User Guide EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard With Intel Processor Installation and Configuration 122-CK-NF68-XX November 2006
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard ii
Table of Contents Before You Begin… .....................................................................................10 Parts NOT in the Kit....................................................................................... 10 Intentions of the Kit......................................................................................xlix Introduction to the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard .............................1 Features .......................................................................
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Networking with NVIDIA nForce....................................................................5 NVIDIA Native Gigabit Ethernet .................................................................5 NVIDIA FirstPacket™ technology ...............................................................5 NVIDIA DualNet® technology ...................................................................5 High Definition Audio (HDA) ..............................
Front Panel Header ................................................................................ 21 IEEE 1394a (Optional) ............................................................................ 22 USB Headers ......................................................................................... 23 Audio........................................................................................................ 24 Fan Connections .........................................................................
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Network Boot Priority ................................................................................. 39 CPU Internal Cache.................................................................................... 39 Quick Power On Self Test ........................................................................... 40 First/Second/Third Boot Device ................................................................... 40 Boot Other Device...........
RAID Config .............................................................................................. 57 USB Config................................................................................................ 57 MAC Config ............................................................................................... 58 IEEE1394 controller ................................................................................... 58 HD Audio ..................................................................
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard NVIDIA Monitor............................................................................................. 70 NVIDIA nTune 5.0 ......................................................................................... 71 Manual Tuning .......................................................................................... 72 Adjust Motherboard Settings ................................................................... 72 System Voltages ...
Performance.............................................................................................. 98 First Packet............................................................................................ 98 TCP/IP Acceleration ................................................................................. 100 Teaming ................................................................................................. 102 Installing Graphics Cards in an SLI Configuration..............................
Before You Begin… Parts NOT in the Kit This kit contains all the hardware necessary to install and connect your new EVGA nForce 680i SLI motherboard. However, it does not contain the following items that must be purchased separately to make the motherboard functional. Intel microprocessor: Intel Core 2 Extreme, Intel Core 2 Quad, Intel Core 2 Duo, Pentium EE, and Pentium.
Adobe Acrobat Reader NVIDIA MediaShield RAID Manager NVIDIA Networking (FirstPacket) 11
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Windows XP Drivers Install Note: When installing the graphics drivers, the resolution defaults to the lowest setting (typically 800 x 600), making your display very large. Adjust accordingly. 1. Insert the EVGA NVIDIA nForce 680i installation CD for the graphics drivers included in the kit. 2. Run setup.exe. Depending on your system setup, the install disk may automatically run the install setup.exe.
Using the NVIDIA Software This section describes how to configure the following NVIDIA software that is included on the CD in the kit from the NVIDIA Control Panel: NVIDIA Monitor Performance (NVIDIA nTune) Storage (NVIDIA MediaShield RAID Manager) Networking (NVIDIA FirstPacket) Figure 17.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard NVIDIA Monitor The NVIDIA Monitor application can be used at any time with any applications to view the real-time status of various system components. To display the NVIDIA Monitor, select Start¾All Programs¾NVIDIA Corporation¾NVIDIA Monitor. This display shows the performance (usage) of the CPU, disk, memory, and network. It also monitors the Bus speeds and voltages. To view temperatures and fans, click the xiv button.
Introduction NVIDIA nTune 5.0 The Performance category is used to configure and manage NVIDIA nTune. The NVIDIA nTune program is a full-featured application for accessing, monitoring, and adjusting your system components (including bus speeds and voltages) with clear, user-friendly control panels. Overclock your system for the highest performance, or underclock it for a nearly silent operation.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard ª View system information ª Adjust custom rules Manual Tuning The Manual Tuning option provides the ability to adjust motherboard settings, adjust CPU settings, and make changes to the BIOS. Adjust Motherboard Settings The controls in the Adjust Motherboard Settings screen let you adjust the performance of the system clocks, system voltages, memory controller timings, and system fans.
Introduction Figure 19. Adjust Motherboard Settings (nTune) CAUTION: Increasing the voltage or the clock speed of a component may void its warranty due to exceeding recommended specifications. NVIDIA and the board manufacturer are not responsible for damage that may occur when component tolerances are exceeded. System Clocks This section of the Adjust Motherboard Settings allows you to adjust the reference clocks for the FSB, the SPP PCI Express, and the MCP PCI Express.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard In this section of the Adjust Motherboard Settings you must understand what you are changing. Overvoltaging any of the components can result in damage to the components. From this menu, you can adjust the following voltages: CPU Memory FSB HyperTransport SSP MCP nForce SPP nForce MCP Auxiliary Always note the color of the indicator square to the right of each slider.
Introduction Memory Timing This section of the Adjust Motherboard Settings allows you to adjust various memory timings and cycles. Row Address Strobe Adjusts the minimum RAS active time. This is the amount of time between a row being activated by Precharge and deactivated. A row cannot be deactivated until tRAS has completed. The lower this value, the faster the performance. However, if it is set too low it can cause data corruption by deactivating the row to soon. Adjustable from 1 to 63.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard xx RAS to RAS Delay The RAS-to-RAS delay (tRRD) is the is the amount of cycles it takes to activate the next bank of memory (this is the opposite of tRAS). The lower the timing the better the system performance. However, this scenario can cause instability. Adjustable from 1 to 15. Refresh Rate This value is filled in by the system and can not be changed by the user.
Introduction Clock Drive Strength This value is filled in by the system and can not be changed by the user. Command Per Clock The Command Per Clock (tCPC) sets the Command Rate for the memory controller. The value shown cannot be changed Async Latency This value is filled in by the system and can not be changed by the user. Adjust GPU Settings Use this interface to adjust the graphics processing unit (GPU) on your video card(s).
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Dynamic BIOS Access Dynamic BIOS Access allows you to change some of your system BIOS settings. The changes do not go into effect until you reboot your system. Since these changes are made to actual BIOS settings in the CMOS, the settings remain active until you change them again or restore the CMOS to the default settings. Figure 21.
Introduction Available BIOS Pages In the Dynamic BIOS Access page, select a BIOS page that you want to edit from the Available BIOS Pages drop-down menu The BIOS page you select determines which items on the Dynamic BIOS Access menu are available for changing. To edit an item, select an option from the drop-down menus associated with each item. When finished making your changes, click OK or Apply. Note: This feature is available only with BIOS support from the motherboard manufacturer.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Boot up Setting This section of the Dynamic BIOS Access menu allows you to set the following options: xxiv First/Second/Third Boot Device ¾ Removable ¾ Hard Disk ¾ CDROM ¾ Legacy LAN ¾ Disable Swap Floppy Drive ¾ Enable ¾ Disable Boot Up Floppy Seek ¾ Enable ¾ Disable Boot UP NumLock Status ¾ On ¾ Off Gate A20 Option ¾ Normal ¾ Fast
Introduction Automatic Tuning The NVIDIA nTune performance manager uses a complex searching algorithm to determine the best possible and most stable performance for you system. The nTune tuning engine pushes your system to the limits to test the highest possible performance settings. Because of this, there may be instances of system hangs during the testing. When you restart the system, nTune continues its tuning process until the process is complete.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Figure 22.
