EVGA 780i - nForce SLI 775 A1 Motherboard User manual

User Guide
EVGA nForce 780i SLI
Motherboard

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard
EVGA
ii

nForce 780i SLI Motherboard
Table of Contents
Before You Begin… .....................................................................................................ix
Parts NOT in the Kit .................................................................................................ix
Intentions of the Kit ...................................................................................................x
EVGA nForce 780i Motherboard..................................................................................1
Motherboard Specifications...................................................................................... 1
Unpacking and Parts Descriptions...............................................................................4
Unpacking ................................................................................................................ 4
Equipment................................................................................................................ 4
EVGA nForce 780i SLI Motherboard ....................................................................... 5
Hardware Installation ....................................................................................................9
Safety Instructions.................................................................................................... 9
Preparing the Motherboard.................................................................................... 10
Installing the CPU .............................................................................................. 10
Installing the CPU Fan....................................................................................... 11
Installing Memory DIMMs................................................................................... 11
Installing the Motherboard...................................................................................... 12
Installing the I/O Shield...................................................................................... 12
Securing the Motherboard into the Chassis....................................................... 13
Connecting Cables and Setting Switches.............................................................. 13
Power Connections............................................................................................ 14
24-pin ATX Power (PWR1)............................................................................ 15
8-pin ATX 12V Power (PWR2)....................................................................... 16
Connecting IDE Hard Disk Drives...................................................................... 16

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Connecting Serial ATA Cables .......................................................................... 18
Connecting Internal Headers ............................................................................. 19
Front Panel Header........................................................................................ 19
IEEE 1394a.................................................................................................... 20
USB Headers ................................................................................................. 21
Audio.................................................................................................................. 22
Fan Connections................................................................................................ 23
COM1................................................................................................................. 24
FDD Connector .................................................................................................. 25
Expansion Slots ................................................................................................. 25
PCI Slots ........................................................................................................ 25
PCI Express x1 Slot ....................................................................................... 26
PCI Express x16 Slots ................................................................................... 26
Jumper Settings..................................................................................................... 27
Clear CMOS Jumper: CLR_CMOS.................................................................... 27
Configuring the BIOS..................................................................................................29
Enter BIOS Setup................................................................................................... 30
Main Menu.............................................................................................................. 30
Standard CMOS Features Menu ........................................................................... 33
Date and Time.................................................................................................... 34
IDE Channel and SATA Channel....................................................................... 34
Drive A................................................................................................................ 37
Halt On............................................................................................................... 37
Memory .............................................................................................................. 38
Advanced BIOS Features ...................................................................................... 39
Removable Device Priority................................................................................. 40

nForce 780i SLI Motherboard
Hard Disk Boot Priority....................................................................................... 40
Network Boot Priority ......................................................................................... 40
CPU Internal Cache ........................................................................................... 40
Quick Power On Self Test.................................................................................. 41
First/Second/Third Boot Device ......................................................................... 41
Boot Other Device.............................................................................................. 41
Boot Up NumLock Status................................................................................... 42
Security Option................................................................................................... 43
APIC Mode......................................................................................................... 43
MPS Version Control For OS............................................................................. 43
Full Screen LOGO Show.................................................................................... 43
Advanced Chipset Features................................................................................... 44
System Clocks ................................................................................................... 45
Frequency Settings ........................................................................................ 46
HT Multiplier................................................................................................... 47
Spread Spectrum ........................................................................................... 47
FSB & Memory Config ....................................................................................... 48
CPU Configuration............................................................................................. 53
System Voltages ................................................................................................ 55
NVMEM Memory Test........................................................................................ 57
Load Timing/Voltage Set.................................................................................... 57
Save Timing/Voltage Set.................................................................................... 58
System BIOS Cacheable ................................................................................... 58
HPET Function................................................................................................... 58
Integrated Peripherals Menu.................................................................................. 59
IDE Function Setup............................................................................................ 60
RAID Config ....................................................................................................... 61
USB Config......................................................................................................... 61
MAC Config........................................................................................................ 62

