Gigabyte GA-P55-USB3 User Manual

Unique Features - 68 -
4-2-1 Updating the BIOS with the Q-Flash Utility
A. Before You Begin
1. FromGIGABYTE'swebsite,downloadthelatestcompressedBIOSupdatelethatmatchesyourmoth-
erboard model.
2. ExtracttheleandsavethenewBIOSle(e.g.p55usb3.f1)toyouroppydisk,USBashdrive,orhard
drive.Note:TheUSBashdriveorharddrivemustuseFAT32/16/12lesystem.
3. Restart the system. During the POST, press the <End> key to enter Q-Flash. Note: You can access
Q-Flash by either pressing the <End> key during the POST or pressing the <F8> key in BIOS Setup.
However,iftheBIOSupdateleissavedtoaharddriveinRAID/AHCImodeoraharddriveattachedto
an independent IDE/SATA controller, use the <End> key during the POST to access Q-Flash.
BecauseBIOSashingispotentiallyrisky,pleasedoitwithcaution.InadequateBIOSashingmay
result in system malfunction.
4-2 BIOS Update Utilities
GIGABYTE motherboards provide two unique BIOS update tools, Q-Flash
™
and @BIOS
™
. GIGABYTE
Q-Flash and @BIOS are easy-to-use and allow you to update the BIOS without the need to enter MS-DOS
mode. Additionally, this motherboard features the DualBIOS
™
design, which enhances protection for the
safety and stability of your computer by adding one more physical BIOS chip.
What is DualBIOS
™
?
Motherboards that support DualBIOS have two BIOS onboard, a main BIOS and
a backup BIOS. Normally, the system works on the main BIOS. However, if the
main BIOS is corrupted or damaged, the backup BIOS will take over on the next system boot and copy the
BIOSletothemainBIOStoensurenormalsystemoperation.Forthesakeofsystemsafety,userscannot
update the backup BIOS manually.
What is Q-Flash
™
?
With Q-Flash you can update the system BIOS without having to enter operating
systemslikeMS-DOSorWindowrst.EmbeddedintheBIOS,theQ-Flashtool
freesyoufromthehasslesofgoingthroughcomplicatedBIOSashingprocess.
What is @BIOS
™
?
@BIOS allows you to update the system BIOS while in the Windows environ-
ment.@BIOSwilldownloadthelatestBIOSlefromthenearest@BIOSserver
site and update the BIOS.
Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG, An Energy Star Ally
Copyright (C) 1984-2010, Award Software, Inc.
P55-USB3 F5f
.
.
.
.
<DEL>: BIOS Setup <F9>: XpressRecovery2 <F12>: Boot Menu <End>: Qflash
04/09/2010-P55-7A89TG0DC-00

Gigabyte GA-P55-USB3 Specifications

General

Non-ECC	Yes
Memory voltage	1.5 V
Number of memory slots	4
Maximum internal memory	16 GB
Processor socket	LGA 1156 (Socket H)
Processor manufacturer	Intel
USB 2.0 connectors	2
Number of SATA connectors	8
Number of EATX power connectors	1
Controller interface type	iTE IT8720
Headphone outputs	6
USB 2.0 ports quantity	USB 2.0 ports have a data transmission speed of 480 Mbps, and are backwards compatible with USB 1.1 ports. You can connect all kinds of peripheral devices to them.
Firewire (IEEE 1394) ports	0
Audio chip	Realtek ALC888
Motherboard chipset	Intel® P55
Audio output channels	7.1 channels
Motherboard form factor	ATX
Compatible operating systems	Windows 7/Vista/XP
PCI slots	3
RAID levels	0, 1, 5, 10, JBOD
Networking features	Gigabit Ethernet
BIOS memory size	32 Mbit

Weight and Dimensions

Depth	244 mm
Width	305 mm

Summary

Hardware Installation

Installation Precautions

Guidelines for safely installing components to prevent damage from ESD and improper handling.

Product Specifications

Detailed technical specifications of the motherboard's CPU, memory, ports, and features.

Installing CPU and CPU Cooler

Step-by-step guide for installing the CPU and its associated cooling solution.

Installing Memory

Instructions for installing RAM modules, including dual channel memory configuration.

Installing an Expansion Card

Procedure for installing expansion cards into available slots on the motherboard.

Back Panel Connectors

Description of ports and connectors located on the motherboard's rear I/O panel.

Internal Connectors

Identification and purpose of internal headers and connectors on the motherboard.

BIOS Setup

Startup Screen

Displays the screens that appear when the computer boots, including logo and POST screens.

BIOS Main Menu

Overview of the BIOS Setup main menu and key navigation controls for accessing settings.

MB Intelligent Tweaker (M.I.T.)

Settings for CPU, memory clock, frequency, voltage, and overclocking adjustments.

Standard CMOS Features

Configuration of system date, time, and detection of IDE/SATA devices.

Advanced BIOS Features

Settings for boot order, boot options, system security, and performance enhancements.

Integrated Peripherals

Settings for onboard devices like SATA, USB, LAN, and Audio, and serial/parallel ports.

Power Management Setup

Configuration of ACPI sleep states, wake-up events, and power-on behavior.

PC Health Status

Displays system voltages, temperatures, and fan speeds for monitoring hardware health.

Load Fail-Safe Defaults

Resets BIOS to the safest and most stable factory default settings for system stability.

Load Optimized Defaults

Resets BIOS to optimal factory default settings for system performance.

Set Supervisor/User Password

Allows setting passwords for BIOS access, system boot, and user privilege control.

Save & Exit Setup

Saves current BIOS settings to CMOS and exits the BIOS setup utility.

Exit Without Saving

Exits BIOS Setup without saving any changes made to the configuration.

Drivers Installation

Installing Chipset Drivers

Procedure for installing essential chipset drivers from the motherboard driver disk.

Application Software

Lists and describes GIGABYTE utilities and free software available for installation.

Technical Manuals

Provides access to application guides, driver disk content, and motherboard manuals.

Contact Information

Information on how to contact GIGABYTE support offices worldwide.

System Information

Displays basic system information such as BIOS version, CPU details, and memory size.

Download Center

Links to GIGABYTE's website for downloading the latest BIOS, drivers, and applications.

New Utilities

Provides quick links to GIGABYTE's latest developed utilities for easy installation.

Unique Features

Xpress Recovery2 Utility

Utility for compressing, backing up, and restoring system data to a recovery partition.

BIOS Update Utilities

Tools like Q-Flash and @BIOS for updating the motherboard BIOS safely and easily.

EasyTune 6 Utility

Software for fine-tuning system settings, overclocking, and voltage adjustments in Windows.

Dynamic Energy Saver 2

Technology for unparalleled power savings and enhanced power efficiency via software control.

Q-Share Data Sharing

Tool for easy and convenient data sharing between computers on the same network.

Smart 6 System Management

Suite of 6 innovative software utilities for system performance, security, and recovery.

Auto Green Power Saving

Tool to enable system power savings by using a Bluetooth cell phone as a security key.

eXtreme Hard Drive (X.H.D)

Utility to quickly configure RAID-ready systems and expand RAID array capacity.

Appendix

Configuring SATA Hard Drives

Steps to install SATA drives, configure controllers, and set up RAID arrays.

Configure Audio Input and Output

Setup for multi-channel audio configurations, jack retasking, and audio connections.

Troubleshooting

FAQs and procedures to diagnose and resolve common system startup and hardware issues.

Regulatory Statements

Information regarding RoHS, WEEE, and other environmental and safety compliance.