Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD4 User manual

GA-P55A-UD4P
GA-P55A-UD4
LGA1156 socket motherboard for Intel®Core™i7 processor family/
Intel® Core™i5 processor family/Intel® Core™i3 processor family
User's Manual
Rev. 2001
12ME-P55AU4P-2001R

Motherboard
GA-P55A-UD4P / GA-P55A-UD4
Apr. 16, 2010
Apr. 16, 2010
Motherboard
GA-P55A-UD4P/GA-P55A-UD4

Copyright
©2010 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 specifications and features in this manual may be made by GIGABYTE
without 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 instructions on how to use GIGABYTE's unique features, read or download the information
on/from the Support&Downloads\Motherboard\Technology Guide page on our website.
For product-related information, check on our website at:
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw
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-P55A-UD4P/GA-P55A-UD4 Motherboard Layout.....................................................7
GA-P55A-UD4P/GA-P55A-UD4 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™/NVIDIASLI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.............................................................................. 48
2-5 Advanced BIOS Features .............................................................................. 50
2-6 Integrated Peripherals.................................................................................... 52
2-7 Power Management Setup............................................................................. 56
2-8 PC Health Status............................................................................................ 58
2-9 Load Fail-Safe Defaults.................................................................................. 60
2-10 Load Optimized Defaults................................................................................ 60
2-11 Set Supervisor/User Password ...................................................................... 61
2-12 Save & Exit Setup .......................................................................................... 62
2-13 Exit Without Saving........................................................................................ 62
2-14 SecurityChipCongurationj .................................................................. 63
Chapter 3 Drivers Installation........................................................................................65
3-1 Installing Chipset Drivers ............................................................................... 65
3-2 Application Software ...................................................................................... 66
3-3 Technical Manuals.......................................................................................... 66
3-4 Contact........................................................................................................... 67

- 5 -
3-5 System ........................................................................................................... 67
3-6 Download Center ........................................................................................... 68
3-7 New Utilities ................................................................................................... 68
Chapter 4 Unique Features...........................................................................................69
4-1 Xpress Recovery2.......................................................................................... 69
4-2 BIOS Update Utilities ..................................................................................... 72
4-2-1 Updating the BIOS with the Q-Flash Utility.............................................................72
4-2-2 Updating the BIOS with the @BIOS Utility .............................................................75
4-3 EasyTune 6 .................................................................................................... 76
4-4 Dynamic Energy Saver™2.............................................................................. 77
4-5 Q-Share.......................................................................................................... 79
4-6 Smart 6™ ........................................................................................................ 80
4-7 Smart TPM j ..................................................................................83
4-8 Auto Green..................................................................................................... 84
4-9 eXtreme Hard Drive (X.H.D) .......................................................................... 85
4-10 Teaming j ......................................................................................86
Chapter 5 Appendix ......................................................................................................87
5-1 ConguringSATAHardDrive(s)..................................................................... 87
5-1-1 ConguringIntelP55SATAControllers.................................................................87
5-1-2 ConguringJMicronJMB362SATAController .......................................................95
5-1-3 ConguringMarvell9128SATAController ...........................................................101
5-1-4 Making a SATA RAID/AHCI Driver Diskette..........................................................106
5-1-5 Installing the SATA RAID/AHCI Driver and Operating System .............................108
5-2 ConguringAudioInputandOutput............................................................. 121
5-2-1 Conguring2/4/5.1/7.1-ChannelAudio.................................................................121
5-2-2 ConguringS/PDIFIn/Out....................................................................................123
5-2-3 Enabling the Dolby Home Theater Function ........................................................125
5-2-4 ConguringMicrophoneRecording......................................................................126
5-2-5 Using the Sound Recorder ...................................................................................128
5-3 Troubleshooting............................................................................................ 129
5-3-1 Frequently Asked Questions ................................................................................129
5-3-2 Troubleshooting Procedure ..................................................................................130
5-4 Regulatory Statements................................................................................. 132
jOnly for GA-P55A-UD4P.

