Preface Software & Application User Guide G52-XXXX1HD
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 are the 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 ATI Technologies Inc. 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. ipad, iphone and ipod are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. Lucid is trademark of LucidLogix Technologies, Ltd. Qualcomm Atheros and Killer are trademarks of Qualcomm Atheros Inc. Revision History Revision Revision History Date V2.0 First release 2013/03 Technical Support If a problem arises with your system and no solution can be obtained from the user s manual, please contact your place of purchase or local distributor. Alternatively, please try the following help resources for further guidance. Visit the MSI website for FAQ, technical guide, BIOS updates, driver updates, and other information: http://www.msi.com/service/download/ Contact our technical staff at: http://support.msi.com/ Preface ii
About this guide This Software Application Guide describes how to use the software applications that come with the MSI s motherboards. Each chapter describes one of the software applications. It can help you to operate easily when you use the advanced software applications designed by MSI. Command Center - this chapter describes Command Center overview, how to monitor your motherboard hardware, read CPU, memory information and use Command Center to overclock the system. Preface Sound Blaster Cinema - this chapter describes how to active enhancement features and select profiles on Sound Blaster Cinema. Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 - this chapter describes how to configure valume, SBX Pro Studio, Scout Mode, Hot Key, VoiceFX, EAX Effects and EQ on Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3. Killer Network Manager - this chapter describes how to test and configure bandwidth on Killer Network Manager. Live Update 5 - this chapter describes Live Update 5 overview, and how to update your system. Network Genie - this chapter describes system requirement of Network Genie, how to select network mode and set applications priority. Super Charger - this chapter guides you with Super-Charge to charge your ipad, iphone and ipod. VIRTU MVP 2 - this chapter describes VIRTU MVP 2, how to connect the display and how to use i-mode, d-mode, HyperFormance and Virtual Vsync. Super RAID - this chapter describes how to use Super RAID for enabling Intel Rapid Start Technology, Intel Smart Response Technology and Intel Smart Connect Technology. iii Preface
Contents Preface Command Center...1 Overview and Operation... 2 Default Value... 2 Changing Value... 2 Profile Buttons... 3 Resizing Window... 4 Main Features... 5 CPU Frequency... 5 CPU Fan... 5 CPU Voltage... 6 DRAM Frequency & DRAM Voltage... 6 GPU Frequency & GPU Voltage... 6 RAMDisk... 7 OC Genie... 7 Option Buttons... 8 Gadget Mode... 12 Setting Gadget... 12 Sound Blaster Cinema...13 System Requirement... 14 Overview and Operation... 14 Tool Tip... 14 Users Profile... 15 SBX Pro Studio Master ON/OFF... 15 Feature Toggle... 15 Control Slider... 15 Volume Control/ Mute... 16 Advanced Setting... 16 Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3...17 System Requirement... 18 Overview and Operation... 18 Main Screen... 18 Customizing Your Display Avatar... 19 Managing Profiles... 19 Adjusting Volume Settings... 19 SBX Pro Studio... 20 Scout Mode... 21 Hot Key Configuration / Key Binding... 21 VoiceFX... 23 EAX Effects and Equalizer... 24 Preface iv
Advanced Settings... 25 General Settings... 26 Killer Network Manager...27 System Requirement... 28 Killer Network Manager Operation... 28 Connection Status... 28 Configuring Bandwidth... 29 Speed Testing... 29 Manually Changing Bandwidth... 29 Killer Network Manager Control Panel... 30 Overview Tab... 30 PC Monitor Tab... 31 Applications Tab... 32 Network Tab... 33 Advanced Tab... 34 Live Update 5...35 Live Update 5 overview... 36 Home Tab... 36 Live Update Tab... 36 History Tab... 37 Setting... 37 About... 38 Updating The System... 39 Total Installer... 40 Network Genie...41 System Requirement... 42 Network Genie Operation... 42 Network Genie Control Panel... 43 Mode Tab... 43 Application Tab... 44 Advanced Tab... 45 System Info Tab... 46 About Tab... 46 Super Charger...47 Enabling Super-Charger... 48 VIRTU MVP 2...49 System Requirement... 50 i-mode... 50 d-mode... 51 Installing VIRTU... 51 Preface v Preface
VIRTU Operation... 52 VIRTU MVP 2 Control Panel... 53 Basic... 53 Main Tab... 54 Performance Tab... 55 Applications Tab... 56 Advanced Tab... 59 About Tab... 60 Super RAID...61 System Requirement... 62 Overview and Operation... 62 Main Buttons Status... 62 Intel Rapid Start... 63 Intel Smart Response... 63 Intel Smart Connect... 63 Apply... 64
Command Center Command Center is an user-friendly software and exclusively developed by MSI, helping users to adjust system settings and monitor status and under OS. With the help of Command Center, making it possible to achieve easier and efficient monitoring process and adjustments than that under BIOS. In addition, the Command Center can be a server for mobile remote control application.