Introduction Management The Management option on the View System Information screen allows you to view hardware, software, and system information and adjust profiles. View System Information This screen is for information purposes only (you cannot make any changes to the information). The View System Information screen provides hardware, software, and system information that you can save to a log file to assist customer support or for your own uses. Figure 23.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Hardware and driver version information can be viewed and saved using this interface. The status of the system, including current system clock speeds, system temperatures, memory timings, and system voltages can be logged. Versions of NVIDIA software and other system software are listed under Software information. Detailed CPU and memory information is displayed when you double-click on a processor or DIMM listed under Hardware information.
Introduction Adjust Custom Rules The Adjust Custom Rules selection provides you with the ability to create a rule to define when the system should use a particular profile (.nsu files or .npe files) that was created from a manual or automatic tuning session. With custom rules, you can make your system run faster when you are playing games or make it run quieter when you are surfing the Internet. Figure 24.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard System Stability System Stability lets you view your system’s status and perform system stability testing. To access the System Stability menu, select Start¾All Programs¾NVIDIA Corporation¾NVIDIA Control Panel and select System Stability. Perform Stability Test Use Perform Stability Test to quickly diagnose potential system performance issues and to gather troubleshooting data.
Introduction You can designate a specific settings profile to use or check Use current settings for the tests. You can indicate the duration of the test by changing the slider (slider values are from 10 minutes to 48 hours). Click Start to begin testing and display the NVPerformance Benchmark display. Click Results to view a pop-up window containing the testing results.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Health The Health option on the Storage menu provides the ability for you to view the current storage configuration. View Storage Configuration The View Storage Configuration screendisplays the current configuration of your storage devices. Check this screen prior to doing any management function. The View Storage Configuration screen provides status and capacity for all the storage disks on your system. Figure 27.
Introduction Management The Management options on the Storage menu provides you with the ability to delete, rebuild, migrate, and synchronize arrays. Delete Array Use the following procedure to delete an array: 5. Click on Delete Array under Management to launch the NVIDIA Delete Array Wizard. 6. Click Next to continue with the wizard and display the RAID Array Selection menu.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard 7. Select an array you want to delete and press Next. The Completing the NVIDIA Delete Array Wizard screen displays to verify that you still want to delete the array selected. CAUTION: Be sure you are deleting the correct array. Once you click Finish, you no longer have access to any of the data on this array. The data may be permanently destroyed in the process. If you do not want to delete this array, click Cancel 8.
Introduction Rebuild Array The Rebuild Array option allows you to rebuild a disk in the array while the system is running without disrupting user or application access to the data set. Note: Rebuilding an array can take up to a full day to complete. This operation occurs in the background and does not impede any work being done. If you need to shutdown, the rebuild operation continues upon restart. Use the following procedure to rebuild an array: 9. Identify the affect disk in the array and replace it.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard 13. Select the disk in the array that was replaced and needs to be rebuilt. 14. Click Next. The Completing the NVIDIA Rebuild Array Wizard screen displays to verify that you still want to rebuild the array selected. 15. Click Finish to begin the rebuild of the selected disk in the array. (Remember that rebuilding a disk can take up to a full day.
Introduction Migrating Array The Migrating Array option allows you to migrate a RAID array from one arry type to another. There are two reasons to use the Migrating Array option: Adding disks to an existing RAID array An example would be to change a 2-disk Striping array to a 3-disk Striping array. Changing a RAID array to a different array type An example would be to change a Mirroring array to a Strip Mirroring array. Use the following procedure to rebuild an array: 16.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard 18. Select the array to migrate and click Next to display the RAID Mode Selection window. 19. Select the RAID mode you want to migrate to and click Next. The Completing the NVIDIA Migrate Array Wizard screen displays to verify that you still want to migrate the array selected. CAUTION: Note that this migration is not reversible. Be sure you want to migrate this array before continuing. 20.
Introduction Synchronize Array This option is used to synchronize a selected array. Use the following procedure to rebuild an array: 21. Click on Synchronize Array under Management to launch the NVIDIA Synchronize Array Wizard. 22. Click Next to continue with the wizard and display the RAID Array Selection window.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard 23. Select the array to synchronize and click Next. The Completing the NVIDIA Synchronize Array Wizard screen displays to verify that you still want to synchronize the array selected. 24. Click Finish to begin synchronizing the array.
Introduction NVIDIA Networking The NVIDIA Networking function configures and controls NVIDIA networking hardware integrated into the NVIDIA MCP. In addition to the typical network configuration functions that are controlled using the Windows Network Connections panel, the NVIDIA networking solution includes several key features that are accessed using the NVIDIA control panel.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Performance The Performance option on the Networking Control Panel Categories screen provides the means to configure FirstPacket settings and to set TCP/IP acceleration configuration. Figure 28.
Introduction Use the following procedure to enable or disable the ability to have network traffic to prioritized for optimal performance: 25. Select Configure FirstPacket Settings under Performance on the Networking Control Panel Categories screen to display the Configure FirstPacket Settings screen. 26. Click the Settings tab. 27. Click Enable FirstPacket (recommended) to enable the options that define the speed of the broadband connection.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard 28. Define the applications to accelerate by clicking Program Prioritized by FirstPacket. 29. Click Add to browse for an executable gamming applications. For example, if you want to accelerate a game such as Serious Sam 2, look for the Sam2.exe and add it. 30. Click Apply.
Introduction In traditional networking environments, inspecting packets is laborious and affects CPU overhead, memory bandwidth, and overall system latency. In comparison, the NVIDIA TCP/IP Acceleration engine discards bad packets before the CPU detects them. In addition, good packets take an “express lane” and bypass the traditional “network stack” process, improving overall throughput and lowering CPU utilization. T configure TCP/IP acceleration, select Set TCP/IP Acceleration the Networking screen.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Teaming NVIDIA Teaming technology improves network throughput by distributing traffic efficiently across all available Ethernet interfaces. In normal network conditions, both transmit and receive traffic are distributed. NVIDIA Teaming technology also improves network uploading time.
