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Asus Z170-WS Z170-WS User Guide for English - Page 20

ASUS-exclusive workstation features, 1.1.3 Other special features

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Chapter 1 1.1.2 ASUS-exclusive workstation features PCI Express 3.0 for 4-Way CrossFireX™ and SLI® Support The motherboard provides PCI Express x16 slots for 4-Way AMD CrossFireX™ and NVIDIA® SLI® graphics cards, giving you with ample graphics power to easily run even the most demanding computer games for enhanced entertainment. Q-Code Logger Q-Code Logger is your one-touch troubleshooter that lets you easily check Q-Code event logs without opening the computer's case. If a workstation is behaving abnormally, plug a flash drive into the adjacent USB port, press the motherboard's dedicated Flash Log button and all ASUS Q-Code event logs for the current live session will be copied to the drive. ProCool Connector ProCool eliminates the hollow areas associated with traditional power connectors, ensuring an exceptionally close and secure connection with this motherboard. This design is much stronger, and provides better heat dissipation, allowing cooler operating temperatures. Built-in dual Intel® Ethernet For more reliable networking, this motherboard features the latest server class built-in dual Intel® Ethernet. This leads to lower CPU utilization and temperatures, achieving outstanding performance, and providing better support for diverse operating systems. 1.1.3 Other special features DTS Connect To get the most out of your audio entertainment across all formats and quality levels, DTS Connect combines two enabling technologies, DTS Neo:PC™ upmixes stereo sources (CDs, MP3s, WMAs, internet radio) into as many as 7.1 channels of incredible surround sound. Consumers can connect their PC to a home theater system. DTS Interactive is capable of performing mult-channel encoding of DTS bitstreams on personal computers, and sending encoded bitstreams out of a digital audio connection (such as S/PDIF or HDMI) designed to deliver audio to an external decoder. ErP Ready The motherboard is European Union's Energy-related Products (ErP) ready, and ErP requires products to meet certain energy efficiency requirement in regards to energy consumptions. This is in line with ASUS vision of creating environment-friendly and energyefficient products through product design and innovation to reduce carbon footprint of the product and thus mitigate environmental impacts. 1-2 Chapter 1: Product Introduction

