MSI H270I GAMING PRO AC User manual

1
<󸙗󳽙 1> Contents
Contents
Safety Information...........................................................................................2
Specifications...................................................................................................3
Rear I/O Panel ................................................................................................. 6
LAN Port LED Status Table................................................................................6
Overview of Components ................................................................................ 7
CPU Socket.........................................................................................................8
DIMM Slots .........................................................................................................9
PCI_E1: PCIe Expansion Slots ...........................................................................9
JFP1, JFP2: Front Panel Connectors...............................................................10
SATA1~4: SATA 6Gb/s Connectors...................................................................10
M2_2: M.2 Slot (Key M).....................................................................................11
ATX_PWR1, CPU_PWR1: Power Connectors...................................................11
JUSB1: USB 2.0 Connector..............................................................................12
JUSB2: USB 3.1 Gen1 Connector.....................................................................12
CPU_FAN1, SYS_FAN1: Fan Connectors .........................................................13
JTPM1: TPM Module Connector.......................................................................14
JCI1: Chassis Intrusion Connector ..................................................................14
JAUD1: Front Audio Connector ........................................................................15
JCOM1: Serial Port Connector.........................................................................15
JLED1: LED connector .....................................................................................15
JBAT1: Clear CMOS (Reset BIOS) Jumper.......................................................16
Onboard LEDs...................................................................................................16
Installing antennas........................................................................................ 17
BIOS Setup.....................................................................................................18
Entering BIOS Setup.........................................................................................18
Resetting BIOS .................................................................................................19
Updating BIOS ..................................................................................................19
Software Description..................................................................................... 20
Installing Windows®7/ 8.1/ 10.........................................................................20
Installing Drivers..............................................................................................20
Installing Utilities.............................................................................................20
Thank you for purchasing the MSI®H270I GAMING PRO AC/
B250I GAMING PRO AC motherboard. This User Guide gives
information about board layout, component overview, BIOS
setup and software installation.

2Safety Information
Safety Information
yThe components included in this package are prone to damage from electrostatic
discharge (ESD). Please adhere to the following instructions to ensure successful
computer assembly.
yEnsure that all components are securely connected. Loose connections may cause
the computer to not recognize a component or fail to start.
yHold the motherboard by the edges to avoid touching sensitive components.
yIt is recommended to wear an electrostatic discharge (ESD) wrist strap when
handling the motherboard to prevent electrostatic damage. If an ESD wrist strap
is not available, discharge yourself of static electricity by touching another metal
object before handling the motherboard.
yStore the motherboard in an electrostatic shielding container or on an anti-static
pad whenever the motherboard is not installed.
yBefore turning on the computer, ensure that there are no loose screws or metal
components on the motherboard or anywhere within the computer case.
yDo not boot the computer before installation is completed. This could cause
permanent damage to the components as well as injury to the user.
yIf you need help during any installation step, please consult a certified computer
technician.
yAlways turn off the power supply and unplug the power cord from the power outlet
before installing or removing any computer component.
yKeep this user guide for future reference.
yKeep this motherboard away from humidity.
yMake sure that your electrical outlet provides the same voltage as is indicated on
the PSU, before connecting the PSU to the electrical outlet.
yPlace the power cord such a way that people can not step on it. Do not place
anything over the power cord.
yAll cautions and warnings on the motherboard should be noted.
yIf any of the following situations arises, get the motherboard checked by service
personnel:
Liquid has penetrated into the computer.
The motherboard has been exposed to moisture.
The motherboard does not work well or you can not get it work according to user
guide.
The motherboard has been dropped and damaged.
The motherboard has obvious sign of breakage.
yDo not leave this motherboard in an environment above 60C (140F), it may
damage the motherboard.

