MSI MAG Z690 TOMAHAWK WIFI (01) PDF Document

The components in this package are prone to damage from electrostatic discharge (ESD). Please adhere to the following instructions to ensure successful computer assembly:

∙ Ensure that all components are securely connected. Loose connections may cause the computer to not recognize a component or fail to start.

∙ Hold the motherboard by the edges to avoid touching sensitive components.

∙ It is recommended to wear an electrostatic discharge (ESD) wrist strap when handling the motherboard to prevent electrostatic damage. If an ESD wrist strap is not available, discharge yourself of static electricity by touching another metal object before handling the motherboard.

∙ Store the motherboard in an electrostatic shielding container or on an anti-static pad whenever the motherboard is not installed.

∙ Before turning on the computer, ensure that there are no loose screws or metal components on the motherboard or anywhere within the computer case.

∙ Do not boot the computer before installation is completed. This could cause permanent damage to the components as well as injury to the user.

∙ If you need help during any installation step, please consult a certified computer technician.

∙ Always turn off the power supply and unplug the power cord from the power outlet before installing or removing any computer component.

∙ Keep this user guide for future reference.

∙ Keep this motherboard away from humidity.

∙ Make sure that your electrical outlet provides the same voltage as is indicated on the PSU, before connecting the PSU to the electrical outlet.

∙ Place the power cord such a way that people can not step on it. Do not place anything over the power cord.

∙ All cautions and warnings on the motherboard should be noted.

∙ If any of the following situations arises, get the motherboard checked by service personnel:

▪ Liquid has penetrated into the computer.

▪ The motherboard has been exposed to moisture.

▪ The motherboard does not work well or you can not get it work according to user guide.

▪ The motherboard has been dropped and damaged.

▪ The motherboard has obvious sign of breakage.

∙ Do not leave this motherboard in an environment above 60°C (140°F), it may damage the motherboard.

To prevent damage to the motherboard, any unnecessary mounting stand-off between the motherboard circuits and the computer case is prohibited. The “Case standoff keep out zone” signs will be marked on the backside of the motherboard to serve as a warning to the user.

Additionally, protective paint is printed around each screw hole to prevent parts from being scratched.

The LAN Port LED status indicates the connection status and speed of your network connection.

Link/Activity LED Status Table

Speed LED Status Table

The audio ports on the rear I/O panel can be configured for 2, 4, 6, or 8-channel audio. Use the following table to connect your speakers correctly based on your setup.

After installing the Realtek Audio Console, you can use it to change sound settings for a better sound experience. The main features are:

∙ Device Selection: Allows you to select an audio output source to change the related options. The check sign indicates the device is set as default.

∙ Application Enhancement: Provides a complete guide of anticipated sound effects for both output and input devices.

∙ Main Volume: Controls the volume or balances the right/left side of the speakers plugged into the front or rear panel by adjusting the bar.

∙ Jack Status: Depicts all render and capture devices currently connected to your computer.

∙ Connector Settings: Configures the connection settings.

When you plug a device into an audio jack, an “Auto popup dialog” will appear, asking you to identify the connected device.

1. Screw the antennas tight to the antenna connectors as shown in the manual.

2. Orient the antennas for the best signal.

∙ Always unplug the power cord from the power outlet before installing or removing the CPU.

∙ Please retain the CPU protective cap after installing the processor. MSI will deal with Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) requests only if the motherboard comes with the protective cap on the CPU socket.

∙ When installing a CPU, always remember to install a CPU heatsink. A CPU heatsink is necessary to prevent overheating and maintain system stability.

∙ Confirm that the CPU heatsink has formed a tight seal with the CPU before booting your system.

∙ Overheating can seriously damage the CPU and motherboard. Always make sure the cooling fans work properly to protect the CPU from overheating. Be sure to apply an even layer of thermal paste (or thermal tape) between the CPU and the heatsink to enhance heat dissipation.

∙ Whenever the CPU is not installed, always protect the CPU socket pins by covering the socket with the plastic cap.

∙ If you purchased a separate CPU and heatsink/cooler, please refer to the documentation in the heatsink/cooler package for more details about installation.

∙ Always insert memory modules in the DIMMA2 slot first.

∙ To ensure system stability for Dual channel mode, memory modules must be of the same type, number and density.

∙ Some memory modules may operate at a lower frequency than the marked value when overclocking due to the memory frequency operating dependent on its Serial Presence Detect (SPD). Go to BIOS and find the DRAM Frequency to set the memory frequency if you want to operate the memory at the marked or at a higher frequency.

∙ It is recommended to use a more efficient memory cooling system for full DIMMs installation or overclocking.

∙ The stability and compatibility of the installed memory module depend on the installed CPU and devices when overclocking.

For M.2 slot installation with SHIELD FROZR heatsink:

1. Loosen the screws of the M.2 SHIELD FROZR heatsink.

2. Remove the M.2 SHIELD FROZR and remove the protective films from the thermal pads.

3. If there is no EZ M.2 Clip installed, install the supplied EZ M.2 Clip kit in the M.2 slot according to your SSD length.