Introduction Use the following procedure to configure Teaming: 31. Select Start¾All Programs¾NVIDIA Corporation¾NVIDIA Control Panel to display the NVIDIA Control Panel. 32. Click on the networking icon to display the Networking Control Panel Categories. 33. Select Adjust Teaming configuration to display the teaming configuration window. Note that by default, Teaming is disabled. 34. Select Combine my network adapters (recommended) radio button to enable Teaming. 35. Click Apply to enable teaming.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard number of the GPUs you install. If you are going to SLI two graphics cards, you are going to require more power. As a rule, for one GPU you need a minimum of a 350 W power supply. If you have two GPUs in an SLI configuration, you will need a minimum of a 500 W power supply. To calculate the power you are going to require for your specific configuration, go to www.slizone.com.
Introduction Intentions of the Kit This kit provides you with the motherboard and all connecting cables necessary to install the motherboard into a PC cabinet. If you are building a PC, you will use most of the cables provided in the kit. If however, you are replacing a motherboard, you will not need many of the cables. When replacing a motherboard in a PC cabinet, you will need to reinstall an operating system even though the current drives have an operating system.
Introduction to the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Thank you for buying the EVGA NFORCE 680i SLI Motherboard. This motherboard offers the tools and performance PC enthusiast’s demand. When combined with two SLI-Ready NVIDIA GeForce graphics cards, you get innovative NVIDIA SLI Technology for enhanced system performance. Features Engineered for Enthusiasts NVIDIA nForce® 680i SLI™ media and communications processors (MCPs) deliver the tools and performance PC enthusiasts demand.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Extreme Overclocking Unleash the underlying hardware. With comprehensive overclocking tools to push the limits on front side bus (FSB) speed and support for higher memory speeds, the NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI MCPs were designed for overclocking. Extreme FSB speeds The front side bus (FSB) in the NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI MCP is specified to run at 1333MHz to support existing and future FSB speeds.
Introduction Designed for NVIDIA SLI Technology NVIDIA® SLI™ technology is a revolutionary platform innovation that allows users to intelligently scale graphics performance by combining multiple NVIDIA graphics solutions in a single system with an NVIDIA nForce SLI MCP. True 2 x16 PCI Express SLI Support Two full-bandwidth 16-lane PCI Express links ensure maximum graphics performance for next-generation GPUs and games. This feature offers twice the PCI Express bandwidth of x8 SLI solutions.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard NVIDIA MediaShield Storage NVIDIA MediaShield™ Storage offers a suite of features that safeguards your most important digital media assets; always reliable, scalable, and accessible which includes RAID and SATA drive support. Multiple Disk Setup Through a simple wizard-based interface, you can effortlessly set up your drives for better data protection, faster disk access or maximum storage capacity.
Introduction Networking with NVIDIA nForce NVIDIA networking delivers the highest network throughput at the lowest CPU utilization. The manageable and stable NVIDIA networking solution results in better networking management and a lower total cost of ownership. Only NVIDIA integrates this level of networking features to allow you to take your online experience to the next level.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard High Definition Audio (HDA) High definition audio brings consumer electronics quality sound to the PC delivering high quality sound from multiple channels. Using HDA, systems can deliver 192 kHz/32-bit quality for eight channels, supporting new audio formats. USB 2.0 A standard plug-and-play interface that provides easy-to-use connectivity for USB devices.
Introduction Motherboard Specifications Size ATX form factor of 12 inch x 9.6 inch Microprocessor support Intel Core 2 Extreme, Intel Core 2 Quad, Intel Core 2 Duo, Pentium EE, and Pentium. Operating systems Supports Windows XP 32bit and Windows XP 64bit. Contains NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI MCP System Memory ¾ Dual-channel DDR2 800/667/533 ¾ SLI-Ready Memory up to 1200 MHz ¾ Supports up to 8 GB DDR2 memory USB 2.0 Ports ¾ Supports hot plug ¾ Ten USB 2.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Onboard Audio ¾ Supports 8-channel audio ¾ Supports S/PDIF output ¾ Supports Jack-Sensing function Dual PCI Express x16 Support ¾ Supports 4 GB/sec (8 GB/sec concurrent) bandwidth ¾ Low power consumption and power management features Green Function ¾ Supports ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) ¾ Supports S0 (normal), S1 (power on suspend), S3 (suspend to RAM), S4 (Suspend to disk - depends on OS), and S5 (soft - off) Expan
Unpacking and Parts Descriptions Unpacking The EVGA nForce 680i SLI motherboard comes with all the necessary cables for adding a motherboard to a new chassis. If you are replacing a motherboard, you may not need many of these cables. Be sure to inspect each piece of equipment shipped in the packing box. If anything is missing or damaged, contact your reseller. All parts shipped in this kit are RoHS-compliant (lead-free) parts.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard 1394 Cable Provides an additional 1394 ports to either the back panel of the chassis. USB 2.0 4-Port Cable Provides four additional USB ports to either the front or back panels of the chassis.
Unpacking and Parts Description 30 22 23 26 22 24 25 23 25 28 27 31 21 20 1 19 18 2 18 3 29 17 4 16 15 18 7 14 13 12 11 10 1. CPU Socket 2. NVIDIA SPP with passive heat sink 3. CPU fan connector 4. DDR DIMM Slots 0 - 3 5. 24-pin ATX Power Connector 6. FDD Connector 7. Front panel connector 8. AUX PEX Power connector 9. Serial-ATA connectors 10. NVIDIA MCP 11. Floppy drive connector 9 8 6 12. Two Serial-ATA connectors 13. LED POST codes 14. Motherboard battery 15.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard 8 1 2 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 3 4 5 PS/2 Mouse Port PS/2 Keyboard Port 1394a (Firewire) port USB 2.0 ports SPDIF output Port 2-Channel 4-Channel Blue Line-In Line-In Green Line-Out Front Speaker Out Pink Mic In Mic In Orange Black Rear Speaker Out Grey 7. USB 2.0 Ports 8. Lan Ports with LEDs to indicate status.
Hardware Installation This section will guide you through the installation of the motherboard. The topics covered in this section are: Preparing the motherboard ¾ Installing the CPU ¾ Installing the CPU fan ¾ Installing the memory Installing the motherboard Connecting cables and setting switches Safety Instructions To reduce the risk of fire, electric shock, and injury, always follow basic safety precautions.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Preparing the Motherboard The motherboard shipped in the box does not contain a CPU or memory. You need to purchase a CPU, a CPU fan assembly, and memory to complete this installation. Installing the CPU Be very careful when handling the CPU. Hold the processor only by the edges and do not touch the bottom of the processor. Use the following procedure to install the CPU onto the motherboard. 36.
