Foxconn P55A User manual

P55A-S/P55A
Motherboard
User’s Manual

Statement:
This manual is the intellectual property of Foxconn, Inc. Although the information
in this manual may be changed or modied at any time, Foxconn does not obligate
itself to inform the user of these changes.
Trademark:
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Version:
User’s Manual V1.1 for P55A-S/P55A motherboard
Symbol description:
Caution: refers to important information that can help you to use motherboard
better, and tells you how to avoid problems.
Warning: indicating a potential risk of hardware damage or physical injury may
exist.
WEEE:
The use of this symbol indicates that this product may not be treated as household
waste. By ensuring this product is disposed of correctly, you will help prevent potential
negative consequences for the environment and human health, which could other-
wise be caused by inappropriate waste handling of this product. For more detailed
information about recycling of this product, please contact your local city ofce, your
household waste disposal service or the shop where you purchased this product.
More information:
If you want more information about our products, please visit Foxconn’s
website: http://www.foxconnchannel.com
CAUTION
!
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© All rights reserved.
All trade names are registered trademarks of respective manufacturers listed.
All images are for reference only, please refer to the physical motherboard for specic features.

Declaration of conformity
HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY COMPANY LTD
66 , CHUNG SHAN RD., TU-CHENG INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT,
TAIPEI HSIEN, TAIWAN, R.O.C.
declares that the product
Motherboard P55A-S/P55A
is in conformity with
(reference to the specication under which conformity is declared in
accordance with 89/336 EEC-EMC Directive)
■ EN 55022: 1998/A2: 2003 Limits and methods of measurements of radio
disturbance characteristics of information technology
equipment
■ EN 61000-3-2/:2000 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC)
Part 3: Limits
Section 2: Limits for harmonic current emissions
(equipment input current <= 16A per phase)
■ EN 61000-3-3/A1:2001 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC)
Part 3: Limits
Section 2: Limits of voltage uctuations and icker in low
voltage supply systems for equipment with rated current
<= 16A
■ EN 55024/A2:2003 Information technology equipment-Immunity
characteristics limits and methods of measurement
Signature : Place / Date : TAIPEI/2009
Printed Name : James Liang

Declaration of conformity
Trade Name: FOXCONN
Model Name: P55A-S/P55A
Responsible Party: PCE Industry Inc.
Address: 458 E. Lambert Rd.
Fullerton, CA 92835
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: 714-738-8838
Equipment Classication: FCC Class B Subassembly
Type of Product: Motherboard
Manufacturer: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY
COMPANY LTD
Address: 66 , CHUNG SHAN RD., TU-CHENG
INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT, TAIPEI HSIEN,
TAIWAN, R.O.C.
Supplementary Information:
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions : (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device
must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired
operation.
Tested to comply with FCC standards.
Signature : Date : 2009

