User Guide EVGA Z97 Classified Specs and Initial Installation (Part 1) -1-
Table of Contents Before you Begin………………………………………………………………………3 Parts Not in the kit…………………………………………………………………….4 Intentions of the kit……………………………………………………………………4 Motherboard Specifications……………………………………………………………5 Unpacking and Parts Descriptions……………………………………………………..7 Equipment……………………………………………………………………………..7 Hardware Installation…………………………………………………………………..8 Component legend………..……………………………………………………………8 PCI-E Slot Breakdown………………………………………………………………....9 Rear I/O Panel legend………………………………………………………………..
Before You Begin… Welcome to a new class of high performance motherboards that boast 4th and 5th Generation Intel® Core™ Processor compatibility. The Z97 platform takes you to a new level of performance and efficiency. We have refined the GUI BIOS interface, reimagined power VRM that focuses on efficiency, added MPCIE support and loaded with features like 4-Way SLI, Creative Sound Core3D quad-core audio processor, Intel Gigabit LAN, native SATA 6G/USB 3.0 and more.
Parts NOT in the Kit This kit contains all the hardware necessary to install and connect your new EVGA Z97 Classified Motherboard.
Motherboard Motherboard Specifications Size: EATX form factor of 12 inches x 10.3 inches Microprocessor support: Intel Socket 1150 Processor Operating Systems: Supports Windows 8 / 7 Contains Intel Z97 chipset System Memory support: Supports Dual channel DDR3 up to 2666MHz+. Officially supports up to 32GB of DDR3 memory. USB 2.0 Ports: 6x from Intel Z97 PCH – 4x external, 2x internal Supports hot plug Supports wake-up from S1 and S3 mode Supports USB 2.
Onboard Audio: Creative Core3D Quad-Core Audio Processor (CA0132) Supports 6-channel (5.1) audio Supports Optical Output PCI-E 3.
Unpacking and Parts Descriptions Equipment The following accessories are included with the EVGA Z97 Classified Motherboard: The EVGA Z97 Classified Motherboard This PCI-E motherboard contains the Intel Z97 chipset. I/O Shield Installs in the system case to block radio frequency transmissions, protect internal components from dust, foreign objects, and aids in proper airflow within the chassis.
Intel Z97 Classified Motherboard The EVGA Z97 Classified Motherboard with the Intel Z97 and PCH Chipset. Figure 1 shows the motherboard and Figure 2 shows the back panel connectors FIGURE 1.
1. CPU Socket 1150 12. Debug LED / CPU Temp Monitor 23. Mini PCI-E/mSATA 2. Intel Z97 Southbridge 13. CMOS Battery 24. Front Panel Audio Connector 3. CPU Fan Header (1 amp PWM) 14. USB 3.0 Headers 25. EVGauge 4. DDR3 Memory DIMM Slots 1-4 15. USB 2.0 Headers 26. Back Panel Connectors (Figure 2) 5. 24-pin ATX power connector 16. CMOS Reset Button 27. 8 pin EPS Connector 6. Fan Headers (1 amp DC) 17. Power Button 28. Supplemental PCI-E 6pin Power 7. PCI-E Disable Dipswitches 18.
Figure 2. Chassis Rear Panel Connectors 1. USB 2.0 4. Intel i210 NIC 7. Optical Out 2. USB 3.0 5. Intel i217 NIC 8. Analog Audio Output Jacks 3. BIOS/CMOS Reset 6. Mini Display Port Analog Audio Port Breakdown 2/2.1 (Channel) 4.0/4.1 (Channel) 5.
Preparing the Motherboard 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. Note: Use extreme caution when working with the CPU, not to damage any pins in the CPU socket on the motherboard! Use the following procedure to install the CPU onto the motherboard: Remove the plastic protective socket cover by pulling it straight up. Be sure not to damage any of the pins inside the socket.
Align the notches on the CPU to the notches in the socket. Lower the processor straight down into the socket. Note: Make sure the CPU is fully seated and level in the socket. Lower the load plate so it is resting on the CPU. Carefully lock the lever back into place. Installing the CPU Cooling Device There are many different cooling devices that can be used with this motherboard. Follow the instructions that come with your cooling assembly.
Installing System Memory (DIMMs) Your Z97 Classified has (4) 240-pin slots for DDR3 memory. These slots support 2GB, 4GB and 8GB DDR3 DIMMs. There must be at least one memory slot populated to ensure normal operation. The Intel Z97 chipset supports dual channel memory; supports a maximum of 32GB of DDR3 and up to 2666MHz+ in dual channel configuration. It is required to populate slot 1 first. The board will not boot if slot 1 is not populated. Use the following procedure to install DIMMs.
