ECS RS400-A User manual

Preface
Preface
Copyright
This publication, including all photographs, illustrations and software, is protected under
international copyright laws, with all rights reserved. Neither this manual, nor any of the
material contained herein, may be reproduced without written consent of the author.
Version 1.0
Disclaimer
The information in this document is subject to change without notice. The manufacturer
makes no representations or warranties with respect to the contents hereof and specifically
disclaims any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose.
The manufacturer reserves the right to revise this publication and to make changes from
time to time in the content hereof without obligation of the manufacturer to notify any
person of such revision or changes.
TrademarkRecognition
Microsoft, MS-DOS and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corp.
MMX, Pentium, Pentium-II, Pentium-III, Celeron are registered trademarks of Intel Cor-
poration.
Other product names used in this manual are the properties of their respective owners and
are acknowledged.
FederalCommunicationsCommission(FCC)
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 reason-
able protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment
generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instructions, 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 onto 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
Shielded interconnect cables and a shielded AC power cable must be employed with this
equipment to ensure compliance with the pertinent RF emission limits governing this
device. Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the system’s manufacturer
could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

ii
Preface
DeclarationofConformity
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the following
conditions:
• This device may not cause harmful interference, and
• This device must accept any interference received, including interference
that may cause undesired operation
CanadianDepartmentofCommunications
This class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-causing
Equipment Regulations.
Cet appareil numérique de la classe B respecte toutes les exigences du Réglement sur le
matériel brouilieur du Canada.
AbouttheManual
The manual consists of the following:
Chapter 1
Introducing the Motherboard
Chapter 2
Installing the Motherboard
Chapter 3
UsingBIOS
Chapter 4
Using the Motherboard Software
Describes features of the motherboard.
Go to Hpage 1
Describes installation of motherboard
components.
Goto Hpage 7
Provides information on using the BIOS
Setup Utility.
Go to Hpage 27
Describes the motherboard software
Go to Hpage 49

iii
TT
TT
TABLE OF CONTENTSABLE OF CONTENTS
ABLE OF CONTENTSABLE OF CONTENTS
ABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface i
Chapter 1 1
IntroducingtheMotherboard 1
Introduction.................................................................................................1
Feature..........................................................................................................2
MotherboardComponents........................................................................4
Chapter 2 77
77
7
Installing the Motherboard 7
SafetyPrecautions......................................................................................7
Choosinga ComputerCase.......................................................................7
Installingthe Motherboard ina Case......................................................7
CheckingJumperSettings.........................................................................8
Setting Jumpers..............................................................................8
Checking Jumper Settings..............................................................9
Jumper Settings..............................................................................9
ConnectingCase Components...............................................................10
Front Panel Connector.................................................................12
InstallingHardware...................................................................................13
Installing the Processor...............................................................13
Installing Memory Modules.........................................................15
Installing a Hard Disk Drive/CD-ROM/SATA Hard Drive........17
Installing a Floppy Diskette Drive...............................................18
Installing Add-on Cards..............................................................20
Connecting Optional Devices......................................................23
ConnectingI/ODevices..........................................................................26
Chapter 3 2727
2727
27
UsingBIOS 27
Aboutthe SetupUtility............................................................................27
The Standard Configuration........................................................27
Entering the Setup Utility..............................................................27
Updating the BIOS.......................................................................29
UsingBIOS................................................................................................29
Standard CMOS Features...........................................................30
Advanced BIOS Features.............................................................32
Advanced Chipset Features.........................................................35

iv
Integrated Peripherals.................................................................38
Power Management Setup...........................................................42
PNP/PCI Configurations.............................................................44
PC Health Status..........................................................................45
Frequency/Voltage Control..........................................................46
Load Fail-Safe Defaults Option...................................................47
Load Optimized Defaults Option.................................................47
Set Supervisor/User Password....................................................47
Save & Exit Setup Option.............................................................48
Exit Without Saving......................................................................48
Chapter 4 4949
4949
49
UsingtheMotherboardSoftware 49
AbouttheSoftwareCD-ROM................................................................49
Auto-installingunderWindows 98/ME/2000/XP................................49
Running Setup..............................................................................50
ManualInstallation..................................................................................52
UtilitySoftwareReference.......................................................................52
Multi-Language Translation