Installation Precautions
Please carefully read the following procedures to install your computer :
■ It is suggested to select high-quality, certied fans in order to avoid damage
to the motherboard and CPU due to high temperature. Never turn on the
computer if the CPU fan is not properly installed.
■ We cannot guarantee that your system can operate normally when your
CPU is overclocked. Normal operation depends on the overclocking capac-
ity of your device.
■ If there is any, when connecting USB, audio, 1394a, RS232 COM, IrDA or
S/PDIF cables to the internal connectors on the motherboard, make sure
their pinouts are matching with the connectors on the motherboard. Incorrect
connections might damage the motherboard.
■ When handling the motherboard, avoid touching any metal leads or connec-
tors.
■ If there is a PCI Express x16 graphics card installed in your system, we
recommend using a 24-pin ATX power supply to get the best performance.
■ Before turning on the power, please make sure the power supply AC input
voltage setting has been congured to the local standard.
■ To prevent damage to the motherboard, do not allow screws to come in contact
with the motherboard circuit or its components. Also, make sure there are no
leftover screws or metal components placed on the motherboard or within the
computer casing.
■ If you are uncertain about any installation steps or have a problem related to
the use of the product, please consult a certied computer technician.
CAUTION
!
■ Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is the sudden and momentary electric current
that ows between two objects at different electrical potentials. Normally it
comes out as a spark which will quickly damage your electronic equipment.
Please wear an electrostatic discharge (ESD) wrist strap when handling
components such as a motherboard, CPU or memory.
■ Ensure that the DC power supply is turned off before installing or removing
CPU, memory, expansion cards or other peripherals. It is recommended to
unplug the AC power cord from the power supply outlet. Failure to unplug
the power supply cord may result in serious damage to your system.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1 Product Introduction
Product Specications..............................................................................2
Layout.......................................................................................................4
Back Panel Connectors............................................................................5
Chapter 2 Hardware Install
Install the CPU and CPU Cooler ..............................................................8
Install the Memory ..................................................................................11
Install an Expansion Card ......................................................................13
Install other Internal Connectors ............................................................14
Jumpers..................................................................................................18
Onboard Button ......................................................................................19
Onboard Debug LED..............................................................................19
Chapter 3 BIOS Setup
Enter BIOS Setup...................................................................................21
Main Menu..............................................................................................21
System Information ................................................................................23
Advanced BIOS Features.......................................................................25
FOX Central Control Unit ......................................................................26
Advanced Chipset Features ...................................................................30
Integrated Peripherals ............................................................................31
Power Management Setup.....................................................................35
PC Health Status....................................................................................37
BIOS Security Features..........................................................................38
Load Optimal Defaults............................................................................39
Save & Exit Setup .................................................................................39
Exit Without Saving ...............................................................................39
Chapter 4 CD Instruction
Utility CD content....................................................................................41
Install driver and utility............................................................................42
FOX ONE
Main Page ........................................................................................44
CPU Control .....................................................................................48
Frequency Control............................................................................50
Limit Setting......................................................................................51
Voltage Control.................................................................................53
Fan Control.......................................................................................54
FOX LiveUpdate

Local Update ....................................................................................55
Online Update ..................................................................................57
Congure .........................................................................................60
About & Help ....................................................................................62
FOX LOGO.............................................................................................63
FOX DMI ................................................................................................64
Chapter 5 RAID Conguration
RAID Conguration Introduction.............................................................67
Intel® Matrix Storage Manager ..............................................................69
Create a RAID Driver Diskette ...............................................................70
BIOS Conguration ................................................................................72
Create RAID in BIOS..............................................................................72
Install a New Windows XP ...................................................................100
Existing Windows XP with RAID built as data storage .........................104
Technical Support :
Website :
http://www.foxconnchannel.com
Support Website :
http://www.foxconnsupport.com
Worldwide online contact Support :
http://www.foxconnsupport.com/inquiry.aspx
CPU Support List :
http://www.foxconnsupport.com/cpusupportlist.aspx
Memory, VGA Compatibility List :
http://www.foxconnsupport.com/complist.aspx
Support

Thank you for buying Foxconn P55A-S/P55Amotherboard. Foxconn
products are engineered to maximize computing power, providing
only what you need for break-through performance.
With advanced overclocking capability and a range of connectivity
features for today multi-media computing requirements, P55A-S/
P55A enables you to unleash more power from your computer.
This chapter includes the following information:
■ Product Specications
■ Layout
■ Back Panel Connectors

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1-1 Product Specications
CPU Support LGA 1156 socket Intel®CPU:
Intel® Core™ i7 and Core™ i5 series processors
DMI BUS Full duplex, up to 10Gb/s each direction
Chipset Intel® P55
Memory 4 x 240-pin DDR3 DIMM sockets
Support up to 16GB of system memory
Support Dual channel DDR3 1333/1066MHz architecture
Audio VIA1828S chip
High Denition Audio
2/4/5.1/7.1-channel
Support for S/PDIF out
Support Jack-Sensing function
LAN Broadcom 57780 Gigabit LAN
Expansion Slots 1 x PCI Express x16 slot
1 x PCI Express x1 slot
1 x PCI Express x4 slot
3 x PCI slots
PATA & ESATAController Marvell 88SE6121 (Only for P55A-S)
Onboard Serial ATA 6 x SATA connectors
300MB/s data transfer rate
Support hot plug and NCQ (Native Command Queuing)
USB Support hot plug
Supports up to 14 x USB 2.0 ports (8 rear panel ports, 3 onboard USB head-
ers supporting 6 extra ports)
Support USB 2.0 protocol up to 480Mb/s
Internal Connectors 1 x 24-pin ATX main power connector
1 x 8-pin ATX 12V power connector
1 x IDE connector (Controlled by Marvell 88SE6121, only for P55A-S)
1 x CPU fan header (4-pin)
2 x System fan headers (4-pin)
1 x CD-IN connector
1 x Front Audio connector
1 x SPDIF_OUT connector
3 x USB 2.0 connectors (supporting 6 x USB devices)
1 x Front Panel connector
6 x SATA connectors
1 x IrDA connector
1 x Chassis Intrusion alarm header(INTR)
1 x Speaker connector
Back Panel 1 x PS/2 keyboard/mouse port
Connectors 1 x Clear CMOS button (Only for P55A-S)
2 x ESATA ports (Controlled by Marvell 88SE6121, only for P55A-S)
1 x RJ-45 LAN port

