ASRock h81m: Chapter 2 Installation

Chapter 2 Installation: ASRock h81m

Chapter 2 Installation

is is a Micro ATX form factor motherboard. Before you install the motherboard,

study the conguration of your chassis to ensure that the motherboard ts into it.

Pre-installation Precautions

Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard components

or change any motherboard settings.

•

Make sure to unplug the power cord before installing or removing the motherboard.

Failure to do so may cause physical injuries to you and damages to motherboard

components.

•

In order to avoid damage from static electricity to the motherboard’s components,

NEVER place your motherboard directly on a carpet. Also remember to use a grounded

wrist strap or touch a safety grounded object before you handle the components.

•

Hold components by the edges and do not touch the ICs.

•

Whenever you uninstall any components, place them on a grounded anti-static pad or

in the bag that comes with the components.

•

When placing screws to secure the motherboard to the chassis, please do not over-

tighten the screws! Doing so may damage the motherboard.

H81M

2.1 Installing the CPU

1. Before you insert the 1150-Pin CPU into the socket, please check if the PnP cap is on

the socket, if the CPU surface is unclean, or if there are any bent pins in the socket.

Do not force to insert the CPU into the socket if above situation is found. Otherwise,

the CPU will be seriously damaged.

2. Unplug all power cables before installing the CPU.

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A

B

2

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4

5

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H81M

Please save and replace the cover if the processor is removed. e cover must be placed

if you wish to return the motherboard for aer service.

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2.2 Installing the CPU Fan and Heatsink

1 2

FAN

CPU_

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H81M

2.3 Installing Memory Modules (DIMM)

is motherboard provides two 240-pin DDR3 (Double Data Rate 3) DIMM slots,

and supports Dual Channel Memory Technology.

1. For dual channel conguration, you always need to install identical (the same

brand, speed, size and chip-type) DDR3 DIMM pairs.

2. It is unable to activate Dual Channel Memory Technology with only one memory

module installed.

3. It is not allowed to install a DDR or DDR2 memory module into a DDR3 slot;

otherwise, this motherboard and DIMM may be damaged.

e DIMM only ts in one correct orientation. It will cause permanent damage to

the motherboard and the DIMM if you force the DIMM into the slot at incorrect

orientation.

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2.4 Expansion Slots (PCI and PCI Express Slots)

ere are 2 PCI slots and 2 PCI Express slots on the motherboard.

Before installing an expansion card, please make sure that the power supply is

switched o or the power cord is unplugged. Please read the documentation of the

expansion card and make necessary hardware settings for the card before you start

the installation.

PCI slot:

e PCI1 and PCI2 slots are used to install expansion cards that have 32-bit PCI

interface.

PCIe slots:

PCIE1 (PCIe 2.0 x16 slot) is used for PCI Express x16 lane width graphics cards.

PCIE2 (PCIe 2.0 x16 slot) is used for PCI Express x4 lane width graphics cards.

PCIe Slot Congurations

PCIE1 PCIE2

Single Graphics Card x16 N/A

Two Graphics Cards in

x16 x4

TM

CrossFireX

Mode

For a better thermal environment, please connect a chassis fan to the motherboard’s

chassis fan connector (CHA_FAN1 or CHA_FAN2) when using multiple graphics

cards.

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2.5 Jumpers Setup

e illustration shows how jumpers are setup. When the jumper cap is placed on

the pins, the jumper is “Short”. If no jumper cap is placed on the pins, the jumper

is “Open”. e illustration shows a 3-pin jumper whose pin1 and pin2 are “Short

when a jumper cap is placed on these 2 pins.

Clear CMOS Jumper

(CLRCMOS1)

Clear CMOSDefault

(see p.10, No. 12)

CLRCMOS1 allows you to clear the data in CMOS. To clear and reset the system

parameters to default setup, please turn o the computer and unplug the power

cord from the power supply. Aer waiting for 15 seconds, use a jumper cap to

short pin2 and pin3 on CLRCMOS1 for 5 seconds. However, please do not clear

the CMOS right aer you update the BIOS. If you need to clear the CMOS when

you just nish updating the BIOS, you must boot up the system rst, and then shut

it down before you do the clear-CMOS action. Please be noted that the password,

date, time, and user default prole will be cleared only if the CMOS battery is

removed.

If you clear the CMOS, the case open may be detected. Please adjust the BIOS option

“Clear Status” to clear the record of previous chassis intrusion status.

