ASROCK Z77 OC Formula User manual

1
ASRock Z77 OC Formula Motherboard
English
Copyright Notice:
No part of this installation guide may be reproduced, transcribed, transmitted, or trans-
lated 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 guide may or may not be registered
trademarks or copyrights of their respective companies, and are used only for identifica-
tion or explanation and to the owners’ benefit, without intent to infringe.
Disclaimer:
Specifications and information contained in this guide are furnished for informational use
only and subject to change without notice, and should not be constructed as a commit-
ment by ASRock. ASRock assumes no responsibility for any errors or omissions that may
appear in this guide.
With respect to the contents of this guide, ASRock does not provide warranty of any kind,
either expressed or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties or condi-
tions 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 pos-
sibility of such damages arising from any defect or error in the guide 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
Published July 2012
Copyright©2012 ASRock INC. All rights reserved.

2ASRock Z77 OC Formula Motherboard
English
Motherboard Layout
1 ATX 12V Power Connector (ATX12V2)
2 ATX 12V Power Connector (ATX12V1)
3 1155-Pin CPU Socket
4 CPU Fan Connector (CPU_FAN1)
5 CPU Fan Connector (CPU_FAN2)
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, Yellow)
8 Dr. Debug
9 PCIe ON/OFF Switch
10 Rapid OC Button (-)
11 Rapid OC Button (+)
12 Post Status Checker (PSC)
13 V-ProbeTM (VOL_CON1, VOL_CON2)
14 ATX Power Connector (ATXPWR1)
15 USB 3.0 Header (USB3_6_7, Black)
16 Power Fan Connector (PWR_FAN1)
17 Chassis Fan Connector (CHA_FAN3)
18 SATA2 Connectors (SATA2_4_5, Black)
19 SATA2 Connectors (SATA2_2_3, Black)
20 SATA3 Connectors (SATA3_0_1, Yellow)
21 SATA3 Connectors (SATA3_M0_M1, Yellow)
22 SATA3 Connectors (SATA3_M2_M3, Yellow)
23 Chassis Speaker Header (SPEAKER1, Black)
24 Power LED Header (PLED1, Black)
25 System Panel Header (PANEL1, Black)
26 Intel Z77 Chipset
27 Power Switch (PWRBTN)
28 Reset Switch (RSTBTN)
29 64Mb SPI Flash Memory (Backup BIOS)
30 64Mb SPI Flash Memory (Main BIOS)
31 USB 2.0 Header (USB4_5, Black)
32 BIOS Selection Jumper (BIOS_SEL1)
33 Chassis Fan Connector (CHA_FAN2)
34 USB 2.0 Header (USB6_7, Black)
35 USB 2.0 Header (USB8_9, Black)
36 Consumer Infrared Module Header (CIR1, Gray)
37 Chassis Fan Connector (CHA_FAN1)
38 Infrared Module Header (IR1)
39 SLI / XFIRE Power Connector (SLI/XFIRE_PWR1)
40 COM Port Header (COM1)
41 Front Panel Audio Header (HD_AUDIO1, Black)
42 HDMI_SPDIF Header (HDMI_SPDIF1, Black)
43 PCI Express 2.0 x16 Slot (PCIE5, Yellow)
44 PCI Express 3.0 x16 Slot (PCIE4, Yellow)
45 PCI Express 2.0 x1 Slot (PCIE3, Black)
46 Clear CMOS Jumper (CLRCMOS1)
47 PCI Express 3.0 x16 Slot (PCIE2, Black)
48 PCI Express 2.0 x1 Slot (PCIE1, Black)
49 Chassis Fan Connector (CHA_FAN4)
50 MOS Fan Connector (MOS_FAN1)
51 Twin-Power Cooling
26.7cm (10.5 in)
30.5cm (12.0 in)
Intel
Z77
DDR3_A1 (64 bit, 240-pin module)
DDR3_A2 (64 bit, 240-pin module)
DDR3_B1 (64 bit, 240-pin module)
DDR3_B2 (64 bit, 240-pin module)
ATXPWR1
USB3_6_7
SATA3_M2_M3 SATA3_0_1 SATA2_2_3 SATA2_4_5SATA3_M0_M1
Reset Power
CMOS
Battery
Dr.
Debug
ON
123
PCIE1
PCIE3
PCIE2
PCIE4
PCIE5
64Mb
BIOS
64Mb
BIOS
Super
I/O
AUDIO
CODEC
HDLED RESET
PLED PWRBTN
PANEL1
1
SPEAKER1
1
PLED1
1
CLRCMOS1
1
SLI/XFIRE_PWR1
CHA_FAN2
CHA_FAN1
USB6_7
1
USB4_5
1
USB8_9
1
CIR1
1
IR1
1
1
HD_AUDIO1
COM1
1
1
HDMI_SPDIF1
1
BIOS_SEL1
Z77 OC Formula
CPU_FAN2
CPU_FAN1
CHA_FAN4MOS_FAN1
ATX12V1
ATX12V2
Front
USB 3.0
Dual-Stack MOSFET
Multiple Filter Cap
Premium Alloy Choke
DDR3 3000+
X fast USB
X
X
Fast RAM
Fast LAN
RoHS
8-Layer PCB
2 oz Copper
Top:
RJ-45
Top: Central/Bass
Top: LINE IN
USB 2.0
T:USB0
B: USB1
PS2
Keyboard/
Mouse
USB 3.0
T: US B0
B: USB1
Clr
CMOS
HDMI
USB 3.0
T: US B2
B: USB3
USB 3.0
T: US B4
B: USB5
USB 2.0
T: US B2
B: USB3
Center: REAR SPK
Center: FRONT
Bottom: Optical SPDIF
Bottom: MIC IN
PCI Express 3.0
-
+
PWR_FAN1
CHA_FAN3
15 Gold Fingerμ
1234567
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ASRock Z77 OC Formula Motherboard
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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
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
15
1 PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse Port (Purple/Green) 9 Microphone (Pink)
2 USB 3.0 Ports (USB3_23) *** 10 USB 2.0 Ports (USB23)
* 3 LAN RJ-45 Port *** 11 USB 2.0 Ports (USB01)
4 Central / Bass (Orange) 12 USB 3.0 Ports (USB3_45)
5 Rear Speaker (Black) 13 HDMI Port (HDMI1)
6 Optical SPDIF Out Port 14 Clear CMOS Switch (CLRCBTN)
7 Line In (Light Blue) 15 USB 3.0 Ports (USB3_01)
** 8 Front Speaker (Lime)