Compliance Information FCC Compliance Information This device complies with FCC Rules Part 15. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
User Guide EVGA Z97 Motherboard Installation (Part 2) -1-
Table of Contents Installing the Motherboard……………………………………………………3 Installing the I/O Shield/Cover…………………………………………….…3 Securing the Motherboard into a System Case………………………………....4 Connecting Cables…………………………………………………………….6 24pin ATX Power (ATX_PWR_24P)…………………………………………6 8-pin ATX 12V Power (PWR 8P1)……………………………………………7 Connecting Internal Headers………………………………………………….8 Front Panel Header…………………………………………………………...8 USB Headers………………………………………………………………….9 Audio………………………………………………………………………...
Installing the Motherboard The sequence of installing the motherboard into a system case depends on the chassis you are using and if you are replacing an existing motherboard or working with an empty system case. 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. It is normally easier to secure the motherboard first. Use the following procedure to install the I/O shield and secure the motherboard into the chassis.
Securing the Motherboard into a System Case Most system cases have a base with mounting holes you thread standoffs onto to allow the motherboard to be secured to the chassis and help to prevent short circuits. If there are studs that do not align with a mounting hole on the motherboard, it is recommended that you remove that standoff to prevent the possibility of a short circuit. Carefully place the motherboard onto the standoffs located inside the chassis.
Above, all locations safe to secure the board to a standoff with are circled in red, and the upper left side of that picture is a zoomed in view of the hole. Keep in mind that when the screws are installed but not fully tightened, the motherboard should have 1-2mm of movement, this can help with getting cards mounted or other tight tolerance/close fitting cards.
Connecting Cables This section takes you through all the necessary connections on the motherboard. This will include: Power Connections 24pin ATX power (PW1) EPS 8pin 12V power Internal Headers Front Panel connectors (power/reset/LED’s) Fan Headers (PWM for CPU and DC for ) USB 2.0 Header USB 3.0 Header Audio Header (FTW and Classified) SATA III Rear I/O Panel 24pin ATX Power (ATX_PWR_24P) is the main power supply connector located along the lower right edge of the board.
Connector 24 12 Pin 13 1 Signal Pin Signal 1 +3.3V 13 +3.3V 2 +3.3V 14 -12V 3 GND 15 GND 4 +5V 16 PS_ON 5 GND 17 GND 6 +5V 18 GND 7 GND 19 GND 8 PWROK 20 RSVD 9 +5V_AUX 21 +5V 10 +12V 22 +5V 11 +12V 23 +5V 12 +3.3V 24 GND EPS 8-pin 12V Power (PWR 8P1) EPS PWR 8P1, the 8-pin ATX 12V power connections, is used to provide power to the CPU. Align the pins to the connector and press firmly until seated. The secondary is optional for improved overclocking.
Connecting Internal Headers Front Panel Header The front panel header on this motherboard is 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 powered on, the LED will be on. Note: Some system cases may not have all four cables. Be sure to match the name on the connectors to the corresponding pins.
USB Headers This motherboard contains USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports that are exposed on the rear panel of the chassis. The motherboard also contains 10-pin internal header connectors onboard that can be used to connect an optional external bracket containing up to four (4) USB 2.0 ports. It also has an internal header connector for USB 3.0. Connector USB 2.
Audio The audio connector supports HD audio standard and provides two kinds of audio output choices: the Front Audio and the Rear Audio. Connector Front Audio Connector 10 8 6 4 2 9 7 5 3 1 Pin 1 Signal PORT1_L 2 AUD_GND 3 PORT1_R 4 PRECENCE_J 5 PORT2_R 6 SENSE1_RETURN 7 SENSE_SEND 8 Empty 9 PORT2_L 10 SENSE2_RETURN PCI-E x16/x8 Slot This board has a single PCI-E 16x slot.
Onboard Buttons These onboard buttons include RESET, POWER and Clear CMOS. These functions allow you to easily reset the system, turn on/off the system, or clear the CMOS. Clear CMOS Button The motherboard uses the CMOS RAM to store all the set parameters. The CMOS can be cleared by pressing the Clear CMOS button either onboard or on the external I/O Panel. External Clear CMOS Button RESET and POWER Button These onboard buttons allow you to easily turn on/off the system.
