ASROCK Z77 WS User manual

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

2
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

3
Contents
1 Introduction ........................................................ 7
1.1 Package Contents ......................................................... 7
1.2 Specications ................................................................. 8
1.3 Unique Features ............................................................ 10
1.4 Motherboard Layout ....................................................... 13
1.5 I/O Panel ...................................................................... 14
2 Installation .......................................................... 16
2.1 Screw Holes ................................................................... 16
2.2 Pre-installation Precautions ......................................... 16
2.3 CPU Installation ............................................................. 17
2.4 Installation of Heatsink and CPU fan ............................. 19
2.5 Installation of Memory Modules (DIMM) ........................ 20
2.6 Expansion Slots (PCI Express Slots)................................. 22
2.7 SLITM, 3-Way SLITM, 4-Way SLITM and Quad SLITM
Operation Guide ............................................................ 24
2.8 CrossFireXTM, 3-Way CrossFireXTM, 4-Way
CrossFireXTM and Quad CrossFireXTM Operation Guide 31
2.9 Surround Display Feature .............................................. 37
2.10 ASRock Smart Remote Installation Guide ..................... 40
2.11 Jumpers Setup .......................................................... 42
2.12 Onboard Headers and Connectors ............................ 43
2.13 Smart Switches .......................................................... 49
2.14 Dr. Debug ................................................................... 50
2.15 Serial ATA (SATA) / Serial ATA2 (SATA2) Hard Disks
Installation ................................................................. 54
2.16 Serial ATA3 (SATA3) Hard Disks Installation ............. 54
2.17 Hot Plug and Hot Swap Functions for SATA / SATA2
HDDs ............................................................................. 55
2.18 Hot Plug and Hot Swap Functions for SATA3 HDDs ..... 55
2.19 SATA / SATA2 / SATA3 HDD Hot Plug Feature and
Operation Guide ........................................................ 56
2.20 Driver Installation Guide ............................................ 58
2.21 Installing Windows® 7 / 7 64-bit / VistaTM / VistaTM
64-bit With RAID Functions ....................................... 58
2.22 Installing Windows® 7 / 7 64-bit / VistaTM / VistaTM 64-bit
/ XP / XP 64-bit Without RAID Functions ................... 59
2.22.1 Installing Windows® XP / XP 64-bit Without RAID
Functions............................................................ 59

4
2.22.2 Installing Windows® 7 / 7 64-bit / VistaTM /
VistaTM 64-bit Without RAID Functions ............... 59
2.23 Teaming Function Operation Guide ........................... 61
3 UEFI SETUP UTILITY .......................................... 65
3.1 Introduction .................................................................... 65
3.1.1 UEFI Menu Bar .................................................... 65
3.1.2 Navigation Keys ................................................... 66
3.2 Main Screen ................................................................... 66
3.3 OC Tweaker Screen ...................................................... 67
3.4 Advanced Screen ........................................................... 72
3.4.1 CPU Conguration ............................................... 73
3.4.2 North Bridge Conguration................................... 75
3.4.3 South Bridge Conguration .................................. 76
3.4.4 Storage Conguration .......................................... 77
3.4.5 Intel(R) Rapid Start Technology ........................... 78
3.4.6 Intel(R) Smart Connect Technology ..................... 79
3.4.7 Super IO Conguration ........................................ 80
3.4.8 ACPI Conguration............................................... 81
3.4.9 USB Conguration ............................................... 82
3.5 Tool ................................................................................ 83
3.6 Hardware Health Event Monitoring Screen ................... 84
3.7 Boot Screen ................................................................... 85
3.8 Security Screen ............................................................. 86
3.9 Exit Screen .................................................................... 87
4 Software Support ............................................... 88
4.1 Install Operating System ................................................ 88
4.2 Support CD Information ................................................. 88
4.2.1 Running Support CD ............................................ 88
4.2.2 Drivers Menu ........................................................ 88
4.2.3 Utilities Menu........................................................ 88
4.2.4 Contact Information .............................................. 88

5
Chapter 1: Introduction
Thank you for purchasing ASRock Z77 WS 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 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 WS Motherboard
(ATX Form Factor: 12.0-in x 9.6-in, 30.5 cm x 24.4 cm)
ASRock Z77 WS Quick Installation Guide
ASRock Z77 WS Support CD
6 x Serial ATA (SATA) Data Cables (Optional)
1 x Serial ATA (SATA) HDD Power Cable (Optional)
1 x I/O Panel Shield
2 x ASRock SLI_Bridge Cards
1 x ASRock SLI_Bridge_3S Card
1 x ASRock 3-Way SLI Bridge 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.

