Gigabyte GA-890FXA-UD5 User manual

GA-890FXA-UD5
AM3 socket motherboard for
AMD Phenom™II processor/ AMD Athlon™II processor
User's Manual
Rev. 3001
12ME-890FXA5-3001R

Motherboard
GA-890FXA-UD5
Nov. 1, 2010
Nov. 1, 2010
Motherboard
GA-890FXA-UD5

Copyright
©2011 GIGA-BYTE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD. All rights reserved.
The trademarks mentioned in this manual are legally registered to their respective owners.
Disclaimer
Information in this manual is protected by copyright laws and is the property of GIGABYTE.
Changes to the specications and features in this manual may be made by GIGABYTE with-
out prior notice. No part of this manual may be reproduced, copied, translated, transmitted, or
published in any form or by any means without GIGABYTE's prior written permission.
Documentation Classications
In order to assist in the use of this product, GIGABYTE provides the following types of documentations:
For quick set-up of the product, read the Quick Installation Guide included with the product.
For detailed product information, carefully read the User's Manual.
For product-related information, check on our website at:
http://www.gigabyte.com
Identifying Your Motherboard Revision
The revision number on your motherboard looks like this: "REV: X.X." For example, "REV: 1.0"
means the revision of the motherboard is 1.0. Check your motherboard revision before updating
motherboard BIOS, drivers, or when looking for technical information.
Example:

- 4 -
Table of Contents
Box Contents...................................................................................................................6
Optional Items .................................................................................................................6
GA-890FXA-UD5 Motherboard Layout............................................................................7
GA-890FXA-UD5 Motherboard Block Diagram...............................................................8
Chapter 1 Hardware Installation .....................................................................................9
1-1 Installation Precautions.................................................................................... 9
1-2 Product Specications.................................................................................... 10
1-3 Installing the CPU and CPU Cooler ............................................................... 13
1-3-1 Installing the CPU...................................................................................................13
1-3-2 Installing the CPU Cooler .......................................................................................15
1-4 Installing the Memory..................................................................................... 16
1-4-1 Dual Channel Memory Conguration .....................................................................16
1-4-2 Installing a Memory ...............................................................................................17
1-5 Installing an Expansion Card ......................................................................... 18
1-6 Setting up ATI CrossFireX™ Conguration ..................................................... 19
1-7 Back Panel Connectors.................................................................................. 20
1-8 Internal Connectors........................................................................................ 22
Chapter 2 BIOS Setup ..................................................................................................35
2-1 Startup Screen ............................................................................................... 36
2-2 The Main Menu .............................................................................................. 37
2-3 MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)........................................................................ 39
2-4 Standard CMOS Features.............................................................................. 45
2-5 Advanced BIOS Features .............................................................................. 47
2-6 Integrated Peripherals.................................................................................... 49
2-7 Power Management Setup............................................................................. 53
2-8 PC Health Status............................................................................................ 55
2-9 Load Fail-Safe Defaults.................................................................................. 57
2-10 Load Optimized Defaults................................................................................ 57
2-11 Set Supervisor/User Password ...................................................................... 58
2-12 Save & Exit Setup .......................................................................................... 59
2-13 Exit Without Saving........................................................................................ 59

- 5 -
Chapter 3 Drivers Installation........................................................................................61
3-1 Installing Chipset Drivers ............................................................................... 61
3-2 Application Software ...................................................................................... 62
3-3 Technical Manuals.......................................................................................... 62
3-4 Contact........................................................................................................... 63
3-5 System ........................................................................................................... 63
3-6 Download Center ........................................................................................... 64
3-7 New Utilities ................................................................................................... 64
Chapter 4 Unique Features...........................................................................................65
4-1 Xpress Recovery2.......................................................................................... 65
4-2 BIOS Update Utilities ..................................................................................... 68
4-2-1 Updating the BIOS with the Q-Flash Utility.............................................................68
4-2-2 Updating the BIOS with the @BIOS Utility .............................................................71
4-3 EasyTune 6 .................................................................................................... 72
4-4 Easy Energy Saver ........................................................................................ 73
4-5 Q-Share.......................................................................................................... 75
4-6 SMART Recovery........................................................................................... 76
4-7 Auto Green..................................................................................................... 77
4-8 Teaming ..............................................................................................78
Chapter 5 Appendix ......................................................................................................79
5-1 Conguring SATA Hard Drive(s)..................................................................... 79
5-1-1 Conguring AMD SB850 SATA Controller .............................................................79
5-1-2 Conguring GIGABYTE SATA2/JMicron JMB362 SATA Controller........................85
5-1-3 Making a SATA RAID/AHCI Driver Diskette............................................................91
5-1-4 Installing the SATA RAID/AHCI Driver and Operating System ...............................93
5-2 Conguring Audio Input and Output............................................................. 102
5-2-1 Conguring 2/4/5.1/7.1-Channel Audio.................................................................102
5-2-2 Conguring S/PDIF In/Out....................................................................................104
5-2-3 Enabling the Dolby Home Theater Function ........................................................106
5-2-4 Conguring Microphone Recording......................................................................107
5-2-5 Using the Sound Recorder ...................................................................................109
5-3 Troubleshooting............................................................................................ 110
5-3-1 Frequently Asked Questions ................................................................................110
5-3-2 Troubleshooting Procedure .................................................................................. 111

