Intel DX79SI User manual

Intel®Desktop Board DX79SI
Product Guide
Order Number: G43991-002

Revision History
Revision Revision History Date
-001 First release of the Intel®Desktop Board DX79SI Product Guide October 2011
-002 Second release of the Intel®Desktop Board DX79SI Product Guide March 2012
Disclaimer
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GRANTED BY THIS DOCUMENT. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN INTEL’S TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE FOR
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OF ANY PATENT, COPYRIGHT OR OTHER INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHT. Intel products are not intended
for use in medical, life saving, or life sustaining applications. Intel may make changes to specifications and
product descriptions at any time, without notice.
Intel Desktop Board DX79SI may contain design defects or errors known as errata which may cause the
product to deviate from published specifications. Current characterized errata are available on request.
Contact your local Intel sales office or your distributor to obtain the latest specifications and before placing
your product order.
Copies of documents which have an ordering number and are referenced in this document, or other Intel
literature, may be obtained from Intel Corporation by going to the World Wide Web site at:
http://www.intel.com/ or by calling 1-800-548-4725.
Intel, Intel Core, and Xeon are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
* Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.
Copyright © 2011, 2012, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.

iii
Preface
This Product Guide gives information about board layout, component installation, BIOS
update, and regulatory requirements for Intel®Desktop Board DX79SI.
Intended Audience
The Product Guide is intended for technically qualified personnel. It is not intended for
general audiences.
Use Only for Intended Applications
All Intel Desktop Boards are evaluated as Information Technology Equipment (I.T.E.)
for use in personal computers (PC) for installation in homes, offices, schools, computer
rooms, and similar locations. The suitability of this product for other PC or embedded
non-PC applications or other environments, such as medical, industrial, alarm systems,
test equipment, etc. may not be supported without further evaluation by Intel.
Document Organization
The chapters in this Product Guide are arranged as follows:
1 Desktop Board Features: a summary of product features
2 Installing and Replacing Desktop Board Components: instructions on how to install
the Desktop Board and other hardware components
3 Updating the BIOS: instructions on how to update the BIOS
4 Configuring for RAID: information about configuring your system for RAID
A Error Messages and Indicators: information about BIOS error messages and beep
codes
B Regulatory Compliance: describes the board’s adherence to safety standards and
EMC regulations and its product certifications
Conventions
The following conventions are used in this manual:
CAUTION
Cautions warn the user about how to prevent damage to hardware or loss of data.
NOTE
Notes call attention to important information.

Intel Desktop Board DX79SI Product Guide
iv
Terminology
The table below gives descriptions of some common terms used in the product guide.
Term Description
GB Gigabyte (1,073,741,824 bytes)
GHz Gigahertz (one billion hertz)
KB Kilobyte (1024 bytes)
MB Megabyte (1,048,576 bytes)
Mb Megabit (1,048,576 bits)
MHz Megahertz (one million hertz)

v
Contents
1Desktop Board Features
Supported Operating Systems..............................................................................11
Desktop Board Components.................................................................................12
Processor..........................................................................................................14
System Memory.................................................................................................15
Memory Configurations................................................................................16
Intel®X79 Express Chipset..................................................................................17
USB Support .....................................................................................................17
USB 3.0 ....................................................................................................17
USB 2.0 ....................................................................................................17
Serial ATA.........................................................................................................17
Audio Subsystem ...............................................................................................18
LAN Subsystem .................................................................................................18
Legacy I/O........................................................................................................20
Expandability.....................................................................................................20
BIOS................................................................................................................20
Serial ATA and IDE Auto Configuration...........................................................21
PCI and PCI Express* Auto Configuration .......................................................21
Security Passwords.....................................................................................21
Back to BIOS Button ...................................................................................21
Hardware Management .......................................................................................22
Hardware Monitoring and Fan Speed Control ..................................................22
Chassis Intrusion........................................................................................22
Power Management............................................................................................23
Software Support .......................................................................................23
ACPI..................................................................................................23
Hardware Support ......................................................................................23
Power Connectors ...............................................................................23
Fan Headers .......................................................................................23
LAN Wake Capabilities..........................................................................24
Instantly Available PC Technology..........................................................24
+5 V Standby Power Indicator...............................................................24
Wake from USB ..................................................................................25
PME# Signal Wake-up Support..............................................................26
WAKE# Signal Wake-up Support ...........................................................26
Wake from Consumer IR ......................................................................26
Onboard System Control Switches ........................................................................26
Power Switch .............................................................................................27
Reset Switch..............................................................................................27
System Initialization/Board Status LEDs ................................................................27
System Initialization LEDs............................................................................28
Status LEDs...............................................................................................29
Speaker............................................................................................................29
Battery.............................................................................................................29
Real-Time Clock.................................................................................................29