- 6 -
Box Contents
GA-P55A-UD4P or GA-P55A-UD4 motherboard
Motherboard driver disk
User's Manual
Quick Installation Guide
One IDE cable
Four SATA cables
One 2-Way SLI bridge connector
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-P55A-UD4P/GA-P55A-UD4 Motherboard Layout
(Note 1) Due to a hardware limitation, the PCIEX1_1 slot can only accommodate a shorter PCI Express x1
expansion card. For a longer expansion card, use other expansion slots.
(Note 2) This feature is optional due to different regional policy.
jOnly for GA-P55A-UD4P.
KB_MS_USB
CPU_FAN
ATX_12V_2X4
ATX
CD_IN
F_AUDIO
AUDIO
B_BIOS
PCIEX8
PCIEX1_1(Note 1)
IDE
SPDIF_I
DDR3_1 DDR3_3 DDR3_2 DDR3_4
BAT
F_PANEL
F_USB2
COMA
Intel®P55
LPT
SATA2_1
SATA2_3
SATA2_5
GSATA3_7
SATA2_0
SATA2_2
SATA2_4
GSATA3_6
PCI1
PCI2
CLR_CMOS
CODEC
SYS_FAN1
M_BIOS
PCIEX1_2
PCIEX16
SPDIF_O
F_USB1
F1_1394
SYS_FAN2
LGA1156
GA-P55A-UD4P / GA-P55A-UD4
PWR_FAN
R_SPDIF
USB_1394_ESATA_1
USB_LAN2 j
USB_1394_ESATA_2
PHASE LED
USB30_LAN1
PCIEX1_3
FDD
PCH_FAN
TPM IC j(Note 2)
Marvell 9128
Realtek
RTL8111E
Realtek
RTL8111Ej
JMicron
JMB362
NEC
D720200F1
iTE IT8720
T.I. TSB43AB23 iTE
IT8213

- 8 -
GA-P55A-UD4P/GA-P55A-UD4 Motherboard Block Diagram
jOnly for GA-P55A-UD4P.
or
PCIe CLK
(100 MHz)
Switch
x8
x16
1 PCI Express x16 2 PCI Express x8
Center/Subwoofer Speaker Out
Line Out
MIC
Line In
S/PDIF In
S/PDIF Out
Side Speaker Out
Surround Speaker Out
CODEC PS/2 KB/Mouse
LGA1156
CPU
DMI
Interface
Intel®P55
2 PCI
PCI Bus
PCI CLK
(33 MHz)
PCI Express Bus
CPU CLK+/- (133 MHz)
6 SATA 3Gb/s
Dual BIOS
12 USB 2.0/1.1
3 IEEE 1394a
DDR3 2200/1333/1066/800 MHz
Dual Channel Memory
PCI Express Bus
x1
2 SATA 3Gb/s
Floppy
COM Port
LPC Bus
TPM j(Note)
PCIe CLK
(100 MHz)
3 PCI Express x1
PCI Express Bus x1x1
x1
LAN
RJ45
x1
x1
LAN
RJ45
x1
2 USB 3.0/2.0
x1
Marvell 9128
2 SATA 6Gb/s
ATA-133/100/66/33 IDE Channel
(Note) This feature is optional due to different regional policy.
JMicron
JMB362
iTE
IT8720
T.I. TSB43AB23 iTE
IT8213
Realtek
RTL8111E
Realtek
RTL8111EjNEC
D720200F1

- 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 an Intel®Core™i7 series processor/Intel® Core™i5 series processor
/Intel® Core™i3 series processor in the LGA1156 package
(Go to GIGABYTE's website for the latest CPU support list.)
L3 cache varies with CPU
Chipset Intel®P55 Express Chipset
Memory 4 x 1.5V DDR3 DIMM sockets supporting up to 16 GB of system memory (Note 1)
Dual channel memory architecture
Support for DDR3 2200/1333/1066/800 MHz memory modules
Support for non-ECC memory modules
 SupportforExtremeMemoryProle(XMP)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 RTL8111E chips (10/100/1000 Mbit) j
1 x Realtek RTL8111E chip (10/100/1000 Mbit) k
Support for Teaming j
Support for Smart Dual LAN j
Expansion Slots 1 x PCI Express x16 slot, running at x16 (PCIEX16) (Note 2)
1 x PCI Express x16 slot, running at x8 (PCIEX8) (Note 3)
(The PCIEX16 and PCIEX8 slots conforms to PCI Express 2.0 standard.)
3 x PCI Express x1 slots
2 x PCI slots
Multi-Graphics Support for ATI CrossFireX™/NVIDIA SLI technology
Technology
Storage Interface Chipset:
- 6 x SATA 3Gb/s connectors (SATA2_0, SATA2_1, SATA2_2, SATA2_3,
SATA2_4, SATA2_5) supporting up to 6 SATA 3Gb/s devices
- Support for SATA RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10
Marvell 9128 chip:
- 2 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors (GSATA3_6, GSATA3_7) supporting up to
2 SATA 6Gb/s devices
- Support for SATA RAID 0 and RAID 1
 JMicronJMB362SATA2chip:
- 2 x eSATA 3Gb/s connectors on the back panel supporting up to 2 SATA
3Gb/s devices
      - SupportforSATARAID0,RAID1,andJBOD
iTE IT8213 chip:
- 1 x IDE connector supporting ATA-133/100/66/33 and up to 2 IDE devices
iTE IT8720 chip:
      - 1xoppydiskdriveconnectorsupportingupto1oppydiskdrive
jOnly for GA-P55A-UD4P.
kOnly for GA-P55A-UD4.

