ASROCK Z77 Extreme3 User manual

1
Z77 Extreme3
User Manual
Version 1.0
Published August 2012
Copyright©2012 ASRock INC. All rights reserved.

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Copyright Notice:
No part of this manual 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 manual may or may not be regis-
tered 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 manual are furnished for informa-
tional 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 manual.
With respect to the contents of this manual, ASRock does not provide warranty of
any kind, either expressed or implied, including but not limited to the implied warran-
ties or conditions of merchantability or tness for a particular purpose.
In no event shall ASRock, its directors, of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 manual or product.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the fol-
lowing 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 Cali-
fornia, 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

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Contents
1 Introduction ........................................................ 7
1.1 Package Contents ......................................................... 7
1.2 Specications ................................................................. 8
1.3 Unique Features ............................................................ 10
1.4 Motherboard Layout ....................................................... 15
1.5 I/O Panel ...................................................................... 16
2 Installation .......................................................... 18
2.1 Screw Holes ................................................................... 18
2.2 Pre-installation Precautions ......................................... 18
2.3 CPU Installation ............................................................. 19
2.4 Installation of Heatsink and CPU fan ............................. 21
2.5 Installation of Memory Modules (DIMM) ........................ 22
2.6 Expansion Slots (PCI and PCI Express Slots) .................... 24
2.7 SLITM and Quad SLITM Operation Guide ......................... 26
2.8 CrossFireXTM, 3-Way CrossFireXTM and Quad
CrossFireXTM Operation Guide ...................................... 30
2.9 Dual Monitor and Surround Display Features ................ 35
2.10 ASRock Smart Remote Installation Guide ..................... 38
2.11 Jumpers Setup .......................................................... 40
2.12 Onboard Headers and Connectors ............................ 41
2.13 Serial ATA (SATA) / Serial ATA2 (SATA2) / Serial ATA3
(SATA3) Hard Disks Installation ................................. 46
2.14 Hot Plug and Hot Swap Functions for SATA / SATA2 /
SATA3 HDDs ................................................................. 46
2.15 SATA / SATA2 / SATA3 HDD Hot Plug Feature and
Operation Guide ........................................................ 47
2.16 Driver Installation Guide ............................................ 49
2.17 Installing Windows® 7 / 7 64-bit / VistaTM / VistaTM
64-bit With RAID Functions ....................................... 49
2.18 Installing Windows® 7 / 7 64-bit / VistaTM / VistaTM 64-bit
/ XP / XP 64-bit Without RAID Functions ................... 50
2.18.1 Installing Windows® XP / XP 64-bit Without RAID
Functions............................................................ 50
2.18.2 Installing Windows® 7 / 7 64-bit / VistaTM /
VistaTM 64-bit Without RAID Functions ............... 50

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3 UEFI SETUP UTILITY .......................................... 52
3.1 Introduction .................................................................... 52
3.1.1 UEFI Menu Bar .................................................... 52
3.1.2 Navigation Keys ................................................... 53
3.2 Main Screen ................................................................... 53
3.3 OC Tweaker Screen ...................................................... 54
3.4 Advanced Screen ........................................................... 59
3.4.1 CPU Conguration ............................................... 60
3.4.2 North Bridge Conguration................................... 62
3.4.3 South Bridge Conguration .................................. 63
3.4.4 Storage Conguration .......................................... 64
3.4.5 Intel(R) Rapid Start Technology ........................... 65
3.4.6 Intel(R) Smart Connect Technology ..................... 66
3.4.7 Super IO Conguration ........................................ 67
3.4.8 ACPI Conguration............................................... 68
3.4.9 USB Conguration ............................................... 69
3.5 Tool ................................................................................ 70
3.6 Hardware Health Event Monitoring Screen ................... 72
3.7 Boot Screen ................................................................... 73
3.8 Security Screen ............................................................. 74
3.9 Exit Screen .................................................................... 75
4 Software Support ............................................... 76
4.1 Install Operating System ................................................ 76
4.2 Support CD Information ................................................. 76
4.2.1 Running Support CD ............................................ 76
4.2.2 Drivers Menu ........................................................ 76
4.2.3 Utilities Menu........................................................ 76
4.2.4 Contact Information .............................................. 76

