DFI 748-AL User manual

748-AL
748-A
Rev. A+
System Board
User’s Manual
73600326

Copyright
This publication contains information that is protected by copyright.
No part of it may be reproduced in any form or by any means or
used to make any transformation/adaptation without the prior
written permission from the copyright holders.
This publication is provided for informational purposes only. The
manufacturer makes no representations or warranties with respect to
the contents or use of this manual and specifically disclaims any
express or implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for any
particular purpose.The user will assume the entire risk of the use or
the results of the use of this document. Further, the manufacturer
reserves the right to revise this publication and make changes to its
contents at any time, without obligation to notify any person or
entity of such revisions or changes.
© 2003. All Rights Reserved.
Trademarks
Windows®98, Windows®98 SE, Windows®ME, Windows®2000,
Windows NT®4.0 and Windows®XP are registered trademarks
of Microsoft Corporation. AMD, AthlonTM XP and AthlonTM are
registered trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Award is a
registered trademark of Award Software, Inc. Other trademarks and
registered trademarks of products appearing in this manual are the
properties of their respective holders.
Caution
To avoid damage to the system:
• Use the correct AC input voltage range.....
To reduce the risk of electric shock:
• Unplug the power cord before removing the system chassis
cover for installation or servicing. After installation or servicing,
cover the system chassis before plugging the power cord.

Battery:
• Danger of explosion if battery incorrectly replaced.
• Replace only with the same or equivalent type recommend by
the manufacturer.
• Dispose of used batteries according to the battery
manufacturer’s instructions.
Joystick or MIDI port:
• Do not use any joystick or MIDI device that requires more than
10A current at 5V DC. There is a risk of fire for devices that
exceed this limit.
FCC and DOC Statement on Class B
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits
for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules.
These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against
harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a residential
installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with
the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference
will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause
harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be
determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the
following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from
that to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio TV technician for
help.
Notice:
1. The changes or modifications not expressly approved by the
party responsible for compliance could void the user's authority
to operate the equipment.
2. Shielded interface cables must be used in order to comply with
the emission limits.

Notice
This user’s manual contains detailed information about the system
board. If, in some cases, some information doesn’t match those
shown in the multilingual manual, the multilingual manual should
always be regarded as the most updated version. The multilingual
manual is included in the system board package.
To view the user’s manual, insert the CD into a CD-ROM drive. The
autorun screen (Mainboard Utility CD) will appear. Click the
“TOOLS” icon then click “Manual” on the main menu.
System Board
This user’s manual is for the 748-A and 748-AL system boards. The
only difference between these boards is the 748-AL system board
supports onboard LAN.

Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - Introduction
1.1 Features and Specifications..............................................................................
1.2 Package Checklist.........................................................................................................
Chapter 2 - Hardware Installation
2.1 System Board Layout .........................................................................................
2.2 System Memory..........................................................................................................
2.3 CPU...........................................................................................................................................
2.4 Jumper Settings............................................................................................................
2.5 Rear Panel I/O Ports.............................................................................................
2.6 I/O Connectors...........................................................................................................
Chapter 3 - BIOS Setup
3.1 Award BIOS Setup Utility..................................................................................
3.2 Updating the BIOS.....................................................................................................
Chapter 4 - Supported Softwares
4.1 Desktop Management Interface..................................................................
4.2 Drivers, Utilities and Software Applications.................................
4.3 3D Audio Configuration......................................................................................
4.4 Installation Notes.........................................................................................................
7
14
15
17
19
23
26
37
49
91
93
96
105
107

Introduction
1
6
Appendix A - Using the Suspend to RAM
Function
A.1 Using the Suspend to RAM Function...............................................
Appendix B - System Error Messages
B.1 POST Beep......................................................................................................................
B.2 Error Messages............................................................................................................
Appendix C - Troubleshooting
C.1 Troubleshooting Checklist..............................................................................
108
112
112
114

