SUPER ® X7DCA-L USER’S MANUAL Revision 1.
The information in this User’s Manual has been carefully reviewed and is believed to be accurate. The vendor assumes no responsibility for any inaccuracies that may be contained in this document, makes no commitment to update or to keep current the information in this manual, or to notify any person or organization of the updates. Please Note: For the most up-to-date version of this manual, please see our web site at www.supermicro.com. Super Micro Computer, Inc.
Table of Contents Preface About This Manual This manual is written for system integrators, PC technicians and knowledgeable PC users. It provides information for the installation and use of the X7DCA-L motherboard. The X7DCA-L supports dual Intel Xeon Quad-Core/Dual-Core 5400/5300/5200/5100 Series processors (w/771 LGA) with a front side bus speed of up to 1.333 GHz or 1.066 GHz.
X7DCA-L User's Manual Danger/Caution: Instructions to be strictly followed to prevent catastrophic system failure or to avoid bodily injury. Warning: Important information given to ensure proper system installation or to prevent damage to the components. Note: Additional Information given to differentiate various models or to ensure correct system setup.
Table of Contents Notes v
X7DCA-L User's Manual Table of Contents Preface About This Manual ............................................................................................ iii Manual Organization . ....................................................................................... iii Conventions Used in the Manual........................................................................ iii Chapter 1: Introduction 1-1 Overview .........................................................................................
Table of Contents Power Button............................................................................................. 2-13 2-5 Connecting Cables ........................................................................................... 2-14 ATX Power Connector ........................................................................... 2-14 Processor Power Connector .................................................................. 2-14 Universal Serial Bus (USB).......................................
X7DCA-L User's Manual No Video ................................................................................................... 3-2 Losing the System’s Setup Configuration . ............................................... 3-2 Memory Errors............................................................................................ 3-2 3-2 Technical Support Procedures . .......................................................................... 3-3 3-3 Frequently Asked Questions . ..........................
Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 1 Introduction 1-1 Overview Checklist Congratulations on purchasing your computer motherboard from an acknowledged leader in the industry. Supermicro boards are designed with the utmost attention to detail to provide you with the highest standards in quality and performance. Check that the following items have all been included with your motherboard. If anything listed here is damaged or missing, contact your retailer.
X7DCA-L User's Manual Contacting Supermicro Headquarters Address: Super Micro Computer, Inc. 980 Rock Ave. San Jose, CA 95131 U.S.A. Tel: +1 (408) 503-8000 Fax: +1 (408) 503-8008 Email: marketing@supermicro.com (General Information) support@supermicro.com (Technical Support) Web Site: www.supermicro.com Europe Address: Super Micro Computer B.V. Het Sterrenbeeld 28, 5215 ML 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands Tel: +31 (0) 73-6400390 Fax: +31 (0) 73-6416525 Email: sales@supermicro.
Chapter 1: Introduction X7DCA-L Image Note: The drawings and pictures shown in this manual were based on the latest PCB Revision available at the time of publishing of the manual. The motherboard you’ve received may or may not look exactly the same as the graphics shown in the manual.
X7DCA-L User's Manual X7DCA-L Motherboard Layout (not drawn to scale) KB/MS PWR I2C JPW1 JPW2 USB0/1/2/3 FAN1 LED6 COM1 DIMM1B CPU1 LED5 DIMM1A DIMM2B DIMM2A VGA DIMM3B DIMM3A X7DCA-L LAN1/2 Buttery JBT1 HD Audio JPL1 JPL2 LAN CTRL J139 CPU2 Intel 5100 North Bridge LAN CTRL FAN3 FAN4 FAN2 CD1 FAN6 S I/O USB4/5 Buzzer Slot3 PCI 33MHz JWD1JWOL1 J8 J7 BIOS COM2 JPG1 USB7 JSMB1 JWOR1 USB6 JL1 SATA4 SATA2 SATA0 SATA5 SATA3 SATA1 JD1 JF1 LED7 Intel ICH9R South Bridge
Chapter 1: Introduction X7DCA-L Quick Reference Jumper Description Default Setting JBT1 CMOS Clear (See Section 5-10) JI C1/JI C2 I C to PCI/PCI-X/E Slots Open (Disabled) JPG1 VGA Enable Pins 1-2 (Enabled) JPL1/JPL2 LAN1/2 Enable/Disable Pins 1-2 (Enabled) JWD1 Watch Dog Pins 1-2 (Reset) 2 2 2 Connector Description Audio/J139/CD1 HD Audio, Microphone, Line-In/Line-Out/CD-In COM1/COM2 COM1/COM2 Serial Port/Header FAN 1-6 Chassis/CPU Fan Headers Floppy Floppy Drive Connector (JF
X7DCA-L User's Manual Motherboard Features CPU • Dual Intel® 64-bit Xeon LGA 771 Quad-Core/Dual-Core 5400/5300/5200/5100 Series processors at a front side bus speed of 1333 MHz/1066 MHz Memory • Six 240-pin DIMM sockets with support up to 48 GB ECC Buffered (Registered) DDR2 667/533 Memory (*See Section 2-3 in Chapter 2 for DIMM Slot Population.) Chipset • Intel 5100 chipset, including: the 5100 Memory Control Hub (MCH) and the ICH9R South Bridge Expansion Slots • • • • One PCI-Exp.
