Asus E7241 User Manual

P8H61-M LX R2.0 Series  
• P8H61-M LX R2.0  
• P8H61-M PLUS R2.0  
Contents  
iii  
Contents  
iv  
Contents  
v
Safety information  
Electrical safety  
To prevent electric shock hazard, disconnect the power cable from the electric 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.  
If the power supply is broken, do not try to fix it by yourself. Contact a qualified service  
technician or your retailer.  
Operation safety  
Before installing the motherboard and adding components, carefully read all the manuals  
that came with the package.  
Before using the product, ensure that all cables are correctly connected and the power  
cables are not damaged. If you detect any damage, contact your dealer immediately.  
To avoid short circuits, keep paper clips, screws, and staple wires away from connectors,  
slots, sockets, and circuitry.  
Avoid dust, humidity, and extreme temperature. 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.  
vi  
 
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 supported features of the motherboard.  
Chapter 2: BIOS information  
This chapter provides a detailed guide to navigating and setting up the BIOS.  
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 completing a  
task.  
CAUTION: Information to prevent damage to the components when completing a  
task.  
IMPORTANT: Instructions you MUST follow to complete a task.  
NOTE: Tips and additional information to help you complete a task.  
vii  
 
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 information 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.  
Typography  
Bold text  
Italics  
Indicates a menu or an item to select.  
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.  
<Key1> + <Key2> + <Key3>  
If you must press two or more keys simultaneously, the  
key names are linked with a plus sign (+). Example:  
<Ctrl> + <Alt> + <Del>  
viii  
P8H61-M LX R2.0 Series specifications summary  
CPU  
LGA1155 socket for Intel® Second/Third Generation Core™ i7 /  
Core™ i5 / Core™ i3/ Pentium® processors  
Supports 32/22nm CPU  
Supports Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2.0*  
*The Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 suppport depends on the  
CPU types.  
**Refer to www.asus.com for Intel® CPU support list.  
Chipset  
Memory  
Intel® H61 Express Chipset  
2 x DIMMs, max. 16GB, DDR3 2200(O.C.) / 2133(O.C.) / 2000(O.  
C.) / 1866(O.C.) / 1600 / 1333 / 1066 MHz, non-ECC, un-buffered  
memory *  
Dual-channel memory architecture  
Supports Intel® Extreme Memory Profile (XMP)  
*DDR3 1600 MHz and higher memory frequency is supported by  
Intel® 3rd generation processors.  
**Due to the CPU behavior, DDR3 2133/1866 MHz memory  
module will run at DDR3 2000/1800 MHz frequency.  
Vendor List).  
****When you install memory of 4GB capacity or more, Windows®  
32-bit operating system may only recognize less than 3GB. We  
recommend a maximum of 3GB system memory if you are using  
a Windows® 32-bit operating system.  
Graphics  
Supports RGB with max. resolution 2048 x1536@75GHz  
Intel® Quick Sync Video Technology Support  
Expansion slots  
1 x PCI Express 3.0*/2.0 x16 slot [blue] (at x16 mode)  
3 x PCI Express 2.0 x1 slots  
*Intel® Third Generation Core™ processors support PCIe 3.0  
speed.  
Intel® H61 Express Chipset:  
Storage  
- 4 x Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s connectors  
Realtek® 8111E/8111F PCIe Gigabit LAN controller  
LAN  
Audio  
ALC887 8-channel High Definition Audio CODEC  
*Use a chassis with HD audio module in the front panel to support  
an 8-channel audio output.  
USB  
Intel® H61 Express Chipset:  
- 8 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports (4 ports onboard, 4 ports at the back panel)  
Rear panel ports  
1 x PS/2 keyboard (purple)  
1 x PS/2 mouse (green)  
1 x D-Sub port  
1 x LAN (RJ-45) port  
1 x COM port  
1 x LPT port  
4 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports (black)  
3-Jack 8-channel audio I/O ports  
(continued on the next page)  
ix  
 