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H81M

2.6 Onboard Headers and Connectors

Onboard headers and connectors are NOT jumpers. Do NOT place jumper caps over

these headers and connectors. Placing jumper caps over the headers and connectors

will cause permanent damage to the motherboard.

System Panel Header

Connect the power

(9-pin PANEL1)

switch, reset switch and

(see p.10, No. 13)

system status indicator on

the chassis to this header

according to the pin

assignments below. Note

the positive and negative

pins before connecting

the cables.

PWRBTN (Power Switch):

Connect to the power switch on the chassis front panel. You may congure the way to

turn o your system using the power switch.

RESET (Reset Switch):

Connect to the reset switch on the chassis front panel. Press the reset switch to restart

the computer if the computer freezes and fails to perform a normal restart.

PLED (System Power LED):

Connect to the power status indicator on the chassis front panel. e LED is on when

the system is operating. e LED keeps blinking when the system is in S1/S3 sleep state.

e LED is o when the system is in S4 sleep state or powered o (S5).

HDLED (Hard Drive Activity LED):

Connect to the hard drive activity LED on the chassis front panel. e LED is on when

the hard drive is reading or writing data.

e front panel design may dier by chassis. A front panel module mainly consists

of power switch, reset switch, power LED, hard drive activity LED, speaker and etc.

When connecting your chassis front panel module to this header, make sure the wire

assignments and the pin assignments are matched correctly.

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Serial ATA2 Connectors

ese two SATA2

(SATA_4:

connectors support SATA

see p.10, No. 8)

SATA_5

SATA_4

data cables for internal

(SATA_5:

storage devices with up to

see p.10, No. 7)

3.0 Gb/s data transfer rate.

Serial ATA3 Connectors

ese two SATA3

(SATA_0:

connectors support SATA

see p.10, No. 9)

SATA_1

SATA_0

data cables for internal

(SATA_1:

storage devices with up to

see p.10, No. 10)

6.0 Gb/s data transfer rate.

USB 2.0 Headers

Besides four USB 2.0 ports

(9-pin USB6_7)

on the I/O panel, there

(see p.10, No. 15)

are two headers on this

(9-pin USB8_9)

motherboard. Each USB

(see p.10, No. 16)

2.0 header can support

two ports.

USB 3.0 Header

Besides two USB 3.0 ports

(19-pin USB3_2_3)

on the I/O panel, there

(see p.10, No. 11)

is one header on this

motherboard. Each USB

3.0 header can support

two ports.

Front Panel Audio Header

is header is for

(9-pin HD_AUDIO1)

connecting audio devices

(see p.10, No. 23)

to the front audio panel.

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H81M

1. High Denition Audio supports Jack Sensing, but the panel wire on the chassis must

support HDA to function correctly. Please follow the instructions in our manual and

chassis manual to install your system.

2. If you use an AC’97 audio panel, please install it to the front panel audio header by

the steps below:

A. Connect Mic_IN (MIC) to MIC2_L.

B. Connect Audio_R (RIN) to OUT2_R and Audio_L (LIN) to OUT2_L.

C. Connect Ground (GND) to Ground (GND).

D. MIC_RET and OUT_RET are for the HD audio panel only. You don’t need to

connect them for the AC’97 audio panel.

E. To activate the front mic, go to the “FrontMic” Tab in the Realtek Control panel

and adjust “Recording Volume”.

Chassis Speaker Header

Please connect the chassis

(4-pin SPEAKER1)

speaker to this header.

(see p.10, No. 14)

SPDIF Out Connector

Please connect the

(2-pin SPDIF_OUT1)

SPDIF_OUT connector of

(see p.10, No. 24)

a HDMI VGA card to this

header with a cable.

Chassis and Power Fan

Please connect fan cables

Connectors

to the fan connectors and

(4-pin CHA_FAN1)

match the black wire to

(see p.10, No. 197)

the ground pin.

(3-pin CHA_FAN2)

(see p.10, No. 25)

(3-pin PWR_FAN1)

(see p.10, No. 4)

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CPU Fan Connectors

is motherboard pro-

(4-pin CPU_FAN1)

vides a 4-Pin CPU fan

(see p.10, No. 2)

(Quiet Fan) connector.

If you plan to connect a

(3-pin CPU_FAN2)

3-Pin CPU fan, please

(see p.10, No. 3)

connect it to Pin 1-3.