Chapter 1: Introduction ACPI Features • • • • Slow blinking LED for suspend state indicator Main switch override mechanism ACPI Power Management Power-on mode for power recovery Onboard I/O • Six SATA ports (supporting RAID0, 1,10 and 5 in the Windows OS environment) (*Note below) • • • • • • Dual Intel 82573L LAN chips support two Giga-bit LAN ports One floppy port interface Two COM ports(1 header, 1 port) Up to eight USB 2.0 (Universal Serial Bus) (four ports, four headers) 7.
X7DCA-L User's Manual Processor #2 1067/1333 MT/S PCI-Ex16 #3A #2A #1A Ports #2,3 Intel 5100 MCH Ports #4,5,6,7 #3B #2B #1B DDR2 667 PCI-E X16 PCI-E X8 1067/1333 MT/S PCI-Ex8 VRD ISL6312A Processor #1 DDRII 667 VRD ISL6312A Port #0 PCIEx4 DMI LAN PCI-Ex1 82573L Lane 6 ICH9R #5 #4 #3 #2 #1 #0 3.0Gb/S Lanes 1/2/3/4 GDDR2 SDRAM 32MB VGA Volari/Z9S #7 #6 #5 #4 #3 #2 #1 #0 PCI33MMz USB2.0 USB VGA Conn.
Chapter 1: Introduction 1-2 Chipset and Processor Features Overview Built upon the functionality and the capability of the Intel 5100 chipset, the X7DCA-L motherboard provides the performance and feature set required for dual processor-based high-end computer systems with configuration options optimized for intensive computing, high energy-efficiency and complex business applications.
X7DCA-L User's Manual 1-3 Special Features Recovery from AC Power Loss BIOS provides a setting for you to determine how the system will respond when AC power is lost and then restored to the system. You can choose for the system to remain powered off (in which case you must hit the power switch to turn it back on) or for it to automatically return to a power- on state. See the Power Lost Control setting in the Advanced BIOS Setup section to change this setting. The default setting is Last State.
Chapter 1: Introduction CPU Overheat LED and Control This feature is available when the user enables the CPU overheat warning function in the BIOS. This allows the user to define an overheat temperature. When the CPU temperature reaches the pre-defined overheat threshold, both the overheat fan and the warning LED are triggered. System Resource Alert This feature is available when used with Supero Doctor III in the Windows OS environment or used with Supero Doctor II in Linux.
X7DCA-L User's Manual Main Switch Override Mechanism When an ATX power supply is used, the power button can function as a system suspend button to make the system enter a SoftOff state. The monitor will be suspended and the hard drive will spin down. Pressing the power button again will cause the whole system to wake-up. During the SoftOff state, the ATX power supply provides power to keep the required circuitry in the system alive.
Chapter 1: Introduction 1-7 Super I/O The disk drive adapter functions of the Super I/O chip include a floppy disk drive controller that is compatible with industry standard 82077/765, a data separator, write pre-compensation circuitry, decode logic, data rate selection, a clock generator, drive interface control logic and interrupt and DMA logic. The wide range of functions integrated onto the Super I/O greatly reduces the number of components required for interfacing with floppy disk drives.
X7DCA-L User's Manual Notes 1-14
Chapter 2: Installation Chapter 2 Installation 2-1 Static-Sensitive Devices Electro-Static-Discharge (ESD) can damage electronic components. To prevent damage to your system board, it is important to handle it very carefully. The following measures are generally sufficient to protect your equipment from ESD. • • • • • • • Precautions Use a grounded wrist strap designed to prevent static discharge. Touch a grounded metal object before removing the board from the antistatic bag.
X7DCA-L User's Manual 2-2 Processor and Heatsink Installation ! Warning: When handling the processor package, avoid placing direct pressure on the label area of the fan. Notes: 1. Always connect the power cord last and always remove it before adding, removing or changing any components. Make sure that you install the processor into the CPU socket before you install the CPU heatsink. 2. Intel's boxed Xeon CPU package contains the CPU fan and heatsink assembly.
Chapter 2: Installation Loading the Processor into the Socket 1. Align CPU Pin1 (the CPU corner marked with a triangle) against the socket corner that is marked with a triangle cutout. North Center Edge South Center Edge 2. Align the CPU key that is the semi-circle cutout below a gold dot Socket Key against the socket key, the notch (Socket Notch) on the same side of the triangle cutout on the socket. CPU Key (semicircle cutout) 3. Once aligned, carefully lower the below the circle.