3
Safety Information Specifications
Specifications
CPU Supports 7th/ 6th Gen Intel®Core™i3/i5/i7 processors, and
Intel®Pentium®and Celeron®processors for Socket LGA1151
Chipset Intel® H270/ B250 Chipset
Memory
y2x DDR4 memory slots, support up to 32GB
7th Gen processors support DDR4 2400/ 2133 MHz*
6th Gen processors support DDR4 2133 MHz*
yDual channel memory architecture
ySupports Intel®Extreme Memory Profile (XMP)**
* Please refer www.msi.com for more information on
compatible memory.
** DDR4 memory modules can only run at maximum of 2400
MHz for 7th Gen processors and 2133 MHz for 6th Gen
processors on XMP mode.
Expansion Slots y1x PCIe 3.0 x16 slot
y1x M.2 Wi-Fi/ Bluetooth®module vertical slot (Key E)
Onboard Graphics
y1x HDMI™ port, supports a maximum resolution of
4096x2160@30Hz(7th CPU), 4096x2160@24Hz(6th CPU),
2560x1600@60Hz
y1x DVI-D port, supports a maximum resolution of
1920x1200@60Hz
Storage
Intel®H270/ B250 Chipset
y4x SATA 6Gb/s ports*
y1x M.2 slot (Key M slot on the bottom of the motherboard)
Supports up to PCIe 3.0 x4 and SATA 6Gb/s
Supports 2242/ 2260 /2280 storage devices
Intel®Optane™ Memory Ready
yH270 supports RAID 0, RAID1, RAID 5 and RAID 10 for SATA
storage devices
* The SATA1 connector will be unavailable when an M.2 SATA
SSD module has been installed in the M.2_2 slot.
USB
Intel®H270/ B250 Chipset
y6x USB 3.1 Gen1 (SuperSpeed USB) ports (4 ports on the
back panel, 2 ports available through the internal USB
connector)
y4x USB 2.0 (High-speed USB) ports (2 ports on the back
panel, 2 ports available through the internal USB connector)
Audio yRealtek®ALC887 Codec
y7.1-Channel High Definition Audio
LAN 1x Realtek RTL8111H Gigabit LAN controller
Continued on next page

4Specifications
Continued from previous page
WLAN &
Bluetooth®
yWi-Fi/ Bluetooth®expansion module with Intel®Dual Band
Wireless-AC 8265 chip
Supports Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual band (2.4GHz, 5GHz)
up to 867 Mbps speed.
Supports Dual Mode Bluetooth®2.1, 2.1+EDR, 3.0, 4.0,
BLE, 4.2
Back Panel
Connectors
y1x PS/2 keyboard/ mouse combo port
y2x USB 2.0 Type-A ports
y2x antenna connectors
y1x DVI-D port
y4x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A ports
y1x HDMI™ port
y1x LAN (RJ45) port
y3x audio jacks
Internal
Connectors
y1x 24-pin ATX main power connector
y1x 4-pin ATX 12V power connector
y4x SATA 6Gb/s connectors
y1x USB 2.0 connector (supports additional 2 USB 2.0 ports)
y1x USB 3.1 Gen1 connector (supports additional 2 USB 3.1
Gen1 ports)
y1x 4-pin CPU fan connector
y1x 4-pin system fan connector
y1x Front panel audio connector
y2x Front panel connectors
y1x TPM module connector
y1x Chassis Intrusion connector
y1x Serial port connector
y1x LED connecotr
y1x Clear CMOS jumper
I/O Controller NUVOTON NCT5565 Controller Chip
Hardware
Monitor
yCPU/System temperature detection
yCPU/System fan speed detection
yCPU/System fan speed control
Form Factor yMini-ITX Form Factor
y6.7 in. x 6.7 in. (17 cm x 17 cm)
Continued on next page

5
Specifications Specifications
Continued from previous page
BIOS Features
y1x 128 Mb flash
yUEFI AMI BIOS
yACPI 5.0, PnP 1.0a, SM BIOS 2.8
yMulti-language
Software
yDrivers
yCOMMAND CENTER
yLIVE UPDATE 6
yMSI SMART TOOL
yFAST BOOT
ySUPER CHARGER
yGAMING APP
yRAMDISK
yX-BOOST
yGAMING LAN MANAGER
yXSplit Gamecaster V2
yIntel®Extreme Tuning Utility
yNorton™ Internet Security Solution
yGoogle Chrome™ ,Google Toolbar, Google Drive
ySteelSeries Engine 3
yCPU-Z MSI GAMING
yDRAGON EYE
Special Features
yAudio Boost
yDPC Latency Tuner
yGAMING LAN with cFos
yWTFast
yIntel®Optane™ Memory Ready
yTurbo M.2
ySmart Fan Control
yMystic Light Extension (single-color)
yMystic light SYNC
yPCI-E Steel Armor
yDDR4 Boost
yX-Boost
yMilitary Class 5
y7000+ Quality Test
yVR Ready
yDragon eye
yXsplit
yRAMDisk
yGAMING HOTKEY
yClick BIOS 5