Intel Desktop Board DX79SI Product Guide
vi
Bluetooth*/WiFi Module ......................................................................................30
Bluetooth Technology..................................................................................30
WiFi (802.11 Wireless) Technology................................................................31
Remote Thermal Probe .......................................................................................31
2Installing and Replacing Desktop Board Components
Before You Begin ...............................................................................................33
Installation Precautions.......................................................................................34
Prevent Power Supply Overload ....................................................................34
Observe Safety and Regulatory Requirements.................................................34
Installing the I/O Shield ......................................................................................35
Installing the Desktop Board................................................................................36
Installing a Processor .........................................................................................37
Installing a Processor Fan Heat Sink..............................................................41
Installing and Removing Memory..........................................................................42
Installing DIMMs ........................................................................................42
Removing DIMMs........................................................................................44
Installing and Removing PCI Express x16 Add-in Cards ...........................................44
Installing PCI Express x16 Graphics Cards......................................................44
Removing a PCI Express x16 Add-in Card.......................................................45
Installing Linked PCI Express x16 Graphics Cards............................................46
Connecting SATA Cables .....................................................................................48
Connecting to the Internal Headers and Connectors ................................................49
Front Panel Audio Header ............................................................................50
S/PDIF Header ...........................................................................................50
Chassis Intrusion Header .............................................................................50
IEEE 1394a Header.....................................................................................51
USB 3.0 Connector .....................................................................................51
Consumer IR (CIR) Headers .........................................................................52
USB 2.0 Headers ........................................................................................53
Front Panel Header .....................................................................................53
Alternate Front Panel Power LED Header........................................................54
Connecting to the Audio System...........................................................................54
Connecting Chassis Fan and Power Supply Cables...................................................55
Connecting Chassis Fan Cables .....................................................................55
Connecting Power Supply Cables ..................................................................56
Setting the BIOS Configuration Jumper .................................................................57
Clearing Passwords ............................................................................................58
Replacing the Battery .........................................................................................59
Installing the WiFi/Bluetooth* Module in Your Chassis .............................................64
Connecting the Remote Thermal Probe..................................................................65
3Updating the BIOS
Updating the BIOS with the Intel®Express BIOS Update Utility.................................67
Updating the BIOS Using the F7 Function Key ........................................................68
Updating the BIOS with the Intel®Flash Memory Update Utility ................................68
Recovering the BIOS ..........................................................................................69