1
IntroducingtheMotherboard
Chapter1
IntroducingtheMotherboard
Introduction
Thank you for choosing the RS400-A motherboard. This motherboard is a high perfor-
mance, enhanced function motherboard that supports LGA775 Pentium 4/Celeron proces-
sors for high-end business or personal desktop markets.
The motherboard incorporates the RS400 Northbridge (NB) and SB400 Southbridge (SB)
chipsets. The Northbridge supports a Front Side Bus (FSB) frequency of 800/533 MHz using
a scalable FSB Vcc_CPU. The memory controller supports DDR/DDR2 SDRAM interface
of DDR400/333/266 MHz or DDR2-667/533/400 MHz. It supports four DDR Sockets with
up to maximum memory size of 2GB. Aside from the onboard AGP Express slot, one PCI
Express x16 slot, intended for Graphics Interface, is fully compliant to the PCI Express
Base Specification revision 1.0a.
The SB400 Southbridge supports two PCI slots which are PCI 2.3 compliant. In addition,
two PCI Express x1 slots are supported, fully compliant to the PCI Express Base Specifica-
tion, Revision 1.0a. It implements an EHCI compliant interface that provides 480Mb/s
bandwidth for eight USB 2.0 ports. Two onboard IDE connectors supports 4 IDE devices in
UDMA 133/100/66/33 modes. The Southbridge integrates a Serial ATA host controller that
is SATA v1.0 compliant, supporting four SATA ports with maximum transfer rate up to 150
MB/s each.
The RS400-A motherboard is equipped with advanced full set of I/O ports in the rear panel,
including PS/2 mouse and keyboard connectors, COM1, LPT1, VGA, four USB ports, one
optional LAN port, and audio jacks for microphone, line-in and line-out.

2
IntroducingtheMotherboard
Feature
• Accommodates the latest Intel P4/Celeron processors
• Supports a system bus (FSB) of 800/533MHz
• Supports “Hyper-Threading” technology CPU
The RS400 Northbridge (NB) and SB400 Southbridge (SB) chipsets are based on an
innovative and scalable architecture with proven reliability and performance.
RS400 (NB) • Supports128-bitdual-channelDDR/DDR2 SDRAM interface
• 1 x2 (expandable to x4) A-Link Express interface (PCI Ex-
press 1.0a compliant) for connection to the ATI IXP
• Supports one PCI Express x16 for Graphics Interface, fully
compliant to the PCI Express Base Specification revision
1.0a.
• Supports up to four x1 PCI Express for general purpose
links
• Supports 64, 128, 256, 512 Mb, and 1Gb system memory,
with x8, x16, and x32 memory device width
“Hyper-Threading” technology enables the operating system into thinking it’s hooked
up to two processors, allowing two threads to be run in parallel, both on separate
“logical” processors within the same physical processor.
The RS400-A uses an LGA775 type of Pentium 4 that carries the following features:
Processor
Chipset
SB400 (SB) • 2-lane A-Link Express interface (PCI Express 1.0a compli-
ant)toRADEON IGPs
• Compliant with PCI 2.3 specificaiton, up to 7 bus master
devices supported
• Compliant with Serial ATA 1.0 specification, RAID 0 and
RAID 1 support
• Integrated USB 2.0 Host Controller supporting up to eight
USB 2.0 ports
• IntegratedIDE controller supportsUltra DMA 133/100/66/33
modes
• Supports DDR 400/333/266 or DDR2 667/533/400 DDR SDRAM
• Accommodates four unbuffered DIMMs
• Up to 1GB per DIMM with maximum memory size up to 2GB
Memory
Users please note that DDR & DDR2 can’t both be applied at the same time on
this motherboard. Users can use either DDR or DDR2 memory modules only!
• Compliant with AC’97 2.3 specification
• 16-bit Stereo full-duplex CODEC with 48KHz sampling rate
• High quality differential CD input
• Supports double sampling rate (96KHz) of DVD audio playback
• Digital48KHz of S/PDIF OUT & IN support
• Direct Sound 3DTM compatible
Audio