6Rear I/O Panel
Rear I/O Panel
PS/2 LAN
USB 3.1 Gen1
Type-A
USB 3.1 Gen1
Type-A
USB 2.0 DVI-D
Line-in
Line-out
Mic in
Link/ Activity LED
Status Description
Off No link
Yellow Linked
Blinking Data activity
Speed LED
Status Description
Off 10 Mbps connection
Green 100 Mbps connection
Orange 1 Gbps connection
LAN Port LED Status Table
Antenna Connectors
Audio 7.1-channel Configuration
To configure 7.1-channel audio, you have to connect front audio I/O module to JAUD1
connector and follow the below steps.
1. Click on the Realtek HD Audio Manager > Advanced Settings to open the dialog
below.
2. Select Mute the rear output device, when a front headphone plugged in.
3. Plug your speakers to audio jacks on rear and front I/O panel. When you plug into
a device at an audio jack, a dialogue window will pop up asking you which device
is current connected.

7
Rear I/O Panel Overview of Components
Overview of Components
CPU_FAN1
CPU Socket
PCI_E1
JBAT1
JCI1JTPM1
DIMMA1
DIMMB1
EZ Debug LED
XMP LED
SYS_FAN1
JLED1
JAUD1
JFP1
JFP2
ATX_PWR1
CPU_PWR1
SATA1
SATA2
SATA3
JUSB2
SATA4
JUSB1
JCOM1
M2_1
M2_2
Top view
Bottom view

8Overview of Components
CPU Socket
Please install the CPU into the CPU socket as shown below.
Important
y Always unplug the power cord from the power outlet before installing or removing
the CPU.
y Please retain the CPU protective cap after installing the processor. MSI will deal
with Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) requests if only the motherboard
comes with the protective cap on the CPU socket.
y When installing a CPU, always remember to install a CPU heatsink. A CPU heatsink
is necessary to prevent overheating and maintain system stability.
y Confirm that the CPU heatsink has formed a tight seal with the CPU before booting
your system.
y Overheating can seriously damage the CPU and motherboard. Always make sure
the cooling fans work properly to protect the CPU from overheating. Be sure to
apply an even layer of thermal paste (or thermal tape) between the CPU and the
heatsink to enhance heat dissipation.
y Whenever the CPU is not installed, always protect the CPU socket pins by covering
the socket with the plastic cap.
y If you purchased a separate CPU and heatsink/ cooler, Please refer to the
documentation in the heatsink/ cooler package for more details about installation.
1
4
6
5
78
9
3
2

9
Overview of Components Overview of Components
DIMM Slots
Please install the memory module into the DIMM slot as shown below.
Important
y To boot up the system successfully, always insert the memory module into DIMM1
first.
y Due to chipset resource usage, the available capacity of memory will be a little less
than the amount of installed.
y Please note that the maximum capacity of addressable memory is 4GB or less
for 32-bit Windows OS due to the memory address limitation. Therefore, we
recommended that you to install 64-bit Windows OS if you want to install more than
4GB memory on the motherboard.
PCI_E1: PCIe Expansion Slots
PCI_E1: PCIe 3.0 x16 slot
Important
When adding or removing expansion cards, always turn off the power supply and
unplug the power supply power cable from the power outlet. Read the expansion
card󾙓s documentation to check for any necessary additional hardware or software
changes.
123
2