Contents
vii
4Configuring for RAID Using Intel®Rapid Storage Technology
Configuring the BIOS ..................................................................................71
Creating Your RAID Set ...............................................................................71
Loading the Intel RST RAID Drivers and Software (Required for
Microsoft Windows XP Installation) ..........................................................72
Setting Up a “RAID Ready” System ...............................................................72
AError Messages and Indicators
BIOS Error Codes...............................................................................................73
BIOS Error Messages..........................................................................................74
Port 80h POST Codes..........................................................................................75
BRegulatory Compliance
Safety Standards ...............................................................................................79
Battery Caution ..........................................................................................79
European Union Declaration of Conformity Statement..............................................80
Product Ecology Statements ................................................................................81
Recycling Considerations .............................................................................81
China RoHS ...............................................................................................84
EMC Regulations ................................................................................................85
FCC Declaration of Conformity......................................................................85
Canadian Department of Communications Compliance Statement......................86
Japan VCCI Statement ................................................................................86
Korea Class B Statement .............................................................................87
Ensure Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Compliance..................................87
Product Certifications..........................................................................................88
Board-Level Certifications ............................................................................88
Chassis- and Component-Level Certifications..................................................89
ENERGY STAR*, e-Standby, and ErP Compliance ....................................................89
Figures
1. Intel Desktop Board DX79SI Components ........................................................12
2. Memory Channel and DIMM Configuration ........................................................16
3. LAN Connector LEDs .....................................................................................19
4. Location of the Back to BIOS Button................................................................22
5. Location of the Standby Power Indicator ..........................................................25
6. Onboard System Control Switches ..................................................................26
7. Location of the Diagnostic/Status LEDs ............................................................27
8. Bluetooth/WiFi Module ..................................................................................30
9. Remote Thermal Probe..................................................................................31
10. Installing the I/O Shield ................................................................................35
11. Intel Desktop Board DX79SI Mounting Screw Hole Locations...............................36
12. Unlatch the Socket Levers .............................................................................37
13. Open the Load Plate......................................................................................38
14. Install the Processor .....................................................................................39
15. Close the Load Plate .....................................................................................40
16. Installing a Fan Heat Sink and Connecting the Cable to the Processor
Fan Header..................................................................................................41
17. Installing a DIMM .........................................................................................43
18. Installing a PCI Express x16 Card ...................................................................45

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19. Removing a PCI Express x16 Card ..................................................................46
20. Installing Linked PCI Express Graphics Cards....................................................47
21. Connecting the Serial ATA Cables....................................................................48
22. Internal Headers ..........................................................................................49
23. Back Panel Audio Connectors .........................................................................54
24. Location of the Chassis Fan Headers................................................................55
25. Connecting Power Supply Cables ....................................................................56
26. Location of the BIOS Configuration Jumper Block ..............................................57
27. Removing the Battery ...................................................................................63
28. Installing the WiFi/Bluetooth Module ...............................................................64
29. Connecting the Remote Thermal Probe ............................................................65
30. POST Code LED Display.................................................................................75
31. Intel Desktop Board DX79SI China RoHS Material Self Declaration Table ..............84
Tables
1. Feature Summary.......................................................................................... 9
2. Intel Desktop Board DX79SI Components ........................................................13
3. LAN Connector LEDs .....................................................................................20
4. System Initialization LEDs..............................................................................28
5. Status LEDs.................................................................................................29
6. Front Panel Audio Header Signal Names...........................................................50
7. S/PDIF Header Signal Names .........................................................................50
8. Chassis Intrusion Header Signal Names ...........................................................50
9. IEEE 1394a Header Signal Names ...................................................................51
10. USB 3.0 Connector .......................................................................................51
11. Front Panel CIR Receiver (Input) Header Signal Names......................................52
12. Back Panel CIR Header Emitter (Output) Header Signal Names ...........................52
13. USB 2.0 Header Signal Names........................................................................53
14. Front Panel Header Signal Names ...................................................................53
15. Alternate Front Panel Power LED Header Signal Names ......................................54
16. Jumper Settings for the BIOS Setup Program Modes..........................................58
17. BIOS Beep Codes .........................................................................................73
18. Front-panel Power LED Blink Codes .................................................................73
19. BIOS Error Messages ....................................................................................74
20. Port 80h POST Codes ....................................................................................76
21. Safety Standards..........................................................................................79
22. EMC Regulations...........................................................................................85
23. Regulatory Compliance Marks.........................................................................88