Overview and Operation After installing and activating Command Center, you can click on each feature name (CPU, DRAM, GPU, OC Genie) to switch into particular feature view for necessary setting controls. You can also click the left or the right arrow icons on the sides of the Command Center to scroll to the previous or next control panel. Command Center Feature menu Feature title Feature control panel Previous feature CPU temperature System Information Profile buttons Next feature Option buttons Page indicator Resize corner Important The pictures in this guide are for reference only and may vary from the product you purchased. Please refer to the actual screens of your system for detailed information. Default Value When you click the information icon on the panel, a pop-up message will show, indicating the allowed range and the default value. Changing Value Each control panel has different way to change values. The following describes how to control. Plus and minus buttons You can click the plus or minus button to increase or decrease the value. Command Center 2
Slider You can drag the slider left or right to decrease or increase the value. Knob You can rotate the knob clockwise or counter clockwise to increase or decrease the percentage. Enter value Command Center You can enter a value directly in the text field. Profile Buttons You can use profiles buttons to apply changes, reset to default, save and load profiles. Default button - Load the default setting values for the current feature. Apply button - After changing values on Feature control panel, you must click the Apply button to apply your changes. Save button - When you click the Save button A dialogue window will appear that allows you to select the location on your computer or Trend Micro SaftSync cloud to save the file. Setting values of each feature will be stored in the file with individual file extension. Load button - Load the setting values from the file. Important Every time you shut down the system, the configured setting will be restored to the factory default. If you want to use the saved settings, you have to load it every time by clicking the Load and Apply buttons. You have to install and sign in Trend Micro SaftSync which can be found in MSI Driver Disc, in order to save or load files on the cloud. 3 Command Center
Resizing Window You can resize the window to half size mode by dragging the right bottom corner. Command Center Command Center 4
Main Features This section describes the main features (CPU Frequency, CPU Fan, )on the control panel. CPU Frequency CPU Frequency control panel allows you to change CPU Ratio and Baseclock. You can see the current frequency of each CPU core on the top of the panel. Command Center CPU Fan CPU Fan control panel provides Smart mode and Manual Mode. You can switch the control mode by clicking the Smart Mode and Manual Mode buttons on the top of the CPU Fan control panel. Manual Mode - Allows you to manually control the CPU fan speed by percentage. Smart Mode - Smart Mode is a linear fan speed control feature. The Smart Mode control panel contains pink, green and blue colours, representing maximum value, minimum value settings and current fan speed. Drag the pink and green dots to adjust the Smart Speed slope. The fan speed will be changed along this line with CPU temperature. The blue dot will create strip chart in real time. System Fan Button - You can click Manual Mode the system fan icon to open the system fan control panel in new window. Fan Tune Button - Also, you can press the auto tune icon to automatically optimize the smart fan setting. Smart Mode 5 Command Center
CPU Voltage CPU Voltage control panel allows you to control the CPU voltage. Command Center DRAM Frequency & DRAM Voltage DRAM Frequency - Shows the DRAM clock, ratio and frequency. DRAM Voltage - Allows you to adjust the DRAM voltage. The risky values are displayed in red. GPU Frequency & GPU Voltage GPU Frequency - Allows you to adjust the GPU ratio, and shows the GPU clock, ratio and frequency. GPU Voltage - Allows you to adjust the GPU voltage. The risky values are displayed in red. Command Center 6
RAMDisk RAMDisk control panel allows you to create a virtual RAM drive. Enable button - Enable or disable the RAMDisk function. Setting - Specify Letter, Name, Size and Format of the RAM disk. Option - Select data to save/load on the RAM disk, witch can speed up your system performance and extend the life of SSD. Backup - Specify backup and restore settings to prevent data loss. Accept button - Allows you to accept settings of the RAMDisk function. OC Genie Please read the introduction on the OC Genie control panel first. Depends on the CPU types, the introduction may be different. Command Center To enable the OC Genie feature, click the OC GEINE button icon. You can also click the How to start? button to learn how to use the OC GENIE button. 7 Command Center
Option Buttons Option buttons provide advanced setting, additional setting and system information. Advanced Command Center When click the Advanced button, The Voltage, Fan and DRAM icons will appear. You can click the icons to open the control panels in new windows. Voltage - Allows you to adjust advanced voltage of CPU and chipset. Fan - Allows you to control the system fans speed. DRAM - DRAM Timings control panel shows the current Advanced DRAM parameters, and allows you to change the settings by selecting values from the drop-down menu on the right hand side. Command Center 8