10 Overview of Components
SATA1~4: SATA 6Gb/s Connectors
These connectors are SATA 6Gb/s interface ports. Each connector can connect to one
SATA device.
SATA1SATA3
SATA2SATA4
Important
y The SATA1 connector will be unavailable when an M.2 SATA SSD module has been
installed in the M.2_2 slot.
y Please do not fold the SATA cable at a 90-degree angle. Data loss may result during
transmission otherwise.
y SATA cables have identical plugs on either sides of the cable. However, it is
recommended that the flat connector be connected to the motherboard for space
saving purposes.
JFP1, JFP2: Front Panel Connectors
These connectors connect to the switches and LEDs on the front panel.
1
2
10 9
JFP1
1 HDD LED + 2 Power LED +
3 HDD LED - 4 Power LED -
5 Reset Switch 6 Power Switch
7 Reset Switch 8 Power Switch
9 Reserved 10 No Pin
1
JFP2
1 Speaker - 2 Buzzer +
3 Buzzer - 4 Speaker +
HDD LED
RESET SW
HDD LED HDD LED -
HDD LED +
POWER LED -
POWER LED +
POWER LED
JFP1

11
Overview of Components Overview of Components
M2_2: M.2 Slot (Key M)
Please install the M.2 solid-state drive (SSD) into the M.2 slot as shown below.
ATX_PWR1, CPU_PWR1: Power Connectors
These connectors allow you to connect an ATX power supply.
24
131
12
ATX_PWR1
1 +3.3V 13 +3.3V
2 +3.3V 14 -12V
3 Ground 15 Ground
4 +5V 16 PS-ON#
5 Ground 17 Ground
6 +5V 18 Ground
7 Ground 19 Ground
8 PWR OK 20 Res
9 5VSB 21 +5V
10 +12V 22 +5V
11 +12V 23 +5V
12 +3.3V 24 Ground
3
4
1
2CPU_PWR1 1 Ground 3 +12V
2 Ground 4 +12V
Important
Make sure that all the power cables are securely connected to a proper ATX power
supply to ensure stable operation of the motherboard.
1
2
3
4
5
Important
Intel®RST only supports PCIe M.2 SSD with UEFI ROM, does not support Legacy
ROM.
30

12 Overview of Components
JUSB2: USB 3.1 Gen1 Connector
This connector allows you to connect USB 3.1 Gen1 ports on the front panel.
1
10 11
20
1Power 11 USB2.0+
2 USB3_RX_DN 12 USB2.0-
3 USB3_RX_DP 13 Ground
4 Ground 14 USB3_TX_C_DP
5 USB3_TX_C_DN 15 USB3_TX_C_DN
6 USB3_TX_C_DP 16 Ground
7 Ground 17 USB3_RX_DP
8 USB2.0- 18 USB3_RX_DN
9 USB2.0+ 19 Power
10 NC 20 No Pin
Important
Note that the Power and Ground pins must be connected correctly to avoid possible
damage.
JUSB1: USB 2.0 Connector
This connector allows you to connect USB 2.0 ports on the front panel.
1
2 10
9
1VCC 2VCC
3 USB0- 4 USB1-
5 USB0+ 6 USB1+
7 Ground 8 Ground
9 No Pin 10 NC
Important
y Note that the VCC and Ground pins must be connected correctly to avoid possible
damage.
y In order to recharge your iPad,iPhone and iPod through USB ports, please install
MSI®SUPER CHARGER utility.

13
Overview of Components Overview of Components
CPU_FAN1, SYS_FAN1: Fan Connectors
Fan connectors can be classified as PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) Mode or DC
Mode. PWM Mode fan connectors provide constant 12V output and adjust fan speed
with speed control signal. DC Mode fan connectors control fan speed by changing
voltage. When you plug a 3-pin (Non-PWM) fan to a fan connector in PWM mode, the
fan speed will always maintain at 100%, which might create a lot of noise. You can
follow the instruction below to adjust the fan connector to PWM or DC Mode.
Switching fan mode and adjusting fan speed
You can switch between PWM mode and DC mode and adjust fan speed in BIOS >
HARDWARE MONITOR.
Select PWM mode or DC mode
Important
Make sure fans are working properly after switching the PWM/ DC mode.
There are gradient points of the fan speed that allow you to
adjust fan speed in relation to CPU temperature.
Default PWM Mode
fan connector
Default DC Mode fan
connector
1
CPU_FAN1
1
SYS_FAN1
PWM Mode pin definition
1 Ground 2 +12V
3 Sense 4 Speed Control Signal
DC Mode pin definition
1 Ground 2 Voltage Control
3 Sense 4 NC
Pin definition of fan connectors