- 6 -
Box Contents
GA-890FXA-UD5 motherboard
Motherboard driver disk
User's Manual
Quick Installation Guide
One IDE cable
Four SATA cables
I/O Shield
Optional Items
Floppy disk drive cable (Part No. 12CF1-1FD001-7*R)
2-port USB 2.0 bracket (Part No. 12CR1-1UB030-5*R)
2-port IEEE 1394a bracket (Part No. 12CF1-1IE008-0*R)
2-port SATA power cable (Part No. 12CF1-2SERPW-0*R)
S/PDIF In cable (Part No. 12CR1-1SPDIN-0*R)
COM port cable (Part No. 12CF1-1CM001-3*R)
LPT port cable (Part No. 12CF1-1LP001-0*R)
•The box contents above are for reference only and the actual items shall depend on the product package you obtain.
The box contents are subject to change without notice.
•The motherboard image is for reference only.

- 7 -
GA-890FXA-UD5 Motherboard Layout
CPU_FAN
ATX
GA-890FXA-UD5
F_AUDIO
PCIEX1_1 IDE
DDR3_1
DDR3_2
ATX_12V
AMD 890FX
AMD SB850
CMOS_SW
PCI
BAT
PW_SW
COM
TSB43AB23
PCIEX16_2
NB_FAN
DDR3_3
DDR3_4
FDD
Socket AM3
KB_MS_USB
AUDIO
RCA_SPDIF
USB_1394_ESATA2
USB30_LAN1
USB_1394_ESATA1
JMicron JMB362
USB_LAN2
SPDIF_I
SPDIF_O
CD_IN
CODEC
CLR_CMOS
F_1394
F_USB1
SYS_FAN2
F_PANEL
F_USB2
LPT
IT8720
PCIEX16_1
PCIEX4
RST_SW
M_BIOS
B_BIOS
SATA3_4
SATA3_2
SATA3_0
GSATA2_6
SATA3_5
SATA3_3
SATA3_1
GSATA2_7
PWR_FAN
SYS_FAN1
GIGABYTE
SATA2
F_USB3
PCIEX1_2
PCIEX8
Renesas
D720200
Realtek
RTL8111D/E
Realtek
RTL8111D/E

- 8 -
GA-890FXA-UD5 Motherboard Block Diagram
(Note) Two share the same ports with eSATA.
or
PS/2 KB/Mouse
AM3 CPU
Hyper Transport 3.0
AMD 890FX
PCIe CLK
(100 MHz)
PCI Express Bus
CPU CLK+/- (200 MHz)
1 PCI Express x4
DDR3 1866 (O.C.)/1333/1066 MHz
x4
Dual Channel Memory
IT8720
Floppy
COM Port
14 USB 2.0/1.1 (Note)
LPC
Bus
LPT Port
Center/Subwoofer Speaker Out
Line Out
MIC
Line In
S/PDIF In
S/PDIF Out
Side Speaker Out
Surround Speaker Out
CODEC
1 PCI
PCI Bus
PCI CLK
(33 MHz)
TSB43AB23
3 IEEE 1394a
PCIe CLK
(100 MHz)
1 PCI Express x162 PCI Express x8
Switch
x8 x16
1 PCI Express x16
x16 PCI Express Bus x1
2 USB 3.0/2.0
PCIe CLK
(100 MHz)
x1
JMicron
JMB362
SATA 3Gb/s
PCI Express Bus
PCIe CLK
(100 MHz)
2 PCI Express x1
x1 x1
6 SATA 6Gb/s
Dual BIOS
x1
2 SATA 3Gb/s
ATA-133/100/66/33
IDE Channel
GIGABYTE
SATA2
AMD SB850
LAN2
RJ45
x1
LAN1
RJ45
x1
Realtek
RTL8111D/E
Realtek
RTL8111D/E
Renesas
D720200