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard
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IEEE1394 controller........................................................................................... 62
HD Audio............................................................................................................ 62
IDE HDD Block Mode......................................................................................... 62
Onboard FDC Controller.................................................................................... 62
Onboard Serial Port 1 ........................................................................................ 63
Power Management Setup Menu .......................................................................... 63
ACPI Function.................................................................................................... 64
ACPI Suspend Type........................................................................................... 64
Soft-Off by PBNT ............................................................................................... 64
WOL(PME#) From Soft-Off................................................................................ 64
Power On by Alarm............................................................................................ 64
POWER ON Function ........................................................................................ 65
PnP/PCI Configuration Menu................................................................................. 66
Init Display First.................................................................................................. 67
Reset Configuration Data................................................................................... 67
Resources Controlled By ................................................................................... 67
IRQ Resources................................................................................................... 68
PCI/VGA Palette Snoop..................................................................................... 68
Maximum Payload Size...................................................................................... 68
System Monitor Menu............................................................................................ 69
Dynamic Fan Control ......................................................................................... 70
Installing Drivers and Software ..................................................................................72
Driver Installation ................................................................................................... 73
Using the NVIDIA Software........................................................................................74
NVIDIA Performance Group of NVIDIA Control Panel .......................................... 75
Device Settings .................................................................................................. 76

nForce 780i SLI Motherboard
Current Hardware Settings............................................................................. 77
Dynamic BIOS Access....................................................................................... 84
View System Information ................................................................................... 85
Profile Policies.................................................................................................... 86
Manage Your System BIOS............................................................................... 87
NVIDIA System Monitor......................................................................................... 88
Appendix A. POST Codes for Tritium Platform...........................................................94
Appendix B. Configuring an SLI Configuration ........................................................ 104
SLI Connector ...................................................................................................... 104
ForceWare Driver................................................................................................. 105
Enabling 3-Way SLI ......................................................................................... 107
Verifying 3-way SLI is Active................................................................................ 109
Index......................................................................................................................... 110

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List of Figures
Figure 1. EVGA nForce 780i SLI Motherboard Layout.......................................... 7
Figure 2. Chassis Backpanel Connectors ............................................................. 7
Figure 3. Power Supply Connectors.................................................................... 14
Figure 4. PWR1 Motherboard Connector............................................................ 15
Figure 5. BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main Menu.................................................. 31
Figure 6. Standard CMOS Features Menu.......................................................... 33
Figure 7. Advanced BIOS Features Menu........................................................... 39
Figure 8. Advanced Chipset Features................................................................. 44
Figure 9. System Clocks Menu............................................................................ 45
Figure 10. FSB & Memory Config Menu................................................................ 48
Figure 11. CPU Configuration Menu ..................................................................... 53
Figure 12. System Voltages Menu ........................................................................ 55
Figure 13. Integrated Peripherals Menu................................................................ 59
Figure 14. Power Management Setup Menu......................................................... 63
Figure 15. PnP/PCI Configuration Menu............................................................... 66
Figure 16. System Monitor Menu .......................................................................... 69
Figure 31. 3-way NVIDIA SLI connector (600-10732-0000-000) ....................... 105
Figure 18. Windows Vista Device Manager......................................................... 106
Figure 19. NVIDIA Control Panel, Set SLI Configuration .................................... 107
Figure 20. SLI Visual Indicators Operating in 3DMark2006................................ 108

