651M/650GXM Combo Series

MS-6769 (v1.X) Micro ATX Mainboard

Version 1.0
G52-M6769X1-K01

i
Manual Rev: 1.0
Release Date: March 2003

FCC-B Radio Frequency Interference Statement

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. These limits are designed
to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equip-
ment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses
and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accor-
dance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to
cause harmful interference, in which case the user will be required to correct
the interference at his own expense.

Notice 1
The changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party respon-
sible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

Notice 2
Shielded interface cables and A.C. power cord, if any, must be used in order to
comply with the emission limits.

VOIR LA NOTICE D’INSTALLATION AVANT DE RACCORDER AU

RESEAU.

Micro-Star International MS-6769

Tested to comply
with FCC Standard

For Home or Office Use

ii
Copyright Notice
The material in this document is the intellectual property of MICRO-STAR
INTERNATIONAL. We take every care in the preparation of this document,
but no guarantee is given as to the correctness of its contents. Our products
are under continual improvement and we reserve the right to make changes
without notice.

Trademarks

All trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.

AMD, Athlon™, Athlon™ XP, Thoroughbred™, and Duron™ are registered

trademarks of AMD Corporation.
Intel® and Pentium® are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation.
PS/2 and OS®/2 are registered trademarks of International Business Machines
Corporation.
Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Windows® 98/
2000/NT/XP are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
NVIDIA, the NVIDIA logo, DualNet, and nForce are registered trademarks or
trademarks of NVIDIA Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
Netware® is a registered trademark of Novell, Inc.
Award® is a registered trademark of Phoenix Technologies Ltd.
AMI® is a registered trademark of American Megatrends Inc.
Kensington and MicroSaver are registered trademarks of the Kensington Tech-
nology Group.
PCMCIA and CardBus are registered trademarks of the Personal Computer
Memory Card International Association.

Revision History
Revision Revision History Date
V1.0 First release for PCB 1.x Mar. 2002

iii
Safety Instructions

1. Always read the safety instructions carefully.

2. Keep this User’s Manual for future reference.
3. Keep this equipment away from humidity.
4. Lay this equipment on a reliable flat surface before setting it up.
5. The openings on the enclosure are for air convection hence protects the
equipment from overheating. DO NOT COVER THE OPENINGS.
6. Make sure the voltage of the power source and adjust properly 110/220V
before connecting the equipment to the power inlet.
7. Place the power cord such a way that people can not step on it. Do not
place anything over the power cord.
8. Always Unplug the Power Cord before inserting any add-on card or module.
9. All cautions and warnings on the equipment should be noted.
10. Never pour any liquid into the opening that could damage or cause electri-
cal shock.
11. If any of the following situations arises, get the equipment checked by a
service personnel:
z The power cord or plug is damaged.
z Liquid has penetrated into the equipment.
z The equipment has been exposed to moisture.
z The equipment has not work well or you can not get it work according
to User’s Manual.
z The equipment has dropped and damaged.
z The equipment has obvious sign of breakage.
12. DO NOT LEAVE THIS EQUIPMENT IN AN ENVIRONMENT
UNCONDITIONED, STORAGE TEMPERATURE ABOVE 600 C (1400F), IT
MAY DAMAGE THE EQUIPMENT.

CAUTION: Danger of explosion if battery is incorrectly replaced.

Replace only with the same or equivalent type recommended by the
manufacturer.

iv
 CONTENTS
FCC-B Radio Frequency Interference Statement .......................................... iii
Copyright Notice .......................................................................................... iii
Revision History ........................................................................................... iii
Technical Support ......................................................................................... iii
Safety Instructions ....................................................................................... v
Chapter 1. Getting Started ........................................................................ 1-1
Mainboard Specifications .................................................................... 1-2
Mainboard Layout ............................................................................... 1-5
MSI Special Features ........................................................................... 1-6
PC Alert™ 4 ................................................................................... 1-6
Live BIOS™/Live Driver™ ............................................................ 1-8
Live Monitor™ .............................................................................. 1-9
Chapter 2. Hardware Setup ....................................................................... 2-1
Quick Components Guide .................................................................... 2-2
Central Processing Unit: CPU .............................................................. 2-3
CPU Core Speed Derivation Procedure ......................................... 2-3
CPU Installation Procedures for Socket 478 .................................. 2-4
Installing the CPU Fan .................................................................. 2-5
Memory ................................................................................................ 2-7
DDR Module Combination ............................................................ 2-8
Installing DDR Modules ............................................................... 2-8
SDR Module Combination ............................................................ 2-9
Installing SDR Modules ................................................................ 2-9
Power Supply ..................................................................................... 2-10
ATX 20-Pin Power Connector: CONN1 ....................................... 2-10
ATX 12V Power Connector: ATX1 ............................................ 2-110
Back Panel .......................................................................................... 2-11
Mouse Connector ....................................................................... 2-11
Keyboard Connector ................................................................... 2-12

v
 USB Connector ............................................................................ 2-12
Serial Port Connectors: COMA ................................................... 2-13
VGA Connector (Optional) .......................................................... 2-13
RJ-45 LAN Jack (Optional) .......................................................... 2-14
Audio Port Connectors ............................................................... 2-14
Midi/Joystick Connector ............................................................. 2-15
Parallel Port Connectors: LPT1 .................................................... 2-15
Connectors ......................................................................................... 2-16
Front Disk Drive Connector: FDD1 ............................................. 2-16
CD-In Connector: JCD1 ............................................................... 2-16
Hard Disk Connectors: IDE1 & IDE2 ........................................... 2-17
Fan Power Connectors: CPUFAN1/SYSFAN1 ............................. 2-18
Front Panel Connectors: JFP1 & JFP2 ......................................... 2-19
Front Panel Audio Connector: JAUD1 ........................................ 2-20
Front USB Connectors: JUSB1/JUSB2 ........................................ 2-21
SPDIF Connector: JSP1(Optional) ............................................... 2-22
Jumpers .............................................................................................. 2-23
Clear CMOS Jumper: JBAT1 ........................................................ 2-23
Slots ................................................................................................... 2-24
AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) Slots ....................................... 2-24
PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) Slots .......................... 2-24
PCI Interrupt Request Routing .................................................... 2-25
Chapter 3. BIOS Setup .............................................................................. 3-1
Entering Setup ...................................................................................... 3-2
Control Keys ................................................................................. 3-2
Getting Help .................................................................................. 3-3
The Main Menu ................................................................................... 3-4
Standard CMOS Features .................................................................... 3-6
Advanced BIOS Features .................................................................... 3-8

vi
 Advanced Chipset Features ............................................................... 3-12
Integrated Peripherals ........................................................................ 3-14
Power Management Setup ................................................................. 3-18
PNP/PCI Configurations ..................................................................... 3-22
PC Health Status ................................................................................ 3-24
Frequency/Voltage Control ................................................................ 3-25
Load Fail-Safe/Optimized Defaults ..................................................... 3-27
Set Supervisor/User Password ........................................................... 3-28
Appendix: Using 4- or 6-Channel Audio Function .................................... A-1
Installing the Audio Driver ................................................................. A-2
Using 4- or 6-Channel Audio Function ............................................... A-4
Testing the Connected Speakers ......................................................... A-8
Playing KaraOK ................................................................................ A-10
Glossary .................................................................................................... G-1

vii
 Hardware Setup

Getting Started
Thank you for purchasing 651M/650GXM Combo
Series (MS-6769) v1.X Micro ATX mainboard. The 651M/
650GXM Combo is based on SiS® 651/650GX (702 pin BGA)
& SiS® 962L MuTIOL Media I/O (371 BGA) chipsets and
provides 6 USB 2.0 ports for high-speed data transmission. With
all these special designs, the 651M/650GXM Combo delivers a
high performance and professional desktop platform solution.

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MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

Mainboard Specifications
CPU
h Core frequency from 1.7GHz to 2.8 GHz
h Socket 478 for P4 processors (Williamette 478 / Northwood 478 / Celeron
478) at 400 MHz (SiS 650GX) / 533 MHz (SiS 651)

Chipset
h SiS 651/650GX (702 pin BGA)
- High performance host interface 533 MHz (SiS 651)
- High performance host interface 400 MHz (SiS 650GX)
- 64 Bit high performance PC133/266 memory controller
- Support AGP 4X/2X interface with fast write transaction
- High throughput SiS MuTIOL connect to SiS962L MuTIOL Media I/O
- High performance 2D/3D and Video Accelerator
h SiS 962L MuTIOL Media I/O (371BGA)
- High performance MuTIOL connect to SiS series NB
- Integrated multi-threaded I/O link ensures concurrency of up/down stream
data transfer with 1.2GB/s bandwidth
- Integrated MuTIOL connect to PCI bridge
- Dual IDE Master/Slave controller
- Integrated USB 2.0/1.1 host controller and Fast Ethernet MAC controller
- Integrated audio controller with AC97 interface
- Advanced power management and PC2001 compliance
- Integrated RTC, DMA, interrupt, and keyboard controllers
- Integrated PCI to LPCC bridge

Main Memory
h Supports two memory banks using two 184-pin unbuffered DDR 200/266
DIMMs, or two 168-pin unbuffered SDR 100/133 DIMMs.
h Supports up to 2GB memory size.

Slots
h One AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) slot that supports AGP 2.0 4X/2X.
h Three PCI 2.2 32-bit Master PCI Bus slots (support 3.3V/5V PCI bus
interface).

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 Hardware Setup

On-Board IDE
h Dual IDE controllers integrated in SiS 962L.
h Support Bus Master, Ultra DMA 66/100/133 operation modes.
h Can connect up to four IDE devices.

On-Board Peripherals
h On-Board Peripherals include:
- 1 floppy port supports 2 FDDs with 360K, 720K, 1.2M, 1.44M and 2.
88 Mbytes.
- 1 serial port (COM1) and 1 VGA port
- 1 parallel port supports SPP/EPP/ECP mode
- 6 USB 2.0/1.1 ports (Rear * 2 / Front * 4)
- 1 Line-In/Line-Out/Mic-In port
- 1 game port
- 1 LAN RJ45 connector (optional)

Audio
h AC97 link controller integrated in Intel SiS 962L SB.
h 6 channels S/W audio codec (Realtek ALC650 codec): compliance with
AC97 2.1 Spec and meets PC2001 audio performance requirement.
h Support SPDIF out bracket (Optional).

LAN (Optional)
h SiS 962L integrated MAC + Realtek 8201BL PHY
- Support 10Mb/s and 100Mb/s auto-negotiation operation.
- Compliance with PCI 2.2 and PC99 standard.
h Supports Wake-On-LAN and remote wake-up.
h Supports ACPI power management.