- 9 - Hardware Installation
1-1 Installation Precautions
The motherboard contains numerous delicate electronic circuits and components which can
become damaged as a result of electrostatic discharge (ESD). Prior to installation, carefully read
the user's manual and follow these procedures:
• Prior to installation, do not remove or break motherboard S/N (Serial Number) sticker or
warranty sticker provided by your dealer. These stickers are required for warranty validation.
• Always remove the AC power by unplugging the power cord from the power outlet before
installing or removing the motherboard or other hardware components.
• When connecting hardware components to the internal connectors on the motherboard,
make sure they are connected tightly and securely.
• When handling the motherboard, avoid touching any metal leads or connectors.
• It is best to wear an electrostatic discharge (ESD) wrist strap when handling electronic com-
ponents such as a motherboard, CPU or memory. If you do not have an ESD wrist strap,
keep your hands dry and rst touch a metal object to eliminate static electricity.
• Prior to installing the motherboard, please have it on top of an antistatic pad or within an
electrostatic shielding container.
• Before unplugging the power supply cable from the motherboard, make sure the power sup-
ply has been turned off.
• Before turning on the power, make sure the power supply voltage has been set according to
the local voltage standard.
• Before using the product, please verify that all cables and power connectors of your hard-
ware components are connected.
• To prevent damage to the motherboard, do not allow screws to come in contact with the
motherboard circuit or its components.
• Make sure there are no leftover screws or metal components placed on the motherboard or
within the computer casing.
• Do not place the computer system on an uneven surface .
• Do not place the computer system in a high-temperature environment.
• Turning on the computer power during the installation process can lead to damage to sys-
tem components as well as physical harm to the user.
• 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.
Chapter 1 Hardware Installation

Hardware Installation - 10 -
1-2 Product Specications
CPU Support for AM3 processors:
AMD Phenom™ II processor/ AMD Athlon™ II processor
(Go to GIGABYTE's website for the latest CPU support list.)
Hyper Transport
Bus 5200 MT/s
Chipset North Bridge: AMD 890FX
South Bridge: AMD SB850
Memory 4 x 1.5V DDR3 DIMM sockets supporting up to 16 GB of system memory
* Due to Windows 32-bit operating system limitation, when more than 4 GB of physical
memory is installed, the actual memory size displayed will be less than 4 GB.
Dual channel memory architecture
Support for DDR3 1866(O.C.)/1333/1066 MHz memory modules
(Go to GIGABYTE's website for the latest supported memory speeds and memory
modules.)
Audio Realtek ALC889 codec
High Denition Audio
2/4/5.1/7.1-channel
Support for Dolby®Home Theater
Support for S/PDIF In/Out
Support for CD In
LAN 2 x Realtek RTL8111D/E chips (10/100/1000 Mbit)
Support for Teaming
Support for Smart Dual LAN
Expansion Slots 2 x PCI Express x16 slots, running at x16 (PCIEX16_1, PCIEX16_2)
* For optimum performance, if only one PCI Express graphics card is to be installed,
be sure to install it in the PCIEX16_1 slot; if you are installing two PCI Express
graphics cards, it is recommended that you install them in the PCIEX16_1 and
PCIEX16_2 slots.
1 x PCI Express x16 slot, running at x8 (PCIEX8)
* The PCIEX8 slot shares bandwidth with the PCIEX16_1 slot. When PCIEX8 is
populated with a PCI Express graphics card, the PCIEX16_1 slot will operate at
up to x8 mode.
1 x PCI Express x16 slot, running at x4 (PCIEX4)
2 x PCI Express x1 slots
(All PCI Express slots conform to PCI Express 2.0 standard.)
1 x PCI slot
Multi-Graphics
Technology Support for 2-Way/3-Way ATI CrossFireX™ technology
Storage Interface South Bridge:
- 6 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors (SATA3_0~SATA3_5) supporting up to 6 SATA
6Gb/s devices
- Support for SATA RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10, and JBOD
GIGABYTE SATA2 chip:
- 1 x IDE connector supporting ATA-133/100/66/33 and up to 2 IDE
devices