X7DCA-L User's Manual Installing the Heatsink CEK Heatsink Installation CEK Passive Heatsink 1. Do not apply any thermal grease to the heatsink or the CPU die; the required amount has already been applied. 2. Place the heatsink on top of the CPU so that the four mounting holes are aligned with those on the retention mechanism. Screw#1 Screw#2 3. Screw in two diagonal screws (ie the #1 and the #2 screws) until just snug (-do not fully tighten the screws to avoid possible damage to the CPU.) 4.
Chapter 2: Installation 1. Unscrew and remove the heatsink screws from the motherboard in the sequence as shown in the picture on the right. 2. Hold the heatsink as shown in the picture on the right and gently wriggle the heatsink to loosen it from the CPU. (Do not use excessive force when wriggling the heatsink!!) 3. Once the heatsink is loosened, remove the heatsink from the CPU socket. 4. Clean the surface of the CPU and the heatsink to get rid of the old thermal grease.
X7DCA-L User's Manual 2-3 Installing DIMMs Note: Check the Supermicro web site for recommended memory modules. CAUTION Exercise extreme care when installing or removing DIMM modules to prevent any possible damage. Also note that the memory is interleaved to improve performance (see step 1). DIMM Installation (See Figure 2-2) • • • Insert the desired number of DIMMs into the memory slots, starting with DIMM #1A.
Chapter 2: Installation Possible System Memory Allocation & Availability System Device Size Physical Memory Remaining (-Available) (4 GB Total System Memory) Firmware Hub flash memory (System BIOS) 1 MB 3.99 Local APIC 4 KB 3.99 Area Reserved for the chipset 2 MB 3.99 I/O APIC (4 Kbytes) 4 KB 3.99 PCI Enumeration Area 1 256 MB 3.76 PCI Express (256 MB) 256 MB 3.51 PCI Enumeration Area 2 (if needed) -Aligned on 256MB boundary- 512 MB 3.01 VGA Memory 16 MB 2.85 TSEG 1 MB 2.
X7DCA-L User's Manual 2-4 Control Panel Connectors/IO Ports The I/O ports are color coded in conformance with the PC 99 specification. See Figure 2-3 below for the colors and locations of the various I/O ports.
Chapter 2: Installation Front Control Panel JF1 contains header pins for various buttons and indicators that are normally located on a control panel at the front of the chassis. These connectors are designed specifically for use with Supermicro server chassis. See Figure 2-4 for the descriptions of the various control panel buttons and LED indicators. Refer to the following section for descriptions and pin definitions.
X7DCA-L User's Manual Front Control Panel Pin Definitions NMI Button The non-maskable interrupt button header is located on pins 19 and 20 of JF1. Refer to the table on the right for pin definitions. Power LED The Power LED connection is located on pins 15 and 16 of JF1. Refer to the table on the right for pin definitions. NMI Button Pin Definitions (JF1) Pin# Definition 19 Control 20 Ground Power LED Pin Definitions (JF1) Pin# Definition 15 +5V 16 Ground A. NMI B.
Chapter 2: Installation HDD LED The HDD LED connection is located on pins 13 and 14 of JF1. Attach a HDD/UID LED Pin Definitions (JF1) hard drive LED cable here to display disk activity (for any hard drives on the system, including SAS, Serial ATA and IDE). See the table on the right for pin definitions.
X7DCA-L User's Manual Overheat/Fan Fail LED (OH) OH/Fan Fail LED Pin Definitions (JF1) Connect an LED to the OH/Fan Fail connection on pins 7 and 8 of JF1 to provide advanced warnings of chassis overheating or fan failure. Refer to the table on the right for pin definitions.
Chapter 2: Installation Reset Button The Reset Button connection is located on pins 3 and 4 of JF1. Attach it to the hardware reset switch on the computer case. Refer to the table on the right for pin definitions. Reset Button Pin Definitions (JF1) Pin# Definition 3 Reset 4 Ground Power Button The Power Button connection is located on pins 1 and 2 of JF1. Momentarily contacting both pins will power on/off the system.
X7DCA-L User's Manual 2-5 Connecting Cables ATX Power 24-pin Connector Pin Definitions ATX Power Connector Pin# Definition A 24-pin main power supply connector is located at JPW2 on the motherboard. This power connector meets the SSI EPS 12V specification. See the table on the right for pin definitions. For the 8-pin CPU Power connector (JPW21), refer to the item below. 13 +3.3V 1 +3.3V 14 -12V 2 +3.