BIOS
h 2MB Award BIOS with PNP BIOS, ACPI, SMBIOS 2.3, Green and Boot
Block.
h Provides DMI 2.0, WFM 2.0, WOL, WOR, chassis intrusion, and SMBus
for system management.

Dimension
h Micro-ATX Form Factor: 24.5 cm (L) x 24.5 cm (W).

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MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

Mounting
h 6 mounting holes.

Others
h Support Intel® Pentium4 /Celeron Socket 478 processor at 400/533 MHz
System Bus frequencies
h Live BIOS/Live Driver Update
h PC2001 Compliant
h Suspends to RAM/Disk

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 Hardware Setup

Mainboard Layout

Top : mouse
Bottom: keyboard

SYSFAN1
Top: LAN Jack
Bottom: USB
ports

Power Supply
ATX
Realtek
8201BL

Top : Parallel Port

Bottom:

FDD 1
COM A
VGA port

ATX1

SiS
CPUFAN1 650G X / 651
Top :
Game port

Bottom: Winbond BIOS

Line-Out W83697HF
Line-In
Mic
AG P Slot

IDE 1
IDE 2
DDR 2
DDR 1

DIMM 1
DIMM 2
JCD1
PCI Slot 1

BATT
Codec
PCI Slot 2 +
SiS
JSP1
962L
JBAT1
PCI Slot 3

JFP1
JAUD1 JUSB2 JUSB1 JFP2

651M/650GXM Combo Series (MS-6769) v1.X

Micro ATX Mainboard

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MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

MSI Special Features

PC Alert™ 4
The PC AlertTM 4 is a utility you can find in the CD-ROM disk. The
utility is just like your PC doctor that can detect the following PC hardware
status during real time operation:
Ø monitor CPU & system temperatures
Ø monitor fan speeds
Ø monitor system voltages

If one of the items above is abnormal, the program main screen will be
immediately shown on the screen, with the abnormal item highlighted in red.
This will continue to be shown until the condition returns to the normal status.
Adjusting Keys

temperature
modes

COOLER XP

Users can use the Adjusting Keys to change the minimum and maxi-
mum threshold of each item for the system to send out a warning message.
Click Temperature to select the temperature modes of either Fahrenheit (oF)
or Celsius (oC). The PC Alert4 icon on the Status Area will show the current
CPU temperature.

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 Hardware Setup

To better protect the CPU from overheating, a new feature, COOLER

XP, has been added to decrease the temperature of AMD Athlon XP CPU.
To do so, simply click COOLER XP and the screen will show the Cute skin
(as shown below) with information about the CPU and chipset. Right-click
the mouse to select the skin you want to switch to.

Cute

MSI Reminds You...

The new feature COOLER XP will work only if your mainboard
supports AMD Athlon XP CPU.
Items shown on PC Alert 4 vary depending on your system’s status.

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MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

Live BIOS™/Live Driver™

The Live BIOS™/Live Driver™ is a tool used to detect
and update your BIOS/drivers online so that you don’t need to
search for the correct BIOS/driver version throughout the Web
site. To use the function, you need to install the “MSI Live
Update 2” application. After the installation, the “MSI Live
Update 2” icon (as shown on the right) will appear on the screen.
Double click the “MSI Live Update 2” icon, and the fol-
lowing screen will appear:

Five buttons are placed on the leftmost pane of the screen. Click the desired
button to start the update process.
z Live BIOS – Updates the BIOS online.
z Live Driver – Updates the drivers online.
z Live VGA BIOS – Updates the VGA BIOS online.
z Live VGA Driver – Updates the VGA driver online.
z Live Utility – Updates the utilities online.
If the product you purchased does not support any of the functions listed
above, a “sorry” message is displayed. For more information on the update
instructions, insert the companion CD and refer to the “Live Update Guide”
under the “Manual” Tab.

1-8
 Hardware Setup

Live Monitor™
The Live Monitor™ is a tool used to schedule the search
for the latest BIOS/drivers version on the MSI Web site. To use
the function, you need to install the “MSI Live Update 2”
application. After the installation, the “MSI Live Monitor” icon
(as shown on the right) will appear on the screen. Double click
this icon to run the application.
Double click the “MSI Live Monitor” icon at the lower-right corner
of the taskbar, and the following dialog box will appear. You can specify
how often the system will automatically search for the BIOS/drivers version,
or change the LAN settings right from the dialog box.

You can right-click the MSI Live Monitor icon to perform the functions
listed below:
Ø Auto Search – Searches for the BIOS/drivers version you need immediately.
Ø View Last Result – Allows you to view the last search result if there is any.
Ø Preference – Configures the Search function, including the Search schedule.
Ø FAQ – Provides a link to a database which contains various possible questions
about MSI’s products for users to inquire.
Ø Exit – Exits the Live Monitor™ application.

1-9
 Hardware Setup

Chapter 2. Hardware
Setup
Hardware Setup
This chapter tells you how to install the CPU, memory
modules, and expansion cards, as well as how to setup the jump-
ers on the mainboard. It also provides the instructions on con-
necting the peripheral devices, such as the mouse, keyboard,
etc.
While doing the installation, be careful in holding the
components and follow the installation procedures.

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 MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

Quick Components Guide

DDR DIMMs, p.2-7

ATX1, p.2-9
CPU, p.2-3 SDR DIMMs, p.2-7

SYSFAN1, p.2-18

CONN1, p.2-10

Back Panel
I/O, p.2-11
FDD1, p.2-16

CPUFAN1, p.2-18
IDE1, IDE2,
JCD1, p.2-23 p.2-17

PCI Slots, p.2-25

JSP1, p.2-22 JBAT1, p.2-24
JFP1, p.2-19

JFP2, p.2-23

JAUD1, p.2-20 JUSB1, p.2-21 JUSB2, p.2-19

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 Hardware Setup

Central Processing Unit: CPU

The mainboard supports Intel® Pentium ® 4 Williamette, Celeron,

Northwood processor in the 478 pin package. The mainboard uses a CPU
socket called PGA478 for easy CPU installation. When you are installing the
CPU, make sure the CPU has a heat sink and a cooling fan attached on
the top to prevent overheating. If you do not find the heat sink and cooling
fan, contact your dealer to purchase and install them before turning on the
computer.

CPU Core Speed Derivation Procedure

If CPU Clock = 100MHz

Core/Bus ratio = 17
then CPU core speed = Host Clock x Core/Bus ratio
= 100MHz x 17
= 1.7 GHz

MSI Reminds You...

Overheating
Overheating will seriously damage the CPU and system, al-
ways make sure the cooling fan can work properly to protect
the CPU from overheating.
Replacing the CPU
While replacing the CPU, always turn off the ATX power sup-
ply or unplug the power supply’s power cord from grounded
outlet first to ensure the safety of CPU.

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MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

CPU Installation Procedures for Socket 478

1. Please turn off the power and

unplug the power cord before
Open Lever
installing the CPU.

2. Pull the lever sideways away Sliding

90 degree
Plate
from the socket. Make sure
to raise the lever up to a 90-
degree angle.

3. Look for the gold arrow. The

Gold arrow
gold arrow should point to-
wards the lever pivot. The
CPU can only fit in the cor-
rect orientation.

4. If the CPU is correctly

installed, the pins should be
completely embedded into the Correct CPU placement
socket and can not be seen. Gold arrow
Please note that any violation O
of the correct installation
procedures may cause
permanent damages to your
mainboard.
Incorrect CPU placement
Gold arrow
5. Press the CPU down firmly X
into the socket and close the
lever. As the CPU is likely to
move while the lever is being
closed, always close the lever Press down
with your fingers pressing the CPU Close
Lever
tightly on top of the CPU to
make sure the CPU is prop-
erly and completely embed-
ded into the socket.

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 Hardware Setup

Installing the CPU Fan

As processor technology pushes to faster speeds and higher performance,
thermal management becomes increasingly important. To dissipate heat, you
need to attach the CPU cooling fan and heatsink on top of the CPU. Follow
the instructions below to install the Heatsink/Fan:
1. Locate the CPU and its retention 2. Position the heatsink onto the reten-
mechanism on the motherboard. tion mechanism.

retention mechanism

3. Mount the fan on top of the heatsink. 4. Press the two levers down to fasten
Press down the fan until its four clips the fan. Each lever can be pressed
get wedged in the holes of the reten- down in only ONE direction.
tion mechanism.

levers

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MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

5. Connect the fan power cable from the mounted fan to the 3-pin fan power connector
on the board.

fan power cable

NOTES

2-6
 Hardware Setup

Memory
The mainboard provides two 184-pin unbuffered PC2700/PC2100/
PC1600 DDR SDRAM or two 168-pin unbuffered PC100/133 SDRAM and
supports the memory size up to 2GB. To operate properly, at least one DIMM
module must be installed.
SDR DIMM Slots
(DIMM 1~2)

DDR DIMM Slots

(DDR 1~2)

MSI Reminds You...

Make sure that you install only one type of memory modules
(either SDR or DDR) at one time. DO NOT install both types at
the same time. For security reason, the system will automati-
cally power off if you simultaneously install SDR & DDR
memory modules onboard.

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MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

DDR Module Combination

Install at least one DIMM module on the slots. Memory modules can be
installed on the slots in any order. You can install either single- or double-
sided modules to meet your own needs.
Memory modules can be installed in any combination as follows:

Slot Memory Module Total Memory

DDR 1
(Bank 0 & 1) S/D 64MB~1GB
DDR 2
(Bank 2 & 3) S/D 64MB~1GB
Maximum System Memory Supported 64MB~2GB

S: Single Side D: Double Side

Installing DDR Modules
1. The DDR DIMM has only one notch on the center of module. The mod-
ule will only fit in the right orientation.
2. Insert the DIMM memory module vertically into the DIMM slot. Then
push it in until the golden finger on the memory module is deeply in-
serted in the socket.
3. The plastic clip at each side of the DIMM slot will automatically close.

Volt Notch

MSI Reminds You...

You can barely see the golden finger if the module is properly
inserted in the socket.

2-8
 Hardware Setup

SDR Module Combination

At least one DIMM module should be installed on the motherboard.
Memory modules can be installed on the slots in any order. The single-/double-
sided memory modules that each DIMM slot supports are listed as below:

Slot Memory Module Total Memory

DIMM 1
(Bank 0 & 1) S/D 64MB~1GB
DIMM 2
(Bank 2 & 3) S/D 64MB~1GB
Maximum System Memory Supported 64MB~2GB

S: Single Side D: Double Side

Installing SDR Modules

1. The SDR DIMM slot has 2 Notch Keys “VOLT and DRAM”, so the
DIMM memory module can only fit in one direction.
2. Insert the DIMM memory module vertically into the DIMM slot. Then
push it in.
3. The plastic clip at each side of the DIMM slot will automatically close.