9
1 Desktop Board Features
This chapter briefly describes the features of Intel®Desktop Board DX79SI. Table 1
summarizes the major features of the Desktop Board.
Table 1. Feature Summary
Form Factor ATX (304.80 millimeters [12.00 inches] x 243.84 millimeters
[9.60 inches])
Processor Support for Intel®Core™ i7 and Intel®Xeon®processors in the
LGA2011 package with:
•Two PCI Express 3.0 x16 graphics interfaces (x16 electrical)
•One PCI Express 3.0 x16 (x8 electrical)
•Quad-channel memory interface
Main Memory Eight 240-pin DDR3 SDRAM Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM)
sockets arranged in four channels with support for the following:
•DDR3 2400 MHz, DDR3 2133 MHz, DDR3 1866 MHz, DDR3
1600 MHz, DDR3 1333 MHz, and DDR3 1066 MHz DIMMs
•ECC and non-ECC memory
•1 Gb, 2 Gb, and 4 Gb memory technology
•XMP memory
•1.35 V low voltage memory (JEDEC standard)
•Up to 64 GB of system memory using 4 Gb memory technology
•Manual memory overclocking (voltage, clock, and ratio)
Chipset Intel®X79 Express Chipset consisting of the Intel®X79 Platform
Controller Hub (PCH)
Graphics Support for multiple PCI Express* graphics cards including linked cards
using Nvidia* SLI* technology and AMD* CrossFire X* technology
Audio •Independent multi-streaming 8-channel (7.1) audio and 2-channel
audio subsystem, featuring:
―Intel®High Definition Audio interface
―RealTek* ALC892 codec
•HD Audio front panel header
•Onboard 3-pin S/PDIF output header and back panel optical S/PDIF
output connector
Expansion
Capabilities
•Three PCI Express 3.0 x16 connectors (two x16 electrical and one x8
electrical)
•Two PCI Express 2.0 x1 connectors
•One PCI* bus connector
Legacy I/O Support Nuvoton* Legacy I/O Controller that provides Consumer Infrared (CIR)
support
continued

Intel Desktop Board DX79SI Product Guide
10
Table 1. Feature Summary (continued)
Peripheral
Interfaces
•Four USB 3.0 ports:
―Two ports routed to the back panel
―Two ports routed to an onboard connector
•Fourteen USB 2.0 ports:
―Six ports routed to the back panel
―Eight ports routed to four onboard USB headers
•Two IEEE 1394a ports:
―One port routed to the back panel
―One port routed to an IEEE 1394a header
•Six Serial ATA (SATA) channels through the Intel X79 PCH:
―Two onboard 6.0 Gb/s SATA channels (blue connectors)
―Four onboard 3.0 Gb/s SATA channels (black connectors)
LAN Support Gigabit (10/100/1000 Mb/s) dual LAN subsystem using Intel®82579L
and Intel®82574L Gigabit Ethernet Controllers
BIOS •Intel®BIOS resident in an SPI Flash device
•Support for Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI), Plug
and Play, and SMBIOS
•Fast Boot
•Support for advanced overclocking
Power Management •Support for the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI)
specification
•Suspend to RAM (STR)
•Wake on USB, PCI, PCI Express, LAN, CIR, and front panel
•ENERGY STAR* capable
Hardware
Management
•Hardware monitoring and fan control through the Nuvoton I/O
controller
•Voltage sense to detect out of range power supply voltages
•Thermal sense to detect out of range thermal values
•Four fan headers using PWM control
•Four fan sense inputs used to monitor fan activity
•Fan speed control using voltage control (4-pin fan headers for
processor, front, rear, and auxiliary fans) with selectable support in
the BIOS for 3-wire fans
•Support for the Platform Environmental Control Interface (PECI)

Desktop Board Features
11
Supported Operating Systems
The Desktop Board provides full support for the following operating systems:
•Microsoft Windows* 7 Ultimate (64-bit and 32-bit editions)
•Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (64-bit and 32-bit editions)
•Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit and 32-bit editions)
•Microsoft Windows 7 Starter (64-bit and 32-bit editions)
•Microsoft Windows Vista* Ultimate (64-bit and 32-bit editions)
•Microsoft Windows Vista Business (64-bit and 32-bit editions)
•Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit and 32-bit editions)
•Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic (64-bit and 32-bit editions)
The Desktop Board provides minimal BIOS and driver support for the following
operating systems:
•Microsoft Windows* XP Home
•Microsoft Windows XP Professional
•Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition
•Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005

