SUPER MICRO Computer X8DA3 user manual Manual Revision Release Date March 17

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The information in this User’s Manual has been carefully reviewed and is believed to be accurate. The vendor assumes no responsibility for any inaccuracies that may be contained in this document, makes no commitment to update or to keep current the information in this manual, or to notify any person or organization of the updates. Please Note: For the most up-to-date version of this manual, please see our web site at www.supermicro.com.

Super Micro Computer, Inc. ("Supermicro") reserves the right to make changes to the product described in this manual at any time and without notice. This product, including software, if any, and documentation may not, in whole or in part, be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated or reduced to any medium or machine without prior written consent.

IN NO EVENT WILL SUPERMICRO BE LIABLE FOR DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, SPECULATIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING FROM THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THIS PRODUCT OR DOCUMENTATION, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. IN PARTICULAR, SUPERMICRO SHALL NOT HAVE LIABILITY FOR ANY HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, OR DATA STORED OR USED WITH THE PRODUCT, INCLUDING THE COSTS OF REPAIRING, REPLACING, INTEGRATING, INSTALLING OR RECOVERING SUCH HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, OR DATA.

Any disputes arising between manufacturer and customer shall be governed by the laws of Santa Clara County in the State of California, USA. The State of California, County of Santa Clara shall be the exclusive venue for the resolution of any such disputes. Super Micro's total liability for all claims will not exceed the price paid for the hardware product.

FCC 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 in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instruction manual, may cause interference with radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, you are encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures: Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver. Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected. Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/television technician for help.

California Best Management Practices Regulations for Perchlorate Materials: This Perchlorate warning applies only to products containing CR (Manganese Dioxide) Lithium coin cells. “Perchlorate Material-special handling may apply. See www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate”

WARNING: Handling of lead solder materials used in this product may expose you to lead, a chemical known to the State of California to cause birth defects and other reproductive harm.

Manual Revision 1.0

Release Date: March 17, 2009

Unless you request and receive written permission from Super Micro Computer, Inc., you may not copy any part of this document.

Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Other products and companies referred to herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or mark holders.

Copyright © 2009 by Super Micro Computer, Inc. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America