Chapter 2: Installation Universal Serial Bus (USB) Back Panel USB (USB 0~3) There are eight USB 2.0 (Universal Serial Bus) ports/headers on the motherboard. Four of them are Back Panel USB ports: USB 0~3 (JPUSB1). The other four are Front Panel USB connectors: USB 4~5 (JUSB3), USB 6 (JUSB4), and USB 7 (JUSB5). See the tables on the right for pin definitions.
X7DCA-L User's Manual Fan Headers The X7DCA-L has six CPU/system fan headers (Fans 1~Fan 6). All these fans are 4-pin fans. See the table on the right for pin definitions. Fan Header Pin Definitions Note: The onboard fan speeds are controlled by Thermal Management via BIOS Hardware Monitoring in the Advanced Setting. (The default setting is Disabled.) Pin# Definition 1 Ground 2 +12V 3 Tachometer 4 PWM VGA Connector A VGA connector is located next to the COM1 port on the IO backplane.
Chapter 2: Installation ATX PS/2 Keyboard and PS/2 Mouse Ports PS/2 Keyboard and Mouse Port Pin Definitions The ATX PS/2 keyboard and the PS/2 mouse are located on the IO Backpanel. See the table on the right for pin definitions. (The mouse port is above the keyboard port.) See the table on the right for pin definitions. Serial Ports Pin# Definition 1 Data 2 NC 3 Ground 4 VCC 5 Clock 6 NC Serial Port Pin Definitions (COM1/COM2) COM1 is the serial port located at JCOM1 on the IO Backpanel.
X7DCA-L User's Manual Wake-On-Ring The Wake-On-Ring header is located at JWOR1. This feature allows your computer to be "awakened" by an incoming call to the modem when the system is in the suspend state. See the table on the right for pin definitions. You must have a Wake-On-Ring card and cable to use this feature. Wake-On-Ring Pin Definitions Pin# Definition 1 Ground 2 Wake-up Wake-On-LAN Wake-On-LAN Pin Definitions The Wake-On-LAN header is located at JWOL1 on the motherboard.
Chapter 2: Installation GLAN 1/2 (Giga-bit Ethernet Ports) Two G-bit Ethernet ports are located at JLAN3 on the I/O backplane. These ports accept RJ45 type cables. GLAN1/2 Power LED/Speaker On the JD1 header, pins 1-3 are for a power LED, and pins 4-7 are for the speaker. See the table on the right for speaker pin definitions. Speaker Connector Pin Definitions Pin Setting Note: The speaker connector pins are for use with an external speaker.
X7DCA-L User's Manual T-GPIO Headers Two GPIO (Serial-Link General Purpose Input/Output) headers are located at J7 and J8 on the motherboard. These headers are used to communicate with the Serial-Link System Monitoring chip on the backplane. See the table on the right for pin definitions. Refer to the board layout below for the locations of the headers.
Chapter 2: Installation High Definition Audio (HDA) This motherboard features a 7.1+2 Channel High Definition Audio (HDA) codec that provides 10 DAC channels, simultaneously supporting 7.1 sound playback, and two channels of independent stereo sound output (multiple streaming) through the front panel stereo out for the front L&R, rear L&R, center and subwoofer speakers. Use the Advanced software included in the CD-ROM that came with your motherboard to enable HD Audio.
X7DCA-L User's Manual Auxiliary Front Panel Audio Control When the front panel headphones are plugged in, the back panel audio output is disabled. This is done through the FP Audio header (J139). If the front panel interface card is not connected to the front panel audio header, jumpers should be installed on the header (J139) pin pairs 1-2, 5-6, and 9-10.
Chapter 2: Installation 2-6 Jumper Settings Explanation of Jumpers Connector Pins To m o d i f y t h e o p e r a t i o n o f t h e motherboard, jumpers can be used to choose between optional settings. Jumpers create shorts between two pins to change the function of the connector. Pin 1 is identified with a square solder pad on the printed circuit board. See the motherboard layout pages for jumper locations.
X7DCA-L User's Manual CMOS Clear JBT1 is used to clear CMOS. Instead of pins, this "jumper" consists of contact pads to prevent the accidental clearing of CMOS. To clear CMOS, use a metal object such as a small screwdriver to touch both pads at the same time to short the connection. Always remove the AC power cord from the system before clearing CMOS. Note: For an ATX power supply, you must completely shut down the system, remove the AC power cord and then short JBT1 to clear CMOS.
Chapter 2: Installation 2 I C Bus to PCI Slots 2 2 2 I C to PCI-Slots Jumper Settings Jumpers JI C1 and JI C2 allow you to con2 nect the System Management Bus (I C) to PCI-E and PCI slots. The default setting is set to Disabled. See the table on the right for jumper settings. VGA Enable/Disable Jumper Definition 1-2 Enabled 2-3 Disabled (Default) VGA Enable/Disable Jumper Settings (JPG1) JPG1 allows you to enable or disable the VGA port. The default position is on pins 1 and 2 to enable VGA.