14 Overview of Components
JTPM1: TPM Module Connector
This connector is for TPM (Trusted Platform Module). Please refer to the TPM
security platform manual for more details and usages.
1
2 14
13
1 LPC Clock 2 3V Standby power
3 LPC Reset 4 3.3V Power
5 LPC address & data pin0 6 Serial IRQ
7 LPC address & data pin1 8 5V Power
9 LPC address & data pin2 10 No Pin
11 LPC address & data pin3 12 Ground
13 LPC Frame 14 Ground
JCI1: Chassis Intrusion Connector
This connector allows you to connect the chassis intrusion switch cable.
Normal
(default)
Trigger the chassis
intrusion event
Using chassis intrusion detector
1. Connect the JCI1 connector to the chassis intrusion switch/ sensor on the
chassis.
2. Close the chassis cover.
3. Go to BIOS > Security > Chassis Intrusion Configuration.
4. Set Chassis Intrusion to Enabled.
5. Press F10 to save and exit and then press the Enter key to select Yes.
6. Once the chassis cover is opened again, a warning message will be displayed on
screen when the computer is turned on.
Resetting the chassis intrusion warning
1. Go to BIOS > Security > Chassis Intrusion Configuration.
2. Set Chassis Intrusion to Reset.
3. Press F10 to save and exit and then press the Enter key to select Yes.

15
Overview of Components Overview of Components
JAUD1: Front Audio Connector
This connector allows you to connect audio jacks on the front panel.
1 2
109
1 MIC L 2 Ground
3 MIC R 4 NC
5 Head Phone R 6 MIC Detection
7 SENSE_SEND 8 No Pin
9 Head Phone L 10 Head Phone Detection
JCOM1: Serial Port Connector
This connector allows you to connect the optional serial port with bracket.
1
2 10
9
1 DCD 2 SIN
3 SOUT 4 DTR
5 Ground 6 DSR
7 RTS 8 CTS
9 RI 10 No Pin
JLED1: LED connector
These connectors allow you to connect the 5050 single-color LED strips.
Important
y This connector supports 5050 single-color LED strips with the maximum power
rating of 3A (12V). Please keeping the LED strip shorter than 2 meters to prevent
dimming.
y Always turn off the power supply and unplug the power cord from the power outlet
before installing or removing the LED strip.
y Please use GAMING APP to control the extended LED strip.
1JLED1 Extension cable
5050 LED strip
1
1 +12V 2 NC
3 Signal 4 NC

16 Overview of Components
JBAT1: Clear CMOS (Reset BIOS) Jumper
There is CMOS memory onboard that is external powered from a battery located on
the motherboard to save system configuration data. If you want to clear the system
configuration, set the jumpers to clear the CMOS memory.
Keep Data
(default)
Clear CMOS/ Reset
BIOS
Resetting BIOS to default values
1. Power off the computer and unplug the power cord
2. Use a jumper cap to short JBAT1 for about 5-10 seconds.
3. Remove the jumper cap from JBAT1.
4. Plug the power cord and power on the computer.
Onboard LEDs
XMP LED
XMP LED indicates the XMP (Extreme Memory Profile) mode is enabled.
EZ Debug LED
These LEDs indicate the status of the motherboard.
CPU - indicates CPU is not detected or fail.
DRAM - indicates DRAM is not detected or fail.
VGA - indicates GPU is not detected or fail.
BOOT - indicates booting device is not detected or fail.