- 11 - Hardware Installation
Storage Interface GIGABYTE SATA2 chip:
- 2 x SATA 3Gb/s connectors (GSATA2_6, GSATA2_7) supporting up to 2
SATA 3Gb/s devices
- Support for SATA RAID 0, RAID 1, and JBOD
JMicron JMB362 chip:
- 2 x eSATA 3Gb/s connectors (eSATA/USB Combo) on the back panel sup-
porting up to 2 SATA 3Gb/s devices
- Support for SATA RAID 0, RAID 1, and JBOD
iTE IT8720 chip:
- 1 x oppy disk drive connector supporting up to 1 oppy disk drive
USB South Bridge:
- Up to 14 USB 2.0/1.1 ports (8 on the back panel, including 2 eSATA/USB
Combo, 6 via the USB brackets connected to the internal USB headers)
Renesas D720200 chip:
- Up to 2 USB 3.0/2.0 ports on the back panel
IEEE 1394 T.I. TSB43AB23 chip:
- Up to 3 IEEE 1394a ports (2 on the back panel, 1 via the IEEE 1394a bracket
connected to the internal IEEE 1394a header)
Internal
Connectors
1 x 24-pin ATX main power connector
1 x 8-pin ATX 12V power connector
1 x oppy disk drive connector
1 x IDE connector
6 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors
2 x SATA 3Gb/s connectors
1 x CPU fan header
2 x system fan headers
1 x North Bridge fan header
1 x power fan header
1 x front panel header
1 x front panel audio header
1 x CD In connector
1 x S/PDIF In header
1 x S/PDIF Out header
3 x USB 2.0/1.1 headers
1 x IEEE 1394a header
1 x serial port header
1 x parallel port header
1 x clearing CMOS jumper
1 x clearing CMOS button
1 x power button
1 x reset button
Back Panel
Connectors
1 x PS/2 keyboard/mouse port
1 x coaxial S/PDIF Out connector
1 x optical S/PDIF Out connector
6 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports
2 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports
2 x eSATA/USB Combo connectors

Hardware Installation - 12 -
Back Panel
Connectors
2 x IEEE 1394a ports
2 x RJ-45 ports
6 x audio jacks (Center/Subwoofer Speaker Out/Rear Speaker Out/Side Speaker
Out/Line In/Line Out/Microphone)
I/O Controller iTE IT8720 chip
Hardware
Monitor
System voltage detection
CPU/System temperature detection
CPU/system/North Bridge fan speed detection
CPU overheating warning
CPU/system/North Bridge fan fail warning
CPU/System fan speed control
* Whether the CPU/system fan speed control function is supported will depend on
the CPU/system cooler you install.
BIOS 2 x 8 Mbit/16 Mbit ash
Use of licensed AWARD BIOS
Support for DualBIOS™
PnP 1.0a, DMI 2.0, SM BIOS 2.4, ACPI 1.0b
Unique Features Support for @BIOS
Support for Q-Flash
Support for Xpress BIOS Rescue
Support for Download Center
Support for Xpress Install
Support for Xpress Recovery2
Support for EasyTune
* Available functions in EasyTune may differ by motherboard model.
Support for Easy Energy Saver
Support for Smart Recovery
Support for Auto Green
Support for ON/OFF Charge
Support for Cloud OC
Support for Q-Share
Bundled
Software Norton Internet Security (OEM version)
Operating
System Support for Microsoft®Windows 7/Vista/XP
Form Factor ATX Form Factor; 30.5cm x 24.4cm
* GIGABYTE reserves the right to make any changes to the product specications and product-related information
without prior notice.

- 13 - Hardware Installation
1-3 Installing the CPU and CPU Cooler
1-3-1 Installing the CPU
A. Locate the pin one (denoted by a small triangle) of the CPU socket and the CPU.
Read the following guidelines before you begin to install the CPU:
• Make sure that the motherboard supports the CPU.
(Go to GIGABYTE's website for the latest CPU support list.)
• Always turn off the computer and unplug the power cord from the power outlet 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 dam-
age 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, graph-
ics card, memory, hard drive, etc.
AM3 CPU
AM3 Socket
A Small Triangle Marking
Denotes CPU Pin One
A Small Triangle Mark
Denotes Pin One of the
Socket