X7DCA-L User's Manual 2-7 Onboard Indicators GLAN LEDs Activity Link LED LED Rear View (when viewing from the back of the chassis.) There are two GLAN ports on the motherboard. Each Gigabit Ethernet LAN port has two LEDs. The green LED indicates activity, while the Link LED may be green, amber or off to indicate the speed of the connection. See the tables at right for more information.
Chapter 2: Installation CPU_VRM Overheating LED Indicators (LED5/LED6) CPU_VRM Overheat LED Indicators Two CPU VRM Overheat LED Indicators are located at LED5 and LED6 on the motherboard. These LEDs provide indications for CPU VRM Overheating. Refer to the table on the right for LED5 and LED6 settings. See the layout below for the LED locations.
X7DCA-L User's Manual 2-8 Floppy Drive Connection Note the following when connecting the floppy and hard disk drive cables: • The floppy disk drive cable has seven twisted wires. • A red mark on a wire typically designates the location of pin 1. Floppy Drive Connector Pin Definitions (Floppy) Floppy Connector The floppy connector is located at JFDD1. See the table below for pin definitions.
Chapter 3: Troubleshooting Chapter 3 Troubleshooting 3-1 Troubleshooting Procedures Use the following procedures to troubleshoot your system. If you have followed all of the procedures below and still need assistance, refer to the ‘Technical Support Procedures’ and/or ‘Returning Merchandise for Service’ section(s) in this chapter. Note: Always disconnect the power cord before adding, changing or installing any hardware components. Before Power On 1.
X7DCA-L User's Manual No Video 1. If the power is on but you have no video, remove all the add-on cards and cables. 2. Use the speaker to determine if any beep codes exist. Refer to the Appendix for details on beep codes. Losing the System’s Setup Configuration 3. Make sure that you are using a high quality power supply. A poor quality power supply may cause the system to lose the CMOS setup information. Refer to Section 1-6 for details on recommended power supplies. 4.
Chapter 3: Troubleshooting 3-2 Technical Support Procedures Before contacting Technical Support, please take the following steps. Also, note that as a motherboard manufacturer, Supermicro does not sell directly to end-users, so it is best to first check with your distributor or reseller for troubleshooting services. They should know of any possible problem(s) with the specific system configuration that was sold to you. 4.
X7DCA-L User's Manual Question: Why does Microsoft Windows XP (SP2) and Windows Vista show less memory than what is physically installed? Answer: Microsoft implemented a design change in Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2) and Windows Vista. This change is specific to the Physical Address Extension (PAE) mode behavior which improves driver compatibility. For more information, please read the following article at Microsoft’s Knowledge Base website at: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/888137.
Chapter 4: BIOS Chapter 4 4-1 BIOS Introduction This chapter describes the Phoenix BIOS™ Setup utility for the X7DCA-L. The Phoenix ROM BIOS is stored in a flash chip and can be easily upgraded using a floppy disk-based program. Note: Due to periodic changes to the BIOS, some settings may have been added or deleted and might not yet be recorded in this manual. Please refer to the Manual Download area of the Supermicro web site
X7DCA-L User's Manual 4-2 Running Setup Default settings are in bold text unless otherwise noted. The BIOS setup options described in this section are selected by choosing the appropriate text from the main BIOS Setup screen. All displayed text is described in this section, although the screen display is often all you need to understand how to set the options as shown on the following page. When you first power on the computer, the Phoenix BIOS™ is immediately activated.
Chapter 4: BIOS Main BIOS Setup Menu Main Setup Features System Time To set the system date and time, key in the correct information in the appropriate fields. Then press the key to save the data. System Date Using the arrow keys, highlight the month, day and year fields, and enter the correct data. Press the key to save the data. BIOS Date This field displays the date when this version of BIOS was built.
X7DCA-L User's Manual Type This option allows the user to select the type of IDE hard drive. Select Auto to allow the BIOS to automatically configure the parameters of the HDD installed at the connection. Select User to allow the user to enter the parameters of the HDD installed. Select CDROM if a CDROM drive is installed. Select ATAPI if a removable disk drive is installed. Multi-Sector Transfers This item allows the user to specify the number of sectors per block to be used in multi-sector transfer.
Chapter 4: BIOS Ultra DMA Mode This option allows the user to select Ultra DMA Mode for the slot specified. The options are Disabled, Mode 0, Mode 1, Mode 2, Mode 3, Mode 4, and Mode 5. Serial ATA This setting allows the user to enable or disable the function of Serial ATA. The options are Disabled and Enabled. Native Mode Operation Select the native mode for ATA. The options are: Serial ATA and Auto.
X7DCA-L User's Manual System Memory This display informs you how much system memory is detected by the BIOS. Extended Memory This display informs you how much extended memory in the system is detected by the BIOS.