nForce 780i SLI Motherboard
Before You Begin…
Parts NOT in the Kit
This kit contains all the hardware necessary to install and connect your new
EVGA nForce® 780i SLI motherboard. However, it does not contain the
following items that must be purchased separately to make the motherboard
functional.
Intel microprocessor:
Intel Core 2 Extreme, Intel Core 2 Quad, Intel Core 2 Duo Pentium EE,
Pentium D, Pentium
Cooling fan for the microprocessor
System memory support:
Supports dual channel DDR2 533/667/800, and up to 1200 MHz SLI-Ready
Memory. Supports up to 8 GBs DDR2 memory.
Graphics Card
This motherboard supports 3-way SLI with three x16 PCI Express slots.
Power Supply
The power supply requirement is dependent upon the power and the number
of the GPUs you install. If you are going to SLI two graphics cards, you are
going to require more power. As a rule, for one GPU you need a minimum of
a 350 W power supply. If you have two GPUs in an SLI configuration, you
will need a minimum of a 500 W power supply. If you have three GPUs in an
SLI configuration, you will need a minimum of a 1000 W power supply. To
calculate the power you are going to require for your specific configuration,
go to www.slizone.com.
These instructions tell you how to install each of the parts listed so you can
have a functioning motherboard. As you go through the installation
instructions, we are assuming you have purchased the necessary parts.

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard
EVGA
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Intentions of the Kit
This kit provides you with the motherboard and all connecting cables necessary
to install the motherboard into a PC case. If you are building a PC, you will use
most of the cables provided in the kit. If however, you are replacing a
motherboard, you will not need many of the cables.
When replacing a motherboard in a PC case, you will need to reinstall an
operating system even though the current drives have an operating system.

1
EVGA nForce 780i
Motherboard
Thank you for buying the EVGA NFORCE 780i SLI Motherboard. This
motherboard offers the tools and performance PC users’ demand. When
combined with two or three SLI-Ready NVIDIA GeForce graphics cards, you
get innovative NVIDIA SLI Technology for enhanced system performance.
Motherboard Specifications
Size
ATX form factor of 12 inch x 9.6 inch
Microprocessor support
Intel Core 2 Extreme, Intel Core 2 Quad, Intel Core 2 Duo, Pentium EE,
Pentium D, Pentium
Operating systems:
Supports Windows XP 32bit/64bit and Windows Vista 32bit/64bit
Contains NVIDIA nForce 780i SLI MCP and SPP
System Memory support
Supports dual channel JEDEC DDR2-800 and SLI-Ready memory up to
1200 MHz. Supports up to 8 GBs of DDR2 memory.
Ten USB 2.0 Ports
¾Supports hot plug
¾Ten USB 2.0 ports (six rear panel ports, four onboard USB headers)
¾Supports wake-up from S1 and S3 mode
¾Supports USB 2.0 protocol up to 480 Mbps transmission rate

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard
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Onboard Serial ATA II
¾300MBps data transfer rate
¾Six Serial ATA II connectors
¾NVIDIA MediaShield RAID with support for RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID
0+1, RAID 5, and JBOD
¾Supports hot plug and NCQ (Native Command Queuing )
Onboard LAN
¾Dual LAN interface built-in onboard
¾Supports 10/100/1000 Mbit/sec Ethernet
Onboard 1394
¾Support hot plug
¾Two 1394a ports (one rear panel port, one onboard header) with rate of
transmission at 400 Mbps
Onboard Audio
¾Azalia High-Definition audio
¾Supports 8-channel audio
¾Supports S/PDIF output
¾Supports Jack-Sensing function
Triple PCI Express x16 Support
¾2 x16 PCI Express 2.0
¾1 x16 PCI Express 1.0
¾Supports 4 GB/sec (8 GB/sec concurrent) bandwidth
¾Low power consumption and power management features
Green Function
¾Supports ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface)
¾Supports S0 (normal), S1 (power on suspend), S3 (suspend to RAM), S4
(Suspend to disk - depends on OS), and S5 (soft - off)
Expansion Slots
¾Two PCI slots
¾One PCI Express x1 slot
¾Three PCI Express x16 Graphics slots

