Gigabyte Assassin 2 Manual

							- 31 -BIOS Setup
BIOS  (Basic  Input  and  Output  System)  records  hardware  parameters  of  the  system  in  the  CMOS  on  the 
motherboard.  Its  major  functions  include  conducting  the  Power-On  Self-Test  (POST)  during  system  startup, 
saving system parameters and loading operating system, etc. BIOS includes a BIOS Setup program that allows 
the user to modify basic system configuration settings or to activate certain system features. When the power is 
turned off, the battery on the motherboard supplies the necessary power to the CMOS to keep the configuration 
values in the CMOS.
To access the BIOS Setup program, press the  key during the POST when the power is turned on. 
To upgrade the BIOS, use either the GIGABYTE Q-Flash or @BIOS utility.
Q-Flash  allows  the  user  to  quickly  and  easily  upgrade  or  back  up  BIOS  without  entering  the  operating  •
system.
@BIOS is a Windows-based utility that searches and downloads the latest version of BIOS from the Internet  •
and updates the BIOS.
For instructions on using the Q-Flash and @BIOS utilities, refer to Chap\
ter 4, "BIOS Update Utilities."
Chapter 2 BIOS Setup
Because  BIOS  flashing  is  potentially  risky,  if  you  do  not  encounter  problems  using  the  current  •
version  of  BIOS,  it  is  recommended  that  you  not  flash  the  BIOS.  To  flash  the  BIOS,  do  it  with 
caution. Inadequate BIOS flashing may result in system malfunction.
It is recommended that you not alter the default settings (unless you need to) to prevent system  •
instability  or  other  unexpected  results.  Inadequately  altering  the  settings  may  result  in  system's 
failure to boot. If this occurs, try to clear the CMOS values and reset the board to default values. 
(Refer to the "Load Optimized Defaults" section in this chapter or introductions of the battery or the 
clear CMOS jumper/button in Chapter 1 for how to clear the CMOS values.)\
 
						

							BIOS Setup- 32 -
2-1 Startup Screen
The following startup Logo screen will appear when the computer boots.
Function Keys: 
: POST SCREEN
 Press the  key to skip the startup Logo. To turn off the startup Logo, refer to the instructions on the 
Full Screen LOGO Show item on page 49.
: BIOS SETUP\Q-FLASH
 Press the  key to enter BIOS Setup or to access the Q-Flash utility in BIOS Setup.
: SYSTEM INFORMATION
 Press the  key to display your system information.
: BOOT MENU
 Boot Menu allows you to set the first boot device without entering BIOS Setup. In Boot Menu, use the up 
arrow key  or the down arrow key  to select the first boot device, then press  to accept. 
The system will boot from the device immediately. 
 Note: The setting in Boot Menu is effective for one time only. After system restart, the device boot order 
will still be based on BIOS Setup settings. 
: Q-FLASH
 Press the  key to access the Q-Flash utility directly without having to enter BIOS Setup first.
Function Keys 
						

							- 33 -BIOS Setup
2-2 The Main Menu
A. The 3D BIOS Screen 
On GIGABYTE's uniquely designed 3D BIOS screen, you can use your mouse to move through the motherboard 
image and click to enter the function menu in each area for quick configuration. For example, pass your mouse 
arrow over the CPU and memory sockets and enter the System Tuning menu to configure CPU/memory frequency, 
memory timings, and voltage settings. For more detailed configuration items, you can click the function menu icons 
at the bottom of the screen or press  to switch to the main menu of the BIOS Setup program. (If a mouse is 
not connected, the 3D BIOS screen will automatically switch to the main \
menu of the BIOS Setup Program.)
B. The Main Menu of the BIOS Setup Program 
On the main menu of the BIOS Setup program, press arrow keys to move among the items and press  
to accept or enter a sub-menu. Or you can use your mouse to select the i\
tem you want. 
(Sample BIOS Version: F3a)
Setup Menus
Function Keys
Help
Enter Q-FlashSelect DefaultLanguage
Configuration ItemsCurrent Settings
  
  
  
    Switch  to  3D BIOS Screen 
						

							BIOS Setup- 34 -
BIOS Setup Menus
M.I.T. „
 Use this menu to configure the clock, frequency, and voltages of your CPU and memory, etc. Or check the 
system/CPU temperatures, voltages, and fan speeds. 
System „
 Use this menu to configure the default language used by the BIOS and system time and date. This menu 
also displays information on the devices connected to the SATA ports. 
BIOS Features „
 Use this menu to configure the device boot order, advanced features available on the CPU, and the primary 
display adapter.
Peripherals „
 Use this menu to configure all peripheral devices, such as SATA, USB, integrated audio, and integrated 
LAN, etc. 
Power Management „
 Use this menu to configure all the power-saving functions.
Save & Exit Setup „
 Save all the changes made in the BIOS Setup program to the CMOS and exit BIOS Setup. You can  save the 
current BIOS settings to a profile or load optimized defaults for optimal-performance system operations. 
BIOS Setup Program Function KeysMove the selection bar to select a setup menuMove the selection bar to select an configuration item on a menuExecute command or enter a menu/Increase the numeric value or make changes/Decrease the numeric value or make changesSwitch to 3D BIOS screenRestore the previous BIOS settings for the current menuLoad the optimized BIOS default settings for the current menuAccess the Q-Flash utilityDisplay system informationSave all the changes and exit the BIOS Setup programCapture the current screen as an image and save it to your USB driveMain Menu: Exit the BIOS Setup program 
Submenus: Exit current submenu 
If the system is not stable as usual, load optimized defaults to set you\
r system to its defaults.  •The BIOS Setup menus described in this chapter are for reference only and may differ by BIOS  •version. 
						