Chapter 4: BIOS 4-4 Advanced Setup Choose Advanced from the Phoenix BIOS Setup Utility main menu with the arrow keys. You should see the following display. The items with a triangle beside them have sub menus that can be accessed by highlighting the item and pressing . Boot Features Access the submenu to make changes to the following settings. QuickBoot Mode If enabled, this feature will speed up the POST (Power On Self Test) routine by skipping certain tests after the computer is turned on.
X7DCA-L User's Manual Power Button Behavior If set to Instant-Off, the system will power off immediately as soon as the user hits the power button. If set to 4-Sec Override, the system will power off when the user presses the power button for 4 seconds or longer. The options are Instant-off and 4-sec override. Resume On Modem Ring Select On to “wake your system up” when an incoming call is received by your modem. The options are On and Off.
Chapter 4: BIOS Memory Cache Cache System BIOS Area This setting allows you to designate a reserve area in the system memory to be used as a System BIOS buffer to allow the BIOS to write (cache) its data into this reserved memory area. Select Write Protect to enable the function and reserve this area for the Video BIOS ROM access only. Select Uncached to disable this function and make this area available for other devices.
X7DCA-L User's Manual Cache Extended Memory Area If enabled, this feature allows the data stored in the extended memory area to be cached (written) into a buffer, a storage area in the Static DROM (SDROM) or written into L1, L2, L3 cache inside the CPU to speed up CPU operations. Select Uncached to disable this function. Select Write Through to allow data to be cached into the buffer and written into the system memory at the same time.
Chapter 4: BIOS Enable Master This setting allows you to enable the selected device as the PCI bus master. The options are Enabled and Disabled. Latency Timer This setting allows you to set the clock rate for the Bus Master. A high-priority, high-throughout device may benefit from a greater clock rate. The options are Default, 0020h, 0040h, 0060h, 0080h, 00A0h, 00C0h, and 00E0h. For Unix, Novell and other Operating Systems, please select the option: other.
X7DCA-L User's Manual SERR Signal Condition This setting specifies the ECC Error conditions that an SERR# is to be asserted. The options are None, Single Bit, Multiple Bit, and Both. 4GB PCI Hole Granularity This feature allows you to select the granularity of PCI hole for PCI slots. If MTRRs are not enough, this option may be used to reduce MTRR occupation. The options are: 256 MB, 512 MB, 1GB and 2GB.
Chapter 4: BIOS USB Host Controller Select Enabled to activate the USB Host Controller. The settings are Enabled and Disabled. Legacy USB Support This setting allows you to enable support for Legacy USB devices. The settings are Enabled and Disabled. Azalia Audio When set to Auto, Azalia Audio will be automatically turned on when detected by the BIOS. The settings are Auto and Disabled. Advanced Processor Options Access the submenu to make changes to the following settings.
X7DCA-L User's Manual Execute Disable Bit (Available when supported by the CPU and the OS.) Set to Enabled to enable Execute Disable Bit and allow the processor to classify areas in memory where an application code can execute and where it cannot, and thus preventing a worm or a virus from inserting and creating a flood of codes to overwhelm the processor or damage the system during an attack. Note: this feature is available when your OS and your CPU support the function of Execute Disable Bit.
Chapter 4: BIOS CPU Cache Control DCU Prefetcher (Available when supported by the CPU.) The CPU fetches the cache line for 64 bytes if this option is set to Disabled. The CPU fetches both cache lines for 128 bytes as comprised if Enabled. The options are Disabled and Enabled. IP Prefetcher (Available when supported by the CPU.) Select Enabled to use CPU Cache Line IP Prefetch. The options are Disabled and Enabled. Direct Cache Access (Available when supported by the CPU.
X7DCA-L User's Manual Serial Port B This setting allows you to assign control of serial port B. The options are Enabled (user defined), Disabled and Auto (BIOS controlled). Mode This setting allows you to set the type of device that will be connected to serial port B. The options are Normal and IR (for an infrared device). Base I/O Address This setting allows you to select the base I/O address for serial port B. The options are 3F8, 2F8, 3E8 and 2E8.
Chapter 4: BIOS Mark DMI Events as Read Highlight this item and press to mark the DMI events as read. Clear All DMI Event Logs Select Yes and press to clear all DMI event logs. The options are Yes and No. Console Redirection Access the submenu to make changes to the following settings. COM Port Address This item allows you to specify which COM port to direct the remote console to: Onboard COM A or Onboard COM B. This setting can also be Disabled.
X7DCA-L User's Manual Hardware Monitor Highlight an item and hit to see the status of each of the following items: CPU Overheat Alarm This option allows the user to select the CPU Overheat Alarm setting which determines when the CPU OH alarm will be activated to provide warning of possible CPU overheat. Refer to the the next item, CPU Temperature for more information regarding PECI, DTS and other thermal features of this motherboard.