Hardware Installation Installing the CPU Fan There are many different fan types that can be used with this motherboard. Follow the instruction that came with you fan assembly. Be sure that the fan orientation is correct for your chassis type and your fan assembly. Installing Memory DIMMs Your new motherboard has four 1.8V 240-pin slots for DDR2 memory. These slots support 256 Mb, 512 Mb and 1 Gb DDR2 technologies for x8 and x16 devices. They also support dual channel DDR2 memory technology up to 10.7GB/s.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Installing the Motherboard The sequence of installing the motherboard into the chassis depends on the chassis you are using and if you are replacing an existing motherboard or working with an empty chassis. Determine if it would be easier to make all the connections prior to this step or to secure the motherboard and then make all the connections.
Hardware Installation 4. Ensure that the fan assembly is aligned with the chassis vents according to the fan assembly instruction. 5. Secure the motherboard with a minimum of eight-to-ten screws. Connecting Cables and Setting Switches This section takes you through all the connections and switch settings necessary on the motherboard.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Power Connections This motherboard requires an ATX power supply. To support a PCI Express motherboard with the addition of dual graphics cards using NVIDIA SLI technology, you are going to need a minimum of a 500W power supply. Make sure you have enough power to cover all the expansion cards you will be installing. To determine what you power requirements are for your specific configuration, refer to www.SLIzone.com.
Hardware Installation 8-pin ATX 12V Power (PWR2) PWR2, the 8-pin ATX 12V power connection, is used to provide power to the CPU. Align the pins to the connector and press firmly until seated. 1 5 12V GND 8 4 Connect a four-pin power plug to pins 1, 2, 5, and 6. It is strongly recommended that you use an 8-pin ATX 12V power supply; however, if you have a four-pin power supply, plug the connector to pins 1, 2, 5, and 6 as shown.
Hardware Installation Connecting Internal Headers Front Panel Header The front panel header on this motherboard is one connector used to connect the following four cables: PWRLED Attach the front panel power LED cable to these two pins of the connector. The Power LED indicates the system’s status. When the system is in S0 status, the LED is on. When the system is in S1, S3, S4, S5 status, the LED is off.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Table 2.
Hardware Installation USB Headers This motherboard contains four (4) USB 2.0 ports that are exposed on the rear panel of the chassis. The motherboard also contains two 10-pin internal header connectors onboard that can be used to connect an optional external bracket containing four (4) more USB 2.0 ports. 1. Secure the bracket to either the front or rear panel of your chassis (not all chassis are equipped with the front panel option). 2. Connect the two ends of the cables to the USB 2.
Hardware Installation Fan Connections There are two fan connections, the system fan and the CPU fan. The fan speed can be detected and viewed in the PC Health Status section of the CMOS Setup. Both fans are automatically turned off after the system enters S3, S4 and S5 mode. Note that the CPU fan cable can be either a 3-pin or a 4-pin connector. Connect a 3-pin connector to pins 1, 2, and 3 on the motherboard connector.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard COM1 (Optional) The motherboard kit provides an additional serial COM header for your machine. Connect one side of a switching cable to the header and then attach the serial COM device to the other side of the cable. FDD Connector The motherboard supports a standard 360K, 720K, 1.2M, 1.44m, and a 2.88M floppy disk drive (FDD).
Hardware Installation Expansion Slots The EVGA nForce 680i SLI motherboard contains six expansion slots, four PCI Express slots and two PCI slots. For a full list of PCI Express x16 graphics card supported by this motherboard, go to www.evga.com/products/. 5 2 5 3 4 1 1 - Primary PCIe x16 Slot (GPU1) 2 - Secondary PCIe x16 (GPU2/SLI) 3 - x16 Graphics Expansion slot 4 - x1 PCIe 5 - PCI Slots Figure 4.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard PCI Express x1 Slot There is two PCI Express x1 slots that are designed to accommodate less bandwidth-intensive cards, such as a modem or LAN card. The x1 slot provides 250 MB/sec bandwidth. PCI Express x16 Slots These two PCI Express x16 slots are reserved for graphics or video cards. The bandwidth of the x16 slot is up to 4GB/sec (8GB/sec concurrent).
Configuring the BIOS This section discusses how to change the system settings through the BIOS Setup menus. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Enter BIOS Setup The BIOS is the communication bridge between hardware and software. Correctly setting the BIOS parameters is critical to maintain optimal system performance. Use the following procedure to verify/change BIOS settings. 1. Power on the computer, 2. Press the Del key when the following message briefly displays at the bottom of the screen during the Power On Self Test (POST). Press F1 to continue, DEL to enter Setup.
Configuring the BIOS Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility ` Standard CMOS Features ` System Monitor ` Advanced BIOS Features Load Defaults ` Advanced Chipset Features Set Password ` Integrated Peripherals Save & Exit Setup ` Power Management Setup Exit Without Saving ` PnP/PCI Configurations Esc : Quit F10 : Save & Exit Setup : Select Item Time, Date, Hard Disk Type.., NVIDIA LinkBoost™ - Not Detected SLI-Ready memory - Disabled Figure 5.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard System Monitor Use this menu to monitor the real-time system status of your PC, including temperature, voltages, and fan speed. The following items on the CMOS Setup Utility main menu are commands rather than submenus: Load Defaults Use this command to load the NVIDIA LinkBoost technology settings for LinkBoost-enabled systems. Load default system settings for standard systems.
Configuring the BIOS Standard CMOS Features Menu The Standard CMOS Features menu is used to configure the standard CMOS information, such as the date, time, HDD model, and so on. Use the Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the options or press Enter to display the sub-menu. Use the arrow keys to position the selector in the option you choose. To go back to the previous menu, press Esc. The information shown in Item Help corresponds to the option highlighted.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Date and Time Using the arrow keys, position the cursor over the month, day, and year. Use the Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through dates and times. Note that the weekday (Sun through Sat) cannot be changed. This field changes to correspond to the date you enter. Note that the hour value is shown in a 24-hour clock format. Time is represented as hour : minute : second.