Section	Page
Safety information	7
About this guide	8
Z170-WS specifications summary	10
Package contents	16
Installation tools and components	17
Chapter 1: Product Introduction	19
1.1 Special features	19
1.1.1 Product highlights	19
1.1.2 ASUS-exclusive workstation features	20
1.1.3 Other special features	20
1.2 Motherboard overview	21
1.2.1 Before you proceed	21
1.2.2 Motherboard layout	22
1.2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU)	24
1.2.4 System memory	25
1.2.5 Expansion slots	27
1.2.6 Onboard buttons and switches	30
1.2.7 Jumpers	35
1.2.8 Onboard LEDs	36
1.2.9 Internal connectors	43
Chapter 2: Basic Installation	55
2.1 Building your PC system	55
2.1.1 Motherboard installation	55
2.1.2 CPU installation	57
2.1.3 CPU heatsink and fan assembly installation	59
2.1.4 DIMM installation	61
2.1.5 ATX Power connection	62
2.1.6 SATA device connection	63
2.1.7 Front I/O connector	64
2.1.8 Expansion Card installation	65
2.2 BIOS update utility	66
2.3 Motherboard rear and audio connections	68
2.3.1 Rear I/O connection	68
2.3.2 Audio I/O connections	70
2.4 Starting up for the first time	72
2.5 Turning off the computer	73
Chapter 3: BIOS Setup	75
3.1 Knowing BIOS	75
3.2 BIOS setup program	76
3.2.1 EZ Mode	77
3.2.2 Advanced Mode	78
3.2.3 QFan Control	81
3.2.4 EZ Tuning Wizard	83
3.3 My Favorites	86
3.4 Main menu	88
3.5 Ai Tweaker menu	90
3.6 Advanced menu	105
3.6.1 CPU Configuration	106
3.6.2 Platform Misc Configuration	108
3.6.3 System Agent (SA) Configuration	110
3.6.4 PCH Configuration	111
3.6.5 PCH Storage Configuration	112
3.6.6 USB Configuration	114
3.6.7 Network Stack Configuration	115
3.6.8 Onboard Devices Configuration	115
3.6.9 APM Configuration	118
3.6.10 HDD/SSD SMART Information	119
3.6.11 Intel(R) Thunderbolt Configuration	119
3.7 Monitor menu	120
3.8 Boot menu	126
3.9 Tool menu	131
3.9.1 ASUS EZ Flash 3 Utility	131
3.9.2 Secure Erase	131
3.9.3 ASUS Overclocking Profile	133
3.9.4 ASUS SPD Information	134
3.9.5 Graphics Card Information	134
3.10 Exit menu	135
3.11 Updating BIOS	136
3.11.1 EZ Update	136
3.11.2 ASUS EZ Flash 3	137
3.11.3 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3	139
Chapter 4: Software Support	141
4.1 Installing an operating system	141
4.1.1 Windows® 7 and USB 3.0 driver for 100 Series	141
4.2 Support DVD information	148
4.2.1 Running the support DVD	148
4.2.2 Obtaining the software manuals	149
4.3 Software information	150
4.4 AI Suite 3	150
4.4.1 Ai Charger+	154
4.4.2 USB 3.1 Boost	155
4.4.3 EZ Update	156
4.4.4 USB BIOS Flashback	158
4.4.5 Push Notice	160
4.4.6 System Information	163
4.4.7 Key Express	165
4.5 Audio configurations	167
Chapter 5: RAID Support	169
5.1 RAID configurations	169
5.1.1 RAID definitions	169
5.1.2 Installing Serial ATA hard disks	170
5.1.3 Setting the RAID item in BIOS	170
5.1.4 Intel® Rapid Storage Technology Option ROM utility	171
5.2 Creating a RAID driver disk	175
5.2.1 Creating a RAID driver disk without entering the OS	175
5.2.2 Creating a RAID driver disk in Windows®	176
5.2.3 Installing the RAID driver during Windows® OS installation	176
Chapter 6: Multi GPU support	177
6.1 AMD® CrossFireX™ technology	177
6.1.1 Requirements	177
6.1.2 Before you begin	177
6.1.3 Installing two CrossFireX™ graphics cards	178
6.1.4 Installing three CrossFireX™ graphics cards	179
6.1.5 Installing four CrossFireX™ graphics cards	180
6.1.6 Installing the device drivers	181
6.1.7 Enabling the AMD® CrossFireX™ technology	181
6.2 NVIDIA® SLI® technology	183
6.2.1 Requirements	183
6.2.2 Installing two SLI-ready graphics cards	183
6.2.3 Installing three SLI-ready graphics cards	184
6.2.4 Installing four SLI-ready graphics cards	185
6.2.5 Installing the device drivers	186
6.2.6 Enabling the NVIDIA® SLI® technology	186
Appendices	189
Z170-WS block diagram	189
Notices	190

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1-2

Chapter 1: Product Introduction

Chapter 1

1.1.2

ASUS-exclusive workstation features

PCI Express 3.0 for 4-Way CrossFireX™ and SLI

Support

The motherboard provides PCI Express x16 slots for 4-Way AMD CrossFireX™ and NVIDIA

SLI

graphics cards, giving you with ample graphics power to easily run even the most demanding

computer games for enhanced entertainment.

Q-Code Logger

Q-Code Logger is your one-touch troubleshooter that lets you easily check Q-Code event logs

without opening the computer’s case. If a workstation is behaving abnormally, plug a ﬂash drive

into the adjacent USB port, press the motherboard’s dedicated Flash Log button and all ASUS

Q-Code event logs for the current live session will be copied to the drive.

ProCool Connector

ProCool eliminates the hollow areas associated with traditional power connectors, ensuring an

exceptionally close and secure connection with this motherboard. This design is much stronger,

and provides better heat dissipation, allowing cooler operating temperatures.

Built-in dual Intel

Ethernet

For more reliable networking, this motherboard features the latest server class built-in dual

Intel

Ethernet. This leads to lower CPU utilization and temperatures, achieving outstanding

performance, and providing better support for diverse operating systems.

1.1.3

Other special features

DTS Connect

To get the most out of your audio entertainment across all formats and quality levels, DTS

Connect combines two enabling technologies, DTS Neo:PC™ upmixes stereo sources (CDs,

MP3s, WMAs, internet radio) into as many as 7.1 channels of incredible surround sound.

Consumers can connect their PC to a home theater system. DTS Interactive is capable of

performing mult-channel encoding of DTS bitstreams on personal computers, and sending

encoded bitstreams out of a digital audio connection (such as S/PDIF or HDMI) designed to

deliver audio to an external decoder.

ErP Ready

The motherboard is European Union’s Energy-related Products (ErP) ready, and ErP

requires products to meet certain energy efﬁciency requirement in regards to energy

consumptions. This is in line with ASUS vision of creating environment-friendly and energy-

efﬁcient products through product design and innovation to reduce carbon footprint of the

product and thus mitigate environmental impacts.