- 11 - Hardware Installation
USB Chipset:
- Up to 12 USB 2.0/1.1 ports (8 on the back panel, 4 via the USB brackets
connected to the internal USB headers)
NEC D720200F1 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 1 x 24-pin ATX main power connector
Connectors 1 x 8-pin ATX 12V power connector
 1xoppydiskdriveconnector
1 x IDE connector
6 x SATA 3Gb/s connectors
2 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors
1 x CPU fan header
2 x system fan headers
1 x power fan header
1 x PCH chip 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
2 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
Back Panel 1 x PS/2 keyboard or PS/2 mouse port
Connectors 1 x coaxial S/PDIF Out connector
1 x optical S/PDIF Out connector
2 x IEEE 1394a ports
8 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports
2 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports
2 x eSATA 3Gb/s ports
 2xRJ-45portsj
 1xRJ-45portk
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
jOnly for GA-P55A-UD4P.
kOnly for GA-P55A-UD4.

Hardware Installation - 12 -
(Note 1) 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.
(Note 2) For optimum performance, if only one PCI Express graphics card is to be installed, be sure to
install it in the PCIEX16 slot
(Note 3) The PCIEX8 slot shares bandwidth with the PCIEX16 slot. When the PCIEX8 slot is populated with
a PCI Express graphics card, the PCIEX16 slot will operate at up to x8 mode.
(Note 4) Whether the CPU/system fan speed control function is supported will depend on the CPU/system
cooler you install.
(Note 5) Available functions in EasyTune may differ by motherboard model.
(Note 6) This feature is optional due to different regional policy.
Hardware Monitor System voltage detection
CPU/System temperature detection
CPU/System/Power fan speed detection
CPU overheating warning
CPU/System/Power fan fail warning
CPU/System fan speed control (Note 4)
BIOS  2x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(Note 5)
Support for Dynamic Energy Saver™2
Support for Smart TPM (Note 6) j
Support for Smart 6™
Support for Auto Green
Support for eXtreme Hard Drive(X.H.D)
 Support for ON/OFF Charge
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
jOnly for GA-P55A-UD4P.

- 13 - Hardware Installation
1-3 Installing the CPU and CPU Cooler
1-3-1 Installing the CPU
A. 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.
(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.
NotchNotch
Alignment Key
Alignment Key
LGA1156 CPU
LGA1156 CPU Socket
Pin One Corner of the CPU Socket
Triangle Pin One Marking on the CPU

Hardware Installation - 14 -
Step 1:
Gently press the CPU socket lever handle down
andawayfromthesocketwithyournger.Then
completely lift the CPU socket lever and the metal
load plate will be lifted as well.
Step 3:
HoldtheCPUwithyourthumbandindexngers.
Align the CPU pin one marking (triangle) with the
pin one corner of the CPU socket (or you may
align the CPU notches with the socket alignment
keys) and gently insert the CPU into position.
Step 5:
Push the CPU socket lever back into its locked
position.
Step 4:
Once the CPU is properly inserted, use one
hand to hold the socket lever and use the other
to lightly replace the load plate. When replacing
the load plate, make sure the front end of the
load plate is under the shoulder screw.
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.
NOTE:
Hold the CPU socket lever by the handle, not the
lever base portion.
Step 2:
Remove the CPU socket cover as shown. Hold
yourindex ngerdownontherear sideofthe
socket cover and use your thumb to lift up the
front edge (next to the "REMOVE" mark) of the
socket cover and remove it. (DO NOT touch
socket contacts. To protect the CPU socket,
always replace the protective socket cover when
the CPU is not installed.)