Configuring the BIOS Press Enter to auto-detect IDE and SATA channels in the system. Once the channel is detected, the values for Capacity, Cylinder, Heads, Precomp, Landing Zone, and Sector are automatically filled in. None There is no HDD installed or set. Auto The system can auto-detect the hard disk when booting up. Manual When you set the channel to [Manual] and change Access Mode to [CHS], you can then enter the number of cylinders, heads, Precomp, landing zone, and sector.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Drive A The Drive A option allows you to select the kind of FDD to install. Options are: Drive A Halt On [1.44, 3.5 in.] [All , But Keyboard] None 360K, 5.25 in. 1.2M, 5.25 in. 720K, 3.5 in. 1.44M, 3.5 in. 2.88M, 3.5 in. Press ENTER to display sub-menu Drive A None 360K, 5.25 in. 1.2M, 5.25 in. 720K, 3.5 in. 1.44M, 3.5 in. 2.88M, 3.5 in. ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
Configuring the BIOS All, But Diskette The system boot does not stop for a diskette error but will stop for all other errors. All, But Disk/Key The system boot does not stop for a keyboard or disk error, but will stop for all other errors. Memory These settings are display-only values that are determined by the BIOS POST (Power-On Self Test).
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Advanced BIOS Features Access the Advanced BIOS Features menu from the CMOS Utility Setup screen. Use the Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the options or press Enter to display the sub-menu. Use the arrow keys to position the selector in the option you choose. To go back to the previous menu, press Esc. Note: The options that have associated sub-menus are designated by a `, which precedes the option.
Configuring the BIOS Removable Device Priority Use this option to select the priority for removable device startup. Press Enter to see the list of removable devices in your system. Use the arrow keys to go to the various devices. Then use the + or – keys to move the device priority up or down in the list. To go back to the previous menu, press Esc. 1. Floppy Disks Hard Disk Boot Priority Use this option to select the priority for HDD startup.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Quick Power On Self Test Enabling this option allows the system to skip certain test while booting, which reduces the time needed to boot the system. Use the Page Up and Page Down keys to toggle between Enable and Disable. First/Second/Third Boot Device Use this option to set the priority sequence of the devices booted at power on. Use the Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the options or press Enter to display the sub-menu.
Configuring the BIOS Security Option The Security Options allows you to require a password every time the system boots or only when you enter setup. Select Setup to require a password to gain access to the CMOS Setup screen. Select System to require a password to access the CMOS Setup screen and when the system boots. APIC Mode Use this function to enable or disable the Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller (APIC). If you disable this option, you also disable the MPS Version Control for OS option.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Advanced Chipset Features Select Advanced Chipset Features from the CMOS Setup Utility menu and press Enter to display the functions of the Advanced Chipset Functions menu.
Configuring the BIOS System Clocks Select System Clocks from the Advanced Chipset Features menu and press Enter to display the System Clocks menu. From this menu, you are able to specify frequency settings, HT multipliers, and Spread Spectrum settings. Note that in Figure 9, all of the options are listed. On the actual BIOS screen, you will need to scroll down to see all the options.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Frequency Settings 44 CPU Freq, MHz This value is set by the CPU Multiplier (value cannot be changed by the user). FSB Reference Clock. MHz This value is set by the system (value cannot be changed by the user). To change the SLI-Ready memory, FSB memory, and memory timing, go to the FSB & Memory screen. CPU Multiplier This value changes the CPU Frequency value depending on the value you choose.
Configuring the BIOS HT Multiplier nForce SPP — —> nForce MCP Use the Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the HT multiplier options and set the link speed from the SPP chip to the MCP chip. Values are [1 x] through [5 x]. nForce MCP <— — nForce SPP Use the Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the HT multiplier options and set the link speed from the MCP chip to the SPP chip. Values are [1 x] through [5 x].
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard FSB & Memory Config Select FSB & Memory Config from the Advanced Chipset Features menu and press Enter to display the FSB & Memory Config menu. This menu provides the means to set SLI-Ready memory, FSB memory, and memory timing. Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility FSB & Memory Config Parameters SLI-Ready Memory Settings Current Value [Disabled] Disabled CPU Freq, MHz 2933.
Configuring the BIOS When you select one of the CPUOC x% options, the FSB - Memory Clock Mode is set to Unlinked and cannot be changed until SLIReady Memory is set to Disable. FSB and Memory Clock Mode Use the Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the FSB and Memory Clock Mode options. The options are: ¾ Auto This is the optimal setting since it sets the FSB and memory speeds automatically.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard or type in a new value. Note that the Actual MEM (DDR) reflects the actual frequency that takes effect when the system reboots. Memory Timing Setting Press Enter to display the Memory Timing Setting menu. Use this menu to set optimal timings or to manually enter timings.
Configuring the BIOS ¾ Expert Use the Page Up and Page Down keys to select Expert. When Expert is selected, all timing categories are enabled for manual input. Note that you should set the value to Optimal to use the manufacturers’ recommended values.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard CPU Configuration Select CPU Configuration from the Advanced Chipset Features menu and press Enter to display the CPU Configuration menu.
Configuring the BIOS ¾ TM1 & TM2 Enables support for both TM1 and TM2. C1E Enhanced Halt State Enabled, this function reduces the CPU power consumption when the CPU is idle. Idle occurs when the operating system issues a halt instruction. Execute Disable Bit When this function is disabled, it forces the XD feature flag to always return to zero (0).
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard 52 CPU Core Use the Page Up and Page Down keys to scroll through the voltages or select [Auto] to automatically set the voltage level for the CPU Core. CPU FSB This function defines the voltage level for the CPU FSB I/O (CPU VTT). Use the Page Up and Page Down keys to select a voltage (1.3V, 1.4V or 1.5V) or select [Auto] to automatically set the voltage. Memory This function defines the voltage level for the DRAM.
Configuring the BIOS NVMEM Memory Test This function defines whether you run the NVIDIA memory testing module during POST. The options are Fast, Medium, Slow, and Disable. PCI Clocks This function allows you to enable the PCI clocks or select [Auto] to have the PCI clocks automatically enabled/disabled. Load Timing/Voltage Set This function loads the system voltages and timing settings that were defined in the System Voltages menu.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Save Timing/Voltage Set This function saves the system voltages and timing settings that were defined in the System Voltages menu. There are four profile options that can be loaded. The default setting is Auto for all settings. Press Enter to see the options. Save timing/voltage set Press Enter to Select Profile Select Profile Select Profile :Move Exit 1 2 3 ..... ..... ..... .....
Configuring the BIOS Integrated Peripherals Menu Select Integrated Peripherals from the CMOS Setup Utility menu and press Enter to display the Integrated Peripherals menu. Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Integrated Peripherals ` ` ` ` IDE Function Setup RAID Config USB Config MAC Config IEEE1394 controller HD Audio IDE HDD Block Mode Onboard FDC Controller Onboard Serial Port 1 :Move Figure 13.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard IDE Function Setup Press Enter to display the IDE Function Setup menu.