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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 find “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.
*** It is recommended to install the USB Keyboard/Mouse cable to USB 2.0 ports (USB01 or
USB23) instead of USB 3.0 ports.

5
ASRock Z77 OC Formula Motherboard
1. Introduction
Thank you for purchasing ASRock Z77 OC Formula 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 specifications and the BIOS software might be
updated, the content of this manual will be subject to change without no-
tice. In case any modifications of this manual occur, the updated version
will be available on ASRock website without further notice. You may find
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 specific information about the model you are using.
www.asrock.com/support/index.asp
1.1 Package Contents
ASRock Z77 OC Formula Motherboard
(CEB Form Factor: 12.0-in x 10.5-in, 30.5 cm x 26.7 cm)
ASRock Z77 OC Formula Quick Installation Guide
ASRock Z77 OC Formula Support CD
6 x Serial ATA (SATA) Data Cables (Optional)
2 x Serial ATA (SATA) HDD Power Cables (Optional)
1 x I/O Panel Shield
1 x Front USB 3.0 Panel
4 x HDD Screws
6 x Chassis Screws
1 x Rear USB 3.0 Bracket
1 x ASRock SLI_Bridge_2S Card
10 x OC Stands
GELID GC-Extreme Thermal Compound
English
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 Configuration to
AHCI mode. For the BIOS setup, please refer to the “User Manual” in our
support CD for details.