ATX Power Connector

is motherboard pro-

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(24-pin ATXPWR1)

vides a 24-pin ATX power

(see p.10, No. 6)

connector. To use a 20-pin

ATX power supply, please

plug it along Pin 1 and Pin

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13

13.

ATX 12V Power

is motherboard pro-

Connector

vides an 8-pin ATX 12V

(8-pin ATX12V1)

power connector. To use a

(see p.10, No. 1)

4-pin ATX power supply,

please plug it along Pin 1

and Pin 5.

Infrared Module Header

IRTX

is header supports an optional

+5VSB

DUMMY

(5-pin IR1)

wireless transmitting and

(see p.10, No. 21)

receiving infrared module.

1

GND

IRRX

Serial Port Header

is COM1 header

(9-pin COM1)

supports a serial port

(see p.10, No. 20)

module.

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GND

+12V

FAN_SPEED

GND

+12V

CPU_FAN_SPEED

FAN_SPEED_CONTROL

5

1

8

4

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Chassis Intrusion Header

is motherboard

(2-pin CI1)

supports CASE OPEN

(see p.10, No. 22)

detection feature that

detects if the chassis cove

has been removed. is

feature requires a chassis

with chassis intrusion

detection design.

TPM Header

is connector supports

(17-pin TPMS1)

Trusted Platform Module

(see p.10, No. 18)

(TPM) system, which can

securely store keys, digital

certicates, passwords,

and data. A TPM system

also helps enhance

network security, protects

digital identities, and

ensures platform integrity.

Print Port Header

AF D #

is is an interface

ER R OR#

PI N IT#

(25-pin LPT1)

SL I N#

GN D

for print port cable

(see p.10, No. 19)

that allows convenient

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SP D 7

SP D 6

AC K #

connection of printer

SP D 5

BU S Y

SP D 4

PE

SP D 3

SL C T

SP D 2

devices.

SP D 1

SP D 0

ST B #

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TM

TM

2.7 CrossFireX

and Quad CrossFireX

Operation Guide

TM

TM

is motherboard supports CrossFireX

and Quad CrossFireX

that allows you to

TM

install up to two identical PCI Express x16 graphics cards. Currently CrossFireX

TM

®

and Quad CrossFireX

are supported with Windows

7 / 7 64-bit / 8 / 8 64-bit OS.

TM

1. You should only use identical CrossFireX

-ready graphics cards that are AMD

certied.

TM

2. Make sure that your graphics card driver supports AMD CrossFireX

technology.

Download the drivers from the AMD’s website: www.amd.com

3. Make sure that your power supply unit (PSU) can provide at least the minimum

power your system requires. It is recommended to use a AMD certied PSU. Please

refer to the AMD’s website for details.

TM

4. If you pair a 12-pipe CrossFireX

Edition card with a 16-pipe card, both cards will

TM

operate as 12-pipe cards while in CrossFireX

mode.

TM

5. Dierent CrossFireX

cards may require dierent methods to enable CrossFi-

TM

reX

. Please refer to AMD graphics card manuals for detailed installation guide.

TM

2.7.1 Installing Two CrossFireX

-Ready Graphics Cards

Step 1

Insert one graphics card into PCIE1 slot

and the other graphics card to PCIE2 slot.

Make sure that the cards are properly

seated on the slots.

Step 2

Connect two graphics cards by installing

a CrossFire Bridge on the CrossFire Bridge

CrossFire Bridge

Interconnects on the top of the graphics

cards. (e CrossFire Bridge is provided

with the graphics card you purchase, not

bundled with this motherboard. Please

refer to your graphics card vendor for

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details.)

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H81M

Step 3

Connect a VGA cable or a DVI cable to the

monitor connector or the DVI connec-

tor of the graphics card that is inserted to

PCIE1 slot.

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2.7.2 Driver Installation and Setup

Step 1

Power on your computer and boot into OS.

Step 2

Remove the AMD drivers if you have any VGA drivers installed in your system.

e Catalyst Uninstaller is an optional download. We recommend using this utility to

uninstall any previously installed Catalyst drivers prior to installation. Please check

AMD’s website for AMD driver updates.

Step 3

Install the required drivers and CATALYST Control Center then restart your

computer. Please check AMD’s website for details.

Step 4

Double-click the AMD Catalyst Control

®

AMD Catalyst Control Center

Center icon in the Windows

system tray.

Step 5

In the le pane, click Performance and

TM

then AMD CrossFireX

. en select

Enable AMD CrossFireX and click Apply.

Select the GPU number according to your

graphics card and click Apply.

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