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Chapter 1: Introduction
Thank you for purchasing ASRock Z77 Extreme3 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.
In this manual, chapter 1 and 2 contains introduction of the motherboard and step-
by-step guide to the hardware installation. Chapter 3 and 4 contains the congura-
tion guide to BIOS setup and information of 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 no-
tice. In case any modications of this manual occur, the updated version
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 Z77 Extreme3 Motherboard
(ATX Form Factor: 12.0-in x 8.6-in, 30.5 cm x 21.8 cm)
ASRock Z77 Extreme3 Quick Installation Guide
ASRock Z77 Extreme3 Support CD
2 x Serial ATA (SATA) Data Cables (Optional)
1 x I/O Panel Shield
1 x ASRock SLI_Bridge_2S Card
ASRock Reminds You...
To get better performance in Windows® 7 / 7 64-bit / VistaTM / VistaTM 64-
bit, it is recommended to set the BIOS option in Storage Conguration to
AHCI mode.

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1.2 Specications
Platform - ATX Form Factor: 12.0-in x 8.6-in, 30.5 cm x 21.8 cm
- ASRock DuraCap (2.5 x longer life time) (100% Japan-made
high-quality Conductive Polymer Capacitors)
CPU - Supports 3rd and 2nd Generation Intel® CoreTM i7 / i5 / i3 in
LGA1155 Package
- Digi Power Design
- 8 + 3 Power Phase Design
- Supports Intel® Turbo Boost 2.0 Technology
- Supports Intel® K-Series unlocked CPU
Chipset - Intel® Z77
- Supports Intel® Rapid Start Technology and Smart Connect
Technology
Memory - Dual Channel DDR3 Memory Technology
- 4 x DDR3 DIMM slots
- Supports DDR3 2800+(OC)/2400(OC)/2133(OC)/1866(OC)/
1600/1333/1066 non-ECC, un-buffered memory
- Max. capacity of system memory: 32GB (see CAUTION 1)
- Supports Intel® Extreme Memory Prole (XMP)1.3/1.2
Expansion Slot - 2 x PCI Express 3.0 x16 slots (PCIE2/PCIE3: single at x16
(PCIE2) / x8 (PCIE3) or dual at x8/x8 mode)
* PCIE 3.0 is only supported with Intel® Ivy Bridge CPU. With
Intel® Sandy Bridge CPU, it only supports PCIE 2.0.
- 1 x PCI Express 2.0 x16 slot (PCIE4 @ x4 mode)
- 1 x PCI Express 2.0 x 1 slot
- 2 x PCI slots
- Supports AMD Quad CrossFireXTM, 3-Way CrossFireXTM and
CrossFireXTM
- Supports NVIDIA® Quad SLITM and SLITM
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 2.0, Intel® InTruTM 3D, Intel® Clear Video HD
Technology, Intel® InsiderTM, Intel® HD Graphics 2500/4000
- Pixel Shader 5.0, DirectX 11 with Intel® Ivy Bridge CPU.
Pixel Shader 4.1, DirectX 10.1 with Intel® Sandy Bridge
CPU.
- Max. shared memory 1760MB