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1.2 Specifications
Platform - CEB Form Factor: 12.0-in x 10.5-in, 30.5 cm x 26.7 cm
- Premium Gold Capacitor design (100% Japan-made
high-quality Conductive Polymer Capacitors)
OC Formula Kit OC Formula Power Kit
- Digi Power
- Dual-Stack MOSFET (DSM) (see CAUTION 1)
- Multiple Filter Cap (MFC) (Filter different noise by 3 different
capacitors: DIP solid cap, POSCAP and MLCC)
- Premium Alloy Choke (Reduce 70% core loss compare to
iron powder choke)
OC Formula Connector Kit
- Hi-Density Power Connector
- 15Gold Finger (CPU and memory sockets)
OC Formula Cooling Kit
- Twin-Power Cooling (Combine active air cooling and water
cooling)
- 8 Layer PCB
- 4 x 2oz copper
- GELID GC-Extreme Thermal Compound
CPU - Supports 3rd and 2nd Generation Intel®CoreTM i7 / i5 / i3 in
LGA1155 Package
- 12 + 4 Power Phase Design
- Supports Intel®Turbo Boost 2.0 Technology
- Supports Intel®K-Series unlocked CPU
- Supports Hyper-Threading Technology (see CAUTION 2)
Chipset - Intel®Z77
- Supports Intel®Rapid Start Technology and Smart Connect
Technology
Memory - Dual Channel DDR3 Memory Technology (see CAUTION 3)
- 4 x DDR3 DIMM slots
- Supports DDR3 3000+(OC)/2800(OC)/2666(OC)/2400(OC)/
2133(OC)/1866(OC)/1600/1333/1066 non-ECC, un-buffered
memory
- Max. capacity of system memory: 32GB (see CAUTION 4)
- Supports Intel®Extreme Memory Profile (XMP)1.3/1.2
Expansion Slot - 2 x PCI Express 3.0 x16 slots (PCIE2/PCIE4: single at x16
(PCIE2) / x8 (PCIE4) or dual at x8/x8 mode)
(see CAUTION 5)
* PCIE 3.0 is only supported with Intel®Ivy Bridge CPU. With

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ASRock Z77 OC Formula Motherboard
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Intel®Sandy Bridge CPU, it only supports PCIE 2.0.
- 1 x PCI Express 2.0 x16 slot (PCIE5: x4 mode)
- 2 x PCI Express 2.0 x 1 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 (see CAUTION 6)
- Supports HDMI 1.4a Technology with max. resolution up to
1920x1200 @ 60Hz
- Supports Auto Lip Sync, Deep Color (12bpc), xvYCC and
HBR (High Bit Rate Audio) with HDMI (Compliant HDMI
monitor is required) (see CAUTION 7)
- Supports HDCP function with HDMI port
- Supports Full HD 1080p Blu-ray (BD) / HD-DVD playback
with HDMI port
Audio - 7.1 CH HD Audio with Content Protection
(Realtek ALC898 Audio Codec)
- Premium Blu-ray audio support
- Supports THX TruStudioTM
LAN - PCIE x1 Gigabit LAN 10/100/1000 Mb/s
- Broadcom BCM57781
- Supports Wake-On-LAN
- Supports Energy Efficient Ethernet 802.3az
- Supports PXE
Rear Panel I/O I/O Panel
- 1 x PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse Port
- 1 x HDMI Port
- 1 x Optical SPDIF Out Port
- 4 x Ready-to-Use USB 2.0 Ports
- 6 x Ready-to-Use USB 3.0 Ports
- 1 x RJ-45 LAN Port with LED (ACT/LINK LED and SPEED
LED)
- 1 x Clear CMOS Switch with LED

8ASRock Z77 OC Formula Motherboard
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- HD Audio Jack: Rear Speaker/Central/Bass/Line in/Front
Speaker/Microphone (see CAUTION 8)
SATA3 - 2 x SATA3 6.0 Gb/s connectors by Intel®Z77, support RAID
(RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10, Intel Rapid Storage and
Intel Smart Response Technology), NCQ, AHCI and Hot
Plug functions
- 4 x SATA3 6.0 Gb/s connectors by Marvell SE9172, support
RAID (RAID 0 and RAID 1), NCQ, AHCI and “Hot Plug”
functions
USB3.0 - 2 x Rear USB 3.0 ports by Intel®Z77, support USB 1.0/2.0/3.0
up to 5Gb/s
- 4 x Rear USB 3.0 ports by Etron EJ188H, support
USB 1.0/2.0/3.0 up to 5Gb/s
- 1 x Front USB 3.0 header by Intel®Z77 (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
- 6 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
- V-ProbeTM: 2 x 7-set of onboard voltage measurement points
laid
- 2 x CPU Fan connectors (1 x 4-pin, 1 x 3-pin)
- 4 x Chassis Fan connectors (1 x 4-pin, 3 x 3-pin)
- 1 x Power Fan connector (3-pin)
- 1 x MOS Fan connector (3-pin)
- 24 pin ATX power connector
- 8 pin 12V power connector
- 4 pin 12V power connector
- SLI/XFire power connector
- Front panel audio connector
- 3 x USB 2.0 headers (support 6 USB 2.0 ports)
- 1 x USB 3.0 header (supports 2 USB 3.0 ports)
- 1 x Dr. Debug with LED
- 1 x Power Switch with LED
- 1 x Reset Switch with LED