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1 x Optical S/PDIF out port
8 x USB 2.0 ports
8-channel Audio Ports
Hardware Monitor System voltage detection
CPU/System temperature detection
CPU/System fan speed detection
CPU/System overheating shutdown
CPU/System fan speed control
PCI Express x1 Support 250MB/s (500MB/s concurrent) bandwidth
Low power consumption and power management features
PCI Express x4 Support 1GB/s (2GB/s concurrent) bandwidth
Low power consumption and power management features
PCI Express x16 Gen2.0 Support 8GB/s (16GB/s concurrent) bandwidth
Low power consumption and power management features
Green Function Support ACPI (Advanced Conguration and Power Interface)
Support S0 (normal), S1 (power on suspend), S3 (suspend to RAM), S4
(suspend to disk), and S5 (soft - off)
Bundled Software FOX ONE
FOX LiveUpdate
FOX LOGO
FOX DMI
Operating System Support for Microsoft®Windows®Vista/XP
Form Factor ATX Form Factor, 12 inches x 8.6 inches (30.5cm x 21.8cm)

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1-2 Layout
Note : The above motherboard layout is for reference only, please refer to the physical
motherboard for detail.
1. 8-pin ATX 12V Power Connector
2. SYS_FAN2 Header
3. PCI Express x1 Slot
4. PCI Express x16 Slot
5. PCI Express x4 Slot
6. PCI Slots
7. SPDIF_OUT2 Connector
8. CD_IN Connector
9. Front Audio Connector
10. Speaker connector
11. Intel® ME Jumper
12. Front USB Connectors
13. Front Panel Connector
14. Reset Button(Only for P55A-S)
15. Power On Button (Only for P55A-S)
16. Debug LED (Only for P55A-S)
17. SATA Connectors
18. SYS_FAN3 Header
19. IrDA Connector
20. Chipset: Intel®P55
21. IDE Connector (Only for P55A-S)
22. 24-pin ATX Power Connector
23. DDR3 DIMM Slots
24. CPU_FAN1 Header
25. LGA 1156 CPU Socket
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Back Panel of P55A-S
Back Panel of P55A
USB Ports
LAN Port
PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse Port
Optical
S/PDIF Out
17
Audio PortsUSB Ports
Line Out
Microphone In
Subwoofer
Rear Speaker
Side Speaker
Line In
2
264
External SATA
Ports
USB Ports
LAN Port
PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse Port
Optical
S/PDIF Out
1 7
Audio PortsUSB Ports
Line Out
Microphone In
Subwoofer
Rear Speaker
Side Speaker
Line In
5
2
264
Clear CMOS
Button
3
1-3 Back Panel Connectors
1. PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse Port
Use the upper port (purple) to connect a PS/2 keyboard or a PS/2 mouse.
2. USB Ports
The USB port supports the USB 2.0/1.1 specication. Use this port for USB devices such as an
USB keyboard/mouse, USB printer, USB ash drive and etc.
3. Clear CMOS Button(Only for P55A-S)
Onboard Clear CMOS button is located directly on the motherboard PCB, so you can easily clear
CMOS after failed overclocking attempts.