P8H61-M LX R2.0 specifications summary  
ASUS unique features ASUS DIGI+VRM  
- Digital Power Control: Digital Power Design for the CPU and  
iGPU  
- ASUS 3+1+1 Phase Power Design  
ASUS EPU  
- EPU  
ASUS Exclusive Features  
- Network iControl featuring instant network bandwidth  
domination for the top network program in use  
- AI Suite II  
- Anti Surge  
- Low EMI Solution  
ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution  
- ASUS Fanless Design: Stylish heatsink solution  
- ASUS Fan Xpert  
ASUS EZ DIY  
- ASUS UEFI BIOS EZ Mode featuring user-friendly graphics  
interface  
- ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3  
- ASUS EZ Flash 2  
- ASUS My Logo 2  
ASUS Exclusive  
Overclocking  
ASUS C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)  
Internal connectors/  
switches/ buttons  
2 x USB 2.0/1.1 connectors support additional 4 USB 2.0/1.1 ports  
4 x SATA 3.0 Gb/s connectors  
1 x CPU fan connector  
1 x Chassis fan connector  
1 x Front panel audio connector  
1 x S/PDIF Out connector  
1 x speaker connector  
1 x System panel connector  
1 x 24-pin EATX power connector  
1 x 4-pin ATX 12V power connector  
BIOS features  
64 Mb Flash ROM, UEFI AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI v2.0, WfM 2.0, SM  
BIOS v2.7, ACPI v2.0a, Multi-language BIOS  
Manageability  
Accessories  
WfM 2.0, DMI 2.0, WOL by PME, WOR by PME, PXE  
2 x Serial ATA 3.0Gb/s cables  
1 x I/O shield  
1 x User Manual  
1 x Support DVD  
Support DVD  
Form factor  
Drivers  
ASUS Utilities  
ASUS Update  
Anti-virus software (OEM version)  
MicroATX form factor: 9.6 in x 7.2 in (24.4 cm x 18.3 cm)  
* Specifications are subject to change without notice.  
x
Chapter 1  
Product introduction  
1.1  
Welcome!  
Thank you for buying an ASUS® P8H61-M LX R2.0 Series motherboard!  
The motherboard delivers a host of new features and the latest technologies, making it  
another standout in the long line of ASUS quality motherboards!  
Before you start installing the motherboard and adding components, check the items in your  
package with the list below.  
1.2  
Package contents  
Check your motherboard package for the following items.  
Motherboard  
Cables  
ASUS P8H61-M LX 2.0 Series motherboard  
2 x Serial ATA 3.0Gb/s cables  
1 x I/O shield  
Accessories  
Application DVD  
Documentation  
ASUS motherboard support DVD  
User Manual  
If any of the above items is damaged or missing, contact your retailer.  
1.3  
Special features  
1.3.1  
Product highlights  
Intel® LGA1155 Intel® Second Generation Core™ i7 / Core™  
i5 / Core™ i3 processors  
This motherboard supports the Intel® second generation Core™ i7 /  
Core™ i5 / Core™ i3 processors in LGA1155 package with memory and  
PCI Express controllers integrated to support 2-channel (2 DIMMs) DDR3  
memory and 16 PCI Express 2.0 lanes. This provides great graphics  
performance. Intel® second generation Core™ i7 / Core™ i5 / Core™ i3  
processors are among the most powerful and energy efficient CPUs in  
the world.  
Chapter 1: Product introduction  
1-1  
 