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ASRock Z77 OC Formula Motherboard
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- 1 x Clear CMOS Switch with LED
- Rapid OC Button: +/- buttons to adjust OC frequency
- 1 x PCIe ON/OFF Switch
- 1 x Post Status Checker (PSC) (see CAUTION 9)
BIOS Feature - 2 x 64Mb AMI UEFI Legal BIOS with GUI support
(1 x Main BIOS and 1 x Recovery Backup BIOS)
- Supports “Plug and Play”
- ACPI 1.1 Compliance Wake Up Events
- 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
Unique Feature - Formula Drive (see CAUTION 10)
- ASRock Instant Boot
- ASRock Instant Flash (see CAUTION 11)
- ASRock APP Charger (see CAUTION 12)
- ASRock SmartView (see CAUTION 13)
- ASRock XFast USB (see CAUTION 14)
- ASRock XFast LAN (see CAUTION 15)
- ASRock XFast RAM (see CAUTION 16)
- ASRock Crashless BIOS (see CAUTION 17)
- ASRock OMG (Online Management Guard)
(see CAUTION 18)
- ASRock Internet Flash (see CAUTION 19)
- ASRock UEFI System Browser
- ASRock Dehumidifier Function (see CAUTION 20)
- ASRock Interactive UEFI
- NickShih’s OC Profile (see CAUTION 21)
- Fine-Tuning V-Controller (see CAUTION 22)
- Timing Configurator
- Lucid Virtu Universal MVP (see CAUTION 23)
* Lucid Virtu Universal MVP can be supported only with
processors which are GPU integrated.
- Hybrid Booster:
- ASRock U-COP (see CAUTION 24)
- Boot Failure Guard (B.F.G.)
- Combo Cooler Option (C.C.O.) (see CAUTION 25)
- Good Night LED

10 ASRock Z77 OC Formula Motherboard
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CAUTION!
1. Dual-Stack MOSFET (DSM) is an innovative new design of MOSFETs.
The silicon die area is doubled by stacking two dies into a MOSFET. The
larger the die area, the lower Rds(on). Compared to traditional discrete
MOSFET, DSM can provide larger die area and lower Rds(on), so the
power supply for CPU Vcore is more efficient.
2. About the settings of “Hyper Threading Technology”, please check page
69 of the “User Manual” in the support CD.
3. This motherboard supports Dual Channel Memory Technology. Before
you implement Dual Channel Memory Technology, make sure to read the
installation guide of memory modules on page 18 for proper installation.
4. 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 limita-
tion. You can use ASRock XFast RAM to utilize the memory that Win-
dows®cannot use.
5. Only PCIE2 and PCIE4 slots support Gen 3 speed. To run the PCI Ex-
press in Gen 3 speed, please install an Ivy Bridge CPU. If you install a
Sandy Bridge CPU, the PCI Express will run only at PCI Express Gen 2
speed.
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.
Hardware - CPU/Chassis/Power/MOS Temperature Sensing
Monitor - CPU/Chassis/Power/MOS Fan Tachometer
- CPU/Chassis/MOS Quiet Fan (Allows Chassis Fan Speed
Auto-Adjust by CPU Temperature)
- CPU/Chassis/MOS Fan Multi-Speed Control
- Multi Thermal Sensor
- 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 26)
Certifications - FCC, CE, WHQL
- ErP/EuP Ready (ErP/EuP ready power supply is required)
(see CAUTION 27)
* For detailed product information, please visit our website: http://www.asrock.com