nForce 780i SLI Motherboard

4
Unpacking and
Parts Descriptions
Unpacking
The EVGA nForce 780i SLI motherboard comes with all the necessary cables
for adding a motherboard to a new chassis. If you are replacing a motherboard,
you may not need many of these cables.
Be sure to inspect each piece of equipment shipped in the packing box. If
anything is missing or damaged, contact your reseller.
All parts shipped in this kit are RoHS-compliant (lead-free) parts.
Equipment
The following equipment is included in the EVGA nForce 780i SLI
motherboard box. (Accessories may vary between models, see product package)
EVGA nForce 780i SLI Motherboard
This PCI Express motherboard contains the
NVIDIA nForce 780i SLI SPP and MCP and is
SLI-ready.
I/O Shield
Installs in the chassis to block radio
frequency transmissions, protect internet
components from dust and foreign objects
and aids in proper airflow within the chassis.
Floppy Cable
Used to attach a floppy drive to the
motherboard.

nForce 780i SLI Motherboard
2-Port SATA Power Cable (Qty Three)
1394 Cable
Provides two additional 1394 ports to either
the front or back panels of the chassis.
USB 2.0 4-Port Cable
Provides four additional USB ports to either
the front or back panels of the chassis.
SATA Signal Cable (Qty Six)
Used to support the Serial ATA protocol and
each one connects a single drive to the
motherboard
Comm2 Bracket Cable
IDE-ATA 133 HDD Cable
EVGA nForce 780i SLI
Motherboard
The EVGA nForce 780i SLI motherboard with the NVIDIA nForce 780i SLI
SPP and MCP processors is a PCI Express, SLI-ready motherboard. Figure 1
shows the motherboard and Figures 2 shows the back panel connectors.

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard
EVGA
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1. CPU Socket 11. USB headers 21. SPDIF connector
2. NVIDIA SPP with Active fan 12. Motherboard battery 22. PCI slots
3. CPU fan connector 13. Fan connector 23. PCI Express x16 slots (SLI)
4. DDR DIMM Slots 0 - 3 14. Serial connector 24. 1394a connector
5. 24-pin ATX Power Connector 15. Front panel connector 25. PCI Express x1 slot
6. IDE Connector 16. Jumper 26. Backpanel connectors (Figure 2)
7. Serial-ATA (SATA) connectors 17. Power button 27. Heat dissipater
8. FDD connector 18. Reset Button 28. 8-pin ATX_12V power connector
9. NVIDIA MCP (passive heat sink) 19. Azalia HD Audio Header 29 MCP/SPP fan connector
2
1
4
3
5
1
0
8
9
7
6
4
13
14
1
5
1
6
22 23 22 25
23
26
28
11
12
20
23
24
17
1
3
1
3
27
29
19
21
1
8

nForce 780i SLI Motherboard
10. Serial-ATA (SATA) connectors 20. FP Audio connector
Figure 1. EVGA nForce 780i SLI Motherboard Layout
1. PS/2 Mouse Port
2. PS/2 Keyboard Port
3. 1394a (Firewire) Port
4. USB 2.0 ports (SIX)
5. SPDIF output
6. Port 2-Channel 4-Channel 6-Channel/8-Channel
Blue Line-In Line-In Line-In
Green Line-Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out
Pink Mic In Mic In Mic In
Orange Center/Subwoofer
Black Rear Speaker Out Rear Speaker Out
Grey
7. Lan Port with LEDs to indicate status.
•Yellow/Light Up/Blink = 10 Mbps/Link/Activity
•Yellow and Green/Light Up/Blink = 100 Mbps/link/Activity
•Green/Light Up/Blink = 1000 Mbps/Link/Activity
Figure 2. Chassis Backpanel Connectors
1
256
7
4
34
7
4

780i 3-Way SLI Motherboard
EVGA
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9
Hardware Installation
This section will guide you through the installation of the motherboard. The
topics covered in this section are:
Preparing the motherboard
¾Installing the CPU
¾Installing the CPU fan
¾Installing the memory
Installing the motherboard
Connecting cables and setting switches
Safety Instructions
To reduce the risk of fire, electric shock, and injury, always follows basic
safety precautions.
Remember to remove power from your computer by disconnecting the
AC main source before removing or installing any equipment from/to the
computer chassis.