Chapter 4: BIOS The Default Alarm – the Overheat LED and system buzzer will activate if the High condition continues for some time after it is reached. The CPU fan will run at full speed to bring the CPU temperature down. If the CPU temperature still increases even with the CPU fan running at full speed, the system buzzer will activate and the Overheat LED will turn on. The Early Alarm – the Overheat LED and system buzzer will be activated exactly when the High level is reached.
X7DCA-L User's Manual Fan Speed Control Modes This feature allows the user to decide how the system controls the speeds of the onboard fans. The CPU temperature and the fan speed are correlative. When the CPU on-die temperature increases, the fan speed will also increase, and vice versa. Select Workstation if your system is used as a Workstation. Select Server if your system is used as a Server.
Chapter 4: BIOS 4-5 Security Choose Security from the Phoenix BIOS Setup Utility main menu with the arrow keys. You should see the following display. Security setting options are displayed by highlighting the setting using the arrow keys and pressing . All Security BIOS settings are described in this section. Supervisor Password Is: This feature indicates if a supervisor password has been entered to the system.
X7DCA-L User's Manual Password on Boot This setting allows you to determine if a password is required for a user to enter the system at system boot. The options are Enabled (password required) and Disabled (password not required).
Chapter 4: BIOS 4-6 Boot Choose Boot from the Phoenix BIOS Setup Utility main menu with the arrow keys. You should see the following display. See details on how to change the order and specs of boot devices in the Item Specific Help window. All Boot BIOS settings are described in this section. Boot List Candidate List Boot Priority Order/Excluded from Boot Orders The devices included in the boot list section (above) are bootable devices listed in the sequence of boot order as specified.
X7DCA-L User's Manual 4-7 Exit Choose Exit from the Phoenix BIOS Setup Utility main menu with the arrow keys. You should see the following display. All Exit BIOS settings are described in this section. Exit Saving Changes Highlight this item and hit to save any changes you made and to exit the BIOS Setup utility. Exit Discarding Changes Highlight this item and hit to exit the BIOS Setup utility without saving any changes you may have made.
Appendix A: BIOS POST Messages Appendix BIOS POST Messages During the Power-On Self-Test (POST), the BIOS will check for problems. If a problem is found, the BIOS will activate an alarm or display a message. The following is a list of such BIOS messages. Failure Fixed Disk Fixed disk is not working or not configured properly. Check to see if fixed disk is attached properly. Run Setup. Find out if the fixed-disk type is correctly identified. Stuck key Stuck key on keyboard.
X7DCA-L User's Manual Extended RAM Failed at offset: nnnn Extended memory not working or not configured properly at offset nnnn. System battery is dead - Replace and run SETUP The CMOS clock battery indicator shows the battery is dead. Replace the battery and run Setup to reconfigure the system. System CMOS checksum bad - Default configuration used System CMOS has been corrupted or modified incorrectly, perhaps by an application program that changes data stored in CMOS.
Appendix A: BIOS POST Messages Diskette drive A error Drive A: is present but fails the BIOS POST diskette tests. Check to see that the drive is defined with the proper diskette type in Setup and that the diskette drive is attached correctly. Incorrect Drive A type - run SETUP Type of floppy drive A: not correctly identified in Setup. System cache error - Cache disabled RAM cache failed and BIOS disabled the cache. On older boards, check the cache jumpers. You may have to replace the cache.
X7DCA-L User's Manual CD ROM Drive CD ROM Drive identified. Entering SETUP ... Starting Setup program Failing Bits: nnnn The hex number nnnn is a map of the bits at the RAM address which failed the memory test. Each 1 (one) in the map indicates a failed bit. See errors 230, 231, or 232 above for offset address of the failure in System, Extended, or Shadow memory. Fixed Disk n Fixed disk n (0-3) identified. Invalid System Configuration Data Problem with NVRAM (CMOS) data.
Appendix A: BIOS POST Messages nnnn kB System RAM Passed Where nnnn is the amount of system RAM in kilobytes successfully tested. One or more I2O Block Storage Devices were excluded from the Setup Boot Menu There was not enough room in the IPL table to display all installed I2O blockstorage devices. Operating system not found Operating system cannot be located on either drive A: or drive C:. Enter Setup and see if fixed disk and drive A: are properly identified.
X7DCA-L User's Manual Run the I2O Configuration Utility One or more unclaimed block storage devices have the Configuration Request bit set in the LCT. Run an I2O Configuration Utility (e.g. the SAC utility). System BIOS shadowed System BIOS copied to shadow RAM. UMB upper limit segment address: nnnn Displays the address nnnn of the upper limit of Upper Memory Blocks, indicating released segments of the BIOS which can be reclaimed by a virtual memory manager.