1
Introduction
7
1.1 Features and Specifications
1.1.1 Features
Chipset
• SiS®chipset
- North bridge: SiS®748
- South bridge: SiS®963L
Processor
The system board is equipped with Socket-A for PGA processor. It
is also equipped with a switching voltage regulator that automatically
detects 1.100V to 1.850V.
• AMD AthlonTM XP 266/333/400MHz FSB
• AMD AthlonTM 200/266MHz FSB
System Memory
• Three 184-pin DDR DIMM sockets
• Supports up to 3GB memory (unbuffered DIMM)
• Supports PC1600 (DDR200), PC2100 (DDR266), PC2700
(DDR333) or PC 3200 (DDR 400) DDR SDRAM DIMM, 2.5V
type
• L2 cache memory
- AthlonTM XP / AthlonTM processor: built-in 256KB Level 2
pipelined burst cache
Chapter 1 - Introduction
DIMMs
2MBx64
4MBx64
8MBx64
Memory Size
16MB
32MB
64MB
DIMMs
16MBx64
32MBx64
64MBx64
Memory Size
128MB
256MB
512MB

Introduction
1
8
Expansion Slots
The system board is equipped with 1 AGP slot and 5 PCI slots.
AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port)
AGP is an interface designed to support high performance 3D
graphics cards. It utilizes a dedicated pipeline to access system
memory for texturing, z-buffering and alpha blending. The univer-
sal AGP slot supports AGP 8x with up to 2132MB/sec. bandwidth
and AGP 4x with up to 1066MB/sec. bandwidth for 3D graphics
applications. AGP in this system board will deliver faster and bet-
ter graphics to your PC.
Onboard Audio Features
• C-Media 6-channel codec
• AC'97 2.2 extension compliant codec
• Supports Microsoft®DirectSound/DirectSound 3D
• AC’97 supported with full duplex, independent sample rate
converter for audio recording and playback
• S/PDIF-in/out interface
• 6-channel audio output
S/PDIF
S/PDIF is a standard audio file transfer format that transfers digital
audio signals to a device without having to be converted first to
an analog format. This prevents the quality of the audio signal
from degrading whenever it is converted to analog. S/PDIF is usu-
ally found on digital audio equipment such as a DAT machine or
audio processing device. The S/PDIF connector on the system
board sends surround sound and 3D audio signal outputs to am-
plifiers and speakers and to digital recording devices like CD re-
corders.
6-channel Audio
The 6-channel audio output function is supported by using the 4-
channel connector, the audio jacks at the rear panel and configuring
the audio driver. Please refer to chapters 2 and 4

1
Introduction
9
Onboard LAN Features (748-AL only)
• Realtek 8201BL Phy fast ethernet controller
• Integrated IEEE 802.3, 10BASE-T and 100BASE-TX compatible
PHY
• 32-bit PCI master interface
• Integrated power management functions
• Full duplex support at both 10 and 100 Mbps
• Supports IEEE 802.3u auto-negotiation
• Supports wire for management
PCI Bus Master IDE Controller
• Two PCI IDE interfaces support up to four IDE devices
• Supports ATA/33, ATA/66, ATA/100 and ATA/133 hard drives
• UDMA Modes 3, 4, 5 and 6 Enhanced IDE (data transfer rate
up to 133MB/sec.)
• Bus mastering reduces CPU utilization during disk transfer
• Supports ATAPI CD-ROM, LS-120 and ZIP
IrDA Interface
The system board is equipped with an IrDA connector for wire-
less connectivity between your computer and peripheral devices.
The IRDA (Infrared Data Association) specification supports data
transfers of 115K baud at a distance of 1 meter.
USB Ports
The system board supports USB 2.0 and USB 1.1 ports. USB 1.1
supports 12Mb/second bandwidth while USB 2.0 supports
480Mb/second bandwidth providing a marked improvement in
device transfer speeds between your computer and a wide range
of simultaneously accessible external Plug and Play peripherals.