17
Overview of Components Installing antennas
Installing antennas
1. Screw the antennas tight to the antenna connectors as shown below.
2. Orient the antennas.
1
2

18 BIOS Setup
BIOS Setup
The default settings offer the optimal performance for system stability in normal
conditions. You should always keep the default settings to avoid possible system
damage or failure booting unless you are familiar with BIOS.
Important
y BIOS items are continuous update for better system performance. Therefore, the
description may be slightly different from the latest BIOS and should be held for
reference only. You could also refer to the HELP information panel for BIOS item
description.
y The pictures in this chapter are for reference only and may vary from the product
you purchased.
Entering BIOS Setup
Please refer the following methods to enter BIOS setup.
yPress Delete key, when the Press DEL key to enter Setup Menu, F11 to enter Boot
Menu message appears on the screen during the boot process.
yUse MSI FAST BOOT application. Click on GO2BIOS button and choose OK. The
system will reboot and enter BIOS setup directly.
Click on GO2BIOS
Function key
F1: General Help
F2: Add/ Remove a favorite item
F3: Enter Favorites menu
F4: Enter CPU Specifications menu
F5: Enter Memory-Z menu
F6: Load optimized defaults
F7: Switch between Advanced mode and EZ mode
F8: Load Overclocking Profile
F9: Save Overclocking Profile
F10: Save Change and Reset*
F12: Take a screenshot and save it to USB flash drive (FAT/ FAT32 format only).
* When you press F10, a confirmation window which provides the modification
information appears. Select between Yes or No to confirm your choice.

19
BIOS Setup BIOS Setup
Resetting BIOS
You might need to restore the default BIOS setting to solve certain problems. There
are several ways to reset BIOS:
yGo to BIOS and press F6 to load optimized defaults.
yShort the Clear CMOS jumper on the motherboard.
Important
Please refer to the Clear CMOS jumper section for resetting BIOS.
Updating BIOS
Updating BIOS with M-FLASH
Before updating:
Please download the latest BIOS file that matches your motherboard model from MSI
website. And then save the BIOS file into the USB flash drive.
Updating BIOS:
1. Insert the USB flash drive that contains the update file into the computer.
2. Reboot the system, and then press Del key to enter the BIOS Setup during POST.
3. Go to BIOS > M-FLASH > Select one file to update BIOS and ME, select a BIOS file
to perform the BIOS update process.
4. After the flashing process is 100% complete, the system will reboot.
Updating the BIOS with Live Update 6
Before updating:
Make sure the LAN driver is already installed and the internet connection is set
properly.
Updating BIOS:
1. Install and launch MSI LIVE UPDATE 6.
2. Select Manual scan.
3. Check MB BIOS box and click on Scan button.
4. Select the MB BIOS and click on icon to download and install the latest BIOS
file.
5. Click Next and choose In Windows mode. And then click Next and Start to start
updating BIOS.
6. After the flashing process is 100% completed, the system will restart
automatically.

20 Software Description
Software Description
Please download and update the latest utilities and drivers at www.msi.com
Installing Windows®7/ 8.1/ 10
1. Power on the computer.
2. Insert the Windows®7/ 8.1/ 10 disc into your optical drive.
Note: Due to chipset limitation, during the Windows®7 installation process, USB
optical drives and USB pen drives are not supported. You can use MSI Smart Tool
to install Windows®7.
3. Press the Restart button on the computer case.
4. For windows 8.1/ 10, skip this step. For Windows 7, access the BIOS menu
Advanced > Windows OS Configuration > Windows 7 Installation and set the item
to enabled, save changes and restart.
Note: It is suggested to plug in your USB Keyboard/USB Mouse to the leftmost
USB port when installing Windows 7.
5. Press F11 key during the computer POST (Power-On Self Test) to get into Boot
Menu.
6. Select your optical drive from the Boot Menu.
7. Press any key when screen shows Press any key to boot from CD or DVD...
message.
8. Follow the instructions on the screen to install Windows®7/ 8.1/ 10.
Installing Drivers
1. Start up your computer in Windows®7/ 8.1/ 10.
2. Insert MSI®Driver Disc into your optical drive.
3. The installer will automatically appear and it will find and list all necessary
drivers.
4. Click Install button.
5. The software installation will then be in progress, after it has finished it will
prompt you to restart.
6. Click OK button to finish.
7. Restart your computer.
Installing Utilities
Before you install utilities, you must complete drivers installation.
1. Insert MSI®Driver Disc into your optical drive.
2. The installer will automatically appear.
3. Click Utilities tab.
4. Select the utilities you want to install.
5. Click Install button.
6. The utilities installation will then be in progress, after it has finished it will
prompt you to restart.
7. Click OK button to finish.
8. Restart your computer.