Setting When click the Setting button, The Record, Warning and Mobile Control icons will appear. You can click the icons to open the control panels in new windows. Record - Record control panel allows you to monitor the status of voltage, fan speed and temperature in real time. To filter record charts, select the check box next to the items. When click the Start button, the chart pane will start to show the recording chart. If you want to check the value of a specific spot on chart, please move the orange vertical line to the spot. Command Center History Record - History Record stores the data and names with date and time. To make a history record: 1. Select items that you would like to record. 2. 3. Click the Record button on the left bottom to record status from your system. When finished, click the Record button again. The data will be stored in the dropdown menu. To load a record, click the dropdown menu and select your desired record from the list. Start/ Stop Record Button Records List To delete a record, select the record that you want to delete, and click the Trash Can icon. 9 Command Center
Warning - Warning Control Panel contains fields of voltage, fan speed and temperature for you to set the threshold values. When system detects the status over your settings, a warning message will pop-up(as shown below). Command Center You can enable/ disable warning items and alert sound by selecting the check box next to the items. Mobile Control - The Mobile Control control panel is only available for the motherboard with the built-in WiFi module. It allows you to enable/disable the Command Center Remote Server. Please refer to the instruction on the Mobile Control control panel. Command Center Remote Server ON/OFF SoftAP Management enable button SoftAP Management Setting To start remote control: 1. Download and install MSI Command Center APP to your mobile device. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Enable Command Center Remote Server on the Mobile Control control panel. Enable SoftAP Management. Enter SSID and Password, and then click the Apply button. Activate Wi-Fi on your mobile device and connect to SoftAP with the SSID. Run MSI Command Center APP on your mobile device. Find the IP address on the SoftAP Management Setting area, and enter the IP address on your MSI Command Center APP to link your system. Press Refresh on the MSI Command Center APP to verify that monitoring and OC functions are working properly. Command Center 10
Information When click the Information button, The Mainboard, CPU, Memory and HW Monitor Control icons will appear. You can click the icons to open the information windows. Mainboard CPU Momery HW Monitor Command Center 11 Command Center
Gadget Mode Command Center provides a gadget mode to monitor the system status. You can switch to gadget mode by clicking the arrow icon on the top left (as shown below). Command Center Setting Gadget Gadget mode provides a configuration panel, that allows you to select items. To select items: 1. Click the Spanner icon on the Gadget, a configuration panel will slide out. 2. 3. Select the check box next to the items. When finished, click the Close button. Command Center 12
Sound Blaster Cinema Sound Blaster Cinema improves how you experience stereo and multichannel soundtracks from a variety of sources, including DVDs, games, CDs, MP3s and even Blu-Ray. Powered by the SBX Pro Studio technologies, the Sound Blaster Cinema delivers a much more realistic and immersive experience, conveniently placed in a central and intuitive console The SBX Pro Studio suite of technologies features: SBX Surround SBX Crystalizer SBX Bass SBX Smart Volume SBX Dialog Plus
System Requirement You need to have the following system requirements to run Sound Blaster Cinema : Hardware: MSI motherboard with Sound Blaster Cinema. Software specifications: Windows 7 32bit/ 64bit Windows 8 32bit/ 64bit Realtek HD audio driver Overview and Operation Sound Blaster Cinema After installing and activating Sound Blaster Cinema, you can click on each enhancement feature name (SURROUND, CRYSTALIZER, BASS, DIALOG PLUS or SMART VOLUME) to switch into particular feature view for necessary setting controls. Advanced Setting SBX Pro Studio Master ON/OFF User Profile Feature Title Control Slider Feature Toggle Tool Tip Volume Control/ Mute When you hover the (mouse) cursor over a button, slider or feature name on the panel, a tooltip will show, describing the particular function of that item. Sound Blaster Cinema 14
Users Profile Drop down list provides three different profiles 1. Music Listening 2. Movies Watching 3. Games Playing A custom profile is available for you to customize the profile. It will be automatically saved once application has exit. SBX Pro Studio Master ON/OFF Click on the Master ON/OFF button to experience the full effect of SBX Pro Studio. Feature Toggle Click on the individual feature toggle to have control over the five SBX Pro Studio technologies SURROUND - provides immersion control to enhance the natural sense of audio depth and spaciousness by creating virtual surround sound channels. CRYSTALIZER - restores the natural dynamic range that is lost when itunes and MP3 music gets compressed. BASS - fills in the missing low frequency tones and gives the extra impact for a better entertainment experience. SMART VOLUME - addresses the problem of abrupt volume level changes during playback and between songs by automatically and continuously measuring volume, and intelligently applying gain and attenuation to compensate for those changes. DIALOG PLUS - enhances the voices in movies for clearer dialog. Sound Blaster Cinema Click on the circles to turn ON/OFF the individual features. A tick will imply the selected feature is turned ON and vice-versa. Control Slider The slider will be lighted up and ready for adjustment when the particular enhancement feature is turned on. You can drag the slider left or right to the desired level. It ranges from 0% to 100%, while bigger percentage indicates larger effect typically. 15 Sound Blaster Cinema