3
IntroducingtheMotherboard
• Power management
• Wake-up alarms
• CPUparameters
• CPUandmemroytiming
Some hardware specifications and software items are subject to change
with out prior notice.
BIOS Firmware
This motherboard uses AWARD BIOS that enables users to configure many system
features including the following:
The firmware can also be used to set parameters for different processor clock speeds.
• Two PS/2 ports for mouse and keyboard
• One serial port
• One parallel port
• One VGA port
• One 1394a port (optional)
• One LAN port (optional)
• Audio jacks for microphone, line-in and line-out
Integrated I/O
The motherboard has a full set of I/O ports and connectors:
• Support 10/100/1000 Mbps N-way Auto-negotiation operation
• Supports Wake-On-LAN function and remote wake-up
• Supports LED pins for various network activity indications
• Supports Full Duplex Flow Control (IEEE 802.3x)
Onboard LAN (Optional)
The onboard LAN controller provides the following features:
The RS400-A motherboard supports UltraDMA bus mastering with transfer rates of
133/100/66/33 MB/s.
The motherboard comes with the following expansion options:
Expansion Options
• One PCI Express x16 for Graphic Interface
• Two PCI Express x1
• One AGP Express slot
• Two 32-bit PCI v2.3 compliant slots
• Two 40-pin IDE connectors supporting up to 4 IDE devices
• One floppy disk drive interface
• Four 7-pin SATA connector

4
IntroducingtheMotherboard
MotherboardComponents

5
IntroducingtheMotherboard
Table of Motherboard Components
This concludes Chapter 1. The next chapter explains how to install the motherboard.
Users please note that DDR & DDR2 can’t both be applied at the same time on
this motherboard. Users can use either DDR or DDR2 memory modules only!
1 CPU Socket LGA775 socket for Pentium 4/Celeron CPU
2 CPU_FAN CPU cooling fan connector
5 ATX_POWER Standard 24-pin ATX power connector
LABEL COMPONENT
7 IDE1 Primary IDE channel
3 DIMM1~2 240-pin DDR2 SDRAM slots
4 DIMM3~4 184-pin DDR SDRAM slots
12 SATA1~4 Serial ATA connectors
11 CLR_CMOS Clear CMOS jumper
13 PANEL1 Front panel switch/LED header
9 BIOS_WP BIOS protection jumper
8 IDE2 Secondary IDE channel
10 SPK1 Speaker header
6 PWR_FAN Power fan connector
15 FDD Floppy diskette drive connector
19 IR1 Infrared header
14 SYS_FAN System cooling fan connector
27 ATX12V 4-pin +12V power connector
22 PCIEX16 PCI Express x16 graphics card slot
21 USB3-4 Front Panel USB headers
24 CD_IN Analog audio input connector
25 AUDIO1 Front panel audio header
18 AGP AGP Express slot
17 SPDIFO1 SPDIF out header
20 PCIE1~2 PCI Express x1 slots
23 AUX_IN* Auxliary-in header
26 TV_OUT* TV-out header
16 PCI1~2 32-bit add-on card slots
“*” stands for optional components and may not exist onboard.

6
IntroducingtheMotherboard
Memo

7
InstallingtheMotherboard
Chapter2
InstallingtheMotherboard
InstallingtheMotherboard inaCase
Refer to the following illustration and instructions for installing the motherboard in a case.
SafetyPrecautions
• Follow these safety precautions when installing the motherboard
• Wear a grounding strap attached to a grounded device to avoid damage from
static electricity
• Discharge static electricity by touching the metal case of a safely grounded
object before working on the motherboard
• Leave components in the static-proof bags they came in
• Hold all circuit boards by the edges. Do not bend circuit boards
ChoosingaComputerCase
There are many types of computer cases on the market. The motherboard complies with
the specifications for the ATX system case. First, some features on the motherboard are
implemented by cabling connectors on the motherboard to indicators and switches on the
system case. Make sure that your case supports all the features required. Secondly, RS400-
A supports one or two floppy diskette drives and four enhanced IDE drives. Make sure that
your case has sufficient power and space for all drives that you intend to install.
Most cases have a choice of I/O templates in the rear panel. Make sure that the I/O
template in the case matches the I/O ports installed on the rear edge of the motherboard.
This motherboard carries a ATX form factor of 305 x 244 mm. Choose a case that
accommodates this form factor.
Most system cases have mounting brackets installed in the case, which correspond the holes
in the motherboard. Place the motherboard over the mounting brackets and secure the
motherboard onto the mounting brackets with screws.
Ensure that your case has an I/O template that supports the I/O ports and expansion slots
on your motherboard.