4. Insert your M.2 SSD into the M.2 slot at a 30-degree angle.

5. Rotate the EZ M.2 Clip to fix the M.2 SSD.

6. Put the M.2 SHIELD FROZR heatsink back in place and secure it.

For M.2 slot installation without SHIELD FROZR heatsink (e.g., M2_2 slot on TORPEDO model):

1. Secure the supplied M.2 standoff according to your M.2 SSD length if needed.

2. Insert your M.2 SSD into the M.2 slot at a 30-degree angle.

3. Secure the M.2 SSD in place with the supplied M.2 8.5H screw.

Using chassis intrusion detector:

1. Connect the JCI1 connector to the chassis intrusion switch/sensor on the chassis.

2. Close the chassis cover.

3. Go to BIOS > SETTINGS > Security > Chassis Intrusion Configuration.

4. Set Chassis Intrusion to Enabled.

5. Press F10 to save and exit and then press the Enter key to select Yes.

6. Once the chassis cover is opened again, a warning message will be displayed on screen when the computer is turned on.

Resetting the chassis intrusion warning:

1. Go to BIOS > SETTINGS > Security > Chassis Intrusion Configuration.

2. Set Chassis Intrusion to Reset.

3. Press F10 to save and exit and then press the Enter key to select Yes.

You can switch between PWM mode and DC mode and adjust fan speed in BIOS > HARDWARE MONITOR.

1. Enter the BIOS and navigate to HARDWARE MONITOR.

2. Select the fan connector you wish to configure.

3. Choose either PWM mode or DC mode.

4. Adjust the gradient points on the fan speed curve to set how the fan speed changes in relation to CPU temperature.

Important: Make sure fans are working properly after switching the PWM/DC mode.

There is CMOS memory onboard that is externally powered from a battery to save system configuration data. If you want to clear the system configuration, follow these steps:

1. Power off the computer and unplug the power cord.

2. Use a jumper cap to short the JBAT1 pins for about 5-10 seconds.

3. Remove the jumper cap from JBAT1.

4. Plug the power cord in and power on the computer.

These LEDs indicate the debug status of the motherboard during the boot process:

∙ CPU: indicates the CPU is not detected or has failed.

∙ DRAM: indicates DRAM is not detected or has failed.

∙ VGA: indicates the GPU is not detected or has failed.

∙ BOOT: indicates the booting device is not detected or has failed.

1. Power on the computer.

2. Insert the Windows 10/Windows 11 installation disc/USB into your computer.

3. Press the Restart button on the computer case.

4. Press the F11 key during the computer POST (Power-On Self Test) to get into the Boot Menu.

5. Select the Windows 10/Windows 11 installation disc/USB from the Boot Menu.

6. Press any key if the screen shows “Press any key to boot from CD or DVD…” message. If not, please skip this step.

7. Follow the instructions on the screen to install Windows 10/Windows 11.

1. Start up your computer in Windows 10/Windows 11.

2. Insert the MSI® USB Drive into the USB port.

3. Click the “Select to choose what happens with this disc” pop-up notification, then select “Run DVDSetup.exe” to open the installer. If you turned off the AutoPlay feature, you can manually execute the DVDSetup.exe from the root path of the MSI USB Drive.

4. The installer will find and list all necessary drivers in the Drivers/Software tab.

5. Click the Install button in the lower-right corner of the window.

6. The drivers installation will then be in progress. After it has finished, it will prompt you to restart.

7. Click the OK button to finish.

8. Restart your computer.

1. Power on your computer.

2. Press the Delete key when the “Press DEL key to enter Setup Menu, F11 to enter Boot Menu” message appears on the screen during the boot process.

3. After entering the BIOS, you can check the BIOS Mode at the top of the screen. It should display “BIOS Mode: UEFI”.

∙ F1: General Help list

∙ F2: Add/Remove a favorite item

∙ F3: Enter Favorites menu

∙ F4: Enter CPU Specifications menu

∙ F5: Enter Memory-Z menu

∙ F6: Load optimized defaults

∙ F7: Switch between Advanced mode and EZ mode

∙ F8: Load Overclocking Profile

∙ F9: Save Overclocking Profile

∙ F10: Save Change and Reset*

∙ F12: Take a screenshot and save it to a USB flash drive (FAT/FAT32 format only).

∙ Ctrl+F: Enter Search page

* When you press F10, a confirmation window appears and it provides the modification information. Select between Yes or No to confirm your choice.

Before updating:

Please download the latest BIOS file that matches your motherboard model and save it to a USB flash drive.

Updating BIOS:

1. Insert the USB flash drive that contains the update file into the USB port.

2. Refer to the following methods to enter flash mode:

▪ Reboot and press Ctrl + F5 key during POST and click on Yes to reboot the system.

▪ Reboot and press the Del key during POST to enter BIOS. Click the M-FLASH button and click on Yes to reboot the system.

3. Select a BIOS file to perform the BIOS update process.

4. When prompted, click on Yes to start recovering BIOS.

5. After the flashing process is 100% completed, the system will reboot automatically.

1. Please download the latest BIOS file that matches your motherboard model.

2. Rename the BIOS file to MSI.ROM, and save it to the root of the USB storage device.

3. Connect the power supply to CPU_PWR1 and ATX_PWR1. (No need to install CPU and memory.)

4. Plug the USB storage device that contains the MSI.ROM file into the Flash BIOS Port on the rear I/O panel.

5. Press the Flash BIOS Button to flash BIOS, and the LED will start flashing.

6. The LED will be turned off when the process is completed.