Volt Notch

MSI Reminds You...

You can barely see the golden finger if the module is properly
inserted in the socket.

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MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

Power Supply
The mainboard supports ATX power supply for the power system. Be-
fore inserting the power supply connector, always make sure that all compo-
nents are installed properly to ensure that no damage will be caused.

ATX 20-Pin Power Connector: CONN1

This connector allows you to connect to an ATX power supply. To
connect to the ATX power supply, make sure the plug of the power supply is
inserted in the proper orientation and the pins are aligned. Then push down
the power supply firmly into the connector.

ATX 12V Power Connector: ATX1

This 12V power connector is used to provide power to the CPU.
11 1

2 1
4 3
20 10
ATX1 CONN1

CONN1 Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL PIN SIGNAL
1 3.3V 11 3.3V
ATX1 Pin Definition
2 3.3V 12 -12V
PIN SIGNAL 3 GND 13 GND
1 GND 4 5V 14 PS_ON
2 GND 5 GND 15 GND
3 12V 6 5V 16 GND
4 12V 7 GND 17 GND
8 PW_OK 18 -5V
9 5V_SB 19 5V
10 12V 20 5V

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 Hardware Setup

Back Panel
The back panel provides the following connectors:

LAN Parallel Midi/Joystick

Mouse (Optional)

Keyboard USB Ports COMA VGA Port L-out L-in MIC

Mouse Connector
The mainboard provides a standard PS/2® mouse mini DIN connector
for attaching a PS/2® mouse. You can plug a PS/2® mouse directly into this
connector. The connector location and pin assignments are as follows:

Pin Definition
PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION
6 5
1 Mouse DATA Mouse DATA
4 3 2 NC No connection
3 GND Ground
4 VCC +5V
2 1
5 Mouse Clock Mouse clock
PS/2 Mouse (6-pin Female) 6 NC No connection

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MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

Keyboard Connector
The mainboard provides a standard PS/2® keyboard mini DIN connec-
tor for attaching a PS/2® keyboard. You can plug a PS/2® keyboard directly
into this connector.

Pin Definition
6 5 PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION
1 Keyboard DATA Keyboard DATA
4 3
2 NC No connection
3 GND Ground
2 1 4 VCC +5V
5 Keyboard Clock Keyboard clock
PS/2 Keyboard (6-pin Female)
6 NC No connection

USB Connectors
The mainboard provides a UHCI (Universal Host Controller Interface)
Universal Serial Bus root for attaching USB devices such as keyboard, mouse
or other USB-compatible devices. You can plug the USB device directly into
the connector.

USB Port Description

PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION

1 VCC +5V
1 2 3 4
2 -Data 0 Negative Data Channel 0
3 +Data0 Positive Data Channel 0
4 GND Ground
5 6 7 8 5 VCC +5V
6 -Data 1 Negative Data Channel 1
7 +Data 1 Positive Data Channel 1
8 GND Ground
USB Ports

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 Hardware Setup

Serial Port Connectors: COMA

The mainboard offers one 9-pin male DIN connector as serial port COM
A. This port is 16550A high speed communication ports that send/receive 16
bytes FIFOs. You can attach a serial mouse or other serial device directly to it.

1 2 3 4 5
Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION

1 DCD Data Carry Detect

2 SIN Serial In or Receive Data
6 7 8 9
3 SOUT Serial Out or Transmit Data
9-Pin Male DIN Connector 4 DTR Data Terminal Ready)
5 GND Ground
6 DSR Data Set Ready
7 RTS Request To Send
8 CTS Clear To Send
9 RI Ring Indicate

VGA Connector (Optional)

The mainboard provides a DB 15-pin female connector to connect a
VGA monitor.
Pin Signal Description
5 1 1 RED
2 GREEN
3 BLUE
4 N/C
5 GND
15 11
6 GND
VGA Connector 7 GND
8 GND
(DB 15-pin) 9 +5V
10 GND
11 N/C
12 SDA
13 Horizontal Sync
14 Vertical Sync
15 SCL

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MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

RJ-45 LAN Jack (Optional)

The mainboard provides one standard RJ-45 jack for connection to Lo-
cal Area Network (LAN). You can connect a network cable to the LAN jack.
Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION

1 TDP Transmit Differential Pair
2 TDN Transmit Differential Pair
3 RDP Receive Differential Pair

RJ-45 LAN Jack 4 NC Not Used

5 NC Not Used
6 RDN Receive Differential Pair
7 NC Not Used
8 NC Not Used

Audio Port Connectors

Line Out is a connector for Speakers or Headphones. Line In is used
for external CD player, Tape player, or other audio devices. Mic is a connec-
tor for microphones.

1/8” Stereo Audio Connectors

Line Out Line In MIC

MSI Reminds You...

For advanced audio application, Realtek ALC 650 is provided
to offer support for 6-channel audio operation and can turn
rear audio connectors from 2-channel to 4-/6-channel audio.
For more information on 6-channel audio operation, please
refer to Appendix. Using 4- or 6-Channel Audio Function.

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 Hardware Setup

Midi/Joystick Connector
You can connect a joystick or game pad to this connector.

Parallel Port Connector: LPT1

The mainboard provides a 25-pin female centronic connector as LPT.
A parallel port is a standard printer port that supports Enhanced Parallel Port
(EPP) and Extended Capabilities Parallel Port (ECP) mode.
13 1

25 14

Pin Definition
PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION
1 STROBE Strobe
2 DATA0 Data0
3 DATA1 Data1
4 DATA2 Data2
5 DATA3 Data3
6 DATA4 Data4
7 DATA5 Data5
8 DATA6 Data6
9 DATA7 Data7
10 ACK# Acknowledge
11 BUSY Busy
12 PE Paper End
13 SELECT Select
14 AUTO FEED# Automatic Feed
15 ERR# Error
16 INIT# Initialize Printer
17 SLIN# Select In
18 GND Ground
19 GND Ground
20 GND Ground
21 GND Ground
22 GND Ground
23 GND Ground
24 GND Ground
25 GND Ground

2-15
MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

Connectors
The mainboard provides connectors to connect to FDD, IDE HDD, case,
modem, LAN, USB Ports, IR module and CPU/System/Power Supply FAN.

Floppy Disk Drive Connector: FDD1

The mainboard provides a standard floppy disk drive connector that
supports 360K, 720K, 1.2M, 1.44M and 2.88M floppy disk types.

FDD1

CD-In Connector: JCD1

The connector is for CD-ROM audio connector.

R
GND

JCD1

2-16
 Hardware Setup

Hard Disk Connectors: IDE1 & IDE2

The mainboard has a 32-bit Enhanced PCI IDE and Ultra DMA 33/66/
100/133 controller that provides PIO mode 0~4, Bus Master, and Ultra DMA
33/66/100/133 function. You can connect up to four hard disk drives, CD-
ROM, 120MB Floppy (reserved for future BIOS) and other devices.

IDE2 IDE1

IDE1 (Primary IDE Connector)

The first hard drive should always be connected to IDE1. IDE1 can connect a
Master and a Slave drive. You must configure second hard drive to Slave
mode by setting the jumper accordingly.
IDE2 (Secondary IDE Connector)
IDE2 can also connect a Master and a Slave drive.

MSI Reminds You...

If you install two hard disks on cable, you must configure the
second drive to Slave mode by setting its jumper. Refer to the
hard disk documentation supplied by hard disk vendors for
jumper setting instructions.

2-17
MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

Fan Power Connectors: CPUFAN1/SYSFAN1

The CPUFAN1 (processor fan) and SYSFAN1 (system fan) support sys-
tem cooling fan with +12V. They support three-pin head connector. When
connecting the wire to the connectors, always take note that the red wire is the
positive and should be connected to the +12V, the black wire is Ground and
should be connected to GND. If the mainboard has a System Hardware Moni-
tor chipset on-board, you must use a specially designed fan with speed sensor
to take advantage of the CPU fan control.

SENSOR
+12V
GND

SYSFAN1

GND
+12V
SENSOR

CPUFAN1

MSI Reminds You...

1. Always consult the vendors for proper CPU cooling fan.
2. CPUFAN1 supports the fan control. You can install the PC
Alert utility that will automatically control the CPU fan speed
according to the actual CPU temperature.

2-18
 Hardware Setup

Front Panel Connectors: JFP1 & JFP2

The mainboard provides two front panel connectors for electrical
connection to the front panel switches and LEDs. JFP1 is compliant with Intel®
Front Panel I/O Connectivity Design Guide.

JFP1

1 2
HDD
– Power
LED LED
Reset Power
Switch Switch

9 10

Speaker

2 8
1 7 JFP2
Power
LED

JFP1 Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION

1 HD_LED_P Hard disk LED pull-up
2 FP PWR/SLP MSG LED pull-up
3 HD_LED_N Hard disk active LED
4 FP PWR/SLP MSG LED pull-up
5 RST_SW_N Reset Switch low reference pull-down to GND
6 PWR_SW_P Power Switch high reference pull-up
7 RST_SW_P Reset Switch high reference pull-up
8 PWR_SW_N Power Switch low reference pull-down to GND
9 RSVD_DNU Reserved. Do not use.

JFP2 Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL PIN SIGNAL

1 GND 2 SPK-
3 SLED 4 BUZ+
5 PLED 6 BUZ-
7 NC 8 SPK+

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MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

Front Panel Audio Connector: JAUD1

The JAUD1 front panel audio connector allows you to connect to the
front panel audio and is compliant with Intel® Front Panel I/O Connectivity
Design Guide.

2 10
1 9

JAUD1

JAUD1 Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL DESCRIPTION

1 AUD_MIC Front panel microphone input signal

2 AUD_GND Ground used by analog audio circuits
3 AUD_MIC_BIAS Microphone power
4 AUD_VCC Filtered +5V used by analog audio circuits
5 AUD_FPOUT_R Right channel audio signal to front panel
6 AUD_RET_R Right channel audio signal return from front panel
7 HP_ON Reserved for future use to control headphone amplifier
8 KEY No pin
9 AUD_FPOUT_L Left channel audio signal to front panel
10 AUD_RET_L Left channel audio signal return from front panel

MSI Reminds You...

If you don’t want to connect to the front audio
header, pins 5 & 6, 9 & 10 have to be jumpered in 6 10
order to have signal output directed to the rear
audio ports. Otherwise, the Line-Out connector on 5 9

the back panel will not function.

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 Hardware Setup

Front USB Connectors: JUSB1/JUSB2

The mainboard provides one USB 2.0 pin header JUSB1 that is compliant
with Intel® I/O Connectivity Design Guide. USB 2.0 technology increases
data transfer rate up to a maximum throughput of 480Mbps, which is 40
times faster than USB 1.1, and is ideal for connecting high-speed USB inter-
face peripherals such as USB HDD, digital cameras, MP3 players, printers,
modems and the like.