Intel® H61 Express Chipset  
The Intel® H61 Express Chipset is the latest single-chipset design to  
support the new 1155 socket Intel® Core™ i7 / Core™ i5 / Core™ i3  
second generation processors. It provides improved performance by  
utilizing serial point-to-point links, which allows increased bandwidth and  
stability.  
Dual-Channel DDR3 2200(O.C.) / 2133 (O.C.) / 2000 (O.C.) /  
1866 (O.C.) / 1600 / 1333 / 1066MHz support  
The motherboard supports DDR3 memory that features data transfer  
rates of 2200 (O.C.) / 2133 (O.C.) / 2000 (O.C.) / 1866 (O.C.) / 1600 /  
1333 / 1066MHz to meet the higher bandwidth requirements of the latest  
3D graphics, multimedia, and Internet applications. The dual-channel  
DDR3 architecture enlarges the bandwidth of your system memory to  
boost system performance.  
DDR3 1600 MHz and higher memory frequency is supported by Intel® 3rd generation  
processors.  
Due to the CPU behavior, DDR3 2133/1866 memory modules will run at DDR3  
2000/1800 MHz frequency.  
PCI Express® 3.0  
PCI Express® 3.0 (PCIe 3.0) is the latest PCI Express bus standard with  
improved encoding schemes that provide twice the performance of the  
current PCIe 2.0. The total bandwidth for a x16 link reaches a maximum  
of 32Gb/s, double the 16 Gb/s of PCIe 2.0 (in x16 mode). As such, PCIe  
3.0 provides users unprecendented data speeds, combined with the  
convenience and seamless transition offerred by complete backward  
compatibility with PCIe 1.0 and PCIe 2.0 devices. PCIe 3.0 will become  
a must-have feature for users who wish to improve and optimize graphic  
performance, as well as have the latest technology available to them.  
* PCI 3.0 speed is supported by Intel® 3rd generation Core™ processors.  
8-channel high definition audio  
The onboard 8-channel HD audio (High Definition Audio, previously  
codenamed Azalia) CODEC enables high-quality 192KHz/24-bit audio  
output and jack-detect feature that automatically detects and identifies  
what types of peripherals are plugged into the audio I/O jacks and notifies  
users of inappropriate connection, which means there will be no more  
confusion of Line-in, Line-out, and Mic jacks.  
Gigabit LAN solution  
The onboard LAN controller is a highly integrated Gb LAN controller. It is  
enhanced with an ACPI management function to provide efficient power  
management for advanced operating systems.  
1-2  
ASUS P8H61-M LX R2.0  
100% All High-quality Conductive Polymer Capacitors  
(P8H61-M LX R2.0 PLUS R2.0 only)  
This motherboard uses all high-quality conductive polymer capacitors for  
durability, improved lifespan, and enhanced thermal capacity.  
1.3.2  
ASUS DIGI+VRM  
Digital Power Control: Digital Power Design for the CPU and iGPU  
All-new digital CPU power controls work perfectly together to match  
digital power signal (SVID) requests from the CPU, with ultra-fast sensing  
and response efficiently delivering precision power. Accurate delivery  
reduces waste, and provides more stable CPU Vcore voltages. Users  
can adjust the CPU and its prcoessor graphics (iGPU) voltages for  
various overclocking scenarios, with accurate input through UEFI BIOS  
tuning or the exclusive ASUS interface. This proprietary design increases  
overclocking headroom to push performance to its full potential.  
ASUS EPU  
Tap into the world’s first real-time PC power saving chip through a  
simple oboard switch or AI Suite II utility. Get total system-wide energy  
optimization by automatically detecting current PC loadings and  
intelligently moderating power consumption. This also reduces fan noise  
and extends component longevity.  
1.3.3  
Innovative ASUS features  
ASUS UEFI BIOS (EZ Mode)  
The new ASUS UEFI BIOS is an Unified Extensible Firmware Interface  
that offers a user-friendly interface that goes beyond traditional keyboard-  
only BIOS control to enable more flexible and convenient mouse input.  
Users can easily navigate the new UEFI BIOS with the same smoothness  
as their operating system. It natively supports hard drives larger than  
2.2TB in 64-bit, with full storage space utilization, helping deliver far more  
exciting computing than traditional BIOS version. The exclusive EZ Mode  
displays frequently-accessed setup info. while the Advanced Mode is  
for experienced performance enthusiasts that demand far more intricate  
system settings.  
Chapter 1: Product introduction  
1-3  
 