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Contents USER’S Manual Manual Revision Release Date March 17 Conventions Used in the Manual About This ManualAbout This Motherboard Manual Organization PrefaceEurope Contacting SupermicroHeadquarters Asia-PacificPreface Table of Contents Table of Contents ViiBios Error Beep Codes Starting Bios Setup UtilitySecurity Settings Boot Configuration Exit Options Installing Software Programs Configuring Supero DoctorOverview IntroductionX8DA3/X8DAi Image X8DA3/X8DAi Motherboard Layout Jumpers not indicated are for test purposes onlyX8DA3/X8DAi Quick Reference X8DA3/X8DAi Quick Reference Motherboard Features CPUBios flash upgrade utility and device drivers Ext. ATX 13.05 L x 12.075 W 331.47 mm x 306.71 mmBlock Diagram of the Intel 5520 Platform Introduction Special Features PC Health MonitoringWake-On-LAN WOL Acpi FeaturesSlow Blinking LED for Suspend-State Indicator Power Supply Super I/OInstallation Install the IO shield into the chassis Motherboard InstallationInstallation Instructions Tools NeededGently lift the socket clip to open the load plate Processor and Heatsink InstallationSocket Clip Load Plate Plastic CapSocket Keys Load PlateInstalling a CPU Heatsink Removing the Heatsink Branch Memory InstallationDimm Installation Dimm Population Table Memory SupportDimm Module Population Configuration Possible System Memory Allocation & AvailabilityInstalling and Removing DIMMs Control Panel Connectors/IO Ports Back Panel Connectors/IO PortsFront Control Panel JF1 Header PinsPower Button Front Control Panel Pin Definitions Power LEDPower LED Pin Definitions JF1 NMI ButtonNIC1/NIC2 LED Indicators HDD LEDOH/Fan Fail LED B. PWR Supply Fail Power Fail LEDOverheat OH/Fan Fail LED Reset Button PWR Button Reset ButtonPower Button Processor Power Connector Connecting CablesATX Power Connector ATX Power 24-pin Connector Pin DefinitionsChassis Intrusion Universal Serial Bus USBFor pin definitions Fan Headers Speaker/Power LED HeaderSpeaker/Power LED Con Nector Fan Fan 7 CPU1 Fan Fan 8 CPU2 Fan PWR LED/SpeakerNC No Connection ATX PS/2 Keyboard and PS/2 Mouse PortsSerial Ports Keyboard/MouseOverheat/Fan Fail Wake-On-LANOverheat LED/Fan Fail JOH1 Two Sgpio Serial-Link General Glan 1/2 Giga-bit Ethernet PortsSgpio Headers NC= No ConnectionsPower SMB I2C Connector SMB Header Pin DefinitionsHD Audio High Definition Audio HD AudioCD Header/Front Panel Audio Pin DefinitionEnabled Jumper SettingsGlan Enable/Disable Explanation of JumpersWatch Dog Jumper Settings JWD1 Watch Dog Enable/DisableClear Cmos Watch Dog Enable Cmos ClearJI2C1 JI2C2 JI2C3 JI2C4 I2C Bus to PCI-Exp. SlotsI2C Bus to PCI-X Slots I2C to PCI-ExpSAS RAID Select SAS Enable/DisableSAS Enable SAS RAID Config13941/13942 En- able 13941/13942 EnableEnable Glan LEDs Onboard IndicatorsOnboard Power LED SAS LED Indicators Glan Port LEDs Fan1B. Onboard Power LEDTo the Front Panel Control on Floppy Connectorfloppy connector is located close Motherboard. See the table onSAS 0~3 SAS 4~7 Serial ATA Sata PortsSerial-Attached Scsi SAS Ports For X8DA3 only Serial ATA Pin DefinitionsSimlc Ipmi Slot SimlcPage No Power Troubleshooting ProceduresBefore Power On TroubleshootingNo Video Losing the System’s Setup ConfigurationMemory Errors Question How do I update my BIOS? Technical Support ProceduresFrequently Asked Questions Returning Merchandise for Service Question Whats on the CD that came with my motherboard?AMI Bios Starting Bios Setup UtilityHow To Change the Configuration Data IntroductionX8DA3/X8DAi User’s Manual Main SetupStarting the Setup Utility System Time/System DateProcessor System MemoryAdvanced Setup Configurations Xboot FeaturesPower Configuration XProcessor and Clock OptionsActive Processor Cores Hardware Prefetcher Available when supported by the CPUC1E Support Intel SpeedStep TechnologyXAdvanced Chipset Control Xcpu Bridge ConfigurationGuardband Temperature Closed Loop Only Memory ModeHysteresis Temperature Closed Loop Only Memory FrequencyXNorth Bridge Configuration XSouthBridge Configuration XIDE/SATA Configuration PIO Mode DMA ModeXPCI/PnP Configuration XSuper IO Device Configuration XRemote Access Configuration CPU Temperature/System Temperature Sredir Memory Display DelayCPU Overheat Alarm XSystem Health MonitorCPU Temperature Xacpi Configuration XTrusted Computing Xdmi Event LogUser Password Security SettingsSupervisor Password Change Supervisor PasswordChange User Password Boot ConfigurationXBoot Device Priority Password CheckXCD/DVD Drives XHard Disk DrivesXRemovable Drives Exit Options X8DA3/X8DAi User’s Manual Beep Code Bios Error Beep CodesError Message DescriptionPage Installing the Windows OS to a RAID System Appendix B Installing the Windows OSInstalling the Windows OS to a Non-RAID System Driver/Tool Installation Display Screen Installing Software ProgramsAppendix C Software Installation Instructions Configuring Supero Doctor Supero Doctor III Interface Display Screen-II Remote Control

X8DA3 specifications

Super Micro Computer, also known as Supermicro, is a prominent player in the world of computing hardware, particularly known for its high-performance server solutions. One of their noteworthy offerings is the X8DA3 motherboard, which is designed for dual-processor systems and caters to various applications, including data centers, cloud computing, and enterprise-level operations.

The Supermicro X8DA3 motherboard supports Intel's Nehalem and Westmere architectures, accommodating two LGA 1366 sockets for Intel Xeon processors. This setup allows for impressive computational power and scalability. The motherboard can support up to 192GB of DDR3 RAM across six DIMM slots, enabling high memory bandwidth essential for memory-intensive applications.

One of the standout features of the X8DA3 is its robust I/O options. It comes equipped with six SATA II ports and two SAS ports, allowing for flexible storage configurations. Additionally, the board supports a range of RAID levels, including 0, 1, 5, and 10, providing data redundancy and performance optimization. For enhanced connectivity, the motherboard includes dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, ensuring reliable networking capabilities which are crucial for server environments.

In terms of expandability, the X8DA3 features multiple PCIe slots, providing users with the ability to add various expansion cards such as graphics cards, network cards, or additional storage controllers. This flexibility allows companies to tailor their server setups according to specific needs.

Power management is another critical aspect of the X8DA3. It supports ATX power supplies and features advanced power-saving technologies that help in reducing overall energy consumption. This ecological consideration is particularly important for organizations looking to minimize their carbon footprint while maintaining optimal performance.

For thermal management, Supermicro incorporates a design that allows for efficient airflow and cooling, which is crucial for maintaining system stability during intensive workloads. The motherboard is also equipped with multiple temperature sensors that provide real-time monitoring, ensuring components operate within safe thermal levels.

Overall, the Super Micro Computer X8DA3 motherboard is a reliable and high-performance choice for businesses requiring a versatile and powerful computing platform. Its support for dual processors, extensive memory options, advanced storage capabilities, and solid expandability make it an attractive option for enterprise applications in today’s computationally demanding environments.