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4. Optical S/PDIF Out Connector
This connector provides digital audio out to an external audio system that supports digital optical
audio.
5. External SATA Port (Only for P55A-S)
To connect external SATA device(s) to your system by expanding the internal SATA port(s) to the
chassis back panel. External SATA device shall provide power by its own.
6. Audio Ports
For the denition of each audio port, please refer to the table below :
7. RJ-45 LAN Port
The Gigabit Ethernet LAN port provides Internet connection at up to 1Gb/s data rate.
■ Make sure the power supply is turned off before pressing the CLR_CMOS2 button to
clear CMOS.
■ Push down the CLR_CMOS2 button and hold it there for a couple of seconds to clear
the CMOS completely, then release.
CAUTION
!
Port 2-channel 4-channel 5.1-channel 7.1-channel
Blue Line In Line In Line In Line In
Green Line Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out
Pink Microphone In Microphone In Microphone In Microphone In
Orange - - Center/Subwoofer Out Center/Subwoofer Out
Black - Rear Speaker Out Rear Speaker Out Rear Speaker Out
Grey - - - Side Speaker Out
LAN Type Left: Active Right: Link
Status Description Status Description
1000M
Off No Link Off No Link
Green
Blinking
Data Activ-
ity
Off 10 Mb/s Connection
Green 100 Mb/s Connection
Orange 1000 Mb/s Connection
Active
LED
Link
LED

This chapter introduces the hardware installation process, including
the installation of the CPU, memory, power supply, slots, pin
headers and the mounting of jumpers. Caution should be exercised
during the installation of these modules. Please refer to the
motherboard layout prior to any installation and read the contents in
this chapter carefully.
This chapter includes the following information :
■ Install the CPU and CPU Cooler
■ Install the Memory
■ Install an Expansion Card
■ Install other Internal Connectors
■ Jumper
■ Onboard Button
■ Onboard Debug LED
Please visit the following website for more supporting information about your motherboard.
CPU Support List:
http://www.foxconnsupport.com/cpusupportlist.aspx
Memory, VGA Compatibility List:
http://www.foxconnsupport.com/complist.aspx

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2-1 Install the CPU and CPU Cooler
Install the CPU
Locate the alignment keys on the motherboard CPU socket and the notches on the CPU.
Read the following guidelines before you begin to install the CPU :
■ Make sure that the motherboard supports the CPU.
■ Always turn off the computer and unplug the power cord from the power supply before
installing the CPU to prevent hardware damage.
■ Locate the pin one of the CPU. The CPU cannot be inserted if oriented incorrectly. (Or
you may locate the notches on both sides of the CPU and alignment keys on the CPU
socket.)
■ Apply an even and thin layer of thermal grease on the surface of the CPU.
■ Do not turn on the computer if the CPU cooler is not installed, otherwise overheating
and damage of the CPU may occur.
■ Set the CPU host frequency in accordance with the CPU specications. It is not
recommended that the system bus frequency be set beyond hardware specications
since it does not meet the standard requirements for the peripherals. If you wish to
set the frequency beyond the standard specications, please do so according to your
hardware specications including the CPU, graphics card, memory, hard drive, etc.
Hyper-Threading Technology System Requirements:
(Go to Intel's website for more information about the Hyper-Threading Technology)
■ An Intel®CPU that supports HT Technology
■ A chipset that supports HT Technology
■ An operating system that is optimized for HT Technology
■ A BIOS that supports HT Technology and has it enabled
CAUTION
!
LGA1156 CPU Socket
Alignment Key
Pin-1 corner of the
CPU Socket
LGA1156 CPU
Notch
Pin-1 triangle
marking of CPU

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Follow the steps to install the CPU onto the CPU socket :
2. Lift the metal cover on the CPU
socket.
3. Remove protective socket cover.
5. When CPU is properly seated,
replace the metal cover and push the
CPU socket lever back to its locked
position.
4. Check pin one marking (triangle)
with the pin one corner of the CPU
socket, align the CPU notches with
the socket alignment keys and gently
put the CPU onto the socket.
Before installing the CPU, make sure to turn off the computer and unplug the power
cord from the power outlet to prevent damage to the CPU.
CAUTION
!
1. Release the CPU socket lever.