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ASRock Z77 OC Formula Motherboard
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6. The maximum shared memory size is defined by the chipset vendor and
is subject to change. Please check Intel®website for the latest informa-
tion.
7. 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.
8. For microphone input, this motherboard supports both stereo and mono
modes. For audio output, this motherboard supports 2-channel, 4-chan-
nel, 6-channel, and 8-channel modes. Please check the table on page 3
for proper connection.
9. Post Status Checker (PSC) diagnoses the computer when users power
on the machine. It emits a red light to indicate whether the CPU, memory,
VGA or storage is dysfunctional. The lights go off if the four mentioned
above are functioning normally.
10. Formula Drive is an all-in-one tool to fine-tune different system functions
in a user-friendly interface, which is including Hardware Monitor, Fan-
tastic Tuning, Overclocking, OC DNA, IES, XFast RAM and Multi Thermal
Sensor. In Hardware Monitor, it shows the major readings of your system.
In Fan-tastic Tuning, 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 profile and share with your friends. Your friends then can load the
OC profile to their own system to get the same OC settings. In IES, you
can enjoy the intelligent power saving feature. In XFast RAM, it fully
utilizes the memory space that cannot be used under Windows®OS 32-
bit CPU. It also 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. Another advantage is that it reduces
the frequency of accessing your SSDs or HDDs in order to extend their
lifespan. In Multi Thermal Sensor, it provides users the temperature
of various parts of the motherboard graphically, so that users may
precisely keep track and control of the temperature of each parts of their
motherboard when overclocking. Please visit our website for the opera-
tion procedures of Formula Drive.
ASRock website: http://www.asrock.com
11. ASRock Instant Flash is a BIOS flash utility embedded in Flash ROM.
This convenient BIOS update tool allows you to update system BIOS
without entering operating systems first 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 file to your USB flash drive,
floppy disk or hard drive, then you can update your BIOS only in a few
clicks without preparing an additional floppy diskette or other complicated
flash utility. Please be noted that the USB flash drive or hard drive must
use FAT32/16/12 file system.

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12. If you desire a faster, less restricted way of charging your Apple devices,
such as iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch, ASRock has prepared a wonderful solu-
tion 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
continuous charging when your PC enters into Standby mode (S1), Sus-
pend to RAM (S3), hibernation mode (S4) or power off (S5). With APP
Charger driver installed, you can easily enjoy the marvelous charging ex-
perience.
ASRock website: http://www.asrock.com/Feature/AppCharger/index.asp
13. 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 website: http://www.asrock.com/Feature/SmartView/index.asp
14. ASRock XFast USB can boost USB storage device performance. The
performance may depend on the properties of the device.
15. ASRock XFast LAN provides a faster internet access, which includes
the benefits listed below. LAN Application Prioritization: You can config-
ure 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. Traffic Shaping: You can watch Youtube HD videos
and download simultaneously. Real-Time Analysis of Your Data: With
the status window, you can easily recognize which data streams you are
transferring currently.
16. ASRock XFast RAM is a new function that is included into Formula Drive.
It fully utilizes the memory space that cannot be used under Windows®
OS 32-bit CPU. ASRock XFast RAM shortens the loading time of previ-
ously visited websites, making web surfing 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.
17. ASRock Crashless BIOS allows users to update their BIOS without fear
of failing. If power loss occurs during the BIOS update process, ASRock
Crashless BIOS will automatically finish the BIOS update procedure after
regaining power. Please note that BIOS files need to be placed in the root
directory of your USB disk. Only USB2.0 ports support this feature.
18. Administrators are able to establish an internet curfew or restrict internet
access at specified times via OMG. You may schedule the starting and
ending hours of internet access granted to other users. In order to pre-
vent users from bypassing OMG, guest accounts without permission to
modify the system time are required.

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ASRock Z77 OC Formula Motherboard
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19. 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 flash them without entering Windows®OS.
Please note that you must be running on a DHCP configured computer in
order to enable this function.
20. Users may prevent motherboard damages due to dampness by enabling
“Dehumidifier Function”. When enabling Dehumidifier Function, the com-
puter will power on automatically to dehumidify the system after entering
S4/S5 state.
21. NickShih’s OC Profile is an BIOS option which shows how Nick, the glob-
al OC champion overclocks this motherboard. It provides a convenient
and efficient way with users to use Nick’s OC setting which simplifies the
complicated overclocking process.
22. Besides the conventional voltage configuration options in the UEFI Setup
Utility, Fine-Tuning V-Controller is a new collection of voltage fine tuning
options for overclockers who wish to pursuit extremes.
23. VIRTU Universal MVP includes the base features of Virtu Universal
technology, which virtualizes integrated GPU and discrete GPU for best
of breed functionality. It also features Virtual Vsync™ for no-compromise
visual quality. With the added benefits of HyperFormance technology,
VIRTU Universal MVP improves game performance by intelligently re-
ducing redundant rendering tasks in the flow between the CPU, GPU and
the display.
24. While CPU overheat is detected, the system will automatically shutdown.
Before you resume the system, please check if the CPU fan on the moth-
erboard functions properly and unplug the power cord, then plug it back
again. To improve heat dissipation, remember to spray thermal grease
between the CPU and the heatsink when you install the PC system.
25. Combo Cooler Option (C.C.O.) provides the flexible 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.
26. 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.
27. EuP stands for Energy Using Product, was a provision regulated by the
European Union to define the power consumption for the completed
system. According to EuP, the total AC power of the completed system
should be under 1.00W in off mode condition. To meet EuP standards,
an EuP ready motherboard and an EuP ready power supply are required.
According to Intel’s suggestion, the EuP ready power supply must meet
the standard of 5v, and the standby power efficiency should be higher
than 50% under 100 mA current consumption. For EuP ready power sup-
ply selection, we recommend you to check with the power supply manu-
facturer for more details.

