MSI H81M-P32L User Manual

Preface

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 in this manual are properties of their respective owners.
MSI
®
is registered trademark of Micro-Star Int’l Co.,Ltd.
NVIDIA
®
is registered trademark of NVIDIA Corporation.
ATI
®
is registered trademark of AMD Corporation.
AMD
®
is registered trademarks of AMD Corporation.
Intel
®
is registered trademarks of Intel Corporation.
Windows
®
is registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
AMI
®
is registered trademark of American Megatrends Inc.
Award
®
is a registered trademark of Phoenix Technologies Ltd.
Sound Blaster
®
is registered trademark of Creative Technology Ltd.
Realtek
®
is registered trademark of Realtek Semiconductor Corporation.
JMicron
®
is registered trademark of JMicron Technology Corporation.
Netware
®
is registered trademark of Novell, Inc.
Lucid
®
is trademark of LucidLogix Technologies, Ltd.
VIA
®
is registered trademark of VIA Technologies, Inc.
ASMedia
®
is registered trademark of ASMedia Technology Inc.
iPad, iPhone, and iPod are trademarks of Apple Inc.
Qualcomm Atheros and Killer are trademarks of Qualcomm Atheros Inc.
Revision History
Revision Revision History Date
V.0
First release 203/06
V.
Add CSM-B85M-P32, CSM-H8M-P32 and
H8M-P32L
203/
￭
￭
￭
￭
￭
￭
￭
￭
￭
￭
￭
￭
￭
￭
￭
￭
￭
G52-7846X7

MSI H81M-P32L Specifications

General

Form Factor	Micro ATX
Socket Type	LGA 1150
Chipset	Intel H81
Memory Type	DDR3
Maximum Memory	16 GB
Memory Slots	2
PCI Express 3.0 x16	1
PCI Express x1	1
SATA 6Gb/s	2
SATA 3Gb/s	2
USB 3.0	2
USB 2.0	6
Audio	Realtek ALC887
Memory Standard	DDR3 1600/1333
LAN	Realtek RTL8111G
Video Outputs	VGA, DVI-D

Summary

Safety Instructions

Motherboard Layout

Component Identification

Diagram and labels identifying motherboard components and connectors.

Motherboard Specifications

CPU, Chipset, Memory Support

Details on supported CPUs, chipset, and memory configurations.

Expansion, Graphics, Storage, USB, Audio, LAN

Back Panel Ports

Internal Connectors

Description of various internal connectors on the motherboard.

BIOS Features

Back Panel Details

CPU & Heatsink Installation

CPU Socket Preparation

Steps to unclip and open the CPU socket lever.

CPU Alignment and Seating

How to align and seat the CPU correctly in the socket.

Securing the CPU Lever

Closing and engaging the CPU load lever.

CPU & Heatsink Installation Steps

Apply Thermal Paste

Instructions for applying thermal paste for heat dissipation.

Mount Heatsink and Fan

Steps to mount the heatsink and connect the fan cable.

Installation Precautions

Key confirmations and precautions for CPU installation.

Memory Installation

Prepare DIMM Slots

How to open the clips on the DIMM slots.

Insert Memory Modules

Procedure for inserting memory modules into slots.

Secure Memory Modules

How to lock the memory modules in place.

Memory Compatibility Notes

Important notes on DDR3 compatibility and dual-channel configuration.

Internal Connectors Overview

ATX Power Connectors

How to connect ATX power supply connectors.

Serial Port Connector

SATA and Chassis Connectors

SATA Connectors

Chassis Intrusion Connector

Fan and Audio Connectors

Fan Power Connectors

Front Panel Audio Connector

System Panel and USB Connectors

System Panel Connectors

USB 2.0 Expansion Connectors

CMOS and USB Power Jumpers

Clear CMOS Jumper

USB Power Jumper Configuration

Expansion Slots

PCIe Expansion Slots

PCI Expansion Slots

BIOS Setup Access

Entering BIOS Setup Methods

Methods to enter BIOS setup from boot or utility.

BIOS Overview and OC Menu

BIOS Interface Overview

OC Menu Navigation

Accessing and navigating the Overclocking (OC) menu.

Overclocking Precautions

CPU Frequency Settings

CPU Ratio and Frequency Adjustment

Adjusting CPU ratio, frequency, EIST, and Turbo Boost settings.

Ring and Graphics Frequency

DRAM Frequency Setting

Setting the DRAM frequency for memory performance.

DRAM Timing and Voltage

DRAM Timing Configuration

Manually configuring DRAM timings for memory channels.

Memory Voltage and Fast Boot

Spread Spectrum Function

CPU Features Configuration

Hyper-Threading and Core Selection

Security and Virtualization

Hardware Prefetcher Settings

Advanced CPU Power Management

Cache Prefetch and AES Instructions

Thermal Monitor and C-States

Turbo Boost Power and Ratio Limits

Turbo Boost Power Limits

Turbo Boost Timing and Current

Multi-Core Turbo Ratios