Post Debug LED and LED Status Indicators Post Port Debug LED Provides two-digit diagnostic POST codes which shows system boot status and can also show why the system may be failing to boot. It is very useful during troubleshooting situations. This Debug LED will display a series of hexadecimal (0-F) codes during the POST and upon a successful boot, will display current CPU socket temperatures after the system has fully booted into the Operating System.
Installing Drivers and Software 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 32bit and 64bit versions of Windows 8 or 7. The kit comes with a CD that contains utilities, drivers, and additional software. The CD that has been shipped with the EVGA Z97 Motherboard contains the following software and drivers: Chipset Drivers Audio Drivers RAID Drivers LAN Drivers USB 3.
POST Codes This section provides the AMI POST Codes for the EVGA Z97 Dark Motherboard during system boot up. The POST Codes are displayed on the Debug LED readout located directly onboard the motherboard. This Debug LED will also display current CPU temperatures after the system has fully booted into the Operating System. Debug LED with CPU Temperature Monitor AMI POST Codes 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0A 0B 0C-0D 0E 0F 10 11-14 15-18 19-1C 1D-2A 2B 2C 2D Power on. Reset type detection (soft/hard).
2E 2F 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37-3A 3B-3E 3F-4E 4F 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 5A 5B 5C-5F E0 E1 E2 E3 E4-E7 E8-EB EC-EF F0 F1 F2 information Memory initialization. Configuring memory Memory initialization (other). Reserved for ASL (see ASL Status Codes section below) Memory Installed CPU post-memory initialization is started CPU post-memory initialization. Cache initialization CPU post-memory initialization. Application Processor(s) (AP) initialization CPU post-memory initialization.
F3 F4 F5-F7 F8 F9 FA FB–FF 60 61 62 63-67 68 69 6A 6B-6F 70 71 72 73-77 78 79 7A–7F 80–8F 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 9A 9B 9C 9D 9E–9F A0 A1 A2 A3 A4 Recovery firmware image is found Recovery firmware image is loaded Reserved for future AMI progress codes Recovery PPI is not available Recovery capsule is not found Invalid recovery capsule Reserved for future AMI error codes DXE Core is started NVRAM initialization Installation of the South Bridge Runtime Services CPU DXE initialization is started PCI ho
A5 A6 A7 A8 A9 AA AB AC AD AE AF B0 B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7 B8-BF C0–CF D0 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8 D9 DA SCSI Reset SCSI Detect SCSI Enable Setup Verifying Password Start of Setup Reserved for ASL (see ASL Status Codes section below) Setup Input Wait Reserved for ASL (see ASL Status Codes section below) Ready To Boot event Legacy Boot event Exit Boot Services event CPU Memory controller configuration Runtime Set Virtual Address MAP End iMC init Memory training Memory training Memory training / timing training
EVGA Glossary of Terms AC – Alternating Current ACPI - Advanced Configuration and Power Interface AHCI – Advanced Host Controller Interface AFR – Alternate Frame Rendering APIC - Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller BCLK – Base Clock (or operating frequency of base system bus) BIOS - Basic Input Output System CMOS - Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor CPU – Central Processing Unit DDR - Double Data Rate DIMM - Dual In-line Memory Module DMI – Direct Memory Interface DRAM - Dynamic random access me
IRQ - Interrupt Request JBOD - Just a Bunch of Disks JEDEC - Joint Electron Device Engineering Council LAN - Local Area Network LCD - Liquid Crystal Display LGA – Land Grid Array LN2 – Liquid Nitrogen Cooling MAC - Media Access Control MCP - Media and Communications Processor Intel ME – Intel Management Engine MHz – Megahertz MMIO – Memory Mapped I/O NB - Northbridge NCQ - Native Command Queuing NIC - Network Interface Card NTFS - New Technology File System OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer PATA - Paral
SATA - Serial Advanced Technology Attachment SAS – Serial Attached SCSI SB - Southbridge SCSI - Small Computer System Interface SFR – Split Frame Rendering SLI - Scalable Link Interface SPD - Serial Presence Detect S/PDIF - Sony/Philips Digital Interconnect Format SPP - System Platform Processors SSD – Solid State Drive TCP/IP - Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol USB - Universal Serial Bus VDroop - Voltage Droop VGA - Video Graphics Array VREG – Voltage Regulator - 20 -
Compliance Information FCC Compliance Information This device complies with FCC Rules Part 15. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