2 10
1 9
JUSB2
(USB 2.0/Intel spec)

2 10
1 9
JUSB1
(USB 2.0/Intel spec)

JUSB1/2 Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL PIN SIGNAL

1 VCC 2 VCC

3 USB0- 4 USB1-

5 USB0+ 6 USB1+

7 GND 8 GND

9 Key 10 USBOC

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MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

SPDIF Connector: JSP1 (Optional)

The connector is used to connect SPDIF (Sony & Philips Digital Inter-
connect Format) interface for digital audio transmission.

JSP1 Pin Definition

PIN SIGNAL

1 VCC
2 SPDIF
3 NC

1
JSP1
3

The JSP1 supports SPDIF output only

and can be connected to an external SPDIF
Bracket for digital audio transmission.

Connected to JSP1

SPDIF Bracket

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 Hardware Setup

Jumpers
The motherboard provides the following jumpers for you to set the
computer’s function. This section will explain how to change your
motherboard’s function through the use of jumpers.

Clear CMOS Jumper: JBAT1

There is a CMOS RAM on board that has a power supply from external
battery to keep the data of system configuration. With the CMOS RAM, the
system can automatically boot OS every time it is turned on. If you want to
clear the system configuration, use the JBAT1 (Clear CMOS Jumper ) to clear
data. Follow the instructions below to clear the data:

JBAT1

1 1

3 3

Keep Data Clear Data

MSI Reminds You...

You can clear CMOS by shorting 2-3 pin while the system is off.
Then return to 1-2 pin position. Avoid clearing the CMOS while
the system is on; it will damage the mainboard.

2-23
MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

Slots
The motherboard provides three 32-bit PCI bus slots.

AGP Slots

PCI Slots

AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) Slot

The AGP slot allows you to insert the AGP graphics card. AGP is an
interface specification designed for the throughput demands of 3D graphics.
It introduces a 66MHz, 32-bit channel for the graphics controller to directly
access main memory.

PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) Slots

The PCI slots allow you to insert the expansion cards to meet your needs.
When adding or removing expansion cards, make sure that you unplug the
power supply first. Meanwhile, read the documentation for the expansion card
to make any necessary hardware or software settings for the expansion card,
such as jumpers, switches or BIOS configuration.

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 Hardware Setup

PCI Interrupt Request Routing

The IRQ, abbreviation of interrupt request line and pronounced I-R-Q,
are hardware lines over which devices can send interrupt signals to the
microprocessor. The PCI IRQ pins are typically connected to the PCI bus INT
A# ~ INT D# pins as follows:
Order 1 Order 2 Order 3 Order 4
PCI Slot 1 INT D# INT A# INT B# INT C#
PCI Slot 2 INT B# INT C# INT D# INT A#
PCI Slot 3 INT C# INT D# INT A# INT B#

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 BIOS Setup

Chapter 3. BIOS Setup

BIOS Setup
This chapter provides information on the BIOS Setup program
and allows you to configure the system for optimum use.
You may need to run the Setup program when:
” An error message appears on the screen during the system
booting up, and requests you to run SETUP.
” You want to change the default settings for customized
features.

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MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

Entering Setup

Power on the computer and the system will start POST (Power On Self Test)
process. When the message below appears on the screen, press <DEL> key to
enter Setup.

Press DEL to enter SETUP

If the message disappears before you respond and you still wish to enter Setup,
restart the system by turning it OFF and On or pressing the RESET button.
You may also restart the system by simultaneously pressing <Ctrl>, <Alt>,
and <Delete> keys.

Control Keys
<↑> Move to the previous item
<↓> Move to the next item
<←> Move to the item in the left hand
<→> Move to the item in the right hand
<Enter> Select the item
<Esc> Jumps to the Exit menu or returns to the main menu from a submenu
<+/PU> Increase the numeric value or make changes
<-/PD> Decrease the numeric value or make changes
<F1> General help, only for Status Page Setup Menu and Option Page Setup
Menu
<F5> Restore the previous CMOS value from CMOS, only for Option Page
Setup Menu
<F6> Load the default CMOS value from Fail-Safe default table, only for
Optional Page Setup Menu
<F7> Load BIOS Setup Defaults
<F10> Save all the CMOS changes and exit

3-2
 BIOS Setup

Getting Help
After entering the Setup menu, the first menu you will see is the Main Menu.

Main Menu
The main menu lists the setup functions you can make changes to. You can
use the control keys ( ↑↓ ) to select the item. The on-line description of the
highlighted setup function is displayed at the bottom of the screen.

Sub-Menu
If you find a right pointer symbol (as shown
in the right view) appears to the left of certain
fields that means a sub-menu containing
additional options can be launched from this
field. You can use control keys ( ↑↓ ) to
highlight the field and press <Enter> to call
up the sub-menu. Then you can use the
control keys to enter values and move from
field to field within a sub-menu. If you want
to return to the main menu, just press <Esc >.

General Help <F1>

The BIOS setup program provides a General Help screen. You can call up
this screen from any menu by simply pressing <F1>. The Help screen lists the
appropriate keys to use and the possible selections for the highlighted item.
Press <Esc> to exit the Help screen.

MSI Reminds You...

The items under each BIOS category described in this chapter
are under continuous update for better system performance.
Therefore, the description may be slightly different from the latest
BIOS and should be held for reference only.

3-3
MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

The Main Menu

Once you enter Award® BIOS CMOS Setup Utility, the Main Menu (Figure
1) will appear on the screen. The Main Menu allows you to select from twelve
setup functions and two exit choices. Use arrow keys to select among the
items and press <Enter> to accept or enter the sub-menu.

Standard CMOS Features

Use this menu for basic system configurations, such as time, date etc.

Advanced BIOS Features

Use this menu to setup the items of AMI® special enhanced features.

Advanced Chipset Features

Use this menu to change the values in the chipset registers and optimize your
system’s performance.

Integrated Peripherals
Use this menu to specify your settings for integrated peripherals.

Power Management Setup

Use this menu to specify your settings for power management.

PNP/PCI Configurations
This entry appears if your system supports PnP/PCI.

PC Health Status
This entry shows your PC health status.

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 BIOS Setup

Frequency/Voltage Control
Use this menu to specify your settings for frequency/voltage control.

Load Fail-Safe Defaults

Use this menu to load the BIOS values for the best system performance, but
the system stability may be affected.

Load Optimized Defaults

Use this menu to load factory default settings into the BIOS for stable system
performance operations.

Set Supervisor Password

Use this menu to set Supervisor Password.

Set User Password

Use this menu to set User Password.

Save & Exit Setup

Save changes to CMOS and exit setup.

Exit Without Saving

Abandon all changes and exit setup.

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MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

Standard CMOS Features

The items in Standard CMOS Features Menu are divided into 11 categories.
Each category includes no, one or more than one setup items. Use the arrow
keys to highlight the item and then use the <PgUp> or <PgDn> keys to select
the value you want in each item.

Date
The date format is <day> <month> <date> <year>.
day Day of the week, from Sun to Sat, determined by BIOS.
Read-only.
month The month from Jan. through Dec.
date The date from 1 to 31 can be keyed by numeric function
keys.
year The year can be adjusted by users.
Time The time format is <hour> <minute> <second>.

IDE Primary/Secondary Master/Slave

Press PgUp/<+> or PgDn/<-> to select Manual, None or Auto type. Note that
the specifications of your drive must match with the drive table. The hard
disk will not work properly if you enter improper information for this category.
If your hard disk drive type is not matched or listed, you can use Manual to
define your own drive type manually.
If you select Manual, related information is asked to be entered to the follow

3-6
 BIOS Setup

ing items. Enter the information directly from the keyboard. This information
should be provided in the documentation from your hard disk vendor or the
system manufacturer.
Access Mode The settings are CHS, LBA, Large, Auto.
Capacity The formatted size of the storage device.
Cylinder Number of cylinders.
Head Number of heads.
Precomp Write precompensation.
Landing Zone Cylinder location of the landing zone.
Sector Number of sectors.

Drive A/B
This item allows you to set the type of floppy drives installed. Available
options: None, 360K, 5.25 in., 1.2M, 5.25 in., 720K, 3.5 in., 1.44M, 3.5 in., 2.
88M, 3.5 in.

Floppy 3 Mode Support

The item allows you to set the Floppy 3 Mode. Available options are: Disabled,
Drive A, Drive B, Both.

Video
The setting controls the type of video adapter used for the primary monitor of
the system. Available options: EGA/VGA , CGA 40, CGA 80, MONO.

Halt On
The setting determines whether the system will stop if an error is detected at
boot. Available options are:
All Errors The system stops when any error is detected.
No Errors The system doesn’t stop for any detected error.
All, But Keyboard The system doesn’t stop for a keyboard error.
All, But Diskette The system doesn’t stop for a disk error.
All, But Disk/Key The system doesn’t stop for either a disk or a
keyboard error.

Base/Extended/Total Memory
The three items show the memory status of your system (read only).

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MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

Advanced BIOS Features

Quick Boot
Setting the item to Enabled allows the system to boot within 5 seconds since
it will skip some check items Settings: Disabled, Enabled.

Anti-Virus Protection
The item is to set the Virus Warning feature for IDE Hard Disk boot sector
protection. If the function is enabled and any attempt to write data into this
area is made, BIOS will display a warning message on screen and beep.
Settings: Disabled, Enabled.

CPU L1 & L2 Cache

The item allows you to turn on or off CPU’s internal (L1) and external (L2)
cache. Settings: Enabled, Disabled.

CPU L2 Cache ECC Checking

This field is used to enable or disable the CPU L2 Cache ECC Checking
function. Settings: Enabled, Disabled.

Boot Sequence
Press <Enter> and the following sub-menu appears:

3-8
 BIOS Setup

1st/2nd/3rd Boot Device

The items allow you to set the sequence of boot devices where BIOS
attempts to load the disk operating system. The settings are:
Floppy The system will boot from floppy drive.
LS120 The system will boot from LS-120 drive.
HDD-0 The system will boot from the first HDD.
SCSI The system will boot from the SCSI.
CDROM The system will boot from the CD-ROM.
HDD-1 The system will boot from the second HDD.
HDD-2 The system will boot from the third HDD.
HDD-3 The system will boot from the fourth HDD.
ZIP100 The system will boot from ATAPI ZIP drive.
USB-FDD The system will boot from the USB-interfaced
floppy drive.
USB-ZIP The system will boot from the USB-interfaced
ZIP drive.
USB-CDROM The system will boot from the USB-interfaced
CD-ROM.
USB-HDD The system will boot from the USB-interfaced
HDD.
LAN The system will boot from the Network drive.
Disabled Disable this sequence.
MSI Reminds You...
Available settings for “1st/2nd/3rd Boot Device” vary depend-
ing on the bootable devices you have installed. For example, if
you did not install a floppy drive, the setting “Floppy” does not
show up.
Boot Other Device
Setting the option to Enabled allows the system to try to boot from other
device if the system fails to boot from the 1st/2nd/3rd boot device.