6
1.2 Specications
Platform - ATX Form Factor: 12.0-in x 9.6-in, 30.5 cm x 24.4 cm
- Premium Gold Capacitor design (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 + 4 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 3000+(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 - 5 x PCI Express 3.0 x16 slots (PCIE2: x16 mode OR PCIE1/
PCIE3/PCIE5/PCIE7: x16/0/16/0 or x8/8/8/8 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
- Supports AMD Quad CrossFireXTM, 4-Way CrossFireXTM,
3-Way CrossFireXTM and CrossFireXTM
- Supports NVIDIA® Quad SLITM, 4-Way SLITM, 3-Way 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

7
- 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 2)
- 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
LAN - PCIE x1 Gigabit LAN 10/100/1000 Mb/s
- Broadcom BCM57781
- Supports Wake-On-LAN
- Supports Energy Efcient Ethernet 802.3az
- Supports Dual LAN with Teaming function
- Supports PXE
Storage - 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 ASMedia ASM1061,
support NCQ, AHCI and “Hot Plug” functions (SATA3_A4
connector is shared with eSATA3 port)
- 4 x SATA2 3.0 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
Rear Panel I/O I/O Panel
- 1 x PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse Port
- 1 x HDMI Port
- 1 x Optical SPDIF Out Port
- 2 x Ready-to-Use USB 2.0 Ports
- 1 x eSATA3 Connector
- 8 x Ready-to-Use USB 3.0 Ports
- 2 x RJ-45 LAN Ports with LED (ACT/LINK LED and SPEED
LED)
- 1 x IEEE 1394 Port
- 1 x Clear CMOS Switch with LED
- HD Audio Jack: Rear Speaker/Central/Bass/Line in/Front
Speaker/Microphone

8
USB3.0 - 4 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 EJ188, support
USB 1.0/2.0/3.0 up to 5Gb/s
- 2 x Front USB 3.0 headers by Etron EJ188 (support 4
USB 3.0 ports), support USB 1.0/2.0/3.0 up to 5Gb/s
Connector - 1 x IR header
- 1 x CIR header
- 1 x COM port header
- 1 x HDMI_SPDIF header
- 1 x IEEE 1394 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
- SLI/XFire power connector
- Front panel audio connector
- 3 x USB 2.0 headers (support 6 USB 2.0 ports)
- 2 x USB 3.0 headers (support 4 USB 3.0 ports)
- 1 x Dr. Debug with LED
- 1 x Power Switch with LED
- 1 x Reset Switch with LED
- 1 x Clear CMOS Switch with LED
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

9
- 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 3)
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. 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.
3. 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.

10
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.

11
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.

12
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 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 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.