Introduction
1
10
BIOS
• Award BIOS, Windows®98/2000/ME/XP Plug and Play
compatible
• CPU overclocking in 1MHz stepping
• CPU/DIMM/AGP/Chipset overvoltage
• Supports SCSI sequential boot-up
• Flash EPROM for easy BIOS upgrades
• Supports DMI 2.0 function
• 2Mbit flash memory
Desktop Management Interface (DMI)
The system board comes with a DMI 2.0 built into the BIOS. The
DMI utility in the BIOS automatically records various information
about your system configuration and stores these information in
the DMI pool, which is a part of the system board's Plug and Play
BIOS. DMI, along with the appropriately networked software, is
designed to make inventory, maintenance and troubleshooting of
computer systems easier.
Rear Panel I/O Ports (PC 99 color-coded connectors)
• 2 USB 2.0/1.1 ports
• 1 RJ45 LAN port (748-AL only)
• 2 DB-9 serial ports
• 1 DB-25 parallel port
• 1 mini-DIN-6 PS/2 mouse port
• 1 mini-DIN-6 PS/2 keyboard port
• 1 game/MIDI port
• 3 audio jacks: line-out, line-in and mic-in
I/O Connectors
• 2 connectors for 4 additional external USB 2.0/1.1 ports
• 1 front audio connector for external line-out and mic-in jacks
• 2 internal audio connectors (CD-in and AUX-in)
• 1 S/PDIF-in/out connector
• 1 4-channel connector
• 1 connector for IrDA interface
• 2 IDE connectors
• 1 floppy drive connector

1
Introduction
11
• 1 ATX power supply connector
• 1 Wake-On-LAN connector
• 3 fan connectors for CPU fan, chassis fan and 2nd chassis fan
connectors
1.1.2 System Health Monitor Functions
The system board is capable of monitoring the following “system
health” conditions.
• Monitors CPU/system temperature and overheat alarm
• Monitors CPU/1.8V/±12V/5V/3.3V/3VSB(V)/5VSB(V) voltages
and failure alarm
• Monitors CPU/chassis fan speed and failure alarm
• Read back capability that displays temperature, voltage and fan
speed
1.1.3 Intelligence
CPU Temperature Protection
The CPU Temperature Protection function has the capability of
monitoring the CPU’s temperature during system boot-up.To prevent
CPU overheat and damage, the system will automatically shutdown
once it has detected that the CPU’s temperature exceeded the
temperature limit pre-defined by the system.
Overvoltage
The Overvoltage function allows you to manually adjust to a
higher core voltage that is supplied to the CPU, AGP, DRAM and/
or chipset. Although this function is supported, we do not recom-
mend that you use a higher voltage because unstable current
may be supplied to the system board causing damage.
CPU Overclocking
The CPU Overclocking function allows you to adjust the processor’s
bus clock. However, overclocking may result to the processor’s or
system’s instability and are not guaranteed to provide better system
performance.

Introduction
1
12
Dual Function Power Button
Depending on the setting in the “Power Button Override” field of
the Power Management Setup, this switch will allow the system to
enter the Soft-Off or Suspend mode.
Wake-On-Ring
This feature allows the system that is in the Suspend mode or Soft
Power Off mode to wake-up/power-on to respond to calls com-
ing from an external modem or respond to calls from a modem
PCI card that uses the PCI PME (Power Management Event) sig-
nal to remotely wake up the PC.
Important:
If you are using a modem add-in card, the 5VSB power source
of your power supply must support a minimum of ≥ 720mA.
Wake-On-LAN
This feature allows the network to remotely wake up a Soft Power
Down (Soft-Off) PC. It is supported via the onboard LAN port, via
a PCI LAN card that uses the PCI PME (Power Management Event)
signal or via a LAN card that uses the Wake-On-LAN connector.
However, if your system is in the Suspend mode, you can power-on
the system only through an IRQ or DMA interrupt.
Important:
The 5VSB power source of your power supply must support
≥ 720mA.
Wake-On-Keyboard/Wake-On-Mouse
This function allows you to use the PS/2 keyboard or PS/2 mouse
to power-on the system.
Important:
The 5VSB power source of your power supply must support
≥ 720mA.

