VIA Technologies ETX-8X90 User manual

1.04-04082019-104700
USER MANUAL
VIA ETX-8X90
Computer-O -Module

Copyright
Copyright © 2014-2019 VIA Tech ologies I corporated. All rights reserved.
No part of this docume t may be reproduced, tra smitted, tra scribed, stored i a retrieval system, or tra slated i to a y la guage,
i a y form or by a y mea s, electro ic, mecha ical, mag etic, optical, chemical, ma ual or otherwise without the prior writte
permissio of VIA Tech ologies, I corporated.
Trademarks
All trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
Disclaimer
No lice se is gra ted, implied or otherwise, u der a y pate t or pate t rights of VIA Tech ologies. VIA Tech ologies makes o
warra ties, implied or otherwise, i regard to this docume t a d to the products described i this docume t. The i formatio
provided i this docume t is believed to be accurate a d reliable as of the publicatio date of this docume t. However, VIA
Tech ologies assumes o respo sibility for the use or misuse of the i formatio (i cludi g use or co ectio of extra
device/equipme t/add-o card) i this docume t a d for a y pate t i fri geme ts that may arise from the use of this docume t. The
i formatio a d product specificatio s withi this docume t are subject to cha ge at a y time, without otice a d without obligatio
to otify a y perso of such cha ge.
VIA Tech ologies, I c. reserves the right the make cha ges to the products described i this ma ual at a y time without prior otice.
Regulatory Complia ce
FCC-A Radio Freque cy I terfere ce Stateme t
This equipme t has bee tested a d fou d to comply with the limits for a class A digital device, pursua t to part 15 of the FCC rules.
These limits are desig ed to provide reaso able protectio agai st harmful i terfere ce whe the equipme t is operated i a
commercial e viro me t. This equipme t ge erates, uses, a d ca radiate radio freque cy e ergy a d, if ot i stalled a d used i
accorda ce with the i structio ma ual, may cause harmful i terfere ce to radio commu icatio s. Operatio of this equipme t i a
reside tial area is likely to cause harmful i terfere ce, i which case the user will be required to correct the i terfere ce at his
perso al expe se.
Notice 1
The cha ges or modificatio s ot expressly approved by the party respo sible for complia ce could void the user's authority to
operate the equipme t.
Notice 2
Shielded i terface cables a d A.C. power cord, if a y, must be used i order to comply with the emissio limits.
Notice 3
The product described i this docume t is desig ed for ge eral use, VIA Tech ologies assumes o respo sibility for the co flicts or
damages arisi g from i compatibility of the product. Check compatibility issue with your local sales represe tatives before placi g
a order.

Battery Recycli g a d Disposal
O ly use the appropriate battery specified for this product.
Do ot re-use, recharge, or reheat a old battery.
Do ot attempt to force ope the battery.
Do ot discard used batteries with regular trash.
Discard used batteries accordi g to local regulatio s.
Safety Precautio s
Always read the safety i structio s carefully.
Keep this User's Ma ual for future refere ce.
All cautio s a d war i gs o the equipme t should be oted.
Keep this equipme t away from humidity.
Put this equipme t o a reliable flat surface before setti g it up.
Check the voltage of the power source a d adjust to 110/220V before co ecti g the equipme t to
the power i let.
Do ot place the power cord where people will step o it.
Always u plug the power cord before i serti g a y add-o card or module.
If a y of the followi g situatio s arise, get the equipme t checked by authorized service perso el:
 The power cord or plug is damaged.
 Liquid has e tered i to the equipme t.
 The equipme t has bee exposed to moisture.
 The equipme t is faulty or you ca ot get it work accordi g to User's Ma ual.
 The equipme t has bee dropped a d damaged.
 The equipme t has a obvious sig of breakage.
Do ot leave this equipme t i extreme temperatures or i a storage temperature above 60°C (140°F).
The equipme t may be damaged.
Do ot leave this equipme t i direct su light.
Never pour a y liquid i to the ope i g. Liquid ca cause damage or electrical shock.
Do ot place a ythi g over the power cord.
Do ot cover the ve tilatio holes. The ope i gs o the e closure protect the equipme t from
overheati g.