							- 35 -BIOS Setup
2-3 M.I.T.
Whether the system will work stably with the overclock/overvoltage settings you made is dependent on your overall system configurations. Incorrectly doing overclock/overvoltage may result in damage to CPU, chipset, or memory and reduce the useful life of these components. This page is for advanced users  only  and  we  recommend  you  not  to  alter  the  default  settings  to  prevent  system  instability  or other unexpected results. (Inadequately altering the settings may result in system's failure to boot. If this occurs, clear the CMOS values and reset the board to default values\
.)
This section provides information on the BIOS version, CPU base clock, CPU frequency, memory frequency, 
total memory size , CPU temperature, Vcore, and memory voltages.
   
						

							BIOS Setup- 36 -
M.I.T. Current Status `
 This screen provides information on CPU/memory frequencies/parameters.
BCLK/PCIe Clock Control &
 Enables or disables the control of CPU base clock and PCIe bus frequency. Enabled will allow the Host 
Clock Frequency and Processor Base Clock items below to be configurable. Note: If your system fails 
to boot after overclocking, please wait for 20 seconds for automated system reboot, or clear the CMOS 
values to reset the board to default values. (Default: Disabled)
Host Clock Frequency &
  Allows you to manually set the host clock frequency (which controls CPU, PCIe, and memory frequencies) in 
0.01 MHz increments. This item is configurable only when BCLK/PCIe Clock Control is enabled. When you 
change the Host Clock Frequency setting, the Memory Frequency (Mhz) setting below will be changed 
synchronously.
 Important: It is highly recommended that the frequency be set in accordance with the CPU specifications.
Processor Base Clock &
 Allows you to configure the Processor Base Clock by multiplying the Host Clock Frequency by several 
preset host clock multipliers. This item is configurable only when BCLK/PCIe Clock Control is enabled. 
When you change the Processor Base Clock setting, the Memory Frequency (Mhz) setting below will be 
changed synchronously.
 Important: It is highly recommended that the frequency be set in accordance with the CPU specifications.
CPU Clock Ratio &
 Allows you to alter the clock ratio for the installed CPU. The adjustable range is dependent on the CPU 
being installed.
CPU Frequency &
 This  value  is  determined  by  multiplying  the Processor  Base  Clock  value  by  the CPU  Clock  Ratio 
value.
Advanced Frequency Settings  ` 
						

							- 37 -BIOS Setup
(Note) This item is present only when you install a CPU that supports this feature. For more information about 
Intel CPUs' unique features, please visit Intel's website.
CPU Clock Ratio, CPU Frequency &
 The settings under the two items above are synchronous to that under the same items on the Advanced 
Frequency Settings menu.
Internal CPU PLL Overvoltage  &
 Enabled allows CPU PLL voltage to operate at a higher value. Disabled allows CPU PLL voltage to operate 
at default value. Auto lets the BIOS automatically configure this setting. (Default: Auto)
Real-Time CPU Ratio Control in OS  &(Note)
 Enabled allows you to make real-time changes to the CPU clock ratio in your operating system but the Intel 
Turbo Boost technology and associated items below will become unavailable. Set this item to Disabled if 
you want to manually configure CPU Turbo ratios in BIOS setup. (Default: Disabled)
Intel(R) Turbo Boost Technology  &(Note)
 Allows  you  to  determine  whether  to  enable  the  Intel  CPU  Turbo  Boost  technology. Auto  lets  the  BIOS 
automatically configure this setting. (Default: Auto)
Turbo Ratio (1-Core Active)~(6-Core Active)  &(Note)
 Allows you to set the CPU Turbo ratios for different number of active cores. Auto sets the CPU Turbo ratios 
according to the CPU specifications. (Default: Auto)
Turbo Power Limit (Watts) &
 Allows  you  to  set  a  power  limit  for  CPU  Turbo  mode.  When  the  CPU  power  consumption  exceeds  the 
specified power limit, the CPU will automatically reduce the core frequency in order to reduce the power. 
Auto sets the power limit according to the CPU specifications. (Default: Auto)
Core Current Limit (Amps) &
 Allows you to set a current limit for CPU Turbo mode. When the CPU current exceeds the specified current 
limit, the CPU will automatically reduce the core frequency in order to reduce the current. Auto sets the 
current limit according to the CPU specifications. (Default: Auto)
Advanced CPU Core Features  ` 
						