ASUS Anti-Surge Protection  
This special design prevents expensive devices and the motherboard  
from damage caused by power surges from switching power supply  
(PSU).  
AI Suite II  
With its fast user-friendly interface, ASUS AI Suite II consolidates all the  
exclusive ASUS features into one simple to use software package. It  
allows you to supervise overclocking, energy management, fan speed  
control, and voltage and sensor readings. This all-in-one software offers  
diverse and ease to use functions, with no need to switch back and forth  
between different utilities.  
Fanless Design: stylish heatsink solution  
The stylish heatsink features a 0-dB thermal solution that offers users a  
noiseless PC environment. The beautiful shape of the heatsink design not  
only provides visual enjoyment for motherboard users, but also lowers the  
temperature of the chipset and power phase area through high efficient  
heat-exchange. Combining usability and aesthetics, the ASUS stylish  
heatpipe will give users an extremely silent and cooling experience with  
an elegant appearance!  
ESD  
Protect Your Computer with ESD Guards. Electrostatic discharge  
(ESD) conditions can happen while plugging or unplugging any USB  
peripherals-causing damage to the computer. ASUS ESD Guards clamp  
the ESD voltage and shunt the majority of the ESD current away for a  
more reliable computing environment.  
Low EMI  
A special low-radiation design shields you from harmful electromagnetic  
exposure by eliminating 50% of radiation.  
1. Radiation Deduction Design minimizes harmful electromagnetic  
radiation output with exclusive circuit design to cancel electrical charge.  
2. The Radiation Moat Design effectively blocks radiation to prevent  
discharge spread.  
Fan Xpert  
ASUS Fan Xpert intelligently allows you to adjust the CPU fan speed  
according to different ambient temperatures caused by different climate  
conditions in different geographic regions and your PC’s loading. The  
built-in variety of useful profiles offer flexible controls of fan speed to  
achieve a quiet and cool environment.  
ASUS MyLogo2™  
This feature allows you to convert your favorite photo into a 256-color  
boot logo for a more colorful and vivid image on your screen.  
1-4  
ASUS P8H61-M LX R2.0  
ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3  
ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 is an auto-recovery tool that allows you to  
restore a corrupted BIOS file using the bundled support DVD or USB  
flash disk that contains the latest BIOS file.  
ASUS EZ Flash 2  
ASUS EZ Flash 2 is a utility that allows you to update the BIOS without  
using an OS-based utility.  
C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)  
The BIOS C.P.R. feature automatically restores the CPU default settings  
when the system hangs due to overclocking failure. C.P.R. eliminates the  
need to open the system chassis and clear the RTC data. Simply shut  
down and reboot the system, and the BIOS automatically restores the  
CPU parameters to their default settings.  
ErP ready  
The motherboard is European Union´s Energy-related Products (ErP)  
ready, and ErP requires products to meet certain energy efficiency  
requirements in regards to energy consumptions. This is in line with  
ASUS vision of creating environment-friendly and energy-efficient  
products through product design and innovation to reduce carbon  
footprint of the product and thus mitigate environmental impacts.  
Chapter 1: Product introduction  
1-5  
1.4  
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.  
Before you install or remove any component, ensure that the ATX power supply is  
switched off or the power cord is disconnected from the power supply. Failure to do so  
may cause severe damage to the motherboard, peripherals, or components.  
Standby Power LED  
The 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  
P8H61-M LX R2.0  
ON  
OFF  
Standby Power Powered Off  
P8H61-M LX R2.0 Onboard LED  
1-6  
ASUS P8H61-M LX R2.0  
 
1.5  
Motherboard overview  
Study the configuration of your chassis to ensure that the motherboard fits before installing  
the motherboard.  
Ensure that you unplug the power cord before installing or removing the motherboard.  
Failure to do so can cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components.  
1.5.1  
Placement direction  
When installing the motherboard, ensure that you 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 below.  
1.5.2  
Screw holes  
Secure the motherboard to the chassis using six screws as indicated by the circles in the  
illustration below.  
Do not overtighten the screws! Doing so can damage the motherboard.  
Place this side towards  
the rear of the chassis  
P8H61-M LX R2.0  
Chapter 1: Product introduction  
1-7