8
InstallingtheMotherboard
CheckingJumperSettings
This section explains how to set jumpers for correct configuration of the motherboard.
SettingJumpers
Use the motherboard jumpers to set system configuration options. Jumpers with more than
one pin are numbered. When setting the jumpers, ensure that the jumper caps are placed on
the correct pins.
The illustrations show a 2-pin jumper. When
the jumper cap is placed on both pins, the
jumper is SHORT. If you remove the jumper
cap, or place the jumper cap on just one pin,
the jumper is OPEN.
This illustration shows a 3-pin jumper. Pins
1 and 2 are SHORT
SHORT OPEN
Do not over-tighten the screws as this can stress the motherboard.

9
InstallingtheMotherboard
Checking Jumper Settings
The following illustration shows the location of the motherboard jumpers. Pin 1 is labeled.
JumperSettings
Jumper Type Description Setting (default)
CLR_CMOS 3-pin CLEAR CMOS
1-2: NORMAL
2-3: CMOS CLEAR
Before clearing the
CMOS, make sure to
turn off the system.
BIOS_WP 3-pin BIOS PROTECT 1-2: DISABLE
2-3: ENABLE
BIOS_WP
1
CLR_CMOS
1

10
InstallingtheMotherboard
ConnectingCaseComponents
After you have installed the motherboard into a case, you can begin con-
necting the motherboard components. Refer to the following:
1 Connect the CPU cooling fan cable to CPU_FAN.
2 Connect the system cooling fan connector to SYS_FAN.
3 Connect the power fan connector to PWR_FAN.
4 Connect the case speaker cable to SPK1.
5 Connect the case switches and indicator LEDs to the PANEL1.
6 Connect the standard power supply connector to ATX_POWER.
7 Connect the auxiliary case power supply connector to ATX12V.
Connecting 20/24-pin power cable
Users please note that the 20-pin and 24-pin power cables can both be con-
nected to the ATX1 connector. With the 20-pin power cable, just align the 20-
pin power cable with the pin 1 of the ATX1 connector. However, using 20-pin
power cable may cause the system to become unbootable or unstable because of
insufficient electricity.
20-pin power cable
24-pin power cable
Users please note that when installing 20-
pin power cable, the latche of power cable
clings to the left side of the ATX_POWER
connector latch, just as the picture shows.
Users please note that when installing 24-
pin power cable, the latches of power cable
clings to the right side of the ATX_POWER
connector latch.

11
InstallingtheMotherboard
CPU_FAN:FAN Power Connectors
ATX12V:ATX 12V Power Connector
Pin Signal Name
4+12V
3+12V
2Ground
1Ground
SYS_FAN/PWR_FAN:FANPower Connectors
Pin Signal Name Function
1GND System Ground
2+12V Power +12V
3 Sense Sensor
ATX_PWR: ATX 24-pin Power Connector
Pin Signal Name Pin Signal Name
1+3.3V 13 +3.3V
2+3.3V 14 -12V
3Ground 15 GND
4+5V 16 PS_ON
5Ground 17 GND
6+5V 18 GND
7Ground 19 GND
8PWRGD 20 -5V
9+5VSB 21 +5V
10 +12V 22 +5V
11 +12V 23 +5V
12 +3.3V 24 GND
Pin Signal Name Function
1GND System Ground
2+12V Power +12V
3 Sense Sensor
4 PWM CPU FAN control
Users please note that the fan connector supports the CPU cooling
fan of 1.1A~2.2A (26.4W max) at +12V.
SPK1: Internal speaker
Pin Signal Name
1VCC
2NC
3NC
4Signal