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- Three VGA Output options: D-Sub, DVI-D and HDMI
(see CAUTION 2)
- Supports HDMI 1.4a Technology with max. resolution up to
1920x1200 @ 60Hz
- Supports DVI with max. resolution up to 1920x1200 @ 60Hz
- Supports D-Sub with max. resolution up to 2048x1536 @
75Hz
- Supports Auto Lip Sync, Deep Color (12bpc), xvYCC and
HBR (High Bit Rate Audio) with HDMI (Compliant HDMI
monitor is required) (see CAUTION 3)
- Supports HDCP function with DVI and HDMI ports
- Supports Full HD 1080p Blu-ray (BD) / HD-DVD playback
with DVI and HDMI ports
Audio - 7.1 CH HD Audio with Content Protection
(Realtek ALC892 Audio Codec)
- Premium Blu-ray audio support
- Supports THX TruStudioTM
LAN - PCIE x1 Gigabit LAN 10/100/1000 Mb/s
- Realtek RTL8111E
- Supports Wake-On-LAN
- Supports LAN Cable Detection
- Supports Energy Efcient Ethernet 802.3az
- Supports PXE
Rear Panel I/O I/O Panel
- 1 x PS/2 Keyboard Port
- 1 x D-Sub Port
- 1 x DVI-D Port
- 1 x HDMI Port
- 1 x Optical SPDIF Out Port
- 4 x Ready-to-Use USB 2.0 Ports
- 2 x Ready-to-Use USB 3.0 Ports
- 1 x RJ-45 LAN Port with LED (ACT/LINK LED and SPEED
LED)
- HD Audio Jack: Rear Speaker/Central/Bass/Line in/Front
Speaker/Microphone
SATA3 - 2 x SATA3 6.0 Gb/s connectors, support RAID (RAID 0,
RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10, Intel Rapid Storage and Intel
Smart Response Technology), NCQ, AHCI and Hot Plug
functions

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USB3.0 - 2 x Rear USB 3.0 ports, support USB 1.0/2.0/3.0 up to
5Gb/s
- 1 x Front USB 3.0 header (supports 2 USB 3.0 ports),
supports USB 1.0/2.0/3.0 up to 5Gb/s
Connector - 4 x SATA2 3.0 Gb/s connectors, support RAID (RAID 0,
RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10, Intel Rapid Storage and Intel
Smart Response Technology), NCQ, AHCI and Hot Plug
functions
- 2 x SATA3 6.0Gb/s connectors
- 1 x IR header
- 1 x CIR header
- 1 x COM port header
- 1 x HDMI_SPDIF header
- 1 x Power LED header
- 2 x CPU Fan connectors (1 x 4-pin, 1 x 3-pin)
- 3 x Chassis Fan connectors (1 x 4-pin, 2 x 3-pin)
- 1 x Power Fan connector (3-pin)
- 24 pin ATX power connector
- 8 pin 12V power connector
- Front panel audio connector
- 2 x USB 2.0 headers (support 4 USB 2.0 ports)
- 1 x USB 3.0 header (supports 2 USB 3.0 ports)
BIOS Feature - 64Mb AMI UEFI Legal BIOS with GUI support
- Supports “Plug and Play”
- ACPI 1.1 Compliance Wake Up Events
- Supports jumperfree
- SMBIOS 2.3.1 Support
- CPU Core, IGPU, DRAM, 1.8V PLL, VTT, VCCSA Voltage
Multi-adjustment
Support CD - Drivers, Utilities, AntiVirus Software (Trial Version),
CyberLink MediaEspresso 6.5 Trial, ASRock MAGIX
Multimedia Suite - OEM
Hardware - CPU Temperature Sensing
Monitor - Chassis Temperature Sensing
- CPU/Chassis/Power Fan Tachometer
- CPU/Chassis Quiet Fan (Allows Chassis Fan Speed Auto-
Adjust by CPU Temperature)
- CPU/Chassis Fan Multi-Speed Control
- Voltage Monitoring: +12V, +5V, +3.3V, CPU Vcore
OS - Microsoft® Windows® 7 / 7 64-bit / VistaTM / VistaTM 64-bit /
XP / XP 64-bit compliant (see CAUTION 4)

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Certications - FCC, CE, WHQL
- ErP/EuP Ready (ErP/EuP ready power supply is required)
* For detailed product information, please visit our website: http://www.asrock.com
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. Due to the operating system limitation, the actual memory size
may be less than 4GB for the reservation for system usage
under Windows® 7 / VistaTM / XP. For Windows® OS with 64-bit
CPU, there is no such limitation. You can use ASRock XFast
RAM to utilize the memory that Windows® cannot use.
2. You can choose to use two of the three monitors only. D-Sub,
DVI-D and HDMI monitors cannot be enabled at the same time.
Besides, with the DVI-to-HDMI adapter, the DVI-D port can sup-
port the same features as HDMI port.
3. xvYCC and Deep Color are only supported under Windows® 7
64-bit / 7. Deep Color mode will be enabled only if the display
supports 12bpc in EDID. HBR is supported under Windows® 7
64-bit / 7 / VistaTM 64-bit / VistaTM.
4. ASRock XFast RAM is not supported by Microsoft® Windows®
XP / XP 64-bit. Intel® Smart Connect Technology and Intel® USB
3.0 ports are not supported by Microsoft® Windows® VistaTM /
VistaTM 64-bit / XP / XP 64-bit.