14 ASRock Z77 OC Formula Motherboard
2. Installation
This is a CEB form factor (12.0” x 10.5”, 30.5 x 26.7 cm) motherboard. Before you
install the motherboard, study the configuration of your chassis to ensure that the
motherboard fits 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.
English

15
ASRock Z77 OC Formula Motherboard
English
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

16 ASRock Z77 OC Formula Motherboard
English
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

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ASRock Z77 OC Formula Motherboard
English
2.4 Installation of CPU Fan and Heatsink
This motherboard is equipped with 1155-Pin socket that supports Intel 1155-Pin
CPUs. Please adopt the type of heatsink and cooling fan compliant with Intel 1155-
Pin CPU to dissipate heat. Before you install the heatsink, you need to spray ther-
mal interface material between the CPU and the heatsink to improve heat dissipa-
tion. Ensure that the CPU and the heatsink are securely fastened and in good con-
tact with each other. Then connect the CPU fan to the CPU_FAN connector (CPU_
FAN1, see page 2, No. 4 or CPU_FAN2, see page 2, No. 5).
For proper installation, please kindly refer to the instruction manuals of your
CPU fan and heatsink.
Below is an example to illustrate the installation of the heatsink for 1155-Pin CPUs.
Step 1. Apply thermal interface material onto the cen-
ter of the IHS on the socket’s surface. ASRock
provides the free bundle GELID GC-Extreme
Thermal Compound in the accessory pack.
Step 2. Place the heatsink onto the socket. Ensure
that the fan cables are oriented on side closest
to the CPU fan connector on the motherboard
(CPU_FAN1, see page 2, No. 4 or CPU_
FAN2, see page 2, No. 5).
Step 3. Align fasteners with the motherboard through-
holes.
Step 4. Rotate the fastener clockwise, then press
down on fastener caps with thumb to install
and lock. Repeat with remaining fasteners.
If you press down the fasteners without rotating them clockwise, the
heatsink cannot be secured on the motherboard.
Step 5. Connect fan header with the CPU fan connector on the motherboard.
Step 6. Secure redundant cable with tie-wrap to ensure the cable does not
interfere with fan operation or contact other components.
Apply Thermal
Interface Material
Fan cables on side
closest to MB header
Fastener slots
pointing straight out
Press Down
(4 Places)
Please be noticed that this motherboard supports Combo Cooler
Option (C.C.O.), which provides flexible options to adopt three dif-
ferent CPU cooler types, Socket LGA 775, LGA 1155 and LGA 1156.
The white throughholes are for Socket LGA
1155/1156 CPU fan.