- 15 - Hardware Installation
1-3-2 Installing the CPU Cooler
Follow the steps below to correctly install the CPU cooler on the motherboard. (The following procedure uses
Intel®boxed cooler as the example cooler.)
Step 1:
Apply an even and thin layer of thermal grease
on the surface of the installed CPU.
Male Push
Pin
Female
Push Pin
The Top
of Female
Push Pin
Direction of the
Arrow Sign on
the Male Push
Pin
Step 2:
Before installing the cooler, note the direction of
the arrow sign on the male push pin. (Turn-
ing the push pin along the direction of arrow is to
remove the cooler, on the contrary, is to install.)
Step 3:
Place the cooler atop the CPU, aligning the four
push pins through the pin holes on the mother-
board. Push down on the push pins diagonally.
Step 4:
You should hear a "click" when pushing down
each push pin. Check that the Male and Female
push pins are joined closely. (Refer to your CPU
cooler installation manual for instructions on
installing the cooler.)
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.
Step 5:
After the installation, check the back of the moth-
erboard. If the push pin is inserted as the picture
above shows, the installation is complete.
Step 6:
Finally, attach the power connector of the CPU
cooler to the CPU fan header (CPU_FAN) on the
motherboard.

Hardware Installation - 16 -
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
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 memory modules)
•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.
DDR3_2 DDR3_1 DDR3_4 DDR3_3
DualChannelMemoryCongurationsTable
(SS=Single-Sided, DS=Double-Sided, "- -"=No Memory)
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 for optimum performance. When
enabling Dual Channel mode with two memory modules, be sure to install them in the DDR3_1 and
DDR3_3 sockets.
DDR3_2 DDR3_1 DDR3_4 DDR3_3
- - DS/SS - - DS/SS
DS/SS DS/SS DS/SS DS/SS
Two Modules
Four Modules
If only one DDR3 memory module is installed,
be sure to install it in the DDR3_1 or DDR3_3.

- 17 - Hardware Installation
1-4-2 Installing a Memory
Notch
DDR3 DIMM
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.
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:
PCI Slot
PCI Express x1 Slot
PCI Express x16 Slot (PCIEX16)
PCI Express x16 Slot (PCIEX8)
•Removing the Card from
the PCIEX16 Slot:
Gently push back on the
lever on the slot and then
lift the card straight out
from the slot.
•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.
•Removing the Card from
the PCIEX8 Slot:
Press the white latch at
the end of the PCI Ex-
press slot to release the
card and then pull the card
straight up from the slot.

- 19 - Hardware Installation
1-6 Setting up ATI CrossFireX™/NVIDIA SLI Conguration
A. System Requirements
- Windows Vista or Windows XP operating system
- A CrossFireX/SLI-supported motherboard with two PCI Express x16 slots and correct driver
- Two CrossFireX/SLI-ready graphics cards of identical brand and chip and correct driver
- Two CrossFire (Note)/SLI bridge connectors
 - 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 CrossFireX/SLI graphics cards on the
PCI Express x16 slots.
Step 2:
Insert the CrossFire (Note)/SLI bridge connectors in the CrossFireX/SLI gold edge connectors on top of the two
cards.
Step 3:
Plug the display cable into the graphics card on the PCIEX16 slot.
C. Conguring the Graphics Card Driver
C-1. To Enable CrossFireX Function
After installing the graphics card driver in the operating system, go to
the ATI Catalyst Control Center. Browse to the CrossFireX menu
and ensure the Enable CrossFireX™check box is selected.
Procedure and driver screen for enabling CrossFireX/SLI technology may differ by graphics cards.
Refer to the manual that came with your graphics cards for more information about enabling Cross-
FireX/SLI technology.
C-2. To Enable SLI Function
After installing the graphics card driver in the operating system, go
to the NVIDIA Control Panel. Browse to the Set SLI Conguration
screen and ensure the Enable SLI technology check box is se-
lected.
(Note) The bridge connectors may be needed or not depending on your graphics cards.

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 3Gb/s Port
The eSATA 3Gb/s port conforms to SATA 3Gb/s standard and is compatible with SATA 1.5Gb/s standard.
 UsetheporttoconnectanexternalSATAdevice.RefertoChapter5,"ConguringSATAHardDrive(s),"
 forinstructionsonconguringaRAIDarray.
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.
jOnly for GA-P55A-UD4P.
j