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1.3 Unique Features
ASRock Extreme Tuning Utility (AXTU)
ASRock Extreme Tuning Utility (AXTU) is an all-in-one tool to
ne-tune different system functions in a user-friendly interface,
which includes Hardware Monitor, Fan Control, Overclocking,
OC DNA, IES and XFast RAM. In Hardware Monitor, it shows
the major readings of your system. In Fan Control, it shows the
fan speed and temperature for you to adjust. In Overclocking,
you are allowed to overclock CPU frequency for optimal system
performance. In OC DNA, you can save your OC settings as
a prole and share it with your friends. Your friends then can
load the OC prole to their own system to get the same OC set-
tings. In IES (Intelligent Energy Saver), the voltage regulator
can reduce the number of output phases to improve efciency
when the CPU cores are idle without sacricing computing per-
formance. In XFast RAM, it fully utilizes the memory space that
cannot be used under Windows® OS 32-bit CPU.
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.

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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 Standby mode (S1),
Suspend to RAM (S3), hibernation mode (S4) or power off (S5).
With APP Charger driver installed, you can easily enjoy the mar-
velous charging experience.
ASRock SmartView
ASRock SmartView, a new function for internet browsers, is
the smart start page for IE that combines your most visited web
sites, your history, your Facebook friends and your real-time
newsfeed into an enhanced view for a more personal Internet
experience. ASRock motherboards are exclusively equipped
with the ASRock SmartView utility that helps you keep in touch
with friends on-the-go. To use ASRock SmartView feature,
please make sure your OS version is Windows® 7 / 7 64 bit /
VistaTM / VistaTM 64 bit, and your browser version is IE8.
ASRock XFast USB
ASRock XFast USB can boost USB storage device perfor-
mance. The performance may depend on the properties of the
device.
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.

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ASRock XFast RAM
ASRock XFast RAM is a new function that is included into AS-
Rock Extreme Tuning Utility (AXTU). It fully utilizes the memory
space that cannot be used under Windows® OS 32-bit CPU.
ASRock XFast RAM shortens the loading time of previously
visited websites, making web surfing faster than ever. And it
also boosts the speed of Adobe Photoshop 5 times faster. An-
other 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.
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. Please note that you must be running
on a DHCP congured computer in order to enable this function.
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.

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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 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.
Lucid Virtu Universal MVP
Lucid Virtu Universal MVP can be supported only with proces-
sors which are GPU integrated. VIRTU Universal MVP includes
the base features of Virtu Universal technology, which virtualizes
integrated GPU and discrete GPU for best of breed functional-
ity. It also features Virtual Vsync™ for no-compromise visual
quality. With the added benets of HyperFormance technology,
VIRTU Universal MVP improves game performance by intel-
ligently reducing redundant rendering tasks in the ow between
the CPU, GPU and the display.
ASRock On/Off Play Technology
ASRock On/Off Play Technology allows users to enjoy the great
audio experience from the portable audio devices, such like
MP3 player or mobile phone to your PC, even when the PC is
turned off (or in ACPI S5 mode)! This motherboard also provides
a free 3.5mm audio cable (optional) that ensures users the most
convenient computing environment.
ASRock Combo Cooler Option (C.C.O.)
Combo Cooler Option (C.C.O.) provides the exible option to
adopt three different CPU cooler types, Socket LGA 775, LGA
1155 and LGA 1156. Please be noticed that not all the 775 and
1156 CPU Fan can be used.