18 ASRock Z77 OC Formula Motherboard
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2.5 Installation of Memory Modules (DIMM)
This motherboard provides four 240-pin DDR3 (Double Data Rate 3) DIMM
slots, and supports Dual Channel Memory Technology. For dual channel con-
figuration, you always need to install identical (the same brand, speed, size
and chip-type) DDR3 DIMM pair in the slots: You have to install identical
DDR3 DIMMs in Dual Channel A (DDR3_A1 and DDR3_B1; Black slots; see p.2
No. 6) or identical DDR3 DIMMs in Dual Channel B (DDR3_A2 and DDR3_
B2; Yellow slots; see p.2 No. 7), so that Dual Channel Memory Technology can
be activated. This motherboard also allows you to install four DDR3 DIMMs
for dual channel configuration, please install identical DDR3 DIMMs in all four
slots. You may refer to the Dual Channel Memory Configuration Table below.
Dual Channel Memory Configuration
DDR3_A1 DDR3_A2 DDR3_B1 DDR3_B2
(Black Slot) (Yellow Slot) (Black Slot) (Yellow Slot)
(1) Populated - Populated -
(2) - Populated - Populated
(3)* Populated Populated Populated Populated
* For configuration (3), please install identical DDR3 DIMMs in all four
slots.
1. If you want to install two memory modules, for optimal compatibility
and reliability, it is recommended to install them in the slots: DDR3_
A1 and DDR3_B1, or DDR3_A2 and DDR3_B2.
2. If only one memory module or three memory modules are installed
in the DDR3 DIMM slots on this motherboard, it is unable to activate
Dual Channel Memory Technology.
3. If a pair of memory modules is NOT installed in the same Dual
Channel, for example, installing a pair of memory modules in
DDR3_A1 and DDR3_A2, it is unable to activate Dual Channel
Memory Technology.
4. It is not allowed to install a DDR or DDR2 memory module into
DDR3 slot; otherwise, this motherboard and DIMM may be dam-
aged.
5. Some DDR3 1GB double-sided DIMMs with 16 chips may not work
on this motherboard. It is not recommended to install them on this
motherboard.
6. For optimal compatibility and stability while overclocking memory
frequency, it is recommended to install one memory module on
DDR3_B2 slot or two memory modules on DDR3_A2 and DDR3_
B2 slots.

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ASRock Z77 OC Formula Motherboard
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Installing a DIMM
Please make sure to disconnect power supply before adding or
removing DIMMs or the system components.
Step 1. Unlock a DIMM slot by pressing the retaining clips outward.
Step 2. Align a DIMM on the slot such that the notch on the DIMM matches the
break on the slot.
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.
Step 3. Firmly insert the DIMM into the slot until the retaining clips at both ends
fully snap back in place and the DIMM is properly seated.

20 ASRock Z77 OC Formula Motherboard
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2.6 Expansion Slots (PCI Express Slots)
There are 5 PCI Express slots on this motherboard.
PCIE slots:
PCIE1 (PCIE 2.0 x1 slot) is used for a PCI Express x1 lane width card,
such as a Gigabit LAN card, SATA2 card or ASRock Game Blaster, etc.
PCIE2 (PCIE 3.0 x16 slot) is used for PCI Express x16 lane width
graphics cards, or to install PCI Express graphics cards to support
CrossFireXTM or SLITM function.
PCIE3 (PCIE 2.0 x1 slot) is used for a PCI Express x1 lane width card,
such as a Gigabit LAN card or SATA2 card, etc.
PCIE4 (PCIE 3.0 x16 slot) is used for PCI Express x8 lane width graph-
ics cards, or to install PCI Express graphics cards to support CrossFi-
reXTM or SLITM function.
PCIE5 (PCIE 2.0 x16 slot) is used for PCI Express x4 lane width graph-
ics cards.
PCIE Slot Configurations
PCIE1 PCIE2 PCIE3 PCIE4 PCIE5
Single Graphics Card N/A x16 N/A N/A N/A
Two Graphics Cards in N/A x8 N/A x8 N/A
CrossFireXTM or SLITM Mode
Three Graphics Cards in N/A x8 N/A x8 x4
3-Way CrossFireXTM Mode
1. In single VGA card mode, it is recommended to install a PCI Express
x16 graphics card in the PCIE2 slot.
2. In CrossFireXTM mode or SLITM mode, please install the PCI Express
x16 graphics cards in PCIE2 and PCIE4 slots. Both these two slots
will work at x8 bandwidth.
3. In 3-Way CrossFireXTM mode, please install the PCI Express x16
graphics cards in PCIE2, PCIE4 and PCIE5 slots. PCIE2 and PCIE4
will work at x8 bandwidth, while PCIE5 works at x4 bandwidth.
4. Please connect a chassis fan to the motherboard’s chassis fan
connector (CHA_FAN1, CHA_FAN2, CHA_FAN3 or CHA_FAN4)
when using multiple graphics cards for better thermal environment.
5. Only PCIE2 and PCIE4 slots support Gen 3 speed. To run the PCI
Express in Gen 3 speed, please install an Ivy Bridge CPU. If you
install a Sandy Bridge CPU, the PCI Express will run only at PCI
Express Gen 2 speed.
6. You can use PCIe ON/OFF Switch to enable and disable the
corresponding PCI Express x16 slots. Please refer to page 45 for
details.