Configuring the BIOS RAID Config Press Enter to display the RAID Config menu. RAID SATA SATA SATA SATA SATA SATA Enable 0 Primary 0 Secondary 1 Primary 1 Secondary 2 Primary 2 Secondary RAID RAID RAID RAID RAID RAID [Enabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] RAID Enable RAID Enable [Disabled] x SATA 0 Primary RAID Disabled Use this function to enable x SATA 0 Secondary RAID Disabled or disable RAID.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard MAC Config Press Enter to display the MAC Config menu. MAC0 LAN MAC1 LAN [Enabled] [Disabled] MACx LAN Use these functions to set the MAC0 and/or MAC1 LANs to Auto or disable their functions. IEEE1394 controller This function on the Integrated Peripherals menu allows you to enable or disable the IEEE1394 (Firewire) interface.
Configuring the BIOS Power Management Setup Menu Select Power Management Setup from the CMOS Setup Utility menu and press Enter to display the Power Management Setup menu.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Soft-Off by PBNT This function on the Power Management Setup menu allows you to set SoftOff by PBNT to [Instant-Off] or [Delay 4 Sec]. WOL(PME#) From Soft-Off This function on the Power Management Setup menu allows you to enable or disable WOL(PMW#) from soft-off. Power On by Alarm This function on the Power Management Setup menu allows you to enable or disable the Power-on by alarm function. Set to [Disable] to prevent poweron by alarm.
Configuring the BIOS Hot Key Power On When [Hot Key] is selected, the Hot key Power On function is enabled so that you must select a keyboard key as the hot key. To select a hot key use Ctrl+F1 though Ctrl+F12. x POWER ON Function KB Power ON Password Hot Key Power On [Hot key] Enter [Ctrl-F1] Mouse Left Mouse Right Any Key PnP/PCI Configuration Menu Select PnP/PCI Configuration from the CMOS Setup Utility menu and press Enter to display the PnP/PCI Configuration menu.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Init Display First This function on the PnP/PCI Configuration menu allows you to define if the initial display is in the PCI slot or in the PCI Express slot. Options are [PCI Slot] and [PCIEx]. Reset Configuration Data This function on the PnP/PCI Configuration menu allows you to enable or disable the resetting of Extended System Configuration Data (ESCD) when you exit Setup.
Configuring the BIOS IRQ Resources To enable this field for input, set Resources Controlled By to [Manual]. With this field enabled, press Enter to see options. IRQ-5 IRQ-9 IRQ-10 IRQ-11 IRQ-14 IRQ-15 assigned assigned assigned assigned assigned assigned to to to to to to [PCI Device] [Reserved] [PCI Device] [PCI Device] [PCI Device] [PCI Device] Use Legacy ISA for devices compliant with the original PC AT Bus specification.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard System Monitor Menu Select System Monitor from the CMOS Setup Utility menu and press Enter to display the System Monitor menu. Phoenix – AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility System Monitor ` Dynamic Fan Control CPU Board MCP CPU Core CPU FSB Memory +3.3V +3.3V Dual +12V +5V +Vbat CPU MCP SPP Mem Sys Fan Fan Fan Fan Fan :Move Figure 16. [Press Enter] 47ºC/ 117ºF 51ºC/ 124ºF 45ºC/ 113ºF Item Help Main Level ` 1.28V 1.19V 1.81V 3.
Configuring the BIOS Dynamic Fan Control Press Enter to display the Dynamic Fan Control menu.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard 66
Software Installation Note: It is important to remember that before installing the driver CD that is shipped in the kit, you need to load your operating system. The motherboard supports Windows XP 32bit and 64bit and is Vista-capable. The kit comes with a CD that contains utility drivers and additional NVIDIA software. The CD that has been shipped with your NVIDIA motherboard contains the following software and drivers: NVIDIA nForce drivers RealTek Audio drivers Microsoft DirectX 9.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Windows XP Drivers Install Note: When installing the graphics drivers, the resolution defaults to the lowest setting (typically 800 x 600), making your display very large. Adjust accordingly. 3. Insert the EVGA NVIDIA nForce 680i installation CD for the graphics drivers included in the kit. 4. Run setup.exe. Depending on your system setup, the install disk may automatically run the install setup.exe.
Using the NVIDIA Software This section describes how to configure the following NVIDIA software that is included on the CD in the kit from the NVIDIA Control Panel: NVIDIA Monitor Performance (NVIDIA nTune) Storage (NVIDIA MediaShield RAID Manager) Networking (NVIDIA FirstPacket) Figure 17.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard NVIDIA Monitor The NVIDIA Monitor application can be used at any time with any applications to view the real-time status of various system components. To display the NVIDIA Monitor, select Start¾All Programs¾NVIDIA Corporation¾NVIDIA Monitor. This display shows the performance (usage) of the CPU, disk, memory, and network. It also monitors the Bus speeds and voltages. To view temperatures and fans, click the 70 button.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard NVIDIA nTune 5.0 The Performance category is used to configure and manage NVIDIA nTune. The NVIDIA nTune program is a full-featured application for accessing, monitoring, and adjusting your system components (including bus speeds and voltages) with clear, user-friendly control panels. Overclock your system for the highest performance, or underclock it for a nearly silent operation.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard ¾ Management ª View system information ª Adjust custom rules Manual Tuning The Manual Tuning option provides the ability to adjust motherboard settings, adjust CPU settings, and make changes to the BIOS. Adjust Motherboard Settings The controls in the Adjust Motherboard Settings screen let you adjust the performance of the system clocks, system voltages, memory controller timings, and system fans.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Figure 19. Adjust Motherboard Settings (nTune) CAUTION: Increasing the voltage or the clock speed of a component may void its warranty due to exceeding recommended specifications. NVIDIA and the board manufacturer are not responsible for damage that may occur when component tolerances are exceeded.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard System Voltages CAUTION: Overvoltaging any component can result in damage. In this section of the Adjust Motherboard Settings you must understand what you are changing. Overvoltaging any of the components can result in damage to the components.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Memory Timing This section of the Adjust Motherboard Settings allows you to adjust various memory timings and cycles. When you select an option, information explaining the selection is displayed in the area below the Memory Timing box. Clicking on View SPD… displays a memory information window. This is for information only and is not editable. Row Address Strobe Adjusts the minimum RAS active time.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard 76 RAS to RAS Delay The RAS-to-RAS delay (tRRD) is the is the amount of cycles it takes to activate the next bank of memory (this is the opposite of tRAS). The lower the timing the better the system performance. However, this scenario can cause instability. Adjustable from 1 to 15. Refresh Rate This value is filled in by the system and can not be changed by the user.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Clock Drive Strength This value is filled in by the system and can not be changed by the user. Command Per Clock The Command Per Clock (tCPC) sets the Command Rate for the memory controller. The value shown cannot be changed Async Latency This value is filled in by the system and can not be changed by the user. Adjust GPU Settings Use this interface to adjust the graphics processing unit (GPU) on your video card(s).