Hardware Installation - 14 -
B. Follow the steps below to correctly install the CPU into the motherboard CPU 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.
• Do not force the CPU into the CPU socket. The CPU cannot t in if oriented incorrectly. Adjust the
CPU orientation if this occurs.
Step 1:
Completely lift up the CPU socket locking lever.
Step 2:
Align the CPU pin one (small triangle marking) with the triangle mark
on the CPU socket and gently insert the CPU into the socket. Make
sure that the CPU pins t perfectly into their holes. Once the CPU is
positioned into its socket, place one nger down on the middle of the
CPU, lowering the locking lever and latching it into the fully locked
position.
CPU Socket
Locking Lever

- 15 - Hardware Installation
1-3-2 Installing the CPU Cooler
Follow the steps below to correctly install the CPU cooler on the CPU. (The following procedure uses the
GIGABYTE cooler as the example.)
Step 1:
Apply an even and thin layer of thermal grease
on the surface of the installed CPU.
Step 2:
Place the CPU cooler on the CPU.
Step 3:
Hook the CPU cooler clip to the mounting lug
on one side of the retention frame. On the other
side,push straight down on the the CPU cooler
clip to hook it to the mounting lug on the reten-
tion frame.
Step 4:
Turn the cam handle from the left side to the
right side (as the picture above shows) to lock
into place. (Refer to your CPU cooler installation
manual for instructions on installing the cooler.)
Step 5:
Finally, attach the power connector of the CPU cooler to the CPU
fan header (CPU_FAN) on the motherboard.
Use extreme care when removing the CPU cooler because the thermal grease/tape between the
CPU cooler and CPU may adhere to the CPU. Inadequately removing the CPU cooler may damage
the CPU.

Hardware Installation - 16 -
1-4 Installing the Memory
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.
(Go to GIGABYTE's website for the latest supported memory speeds and momery moudles.)
•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 direc-
tion. If you are unable to insert the memory, switch the direction.
1-4-1 Dual Channel Memory Conguration
This motherboard provides four DDR3 memory sockets and supports Dual Channel Technology. After the
memory is installed, the BIOS will automatically detect the specications and capacity of the memory. En-
abling Dual Channel memory mode will double the original memory bandwidth.
The four DDR3 memory sockets are divided into two channels and each channel has two memory sockets as
following:
Channel 0: DDR3_1, DDR3_2
Channel 1: DDR3_3, DDR3_4
Due to CPU limitations, read the following guidelines before installing the memory in Dual Channel mode.
1. Dual Channel mode cannot be enabled if only one DDR3 memory module is installed.
2. When enabling Dual Channel mode with two or four memory modules, it is recommended that
memory of the same capacity, brand, speed, and chips be used and installed in the same colored
DDR3 sockets for optimum performance.
DDR3_1 DDR3_2 DDR3_3 DDR3_4
Dual Channel Memory Congurations Table
(SS=Single-Sided, DS=Double-Sided, "- -"=No Memory)
DDR3_1 DDR3_2 DDR3_3 DDR3_4
DS/SS - - DS/SS - -
- - DS/SS - - DS/SS
DS/SS DS/SS DS/SS DS/SS
Two Modules
Four Modules

- 17 - Hardware Installation
1-4-2 Installing a Memory
Notch
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.
DDR3 and DDR2 DIMMs are not compatible to each other or DDR DIMMs. Be sure to install
DDR3 DIMMs on this motherboard.
DDR3 DIMM
A DDR3 memory module has a notch, so it can only t in one direction. Follow the steps below to correctly
install your memory modules in the memory sockets.
Step 1:
Note the orientation of the memory module. Spread the retaining
clips at both ends of the memory socket. Place the memory module
on the socket. As indicated in the picture on the left, place your n-
gers on the top edge of the memory, push down on the memory and
insert 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.

Hardware Installation - 18 -
1-5 Installing an Expansion Card
Read the following guidelines before you begin to install an expansion card:
•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.
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(s).
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.
Example: Installing and Removing a PCI Express Graphics Card:
•Installing a Graphics Card:
Gently push down on the top edge of the card until
it is fully inserted into the PCI Express slot. Make
sure the card is securely seated in the slot and
does not rock.
PCI Slot
PCI Express x1 Slot
PCI Express x16 Slot (PCIEX8/PCIEX4)
PCI Express x16 Slot (PCIEX16_1/PCIEX16_2)
•Removing the Card
from the PCIEX16_1/
PCIEX16_2 Slot:
Gently push back on the
lever on the slot and then
lift the card straight out
from the slot.
•Removing the Card from
the PCIEX8/PCIEX4 Slot:
Press the latch at the end
of the PCI Express slot to
release the card and then
pull the card straight up
from the slot.