Intel Desktop Board DX79SI Product Guide
12
Desktop Board Components
Figure 1 shows the approximate location of the major components on Intel Desktop
Board DX79SI.
Figure 1. Intel Desktop Board DX79SI Components

Desktop Board Features
13
Table 2. Intel Desktop Board DX79SI Components
Label Description
A Front panel audio header
B PCI Express x1 connector
C S/PDIF header
D PCI Express 3.0 x16 connector (x8 electrical)
E Speaker
F PCI bus connector
G PCI Express 3.0 x16 connector (switchable to x8 electrical)
H PCI Express x1 connector
I PCI Express 3.0 x16 connector
J Rear chassis fan header
K Battery
L Back panel connectors
M Processor fan header
N DIMM 1 socket
O DIMM 5 socket
P DIMM 2 socket
Q DIMM 6 socket
R Processor socket
S 12 V processor core voltage connector (2 x 4 pin)
T DIMM 8 socket
U DIMM 4 socket
V DIMM 7 socket
W DIMM 3 socket
X Main power connector (2 x 12 pin)
Y Remote thermal probe header
Z Front chassis fan header
AA Serial ATA connectors (6 Gb/s)
BB Serial ATA connectors (3 Gb/s)
CC Intel x79 Express Chipset
DD USB 2.0 front panel headers
EE Back panel CIR transmitter (output) header
FF BIOS configuration jumper block
GG Power fault LED
HH USB 3.0 front panel connector
II Alternate front panel power LED header
JJ Front panel CIR receiver (input) header
KK Voltage measurement test points
LL Front panel header
MM POST code LED display
continued

Intel Desktop Board DX79SI Product Guide
14
Table 2. Intel Desktop Board DX79SI Components (continued)
NN IEEE 1394a header
OO Reset button
PP Power button
QQ Chassis intrusion header
RR Auxiliary chassis fan header
SS System initialization/status LEDs
Online Support
For more information on Intel Desktop Board DX79SI consult the following online
resources:
•Intel Desktop Board DX79SI http://www.intel.com/products/motherboard/index.htm
•Desktop Board Support http://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support?iid=hdr+support
•Available configurations for Intel
Desktop Board DX79SI
http://ark.intel.com
•Supported processors http://processormatch.intel.com
•Chipset information http://www.intel.com/products/desktop/chipsets/index.htm
•BIOS and driver updates http://downloadcenter.intel.com/
•Integration information http://www.intel.com/support/go/buildit
Processor
CAUTION
Failure to use an appropriate power supply and/or not connecting the 12 V (2 x 4 pin)
power connector to the Desktop Board may result in damage to the board, or the
system may not function properly.
Intel Desktop Board DX79SI supports an Intel processor in the LGA2011 package.
Processors are not included with the Desktop Board and must be purchased
separately. The processor connects to the Desktop Board through the LGA1366
socket.
Go to the following page or link for more information about:
•Instructions on installing or upgrading the processor, page 37 in Chapter 2
•Supported processors for Intel Desktop Board DX79SI,
http://processormatch.intel.com