13
1.4 Motherboard Layout
1 ATX 12V Power Connector (ATX12V1)
2 1155-Pin CPU Socket
3 Power Fan Connector (PWR_FAN1)
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, Black)
8 ATX Power Connector (ATXPWR1)
9 USB 3.0 Header (USB3_11_12, Black)
10 USB 3.0 Header (USB3_9_10, Black)
11 Intel Z77 Chipset
12 SATA3 Connectors (SATA3_A1_A2, Gray)
13 SATA3 Connectors (SATA3_A3_A4, Gray)
14 SATA3 Connectors (SATA3_0_1, Gray)
15 SATA2 Connectors (SATA2_2_3, Black)
16 SATA2 Connectors (SATA2_4_5, Black)
17 Reset Switch (RSTBTN)
18 Power Switch (PWRBTN)
19 Power LED Header (PLED1)
20 System Panel Header (PANEL1, Black)
21 Chassis Speaker Header (SPEAKER1, Black)
22 Clear CMOS Jumper (CLRCMOS1)
23 SPI Flash Memory (64Mb)
24 Dr. Debug
25 USB 2.0 Header (USB2_3, Black)
26 USB 2.0 Header (USB4_5, Black)
27 USB 2.0 Header (USB6_7, Black)
28 Consumer Infrared Module Header
(CIR1, Gray)
29 Chassis Fan Connector (CHA_FAN2)
30 Chassis Fan Connector (CHA_FAN1)
31 Front Panel IEEE 1394 Header
(FRONT_1394, Black)
32 Infrared Module Header (IR1)
33 COM Port Header (COM1)
34 HDMI_SPDIF Header
(HDMI_SPDIF1, Black)
35 Front Panel Audio Header
(HD_AUDIO1, Black)
36 PCI Express 3.0 x16 Slot (PCIE7, Black)
37 PCI Express 2.0 x1 Slot (PCIE6, Black)
38 PCI Express 3.0 x16 Slot (PCIE5, Black)
39 PCI Express 2.0 x16 Slot (PCIE4, Black)
40 PCI Express 3.0 x16 Slot (PCIE3, Black)
41 PCI Express 3.0 x16 Slot (PCIE2, Black)
42 PCI Express 3.0 x16 Slot (PCIE1, Black)
43 SLI / XFIRE Power Connector
44 Chassis Fan Connector (CHA_FAN3)
Intel
Z77
24.4cm (9.6 in)
30.5cm (12.0 in)
ATX12 V1
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
Z77 WS
Dr.
Debug
CMOS
Battery
64Mb
BIO S
X
Fast LAN
X Fast RAM
X Fast USB
USB3_9_10
USB3_11_12
Super
I/O
PCIE1
PCIE2
PCIE3
PCIE4
PCIE5
PCIE7
PCIE6
LAN
PHY
LAN
PHY
PCI Express 3.0
CPU_FAN2
CPU_FAN1
PWR_FAN1
PWRBTN
RSTBTN
CHA_FAN2
CHA_FAN1
USB4_5
1
USB2_3
1
USB6_7
1
CIR1
1
FRONT_1394
1
AUDIO
CODEC
HDLED RESET
PLED PWRBTN
PANEL1
1
SPEAKER1
1
PLED1
1
IR1
1
CLRCMOS1
1
1
HD_AUDIO1
COM1
1
1
HDMI_SPDIF1
RoHS
DDR3 3000+
2 oz Copper PCB
SATA2_4_5 SATA2_2_3 SATA3_0_1 SATA3_A3_A4 SATA3_A1_A2
CHA_FAN3
SLI/XFIRE_PWR1
4-Wa y SLI
PS2
Keyboard/
Mouse
USB 3 .0
T: USB1
B: USB2
Clr
CMOS
HDMI
USB 3 .0
T: USB3
B: USB4
Top:
RJ-45
USB 3 .0
T: USB5
B: USB6
Top:
RJ-45
USB 3 .0
T: USB7
B: USB8
Top: Central/Bass
Center: REAR SPK
Top: LIN E IN
Center: FRONT
Bottom: Optical SPDIF
Bottom: MIC I N
USB 2.0
T: USB0
B: USB1
ESATA _1
IEEE 1394
12345 6 7
11
12
13
14
16
8
9
10
15
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
2627
28
2930
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44

14
1.5 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 PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse Port (Purple/Green) ** 10 Front Speaker (Lime)
2 USB 3.0 Ports (USB3_34) 11 Microphone (Pink)
* 3 LAN RJ-45 Port 12 USB 3.0 Ports (USB3_78)
4 USB 2.0 Ports (USB01) 13 IEEE 1394 Port
* 5 LAN RJ-45 Port *** 14 eSATA3 Port (ESATA_1)
6 Central / Bass (Orange) 15 USB 3.0 Ports (USB3_56)
7 Rear Speaker (Black) 16 HDMI Port (HDMI1)
8 Optical SPDIF Out Port 17 Clear CMOS Switch (CLRCBTN)
9 Line In (Light Blue) 18 USB 3.0 Ports (USB3_12)
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. 10) (No. 7) (No. 6) Side Speaker
(No. 9)
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
16
1718

15
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.
*** eSATA3 connector supports SATA Gen3 in cable 1M.

16
Chapter 2: Installation
This is an ATX form factor (12.0" x 9.6", 30.5 x 24.4 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.

17
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

18
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

19
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 13, No. 4 or CPU_FAN2, see page 13. 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.
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 13, No. 4 or CPU_
FAN2, see page 13. 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)

20
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g-
uration, 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.13
No. 6) or identical DDR3 DIMMs in Dual Channel B (DDR3_A2 and DDR3_
B2; Black slots; see p.13 No. 7), so that Dual Channel Memory Technology can
be activated. This motherboard also allows you to install four DDR3 DIMMs
for dual channel conguration, please install identical DDR3 DIMMs in all four
slots. You may refer to the Dual Channel Memory Conguration Table below.
Dual Channel Memory Conguration
DDR3_A1 DDR3_A2 DDR3_B1 DDR3_B2
(Black Slot) (Black Slot) (Black Slot) (Black Slot)
(1) Populated - Populated -
(2) - Populated - Populated
(3)* Populated Populated Populated Populated
* For conguration (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.