14
ASRock Good Night LED
ASRock Good Night LED technology can offer you a better en-
vironment by extinguishing the unessential LED. By enabling
Good Night LED in BIOS, the Power / HDD / LAN LED will be
switched off when system is on. Not only this, Good night LED
will automatically switch off Power and Keyboard LED when the
system enters into Standby / Hibernation mode as well.

15
1.3 Motherboard Layout
1 ATX 12V Power Connector (ATX12V1)
2 1155-Pin CPU Socket
3 CPU Fan Connector (CPU_FAN1)
4 CPU Fan Connector (CPU_FAN2)
5 Power Fan Connector (PWR_FAN1)
6 2 x 240-pin DDR3 DIMM Slots
(DDR3_A1, DDR3_B1, Black)
7 2 x 240-pin DDR3 DIMM Slots
(DDR3_A2, DDR3_B2, Black)
8 ATX Power Connector (ATXPWR1)
9 USB 3.0 Header (USB3_2_3, Black)
10 Chassis Fan Connector (CHA_FAN3)
11 Intel Z77 Chipset
12 SATA3 Connectors (SATA3_0_1, Gray)
13 SATA2 Connectors (SATA2_2_3, Black)
14 SATA2 Connectors (SATA2_4_5, Black)
15 Chassis Speaker Header (SPEAKER1, Black)
16 System Panel Header (PANEL1, Black)
17 Power LED Header (PLED1)
18 Clear CMOS Jumper (CLRCMOS1)
19 SPI Flash Memory (64Mb)
20 Chassis Fan Connector (CHA_FAN1)
21 USB 2.0 Header (USB6_7, Black)
22 USB 2.0 Header (USB4_5, Black)
23 Consumer Infrared Module Header
(CIR1, Gray)
24 COM Port Header (COM1)
25 HDMI_SPDIF Header
(HDMI_SPDIF1, Black)
26 Infrared Module Header (IR1)
27 Front Panel Audio Header
(HD_AUDIO1, Black)
28 PCI Express 2.0 x16 Slot (PCIE4, Black)
29 PCI Slot (PCI2, Black)
30 PCI Express 3.0 x16 Slot (PCIE3, Black)
31 PCI Slot (PCI1, Black)
32 PCI Express 3.0 x16 Slot (PCIE2, Black)
33 PCI Express 2.0 x1 Slot (PCIE1, Black)
34 Chassis Fan Connector (CHA_FAN2)
Intel
Z77
64Mb
BIOS
DDR3_A2 ( 64 bit, 2 40-pin module)
DDR3_A1 (64 bit, 240-pin module)
DDR3_B2 ( 64 bit, 2 40-pin module)
DDR3_B1 (64 bit, 240-pin module)
ATX1 2V1
CPU_FAN1
CMOS
Battery
Supe r
I/O
USB 2.0
T: USB0
B: USB1
PS2
Keyboard
ATXPWR1
1
USB3_2_3
CPU_FAN2
AUDIO
CODEC
LAN
PHY
1
HD_AUDIO1
1
HDMI_SPDIF1
COM1
1
CLRCMOS1
1
IR1
1
CIR1
1
USB6_7
1
HDLED RESET
PLED PWRBTN
PANEL1
1
PLED1
1
1
SPEAKER1
PCIE1
PCIE2
PCIE3
PCI1
CHA_FAN1
HDMI1
USB 3.0
T: USB0
B: USB1
Top:
RJ-45
USB 2. 0
T: USB2
B: USB 3
21.8cm (8.6 in)
30.5cm (12.0 in)
123 4 567
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
18
19 15
16
17
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
DDR3 2800+
RoHS
Front USB 3.0
Z77 Extreme3
X Fast USB
X Fast LAN
PCI Express 3.0
ErP/EuP Ready
X ast RAMF
Top:
SIDE SPK
Center:
REAR SPK
Bottom:
CTR BAS S
Top:
LINE IN
Center:
FRONT
Bottom:
MIC IN
USB4_5
1
PWR_FAN1
PCIE4
PCI2
CHA_FAN2 CHA_FAN3
VGA1
DVI1
SATA2_4_5 SATA2_2_3 SATA3_0_1