- 19 - Hardware Installation
1-6 Setting up ATI CrossFireX™ Conguration
A. System Requirements
- The 2-Way CrossFireX technology currently supports Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 operating systems
- The 3-Way CrossFireX technology currently supports Windows Vista and Windows 7 operating systems only
- A CrossFireX-supported motherboard with two/three PCI Express x16 slots and correct driver
- Two/three CrossFireX-ready graphics cards of identical brand and chip and correct driver
(Current GPUs that support 3-Way CrossFireX technology include the ATI Radeon HD 3800, Radeon HD 4800,
Radeon HD 5800 series and AMD HD 6900 series .)
- CrossFire (Note) bridge connector(s)
- A power supply with sufcient power is recommended (refer to the manual of your graphics cards for the power requirement)
B. Connecting the Graphics Cards
Step 1:
Observe the steps in "1-5 Installing an Expansion Card" and install two/three/four CrossFireX-ready graphics cards on the
PCI Express x16 slots. The following table shows the recommended CrossFireX congurations with two/three cards.
Procedure and driver screen for enabling CrossFireX technology may differ by graphics cards.
Refer to the manual that came with your graphics cards for more information about enabling Cross-
FireX technology.
(Note) The bridge connectors may be needed or not depending on your graphics cards.
Step 2:
Insert the CrossFire (Note) bridge connector(s) in the CrossFireX gold edge connectors on top of the two/three cards.
Step 3:
Plug the display cable into the graphics card on the PCIEX16_1 slot.
Recommended 2/3-Way CrossFireX Congurations:
PCIEX16_1 PCIEX16_2 PCIEX4 PCIEX8
aa- - - -
aa- - a
2-Way
3-Way
C. Conguring the Graphics Card Driver
C-1. To Enable CrossFireX Function
For 2-Way CrossFireX:
After installing the
graphics card driver in
the operating system, go
to the Catalyst Control
Center. Browse to the
CrossFireX menu and
select the Enable
CrossFireX™check box.
Click OK to apply.
For 3-Way CrossFireX:
Browse to the CrossFireX
menu, select the Enable
CrossFireX™check box,
and select the 3 GPUs
combination. Click OK to
apply.

Hardware Installation - 20 -
1-7 Back Panel Connectors
USB 2.0/1.1 Port
The USB port supports the USB 2.0/1.1 specication. Use this port for USB devices such as a USB key-
board/mouse, USB printer, USB ash drive and etc.
PS/2 Keyboard or PS/2 Mouse Port
Use this port to connect a PS/2 keyboard or mouse.
Optical S/PDIF Out Connector
This connector provides digital audio out to an external audio system that supports digital optical audio.
Before using this feature, ensure that your audio system provides an optical digital audio in connector.
Coaxial S/PDIF Out Connector
This connector provides digital audio out to an external audio system that supports digital coaxial audio.
Before using this feature, ensure that your audio system provides a coaxial digital audio in connector.
IEEE 1394a Port
The IEEE 1394 port supports the IEEE 1394a specication, featuring high speed, high bandwidth and
hotplug capabilities. Use this port for an IEEE 1394a device.
eSATA/USB Combo Connector
This connector supports SATA 3Gb/s and USB 2.0/1.1 specication. Use the port to connect an external
SATA device; or use this port for USB devices such as a USB keyboard/mouse, USB printer, USB ash
drive and etc.
RJ-45 LAN Port
The Gigabit Ethernet LAN port provides Internet connection at up to 1 Gbps data rate. The following de-
scribes the states of the LAN port LEDs.
Activity LED:
State Description
Blinking Data transmission or receiving is occurring
Off No data transmission or receiving is occurring
Connection/Speed LED:
State Description
Orange 1 Gbps data rate
Green 100 Mbps data rate
Off 10 Mbps data rate
Activity LED
Connection/
Speed LED
LAN Port
• When removing the cable connected to a back panel connector, rst remove the cable from your
device and then remove it from the motherboard.
• When removing the cable, pull it straight out from the connector. Do not rock it side to side to
prevent an electrical short inside the cable connector.