Appendix B: BIOS POST Codes Appendix B BIOS POST Codes This section lists the POST (Power On Self Test) codes for the Phoenix BIOS. POST codes are divided into two categories: recoverable and terminal. Recoverable POST Errors When a recoverable type of error occurs during POST, the BIOS will display an POST code that describes the problem.
X7DCA-L User's Manual POST Code Description 10h Initialize Power Management 11h Load alternate registers with initial POST values 12h Restore CPU control word during warm boot 13h Reset PCI Bus Mastering devices 14h Initialize keyboard controller 16h 1-2-2-3 BIOS ROM checksum 17h Initialize cache before memory Auto size 18h 8254 timer initialization 1Ah 8237 DMA controller initialization 1Ch Reset Programmable Interrupt Controller 20h 1-3-1-1 Test DRAM r
Appendix B: BIOS POST Codes POST Code Description 49h Initialize PCI bus and devices 4Ah Initialize all video adapters in system 4Bh QuietBoot start (optional) 4Ch Shadow video BIOS ROM 4Eh Display BIOS copyright notice 4Fh Initialize MultiBoot 50h Display CPU type and speed 51h Initialize EISA board (optional) 52h Test keyboard 54h Set key click if enabled 55h Enable USB devices 58h 2-2-3-1 Test for unexpected interrupts 59h Initialize POST d
X7DCA-L User's Manual POST Code Description 80h Disable onboard Super I/O ports and IRQs (optional) 81h Late POST device initialization 82h Detect and install external RS232 ports 83h Configure non-MCD IDE controllers 84h Detect and install external parallel ports 85h Initialize PC-compatible PnP ISA devices 86h Re-initialize onboard I/O ports.
Appendix B: BIOS POST Codes POST Code Description A8h Erase prompt AAh Scan for key stroke ACh Enter SETUP AEh Clear Boot flag B0h Check for errors B1h Inform RomPilot about the end of POST (optional) B2h POST done - prepare to boot operating system B4h 1 One short beep before boot B5h Terminate QuietBoot (optional) B6h Check password (optional) B7h Initialize ACPI BIOS and PPM Structures B9h Prepare Boot BAh Initialize SMBIOS BCh
X7DCA-L User's Manual The following are for boot block in Flash ROM POST Code Description E0h Initialize the chipset E1h Initialize the bridge E2h Initialize the CPU E3h Initialize system timer E4h Initialize system I/O E5h Check force recovery boot E6h Checksum BIOS ROM E7h Go to BIOS E8h Set Huge Segment E9h Initialize Multi Processor EAh Initialize OEM special code EBh Initialize PIC and DMA ECh Initialize Memory type EDh Initialize Me
Installing the Windows OS Appendix C Installing the Windows OS After all the hardware has been installed, you must first configure Intel South Bridge RAID settings before you install the OS and other software drivers. To install the Linux OS or to configure RAID settings, please refer to the OS Installation or RAID Configuration User Guides posted on our web site at www.supermicro.com/support/ manuals. C-1 Installing the Windows XP/2000/2003 OS for systems with RAID Functions 1.
X7DCA-L User's Manual 1. After the Windows XP/2000/2003 Installation is completed, the system will automatically reboot. 2. Insert the Supermicro Setup CD that came with the package into the CD Drive during system reboot, and the main screen will appear. C-2 Installing the Windows XP/2000/2003 OS to Systems without RAID Functions 1. Insert Microsoft's Windows XP/2000/2003 Setup CD in the CD Driver, and the system will start booting up from CD. 2.
Appendix D: Installing Other Software and Drivers Appendix D Installing Other Software and Drivers D-1 Installing Other Drivers After you've installed the Windows Operating System, a screen as shown below will appear. You are ready to install software programs and drivers that have not yet been installed. To install these software programs and drivers, click the icons to the right of these items. Driver/Tool Installation Display Screen Notes: 1.
X7DCA-L User's Manual D-2 Configuring Supero Doctor III The Supero Doctor III program is a Web-based management tool that supports remote management capability. It includes Remote and Local Management tools. The local management is called the SD III Client. The Supero Doctor III program included on the CDROM that came with your motherboard allows you to monitor the environment and operations of your system.
Appendix D: Installing Other Software and Drivers Supero Doctor III Interface Display Screen-II (Remote Control) Note: SD III Software can be downloaded from our Web site at: ftp://ftp. supermicro.com/utility/Supero_Doctor_III/. You can also download SDIII User's Guide at: http://www.supermicro.com/PRODUCT/Manuals/SDIII/ UserGuide.pdf. For the Linux OS, we will still recommend that you use Supero Doctor II.
X7DCA-L User's Manual Notes D-4
(Disclaimer) The products sold by Supermicro are not intended for and will not be used in life support systems, medical equipment, nuclear facilities or systems, aircraft, aircraft devices, aircraft/emergency communication devices or other critical systems whose failure to perform be reasonably expected to result in significant injury or loss of life or catastrophic property damage.