1
Introduction
13
Wake-On-USB Keyboard/Mouse
This function allows you to use a USB keyboard or USB mouse
to wake up a system from the S3 (STR - Suspend To RAM) state.
Important:
• If you are using the Wake-On-USB Keyboard/Mouse func-
tion for 2 USB ports, the 5VSB power source of your power
supply must support ≥ 1.5A.
• If you are using the Wake-On-USB Keyboard/Mouse func-
tion for 3 or more USB ports, the 5VSB power source of
your power supply must support ≥ 2A.
RTC Timer to Power-on the System
The RTC installed on the system board allows your system to
automatically power-on on the set date and time.
ACPI STR
The system board is designed to meet the ACPI (Advanced Con-
figuration and Power Interface) specification. ACPI has energy saving
features that enables PCs to implement Power Management and
Plug-and-Play with operating systems that support OS Direct Power
Management. Currently, only Windows®®
®®
®98/2000/ME/XP supports
the ACPI function. ACPI when enabled in the Power Management
Setup will allow you to use the Suspend to RAM function.
With the Suspend to RAM function enabled, you can power-off the
system at once by pressing the power button or selecting “Standby”
when you shut down Windows®®
®®
®98/2000/ME/XP without having to
go through the sometimes tiresome process of closing files,
applications and operating system. This is because the system is
capable of storing all programs and data files during the entire
operating session into RAM (Random Access Memory) when it
powers-off. The operating session will resume exactly where you left
off the next time you power-on the system.
Important:
The 5VSB power source of your power supply must support
≥ 1A.

Introduction
1
14
AC Power Failure Recovery
When power returns after an AC power failure, you may choose to
either power-on the system manually, let the system power-on
automatically or return to the state where you left off before power
failure occurs.
Virus Protection
Most viruses today destroy data stored in hard drives. The system
board is designed to protect the boot sector and partition table of
your hard disk drive.
1.2 Package Checklist
The system board package contains the following items:
;The system board
;A user’s manual
;One IDE cable for ATA/33, ATA/66, ATA/100 or ATA/133 IDE
drives
;One 34-pin floppy disk drive cable
;One “Mainboard Utility” CD
If any of these items are missing or damaged, please contact your
dealer or sales representative for assistance.

15
2
Hardware Installation
2.1 System Board Layout
Chapter 2 - Hardware Installation
748-AL
(Supports onboard LAN)

16
2Hardware Installation
Note:
The illustrations on the following pages are based on the system
board that supports onboard LAN.
748-A

17
2
Hardware Installation
2.2 System Memory
Warning:
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can damage your system board,
processor, disk drives, add-in boards, and other components. Perform
the upgrade instruction procedures described at an ESD workstation
only. If such a station is not available, you can provide some ESD
protection by wearing an antistatic wrist strap and attaching it to a
metal part of the system chassis. If a wrist strap is unavailable,
establish and maintain contact with the system chassis throughout
any procedures requiring ESD protection.
The system board supports DDR SDRAM DIMM. Double Data
Rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM) is a type of SDRAM that doubles
the data rate through reading and writing at both the rising and
falling edge of each clock. This effectively doubles the speed of
operation therefore doubling the speed of data transfer.
Refer to chapter 1 (System Memory section) for detailed specifi-
cation of the memory supported by the system board.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
DDR 1
DDR 2
DDR 3

18
2Hardware Installation
2.2.1 Installing the DIM Module
A DIM module simply snaps into a DIMM socket on the system
board. Pin 1 of the DIM module must correspond with Pin 1 of the
socket.
1. Pull the “tabs” which are at the ends of the socket to the side.
2. Position the DIMM above the socket with the “notch” in the
module aligned with the “key” on the socket.
3. Seat the module vertically into the socket. Make sure it is
completely seated.The tabs will hold the DIMM in place.
Pin 1
Notch
Key
Tab Tab

19
2
Hardware Installation
2.3 CPU
2.3.1 Overview
The system board is equipped with a surface mount Socket A
CPU socket. This socket is exclusively designed for installing an
AMD CPU.
2.3.2 Installing the CPU
1. Make sure the PC and all other peripheral devices connected
to it has been powered down.
2. Disconnect all power cords and cables.
3. Locate Socket A on the system board.
4. Unlock the socket by pushing the lever sideways, away from the
socket, then lifting it up to a 90oangle. Make sure the socket is
lifted to at least this angle otherwise the CPU will not fit in
properly.
Lever

20
2Hardware Installation
5. Position the CPU above the socket then align the gold mark
on the corner of the CPU (designated as pin 1) with pin 1 of
the socket.
Important:
Handle the CPU by its edges and avoid touching the pins.
6. Insert the CPU into the socket until it is seated in place. The
CPU will fit in only one orientation and can easily be inserted
without exerting any force.
Important:
Do not force the CPU into the socket. Forcing the CPU into
the socket may bend the pins and damage the CPU.
Gold mark
Pin 1