Swap Floppy
Setting to Enabled will swap floppy drives A: and B:.

Seek Floppy
Setting to Enabled will make BIOS seek floppy drive A: before booting the
system. Settings: Disabled, Enabled.

3-9
MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

Boot Up NumLock Status

This setting is to set the Num Lock status when the system is powered on.
Setting to On will turn on the Num Lock key when the system is powered on.
Setting to Off will allow users to use the arrow keys on the numeric keypad.
Setting options: On, Off.

Typematic Rate Setting

This item is used to enable or disable the typematic rate setting including
Typematic Rate & Typematic Delay.

Typematic Rate (Chars/Sec)

After Typematic Rate Setting is enabled, this item allows you to set the
rate (characters/second) at which the keys are accelerated. Settings: 6, 8,
10, 12, 15, 20, 24, 30.

Typematic Delay (Msec)

This item allows you to select the delay between when the key was first
pressed and when the acceleration begins. Settings: 250, 500, 750 and
1000.Typematic Delay (Msec)

Security Option
This specifies the type of BIOS password protection that is implemented.
Settings are described below:
Option Description
Setup The password prompt appears only when end users try to
run Setup.
System A password prompt appears every time when the com-
puter is powered on or when end users try to run Setup.

APIC Mode
This field is used to enable or disable the APIC (Advanced Programmable
Interrupt Controller). Due to compliance to PC2001 design guide, the system
is able to run in APIC mode. Enabling APIC mode will expand available
IRQs resources for the system. Settings: Enabled, Disabled.

MPS Table Version

This field allows you to select which MPS (Multi-Processor Specification)
version to be used for the operating system. You need to select the MPS

3-10
 BIOS Setup

version supported by your operating system. To find out which version to

use, consult the vendor of your operating system. Settings: 1.4, 1.1.

HDD S.M.A.R.T. Capability

This allows you to activate the S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring Analysis &
Reporting Technology) capability for the hard disks. S.M.A.R.T is a utility
that monitors your disk status to predict hard disk failure. This gives you an
opportunity to move data from a hard disk that is going to fail to a safe place
before the hard disk becomes offline. Settings: Enabled and Disabled.

3-11
MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

Advanced Chipset Features

MSI Reminds You...

Change these settings only if you are familiar with the chipset.

Advanced DRAM Control 1

Press <Enter> and the following sub-menu appears:

DRAM Timing Control

Selects whether DRAM timing is controlled by the SPD (Serial Presence
Detect) EEPROM on the DRAM module. Setting to By SPD enables
DRAM timings to be determined by BIOS based on the configurations
on the SPD. Selecting Manual allows users to configure the DRAM
timings manually.

RAS Precharge Time (Trp)

This item controls the number of cycles for Row Address Strobe (RAS)
to be allowed to precharge. If insufficient time is allowed for the RAS to
accumulate its charge before DRAM refresh, refresh may be incomplete
and DRAM may fail to retain data. This item applies only when
synchronous DRAM is installed in the system. Available settings: 3T,
2T, 4T.
3-12
 BIOS Setup

RAS Active Time (Tras)

This item allows you to control the number of DRAM clocks used for
DRAM parameters Tras. Tras specifies the minimum clock cycles
required for the active command to be transferred to the precharge
command. Setting options: 4T, 5T, 6T, 7T.

RAS to CAS Delay (Trcd)

This field allows you to set the number of cycles for a timing delay
between the CAS and RAS strobe signals, used when DRAM is written
to, read from or refreshed. Fast speed offers faster performance while
slow speed offers more stable performance. Settings: 3T, 2T, 4T.

CAS Latency Setting

The field controls the CAS latency, which determines the timing delay
before SDRAM starts a read command after receiving it. Setting options:
By SPD, 3T, 2.5T, 2T. 2T increases system performance while 2.5T
provides more stable system performance. Setting to By SPD enables
DRAM CAS# Latency automatically to be determined by BIOS based
on the configurations on the SPD (Serial Presence Detect) EEPROM on
the DRAM module.

MA 1T/2T Select
This setting controls the SDRAM command rate. Selecting Auto allows
SDRAM signal controller to run at 1T (T=clock cycles) rate. Selecting
MA 1T makes SDRAM signal controller run at 2T rate. 1T is faster than
2T. Setting options: Auto, 2T, 1T.

AGP Aperture Size (MB)

This setting controls just how much system RAM can be allocated to AGP for
video purposes. The aperture is a portion of the PCI memory address range
dedicated to graphics memory address space. Host cycles that hit the aperture
range are forwarded to the AGP without any translation. The option allows
the selection of an aperture size of 4MB, 8MB, 16MB, 32MB, 64MB, 128MB,
and 256MB.

AGP Fast Write

This option enables or disables the AGP Fast Write feature. The Fast Write
technology allows the CPU to write directly to the graphics card without passing
anything through the system memory and improves the AGP 4X speed.

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MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

Integrated Peripherals

SiS On-Chip IDE Device

Press <Enter> and the following sub-menu appears:

Internal PCI/IDE
The field specifies the internal primary and secondary PCI/IDE
controllers. Settings: Disabled, Primary, Secondary, Both.

IDE Primary/Secondary Master/Slave PIO

The four IDE PIO (Programmed Input/Output) fields let you set a PIO
mode (0-4) for each of the four IDE devices that the onboard IDE interface
supports. Modes 0 through 4 provide successively increased performance.
In Auto mode, the system automatically determines the best mode for
each device. The settings are: Auto, Mode 0, Mode 1, Mode 2, Mode 3,
Mode 4.

Primary/Secondary Master/Slave UltraDMA

Ultra DMA 33/66/100/133 implementation is possible only if your IDE
hard drive supports it and the operating environment includes a DMA

3-14
 BIOS Setup

driver (Windows ME, XP or a third-party IDE bus master driver). If your

hard drive and your system software both support Ultra DMA/33, Ultra
DMA/66, Ultra DMA/100 and Ultra DMA/133, select Auto to enable
BIOS support. Settings: Auto, Disabled.

IDE DMA transfer access

Setting to Enabled will open DMA bus master and execute DMA action
in DOS, which will make the data transferring faster. Settings: Disabled,
Enabled.

SiS On-Chip PCI Device

Press <Enter> and the following sub-menu appears:

SiS USB Controller

Select Enabled if your system contains a Universal Serial Bus (USB)
controller and you have USB peripherals. Settings: Enabled, Disabled.

USB 2.0 Supports

These item is used to enable/disable the USB 2.0 Supports. Settings:
Enabled, Disabled.

USB Keyboard/Mouse Support

Set to Enabled if your need to use a USB keyboard/mouse in the operating
system that does not support or have any USB driver installed, such as
DOS and SCO Unix.

SiS AC97 Audio

Auto allows the mainboard to detect whether an audio device is used. If
an audio device is detected, the onboard AC97 (Audio Codec’97)
controller will be enabled; if not, it is disabled. Disable the controller if
you want to use other controller cards to connect an audio device. Settings:
Auto, Disabled.

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MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

SiS S/W Modem

This item is used to enable/disable the SiS S/W Modem. Settings: Auto,
Disabled.

SiS 10/100M Ethernet

This item is used to enable/disable the 10/100M Ethernet function.
Settings: Enabled, Disabled.

Onboard Lan Boot ROM

This item is used to decide wheather to invoke the Boot ROM of the
Onboard LAN Chip. Settings: Enabled, Disabled.

Onboard SuperIO Device

Press <Enter> and the following sub-menu appears:

Onboard FDC Controller

Select Enabled if your system has a floppy disk controller (FDD) installed
on the system board and you wish to use it. If you install add-on FDC or
the system has no floppy drive, select Disabled in this field. Setting
options: Enabled, Disabled.

Onboard Serial Port 1

This item specifies the base I/O port address and IRQ for the onboard
Serial Port A (COM A)/Serial Port B (COM B). Selecting Auto allows
BIOS to automatically determine the correct base I/O port address.
Settings: Disabled, 3F8/IRQ4, 2F8/IRQ3, 3E8/IRQ4, 2E8/IRQ3, Auto.

Onboard Parallel Port

This specifies the I/O port address and IRQ of the onboard parallel port.
Settings: 378/IRQ7, 278/IRQ5, 3BC/IRQ7, Disabled.

Parallel Port Mode

This item selects the operating mode for the parallel port: Normal, SPP,
EPP, ECP, or ECP+EPP.
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 BIOS Setup

SPP: Standard Parallel Port

EPP: Enhanced Parallel Port
ECP: Extended Capability Port
ECP + EPP: Extended Capability Port + Enhanced Parallel Port
Normal: Standard Parallel Port + Bi-Directional Mode.

EPP Mode Select

This item selects the EPP mode. Settings: EPP1.9, EPP1.7.

ECP Mode Use DMA

The ECP mode has to use the DMA channel, so choose the onboard
parallel port with the ECP feature. After selecting it, the following
message will appear: “ECP Mode Use DMA.” At this time, the user can
choose between DMA channel 3 or 1.

Game Port Address

This item is used to specify the address for the onboard game port.
Settings: Disabled, 201, 209.

Midi Port Address

The field specifies the base I/O port address for the onboard Midi Port.
Settings: Disabled, 330, 300, 290.

Midi Port IRQ

The item is used to select the IRQ line for onboard Midi port. Settings:
5, 10.

Init Display First

This item specifies which VGA card is your primary graphics adapter. Settings:
PCI Slot, AGP.

System Share Memory Size

The system shares memory to the onboard VGA card. This setting controls
the exact memory size shared to the VGA card. Setting options: 4MB, 8MB,
16MB, 32MB, 64MB.

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MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

Power Management Setup

Sleep State
This item specifies the power saving modes for ACPI function. Options are:

S1/POS The S1 sleep mode is a low power state. In this state, no

system context is lost (CPU or chipset) and hardware
maintains all system context.

S3/STR The S3 sleep mode is a lower power state where the in-
formation of system configuration and open applications/
files is saved to main memory that remains powered
while most other hardware components turn off to save
energy. The information stored in memory will be used
to restore the system when a “wake up” event occurs.

Power Management
This item is used to select the degree (or type) of power saving and is related
to the mode: Suspend Mode. There are three options for power management:

Min Saving Minimum Power Management. Suspend Mode = 1 Hour.