16
1.4 I/O Panel
* There are two LED next to the LAN port. Please refer to the table below for the LAN port LED
indications.
LAN Port LED Indications
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
1 USB 2.0 Ports (USB_0_1) ** 8 Front Speaker (Lime)
2 D-Sub Port (VGA1) 9 Microphone (Pink)
* 3 LAN RJ-45 Port 10 USB 2.0 Ports (USB_2_3)
4 Central / Bass (Orange) 11 USB 3.0 Ports (USB3_0_1)
5 Rear Speaker (Black) 12 HDMI Port (HDMI1)
6 Optical SPDIF Out Port 13 DVI-D Port (DVI1)
7 Line In (Light Blue) 14 PS/2 Keyboard Port (Purple)
ACT/LINK
LED
SPEED
LED
LAN Port
** If you use 2-channel speaker, please connect the speaker’s plug into “Front Speaker Jack”.
See the table below for connection details in accordance with the type of speaker you use.
TABLE for Audio Output Connection
Audio Output Channels Front Speaker Rear Speaker Central / Bass Line In or
(No. 8) (No. 5) (No. 4) Side Speaker
(No. 7)
2 V -- -- --
4 V V -- --
6 V V V --
8 V V V V
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
4
123
13
14

17
To enable Multi-Streaming function, you need to connect a front panel audio cable to the front
panel audio header. After restarting your computer, you will nd “Mixer” tool on your system.
Please select “Mixer ToolBox” , click “Enable playback multi-streaming”, and click
“ok”. Choose “2CH”, “4CH”, “6CH”, or “8CH” and then you are allowed to select “Realtek HDA
Primary output” to use Rear Speaker, Central/Bass, and Front Speaker, or select “Realtek
HDA Audio 2nd output” to use front panel audio.

18
Chapter 2: Installation
This is an ATX form factor (12.0" x 8.6", 30.5 x 21.8 cm) motherboard. Before you
install the motherboard, study the conguration of your chassis to ensure that the
motherboard ts into it.
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.
2.1 Screw Holes
Place screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the motherboard to the
chassis.
Do not over-tighten the screws! Doing so may damage the motherboard.
2.2 Pre-installation Precautions
Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard components
or change any motherboard settings.
1. Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any
components.
2. To avoid damaging the motherboard’s components due to static
electricity, 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 the 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.
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.

19
1155-Pin Socket Overview
2.3 CPU Installation
In order to provide the LGA 1155 CPU sock-
ets more protection and make the instal-
lation process easier, ASRock has added
a new protection cover on top of the load
plate to replace the former PnP caps that
were under the load plate. For the installa-
tion of Intel® 1155-Pin CPUs with the new
protection cover, please follow the steps
below.
Before you insert the 1155-Pin CPU into the socket, please check 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.
Step 1. Open the socket:
Step 1-1. Disengage the lever by pressing it
down and sliding it out of the hook.
You do not have to remove the pro-
tection cover.
Step 1-2. Keep the lever positioned at about
135 degrees in order to flip up the
load plate.
Step 2. Insert the 1155-Pin CPU:
Step 2-1. Hold the CPU by the edge which is
marked with a black line.
Step 2-2. Orient the CPU with the IHS (Inte-
grated Heat Sink) up. Locate Pin1
and the two orientation key notches.
Load
Plate
Cover
Contact
Array
Load
Lever
Socket
Body
black line

20
Pin1
alignment key
alignment key
Pin1
1155-Pin CPU
For proper installation, please ensure to match the two orientation
key notches of the CPU with the two alignment keys of the socket.
Step 2-3. Carefully place the CPU into the
socket.
Step 2-4. Verify that the CPU is within the sock-
et and properly mated to the orient
keys.
Step 3. Close the socket:
Step 3-1. Flip the load plate onto the IHS.
Step 3-2. Press down the load lever, and se-
cure it with the load plate tab under
the retention tab. The protection
cover will automatically come off by
itself.
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.
orientation key notch
orientation key notch 1155-Pin Socket