Desktop Board Features
15
System Memory
NOTE
To be fully compliant with all applicable Intel
®SDRAM memory specifications, the
board should be populated with DIMMs that support the Serial Presence Detect (SPD)
data structure. If your memory modules do not support SPD, you will see a
notification to this effect on the screen at power up. The BIOS will attempt to
configure the memory controller for normal operation.
The Desktop Board supports the following memory and interface:
•Eight 240-pin Double Data Rate 3 (DDR3) SDRAM Dual Inline Memory Module
(DIMM) connectors with gold-plated contacts arranged in four channels
•2400/2133/1866/1600/1333/1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM DIMM
•XMP performance profile support for memory speeds above 1600 MHz
•Full support for memory overclocking (see
www.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/sb/CS-031689.htm for information
on overclocking)
•Support for single-channel configurations and dual-, tri-, and quad-channel memory
interleaving
•Unbuffered, non-registered single or double-sided DIMMs with a voltage rating of
1.65 V or less including support for 1.35 V (JEDEC specification) memory
•ECC and non-ECC memory (requires a processor that supports ECC memory)
•Serial Presence Detect
•Minimum total system memory of 1 GB
•Up to 64 GB maximum total system memory
NOTE
32-bit operating systems are limited to a maximum of 4 GB of memory. The
operating system may report less than 4 GB because of the memory used by
add-in PCI Express graphics cards.
CAUTION
1.5 V is the recommended and default setting for DDR3 memory voltage. The other
memory voltage settings in the BIOS Setup program are provided for performance
tuning purposes only. Altering the memory voltage may (i) reduce system stability
and the useful life of the system, memory, and processor; (ii) cause the processor and
other system components to fail; (iii) cause reductions in system performance; (iv)
cause additional heat or other damage; and (v) affect system data integrity. Intel has
not tested and does not warranty the operation of the processor beyond its
specifications. For information on the processor warranty, refer to
http://www.intel.com/support/processors/sb/CS-020033.htm?wapkw=(processor+warranty).
Intel assumes no responsibility that the memory installed on the desktop board, if
used with altered clock frequencies and/or voltages, will be fit for any particular
purpose. Check with the memory manufacturer for warranty terms and additional
details.

Intel Desktop Board DX79SI Product Guide
16
Memory Configurations
The Intel Core i7 and Intel Xeon processors support the following types of memory
organization:
•Quad-channel (Interleaved) mode. Quad-channel mode offers the highest
throughput for real world applications.
•Tri-channel (Interleaved) mode. Tri-channel mode is enabled when the installed
memory capacities of any three DIMM channels are equal.
•Dual-channel (Interleaved) mode. Dual-channel mode is enabled when the
installed memory capacities of both DIMM channels are equal. Technology and
device width can vary from one channel to the other but the installed memory
capacity for each channel must be equal. If different speed DIMMs are used
between channels, the slowest memory timing will be used.
•Single-channel (Asymmetric) mode. This mode is equivalent to single-channel
bandwidth operation for real world applications. This mode is used when only a
single DIMM is installed or the channel memory capacities are unequal.
Technology and device width can vary from one channel to the other. If different
speed DIMMs are used between channels, the slowest memory timing will be used.
Figure 2 shows the board’s memory channel and DIMM configuration
Figure 2. Memory Channel and DIMM Configuration
For information on installing memory, refer to page 42 in Chapter 2.

Desktop Board Features
17
Intel®X79 Express Chipset
The Intel X79 Express Chipset consisting of the Intel X79 Platform Controller Hub
(PCH) provides interfaces to the processor and the USB, SATA, LAN, PCI, and PCI
Express interfaces. The PCH is the centralized controller for the board’s I/O paths.
Go to the following link for more information about the Intel X79 Express Chipset:
http://developer.intel.com/products/chipsets/index.htm
USB Support
The Desktop Board supports USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 devices.
USB 3.0
USB 3.0 is supported with two USB 3.0 ports (blue) on the back panel and a dual-port
USB 3.0 onboard connector (blue). USB 3.0 ports are backward compatible with
USB 2.0 and USB 1.1 devices. The USB 3.0 ports are SuperSpeed, high-speed, full-
speed, and low-speed capable. USB 3.0 support requires both an operating system
and drivers that fully support USB 3.0 transfer rates.
USB 2.0
There are 14 USB 2.0 ports (six ports routed to back panel connectors (black) and
eight ports routed to three onboard headers (black)). The USB 2.0 ports are high-
speed, full-speed, and low-speed capable. USB 2.0 support requires both an operating
system and drivers that fully support USB 2.0 transfer rates.
Serial ATA
The board provides two 6.0 Gb/s Serial ATA (SATA) channels (blue connectors) and
four 3.0 Gb/s SATA channels (black connectors).
The four 3.0 Gb/s SATA channels support the following RAID (Redundant Array of
Independent Drives) levels:
•RAID 0 - data striping
•RAID 1 - data mirroring
•RAID 0+1 (or RAID 10) - data striping and data mirroring
•RAID 5 - distributed parity
For information on configuring your system for RAID using Intel®Rapid Storage
Technology (Intel®RST) see Chapter 4.

