehumidier
Function, the computer will power on automatically to dehumidi-
fy the system after entering S4/S5 state.
ASRock Easy RAID Installer
ASRock Easy RAID Installer can help you to copy the RAID
driver from a support CD to your USB storage device. After
copying the RAID driver to your USB storage device, please
change “SATA Mode” to “RAID”, then you can start installing the
OS in RAID mode.
ASRock 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.

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ASRock Interactive UEFI
ASRock Interactive UEFI is a blend of system configuration
tools, cool sound effects and stunning visuals. The unprec-
edented UEFI provides a more attractive interface and brings a
lot more amusing.
ASRock Fast Boot
With ASRock’s exclusive Fast Boot technology, it takes less
than 1.5 seconds to logon to Windows®8 from a cold boot. No
more waiting! The speedy boot will completely change your user
experience and behavior.
ASRock X-Boost
Brilliantly designed for combo overclocking, ASRock X-Boost
Technology is able to unleash the hidden power of your CPUs.
Simply press “X” when turning on the PC, X-Boost will automati-
cally overclock the relative components to get up to 15.77%
performance boost! With the smart X-Boost, overclocking CPU
can become a near one-button process.
ASRock Restart to UEFI
Windows®8 brings the ultimate boot up experience. The light-
ning boot up speed makes it hard to access the UEFI setup. AS-
Rock Restart to UEFI technology is designed for those requiring
frequent UEFI access. It is included in ASRock’s exclusive all-
in-one A-Tuning tuning program that allows users to easily enter
the UEFI automatically when turning on the PC next time. Just
simply enable this function; the PC will be assured to access the
UEFI directly in the very beginning.
ASRock USB Key
In a world where time is money, why waste precious time
everyday typing usernames to log in to Windows? Why should
we even bother memorizing those foot long passwords? Just
plug in the USB Key and let your computer log in to windows
automatically!
ASRock FAN-Tastic Tuning
ASRock FAN-Tastic Tuning is included in A-Tuning. Congure
up to ve different fan speeds using the graph. The fans will
automatically shift to the next speed level when the assigned
temperature is met.

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2. Installation
This is an Micro ATX form factor motherboard. Before you install the motherboard,
studythecongurationofyourchassistoensurethatthemotherboardtsintoit.
Pre-installation Precautions
Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard
components or change any motherboard settings.
Before you install or remove any component, ensure that the
power is switched off or the power cord is detached from the
power supply. Failure to do so may cause severe damage to the
motherboard, peripherals, and/or components.
1. Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any
component.
2. To avoid damaging the motherboard components due to static elec-
tricity, NEVER place your motherboard directly on the carpet or the
like. Also remember to use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safety
grounded object before you handle components.
3. Hold components by the edges and do not touch the ICs.
4. Whenever you uninstall any component, place it on a grounded anti-
static pad or in the bag that comes with the component.
5. When placing screws into the screw holes to secure the mother-
board to the chassis, please do not over-tighten the screws! Doing
so may damage the motherboard.

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2.1 CPU Installation
Step 1. Unlock the socket by lifting the lever up
to a 90oangle.
Step 2. Position the CPU directly above the
socket such that the CPU corner with
the golden triangle matches the socket
corner with a small triangle.
Step 3. Carefully insert the CPU into the
 socketuntilittsinplace.
TheCPUtsonlyinonecorrect
orientation. DO NOT force the CPU
into the socket to avoid bending of
the pins.
Step 4. When the CPU is in place, press it
 rmlyonthesocketwhileyoupush  
down the socket lever to secure the
CPU. The lever clicks on the side tab
to indicate that it is locked.

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2.2 Installation of CPU Fan and Heatsink
After you install the CPU into this motherboard, it is necessary to install a
larger heatsink and cooling fan to dissipate heat. You also need to spray
thermal grease between the CPU and the heatsink to improve heat dis-
sipation. Make sure that the CPU and the heatsink are securely fastened
and in good contact with each other. Then connect the CPU fan to the
CPU FAN connector (CPU_FAN1, see Page 1, No. 3). For proper instal-
lation, please kindly refer to the instruction manuals of the CPU fan and
the heatsink.

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2.3 Installation of Memory Modules (DIMM)
This motherboard provides two 240-pin DDR3 (Double Data Rate 3) DIMM
slots, and supports Dual Channel Memory Technology.
e DIMM only ts 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.
1. For dual channel conguration, 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.

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1
2
3