Max Saving Maximum Power Management. Suspend Mode = 1 Min.
User Define Allows end users to configure the Suspend Mode field.

Suspend Mode
When you choose User Define in the Power Management item, this item is

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 BIOS Setup

selectable. This setting allows you to select the type of Suspend mode. Setting
options: Disabled (default setting), 1 min to 1 hour.

MODEM Use IRQ

This setting names the interrupt request (IRQ) line assigned to the modem (if
any) on your system. Activity of the selected IRQ always awakens the system.
Setting options: 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, Auto.

Hot Key Function As

This feature allows users to configure the Hot Key function. Settings are:
Power Off When this item selected, the Hot Key functions as a
normal power-on/-off button.
Suspend Select this item, and then when the Hot Key is
pressed, the computer enters the suspend/sleep mode,
but if the button is pressed for more than four seconds,
the computer is turned off.
Disabled Disable the Hot Key Function

HDD Off After

After the selected period of system inactivity, the Hard Disk will be shut off.
Setting options: Disabled, 1-15 Mins.

Power Button Function

This feature allows users to configure the Power Button function. Settings
are:
Power Off The power button functions as a normal power-on/-
off button.
Suspend When you press the power button, the computer
enters the suspend/sleep mode, but if the button is
pressed for more than four seconds, the computer is
turned off.

After AC Power Lost

This item specifies whether your system will reboot after a power failure or
interrupt occurs. Available settings are:
Power Off Leaves the computer in the power off state.
Power On Leaves the computer in power on state.
Last State Restores the system to the status before power failure or
interrupt occurred.

3-19
MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

PM Wake Up Events
Press <Enter> and the following sub-menu appears:

MSI Reminds You...

S3-related functions described in this section are available only
when your BIOS supports S3 sleep mode.

IRQ [3-7, 9-15], NMI

These fields specify whether the system will be awakened from power
saving modes when activity or input signal of the specified hardware
peripheral or component is detected.

IRQ and Break Suspend

These fields specify whether the system will be awakened from power
saving modes when activity or input signal of the specified hardware
peripheral or component is detected.

MACPME Power Up Control

These fields specify whether the system will be awakened from power
saving modes when activity or input signal of onboard LAN is detected
only.

Wake Up On Ring/PME, USB Wakeup From S3

These fields specify whether the system will be awakened from power
saving modes when activity or input signal of the specified hardware
peripheral or component is detected.

3-20
 BIOS Setup

PS2KB Wakeup From S3/S4/S5

This setting allows you to wake up the system from S3/S4/S5 states with
the options of Any Key, Hot Key and Password (max. 8 numbers).

PS2MS Wake Up From S3/S4/S5

This controls how the PS/2 mouse can power on the system. Settings:
Click, Move & Click, Disabled.

Resume By Alarm
The field is used to enable or disable the function of Resume By Alarm.
Settings: Disabled, Enabled.

Month Alarm
When Resume By Alarm is set to Enabled, the field specifies the month
for Resume By Alarm. Settings: NA, 1-12.

Date of Month Alarm

When Resume By Alarm is set to Enabled, the field specifies the date for
Resume By Alarm. Settings: 0~31.

Time (hh:mm:ss) Alarm

When Resume By Alarm is set to Enabled, the field specifies the time for
Resume By Alarm. Format is <hour><minute><second>.

** Reload Global Timer Events **

Primary/Secondary IDE, FDD/COM/LPT Ports, PCI PIRQ [A-D]#
The global timer is the hardware timer that counts down to the power saving
modes. If the monitoring of the listed hardware peripherals or components is
enabled, the activity of the specified peripherals or components will awaken
the system or reload the original count of global timer when they are accessed.

3-21
MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

PNP/PCI Configurations

This section describes configuring the PCI bus system and PnP (Plug & Play)
feature. PCI, or Peripheral Component Interconnect, is a system which allows
I/O devices to operate at speeds nearing the speed the CPU itself uses when
communicating with its special components. This section covers some very
technical items and it is strongly recommended that only experienced users
should make any changes to the default settings.

Clear ESCD
The ESCD (Extended System Configuration Data) NVRAM (Non-volatile
Random Access Memory) is where the BIOS stores resource information for
both PNP and non-PNP devices in a bit string format. When the item is set to
Enabled, the system will reset ESCD NVRAM right after the system is booted
up and then set the setting of the item back to Disabled automatically. Settings:
Disabled, Enabled.

Resources Controlled By
The Award Plug and Play BIOS has the capacity to automatically configure
all of the boot and Plug and Play compatible devices. However, this capability
means absolutely nothing unless you are using a Plug and Play operating system
such as Windows® 98/2000. If you set this field to “manual”, choose specific
resources by going into each sub-menu that follows this field. Settings: Auto
(ESCD), Manual.

3-22
 BIOS Setup

IRQ Resources
The items are adjustable only when Resources Controlled By is set to Manual.
Press <Enter> and you will enter the sub-menu of the items.

IRQ Resources list IRQ 3/4/5/7/9/10/11/12/14/15 for users to set each IRQ a
type depending on the type of device using the IRQ. Settings are:
PCI Device For Plug & Play compatible devices designed for PCI
bus architecture.
Reserved The IRQ will be reserved for further request.

PCI/VGA Palette Snoop

When set to Enabled, multiple VGA devices operating on different buses can
handle data from the CPU on each set of palette registers on every video
device. Bit 5 of the command register in the PCI device configuration space is
the VGA Palette Snoop bit (0 is disabled). For example, if there are two VGA
devices in the computer (one PCI and one ISA) and the:

VGA Palette
Snoop Bit Setting Action
Disabled Data read or written by the CPU is only directed to the PCI
VGA device’s palette registers.
Enabled Data read or written by the CPU is directed to both the PCI
VGA device’s palette registers and the ISA VGA device’s
palette registers, permitting the palette registers of both VGA
devices to be identical.

The setting must be set to Enabled if any ISA bus adapter in the system requires
VGA palette snooping.

3-23
MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

PC Health Status
This section shows the status of your CPU, fan, overall system status, etc.
Monitor function is available only if there is hardware monitoring mechanism
onboard.

Case Open Warning

The field enables or disables the feature of recording the chassis intrusion
status and issuing a warning message if the chassis is once opened. This item
is available only when your mainboard has JCI1 jumper. To clear the warning
message, set the field to Reset. The setting of the field will automatically
return to Enabled later. Settings: Enabled, Reset, Disabled.

CPU Warning Temperature

If the CPU temperature reaches the upper limit preset in this setting, the warning
mechanism will be activated. This helps you to prevent the CPU overheating
problem.

System/CPU Temperature, CPU/System Fan Speed, Vcore, 3.3 V, +5 V,

+12 V, -12 V, -5 V, VBAT(V), 5VSB(V)
These items display the current status of all of the monitored hardware devices/
components such as CPU voltages, temperatures and all fans’ speeds.

Shutdown Temperature
If the CPU temperature reaches the upper limit preset in this setting, the system
will be shut down automatically. This helps you to prevent the CPU overheating
problem. This item is available only when your OS supports this function,
such as Windows ME.

3-24
 BIOS Setup

Frequency/Voltage Control
Use this menu to specify your settings for frequency/voltage control.

CPU Clock Ratio

End users can overclock the processor (only if the processor supports so) by
specifying the CPU ratio (clock multiplier) in this field.

Auto Detect DIMM/PCI Clk

This item is used to auto detect the PCI slots. When set to Enabled, the system
will remove (turn off) clocks from empty PCI slots to minimize the
electromagnetic interference (EMI). Settings: Enabled, Disabled.

Spread Spectrum
When the motherboard’s clock generator pulses, the extreme values (spikes)
of the pulses creates EMI (Electromagnetic Interference). The Spread Spectrum
function reduces the EMI generated by modulating the pulses so that the spikes
of the pulses are reduced to flatter curves. If you do not have any EMI problem,
leave the setting at Disabled for optimal system stability and performance.
But if you are plagued by EMI, setting to Enabled for EMI reduction.
Remember to disable Spread Spectrum if you are overclocking because even
a slight jitter can introduce a temporary boost in clockspeed which may just
cause your overclocked processor to lock up.

CPU Frequency
Use this item to select the appropriate clock frequency of the CPU host bus.
Options are: 100MHz, 133MHz, Default.

3-25
MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

DRAM Frequency
Use this item to select the appropriate frequency for your DDR SDRAM
modules. Options are: 200MHz, 266MHz, 333MHz and By SPD.

3-26
 BIOS Setup

Load Fail-Safe/Optimized Defaults

The two options on the main menu allow users to restore all of the BIOS
settings to the default Fail-Safe or Optimized values. The Optimized Defaults
are the default values set by the mainboard manufacturer specifically for
optimal performance of the mainboard. The Fail-Safe Defaults are the default
values set by the BIOS vendor for stable system performance.
When you select Load Fail-Safe Defaults, a message as below appears:

Pressing Y loads the BIOS default values for the most stable, minimal system
performance.

When you select Load Optimized Defaults, a message as below appears:

Pressing Y loads the default factory settings for optimal system performance.

3-27
MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

Set Supervisor/User Password

When you select this function, a message as below will appear on the screen:

Type the password, up to eight characters in length, and press <Enter>. The
password typed now will replace any previously set password from CMOS
memory. You will be prompted to confirm the password. Retype the password
and press <Enter>. You may also press <Esc> to abort the selection and not
enter a password.

To clear a set password, just press <Enter> when you are prompted to enter
the password. A message will show up confirming the password will be
disabled. Once the password is disabled, the system will boot and you can
enter Setup without entering any password.

When a password has been set, you will be prompted to enter it every time
you try to enter Setup. This prevents an unauthorized person from changing
any part of your system configuration.

Additionally, when a password is enabled, you can also have BIOS to request
a password each time the system is booted. This would prevent unauthorized
use of your computer. The setting to determine when the password prompt is
required is the Security Option of the Advanced BIOS Feature menu. If the
Security Option is set to System, the password is required both at boot and at
entry to Setup. If set to Setup, password prompt only occurs when you try to
enter Setup.

MSI Reminds You...

About Supervisor Password & User Password:
Supervisor password: Can enter and change the settings of
the setup menu.
User password: Can only enter but do not have the
right to change the settings of the setup
menu.

3-28
 Using 4- or 6-Channel Audio Function

Appendix: Using 4- or 6-Channel Audio

Function
The motherboard is equipped with Realtek ALC650 chip, which pro-
vides support for 6-channel audio output, including 2 Front, 2 Rear, 1 Center
and 1 Subwoofer channel. ALC650 allows the board to attach 4 or 6 speakers
for better surround sound effect. The section will tell you how to install and
use 4-/6-channel audio function on the board.