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Dynamic BIOS Access Dynamic BIOS Access allows you to change some of your system BIOS settings. The changes do not go into effect until you reboot your system. Since these changes are made to actual BIOS settings in the CMOS, the settings remain active until you change them again or restore the CMOS to the default settings. Figure 21.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Available BIOS Pages In the Dynamic BIOS Access page, select a BIOS page that you want to edit from the Available BIOS Pages drop-down menu The BIOS page you select determines which items on the Dynamic BIOS Access menu are available for changing. To edit an item, select an option from the drop-down menus associated with each item. When finished making your changes, click OK or Apply.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Boot up Setting This section of the Dynamic BIOS Access menu allows you to set the following options: 80 First/Second/Third Boot Device ¾ Removable ¾ Hard Disk ¾ CDROM ¾ Legacy LAN ¾ Disable Swap Floppy Drive ¾ Enable ¾ Disable Boot Up Floppy Seek ¾ Enable ¾ Disable Boot UP NumLock Status ¾ On ¾ Off Gate A20 Option ¾ Normal ¾ Fast
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Automatic Tuning The NVIDIA nTune performance manager uses a complex searching algorithm to determine the best possible and most stable performance for you system. The nTune tuning engine pushes your system to the limits to test the highest possible performance settings. Because of this, there may be instances of system hangs during the testing. When you restart the system, nTune continues its tuning process until the process is complete.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Figure 22.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Management The Management option on the View System Information screen allows you to view hardware, software, and system information and adjust profiles. View System Information This screen is for information purposes only (you cannot make any changes to the information). The View System Information screen provides hardware, software, and system information that you can save to a log file to assist customer support or for your own uses.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Hardware and driver version information can be viewed and saved using this interface. The status of the system, including current system clock speeds, system temperatures, memory timings, and system voltages can be logged. Versions of NVIDIA software and other system software are listed under Software information. Detailed CPU and memory information is displayed when you double-click on a processor or DIMM listed under Hardware information.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Adjust Custom Rules The Adjust Custom Rules selection provides you with the ability to create a rule to define when the system should use a particular profile (.nsu files or .npe files) that was created from a manual or automatic tuning session. With custom rules, you can make your system run faster when you are playing games or make it run quieter when you are surfing the Internet. Figure 24.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard System Stability System Stability lets you view your system’s status and perform system stability testing. To access the System Stability menu, select Start¾All Programs¾NVIDIA Corporation¾NVIDIA Control Panel and select System Stability. Perform Stability Test Use Perform Stability Test to quickly diagnose potential system performance issues and to gather troubleshooting data.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard You can designate a specific settings profile to use or check Use current settings for the tests. You can indicate the duration of the test by changing the slider (slider values are from 10 minutes to 48 hours). Click Start to begin testing and display the NVPerformance Benchmark display. Click Results to view a pop-up window containing the testing results.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Health The Health option on the Storage menu provides the ability for you to view the current storage configuration. View Storage Configuration The View Storage Configuration screendisplays the current configuration of your storage devices. Check this screen prior to doing any management function. The View Storage Configuration screen provides status and capacity for all the storage disks on your system. Figure 27.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Management The Management options on the Storage menu provides you with the ability to delete, rebuild, migrate, and synchronize arrays. Delete Array Use the following procedure to delete an array: 7. Click on Delete Array under Management to launch the NVIDIA Delete Array Wizard. 8. Click Next to continue with the wizard and display the RAID Array Selection menu.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard 9. Select an array you want to delete and press Next. The Completing the NVIDIA Delete Array Wizard screen displays to verify that you still want to delete the array selected. CAUTION: Be sure you are deleting the correct array. Once you click Finish, you no longer have access to any of the data on this array. The data may be permanently destroyed in the process. If you do not want to delete this array, click Cancel 10.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Rebuild Array The Rebuild Array option allows you to rebuild a disk in the array while the system is running without disrupting user or application access to the data set. Note: Rebuilding an array can take up to a full day to complete. This operation occurs in the background and does not impede any work being done. If you need to shutdown, the rebuild operation continues upon restart. Use the following procedure to rebuild an array: 11.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard 16. Click Next. The Completing the NVIDIA Rebuild Array Wizard screen displays to verify that you still want to rebuild the array selected. 17. Click Finish to begin the rebuild of the selected disk in the array. (Remember that rebuilding a disk can take up to a full day.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Migrating Array The Migrating Array option allows you to migrate a RAID array from one arry type to another. There are two reasons to use the Migrating Array option: Adding disks to an existing RAID array An example would be to change a 2-disk Striping array to a 3-disk Striping array. Changing a RAID array to a different array type An example would be to change a Mirroring array to a Strip Mirroring array.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard 20. Select the array to migrate and click Next to display the RAID Mode Selection window. 21. Select the RAID mode you want to migrate to and click Next. The Completing the NVIDIA Migrate Array Wizard screen displays to verify that you still want to migrate the array selected. CAUTION: Note that this migration is not reversible. Be sure you want to migrate this array before continuing. 22.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Synchronize Array This option is used to synchronize a selected array. Use the following procedure to rebuild an array: 23. Click on Synchronize Array under Management to launch the NVIDIA Synchronize Array Wizard. 24. Click Next to continue with the wizard and display the RAID Array Selection window.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard 25. Select the array to synchronize and click Next. The Completing the NVIDIA Synchronize Array Wizard screen displays to verify that you still want to synchronize the array selected. 26. Click Finish to begin synchronizing the array.