Volume Control/ Mute Click on the Speaker ICON to mute & un-mute the Master Volume of the selected audio output device. You can drag the slider left or right to the desired level of master audio volume for their selected audio output device. It ranges from 0% to 100% while bigger percentage indicates larger volume typically Advanced Setting Click on the Menu button to start your advanced setting: Sound Blaster Cinema Start Sound Blaster Cinema when Windows starts - Check the option if you wish to automatically start Sound Blaster Cinema when Windows starts. Visualization - Check this if you wish to have Visualization to be active. Always On Top - Check this if you wish Sound Blaster Control to be always the top window. Settings... - Selecting the headphones/speakers configuration for playback. For an optimized employment of SBX Pro Studio technologies (Esp. SBX Surround), the appropriate configuration needs to be selected. Restore Default... - To set the current audio device to the default state, click on the Restore Default option then click OK on the Windows dialog box. Audio Device Selection... - To select the desired audio output device to apply the SBX Pro Studio effects. Click on the Audio Device Selection option and select the desired output device from the drop down list. And click OK. Software Language Selection... - To change into the desired display language of this program. Click on the Software Language Selection option. Choose the desired language from the drop down list of supported languages. And follow the instructions on the screen to complete the change. Software Update... - To update this program. Click on the Software Update option. And follow the instructions on the screen to complete the update. About Sound Blaster Cinema... - The About Box shows the version number of the Sound Blaster Cinema Application. Click on OK on the dialog box to close it. Sound Blaster Cinema 16
Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 The Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 software suite is a powerful audio platform equipped with cutting-edge audio technology and SBX Pro Studio. Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 offers premium audio quality, effects and features for ordinary PC systems equipped with only basic onboard audio. For gamers, get ready to be blown away by the amazing realism from the unrivaled headphone surround and gaming sound enhancement technologies delivered by Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3.
System Requirement You need to have the following system requirements to run Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 : Hardware: MSI motherboard with Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3. Software specifications: Windows 7 32bit/ 64bit Windows 8 32bit/ 64bit Realtek HD audio driver Overview and Operation After installing and activating Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3, you can click on each enhancement feature name (SBX PRO STUDIO, SCOUT MODE, VOICE FX, EAX EFFECTS or ADVANCED SETTINGS) to switch into particular feature view for necessary setting controls. Main Screen Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 Main Screen provides Avatar, Profiles Selection, MIC Valume control and Master Volume control. User Profile Your Display Avatar MIC Volume Controller Master Volume Controller Feature Menu Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 18
Customizing Your Display Avatar You can customize your control panel display avatar to an image of your choice. Simply double-click the current avatar and choose an image file from the list. Managing Profiles The Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 comes equipped with a set of pre-configured profiles (Music, Movie, Game) to suit your different needs. Activate a profile - click the down arrow and select your desired profile from the list. Save Button - save the current settings. Delete Button - delete the active profile. Import Button - import profiles from your friends or other gamers. Export Button - export your profiles. Adjusting Volume Settings Drag the headset or microphone volume marker to adjust the volume level. You can mute/ unmute the headset and/ or microphone by clicking their respective icons. Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 19 Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3