							BIOS Setup- 38 -
CPU Core Enabled  &(Note 1)
 Allows you to determine the number of CPU cores you want to enable. Auto lets the BIOS automatically 
configure this setting. (Default: Auto)
Hyper-Threading Technology  &(Note 1)
 Allows  you  to  determine  whether  to  enable  Hyper-Threading  technology  when  using  an  Intel  CPU  that 
supports this function. This feature only works for operating systems that support multi-processor mode. 
Auto lets the BIOS automatically configure this setting. (Default: Auto)
CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E)  &(Note 1)
 Enables  or  disables  Intel  CPU  Enhanced  Halt  (C1E)  function,  a  CPU  power-saving  function  in  system 
halt state. When enabled, the CPU core frequency and voltage will be reduced during system halt state to 
decrease power consumption. Auto lets the BIOS automatically configure this setting. (Default: Auto)
C3/C6 State Support  &(Note 1)
 Allows you to determine whether to let the CPU enter C3/C6 mode in system halt state. When enabled, the 
CPU core frequency and voltage will be reduced during system halt state to decrease power consumption. 
The C3/C6 state is a more enhanced power-saving state than C1. Auto lets the BIOS automatically configure 
this setting. (Default: Auto)
CPU Thermal Monitor  &(Note 1)
 Enables  or  disables  Intel  CPU Thermal  Monitor  function,  a  CPU  overheating  protection  function.  When 
enabled, the CPU core frequency and voltage will be reduced when the CPU is overheated. Auto lets the 
BIOS automatically configure this setting. (Default: Auto)
CPU EIST Function  &(Note 1)
 Enables or disables Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology (EIST). Depending on CPU loading, Intel EIST 
technology can dynamically and effectively lower the CPU voltage and core frequency to decrease average 
power consumption and heat production. Auto lets the BIOS automatically configure this setting. (Default: 
Auto)
Bi-Directional PROCHOT  &(Note 1)
Auto      Lets BIOS automatically configure this setting. (Default) 
Enabled     When the CPU or chipset detects that an overheating is occurring, PROCHOT signals  
will be emitted to lower CPU performance to decrease heat production. 
Disabled     Only allows the CPU to detect whether an overheating is occurring to emit PROCHOT  
signals.
Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P.)  &(Note 2)
 Allows the BIOS to read the SPD data on XMP memory module(s) to enhance memory performance when 
enabled.  
Disabled    Disables this function. (Default) 
Profile1   Uses Profile 1 settings. 
Pr ofile2 (Note 2) Uses Profile 2 settings.
System Memory Multiplier (SPD) &
  Allows you to set the system memory multiplier. Auto sets memory multiplier according to memory SPD 
data. (Default: Auto)
(Note 1)  This item is present only when you install a CPU that supports this feature. For more information about 
Intel CPUs' unique features, please visit Intel's website.
(Note 2) This item is present only when you install a memory module that supports this feature. 
						

							- 39 -BIOS Setup
(Note) This item is present only when you install a memory module that supports this feature.
Extreme  Memory  Profile  (X.M.P.)  &(Note),  System  Memory  Multiplier  (SPD),  Memory 
Frequency(Mhz)
 The settings under the three items above are synchronous to those under the same items on the Advanced 
Frequency Settings menu.
Performance Enhance &
 Allows the system to operate at three different performance levels.
Normal    Lets the system operate at its basic performance level. 
Turbo     Lets the system operate at its good performance level. (Default) 
Extreme   Lets the system operate at its best performance level. 
DRAM Timing Selectable  &
 Quick and Expert allows the Channel Interleaving, Rank Interleaving, and memory timing settings below 
to be configurable. Options are: Auto (default), Quick, Expert.
Profile DDR Voltage &
 When using a non-XMP memory module or Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P.) is set to Disabled, this item 
will display as 1.50V. When Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P.) is set to Profile1 or Profile2, this item will 
display the value based on the SPD data on the XMP memory.
Profile VTT Voltage &
 The value displayed here is dependent on the CPU being used.
Memory Frequency(Mhz) &
 The first memory frequency value is the normal operating frequency of the memory being used; the second 
is the memory frequency that is automatically adjusted according to the Host Clock Frequency, Processor 
Base Clock, and System Memory Multiplier settings.
Advanced Memory Settings ` 
						

							BIOS Setup- 40 -
This  sub-menu  provides  memory  timing  settings  for  each  channel  of  memory.  The  respective  timing  setting 
screens are configurable only when DRAM Timing Selectable is set to Quick or Expert. Note: Your system 
may become unstable or fail to boot after you make changes on the memory timings. If this occurs, please reset 
the board to default values by loading optimized defaults or clearing th\
e CMOS values. 
Channel Interleaving &
 Enables or disables memory channel interleaving. Enabled allows the system to simultaneously access 
different  channels  of  the  memory  to  increase  memory  performance  and  stability. Auto  lets  the  BIOS 
automatically configure this setting. (Default: Auto)
Rank Interleaving &
 Enables or disables memory rank interleaving. Enabled allows the system to simultaneously access different 
ranks  of  the  memory  to  increase  memory  performance  and  stability. Auto  lets  the  BIOS  automatically 
configure this setting. (Default: Auto)
Channel A/B/C/D Timing Settings `