TOPICS
Installing the Audio Driver A-2
Using 4-/6-Channel Audio Function A-4
Testing the Connected Speakers A-8
Playing KaraOK A-10

A-1
MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

Installing the Audio Driver

You need to install the driver for Realtek ALC650 chip to function properly
before you can get access to 4-/6-channel audio operations. Follow the pro-
cedures described below to install the drivers for different operating systems.

Installation for Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP

For Windows® 2000, you must install Windows® 2000 Service Pack2 or
later before installing the driver.
The following illustrations are based on Windows® XP environment and
could look slightly different if you install the drivers in different operating
systems.

1. Insert the companion CD into the CD-ROM drive. The setup screen
will automatically appear.
2. Click Avance ALC650 Sound Drivers.

Click here

MSI Reminds You...

The AC97 Audio Configuration software utility is under con-
tinuous update to enhance audio applications. Hence, the program
screens shown here in this appendix may be slightly different from
the latest software utility and shall be held for reference only.

A-2
 Using 4- or 6-Channel Audio Function

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A-3
MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

Using 4- or 6-Channel Audio Function

After installing the audio driver, you are now able to use the 4-/6-chan-
nel audio feature. To enable 4- or 6-channel audio operation, first connect 4
or 6 speakers to the appropriate audio connectors, and then select 4- or 6-
channel audio setting in the software utility. S
Since this motherboard does not support S-Bracket, you will only be
able to have audio output coming out from the speakers connected to the back
panel.

Using the Back Panel

In addition to a default 2-Channel analog audio output function, the
audio connectors on the Back Panel also provide 4- or 6-Channel analog au-
dio output function if a proper setting is made in the software utility.
Read the following steps to have the Multi-Channel Audio Function
properly set in the software utility, and have your speakers correctly con-
nected to the Back Panel:

Configuration in the Software Utility

1. Click the audio icon from the window tray at the lower-right
corner of the screen.

2. Select a desired surround sound effect from the “Environment” drop-

down menu.

3. Click the Speaker Configuration tab.

4. Select Synchronize the phonejack switch with the settings.

5. Select a desired multi-channel operation from No. of Speakers.

a. Headphone
b. 2-Channel Mode for Stereo-Speaker Output
c. 4-Channel Mode for 4-Speaker Output
d. 6-Channels Mode for 5.1-Speaker Output

6. Click OK to close this window.

A-4
 Using 4- or 6-Channel Audio Function

A-5
MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

Connecting the Speakers

When you have set the Multi-Channel Audio Function mode properly
in the software utility, connect your speakers to the correct phonejacks
in accordance with the setting in software utility.

2-Channel Mode for Stereo-Speaker Output

Refer to the following diagram and caption for the function of each
phonejack on the back panel when 2-Channel mode is selected.
1 Line Out (Front channels)
2 Line In
3 MIC 3

1
2

4-Channel Mode for 4-Speaker Output

The audio jacks on the back panel always provide 2-Channel analog
audio output function, however these audio jacks can be transformed
to 4- or 6- channels analog audio jacks by selecting the correspond-
ing multi-channel operation from No. of Speakers.
Refer to the following diagram and caption for the founction of each
jack on the back panel when 4-Channels mode is selected.
1 Line Out (Front channels)
2 * Line Out (Rear channels)
3 MIC 3

1 2

* Line In function is converted to Line

Out function when 4-Channel Mode
for 4-Speaker Output is selected.

A-6
 Using 4- or 6-Channel Audio Function

6-Channel Mode for 6-Speaker Output

Refer to the following diagram and caption for the founction of each
jack on the back panel when 6-Channels mode is selected.

1 Line Out (Front channels) 2

2 * Line Out (Rear channels)
3 * Line Out (Center and 3
Subwoofer channel)

* Both Line In and MIC function are converted to Line Out function when 4-
Channel Mode for 6-Speaker Output is selected.

MSI Reminds You...

If the Center and Subwoofer speaker exchange their audio chan-
nels when you play video or music on the computer, a converter
may be required to exchange center and subwoofer audio
signals. You can purchase the converter from a speaker store.

A-7
MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

Testing the Connected Speakers

To ensure that 4- or 6-channel audio operation works properly, you may
need to test each connected speaker to make sure every speaker works properly.
If any speaker fails to sound, then check whether the cable is inserted firmly
to the connector or replace the bad speakers with good ones.

Testing Each Speaker

1. Click the audio icon from the window tray at the lower-right corner of
the screen.
2. Click the Speaker Test tab.
3. The following window appears. Select the speaker which you want to test
by clicking it.
Subwoofer

Front Left Front Right

Rear Left Rear Right

Center

MSI Reminds You...

6 speakers appear on the “Speaker Test” window only when
you select “6 channels mode” in the “No. of Speakers” column.
If you select “4 channels mode”, only 4 speakers appear on the
window. Or, If you select “Headphone”, only a headphone
appears on the window.

A-8
 Using 4- or 6-Channel Audio Function

4. While you are testing the speakers in 6-Channel mode, if the sound com-
ing from the center speaker and subwoofer is swapped, you should select
Swap Center/Subwoofer Output to readjust these two channels.

Select this function

A-9
MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

Playing KaraOK

The KaraOK function will automatically remove human voice (lyrics)

and leave melody for you to sing the song. Note that this function applies
only to 2-channel audio operation.

Playing KaraOK
1. Click the audio icon from the window tray at the lower-right cornerof
the screen.
2. In the Sound Effect tab, select Voice Cancellation under “KaraOK.”
3. Click OK to close this window.

A-10
 Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting
Q: Where will I find the model number of the mainboard?
A: There are two places where you can find the model number of the mainboard:
1. Somewhere between the PCI slots you shall find MS-xxxx or the marketing
name like “K7T Turbo”. You can also find the version number beside it. 2. At
the back cover of the user's manual.

Q: What do you mean by PCB version 1?

A: PCB is printed circuit board. Saying PCB version 1 is the same as saying
motherboard version 1.

Q: Why my motherboard BIOS sticker is "Phoenix BIOS" but when I boot

up my system I saw that "Award BIOS" is being used?
A: Phoenix & Award already merged as one company. All MSI motherboard
using Award BIOS comes with Phoenix logo sticker.

Q: How do I know what MSI D-LED or D-bracket light mean?

A: Please follow the special tech issue, http://www.msi.com.tw/support/
techexpress/special_tech/smartled.htm

Q: I have got MSI Motherboard and when it says detecting drives, it detects
them but says an error saying "Primary IDE Channel no 80 Conductor
Cable Installed"
A: This is not a problem. It merely means that you're using an ATA-66 or ATA-
100 HDD, but you're using the conductor 40 ATA-33 cable.

Q: I have high speed CPU cooling fan like Taisol CGK760092, Vantec CCK-
6035D & GlobalWin WBK38. Can I install the fan directly to the
motherboard?

T-1
 MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

A: We strongly recommend that you do NOT connect those described CPU

fan directly to your motherboard, as it draws so much power, that it could
damage it. Please use a 3-Pin to 4-Pin Cable that comes together with the fan.

Q: Can I use more than 512MB memory on Win9x or WinME?

A: No, you can’t. You can only use more than 512MB memory on Win2000 or
WinXP. This is a Microsoft OS issue. Please check http://support/microsoft.
com/support/kb/articles/Q108/0/79.ASP

Q: I have tried to download the MSI Live Update utility from http://www.msi.
com.tw/support/liveupdate/livedriver.htm but it keeps on failing?
A: This can be solved by one of the following suggestions: 1. Dont install
zonealarm 2. Disable "WebTrap" of PC-cillon 2000 3. Disable any web based
anti-virus Software.

Q: Can Live Update Series support WinXP?

A: Live Update Series version 215 can support WinXP. Download it from http:/
/www.msi.com.tw/support/liveupdate/livedriver.htm

Q: After flashing the BIOS, my system for unknown reason doesn’t want to
boot, what should I do?
A: Please refer to the following suggestions: 1. Try the BIOS boot recovery
feature as described in http://www.msi.com.tw/support/bios/boot.htm 2. Try
to clear the CMOS. If problem still persists, ask your reseller for new BIOS
chip or contact one of MSI office near your place for new BIOS chip (http:/
/www.msi.com.tw/contact/main.htm).

Q: Should I update my BIOS, once a new BIOS is released?

A: A new BIOS is usually released due to the following reasons:
1. New function is supported
2. New BIOS source code

T-2
 Troubleshooting

3. Bugs are found

4. Customer-specific request
When we release a new BIOS, there's usually a release note attached which
lists the reason for the release. Refer to this release note and decide for
yourself if upgrading to the new BIOS will be worth it. A word of advice,
though, do not upgrade to the new BIOS, unless you really have to.

Q: How do I update the BIOS?

A: Please refer to http://www.msi.com.tw/support/bios/note.htm for details.

Q: How do I identify the BIOS version?

A: Upon boot-up, the 1st line appearing after the memory count is the BIOS
version. It is usually in the format:
1. For older model number:
AG76 091096 where:
1st digit refers to BIOS maker as A = AMI(R) W = AWARD(R) P = PHOENIX
(R).
2nd digit refers to the internal chipset code.
3rd digit refers to the processor class as 5 = 486, 7 = 586, 8 = 686.
4th digit is incremental.
091096 refers to the date this BIOS is released.
2. For newer model number:
W5139MS V1.0 091096 where:
1st digit refers to BIOS maker as A = AMI(R) W = AWARD(R) P = PHOENIX
(R).
2nd - 5th digit refers to the model number.
6th - 7th digit refers to the customer as MS = all standard customers.
V1.0 refers to the BIOS version.
091096 refers to the date this BIOS is released.

T-3
 MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

Q: After flashing the bios and rebooting the system, the screen went blank.
A: For AMI BIOS
Rename the desired AMI BIOS file to AMIBOOT.ROM and save it on a
floppy disk. e.g. Rename A569MS23.ROM to AMIBOOT.ROM
Insert this floppy disk in the floppy drive. Turn On the system and press
and hold Ctrl-Home to force update. It will read the AMIBOOT.ROM file
and recover the BIOS from the A drive.
When 4 beeps are heard you may remove the floppy disk and restart the
computer.

For Award BIOS

Make a bootable floopy disk
Copy the Award flash utility & BIOS file to the said floppy disk
Create an autoexec.bat with "awdfl535 biosfilename" in the content e.g.
awdfl535 a619mj21.bin
Boot up system with the said floppy (it will take less than 2 minutes before
screen comes out)
Re-flash the BIOS & reboot.

T-4
 Glossary

Glossary
Glossary
ACPI (Advanced Configuration & Power Interface)
This power management specification enables the OS (operating system) to control the
amount of power given to each device attached to the computer. Windows 98/98SE,
Windows 2000 and Windows ME can fully support ACPI to allow users managing the
system power flexibly.

AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port)

A new, high-speed graphics interface that based on PCI construction and designed
especially for the throughput demands of 3-D graphics. AGP provides a direct channel
(32-bit wide bus) between the display controller and main memory for high graphics
quality and performance.

Bluetooth
Bluetooth refers to a worldwide standard for the wireless exchange of data between two
devices. Bluetooth requires that a low-cost transceiver chip be included in each device.
The tranceiver transmits and receives in a previously unused frequency band of 2.45
GHz that is available globally (with some variation of bandwidth in different countries).
In addition to data, up to three voice channels are available. Each device has a unique 48-
bit address from the IEEE 802 standard. Connections can be point-to-point or
multipoint. The maximum range is 10 meters. Data can be exchanged at a rate of 1
megabit per second (up to 2 Mbps in the second generation of the technology).

BIOS (Basic Input/Output System)

On PCs, an essential software that contains all the control code of input/output inter-
face (such as keyboard, disk drives, etc.). It executes hardware test on booting the
system, starts the OS, and provides an interface between the OS and the components.
The BIOS is stored in a ROM chip.

Bus
A set of hardware lines within the computer system, through which the data is trans-
ferred among different components. In a PC, the term bus usually refers to a local bus
that connects the internal components to the CPU and main memory.

Cache
A special memory subsystem that is used to speed up the data transfer. It stores the

G-1
 MS-6769 Micro ATX Mainboard

contents of frequently accessed RAM locations and the addresses where these data
items are stored.

Chipset
A collection of integrated chips designed to perform one or more related functions. For
example, a modem chipset contains all the primary circuits for transmitting and receiv-
ing data; a PC chipset provides the electronic interfaces between all subsystems.

Clock Cycle
Clock cycle (or tick) is the smallest unit of time recognized by a device. For personal
computers, clock cycles generally refer to the main system clock, which runs at 66
MHz. This means that there are 66 million clock cycles per second. Since modern
CPUs run much faster (up to 533 MHz), the CPU can execute several instructions in a
single clock tick.

CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor)

CMOS is a widely used type of semiconductor, which features high speed and low
power consumption. PCs usually contain a small amount of battery-powered CMOS
memory to retain the date, time, and system setup parameters.

DRAM (Dynamic RAM)

A most common type of computer memory. It usually uses one transistor and a
capacitor to represent a bit. As the development of technology, the memory type and
specification used in computer becomes variety, such as SDRAM, DDR SDRAM, and
RDRAM. For further instruction, please see the table below:

Dynamic RAM (DRAM) Memory Technologies

Type First Used Clock Rate Bus* Width Peak Volts
Bandwidth
FPM (60,70ns) 1990 25MHz 64 bits 200 MBps 5v
EDO (50,60,70ns) 1994 40MHz 64 bits 320 MBps 5v
SDRAM (66MHz) 1996 66MHz 64 bits 528 MBps 3.3v
SDRAM (100MHz) 1998 100MHz 64 bits 800 MBps 3.3v
SDRAM (133MHz) 1999 133MHz 64 bits 1.1 GBps 3.3v
RDRAM (Direct Rambus) 1999 400MHz 16 bits 1.6 GBps 2.5v
DDR SDRAM (100MHz) 2000 100MHz 64 bits 1.6 GBps 3.3v
DDR SDRAM (133MHz) 2000 133MHz 64 bits 2.1 GBps 3.3v
* Memory channel width (64 bits started with 75MHz Pentium)

Source: Computer Desktop Encyclopedia

G-2
 Glossary

ECC Memory (Error Correcting Code Memory)

A type of memory that contains special circuitry for testing the accuracy of data and
correcting the errors on the fly.

EEPROM
Acronym for Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory. An EEPROM
is a special type of PROM that can be erased by exposing it to an electrical charge. Like
other types of PROM, EEPROM retains its contents even when the power is turned
off. Also like other types of ROM, EEPROM is not as fast as RAM. EEPROM is
similar to flash memory (sometimes called flash EEPROM). The principal difference is
that EEPROM requires data to be written or erased one byte at a time whereas flash
memory allows data to be written or erased in blocks. This makes flash memory faster.

EIDE
Short for Enhanced IDE, a newer version of the IDE mass storage device interface
standard developed by Western Digital Corporation. It supports data rates of between
4 and 16.6 MBps, about three to four times faster than the old IDE standard. In
addition, it can support mass storage devices of up to 8.4 gigabytes, whereas the old
standard was limited to 528 MB. Because of its lower cost, enhanced EIDE has
replaced SCSI in many areas. There are four EIDE modes defined. The most common
is Mode 4, which supports transfer rates of 16.6 MBps. There is also a new mode,
called ATA-3 or Ultra ATA, that supports transfer rates of 33 MBps.

EISA (Extended Industry Standard Architecture)

EISA is a standard bus (computer interconnection) architecture that extends the ISA
standard to a 32-bit interface. It was developed in part as an open alternative to the
proprietary Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) that IBM introduced in its PS/2
computers. EISA data transfer can reach a peak of 33 megabytes per second.

ESCD (Extended System Configuration Data)

It is a format for storing information about Plug-and-Play (PnP) devices in the BIOS.
Windows and the BIOS access the ESCD area each time you re-boot your computer

External Cache
Short for Level 2 cache, cache memory that is external to the microprocessor. In
general, L2 cache memory, also called the secondary cache, resides on a separate chip
from the microprocessor chip. Although, more and more microprocessors are including
L2 caches into their architectures.

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IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics)

A type of disk-drive interface widely used to connect hard disks, CD-ROMs and tape
drives to a PC, in which the controller electronics is integrated into the drive itself,
eliminating the need for a separate adapter card. The IDE interface is known as the
ATA (AT Attachment) specification.

IEEE 1394
A new, high speed external bus standard, also known as FireWire or iLink, which
supports data transfer rates of up to 400 Mbps for connecting up to 63 external
devices.

Internal Cache
Short for Level 1 cache, a memory cache built into the microprocessor. The L1 cache is
also called the primary cache.

IrDA (Infrared Data Association)

A group of device vendors, including computer, component and telecommunications,
who have developed a standard for transmitting data via infrared light waves. This
enables you to transfer data from one device to another without any cables.

IRQ (Interrupt Request Line)

IRQs are hardware lines over which devices can send interrupt signals to the
microprocessor. When you add a new device to a PC, you sometimes need to set its
IRQ number by setting a DIP switch. This specifies which interrupt line the device
may use. IRQ conflicts used to be a common problem when adding expansion boards,
but the Plug-and-Play specification has removed this headache in most cases.

ISA (Industry Standard Architecture)

ISA is a standard bus (computer interconnection) architecture that is associated with
the IBM AT motherboard. It allows 16 bits at a time to flow between the motherboard
circuitry and an expansion slot card and its associated device(s). Also see EISA and
MCA.

LAN (Local Area Network)

A computer network that covers a relatively smaller area, such as in a building or an
enterprise. It is made up of servers, workstations, shared resources, a network operat-
ing system and a communications link. These individual PCs and devices on a LAN are
known as “nodes”, and are connected by cables to access data and devices anywhere on
the LAN, so that many users can share expensive devices and data.

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LBA (Logical Block Addressing)

Logical block addressing is a technique that allows a computer to address a hard disk
larger than 528 megabytes. A logical block address is a 28-bit value that maps to a
specific cylinder-head-sector address on the disk. 28 bits allows sufficient variation to
specify addresses on a hard disk up to 8.4 gigabytes in data storage capacity. Logical
block addressing is one of the defining features of Enhanced IDE (EIDE), a hard disk
interface to the computer bus or data paths.

LED (Light Emitting Diode)

A semiconductor device that converts electrical energy into light. Since it lights up
(usually red) when electricity is passed through it, it is usually used for the activity
lights on computer’s component, such as disk drivers.

LPT (Line Printer Terminal)

Logical device name for a line printer; a name reserved by the MS-DOS for up to three
parallel printer ports: LPT1, LPT2, and LPT3. It is frequently used by the OS to
identify a printer.

Overclocking
Overclocking is resetting your computer so that the microprocessor runs faster than the
manufacturer-specified speed (for example, setting an Intel 166 MHz (megahertz)
microprocessor to run at 200 Mhz).

PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect)

A local bus standard developed by Intel that first appeared on PCs in late 1993. PCI
provides “plug and play” capability and allows IRQs to be shared. The PCI controller
can exchange data with the system's CPU either 32 bits or 64 bits at a time.

PnP (Plug and Play)

A set of specifications that allows a PC to configure itself automatically to work with
peripherals. The user can "plug" in a peripheral device and "play" it without configur-
ing the system manually. To implement this useful feature, both the BIOS that sup-
ports PnP and a PnP expansion card are required.

POST (Power On Self Test)

During booting up your system, the BIOS executes a series of diagnostic tests, include
checking the RAM, the keyboard, the disk drives, etc., to see if they are properly
connected and operating.

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PS/2 Port
A type of port developed by IBM for connecting a mouse or keyboard to a PC. The
PS/2 port supports a mini DIN plug containing just 6 pins. Most modern PCs equipped
with PS/2 ports so that the special port can be used by another device, such as a
modem.

RAID
RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks; originally Redundant Array of Inex-
pensive Disks) is a way of storing the same data in different places (thus, redundantly)
on multiple hard disks. By placing data on multiple disks, I/O operations can overlap in
a balanced way, improving performance. Since multiple disks increases the mean time
between failure (MTBF), storing data redundantly also increases fault-tolerance.

SCSI
Acronym for Small Computer System Interface. Pronounced "scuzzy," SCSI is a par-
allel interface standard used by Apple Macintosh computers, PCs, and many UNIX
systems for attaching peripheral devices to computers. SCSI interfaces provide for
faster data transmission rates (up to 80 megabytes per second) than standard serial and
parallel ports. In addition, you can attach many devices to a single SCSI port, so that
SCSI is really an I/O bus rather than simply an interface.

USB (Universal Serial Bus)

A hardware interface for low-speed peripherals such as the keyboard, mouse, joystick,
etc. USB provides a maximum bandwidth of 12 Mbit/sec (Mbps) for connecting up to
127 peripheral devices to PC. USB features hot swap capability and multiple data
streams, allows external devices to be plugged in and unplugged without turning the
system off.

Virus
A program or a piece of code that infects computer files by inserting in those files
copies of itself. The virus code is buried within an existing program, and is activated
when that program is executed. All the viruses are man-made, and often have damaging
side effects.

WLAN
Acronym for wireless local-area network. Also referred to as LAWN. A type of local-
area network that uses high-frequency radio waves rather than wires to communicate
between nodes.

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