VIA ETX-8X90 User Ma ual
iv
Box Co te ts
Items for STK-E8X90-00A0
1 x ETX-8X90 ETX module board
1 x ETXDB1 ETX carrier board
1 x SATA cable
1 x PATA cable
1 x KB/MS cable
1 x COM cable
1 x LPT cable
Items for STK-E8X90-01A0
1 x ETX-8X90 module
1 x ETXDB1 carrier board
1 x SATA cable
1 x PATA cable
1 x KB/MS cable
1 x COM cable
1 x LPT cable
1 x LVDS cable
1 x I verter cable
1 x 12.1”LCM
Orderi g I formatio
Part Number Descriptio
10GAB12A00020 ETX Board with 1.2GHz VIA Na o
®
X2 E-Series CPU with VGA, LVDS,
4 USB 2.0, 2 Mi i USB 2.0, COM, 10/100Mbps Ether et, SATA, 2 IDE,
2 PCI, Micro SD card slot, ATX power co ector
ETXDB1 ETX-8X90 evaluatio carrier board
99G42-01381Q Heatsi k with fa for ETX-8X90 (with ETXDB1)
99G42-01390Q Heat Spreader for ETX-8X90 (with ETXDB1)
99G42-01469Q Heat Spreader for ETX-8X90
STK-E8X90-00A0 ETX-8X90 Starter Kit
STK-E8X90-01A0 ETX-8X90 Starter Kit with Pa el

VIA ETX-8X90 User Ma ual
v
Table of Co te ts
1. Product Overview ........................................................................................................................ 1
1.1. Key Compo e ts ............................................................................................................................................... 1
1.1.1. VIA Na o
®
X2 E-Series Processor .......................................................................................................... 1
1.1.2. VIA VX900 MSP Chipset ........................................................................................................................... 1
1.2. Product Specificatio s ...................................................................................................................................... 2
1.3. Layout Diagram .................................................................................................................................................. 4
1.4. Product Dime sio s .......................................................................................................................................... 5
2. I/O I terface................................................................................................................................... 6
2.1. Micro SD Card Slot ........................................................................................................................................... 6
2.2. Mi i USB 2.0 Ports ............................................................................................................................................. 6
2.3. SATA Co ectors .............................................................................................................................................. 7
2.4. VGA Co ector ................................................................................................................................................. 8
2.5. DC-i Co ector ................................................................................................................................................ 9
2.6. CPU a d System Fa Co ectors ................................................................................................................... 9
2.7. HDD Selector Switch .....................................................................................................................................10
2.8. Clear CMOS Jumper .......................................................................................................................................11
2.9. LPC Co ector .................................................................................................................................................12
2.10. SPI Co ector ...................................................................................................................................................13
2.11. ETX Co ectors ...............................................................................................................................................14
2.11.1. ETX Co ector X1 (CNX1) ....................................................................................................................15
2.11.2. ETX Co ector X2 (CNX2) ....................................................................................................................16
2.11.3. ETX Co ector X3 (CNX3) ....................................................................................................................17
2.11.4. ETX Co ector X4 (CNX4) ....................................................................................................................18
3. Hardware I stallatio ................................................................................................................ 19
3.1. Mou ti g VIA ETX-8X90 module o to the ETXDB1 carrier board .....................................................19
4. BIOS Setup Utility ...................................................................................................................... 23
4.1. E teri g the BIOS Setup Utility ....................................................................................................................23
4.2. Co trol Keys .....................................................................................................................................................23
4.3. Navigati g the BIOS Me us ...........................................................................................................................23
4.4. Getti g Help .....................................................................................................................................................23
4.5. System Overview .............................................................................................................................................24
4.5.1. AMIBIOS .....................................................................................................................................................24
4.5.2. Processor ....................................................................................................................................................24
4.5.3. System Memory ........................................................................................................................................24
4.5.4. System Time ..............................................................................................................................................24
4.5.5. System Date ...............................................................................................................................................24
4.6. Adva ced Setti gs...........................................................................................................................................25
4.6.1. CPU Co figuratio ....................................................................................................................................26
4.6.2. SATA Co figuratio .................................................................................................................................26
4.6.2.1. Hard Disk I formatio ..................................................................................................................27
4.6.2.1.1. PIO Mode ................................................................................................................................27
4.6.2.1.2. DMA Mode .............................................................................................................................27
4.6.3. SuperIO Co figuratio ............................................................................................................................28
4.6.3.1. Serial Ports 1 to 2 Address a d IRQ ........................................................................................28
4.6.3.2. Serial Port 2 Mode .......................................................................................................................28
4.6.3.3. Parallel Port Address ...................................................................................................................28
4.6.3.4. Parallel Port Mode .......................................................................................................................28
4.6.3.5. Parallel Port IRQ ...........................................................................................................................28
4.6.4. Hardware Health Co figuratio ............................................................................................................29
4.6.4.1. Smart FAN 1 a d FAN 2..............................................................................................................29
4.6.5. ACPI Co figuratio ...................................................................................................................................30
4.6.5.1. Suspe d Mode ..............................................................................................................................30
4.6.5.2. ACPI Versio Features .................................................................................................................30
4.6.6. APM Co figuratio ...................................................................................................................................31

VIA ETX-8X90 User Ma ual
vi
4.6.6.1. Power Butto Mode .....................................................................................................................31
4.6.6.2. Restore o AC/Power Loss .........................................................................................................31
4.6.6.3. Resume O PCI PME#..................................................................................................................31
4.6.6.4. Resume O KBC ............................................................................................................................32
4.6.6.5. Wake-Up Key .................................................................................................................................32
4.6.6.6. Wake-Up Password ......................................................................................................................32
4.6.6.7. Resume O PS/2 Mouse ..............................................................................................................32
4.6.6.8. Resume o RTC Alarm ................................................................................................................32
4.6.6.9. RTC Alarm Date (Days) ...............................................................................................................32
4.6.6.10. System Time ...................................................................................................................................33
4.6.7. Spread Spectrum Co figuratio ............................................................................................................33
4.6.7.1. CPU Spread Spectrum Setti g ...................................................................................................33
4.6.8. USB Co figuratio ....................................................................................................................................34
4.6.9. CRB Co figuratio ....................................................................................................................................34
4.6.9.1. DRAM Clock ..................................................................................................................................35
4.6.9.2. Select Display Device 1 a d 2 ..................................................................................................35
4.6.9.3. Pa el Type ......................................................................................................................................35
4.6.9.4. VGA Share Memory (Frame Buffer) ..........................................................................................35
4.6.9.5. O Chip HDAC Device ................................................................................................................35
4.6.9.6. SMBus Device Switch...................................................................................................................35
4.6.9.7. SDIO Host co troller ..................................................................................................................35
4.6.9.8. WATCH-DOG ...............................................................................................................................35
4.6.9.9. U it-Select .....................................................................................................................................35
4.6.9.10. Time-Select ....................................................................................................................................36
4.6.9.11. Backlight Co trol ..........................................................................................................................36
4.6.9.12. Backlight PWM Clock ..................................................................................................................36
4.6.9.13. LAN Boot ROM .............................................................................................................................36
4.7. Boot Setti gs .....................................................................................................................................................37
4.7.1. Boot Setti gs Co figuratio ...................................................................................................................37
4.7.1.1. Quick Boot .....................................................................................................................................38
4.7.1.2. Quiet Boot ......................................................................................................................................38
4.7.1.3. Bootup Num-Lock ........................................................................................................................38
4.7.1.4. Wait for ‘F1’ if Error ......................................................................................................................38
4.7.1.5. Hit ‘DEL’ Message Display ..........................................................................................................38
4.7.2. Boot Device Priority .................................................................................................................................39
4.7.2.1. 1
st
Boot Device ..............................................................................................................................39
4.8. Security Setti gs ...............................................................................................................................................40
4.8.1. Cha ge Supervisor Password ................................................................................................................40
4.8.2. User Access Level ....................................................................................................................................40
4.8.3. Cha ge User Password............................................................................................................................41
4.8.4. Clear User Password ...............................................................................................................................41
4.8.5. Password Check ........................................................................................................................................41
4.9. Exit Optio s ......................................................................................................................................................42
4.9.1. Save Cha ges a d Exit ............................................................................................................................42
4.9.2. Discard Cha ges a d Exit .......................................................................................................................42
4.9.3. Discard Cha ges .......................................................................................................................................42
4.9.4. Load Optimal Defaults ...........................................................................................................................42
5. Software a d Tech ical Support ............................................................................................. 43
5.1. Microsoft a d Li ux Support.........................................................................................................................43
5.1.1. Driver I stallatio .....................................................................................................................................43
5.2. Tech ical Support a d Assista ce ...............................................................................................................43
Appe dix A. ETXDB1 Carrier Board Refere ce ................................................................................ 44
A.1. Board Specificatio s ...........................................................................................................................................44
A.1.1. Board Storage Cha el Co figuratio ....................................................................................................45
A.2. Exter al I/O Co ectors ....................................................................................................................................46
A.2.1. Rear I/O Ports ...............................................................................................................................................46
A.3. ETXDB1 Layout Diagram ...................................................................................................................................47

VIA ETX-8X90 User Ma ual
vii
A.3.1. O board Co ectors a d Slots ...............................................................................................................47
A.3.2. O board Pi headers a d Jumpers .........................................................................................................48
A.3.3. Co ectors a d Slots Pi Defi itio .......................................................................................................49
A.3.3.1. ATX1 : 20-pi ATX Power Co ector .........................................................................................49
A.3.3.2. ISA1: ISA Slot .....................................................................................................................................50
A.3.3.3. PCI1 a d PCI2: PCI Slots ..................................................................................................................51
A.3.3.4. IDE1 a d IDE2: IDE Co ector ......................................................................................................53
A.3.3.5. LVDS1: LVDS Pa el Co ector ......................................................................................................54
A.3.3.6. BL1: Backlight Co ector ................................................................................................................54
A.3.3.7. CNX1~ CNX4: ETX Co ector X1, X2, X3 a d X4 ..................................................................55
A.3.4. Pi Headers Defi itio a d Jumper Setti gs .........................................................................................59
A.3.4.1. F_AUDIO1 a d I2C1: Fro t Audio a d I²C Pi Headers ..........................................................59
A.3.4.2. SIR1 a d SMB1: Serial I frared a d SMBus Pi Headers ..........................................................60
A.3.4.3. F_PANEL1 a d LPT1: Fro t Pa el a d LPT Pi Headers ...........................................................61
A.3.4.4. COM2 a d KBMS1: COM a d Keyboard & Mouse Pi Headers ...................................................62
A.3.4.5. J1: Backlight a d Pa el Power Jumper .........................................................................................63
A.4. ETXDB1 Dime sio s ...........................................................................................................................................64
A.4.1. ETXDB1 Board Dime sio s .......................................................................................................................64
A.4.2. ETXDB1 Exter al I/O Dime sio s ...........................................................................................................64

VIA ETX-8X90 User Ma ual
viii
List of Figures
Figure 1: Layout diagram of the VIA ETX-8X90 module (top side) .........................................................................4
Figure 2: Layout diagram of the VIA ETX-8X90 module (bottom side) ..................................................................4
Figure 3: Dime sio s of the VIA ETX-8X90 module (top view) ...............................................................................5
Figure 4: Dime sio s of the VIA ETX-8X90 module (bottom view) ........................................................................5
Figure 5: Micro SD card slot diagram ..............................................................................................................................6
Figure 6: Mi i USB 2.0 ports diagram ..............................................................................................................................6
Figure 7: SATA co ectors diagram ................................................................................................................................7
Figure 8: VGA co ector diagram ....................................................................................................................................8
Figure 9: DC-i co ector diagram ..................................................................................................................................9
Figure 10: CPU a d System fa co ectors diagram ...................................................................................................9
Figure 11: HDD selector DIP switch diagram ............................................................................................................. 10
Figure 12: Clear CMOS jumper diagram ...................................................................................................................... 11
Figure 13: LPC co ector diagram ................................................................................................................................ 12
Figure 14: SPI co ector diagram .................................................................................................................................. 13
Figure 15: ETX co ectors diagram .............................................................................................................................. 14
Figure 16: Carrier board ETX co ectors a d mou ti g holes .............................................................................. 19
Figure 17: I stalli g the VIA ETX-8X90 module o the carrier board ................................................................. 19
Figure 18: I stalli g the DDR3 SODIMM memory module ..................................................................................... 20
Figure 19: Removi g the thermal pad cover ............................................................................................................... 20
Figure 20: Heatsi k/heat spreader’s mou ti g holes o VIA ETX-8X90 module............................................... 21
Figure 21: I stalli g the heatsi k/heat spreader o VIA ETX-8X90 module ....................................................... 21
Figure 22: Securi g the heatsi k/heat spreader a d VIA ETX-8X90 module ...................................................... 22
Figure 23: Illustratio of the Mai me u scree ......................................................................................................... 24
Figure 24: Illustratio of the Adva ced Setti gs scree .......................................................................................... 25
Figure 25: Illustratio of the CPU Co figuratio scree ........................................................................................... 26
Figure 26: Illustratio of SATA Co figuratio scree ............................................................................................... 26
Figure 27: Illustratio of SATA-1 Primary IDE scree ............................................................................................... 27
Figure 28: Illustratio of SuperIO Co figuratio scree .......................................................................................... 28
Figure 29: Illustratio of Hardware Health Co figuratio scree .......................................................................... 29
Figure 30: Illustratio of ACPI Co figuratio scree ................................................................................................. 30
Figure 31: Illustratio of APM Co figuratio scree ................................................................................................. 31
Figure 32: Illustratio of Spread Spectrum Co figuratio scree .......................................................................... 33
Figure 33: Illustratio of USB Co figuratio scree .................................................................................................. 34
Figure 34: Illustratio of CRB Co figuratio scree .................................................................................................. 34
Figure 35: Illustratio of Boot Setti gs scree ............................................................................................................ 37
Figure 36: Illustratio of Boot Setti gs Co figuratio scree ................................................................................. 37
Figure 37: Illustratio of Boot Device Priority scree ............................................................................................... 39
Figure 38: Illustratio of Security Setti gs scree ...................................................................................................... 40
Figure 39: Illustratio of Exit Optio s scree ............................................................................................................. 42
Figure 40: Rear I/O ports ................................................................................................................................................. 46
Figure 41: ETXDB1 co ectors a d slots diagram .................................................................................................... 47
Figure 42: ETXDB1 pi headers a d jumpers diagram ............................................................................................. 48
Figure 43: ATX Power co ector diagram .................................................................................................................. 49
Figure 44: ISA slot diagram ............................................................................................................................................. 50
Figure 45: PCI slot diagram ............................................................................................................................................. 51
Figure 46: IDE co ector diagram ................................................................................................................................. 53
Figure 47: LVDS pa el co ector diagram.................................................................................................................. 54
Figure 48: Backlight co ector diagram ....................................................................................................................... 54
Figure 49: ETX co ector X1, X2, X3 a d X4 diagram ............................................................................................ 55
Figure 50: Fro t audio a d I²C pi headers diagram ................................................................................................. 59
Figure 51: Serial I frared a d SMBus pi headers diagram ..................................................................................... 60
Figure 52: Fro t pa el a d LPT pi headers diagram ............................................................................................... 61
Figure 53: COM a d keyboard & mouse pi headers diagram............................................................................... 62
Figure 54: Backlight a d Pa el power jumper diagram ............................................................................................ 63
Figure 55: ETXDB1 board dime sio s diagram .......................................................................................................... 64
Figure 56: ETXDB1 Exter al I/O dime sio s diagram ............................................................................................... 64

VIA ETX-8X90 User Ma ual
ix
List of Tables
Table 1: Micro SD card slot pi outs ................................................................................................................................6
Table 2: Mi i USB 2.0 ports pi outs ................................................................................................................................6
Table 3: SATA co ectors pi outs ..................................................................................................................................7
Table 4: VGA co ector pi outs .....................................................................................................................................8
Table 5: DC-i co ector pi outs ....................................................................................................................................9
Table 6: CPU a d System fa co ectors pi outs .......................................................................................................9
Table 7: IDE1 a d SATA2 HDD co figuratio (default setti g) ............................................................................ 10
Table 8: IDE1 a d IDE2 HDD co figuratio (ma ufacturi g optio 1) ................................................................ 10
Table 9: Clear CMOS jumper setti gs ......................................................................................................................... 11
Table 10: LPC co ector pi outs .................................................................................................................................. 12
Table 11: SPI co ector pi outs.................................................................................................................................... 13
Table 12: ETX co ector X1 pi outs ........................................................................................................................... 15
Table 13: ETX co ector X2 pi outs ........................................................................................................................... 16
Table 14: ETX co ector X3 pi outs ........................................................................................................................... 17
Table 15: ETX co ector X4 pi outs ........................................................................................................................... 18
Table 16: Serial port addresses a d IRQs ................................................................................................................... 28
Table 17: Pa el types resolutio ................................................................................................................................... 35
Table 18: ETXDB1 a d VIA ETX-8X90 storage co figuratio ................................................................................ 45
Table 19: Descriptio table of the ETXDB1 co ectors a d slots ....................................................................... 47
Table 20: Descriptio table of the ETXDB1 pi headers a d jumpers ................................................................ 48
Table 21: ATX Power co ector pi outs .................................................................................................................... 49
Table 22: ISA slot pi outs............................................................................................................................................... 50
Table 23: PCI slot 1 pi outs ........................................................................................................................................... 51
Table 24: PCI slot 2 pi outs ........................................................................................................................................... 52
Table 25: IDE co ector pi outs ................................................................................................................................... 53
Table 26: LVDS pa el co ector pi outs ................................................................................................................... 54
Table 27: Backlight co ector pi outs ........................................................................................................................ 54
Table 28: ETX co ector X1 pi outs ........................................................................................................................... 55
Table 29: ETX co ector X2 pi outs ........................................................................................................................... 56
Table 30: ETX co ector X3 pi outs ........................................................................................................................... 57
Table 31: ETX co ector X4 pi outs ........................................................................................................................... 58
Table 32: Fro t audio pi header pi outs ................................................................................................................... 59
Table 33: I²C pi header pi outs ................................................................................................................................... 59
Table 34: Serial I frared pi header pi outs .............................................................................................................. 60
Table 35: SMBus pi header pi outs ............................................................................................................................ 60
Table 36: Fro t pa el pi header pi outs ................................................................................................................... 61
Table 37: LPT pi header pi outs ................................................................................................................................. 61
Table 38: COM pi header pi outs .............................................................................................................................. 62
Table 39: Keyboard & mouse pi header pi outs ..................................................................................................... 62
Table 40: Backlight a d Pa el power jumper setti gs ............................................................................................. 63

VIA ETX-8X90 User Ma ual
1
1. Product Overview
The VIA ETX-8X90 is a compact a d highly i tegrated Computer-O -Module based o sta dard
Embedded Tech ology eXte ded form factor. It comes with power efficie t 1.2GHz VIA Na o
®
X2
E-Series processor, a d VIA VX900 MSP chipset featuri g the VIA C-9 HD DX9 with 3D/2D graphics a d
video decodi g accelerator for rich digital media performa ce, a d provides support for exte sive
co ectivity optio s i cludi g USB, Ether et, Audio, PCI, ISA, IDE a d graphics through board-to-board
co ectors to a I/O carrier board. The VIA ETX-8X90 module is desig ed for embedded applicatio s
such as i dustrial PC, medical PC, test machi es, measuri g equipme t, mo itori g system, etc.
1.1. Key Compo e ts
1.1.1. VIA Na o
®
X2 E-Series Processor
The VIA Na o
®
X2 E-Series is a 64-bit superscalar x86 dual core processor based o a 40 a ometer
process tech ology. Packed i to a ultra-compact Na oBGA2 package (measuri g 21mm x 21mm), it
delivers a e ergy-efficie t yet powerful performa ce, with cool a d quiet operatio . The VIA Na o X2
E-Series processor is ideal for embedded system applicatio s such as i dustrial PCs, test machi es,
measuri g equipme t, digital sig age, medical PCs, mo itori g systems, gami g machi es, i -vehicle
e tertai me t, etc.
Note:
For Wi dows 7 a d Wi dows Server 2008 R2 users o ly:
If e cou ter the issue such as the operati g system recog izi g the VIA Dual-Core CPU as two processors
i stead of o e processor with two cores. Dow load a d i stall the hotfix released by Microsoft to address this
issue. The dow loadable hotfix is available at https://support.microsoft.com/e -us/kb/2502664
1.1.2. VIA VX900 MSP Chipset
The VIA VX900 MSP chipset is desig ed to e able high quality digital video streami g a d DVD playback.
The VIA VX900 features VIA C-9 HD DX9 with 3D/2D graphics a d video accelerators, DDR3 800/1066
support, motio compe satio a d dual display support to e sure a rich overall e tertai me t experie ce.

VIA ETX-8X90 User Ma ual
2
1.2. Product Specificatio s
Core
Processor
o1.2GHz VIA Na o
®
X2 E-Series
Chipset
oVIA VX900 MSP
System Memory
o1 x DDR3 800/1066 SODIMM slot
oUp to 4GB memory size
BIOS
oAMI BIOS
o8Mbit SPI flash memory
Operati g System
oMicrosoft Wi dows 7
oMicrosoft Wi dows XPe
oMicrosoft Wi dows Embedded System 7
oMicrosoft Wi dows CE6.0
o Li ux (Debia , Ubu tu)
oVXWorks 6.9
Hardware Mo itori g
oCPU/System temperature readi g
oCPU/System fa speed readi g
oSystem voltage mo itori g
System Mo itori g a d Ma ageme t
oWake-o -LAN
oSystem power ma ageme t
oAC power failure recovery
oWatchdog Timer
oCPU/System fa power co ector
Graphics a d
Video
Graphics processor
oI tegrated VIA C-9 HD DX9 3D/2D graphics with MPEG-2, WMV9, VC-1, a d
H.264 video decodi g accelerator
Graphics Memory
oUMA, up to 512MB (BIOS setti g)
CRT
o350MHz RAMDAC
oSupports up to 2048x1536 resolutio
LCD
oSupports dual-cha el 18-bit/24-bit LVDS pa el
Ether et Chipset
oRealtek RTL8139DL Ether et Co troller
Storage Micro SD card slot
o1 x Micro SD card slot (supports OS boot o Li ux, Wi dows CE a d VxWorks)
Hard disk
1
o2 x SATA 3.0Gbps ports (SATA1 a d SATA2 o module)
o2 x IDE co ectors (IDE1 a d IDE2 o carrier board)
Note:
1. The VIA ETX-8X90 o ly supports two cha el of storage. The IDE1 + SATA2 co figuratio is the default
setti g. The other co figuratio s such as IDE1 + IDE2 (optio 1) or SATA1 + SATA2 (optio 2) are
ma ufacturi g optio s. For more details, please co tact your local sales represe tative.

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I put/Output Audio
oVT2021 Audio Codec
LAN
o10/100Mbps Ether et (Realtek RTL8139DL)
USB
oSupports up to four USB 2.0 ports (o carrier board)
oSupports up to two mi i USB 2.0 ports (o module)
LPT
oSupports o e LPT port
COM
oSupports two UART ports
Super IO
oFi tek F71869ED
IrDA
oSupports SIR
Keyboard/Mouse
oSupports PS/2 keyboard a d mouse
Expa sio Buses
oSupports SMBus i terface
oSupports I
2
C bus
oSupports PCI 2.3, 32bit/33MHz, 2 slots
oSupports ISA bus (ETX 3.0 complia t) (DMA tra sfer ot supported)
Mecha ical
a d
E viro me t
Complia ce
oCE
oFCC
oRoHS
ETX Complia ce
oETX 3.02, compact module
Dime sio s
o114mm x 95mm (4.45” x 3.7”)
Operati g Temperature
o0°C ~ 60°C
Storage Temperature
o-40°C ~ 70°C
Operati g Humidity
o0% ~ 95% (relative humidity; o -co de si g)
Note:
As the operati g temperature provided i the specificatio s is a result of the test performed i VIA’s chamber, a
umber of variables ca i flue ce this result. Please ote that the worki g temperature may vary depe di g o
the actual situatio a d e viro me t. It is highly suggested to execute a solid testi g program a d take all the
variables i to co sideratio whe buildi g the system. Please e sure that the system ru s well u der the
operati g temperature i terms of applicatio .

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1.3. Layout Diagram
Figure 1: Layout diagram of the VIA ETX-8X90 module (top side)
Figure 2: Layout diagram of the VIA ETX-8X90 module (bottom side)

VIA ETX-8X90 User Ma ual
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1.4. Product Dime sio s
Figure 3: Dime sio s of the VIA ETX-8X90 module (top view)
Figure 4: Dime sio s of the VIA ETX-8X90 module (bottom view)

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2. I/O I terface
This chapter provides i formatio about the VIA ETX-8X90’s o board I/O co ector a d its fu ctio ality.
2.1. Micro SD Card Slot
The Micro SD card slot is for flash memory micro SD card that ca provide additio al storage data. The
Micro SD card slot ca also be used for operati g system booti g for Wi dow CE, Li ux a d VxWorks.
The pi outs of the Micro SD card slot are show below.
1
9
MICROSD1
Figure 5: Micro SD card slot diagram
Pi Sig al
1 CR_D2
2 CR_D3
3 CR_CMD
4 VCCCRPWR
5 CR_CLK
6 GND
7 CR_D0
8 CR_D1
9 -CR_CD
Table 1: Micro SD card slot pi outs
2.2. Mi i USB 2.0 Ports
There are two i tegrated mi i USB 2.0 ports o VIA ETX-8X90 module labeled as “USB1 a d USB2”. The
mi i USB port gives complete plug a d play a d hot swap capability for exter al devices. Each port is
usi g the USB mi i-AB type receptacle co ector. The pi outs of the mi i USB 2.0 ports are show below.
1515
USB2 USB1
Figure 6: Mi i USB 2.0 ports diagram
Mi i USB port 1 Mi i USB port 2
Pi Sig al Pi Sig al
1 +5VSUS 1 +5VSUS
2 USB4- 2 USB5-
3 USB4+ 3 USB5+
4 GND 4 GND
5 GND 5 GND
Table 2: Mi i USB 2.0 ports pi outs

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2.3. SATA Co ectors
The two SATA co ectors labeled as SATA1 (optio al) a d SATA2
1
o board ca support up to 3.0Gbps
tra sfer speeds. Both co ectors have 7
th
pi that ca provide +5V power to a SATA Disk-O -Module
(DOM)
2
. Whe a regular SATA hard drive is co ected, the 7
th
pi will be a grou d pi . The pi outs of
the SATA co ectors are show below.
Figure 7: SATA co ectors diagram
SATA1 co ector SATA2 co ector
Pi Sig al Pi Sig al
1 GND 1 GND
2 STXP_0 2 STXP_1
3 STXN_0 3 STXN_1
4 GND 4 GND
5 SRXN_0 5 SRXN_1
6 SRXP_0 6 SRXP_1
7 GND 7 GND
Table 3: SATA co ectors pi outs
Notes:
1. As default, SATA2 co ector is e abled a d SATA1 co ector is disabled. The SATA1 co ector is
a ma ufacturi g optio .
2. The SATA co ector pi 7 default setti g is GND. The +5V supports is a factory optio .

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2.4. VGA Co ector
The VIA ETX-8X90 module has o board VGA co ector labeled as VGA1. This co ector is for
co ecti g the VGA DE-15 co ector to support high resolutio a alog VGA mo itor. It supports up to
2048 x 1536 resolutio s. The pi outs of the VGA co ector are show below.
Figure 8: VGA co ector diagram
Pi Sig al
1 REDN
2 GREENN
3 BLUEN
4 GND
5 HS
6 VS
7 GND
8 DDCCLKN
9 DDCDATAN
Table 4: VGA co ector pi outs
Note:
The VGA1 co ector is ot for productio used. It is reserved for debuggi g purposes o ly.

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2.5. DC-i Co ector
The VIA ETX-8X90 module has a o board +5V DC-i 4-pi power co ector to co ect the DC-i power
cable. The DC-i co ector is labeled as “DCIN1”. The pi outs of the DC-i co ector are show below.
DCIN1
1
Figure 9: DC-i co ector diagram
Pi Sig al
1 +5VSB
2 +5VSB
3 GND
4 GND
Table 5: DC-i co ector pi outs
Note:
The DCIN1 co ector is ot for productio used. It is reserved for debuggi g purposes o ly.
2.6. CPU a d System Fa Co ectors
There are two fa co ectors o the module ru s o +5V for mai tai i g CPU a d System cooli g. The
fa co ector for the CPU is labeled as “FAN1” a d the fa co ector for the System is labeled as “FAN2”.
The fa s provide variable speeds co trolled by the BIOS. The fa s ca be forced to operate at full speed
by disabli g the Smart Fa feature i the BIOS. The pi outs of the fa co ectors are show below.
FAN1
11
FAN2
Figure 10: CPU a d System fa co ectors diagram
CPU fa (FAN1) System fa (FAN2)
Pi Sig al Pi Sig al
1 FANIN1 1 FANIN2
2 FANCTL1 (+5V) 2 FANCTL2 (+5V)
3 GND 3 GND
Table 6: CPU a d System fa co ectors pi outs

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2.7. HDD Selector Switch
The VIA ETX-8X90 module has a o board HDD selector DIP switch. The DIP switch is desig ed to
e able or disable the IDE HDD co ector. The DIP switch is labeled as DIPSW1.
Figure 11: HDD selector DIP switch diagram
Notes:
1. The VIA ETX-8X90 o ly supports two cha el of storage. The IDE1 + SATA2 co figuratio is the default
setti g. The other co figuratio s such as IDE1 + IDE2 (optio 1) or SATA1 + SATA2 (optio 2) are
ma ufacturi g optio s.
2. The HDD Selector Switch (DIPSW1) is ot applicable to SATA HDD co figuratio .
IDE1 + SATA2 HDD setti gs Switch 1 Switch 2
IDE1 HDD ot i stall O N/A
IDE1 HDD i stall Off N/A
Table 7: IDE1 a d SATA2 HDD co figuratio (default setti g)
IDE1 + IDE2 HDD setti gs Switch 1 Switch 2
IDE1 a d IDE2 HDD ot i stall O O
IDE1 HDD ot i stall a d IDE2 HDD i stall O Off
IDE1 HDD i stall a d IDE2 HDD ot i stall Off O
IDE1 a d IDE2 HDD i stall Off Off
Table 8: IDE1 a d IDE2 HDD co figuratio (ma ufacturi g optio 1)

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2.8. Clear CMOS Jumper
The o board CMOS RAM stores system co figuratio data a d has a o board battery power supply. To
reset the CMOS setti gs, set the jumper o pi s 2 a d 3 while the system is off, a d the retur the
jumper to pi s 1 a d 2 afterwards. Setti g the jumper while the system is o will damage the board. The
default setti g is o pi s 1 a d 2.
Figure 12: Clear CMOS jumper diagram
Setti g Pi 1 Pi 2 Pi 3
Normal (default setti g) Short Short
Ope
Clear CMOS Ope
Short
Short
Table 9: Clear CMOS jumper setti gs
Note:
Except whe cleari g the RTC RAM, ever remove the cap from the CLEAR_CMOS jumper default positio .
Removi g the cap will cause system boot failure. Avoid cleari g the CMOS while the system is o ; it will
damage the board.