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard NVIDIA Networking The NVIDIA Networking function configures and controls NVIDIA networking hardware integrated into the NVIDIA MCP. In addition to the typical network configuration functions that are controlled using the Windows Network Connections panel, the NVIDIA networking solution includes several key features that are accessed using the NVIDIA control panel.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Performance The Performance option on the Networking Control Panel Categories screen provides the means to configure FirstPacket settings and to set TCP/IP acceleration configuration. Figure 28.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Use the following procedure to enable or disable the ability to have network traffic to prioritized for optimal performance: 27. Select Configure FirstPacket Settings under Performance on the Networking Control Panel Categories screen to display the Configure FirstPacket Settings screen. 28. Click the Settings tab. 29. Click Enable FirstPacket (recommended) to enable the options that define the speed of the broadband connection.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard 30. Define the applications to accelerate by clicking Program Prioritized by FirstPacket. 31. Click Add to browse for an executable gamming applications. For example, if you want to accelerate a game such as Serious Sam 2, look for the Sam2.exe and add it. 32. Click Apply.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard In traditional networking environments, inspecting packets is laborious and affects CPU overhead, memory bandwidth, and overall system latency. In comparison, the NVIDIA TCP/IP Acceleration engine discards bad packets before the CPU detects them. In addition, good packets take an “express lane” and bypass the traditional “network stack” process, improving overall throughput and lowering CPU utilization.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Teaming NVIDIA Teaming technology improves network throughput by distributing traffic efficiently across all available Ethernet interfaces. In normal network conditions, both transmit and receive traffic are distributed. NVIDIA Teaming technology also improves network uploading time.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Use the following procedure to configure Teaming: 33. Select Start¾All Programs¾NVIDIA Corporation¾NVIDIA Control Panel to display the NVIDIA Control Panel. 34. Click on the networking icon to display the Networking Control Panel Categories. 35. Select Adjust Teaming configuration to display the teaming configuration window. Note that by default, Teaming is disabled. 36.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Installing Graphics Cards in an SLI Configuration NVIDIA SLI (Scalable Link Interface) is a revolutionary technology that allows two NVIDIA SLI graphics cards to work together to deliver incredible 3D graphics performance. Your new motherboard can support up to three PCI Express graphics cards, two linked using SLI and one dedicated to CPU physics.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard While NVIDIA recommends an SLI-Ready power supply, the following table provides some general power supply recommendations based on testing performed in the NVIDIA SLI validation lab. Table 6.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ Dual EVGA GeForce 7600 GT Graphics cards Intel Core 2 Duo Single HDD One optical drive For a list of certified power supplies, go to http://www.slizone.com/content/slizone/build.html. Install Your NVIDIA SLI-Ready Parts Now that you have obtained the necessary NVIDIA SLI-Ready parts, it is time to configure the system. This procedure assumes you have already installed the motherboard.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Use the following procedure to build your NVIDIA SLI-Ready PC system: 1. Install two SLI-Ready graphic cards into the two outer black PCI Express x16 slots on the motherboard. Be sure to seat the graphic cards into the connectors. Two SLI graphics cards installed in the outer two (block) PCI Express slots on the motherboard. Note the blue PCI Express slot is empty. Three PCI Express graphics cards installed.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard 2. Connect the PCI Express supplementary power connectors from the system power supply to each of the graphic cards: From Power Supply 3. Install the NVIDIA SLI connector across the two outer graphics cards as shown below. Each SLI-Ready graphics card has an SLI finger on the upper side of the card. Install the SLI connector onto the two outer cards.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Install NVIDIA SLI Software Upon power up, the operating system recognizes the new NVIDIA SLI-Ready components and displays the Found New Hardware message. Your motherboard shipped with a set of drivers that you must install. Once these drivers are installed, reboot your system. As part of the NVIDIA Unified Driver Architecture, NVIDIA drivers include a full set of controls for SLI systems. Go to http://www.slizone.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Enable NVIDIA SLI At this point, you need to enable NVIDIA SLI. You can do this either by clicking on the SLI capable system balloon or by going to the NVIDIA Control Panel. To launch the NVIDIA Control Panel, select Start¾All Programs ¾NVIDIA Corporation¾NVIDIA Control Panel. Click on the 3D Settings icon. Select Set SLI configuration from under Performance. Click Enable SLI technology (recommended) and click Apply.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard The system reboots to apply the setting and display the following message upon reboot: Congratulations on your new NVIDIA SLI-Ready PC system.
Appendix A. On-board LED Codes Table 7.
On-board LED Codes Code(hex) Name Description 18 InitCPU CPU ID and initialize L1/L2 cache 19 Reserved 1A Reserved 1B Setup Interrupt Initialize first 120 interrupt vectors Vector Table with SPURIOUS_INT_HDLR and initialize INT 00h-1Fh according to INT_TBL 1C CMOS Battery Check Test CMOS and check Battery Fail 1D Early PM Early PM initialization 1E Reserved 1F Re-initial KB 20 Reserved Load keyboard matrix 21 HPM init 22 Reserved Init Heuristic Power Management (HPM) 23 Progr
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Code(hex) Name Description 1 114 38 Reserved 39 Test DMA Page Registers 3A Reserved 3B Reserved 3C Test Timer 3D Reserved 3E Test 8259-1 Mask 3F Reserved 40 Test 8259-2 Mask 41 Reserved 42 Reserved 43 Test Stuck Interrupt 44 Reserved 45 Reinit serial port 46 Reserved 47 EISA Test 48 Reserved 49 Size Memory 4A Reserved 4B Reserved 4C Reserved 4D Reserved 4E Init APIC 4F Reserved 50 USB init
On-board LED Codes Code(hex) Name 54 Reserved 55 CPU display 56 Reserved 57 PnP Init 58 Reserved 59 Setup Virus 5A Reserved 5B Awdflash Load 5C Reserved 5D Onboard I/O Init 5E Reserved 5F Reserved 60 Setup enable 61 Reserved 62 Reserved 63 Initialize Mouse 64 Reserved 65 PS2 Mouse special 66 Reserved 67 ACPI init 68 Reserved 69 Init Cache 6A Reserved 6B Setup 6C Reserved 6D Initialize Floppy 6E Reserved 6F FDD install 70 Reserved 71 Reserved 72
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard 116 Code(hex) Name Description 75 Detect HDD IDE device detection 76 Reserved 77 Detect serial ports 78 Reserved Initialize serial ports 79 Reserved 7A Detect parallel ports 7B Reserved 7C HDD Write Protect 7D Reserved 7E Reserved 7F POST error check 80 Reserved 81 Reserved 82 Security Check Ask password security.
On-board LED Codes Code(hex) Name Description 96 Boot Attempt Set low stack Boot via INT 19h.
Installing and Configuring the EVGA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard Code(hex) Name Description Controller 118 19 Init Memory Controller ProdD – Discrete assembly register init algorithms 1A Init Memory Controller ProdE – ProdC + Expandable criteria 1B Init Memory Controller Send EMRS/MRS configuration cycles 1C Init Memory Controller Overvoltage handling 1D Init Memory Controller ProdF – final, ladder and wallclock algorithms 20 Init PCI Express PCI Express Initialization 23 Init PCI Ex
