Important Information Copyright This publication, including all photographs, illustrations and software, is protected under international copyright laws, with all rights reserved. Neither this manual, nor any of the material contained herein, may be reproduced without the express written consent of the manufacturer. Version 1.0 Disclaimer The information in this document is subject to change without notice. The manufacturer makes no representations or warranties with respect to the contents hereof and specifically disclaims any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose. Further, the manufacturer reserves the right to revise this publication and to make changes from time to time in the content hereof without obligation of the manufacturer to notify any person of such revision or changes. i Trademark Recognition Microsoft, MS-DOS and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corp. MMX, Pentium, Pentium-II, Pentium-III, Celeron are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation. Other product names used in this manual are the properties of their respective owners and are acknowledged. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) 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 residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the 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 the receiver. ! Connect the equipment onto 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. Shielded interconnect cables and a shielded AC power cable must be employed with this equipment to ensure compliance with the pertinent RF emission limits governing this device. Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the system's manufacturer could void the user's authority to operate the equipment. ii Declaration of Conformity This device complies with part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the following conditions: ! This device may not cause harmful interference, and ! This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. Canadian Department of Communications This class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-causing Equipment Regulations. Cet appareil numérique de la classe B respecte toutes les exigences du Réglement sur le matériel brouilieur du Canada. iii About the Manual The manual consists of the following chapters: Introduction Use the Introduction Chapter to learn about the features of the mainboard, and verify the checklist of items that are shipped with the package. Installation Use the Installation Chapter to learn how to install the mainboard and get your system up and running. Setup Use the Setup Chapter to configure the mainboard for optimum performance. Software Use the Software Chapter to learn how to install the software drivers and support programs that are provided with this mainboard. iv Contents Important Information Copyright Disclaimer Trademark Recognition Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Declaration of Conformity Canadian Department of Communications About the Manual CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Welcome Checklist Recommendations Features CHAPTER 2: INSTALLATION Quick Installation Table Quick Jumper Setting Reference Before You Begin Static Electricity Choosing a Case How to Set Jumpers Preparing the Mainboard Mainboard Guide I/O Ports Side View Check the Jumper Settings Installing the Mainboard in a Case Connecting Internal Components Installing Other Hardware Installing the Processor Install the Memory Modules Installing a Hard Disk Drive and CD-ROM Installing a Floppy Diskette Drive Using the Expansion Slots Add-in Card Options Making External Connections External Connector Color Coding CHAPTER 3: SETUP About the Setup Utility v i i i ii ii iii iii iv 1 1 2 3 4 7 7 8 12 12 12 13 14 14 16 17 21 22 24 24 26 28 31 32 35 37 38 39 39 Entering the Setup Utility BIOS Navigation Keys Using BIOS How to Flash a New BIOS Standard CMOS Setup Option Advanced CMOS Setup Option Advanced Chipset Features Option Integrated Peripherals Option Power Management Setup Option PNP/PCI Configuration Option PCI Health Status Option Frequency Control Option Load Fail-Safe Defaults Option Load Optimized Defaults Option Set Supervisor and User Passwords Options Save & Exit Setup Option Exit Without Saving Option CHAPTER 4: SOFTWARE Folders for this Mainboard Utility Folder Installation Notes Mainboard (MS7177C) Installation Notes APPENDIX: JUMPER SETTING REFERENCE Quick Jumper Setting Reference 40 41 42 43 44 47 51 55 58 64 66 67 68 68 69 70 70 71 71 72 74 75 75 vi Chapter 1: Introduction Welcome Congratulations on purchasing the MS7177C mainboard. The MS7177C mainboard is an ATX mainboard that uses a 4-layer printed circuit board and measures 304 mm x 220 mm. The mainboard features a Socket 370 that accommodates PPGA Celeron, FC-PGA Pentium III, and Cyrix III processors that support frontside bus (FSB) speeds up to 133 MHz. The MS7177C uses the VIA family chipset and features the AC 97 audio codec. The mainboard delivers high-level performance with a 4xAGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) slot and two PCI Bus Master Ultra DMA (UDMA) ports that support up to four ATAPI (AT Attachment Packet Interface) devices. The PCI IDE also supports PIO Mode 3 and 4, UDMA33/66 IDE (UDMA100 is optional), and an ATAPI CD-ROM. Note: The MS7177C supports two VIA South Bridge chipsets-- the VIA VT82C686A and the VIA VT82C686B. The VIA VT82C686A is standard and supports UDMA33/66. The VIA VT82C686B is optional and supports UDMA100. The mainboard accommodates PC 100 SDRAM (Synchronous DRAM) up to 1.5 GB using three 3.3V unbuffered DIMM modules. The MS7177C also has a full set of I/O ports, such as dual channel IDE interfaces, a floppy controller, two FIFO serial port connectors, an EPP/ECP-capable bi-directional parallel port connector, a dual USB (Universal Serial Bus) connector, and PS/2 keyboard and mouse connectors. One AGP slot, five PCI local bus slots, and one audio modem riser (AMR) slot provide expandability for add-on peripheral cards. 