12
InstallingtheMotherboard
Power/Sleep/Message waiting LED
Connecting pins 2 and 4 to a single or dual-color, front panel mounted LED provides power
on/off, sleep, and message waiting indication.
Reset Switch
Supporting the reset function requires connecting pin 5 and 7 to a momentary-contact
switch that is normally open. When the switch is closed, the board resets and runs POST.
Power Switch
Supporting the power on/off function requires connecting pins 6 and 8 to a momentary-
contact switch that is normally open. The switch should maintain contact for at least 50 ms
to signal the power supply to switch on or off. The time requirement is due to internal de-
bounce circuitry. After receiving a power on/off signal, at least two seconds elapses before
the power supply recognizes another on/off signal.
Front Panel Connector
The front panel connector (PANEL1) provides a standard set of switch and LED connec-
tors commonly found on ATX or micro-ATX cases. Refer to the table below for informa-
tion:
Hard Drive Activity LED
Connecting pins 1 and 3 to a front panel mounted LED provides visual indication that data
is being read from or written to the hard drive. For the LED to function properly, an IDE
drive should be connected to the onboard IDE interface. The LED will also show activity
for devices connected to the SCSI (hard drive activity LED) connector.
Pin Signal Function Pin Signal Function
1 HD_LED_P Hard disk LED(+) 2 FP PWR/SLP *MSG LED(+)
3 HD_LED_N Hard disk LED(-)
5 RST_SW_N Reset Switch(-)
7 RST_SW_P Reset Switch(+)
9 RSVD Reserved
4 FP PWR/SLP *MSG LED(-)
6 PWR_SW_P Power Switch(+)
8 PWR_SW_N Power Switch(-)
10 Key No pin
* MSG LED (dual color or single color)

13
InstallingtheMotherboard
InstallingHardware
Installing the Processor
Caution: When installing a CPU heatsink and cooling fan make sure that
you DO NOT scratch the motherboard or any of the surface-mount
resistors with the clip of the cooling fan. If the clip of the cooling fan
scrapes across the motherboard, you may cause serious damage to the
motherboard or its components.
On most motherboards, there are small surface-mount resistors near the
processor socket, which may be damaged if the cooling fan is carelessly
installed.
Avoid using cooling fans with sharp edges on the fan casing and the clips.
Also, install the cooling fan in a well-lit work area so that you can clearly
see the motherboard and processor socket.
Before installing the Processor
This motherboard automatically determines the CPU clock frequency and system bus
frequency for the processor. You may be able to change these settings by making changes
to jumpers on the motherboard, or changing the settings in the system Setup Utility. We
strongly recommend that you do not over-clock processors or other components to run
faster than their rated speed.
This motherboard has a LGA 775 socket. When choosing a processor, consider the perfor-
mance requirements of the system. Performance is based on the processor design, the clock
speed and system bus frequency of the processor, and the quantity of internal cache memory
and external cache memory.
Warning: Over-clocking components can adversely affect the reliability
of the system and introduce errors into your system. Over-clocking can
permanently damage the motherboard by generating excess heat in
components that are run beyond the rated limits.

14
InstallingtheMotherboard
A. Unload the cap
· Use thumb & forefinger to hold the
lifting tab of the cap.
· Lift the cap up and remove the cap
completely from the socket.
B. Open the load plate
· Use thumb & forefinger to hold the
hook of the lever, pushing down and pulling
aside unlock it.
· Lift up the lever.
· Use thumb to open the load plate. Be
careful not to touch the contacts.
C. Install the CPU on the socket
· Orientate CPU package to the socket.
Make sure you match triangle marker
to pin 1 location.
D. Close the load plate
· Slightly push down the load plate onto the
tongue side, and hook the lever.
· CPU is locked completely.
E. Apply thermal grease on top of the CPU.
F. Fasten the cooling fan supporting base onto
the CPU socket on the motherboard.
G. Make sure the CPU fan is plugged to the
CPU fan connector. Please refer to the CPU
cooling fan user’s manual for more detail
installation procedure.
CPU Installation Procedure
The following illustration shows CPU installation components.
To achieve better airflow rates and heat dissipation, we suggest that you use
a high quality fan with 3800 rpm at least. CPU fan and heatsink installa-
tion procedures may vary with the type of CPU fan/heatsink supplied. The
form and size of fan/heatsink may also vary.