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Install the CPU Cooler
Follow the steps below to correctly install the CPU cooler on the motherboard.
1. Apply and spread an even thermal
grease on the surface of CPU.
2. Place the four bolts of the CPU
cooler to the holes of the motherboard,
push them straight down from the top,
and the bolts will be fastened on the
motherboard. That's it.
3. Check the solder side of the
motherboard, the push pin should be
xed as depicted in the picture.
4. Attach the 4-wire CPU cooler
connector to the CPU FAN header
on the motherboard .
Release bolts of CPU cooler from
motherboard :
1.Tur n i n g t he p u s h p in ( b o l t)
along with the direction of arrow
(counterclockwise).
2. Pull the push pin straight up.
3. Turning push pin clockwise to its
default position.
Use extreme care when removing the CPU cooler because the thermal grease may
adhere to the CPU. Inadequately removing the CPU cooler may damage the CPU.
CAUTION
!
3
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1

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2-2 Install the Memory
Dual Channel Memory Conguration
This motherboard provides four DDR3 memory sockets and supports Dual Channel Technology.
When memory is installed, the BIOS will automatically check the memory in your system.
Four DDR3 memory sockets are divided into two channels and each channel has two memory
sockets as following:
Channel 0 : DIMM1, DIMM2
Channel 1 : DIMM3, DIMM4
The combinations of DIMM modules are :
Read the following guidelines before you begin to install the memory :
■ Make sure that the motherboard supports the memory. It is recommended that memory
of the same capacity, brand, speed, and chips be used.
■ Always turn off the computer and unplug the power cord from the power outlet before
installing the memory to prevent hardware damage.
■ Memory modules have a foolproof design. A memory module can be installed in only
one direction. If you are unable to insert the memory, switch the direction.
CAUTION
!
For this motherboard, DIMM(1,2), DIMM(3,4), are two pairs of channels. In each pair
of DIMM channel, you need to install yellow DIMM rst, then install black DIMM the
second. Black DIMM can not function if no yellow DIMM is installed. (Please refer to
the silkscreen next to the DIMM slots to identify the sequence of DIMM(1,2,3,4) on
the motherboard.)
CAUTION
!
DIMM1 DIMM2 DIMM3 DIMM4
Single Channel DS/SS - - -
Single Channel DS/SS DS/SS - -
Single Channel - - DS/SS -
Single Channel - - DS/SS DS/SS
Dual Channel DS/SS - DS/SS -
Dual Channel DS/SS DS/SS DS/SS DS/SS
(DS : Double Side, SS : Single Side, - : No Memory)

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Installing a Memory
If you take a look at front side of memory module, it has asymmetric pin counts on both sides separated
by a notch in the middle, so it can only t in one direction. Follow the steps below to correctly install
your memory modules into the sockets.
Step 1:
Spread the clips at both ends of the memory socket.
Place the memory module onto the socket, then put
your ngers on top edge of the module, and push
it down rmly and seat it vertically into the memory
socket.
Step 2:
The clips at both ends of the socket will snap into place
when the memory module is securely inserted.
96-Pin 144-Pin
■ Before installing a memory module, make sure to turn off the computer and unplug the
power cord from the power outlet to prevent damage to the memory module. Be sure to
install DDR3 DIMMs on this motherboard.
CAUTION
!
Notch

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2-3 Install an Expansion Card
Follow the steps below to correctly install your expansion card in the expansion slot.
1. Locate an expansion slot that supports your card. Remove the metal slot cover from the chassis
back panel.
2. Align the card with the slot, and press down on the card until it is fully seated in the slot.
3. Make sure the metal contacts on the card are completely inserted into the slot.
4. Secure the card's metal bracket to the chassis back panel with a screw.
5. After installing all expansion cards, replace the chassis cover.
6. Turn on your computer. If necessary, go to BIOS Setup to make any required BIOS changes for
your expansion card(s).
7. Install the driver provided with the expansion card in your operating system.
Installing and Removing a PCI Express x16 Graphics Card :
• Installing a Graphics Card:
Gently insert the graphics card into the PCI Express x16 slot.
Make sure the graphics card is locked by the latch at the end of
the PCI Express x16 slot.
• Removing the Card:
Push the latch at the end of the PCI Express x16 slot to release
the card and then pull the card straight up from the slot.
■ Make sure the motherboard supports the expansion card. Carefully read the manual
that came with your expansion card.
■ Always turn off the computer and unplug the power cord from the power outlet before
installing an expansion card to prevent hardware damage.
CAUTION
!
PCI
PCI Express x4
PCI Express x16
PCI Express x1