1 This chapter contains the following information: ! Checklist comprises a list of the standard and optional components that are shipped with this mainboard ! Recommendations lists some Do's and Don'ts from the manufacturer to help ensure reliability and performance from this product ! Features highlights the functions and components that make this one of the best value mainboards on the market Checklist Compare the contents of your mainboard package with the standard checklist below. If any item is missing or appears damaged, please contact the vendor of your mainboard package. Standard Items ! One mainboard ! One diskette drive ribbon cable and bracket ! One IDE drive ribbon cable and bracket ! This user's manual ! Software support CD-ROM disc 2 Recommendations This mainboard automatically determines the CPU clock frequency and system bus frequency for the kind of processor that you install. You may be able to change these automatic settings by making changes to jumpers on the mainboard, or changing the settings in the system Setup Utility. We strongly recommend that you do not overclock the mainboard to run processors or other components faster than their rated speed. Warning: Overclocking components can adversely affect the reliability of the system and introduce errors into your system. Overclocking can permanently damage the mainboard by generating excess heat in components that are run beyond the rated limits. Components on this mainboard can be damaged by discharges of static electricity. Handle the board carefully holding it by the edges. Do not flex or stress the circuit board. Keep the board in its static-proof packing until you are ready to install it. Follow the static guidelines given at the beginning of Chapter 2. 3 Features The key features of this mainboard are the wide range of processors that can be installed, and the high level of integration. Value-class Processors Functioning as a platform for a value PC, the MS7177C features a Socket 370 that accommodates PPGA Celeron, Pentium III, and Cyrix III processors. The MS7177C supports 66/100/133 MHz FSB speeds. VIA North Bridge Chipset This board features the VIA VT82C694X NB (North Bridge) chipset, enabling synchronous and asynchronous frequency operation between the processor and the memory over a wide frequency range. The NB chipset is optimized for Pentium III processors at 66/100/133 MHz Front Side Bus (FSB) frequency and supports 32-bit processor bus addressing. The integrated DRAM controller supports up to four doublesided DIMMs consisting of EDO, SDRAM, or VCM SDRAM. The NB chipset provides SDRAM with a 64-bit data interface. The AGP interface is AGP specification Rev 2.0 compliant, and supports 2x/4x/4x 3.3/1.5V devices. The PCI bus interface complies with PCI Rev. 2.2, and supports 3.3V and power supplies. Five PCI bus masters are supported in addition to the host and PCI-to-ISA I/O bridge. VIA South Bridge Chipset Note: The MS7177C supports two VIA South Bridge chipsets-- the VIA VT82C686A and the VIA VT82C686B. The VIA VT82C686A is standard and supports UDMA33/66. The VIA VT82C686B is optional and supports UDMA100. The VIA VT82C686A SB (South Bridge) chipset comes in a 352-pin BGA package. The PCI to ISA Bridge has an integrated ISA bus controller with integrated DMA, timer, and interrupt controllers. The VIA VT82C686A chipset supports UDMA33/66. 4 As an option you can get the MS7177C with the VIA VT82C686B SB chipset, which supports UDMA100. The Real Time Clock features extended 256 byte CMOS RAM and a day and month alarm for the ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface). There is an integrated USB controller with a built-in root hub and four function ports. The integrated Ultra DMA33/66 master mode EIDE controller with enhanced PCI bus commands. The UltraDMA33/66 Master Mode PCI EIDE controller features dual channel master mode PCI supporting Enhanced IDE (EIDE) devices and employ transfer rates up to 33 MB/sec to cover PIO mode 4, multi-word DMA mode 2 drives, and UltraDMA-33 interface. The SB chipset also supports ATAPI compliant devices including DVD devices and four USB 1.1 ports for serial transfers at 12 or 1.5 Mbits/sec. The integrated super IO controller supports two serial ports, an IR port, parallel port, and floppy disk controller functions. There is also system monitor support, providing system feedback of voltage, temperature, and fan speed conditions. Inexpensive Memory The board has three DIMM sockets for the installation of 168-pin, 3.3V non-buffered DIMM memory modules. The DIMM memory modules can be SDRAM or VCM memory chips. 4xAGP Graphics Adapter Slot The MS7177C includes a 4xAGP slot that provides four times the bandwidth of the original AGP specification. AGP technology provides a direct connection between the graphics sub-system and the processor so that the graphics do not have to compete for processor time with other devices on the PCI bus. The AGP design allows the graphics controller to use part of the main memory when it needs it, for example, in handling the very large texture maps required by virtual reality and 3D video games and applications. 5 AC 97 Audio Codec The AC 97 Audio codec is compliant with the AC 97 2.1 specification, and supports 18-bit ADC (Analog Digital Converter) and DAC (Digital Analog Converter) resolution as well as 18-bit stereo full-duplex codec with independent and variable sampling rates. Further features include support for four analog line-level stereo inputs. Expansion Options Five 32-bit PCI slots, an AGP slot, and an AMR slot provide plenty of expansion potential. The MS7177C PCI slots support Ultra DMA33/66 bus mastering with transfer rates up to 33/66 MB/sec. Integrated I/O The mainboard has a full set of I/O ports and connectors. The I/O template on the backplane includes two PS/2 ports for mouse and keyboard, two serial port, one parallel port, one MIDI/game port, two USB ports with an onboard header providing two extra USB ports, and audio jacks for microphone, line-in and line-out. The board includes two PCI IDE channels ...