Intel Desktop Board DX79SI Product Guide
18
Audio Subsystem
The onboard audio subsystem consists of the following components:
•Intel X79 Express Chipset
•RealTek ALC892 codec
The subsystem has the following headers and connectors:
•Five back panel analog audio connectors
•Back panel S/PDIF output port (optical)
•Onboard S/PDIF output header
•High Definition (HD) Audio front panel header that provides mic in and line out
signals for front panel audio connectors
The audio subsystem supports the following features:
•Advanced jack sense for the back panel analog audio jacks that enables the audio
codec to recognize the device that is connected to an audio port. The back panel
audio jacks are capable of retasking according to the user’s definition, or can be
automatically switched depending on the recognized device type.
•A signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of 95 dB.
•Independent multi-streaming 8-channel (7.1) audio (using the back panel audio
connectors) and 2-channel audio (using the Intel High Definition Audio front panel
header).
Go to the following pages for more information about:
•The location of the onboard audio headers, Figure 22 on page 49
•The signal names for the Intel High Definition Audio front panel header, page 50
•The back panel audio connectors, Figure 23 on page 54
LAN Subsystem
The board’s dual Gigabit (10/100/1000 Mb/s) LAN subsystem includes:
•Intel X79 Express Chipset
•Intel 82579L Gigabit Ethernet LAN Controller (Primary)
•Intel 82574L Gigabit Ethernet LAN Controller (Secondary)
•Two RJ-45 LAN connectors with integrated status LEDs
The subsystem features:
•CSMA/CD protocol engine
•LAN connect interface between the Intel PCH and the LAN controllers
•PCI bus power management
•ACPI technology support
•LAN wake capabilities (only the Intel 82579L Gigabit Ethernet LAN Controller
supports the Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) specification)
Go to the following link for information about LAN software and drivers:
http://www.intel.com/products/motherboard/index.htm

Desktop Board Features
19
Two LEDs are built into each RJ-45 LAN connector located on the back panel (see
Figure 3). These LEDs indicate the status of the LAN.
Figure 3. LAN Connector LEDs

Intel Desktop Board DX79SI Product Guide
20
Table 3 describes the LED states when the board is powered up and the LAN
subsystem is operating.
Table 3. LAN Connector LEDs
LED LED Color LED State Indicates
A Green Off LAN link is not established
On LAN link is established
Blinking LAN activity is occurring
B N/A Off 10 Mb/s data rate
Green On 100 Mb/s data rate
Yellow On 1000 Mb/s data rate
C Green Off LAN link is not established
On LAN link is established
Blinking LAN activity is occurring
D N/A Off 10 Mb/s data rate
Green On 100 Mb/s data rate
Yellow On 1000 Mb/s data rate
Legacy I/O
Intel Desktop Board DX79SI includes an I/O controller that provides the following
legacy I/O features:
•Consumer Infrared (CIR) support
•Low pin count (LPC) interface
•Intelligent power management, including a programmable wake up event interface
•PCI power management support
Expandability
Intel Desktop Board DX79SI provides the following expansion capability:
•Three PCI Express 3.0 x16 connectors (two x16 electrical and one x8 electrical).
Operation at PCI Express 3.0 speeds requires a processor that supports the PCI
Express 3.0 Specification.
•Two PCI Express 2.0 x1 connectors
•One PCI bus connector
BIOS
The BIOS provides the Power-On Self-Test (POST), the BIOS Setup program, and the
PCI/PCI Express and IDE auto-configuration utilities. The BIOS is stored in the Serial
Peripheral Interface (SPI) Flash device.
The BIOS can be updated by following the instructions on page 67 in Chapter 3.