SBX Pro Studio SBX Pro Studio enhances the audio output of your product using software optimizations. To configure SBX Pro Studio, click the SBX Pro Studio menu option on the left. Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 1. Click the checkbox next to one or more of the available enhancements to enable it. 2. Adjust the level of enhancements to be applied individually. Note The SBX Smart Volume addresses the problem of abrupt changes in the volume level during playback and in-between songs. Loud Mode Makes small speakers sound BIG. Night Mode Preserves audio details at quieter volume level. 3. Click the play button to play the demo video to test your configurations. 4. Readjust if necessary. SBX Pro Studio includes a number of enhancements for movies and gaming, elevating your movie and gaming experience to the next level. These include: CRYSTALIZER - restores the natural dynamic range that is lost when itunes and MP3 music gets compressed. SURROUND - provides immersion control to enhance the natural sense of audio depth and spaciousness by creating virtual surround sound channels. BASS - fills in the missing low frequency tones and gives the extra impact for a better entertainment experience. DIALOG PLUS - enhances the voices in movies for clearer dialog. SMART VOLUME - addresses the problem of abrupt volume level changes during playback and between songs by automatically and continuously measuring volume, and intelligently applying gain and attenuation to compensate for those changes. Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 20
Scout Mode This proprietary technology allows you to hear your enemies from further away, giving you a distinct tactical advantage in combat. To enable Scout Mode, click the Scout Mode menu option on the left. Select the Scout Mode checkbox to enable this feature. Hot Key Configuration / Key Binding Gives you the flexibility to bind critical audio features (eg. Scout Mode) to keyboard for quick access during game play. Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 21 Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3
Profile P1, P2, P3 Save your desired key-binds to up to three different profiles. For each profile, a drop-down list will provide a list of profiles that are created and saved. Toggling the hot key will turn on the desired profile. Retoggling the hot key will not have any effect if the desired profile has already been set. SBX Pro Studio, Scout Mode, VoiceFX Key-bind these features to any desired keys on the keyboard. Toggling the hot key will turn on the desired feature if it is OFF. Retoggling the hot key will turn off the desired feature if it is ON. Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 22
VoiceFX To configure VoiceFX settings, click the VoiceFX menu option on the left. 1. Select the VoiceFX checkbox to enable this feature. 2. Select a VoiceFX preset from the drop down menu and click the Test button. Speak into your microphone to listen to your voice with the selected VoiceFX preset applied. 3. Use the sliders below to adjust the VoiceFX settings as desired. Test and readjust as necessary. 4. Click the Save button to save the adjusted settings into a new preset or click the Delete button to delete the active preset. Note The default list of VoiceFX presets cannot be deleted. Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 23 Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3
EAX Effects and Equalizer The EAX Effects recreates the immersive audio experience of being in different environments, such as being in a Recital Hall Amphitheatre - so you can transport yourself musically to those places without stepping out of your house! Equalizer allows you to filter various audio frequency, thus controlling the tone of your audio output. The Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 comes equipped with a range of preset equalizer settings, helping you to select different audio tones easily. You can also manually modify or add equalizer presets. Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 To view the EAX Effects and Equalizer Settings interface, select EAX Effects & EQ from the menu. To apply and adjust an EAX effect: 1. Check the EAX Effects checkbox to enable the use of the EAX effects. 2. From the drop down menu, select the preset to use. 3. Adjust the horizontal slider bar to achieve your desired level. To apply and adjust an Equalizer preset: 1. Check the EQ checkbox to enable the use of the equalizer. 2. From the drop down menu, select the preset to use. 3. Adjust the vertical slider bars to achieve your desired level. 4. Click the Save button to save the changes to the active preset or to a new preset. You can also delete any user created equalizer presets by selecting the preset from the drop down menu and clicking the Delete button. Note All default equalizer presets cannot be deleted. Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 24
Advanced Settings Select Advanced Settings from the menu to view the interface. Speakers/Headphones Configuration To select the speakers/headphones configuration for playback. For an optimized utilization of SBX Pro Studio technologies (esp. SBX Surround), the appropriate configuration (built-in speakers, headphones, 5.1 / 7.1 surround, etc.) needs to be selected. Select the appropriate output device from the drop down list. Bass Management This feature is ONLY available for output devices that have subwoofer, especially 5.1 and 7.1 speaker configuration. Bass Redirection - directs the bass of the audio content to the subwoofer based on the crossover frequency defined. Subwoofer Gain - provides bass boost that enhances the overall audio experience. Crossover Frequency To set the Crossover Frequency of the selected output device (External Speakers or Headphones) to the most appropriate and comfortable bass effect. