Home

ASUS A88X-Plus User's Manual

1. A88X PLUS USB3 0 Front panel connector A You can connect the ASUS front panel USB 3 0 bracket to this connector to obtain the front panel USB 3 0 solution ASUS A88X PLUS 1 19 1 20 1 8 O nboard switches Onboard switches allow you to fine tune performance when working on a bare or open case system This is ideal for overclockers and gamers who continually change settings to enhance system performance 1 MemOK switch Installing DIMMs that are incompatible with the motherboard may cause system boot failure and the DRAM LED near the MemOK switch lights continuously Press and hold the MemOK switch until the DRAM LED starts blinking to begin automatic memory compatibility tuning for successful boot gum a o ee WW ii J Memok Te Erase Taga me A88X P LUS MemOK switch Refer to section 1 10 Onboard LEDs for the exact location of the DRAM LED The DRAM LED also lights when the DIMM is not properly installed Turn off the system and reinstall the DIMM before using the MemOK function The MemOK switch does not function under Windows OS environment During the tuning process the system loads and tests failsafe memory settings It takes about 30 seconds for the system to test one set of failsafe settings If the test fails the system rebo
2. eese nennen nennen treten BIOS information 2 1 Managing and updating your BIOS ses 2 1 2 2 BIOS setup program eeeeeeeeeennnnnnen nnns 2 6 2 3 My Favorites 2 4 LET NANGKA 2 5 Ai Tweaker MENU Na aaa aa 2 13 2 6 Advanced menu 2 7 Monitor meh coire eer concetti im ete 2 8 Boot menu 2 9 Tools menu 2 10 BM aka Appendices Notices AA AA A 1 ASUS contact information eese rennen nnn A 3 Safety information Electrical safety To prevent electrical shock hazard disconnect the power cable from the electrical outlet before relocating the system When adding or removing devices to or from the system ensure that the power cables for the devices are unplugged before the signal cables are connected If possible disconnect all power cables from the existing system before you add a device Before connecting or removing signal cables from the motherboard ensure that all power cables are unplugged Seek professional assistance before using an adapter or extension cord These devices could interrupt the grounding circuit Ensure that your power supply is set to the correct voltage in your area If you are not sure about the voltage of the electrical outlet you are using contact your local power company fthe power supply is broken do not try to fix it by yourself Contact a qualified service technician or your retailer
3. Operation safety Before installing the motherboard and adding components carefully read all the manuals that came with the package Before using the product ensure all cables are correctly connected and the power cables are not damaged If you detect any damage contact your dealer immediately Toavoid short circuits keep paper clips screws and staples away from connectors Slots sockets and circuitry Avoid dust humidity and temperature extremes Do not place the product in any area where it may be exposed to moisture Place the product on a stable surface If you encounter technical problems with the product contact a qualified service technician or your retailer About this guide This user guide contains the information you need when installing and configuring the motherboard How this guide is organized This guide contains the following parts Chapter 1 Product introduction This chapter describes the features of the motherboard and the new technology it supports It includes descriptions of the switches jumpers and connectors on the motherboard Chapter 2 BIOS information This chapter discusses changing system settings through the BIOS Setup menus Detailed descriptions fo the BIOS parameters are also provided Where to find more information Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product and software updates 1 ASUS websites The ASUS website provides updated inform
4. a confirmation window appears Select Yes to load the default values Save Changes amp Reset Once you are finished making your selections choose this option from the Exit menu to ensure the values you selected are saved When you select this option or if you press lt F10 gt a confirmation window appears Select Yes to save changes and exit Discard Changes amp Exit This option allows you to exit the Setup program without saving your changes When you select this option or if you press Esc a confirmation window appears Select Yes to discard changes and exit ASUS EZ Mode This option allows you to enter the EZ Mode screen Launch EFI Shell from filesystem device This option allows you to attempt to launch the UEFI Shell application shellx64 efi from one ofthe available devices that have a filesystem ASUS A88X PLUS 2 33 2 34 Chapter 2 BIOS information Appendices Notices Federal Communications Commission Statement This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules Operation is subject to the following two conditions This device may not cause harmful interference This device must accept any interference received including interference that may cause undesired operation This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a res
5. Otto LJ a e AGND NC NC ore EE MIC2 MICPWR Line PORT2L a PORT1L PORT1R PORT2 R SENSE_SEND Line Gut n HD audio compliant Legacy AC 97 pin definition compliant definition A88X PLUS Front ni panel audio connector VA We recommend that you connect a high definition front panel audio module to this connector to avail of the motherboard high definition audio capability d If you want to connect a high definition front panel audio module to this connector set the Front Panel Type item in the BIOS to HD See section 2 6 5 Onboard Devices Configuration for details The front panel audio I O module is purchased separately 6 Serial port connector 10 1 pin COM This connector is for a serial COM port Connect the serial port module cable to this connector then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis COM Qep 2586 LAICELA HH HTH m g Pm ont 62927 il LT te I J z C hano 5 B cO pdi A88X PLUS Serial port COM connector fo The COM module is purchased separately 1 18 Chapter 1 Product introduction 7 USB 2 0 connectors 10 1 pin USB56 USB78 USB910 These connectors are for USB 2 0 ports Connect the USB module cable to any of these connectors then install the module to
6. pauBbissapun au ay Kjruu0juo2 Jo uone4e eg 23 107 TI ony emq omgeusis dep fa juapiso2ag Suey 949 QUIEN S U0S10d dan gjuosa1doy uonesado porrsopun osneo Aeur jeu 2duar9jrajut Surpnqour po rooor oouoiouojur Aue jdoooe jsnur oor op sim c pue oouojopmojur Injuueq osneo jou ew oorwop SII suonrpuoo om umoo ay 0 joofqns st uonezedQ sang DIA MI Jo ST ped Yum sorduioo 2010p siy uoneuriojug amp 1vjuourg ddng s1ojerpesr euoguojuru g uedqns cp iq dI X suoneorgroads JUIMO O ay 0 suroguo SfY1d X88V 1equinw PON PueoquayjoW SWEN 32npoJd jonpoud ay yey soe oop Aqaray Sssr 809 01S LLLE 6 L 0TS oN xe4 ououq 6 Sp6 VO uou ABA 9jv10d10 90g sso4ppy Teuorjeugoju 19jndur0 snsy ouieN Ayre o qrsuodsog LLOT 7 uonoos 7 Hed DIA Pd ALUNYOANO AO NOLLV IV IOW1G Appendices A 4
7. PIROCUSU OWN A88X PLUS E8563 First Edition August 2013 Copyright 2013 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC All Rights Reserved No part of this manual including the products and software described in it may be reproduced transmitted transcribed stored in a retrieval system or translated into any language in any form or by any means except documentation kept by the purchaser for backup purposes without the express written permission of ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC ASUS Product warranty or service will not be extended if 1 the product is repaired modified or altered unless such repair modification of alteration is authorized in writing by ASUS or 2 the serial number of the product is defaced or missing ASUS PROVIDES THIS MANUAL AS IS WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE IN NO EVENT SHALL ASUS ITS DIRECTORS OFFICERS EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT SPECIAL INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS LOSS OF BUSINESS LOSS OF USE OR DATA INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS AND THE LIKE EVEN IF ASUS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES ARISING FROM ANY DEFECT OR ERROR IN THIS MANUAL OR PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS AND INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL ARE FURNISHED FOR INFORMATIONAL USE ONLY AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME WITHO
8. ASUS Fan Xpert feature SPDIF OUT Sony Philips Digital Interface S PDIF port a CE OUT T__ Meer s gt 09 56 al TATA SPDIF_OUT A88X PLUS Digital audio connector YA The S PDIF module is purchased separately 1 14 Chapter 1 Product introduction 3 ATX power connectors 24 pin EATXPWR 4 pin ATX12V These connectors are for an ATX power supply The plugs from the power supply are designed to fit these connectors in only one orientation Find the proper orientation and push down firmly until the connectors completely fit ATX12V EATXPWR 88 Q 22 3 Volts JC GND ss 12 Volts C 45 Volts 12 Volts 4f 5 Volts 45V Standby IG 5 Volts OLI M Power OK IC 5 Volts terra i GND 1G GND B a 5 Volts GND 50 enD enD 5 Volts IL C PSON GND GND 3 Volts C L 12 Volts 3 Volts H 3 Volts PNI CS A88X PLUS ATX power connectors We recommend that you use an ATX 12V Specification 2 0 compliant power supply unit PSU with a minimum of 300W power rating This PSU type has 24 pin and 4 pin power plugs fyou intend to use a PSU with 20 pin and 4 pin power plugs ensure that the 20 pin power pl
9. Chapter 2 for information on BIOS setup 2 Assign an IRQ to the card 3 Install the software drivers for the expansion card A When using PCI cards on shared slots ensure that the drivers support Share IRQ or that the cards do not need IRQ assignments Otherwise conflicts will arise between the two PCI groups making the system unstable and the card inoperable ASUS A88X PLUS 1 9 1 10 1 5 3 PCI slot The PCI slot supports cards such as a LAN card SCSI card USB card and other cards that comply with PCI specifications 1 5 4 PCI Express 2 0 x1 slot This motherboard supports PCI Express x1 network cards SCSI cards and other cards that comply with the PCI Express specifications 1 5 5 PCI Express x16 slot This motherboard has two PCI Express x16 slots that support PCI Express x16 graphic cards complying with the PCI Express specifications In single VGA card mode use the PCle 2 0 x16 1 slot yellow for a PCI Express x16 graphics card to get better performance We recommend that you provide sufficient power when running CrossFireX mode See page 1 27 for details Connect a chassis fan to the motherboard connector labeled CHA FAN when using multiple graphics cards for better thermal environment N IRQ assignments for this motherboard PCIEx1_1 PCIEx16_1 PCIEx1_2 PCIEx16_2 Realtek LAN controller OnChip SATA controller shared shared shared shared shared shared sh
10. Status items show Not Installed if no profile is created Label Allows you to input the label of the setup profile Save to Profile Allows you to save the current BIOS settings to the BIOS Flash and create a profile Key in a profile number from one to eight press Enter and then select Yes Load from Profile Allows you to load the previous BIOS settings saved in the BIOS Flash Key in the profile number that saved your CMOS settings press Enter and then select Yes DONOT shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS to prevent the system boot failure We recommend that you update the BIOS file only coming from the same memory CPU configuration and BIOS version Load Save CMOS Profile from to USB Drive Allows you to load save CMOS profile from to USB drive 2 9 3 ASUS SPD Information DIMM Slot DIMM A1 Displays the Serial Presence Detect SPD information of the DIMM module installed on the selected slot Configuration options DIMM A1 DIMM A2 DIMM B1 DIMM B2 Chapter 2 BIOS information 2 10 Exit menu The Exit menu items allow you to load the optimal default values for the BIOS items and save or discard your changes to the BIOS items You can access the EZ Mode from the Exit menu Launch EFT Shell from fil Load Optimized Defaults This option allows you to load the default values for each of the parameters on the Setup menus When you select this option or if you press F5
11. Turbo V EVO ASUS GPU Boost ASUS MemOK ASUS Al Suite 3 ASUS Al Charger ASUS Anti Surge ASUS UEFI BIOS EZ Mode featuring friendly graphics user interface ASUS Network iControl ASUS USB 3 0 Boost ASUS Disk Unlocker ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution ASUS Fan Xpert Stylish Fanless Design Heat sink solution amp MOS Heatsink ASUS EZ DIY ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 ASUS EZ Flash 2 ASUS My Logo 2 ASUS Q Design ASUS Q Slot continued on the next page vii viii A88X PLUS specifications summary Back panel I O ports Internal VO connectors buttons switches BIOS features Operating System Support DVD Form factor 1 x PS 2 keyboard mouse combo port 1 x HDMI port 1 x DVI port 1 x D Sub output port 1 x LAN RJ 45 port 4 x USB 2 0 1 1 ports 2 x USB 3 0 ports blue 5 x Audio jacks Line in Front Speaker Out Mic in Center Subwoofer Rear Speaker Out 1 x USB 3 0 connector supports additional 2 USB 3 0 ports 19 pin 3 x USB 2 0 connectors support additional 6 USB 2 0 ports 1x COM port connector 8 x SATA 6Gb s connectors 1 x CPU fan connector 2 x Chassis fan connectors 1 x Front panel audio connector AAFP 1 x System panel connector 1x S PDIF out header 1x clear CMOS jumper 1 x MemOK Button 1 x GPU Boost switch 1 x 24 pin EATX power connector 1 x 4 pin ATX 12V power connector 64 Mb Flash ROM UEFI AMI BIOS PnP DMI 2 0 WfM 2 0 SM BIOS 2 7 ACPI 2 0a Multi language BIOS A
12. a faster response The reaction time will be longer when Regular is selected Configuration options Ultra Fast Fast Medium Regular CPU Voltage Frequency 300 Switching frequency will affect the VRM transient response and component thermal Setting a higher frequency gets faster transient response Use the lt gt and lt gt keys to adjust the value The values range from 200k Hz to 350k Hz with a 50k Hz interval CPU Power Duty Control T Probe T Probe Maintains the VRM thermal balance Extreme Maintains the VRM current balance Do not remove the thermal module while changing the DIGI VRM related parameters The LIEB thermal conditions should be monitored ASUS A88X PLUS 2 17 2 18 2 6 Advanced menu The Advanced menu items allow you to change the settings for the CPU and other system devices N Be cautious when changing the settings of the Advanced menu items Incorrect field values LA can cause the system to malfunction ASUS UEF BIOS Utility Advanced Mode iguration Parameters iguration T Network Stack Tuick Note Last Modified 2 6 1 CPU Configuration The items in this menu show the CPU related information that the BIOS automatically detects A The items shown in submenu may be different due to the CPU you installed AMD PowerNow function Enabled Enables or disables the AMD PowerNow function Configuration options Enabled Disabled NX Mode Enabled Enables or disables t
13. a slot opening at the back of the system chassis These USB connectors comply with USB 2 0 specification that supports up to 480Mbps connection speed Tres Cl a L a H USB910 USB78 USB56 st Y nk Soo ake z 5 a zan i Fuba C Narra 2222o 588020 989920 a 30002 222027 LS ASTE LLLA pap LLLI Hoc ahha TEE TEE aiibi emi f FE b Lad Fem 2 site 2888 BEES oC ses 38a 388 299 Iun 33 A88X PLUS USB2 0 connectors Never connect a 1394 cable to the USB comnectors Doing so will damage the motherboard VA The USB 2 0 module is purchased separately 8 USB 3 0 connector 20 1 pin USB3 34 These connectors allow you to connect a USB 3 0 module for additional USB 3 0 front or rear panel ports With an installed USB 3 0 module you can enjoy all the benefits of USB 3 0 including faster data transfer speeds of up to 5Gbps faster charging time for USB chargeable devices optimized power efficiency and backward compatibility with USB 2 0 a USB3_34 GND a a Inta_p2_D InA P1 De a ina P2 D IntA P1 D a amp GND GND La s int P2 SSTX mn IntA_P1_SSTX a m IntA_P2_SSTX GND GND H DQ IntA P1 SSTX a m IntA_P2_SSRX Cg IntA P1 SSRX a w IntA P2 SSRX IntA P1 SSRX a m USB3 5V ei Ed O USB3 5V a Pini
14. chassis fan 1 2 speeds in rotations per minute RPM If the fan is not connected to the motherboard the field shows NA Select Ignore if you do not wish to display the detected speed 2 7 3 CPU_FAN Q Fan Control Enabled Disabled Disables the CPU_FAN Q Fan control feature Enabled Enables the CPU_FAN Q Fan control feature CPU_FAN Fan Speed Low Limit 200 RPM This item appears only when you enable the CPU_FAN Q Fan Control feature and allows you to disable or set the CPU fan warning speed Configuration options Ignore 200 RPM 300 RPM 400 RPM 500 RPM 600 RPM Q Fan Profile Standard This item appears only when you enable the CPU_FAN Q Fan Control feature and allows you to set the appropriate performance level of the CPU fan Standard Sets to Standard to make the CPU fan automatically adjust depending on the CPU temperature Silent Sets to Silent to minimize the fan speed for quiet CPU fan operation Turbo Sets to Turbo to achieve maximum CPU fan speed Manual Sets to Manual to assign detailed fan speed control parameters YA The following four items appear only when you set Q Fan Profile to Manual Q Fan Upper Temperature 70 Use the lt gt and lt gt keys to adjust the upper limit of the CPU temperature The values range from 20 C to 75 C Q Fan Max Duty Cycle 100 Use the lt gt and lt gt keys to adjust the maximum CPU fan duty cycle The values range from 0 to 1
15. high memory frequency may cause the system to become unstable If this ce happens revert to the default setting 2 5 8 CPU Ratio Auto Allows you to set the ratio between the CPU Core Clock and the FSB Frequency Use the lt gt and lt gt keys to adjust the ratio The valid value ranges vary according to your CPU model 2 5 4 NB Frequency Auto Allows you to adjust the NB frequency Use the lt gt and lt gt keys to adjust the value You can also key in the desired value using the numeric keypad 2 5 5 EPU Power Saving Mode Disabled Allows you to enable or disable the EPU power saving function Configuration options Disabled Enabled EPU Setting Auto This item appears only when the EPU Power Saving Mode is set to Enabled and allows you to set power saving mode Configuration options Auto Light Power Saving Mode Medium Power Saving Mode Max Power Saving Mode Chapter 2 BIOS information 2 5 6 GPU Boost Auto Allows you to enable the GPU Boost to accelerate the integrated GPU for extreme graphics performance Configuration options Auto Turbo Mode Extreme Mode Manual Mode GPU Engine Frequency Auto This item appears only when the GPU Boost is set to Manual Mode and allows you to set the GPU Engine Frequency Configuration options Auto GPU O C 484MHz GPU O C 1688MHz 2 5 7 OC Tuner OC Tuner automatically overclocks the frequency and voltage of CPU and DRAM for enhanci
16. on your CPU specifiation CPU NB Load Line Calibration Auto Allows you to select the CPU NB Load Line Calibration mode Configuration options Auto Regular High Extreme CPU Current Capability 100 This item provides wider total power range for overclocking A higher value brings a wider total power range and extends the overclocking frequency range simultaneously Configuration options 10096 11096 12096 13096 Chapter 2 BIOS information CPU NB Current Capability 10096 This item provides wider total power range for overclocking A higher value brings a wider total power range and extends the overclocking frequency range simultaneously Configuration options 100 11096 120 130 CPU Power Phase Control Standard Phase number is the number of working VRM phase Increasing phase number under heavy system loading to get more transient and better thermal performance Reducing phase number under light system loading to increase VRM efficiency Standard Proceeds phase control depending on the CPU loading Optimized Loads the ASUS optimized phase tuning profile Extreme Proceeds the full phase mode Manual Adjustment Allows manual adjustment DO NOT remove the thermal module when switching to Extreme and Manual Adjustment Z The thermal conditions should be monitored Manual Adjustment Fast This item appears only when you set the previous item to Manual Adjustment Select Ultra Fast for
17. the boot speed Disabled Select to go back to normal boot YA The following four items appear when you set Fast Boot to Enabled SATA Support All Devices All Devices All devices connected to SATA ports will be available during POST This process will extend the POST time Hard Drive Only Only hard drives connected to SATA ports will be detected during POST Any hardware change will disable fast boot Boot Drive Only Only boot drive connected to SATA ports will be detected during POST Any hardware change will disable fast boot USB Support Partial Initialization Disabled All USB devices will not be available until OS boot up for a fastest POST time Full Initialization All USB devices will be available during POST This process will extend the POST time Partial Initialization For a faster POST time only the USB ports with keyboard and mouse connections will be detected PS 2 Keyboard and Mouse Support Auto Select any of these settings when PS 2 keyboard and mouse are installed These settings only apply when Fast Boot is enabled Auto For a faster POST time PS 2 devices will only be available when the system boots up or rebooted when the PS 2 devices have not been reconnected or changed If you disconnect or change PS 2 devices before restarting the system PS 2 devices will not be available and BIOS setup program will not be accessible via PS 2 devices Full Initialization For full system contr
18. zooz see0s N3 D OLOZ62vZ9 Na O 40 S002 i LA 2 16 zoe N3 O tooz oge0s Na O 20 3002 L L LA L L6Z zoe Na O zo oLoz L G LA z 0ee 00 Na O 11 8002 LA 2 25 Log N3 zo oLoz L 2 LA voee 00 NA O 60 2002 1 LA 92 Zoe N3 D L0 6002 L L LA z9 zoe Na O 90 2002 2 2 LA 2 9ze zoe NA DD 10 6002 LA 2 brs zoe Na O 60 0102 8 LA vz 68 LOE NA D LI LL02 L 9 LA 68 Loe N3 O 0 6002 L VZA 21 68 LOE N3 O 20 LL02 L 2 SA 2 806 Loe N3 O Li 2002 L LA 6 687 Log NG DD G0 LL0Z L Z SA 1 806 Loe N3 O k1 3002 L E LA 2 68 LOE NG E0 2002 Z 0 6A LLS Loe Na O s0 6002 t LA 9 68 Loe Na LI 80 0L02 L P LA ctt 00 N3 O 80 Z002 i LA 68h Loe Na 7 80 0L02 L 9 LA L 0ry 00 N3 O 60 1 L02 2 6 LA 1 687 LOE N3 DD 01 9002 21A sze 00 N3 O 9An2e1d SLL 8 23 5 6661 O LIOZ LLW 2002 0205S N3 D 9002 2V E007 LV 1002 LOSS Na LI 8007 00019 N3 BY 6007 7v 9007 7 00019 N3 DI OL0Z vz0SS N3 D oroz zzoss N3 RI SAS 2W3 23 80LIPO0Z X SeAjoaup BujwojJo y jo sjueuieambe jenuesse y yi uuojuoa Snid xesv eureu opow pigogsayow 1 eureu jonpoJd snjejedde Buimojjoy ay aJeppap ANYWNZ9 Anuno9 N3ONILVY 0880P E7 12 YS LYONYYH Aj9 sseippy Haw YAILNANOO snsv edoung uj eAneyuoseudoi pazoyiny NVMIV L Ahuno9 NYMIYL ZLL I3dl VLL NOLIAd PH FLAT 0S ON dp Ayo ssasppy TONI YALNAWOD xe1snsv zemjoejnuey uonoopiag tuelsrsiag uonenouu Buujdsul Se
19. 00 When the CPU temperature reaches the upper limit the CPU fan will operate at the maximum duty cycle Chapter 2 BIOS information Q Fan Lower Temperature 20 Use the lt gt and lt gt keys to adjust the lower limit of the CPU temperature The values range from 20 C to 75 C Q Fan Min Duty Cycle 20 Use the lt gt and lt gt keys to adjust the minimum CPU fan duty cycle The values range from 0 to 100 When the CPU temperature is under the lower limit the CPU fan will operate at the minimum duty cycle 2 7 4 CHA_FAN1 2 Q Fan Control Enabled Disabled Disables the CHA_FAN1 2 Q Fan control feature Enabled Enables the CHA_FAN1 2 Q Fan control feature CHA FAN1 2 Fan Speed Low Limit 600 RPM This item appears only when you enable the CHA FAN1 2 Q Fan Control feature and allows you to disable or set the chassis1 fan warning speed Configuration options Ignore 200RPM 300 RPM 400 RPM 500 RPM 600 RPM Q Fan Profile Standard This item appears only when you enable the CHA FAN1 2 Q Fan Control feature and allows you to set the appropriate performance level of the chassis fan Standard Sets to Standard to make the chassis fan automatically adjust depending on the chassis temperature Silent Sets to Silent to minimize the fan speed for quiet chassis fan operation Turbo Sets to Turbo to achieve maximum chassis fan speed Manual Sets to Manual to assign detailed fan speed cont
20. 346H AABAB171ZA FE AAAA NGA AS 54235 spp BE AYY 8 NSU ZH FARNE AHS 3380 32522 q39993 293 HST v 5 us ud REACH Complying with the REACH Registration Evaluation Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals regulatory framework we published the chemical substances in our products at ASUS REACH website at http csr asus com english REACH htm enable proper reuse of parts and recycling This symbol of the crossed out wheeled bin indicates that the product electrical and electronic equipment should not be placed in X DO NOT throw the motherboard in municipal waste This product has been designed to municipal waste Check local regulations for disposal of electronic products HERREN DO NOT throw the mercury containing button cell battery in municipal waste This symbol of the crossed out wheeled bin indicates that the battery should not be placed in municipal waste ASUS Recycling Takeback Services ASUS recycling and takeback programs come from our commitment to the highest standards for protecting our environment We believe in providing solutions for you to be able to responsibly recycle our products batteries other components as well as the packaging materials Please go to http csr asus com english Takeback htm for detailed recycling information in different regions Appendices ASUS contact information ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC Address 15 Li Te Road Peitou Taipei Taiwan 11259 Telephone 886 2 2894 3447 F
21. 552 Espa ol Pycexuii St 01 2 4 2 System Date Day xx xx xxxx Allows you to set the system date 2 4 3 System Time xx xx xx Allows you to set the system time 2 4 4 Security The Security menu items allow you to change the system security settings YA If you have forgotten your BIOS password erase the CMOS Real Time Clock RTC RAM to clear the BIOS password See section 1 6 Jumpers for information on how to erase the RTC RAM The Administrator or User Password items on top of the screen show the default Not Installed After you set a password these items show Installed Administrator Password If you have set an administrator password we recommend that you enter the administrator password for accessing the system Otherwise you might be able to see or change only selected fields in the BIOS setup program To set an administrator password 1 Selectthe Administrator Password item and press Enter 2 From the Create New Password box key in a password then press Enter ASUS A88X PLUS 2 11 2 12 3 Confirm the password when prompted To change an administrator password 1 Select the Administrator Password item and press Enter 2 From the Enter Current Password box key in the current password then press Enter 3 From the Create New Password box key in a new password then press Enter 4 Confirm the password when prompted To clear the administrator password follow the same s
22. A_RXP3 A RSATA TXP6 gt a e w GND GND GND GND GND RSATA RXNS GND RSATA Tina RSATA TANS RSATA UPS RSATA TANG RSATA RAPE N2 i2 xP2 VRXNT 2 RSATA RPI Pa RSATA DIRI 2 GND RSATA_TXN1 GND GND RSATA RXN3 GND RSATA TXN3 RSATA TXP3 GND l l A88X PLUS AMD SATA 6 0Gb s connectors These connectors are set to AHCI mode by default If you intend to create a Serial ATA RAID set using these connectors set the type of the SATA connectors in the BIOS to RAID See section 2 6 2 SATA Configuration for details You must install Windows XP Service Pack 3 or later version before using Serial ATA hard disk drives The Serial ATA RAID feature is available only if you are using Windows XP SP3 or later version When using hot plug and NCQ set the type of the SATA connectors in the BIOS to AHCI See section 2 6 2 SATA Configuration for details Chapter 1 Product introduction 4 System panel connector 20 8 pin PANEL This connector supports several chassis mounted functions PANEL PWR LED SPEAKER T T a o oe u ow M E m oo ecx EE 2888 ca i a POOO PIN 1 o CE a mus ta co 97 a emus a o z5 3 S Ki ua ao e O ca da o o s3 I I gaha H LI EI H HDD LED P
23. IDE when you want to use the Serial ATA hard disk drives as Parallel ATA physical storage devices RAID Set to RAID when you want to create a RAID configuration from the SATA hard disk drives AHCI Set to AHCI when you want the SATA hard disk drives to use the AHCI Advanced Host Controller Interface The AHCI allows the onboard storage driver to enable advanced Serial ATA features that increases storage performance on random workloads by allowing the drive to internally optimize the order of commands SATA Port 5 6 7 8 AHCI This item only appears when OnChip SATA Type is set to AHCI If SATA ports 5 6 7 8 are configured as AHCI the ports can only be used under Windows OS with the requested drivers installed Set to IDE instead of AHCI to access devices on SATA ports 5 6 before entering OS Configuration options AHCI IDE SATA Port 5 6 7 8 RAID This item only appears when OnChip SATA Type is set to RAID If SATA ports 5 6 7 8 are configured as RAID the ports can only be used under Windows OS with the requested drivers installed Set to IDE instead of RAID to access devices on SATA ports 5 6 before entering OS Configuration options RAID IDE OnChip SATA MAX Speed SATA 6 0Gb s Sets the maximum onboard SATA port speed Configuration options SATA 6 0Gb s SATA 3 0Gb s ASUS A88X PLUS 2 19 2 20 S M A R T Status Check Enabled S M A R T Self Monitoring Analysis and Re
24. OS version and corresponding updates to maximize the features of your hardware KA Motherboard settings and hardware options vary Refer to your OS documentation for detailed information Ensure that you install Windows XP Service Pack 3 or later versions Windows 7 64 bit Windows 7 Windows 8 64 bit Windows 8 before installing the drivers for better compatibility and system stability 1 11 2 Support DVD information The Support DVD that comes with the motherboard package contains the drivers software applications and utilities that you can install to avail all motherboard features f The contents of the Support DVD are subject to change at any time without notice Visit the n ASUS website at www asus com for updates To run the Support DVD Place the Support DVD into the optical drive If Autorun is enabled in your computer the DVD automatically displays the Specials screen Click Drivers Utilities Make Disk Manual Contact and Specials tabs to display their respective menus KA The following screen is for reference only ASUS InstAll Click an icon to display Support DVD motherboard Google Toolbar information i i Google Chrome Browser AMD Chipset Driver Realtek Audio Driver Realtek LAN Driver Norton Internet Security Solution APRP Utility I Click an item to install YA If Autorun is NOT enabled on your computer browse the contents of the Support DVD to La locate the file ASSETUP EXE
25. Revoked Signature database dbx Z KA Key exchange Key KEK refers to Microsoft Secure Boot Key Enrollment Key KEK Delete the KEK Allows you to delete the KEK from your system Configuration options Yes No Load KEK from File Allows you to load the downloaded KEK from a USB storage device Append KEK from file Allows you to load the additional KEK from a storage device for an additional db and dbx loaded management The KEK file must be formatted as a UEFI variable structure with time based authenticated variable DB Management The db Authorized Signature database lists the signers or images of UEFI applications operating system loaders and UEFI drivers that you can load on the single computer Delete the db Chapter 2 BIOS information Allows you to delete the db file from your system Configuration options Yes No Load db from File Allows you to load the downloaded db from a USB storage device Append db from file Allows you to load the additional db from a storage device so that more images can be loaded securely YA The DB file must be formatted as a UEFI variable structure with time based authenticated variable DBX Management The dbx Revoked Signature database lists the forbidden images of db items that are no longer trusted and cannot be loaded Delete the DBX Allows you to delete the DBX file from your system Configuration options Yes No Load DBX from File Allows you to loa
26. SUS EZ Flash 2 ASUS CrashFreen BIOS 3 F12 Printscreen function F3 Shortcut function and ASUS DRAM SPD Serial Presence Detect memory information Windows 8 8 64 bit Windows 7 7 64 bit Windows XP Drivers ASUS utilities ASUS Update Anti virus software OEM version ATX form factor 12 in x 8 9 in 30 5 cm x 22 6cm KA Specifications are subject to change without notice Product introduction 1 1 Before you proceed Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard components or change any motherboard settings Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any component Before handling components use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded object or a metal object such as the power supply case to avoid damaging them due to static electricity Hold components by the edges to avoid touching the ICs on them Whenever you uninstall any component place it on a grounded antistatic pad or in the bag that came with the component 2 Before you install or remove any component ensure that the ATX power supply is switched off or the power cord is detached from the power supply Failure to do so may cause severe damage to the motherboard peripherals or components 1 2 Motherboard overview Before you install the motherboard study the configuration of your chassis to ensure that the motherboard fits Unplug the power cord before installing or remo
27. UT NOTICE AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY ASUS ASUS ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS OR INACCURACIES THAT MAY APPEAR IN THIS MANUAL INCLUDING THE PRODUCTS AND SOFTWARE DESCRIBED IN IT Products and corporate names appearing in this manual may or may not be registered trademarks or copyrights of their respective companies and are used only for identification or explanation and to the owners benefit without intent to infringe Offer to Provide Source Code of Certain Software This product contains copyrighted software that is licensed under the General Public License GPL under the Lesser General Public License Version LGPL and or other Free Open Source Software Licenses Such software in this product is distributed without any warranty to the extent permitted by the applicable law Copies of these licenses are included in this product Where the applicable license entitles you to the source code of such software and or other additional data you may obtain it for a period of three years after our last shipment of the product either 1 for free by downloading it from http support asus com download or 2 for the cost of reproduction and shipment which is dependent on the preferred carrier and the location where you want to have it shipped to by sending a request to ASUSTeK Computer Inc Legal Compliance Dept 15 Li Te Rd Beitou Taipei 112 Taiwan In your request please prov
28. WRSW RESET 0 gt r _ BL oeme Requires an ATX power supply A88X PLUS System panel connector System power LED 2 pin PWR_LED This 2 pin connector is for the system power LED Connect the chassis power LED cable to this connector The system power LED lights up when you turn on the system power and blinks when the system is in sleep mode Hard disk drive activity LED 2 pin HDD_LED This 2 pin connector is for the HDD Activity LED Connect the HDD Activity LED cable to this connector The HDD LED lights up or flashes when data is read from or written to the HDD System warning speaker 4 pin SPEAKER This 4 pin connector is for the chassis mounted system warning speaker The speaker allows you to hear system beeps and warnings ATX power button soft off button 2 pin PWRSW This connector is for the system power button Pressing the power switch for more than four seconds while the system is ON turns the system OFF Reset button 2 pin RESET This 2 pin connector is for the chassis mounted reset button for system reboot without turning off the system power ASUS A88X PLUS 1 17 5 Front panel audio connector 10 1 pin AAFP This connector is for a chassis mounted front panel audio I O module that supports either High Definition Audio or AC 97 audio standard Connect one end of the front panel audio I O module cable to this connector amp o SENSE1_RETUR SENSE2 RETUR AGND HNC
29. ared shared OnChip USB EHCI 1 2 3 OnChip USB XHCI 1 OnChip USB XHCI 2 HD Audio PCI 1 PCI 2 PCI 3 OnChip USB EHC 1 2 3 4 shared shared shared Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 6 Jumpers 1 Clear RTC RAM 3 pin CLRTC This jumper allows you to clear the Real Time Clock RTC RAM in CMOS You can clear the CMOS memory of date time and system setup parameters by erasing the CMOS RTC RAM data The onboard button cell battery powers the RAM data in CMOS which include system setup information such as system passwords CLRTC 12 23 EET z E Normal Clear RTC Default To erase the RTC RAM 1 2 Turn OFF the computer and unplug the power cord Move the jumper cap from pins 1 2 default to pins 2 3 Keep the cap on pins 2 3 for about 5 10 seconds then move the cap back to pins 1 2 Plug the power cord and turn ON the computer Hold down the lt Del gt key during the boot process and enter BIOS setup to re enter data Except when clearing the RTC RAM never remove the cap on CLRTC jumper default position Removing the cap will cause system boot failure If the steps above do not help remove the onboard battery and move the jumper again to clear the CMOS RTC RAM data After clearing the CMOS reinstall the battery You do not need to clear the RTC when the syst
30. ation on ASUS hardware and software products Refer to the ASUS contact information 2 Optional documentation Your product package may include optional documentation such as warranty flyers that may have been added by your dealer These documents are not part of the standard package Conventions used in this guide To ensure that you perform certain tasks properly take note of the following symbols used throughout this manual DANGER WARNING Information to prevent injury to yourself when 4 completing a task CAUTION Information to prevent damage to the components when completing a task IN IMPORTANT Instructions that you MUST follow to complete a task KA NOTE Tips and additional information to help you complete a task Typography Bold text Indicates a menu or an item to select Italics Used to emphasize a word or a phrase Key Keys enclosed in the less than and greater than sign means that you must press the enclosed key Example Enter means that you must press the Enter or Return key lt Key1 gt lt Key2 gt lt Key3 gt If you must press two or more keys simultaneously the key names are linked with a plus sign vi Package contents Check your motherboard package for the following items Motherboard ASUS A88X PLUS motherboard Cables 2 x Serial ATA 6 0 Gb s cables Accessories 1x I O Shield Application DVD Support DVD Documentation User Guide If any of the above items i
31. ax 886 2 2890 7798 E mail info asus com tw Web site www asus com tw Technical Support Telephone 86 21 38429911 Online support support asus com ASUS COMPUTER INTERNATIONAL America Address 800 Corporate Way Fremont CA 94539 USA Telephone 1 812 282 3777 Fax 1 510 608 4555 Web site usa asus com Technical Support Telephone 1 812 282 2787 Support fax 1 812 284 0883 Online support support asus com ASUS COMPUTER GmbH Germany and Austria Address Harkort Str 21 23 D 40880 Ratingen Germany Fax 49 2102 959911 Web site www asus de Online contact www asus de sales Technical Support Telephone 49 1805 010923 Support Fax 49 2102 9599 11 Online support support asus com EUR 0 14 minute from a German fixed landline EUR 0 42 minute from a mobile phone Manufacturer ASUSTeK Computer Inc Address 4F No 150 LI TE RD PEITOU TAIPEI 112 TAIWAN R O C Authorised representative in ASUS Computer GmbH Europe Address HARKORT STR 21 23 40880 RATINGEN GERMANY ASUS A88X PLUS A 3 eymeuBis ueus Auer eueN 030 uonsogd Bupyew Auuojuoo 93 eroz bumiew 32 Burxije uibaq 0 189A L02 80 c eYegq Uonesejpag Bunew 39 Smad SHOS NINSI X 6002 82 ON 03 voneinBey DD 6002 29 ON 03 uoyenbay C 8002 9271 ON 03 voyembay C npada di3 23 s2 1 6002 Loz zLv Z002 59009 N3 O LLOZ ZLY 09609 N3 DI anposlia GAT 23 S6 9002 X 8007 11 29 N3 D
32. ction 1 2 3 Motherboard layout in this user manual for the locations of the USB ports Configuration options Enabled Disabled 2 6 4 NB Configuration IGFX Multi Monitor Disabled Enables or disables the Internal Graphics Device Multi Monitor support for add on VGA devices And the memory size of Internal Graphics Device will keep memory reserved Configuration options Disabled Enabled KA The IGFX Multi Monitor item must be enabled before using AMD Dual Graphics technology Chapter 2 BIOS information Primary Video Device PCIE PCI Video Selects the primary display device Configuration options IGFX Video PCIE PCI Video Integrated Graphics Auto Enables the integrated graphics controller Configuration options Auto Force UMA Frame Buffer Size Auto This item appears only when you set the previous item to Force Configuration options Auto 32M 64M 128M 256M 512M 1G 2G 2 6 5 X Onboard Devices Configuration HD Audio Device Enabled Enabled Enables the High Definition Audio Controller Disabled Disables the controller LA The following two items appear only when you set the HD Audio Device item to Enabled Front Panel Type HD Allows you to set the front panel audio connector AAFP mode to legacy AC 97 or high definition audio depending on the audio standard that the front panel audio module supports HD Sets the front panel audio connector AAFP mode to high definitio
33. d the downloaded DBX from a USB storage device Append DBX from file Allows you to load the additional DBX from a storage device so that more db s images cannot be loaded YA The DBX file must be formatted as a UEFI variable structure with time based authenticated variable 2 8 10 Boot Option Priorities These items specify the boot device priority sequence from the available devices The number of device items that appears on the screen depends on the number of devices installed in the system YA To select the boot device during system startup press F8 when ASUS Logo Ai appears To access Windows OS in Safe Mode press F8 after POST 2 8 11 Boot Override These items displays the available devices The number of device items that appears on the screen depends on the number of devices installed in the system Click an item to start booting from the selected device ASUS A88X PLUS 2 31 2 32 2 9 Tools menu The Tools menu items allow you to configure options for special functions Select an item then press Enter to display the submenu ASUS UEF BIOS Utility Advanced Mode 2 Flash 2 Utility FIASUS 0 C Profile PD Info 2 9 1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 Utility Allows you to run ASUS EZ Flash 2 Press Enter to launch the ASUS EZ Flash 2 screen f For more details see section 2 1 2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 2 9 2 ASUS O C Profile This item allows you to store or load multiple BIOS settings KA The Setup Profile
34. efer to section 2 5 Ai Tweaker menu for manual memory frequency adjustment For system stability use a more efficient memory cooling system to support a full memory load 4 DIMMs or overclocking condition Visit the ASUS website at www asus com for the latest QVL Installing a DIMM Chapter 1 Product introduction To remove a DIMM 1 5 Expansion slots In the future you may need to install expansion cards The following sub sections describe the slots and the expansion cards that they support Unplug the power cord before adding or removing expansion cards Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components 1 5 1 Installing an expansion card To install an expansion card 1 Before installing the expansion card read the documentation that came with it and make the necessary hardware settings for the card 2 Remove the system unit cover if your motherboard is already installed in a chassis 3 Remove the bracket opposite the slot that you intend to use Keep the screw for later use 4 Align the card connector with the slot and press firmly until the card is completely seated on the slot 5 Secure the card to the chassis with the screw you removed earlier 6 Replace the system cover 1 5 2 Configuring an expansion card After installing the expansion card configure it by adjusting the software settings 1 Turnon the system and change the necessary BIOS settings if any See
35. em hangs due to overclocking For system failure due to overclocking use the CPU Parameter Recall C P R feature Shut down and reboot the system then the BIOS automatically resets parameter settings to default values ASUS A88X PLUS 1 11 1 12 1 7 Connectors 1 7 1 Rear panel connectors 1 2 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 1 PS 2 keyboard mouse combo port This port is for a PS 2 keybaord or mouse 2 Video Graphics Adapter VGA port This 15 pin port is for a VGA monitor or other VGA compatible devices 3 LAN Ru 45 port This port allows Gigabit connection to a Local Area Network LAN through a network hub LAN port LED indications IL Activity Link LED Speed LED AGTLINK SPEED Off No link OFF 10Mbps connection Orange Linked ORANGE 100Mbps connection Orange Data activity GREEN 1Gbps connection Blinking LAN port Orange Ready to wake Blinking up from S5 then stead mode 4 Center Subwoofer port orange This port connects the center subwoofer speakers 5 Rear Speaker Out port black This port connects the rear speakers in a 4 1 channel 5 1 channel or 7 1 channel audio configuration 6 Line In port light blue This port connects to the tape CD DVD player or other audio sources 7 Line Out port lime This port connects to a headphone or a speaker In the 4 1 5 1 and 7 1 channel configurations the function of this port becomes Front Speaker Out 8 Microphone port pink Th
36. from the BIN folder Double click the ASSETUP EXE to run the DVD ASUS A88X PLUS 1 23 1 24 Chapter 1 Product introduction BIOS information 2 1 Managing and updating your BIOS A Save a copy of the original motherboard BIOS file to a USB flash disk in case you need to restore the BIOS in the future Copy the original motherboard BIOS using the ASUS Update utility 2 1 1 EZ Update EZ Update is a utility that allows you to automatically update your motherboard s softwares drivers and the BIOS version easily With this utlity you can also manually update the saved BIOS and select a boot logo when the system goes into POST To launch EZ Update click EZ Update on the AI Suite 3 main menu bar ASUS EZ Update Click to automatically Update your motherboard s driver software and firmware Click to find and Click to select Click to select the BIOS a boot logo update the from file BIOS VA EZ Update requires an Internet connection either through a network or an ISP Internet Service Provider ASUS A88X PLUS 2 1 2 1 2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 The ASUS EZ Flash 2 feature allows you to update the BIOS without using an OS based utility f Before you start using this utility download the latest BIOS file from the ASUS website at WWW aSUS com To update the BIOS using EZ Flash 2 1 Insert the USB flash disk that contains the latest BIOS file to the USB port 2 Enterthe Advanced Mode of the BIOS setup program Go t
37. fter an AC power loss Last State The system goes into either off or on state whatever the system state was before the AC power loss WOL include AC Power Loss Disabled Disabled Disables Wake On LAN after a power failure G3 state Enabled Enables Wake On LAN after a power failure G3 state Power On By PS 2 Keyboard Disabled Disabled Disables the Power On by a PS 2 keyboard Space Bar Sets the Space Bar on the PS 2 keyboard to turn on the system Ctrl Esc Sets the Ctrl Esc key on the PS 2 keyboard to turn on the system Power Key Sets Power key on the PS 2 keyboard to turn on the system This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides at least 1A on the 5VSB lead Power On By PME Disabled Disabled Disables the PME to wake up by PCI PCIE devices Enabled Allows you to turn on the system through a PCI PCIE LAN or modem card This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides at least 1A on the 5VSB lead Power On By Ring Disabled Disabled Disables Ring to generate a wake event Enabled Enables Ring to generate a wake event Power On By RTC Disabled Disabled Disables RTC to generate a wake event Enabled When set to Enabled the items RTC Alarm Date Days and Hour Minute Second will become user configurable with set values RTC Alarm Date Days This item appears only when you set the previous item to Enabled and allows you to select RTC alarm time days When
38. he No execute page protection function Configuration options Enabled Disabled SVM Enabled Enables or disables CPU virtualization Configuration options Disabled Enabled CPB Mode Auto Disables the CPB Core Performance Boost mode or set it to Auto for automatic configuration Configuration options Disabled Auto C6 Mode Enabled Enables or disables C6 mode Configuration options Enabled Disabled IOMMU Disabled Set this item to Enabled to show IOMMU Mode Configuration options Enabled Disabled Chapter 2 BIOS information Bank Interleaving Enabled Enables or disables the bank memory interleaving Configuration options Enabled Disabled Channel Interleaving Enabled Enables or disables the channel memory interleaving Configuration options Enabled Disabled Core Leveling Mode Automatic mode Allows you to change the number of working Compute Unit on the system Configuration options Automatic mode One core per processor One Compute Unit One core per Compute Unit 2 6 2 SATA Configuration While entering Setup the BIOS automatically detects the presence of SATA devices The SATA Port items show Not Present if no SATA device is installed to the corresponding SATA port OnChip SATA Channel Enabled Enables or disables onboard channel SATA port Configuration options Disabled Enabled OnChip SATA Type AHCI Allows you to set the SATA configuration IDE Set to
39. he motherboard comes with a standby power LED that lights up to indicate that the system is ON in sleep mode or in soft off mode This is a reminder that you should shut down the system and unplug the power cable before removing or plugging in any motherboard component The illustration below shows the location of the onboard LED SB_PWR OFF Sindoni Power Powered Off A88X PLUS Onboard LED ASUS A88X PLUS 1 21 1 22 DRAM LED DRAM LED checks the DRAM in sequence during motherboard booting process If an error is found the LED next to the error device will continue lighting until the problem is solved This user friendly design provides an intuitional way to locate the root problem within a second DRAM LED p E 2 CCC A88X PLUS DRAM LED GPU Boost LED The GPU Boost LED lights when the GPU Boost switch is turned to Enable GPU_LED o CSS B CCC A88X PLUS GPU Boost LED Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 11 Software support 1 11 1 Installing an operating system This motherboard supports Windows XP Windows 7 64 bit Windows 7 Windows 8 64 bit Windows 8 Operating Systems OS Always install the latest
40. ide the name model number and version as stated in the About Box of the product for which you wish to obtain the corresponding source code and your contact details so that we can coordinate the terms and cost of shipment with you The source code will be distributed WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY and licensed under the same license as the corresponding binary object code This offer is valid to anyone in receipt of this information ASUSTeK is eager to duly provide complete source code as required under various Free Open Source Software licenses If however you encounter any problems in obtaining the full corresponding source code we would be much obliged if you give us a notification to the email address gpl asus com stating the product and describing the problem please DO NOT send large attachments such as source code archives etc to this email address Contents Safety information About this guide eese eene eene nnne nnn tenente nnne nnana i Package contents A88X PLUS specifications summary Product introduction 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 4 1 5 1 6 1 7 1 8 1 10 1 11 Before you proceed eene nine Motherboard overview Accelerated Processing Unit APU System memory saanman AG creto etc rne e te io Expansion slots JUMPEFS M icc Onboard switches Onboard LEDS inniti race cina aE Software support
41. idential installation This equipment generates uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used in accordance with manufacturer s instructions may cause harmful interference to radio communications However there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected Consult the dealer or an experienced radio TV technician for help V The use of shielded cables for connection of the monitor to the graphics card is required to assure compliance with FCC regulations Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user s authority to operate this equipment IC Canadian Compliance Statement Complies with the Canadian ICES 003 Class B specifications This device complies with RSS 210 of Industry Canada This Class B device meets all the requirements of the Canadian interference causing equipment regulations This device complies with Industry Canada license exempt RSS sta
42. iguration options for this section vary depending on the CPU and DIMM model you installed on the motherboard Ai Overclock Tu Mem Fr CPU Ratio Tuner gt DRAM Tim APU V CPU 0 CPU Offset Voltage Scroll down to display the following items YDDNB Offset Mode Sign VDDNB t Volta 1 175Y E Cal ibrat ion B Load Line Calibration CPU Current Capal CPU NB abi lity CPU Power Pr Contral ASUS A88X PLUS 2 18 2 14 Scroll down to display the following items CPU Pouer Duty Control Target CPU Speed xxxxMHz Displays the current CPU speed Target DRAM Speed xxxxMHz Displays the current DRAM speed 2 5 1 Ai Overclock Tuner Auto Allows you to select the CPU overclocking options to achieve the desired CPU internal frequency Select any of these preset overclocking configuration options Auto Loads the optimal settings for the system Manual Allows you to individually set overclocking parameters APU Frequency XXX This item appears only when you set the Ai Overclock Tuner item to Manual Use the lt gt and lt gt keys to adjust the value You can also key in the desired value using the numeric keypad The values range from 90 0MHz to 300 0MHz 2 5 2 Memory Frequency Auto Allows you to set the memory operating frequency Configuration options Auto DDR3 800MHz DDR3 1066MHz DDR3 1333MHz DDR3 1600MHz DDR3 1866MHz DDR3 2133MHz DDR3 2400MHz N Selecting a very
43. ions You may install 1GB 2GB 4GB and 8GB unbuffered non ECC DDR3 DIMMs into the DIMM sockets NA You may install varying memory sizes in Channel A and Channel B The system maps the total size of the lower sized channel for the dual channel configuration Any excess memory from the higher sized channel is then mapped for single channel operation Always install DIMMs with the same CAS latency For optimal compatibility we recommend that you install memory modules of the same version or date code D C from the same vendor Check with the retailer to get the correct memory modules Due to the memory address limitation on 32 bit Windows OS when you install 4GB or more memory on the motherboard the actual usable memory for the OS can be about 3GB or less For effective use of memory we recommend that you do any of the following Use a maximum of 3GB system memory if you are using a 32 bit Windows OS Install a 64 bit Windows OS if you want to install 4GB or more on the motherboard This motherboard does not support DIMMs made up of 512Mb 64MB chips or less ASUS A88X PLUS 17 1 4 3 The default memory operation frequency is dependent on its Serial Presence Detect SPD which is the standard way of accessing information from a memory module Under the default state some memory modules for overclocking may operate at a lower frequency than the vendor marked value To operate at the vendor marked or at a higher frequency r
44. is port connects to a microphone YA Refer to the audio configuration table on the next page for the function of the audio ports in ra 2 1 4 1 5 1 or 7 1 channel configuration Chapter 1 Product introduction Audio 2 1 4 1 5 1 or 7 1 channel configuration Headset 4 1 channel 5 1 channel 7 1 channel 2 1 channel Light Blue Line In Line in Line in Line in Lime Line Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out Pink Mic In Mic In Mic in Mic in Orange Center Subwoofer Center Subwoofer Black Rear Speaker Out Rear Speaker Out Rear Speaker Out 9 Optical S PDIF Out port This port connects an external audio output device via an optical S PDIF cable 10 USB 2 0 ports 1 and 2 These two 4 pin Universal Serial Bus USB ports are for USB 2 0 1 1 devices 1i USB 3 0 ports 1 and 2 These two 9 pin Universal Serial Bus USB ports are for USB 3 0 2 0 devices YA DONOT connect a keyboard mouse to any USB 3 0 port when installing Windows operating system Due to USB 3 0 controller limitation USB 3 0 devices can only be used under Windows OS environment and after the USB 3 0 driver installation USB 3 0 devices can only be used as data storage only We strongly recommend that you connect USB 3 0 devices to USB 3 0 ports for faster and better performance for your USB 3 0 devices 12 DVI D port This port is for any DVI D compatible device DVI D can t be converted to output RGB Signal
45. llsls a ajaaa SUS HEHE im SEENE REE 9 9 x38 ussa 12 MIRI O ESIESIESIES alla Jala 1 2 2 22 ba 5 5 15 5 z E LAN_USBI ejje ejfe Jagi amp zao S 1 Hina amal 1 s AUDIO E E CHA FAN x ASUS PCIEXI 1 o A88X PLUS Super Yo PCIEX1 2 AMD Pen A88X Tu m g COM Des 5 Pci POS se PWR Har USB910 USB78 USBS6 Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 2 4 Layout contents Connectors Jumpers Slots LED ATX power connectors 24 pin EATXPWR 4 pin ATX12V CPU and chassis fan connectors 4 pin CPU_FAN and 4 pin CHA_FAN1 2 AMD FM2 socket GPU Boost switch GPU Boost LED GPU_LED DDR3 DIMM slots MemOK button DRAM LED USB 3 0 connector 20 1 pin USB3_34 SATA 6 0 Gb s connectors 7 pin SATA6G_1 8 System panel connector 20 8 pin PANEL USB 2 0 connectors 10 1 pin USB56 USB78 USB910 Clear RTC RAM 3 pin CLRTC Digital audio connector 4 1 pin SPDIF OUT Front panel audio connector 10 1 pin AAFP Standby power LED SB PWR Serial port connector 10 1 pin COM 1 2 3 4 5 6 T 8 9 1 1 3 Accelerated Processing Unit APU This motherboard comes with a FM2 socket designed for AMD A series and Athlon processors Ensure that you use an APU designed for the FM2 socket The APU fits in only one correct orientation DO NOT force the APU int
46. ly if you failed to enter BIOS Setup using the first two options Using the power button reset button or the lt Ctrl gt lt Alt gt lt Del gt keys to force reset from rs a running operating system can cause damage to your data or system We recommend to always shut down the system properly from the operating system AN The BIOS setup screens shown in this section are for reference purposes only and may not exactly match what you see on your screen Ensure that a USB mouse is connected to your motherboard if you want to use the mouse to control the BIOS setup program The default BIOS settings for this motherboard apply for most conditions to ensure optimum performance If the system becomes unstable after changing any BIOS settings load the default settings to ensure system compatibility and stability Select the Load Optimized Defaults item under the Exit Menu or press hotkey F5 See section 2 10 Exit Menu If the system fails to boot after changing any BIOS setting try to clear the CMOS and reset the motherboard to the default value Refer to section 1 6 Jumpers on how to erase the RTC RAM The BIOS setup program does not support the bluetooth devices BIOS menu screen The BIOS setup program can be used under two modes EZ Mode and Advanced Mode You can change modes from the Exit menu or from the Exit Advanced Mode button in the EZ Mode Advanced Mode screen EZ Mode By default the EZ Mode screen appears whe
47. n audio AC97 Sets the front panel audio connector AAFP mode to legacy AC 97 SPDIF Out Type SPDIF SPDIF Sets to SPDIF for SPDIF audio output HDMI Sets to HDMI for HDMI audio output Realtek LAN Controller Enabled Enabled Enables the Realtek LAN controller Disabled Disables the controller Realtek PXE OPROM Disabled This item appears only when you set the Realtek LAN Controller item to Enabled and allows you to enable or disable the Rom of the Realtek LAN controller Configuration options Enabled Disabled Serial Port Configuration The sub items in this menu allow you to set the serial port configuration Serial Port Enabled Allows you to enable or disable the serial port COM Configuration options Enabled Disabled Change Settings IOZ3F8h IRQ 4 This item appears only when you set the Serial Port to Enabled and allows you to select the Serial Port base address Configuration options IO 3F8h IRQ 4 IO 2F8h IRQ 3 JO 3E8h IRQ 4 IO 2E8h IRQ 3 ASUS A88X PLUS 2 21 2 22 2 6 0 APM Deep S4 Disabled Allows you to enable or disable entering deep S4 sleep mode The system in deep S4 state can be woken up via power button devices in LAN or other ways except the USB and PS 2 devices Configuration options Enabled Disabled Restore AC Power Loss Power Off Power On The system goes into on state after an AC power loss Power Off The system goes into off state a
48. n you enter the BIOS setup program The EZ Mode provides you an overview of the basic system information and allows you to select the display language system performance mode and boot device priority To access the Advanced Mode click Exit Advanced Mode then select Advanced Mode or press F7 for the advanced BIOS settings Chapter 2 BIOS information The default screen for entering the BIOS setup program can be changed Refer to the Setup Mode item in section 2 8 Boot menu for details Selects the display language of the BIOS setup program Displays the CPU temperature CPU Exits the BIOS setup program without saving the Voltage output DRAM information and changes saves the changes and resets the system or CPU Chassis fan speed enters the Advanced Mode ASUS UEFI BIOS Utility EZ Mode CHA_FAN2 N A Standard Quiet Normal Boot Priority Shortcut F3 Advanced Mode F7 ATA Information Default Fo Power z i Saving mode Se ASUS Optimal mode Loads optimized default Advanced mode P y N mod ormal mode functions Selects the boot device Displays the system Advanced mode priority properties menus LA The boot device options vary depending on the devices you installed to the system The Boot Menu F8 button is available only when the boot device is installed to the System Advanced Mode The Advanced Mode provides advanced options for experienced end users to configure the BIOS settings The figure belo
49. n you set Launch CSM to Enabled Boot Device Control UEFI and Legacy OpROM Allows you to select the type of devices that you want to boot up Configuration options UEFI and Legacy OpROM Legacy OpROM only UEFI only Boot from Network Devices Legacy OpROM first Allows you to select the type of network devices that you want to launch Configuration options Legacy OpROM first UEFI driver first Ignore Boot from Storage Devices Legacy OpROM first Allows you to select the type of storage devices that you want to launch Configuration options Both Legacy OpROM first Both UEFI first Legacy OpROM first UEFI driver first Ignore Boot from PCle PCI Expansion Devices Legacy OpROM first Allows you to select the type of PCle PCI expansion devices that you want to launch Configuration options Legacy OpROM first UEFI driver first 2 8 9 Secure Boot Allows you to configure the Windows Secure Boot settings and manage its keys to protect the system from unauthorized access and malwares during POST OS Type Windows UE Allows you to select your installed operating system Windows UEFI mode Executes the Microsoft Secure Boot check Only select this option when booting on Windows UEFI mode or other Microsoft Secure Boot compliant OS Other OS Get the optimized function when booting on Windows non UEFI mode Windows Vista XP or other Microsoft Secure Boot non compliant OS Only on Windows UEFI mode
50. nctions delete Za cut copy and paste You can only use the English letters to type your notes Last Modified button This button shows the items that you last modified and saved in BIOS Setup ASUS A88X PLUS 2 9 2 3 My Favorites MyFavorites is your personal space where you can easily save and access your favorite BIOS items O Bot Adding items to My Favorites To add frequently used BIOS items to My Favorites 1 Use the arrow keys to select an item that you want to add When using a mouse hover the pointer to the item 2 Press F4 on your keyboard or right click on your mouse to add the item to My Favorites page A You cannot add the following items to My Favorites Items with submenu options User configurable items such as language and boot device order Configuration items such as Memory SPD Information system time and date 2 10 Chapter 2 BIOS information 2 4 Main menu The Main menu screen appears when you enter the Advanced Mode of the BIOS Setup program The Main menu provides you an overview of the basic system information and allows you to set the system date time language and security settings ASUS UEF BIOS Utility Adva 1 Mode We My Favorites amp fi Tweaker Se Advanced GF Monitor W Boot 2 4 1 System Language English Allows you to choose the BIOS language version from the options Configuration options English Francais Deutsch 846732 8888 rh 30 F2
51. ndard s Operation is subject to the following two conditions 1 this device may not cause interference and 2 this device must accept any interference including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device Cut appareil num rique de la Classe B est conforme la norme NMB 003 du Canada Cet appareil num rique de la Classe B respecte toutes les exigences du R glement sur le mat riel brouilleur du Canada Cet appareil est conforme aux normes CNR exemptes de licence d Industrie Canada Le fonctionnement est soumis aux deux conditions suivantes 1 cet appareil ne doit pas provoquer d interf rences et 2 cet appareil doit accepter toute interf rence y compris celles susceptibles de provoquer un fonctionnement non souhait de l appareil ASUS A88X PLUS A 1 A 2 Canadian Department of Communications Statement This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications This class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES 003 VCCI Japan Compliance Statement VCCI Class B Statement tit PR AUER ERES PLU Uk AFB AR A KT CORRI PRLEREF SARS AT AMBMA VCC DAET 7 2 A BEM TY LOWEXEERRCTEHSRhSILEH EELTCOR3TA CORMMMIVASFLEY 3VERUBMCERUCERESRnEE RRECSBIETLTIEDS DiT EUREEIS SEO CIELGE ORO EL CT Sn KC Korea Warning Statement Ba 7171 ARS WV 47 2 4 e AlE 7
52. ng the system performance Press Enter and select OK to start automatic overclocking 2 5 8 DRAM Timing Control The sub items in this menu allow you to set the DRAM timing control features Use the lt gt and keys to adjust the value To restore the default setting type auto using the keyboard and press Enters Changing the values in this menu may cause the system to become unstable If this happens revert to the default settings 2 5 9 APU Voltage Offset Mode Offset Mode To offset the voltage by a positive or negative value CPU Offset Mode Sign To offset the voltage by a positive value H To offset the voltage by a negative value CPU Offset Voltage Auto Allows you to set the CPU Offset voltage The values range from 0 00625V to 0 36250V with a 0 000625V interval Refer to the CPU documentation before setting the CPU voltage Setting a high voltage may damage the CPU permanently and setting a low voltage may make the system unstable VDDNB Offset Mode Sign To offset the voltage by a positive value H To offset the voltage by a negative value VDDNB Offset Voltage Auto Allows you to set the VDDNB Offset voltage The values range from 0 00625V to 0 37500V with a 0 000625V interval ASUS A88X PLUS 2 15 2 16 2 5 10 DRAM Voltage Auto Allows you to set the DRAM voltage The values range from 1 35V to 1 70V with a 0 005V interval 2 5 11 B 1 1V Voltage Auto Allow
53. o the Tool menu to select ASUS EZ Flash Utility and press Enter to enable it 3 Press Tab to switch to the Drive field 4 Press the Up Down arrow keys to find the USB flash disk that contains the latest BIOS and then press Enter 5 Press Tab to switch to the Folder Info field 6 Press the Up Down arrow keys to find the BIOS file and then press Enter to perform the BIOS update process Reboot the system when the update process is done A This function supports USB flash disks formatted using FAT32 16 on a single partition only Ensure to load the BIOS default settings to ensure system compatibility and stability Select the Load Optimized Defaults item under the Exit menu DONOT shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS to prevent system boot failure UEFI BIOS Utility Advanced Mode Select or Load Tab tch Up Daw p ome End Move ESC Exit 2 2 Chapter 2 BIOS information 2 1 3 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility The ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 is an auto recovery tool that allows you to restore the BIOS file when it fails or gets corrupted during the updating process You can restore a corrupted BIOS file using the motherboard support DVD or a USB flash drive that contains the updated BIOS file A Before using this utility rename the BIOS file in the removable device into A88XPLUS CAP The BIOS file in the support DVD may not be the latest version Download the latest BIOS file f
54. o the socket to prevent bending the pins and damaging the APU com IL O a sus go Lenis KO o Ses pui om A88X PLUS CPU socket FM2 ASUS A88X PLUS 1 3 APU installation 1 3 1 Chapter 1 Product introduction 14 1 3 2 APU heatsink and fan assembly installation Apply the Thermal Interface Material S to the APU heatsink and APU before you install the heatsink and fan if necessary ASUS A88X PLUS 1 5 To uninstall the APU heatsink and fan assembly Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 4 1 4 1 System memory Overview This motherboard comes with four Double Data Rate 3 DDR3 Dual Inline Memory Modules DIMM sockets A DDR3 module has the same physical dimensions as a DDR2 DIMM but is notched differently to prevent installation on a DDR2 DIMM socket DDR3 modules are developed for better performance with less power consumption The figure illustrates the location of the DDR3 DIMM sockets Channel A DIMM_A1 and DIMM_A2 Channel B DIMM_B1 and DIMM_B2 ERS E 2 z 8 E3 R l O H a 1E JE mmm Channel Sockets Sess A88X PLUS 240 pin DDR3 DIMM sockets 1 4 2 Memory configurat
55. ol PS 2 devices will be available during POST at any circumstances This process will extend POST time Disabled For the fastest POST time all PS 2 devices will not be available until your computer enters the operating system Network Stack Driver Support Disabled Disabled Select to skip the network stack driver from loading during POST Enabled Select to load the network stack driver during POST Next Boot after AC Power Loss Normal Boot Normal Boot Returns to normal boot on the next boot after AC power loss Fast Boot Accelerates the boot speed on the next boot after AC power loss ASUS A88X PLUS 2 27 2 28 2 8 2 Boot Logo Display Auto Auto Adjust automatically for Windows requrement Full Screen Maximize the boot logo size Disabled Hide the logo during POST POST Delay Time 3 sec This item appears only when you set Full Screen Logo to Enabled This item allows you to select the desired additional POST waiting time to easily enter the BIOS setup You can only execute the POST delay time during Normal Boot The values range from 0 to 10 seconds L This feature will only work under normal boot Post Report 5 sec This item appears only when you set Full Screen Logo to Disabled This item allows you to select a desired post report waiting time Configuration options 1 10 Until Press ESC 2 8 3 Bootup NumLock State On On Sets the power on state of the NumLock to On Off Se
56. ots and test the next set of failsafe settings The blinking speed ofthe DRAM LED increases indicating different test processes Due to memory tuning requirement the system automatically reboots when each timing set is tested If the installed DIMMs still fail to boot after the whole tuning process the DRAM LED lights continuously Replace the DIMMs with ones recommended in the Memory QVL Qualified Vendors Lists in this user manual or on the ASUS website at www asus com If you turn off the computer and replace DIMMs during the tuning process the system continues memory tuning after turning on the computer To stop memory tuning turn off the computer and unplug the power cord for about 5 10 seconds If your system fail to boot due to BIOS overclocking press the MemOK switch to boot and load BIOS default settings A message will appear during POST reminding you that the BIOS has been restored to its default settings We recommend that you download and update to the latest BIOS version from the ASUS website at www asus com after using the MemOK function Chapter 1 Product introduction 2 1 10 GPU Boost switch This switch allows you to enable or disable the GPU Boost function E O CoE o MT H cec HR ym GPU Boost Disable Enable Default A88X PLUS GPU Boost switch Standby Power LED Onboard LEDs T
57. porting Technology is a monitor system When read write of your hard disk errors occur this feature allows the hard disk to report warning messages during the POST Configuration options Enabled Disabled 2 6 3 USB Configuration The items in this menu allow you to change the USB related features KA The USB Devices item shows the auto detected values If no USB device is detected the item shows None USB Device Enable Enabled Allows you to enable or disable all USB ports Configuration options Disabled Enabled Legacy USB Support Enabled Enabled Enables the support for USB devices on legacy operating systems OS Disabled The USB devices can be used only for the BIOS setup program Auto Allows the system to detect the presence of USB devices at startup If detected the USB controller legacy mode is enabled If no USB device is detected the legacy USB support is disabled EHCI Hand off Disabled Enabled Enables the support for operating systems without an EHCI hand off feature Disabled Disables the function USB Single Port Control Allows you to enable disable individual USB ports USB3 1 2 3 4 Enabled Allows you to enable or disable an individual USB 3 0 port Refer to the section 1 2 3 Motherboard layout in this user manual for the locations of the USB ports Configuration options Enabled Disabled USB5 10 Enabled Allows you to enable or disable an individual USB port Refer to the se
58. ress Enter BIOS Updater checks the selected BIOS file and prompts you to confirm BIOS update Are you sure to update BIOS 4 Select Yes and press Enter When BIOS update is done press lt ESC gt to exit BIOS Updater Restart your computer DO NOT shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS to prevent system boot ce failure aN For BIOS Updater version 1 30 or later the utility automatically exits to the DOS prompt after updating BIOS Ensureto load the BIOS default settings to ensure system compatibility and stability Select the Load Optimized Defaults item under the Exit menu Refer to section 2 10 Exit menu for details Ensure to connect all SATA hard disk drives after updating the BIOS file if you have disconnected them ASUS A88X PLUS 2 5 2 6 2 2 BIOS setup program Use the BIOS Setup program to update the BIOS or configure its parameters The BIOS screens include navigation keys and brief online help to guide you in using the BIOS Setup program Entering BIOS Setup at startup To enter BIOS Setup at startup Press Delete during the Power On Self Test POST If you do not press Delete POST continues with its routines Entering BIOS Setup after POST To enter BIOS Setup after POST Press lt Ctrl gt lt Alt gt lt Del gt simultaneously Press the reset button on the system chassis Press the power button to turn the system off then back on Do this option on
59. rmat 3 Turn off the computer and disconnect all SATA hard disk drives optional ASUS A88X PLUS 2 3 Booting the system to a DOS environment 1 Insert the USB flash drive with the latest BIOS file and BIOS Updater to the USB port 2 Boot your computer When the ASUS Logo appears press F8 to show the BIOS Boot Device Select Menu Insert the support DVD into the optical drive and select the optical drive as the boot device SATA XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX USB XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX UEFI XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Enter Setup 3 When the Make Disk menu appears select the FreeDOS command prompt item by pressing the item number 4 Atthe FreeDOS prompt type d and press Enter to switch the disk from Drive C optical drive to Drive D USB flash drive Welcome to FreeDOS http www freedos org C gt d D gt Updating the BIOS file To update the BIOS file using BIOS Updater 1 At the FreeDOS prompt type bupdater pc g and press lt Enter gt D gt bupdater pc g 2 The BIOS Updater screen appears as below ASUSTek BIOS Updater for DOS V1 30 E A88X PLUS BOARD Unknown 1 VER Unknown 07 08 2013 DATE Unknown A88XPLUS CAP 8194 2013 07 08 15 25 48 Enter Select or Load Tab Switch V Drive Info Up Down Home End Move B Backup Esc Exit 2 4 Chapter 2 BIOS information 3 Press Tab to switch between screen fields and use the Up Down Home End keys to select the BIOS file and p
60. rol parameters YA The following four items appear only when you set Q Fan Profile to Manual Q Fan Upper Temperature 70 Use the lt gt and lt gt keys to adjust the upper limit of the chassis temperature The values range from 40 C to 75 C Q Fan Max Duty Cycle 100 Use the lt gt and lt gt keys to adjust the maximum chassis fan duty cycle The values range from 60 to 100 When the chassis temperature reaches the upper limit the chassis fan will operate at the maximum duty cycle Q Fan Lower Temperature 40 Displays the lower limit of the chassis temperature Q Fan Min Duty Cycle 60 Use the lt gt and lt gt keys to adjust the minimum chassis fan duty cycle The values range from 60 to 100 When the chassis temperature is under 40 C the chassis fan will operate at the minimum duty cycle 2 7 5 CPU Voltage 3 3V Voltage 5V Voltage 12V Voltage The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the voltage output through the onboard voltage regulators Select Ignore if you do not want to detect this item ASUS A88X PLUS 2 25 2 76 Anti Surge Support Auto This item allows you to enable or disable the Anti Surge function Configuration options Auto Disabled Enabled 2 8 Boot menu The Boot menu items allow you to change the system boot options Soren cr UEFI SanD 2 26 Chapter 2 BIOS information 2 8 1 Fast Boot Enabled Enabled Select to accelerate
61. rom the ASUS website at www asus com Recovering the BIOS To recover the BIOS 1 Turn on the system 2 Insert the support DVD to the optical drive or the USB flash drive that contains the BIOS file to the USB port 3 The utility automatically checks the devices for the BIOS file When found the utility reads the BIOS file and enters ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility automatically 4 The system requires you to enter BIOS Setup to recover BIOS settings To ensure System compatibility and stability we recommend that you press F5 to load default BIOS values DO NOT shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS Doing so can cause 3 system boot failure 2 1 4 ASUS BIOS Updater The ASUS BIOS Updater allows you to update BIOS in a DOS environment This utility also allows you to copy the current BIOS file that you can use as a backup when the BIOS fails or gets corrupted during the updating process YA The succeeding utility screens are for reference only The actual utility screen displays may not be same as shown Before updating BIOS 1 Prepare the motherboard support DVD and a USB flash drive formatted using FAT32 16 on a single partition 2 Download the latest BIOS file and BIOS Updater from the ASUS website at http support asus com and save them on the USB flash drive aN NTFS is not supported under DOS environment Do not save the BIOS file and BIOS Updater to a hard disk drive or USB flash drive in NTFS fo
62. s damaged or missing contact your retailer Ng A88X PLUS specifications summary Chipset Graphics Expansion slots AMD FM2 socket for AMD A Series Athlon series processors Supports CPU up to 4 cores AMD Turbo Core Technology 3 0 support The AMD Turbo Core Technology 3 0 support depends on the APU types Refer to www asus com for the AMD APU support list AMD A88X FCH 4 x DIMMs Max 64GB DDR 2400 0 C 2250 O C 2200 0 C 2133 1866 1600 1333 MHz non ECC Unbuffered Memory Dual channel memory architecture Support AMD Memory Profile AMP memory Hyper DIMM support is subject to the physical characteristics of indivudal APUs The maximum 64GB memory capacity can be supported with 16GB or above DIMMs ASUS will update the memory QVL once the DIMMs are available in the market Refer to www asus com for the latest Memory QVL Qualified Vendors List Integrated AMD Radeon HD 8000 7000 Series Graphics in A Series APU Multi VGA output support HDMI DVI RGB ports Supports HDMI with max resolution of 1920x1200 60Hz Supports DVI with max resolution of 2560x1600 60Hz Supports RGB with max resolution of 1920x1600 60Hz Maximum shared memory of 2048MB Supports AMD Dual Graphics technology Refer to http www amd com us products technologies dual graphics Pages dual graphics aspx 3 for the discrete GPUs that support Dual Graphics technology 1 x PCI E
63. s you to set the Southbridge 1 1V voltage The values range from 1 10V to 1 20V with a 0 01V interval 2 4 12 1 1VSB Voltage Auto Allows you to set the 1 1VSB voltage The values range from 1 1V to 1 4V with a 0 1V interval 2 413 APU1 2V Voltage Auto Allows you to set the APU Accelerated Processor Unit 1 2V voltage The values range from 1 20V to 1 40V with a 0 01V interval 2 414 VDDA Voltage Auto Allows you to set the VDDA voltage The values range from 2 5V to 2 8V with a 0 1V interval KA The values of the CPU Offset Voltage VDDNB Offset Voltage DRAM Voltage SB 1 1V Voltage 1 1 VSB Voltage APU1 2V Voltage and VDDA Voltage items are labeled in different color indicating the risk levels of high voltage settings The system may need better cooling system to work stably under high voltage settings 2 5 15 DIGI VRM CPU Load Line Calibration Auto Load line Calibration is defined by AMD VRM specifications and affects CPU voltage The CPU working voltage will decrease proportionally to CPU loading Higher load line calibration would get higher voltage and better overclocking performance but increase the CPU and VRM thermal This item allows you to adjust the voltage range from the following percentages to boost the system performance 0 Regular 60 Medium 80 High and 100 Extreme Configuration options Auto Regular Medium High Extreme YA The actual performance boost may vary depending
64. teps as in changing an administrator password but press Enter when prompted to create confirm the password After you clear the password the Administrator Password item on top of the screen shows Not Installed User Password If you have set a user password you must enter the user password for accessing the system The User Password item on top of the screen shows the default Not Installed After you set a password this item shows Installed To set a user password 1 Select the User Password item and press Enter 2 From the Create New Password box key in a password then press Enter 3 Confirm the password when prompted To change a user password 1 Select the User Password item and press Enter 2 From the Enter Current Password box key in the current password then press Enter 3 From the Create New Password box key in a new password then press Enter 4 Confirm the password when prompted To clear the user password follow the same steps as in changing a user password but press Enter when prompted to create confirm the password After you clear the password the User Password item on top of the screen shows Not Installed Chapter 2 BIOS information 2 5 Ai Tweaker menu The Ai Tweaker menu items allow you to configure overclocking related items Be cautious when changing the settings of the Ai Tweaker menu items Incorrect field values can cause the system to malfunction The conf
65. that Microsoft Secure Boot can function properly Ff The following item appears when OS Type is set to Windows UEFI mode Key Management This item appears only when you set OS Type to Windows UEFI mode It allows you to manage the Secure Boot keys ASUS A88X PLUS 2 29 2 30 Install Default Secure Boot keys Allows you to immediately load the default Security Boot keys Platform key PK Key exchange Key KEK Signature database db and Revoked Signatures dbx When the default Secure boot keys are loaded the PK state will change from Unloaded mode to loaded mode Clear Secure Boot keys This item appears only when you load the default Secure Boot keys This item allows you to clear all default Secure Boot keys Save Secure Boot Keys Allows you to save the PK Platform Keys to a USB storage device PK Management The Platform Key PK locks and secures the firmware from any non permissible changes The system verifies the PK before your system enters the OS KA Delete PK Allows you to delete the PK from your system Once the PK is deleted all the system s Secure Boot keys will not be active Configuration options Yes No Load PK from File Allows you to load the downloaded PK from a USB storage device The PK file must be formatted as a UEFI variable structure with time based authenticated variable KEK Management The KEK Key exchange Key or Key Enrollment Key manages the Signature database db and
66. to CRT and isn t compatible with DVI I 13 HDMI port This port is for a High Definition Multimedia Interface HDMI connector and is HDCP compliant allowing playback of HD DVD Blu ray and other protected content 14 USB 2 0 ports 3 and 4 These two 4 pin Universal Serial Bus USB ports are for USB 2 0 1 1 devices ASUS A88X PLUS 1 13 1 7 2 Internal connector S 1 CPUandchassis fan connectors 4 pin CPU FAN and 4 pin CHA FAN Connect the fan cables to the fan c onnectors on the motherboard ensuring that the black wire of each cable matches the ground pin of the connector CHA FAN2 CPU FAN HE m m a TITI zxo zz 9 26 zz sf FEE o o CHA x zz zz EE Qaa ZIIO ooo 0 m E soono A88X PLUS Fan connectors GND CPU FAN IN CPU FAN PWM CPU FAN PWR n 3 z s DO NOT forget to connect the an cables to the fan connectors Insufficient air flow inside the system may damage the motherboard components These are not jumpers DO NOT place jumper caps on the fan connectors KA The CPU FAN connector 2 Digital audio connector 4 1 pin This connector is for an additional aa E o supports a CPU fan of maximum 2A 24W fan power Only the 4 pin CPU FAN and CHA Fan2 support the
67. ts the power on state of the NumLock to Off 2 8 4 Wait for F1 If Error Enabled When this item is set to Enabled the system waits for the F1 key to be pressed when error occurs Configuration options Disabled Enabled 2 8 5 Option ROM Messages Force BIOS Force BIOS The third party ROM messages will be forced to display during the boot sequence Keep Current The third party ROM messages will be displayed only if the third party manufacturer had set the add on device to do so 2 8 6 Interrupt 19 Capture Disabled Enabled Allows the option ROMs to trap Interrupt 19 Disabled Disables this function 2 8 7 Setup Mode EZ Mode Advanced Mode Sets Advanced Mode as the default screen for entering the BIOS setup program EZ Mode Sets EZ Mode as the default screen for entering the BIOS setup program 2 8 8 CSM Compatibility Support Module Allows you to configure the CSM Compatibility Support Module items to fully support the various VGA bootable devices and add on devices for better compatibility Launch CSM Enabled Auto The system automatically detects the bootable devices and the add on devices Chapter 2 BIOS information Enabled For better compatibility enable the CSM to fully support the non UEFI driver add on devices or the Windows UEFI mode Disabled Disable the CSM to fully support the Windows Security Update and Security Boot YA The following four items appear whe
68. u screen means that the item has a submenu To display the submenu select the item and press lt Enter gt Chapter 2 BIOS information Pop up window Select a menu item and press Enter to display a pop up window with the configuration options for that item Scroll bar A scroll bar appears on the right side of a menu screen when there are items that do not fit on the screen Press the Up Down arrow keys or Page Ups Page Down keys to display the other items on the screen Navigation keys At the bottom right corner of the menu screen are the navigation keys for the BIOS setup program Use the navigation keys to select items in the menu and change the settings For the navigation key it s only available in English If you delete the default shortcuts they will appear on your next system bootup General help At the top right corner of the menu screen is a brief description of the selected item Configuration fields These fields show the values for the menu items If an item is user configurable you can change the value of the field opposite the item You cannot select an item that is not user configurable A configurable field is highlighted when selected To change the value of a field select it and press Enter to display a list of options Quick Note button This button allows you to enter notes of the activities that you have done in BIOS YA The Quick Note function does not support the following keyboard fu
69. ug can provide at least 15 A on 12 V and that the PSU has a minimum power rating of 300W The system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is inadequate DO NOT forget to connect the 4 pin ATX 12V power plug Otherwise the system will not boot up We recommend that you use a PSU with higher power output when configuring a system with more power consuming devices or when you intend to install additional devices The system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is inadequate If you are uncertain about the minimum power supply requirement for your system refer to the Recommended Power Supply Wattage Calculator at http support asus com PowerSupplyCalculator PSCalculator aspx SLanguagezen us for details ASUS A88X PLUS 1 15 1 16 3 Serial ATA 6 0 Gb s connectors 7 pin SATA6G 1 8 These connectors are for the Serial ATA 6 0 Gb s signal cables for Serial ATA hard disk drives and optical disc drives If you installed Serial ATA hard disk drives you can create a RAID 0 RAID 1 RAID 5 RAID 10 and JBOD configuration through the onboard controller SATA6G 8 RSATA TxP8 RSATA TXNB GND RSATA RXNB RSATA_RXP8 a SATA6G 7 RSATA TXPT RSATA TXNT RSATA_RXN7 SATA RXP7 SATA6G_4 SATA6G 5 SATAGG 6 l l 1 GND GND O RSATA_RXN4 GND GND GND e n RSATA RXP2 J gt RSATA TXP5 E OD nsATA RXN5 Ci e N v RSAT
70. ving the motherboard Failure to do so can cause you physical injury and damage to motherboard components 1 2 1 Placement direction When installing the motherboard place it into the chassis in the correct orientation The edge with external ports goes to the rear part of the chassis as indicated in the image 1 2 2 Screw holes Place six screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the motherboard to the chassis Do not overtighten the screws Doing so can damage the motherboard ASUS A88X PLUS zo Place this side towards the rear of the chassis ASUS A88X PLUS O 1 2 3 Motherboard layout o 0009 0 22 6cm 8 9in le GPU_Bdost A pana pana E KBMS USB34 ci CHA_FAN2 CPU FAN GPU LED oii E HDMI UL ATX12V illilslls 81 8 8 E JE E E slle
71. w shows an example of the Advanced Mode Refer to the following sections for the detailed configurations YA To access the EZ Mode click Exit then select ASUS EZ Mode or press F7 ASUS A88X PLUS Back button Menu items Menu bar Configuration fields General help FERGUS UEFIB We My Fav Launch Realtek PXE OPROM serial Port Navigation keys Last modified Submenu item Pop up window settings Guisicngis Menu bar The menu bar on top of the screen has the following main items My Favorites For saving the frequently used system settings and configuration For changing the basic system configuration Ai Tweaker For changing the overclocking settings Advanced For changing the advanced system settings Monitor For displaying the system temperature power status and changing the fan settings For changing the system boot configuration For configuring options for special functions For selecting the exit options and loading default settings Menu items The highlighted item on the menu bar displays the specific items for that menu For example selecting Main shows the Main menu items The other items Ai Tweaker Advanced Monitor Boot Tool and Exit on the menu bar have their respective menu items Back button This button appears when entering a submenu Press Esc or use the USB mouse to click this button to return to the previous menu screen Submenu items A greater than sign gt before each item on any men
72. xpress 3 0 2 0 x16 slot x16 mode 1 x PCI Express 2 0 x16 slot 9x4 mode 2 x PCI Express 2 0 x1 slots 3 x PCI slots Only FM2 processors can support PCle 3 0 Realtek 8111G PCle Gigabit LAN controller continued on the next page A88X PLUS specifications summary Storage AMD A88X FCH Bolton D4 chipset 8x Serial ATA 6 Gb s connectors yellow with RAID O 1 5 10 and JBOD support Realtek ALC887 VD 7 1 Channel High Definition Audio CODEC Optical S PDIF out port at back I O Supports Jack Detection Multi Streaming and Front Panel Jack Retasking AMD A88X FCH Bolton D4 chipset 4x USB 3 0 ports 2 ports at the back panel blue 2 ports at mid board 10x USB 2 0 ports 4 ports at the back panel 6 ports at mid board ASUS unique ASUS 5X Protection features ASUS motherboards safeguard your PC with 5X Protection DIGI VRM DRAM Fuse ESD Guards High Quality Solid Capacitors and Stainless Steel Back I O to ensure the best quality reliability and durability ASUS DIGI VRM ASUS DIGI PVRM Digital Power Design for APU ASUS DRAM Fuse Enhanced DRAM overcurrent protection and short circui damage prevention ASUS ESD Guards Strong ESD Protection for extended component lifespan ASUS High Quality Solid Capacitors 2 5x Long Lifespan with excellent durability ASUS Stainless Steel Back I O 3x More durable corrosion resistant coating ASUS Exclusive Features ASUS EPU ASUS
73. you set the time to zero the RTC alarms everyday Use lt gt and lt gt keys to adjust the time Hour Minute Second Allows you to set the RTC alarm time Use lt gt and lt gt keys to adjust the time Chapter 2 BIOS information 2 6 7 Network Stack Network Stack Disabled This item allows user to disable or enable the UEFI network stack Configuration options Disabled Enabled YA The following two items appear only when you set the previous item to Enabled Ipv4 PXE Support Enabled This item allows user to disable or enable the Ipv4 PXE Boot support Configuration options Disabled Enable Ipv6 PXE Support Enabled This item allows user to disable or enable the Ipv6 PXE Boot support Configuration options Disabled Enabled 2 7 Monitor menu The Monitor menu displays the system temperature power status and allows you to change the fan settings ASUS UEF BIOS Utility Advanced Mode W Boot CPU Temperature w Limit w Limit ASUS A88X PLUS 2 23 2 24 Scroll down to display the following items 2 7 1 CPU Temperature MB Temperature xxx C xxx F The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the CPU and motherboard temperatures Select Ignore if you do not wish to display the detected temperatures 2 7 2 CPU Chassis Fan 1 2 Speed xxxx RPM or Ignore N A The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the CPU

ASUS A88X-Plus User's Manual

Contents

Download Pdf Manuals

Related Search

Related Contents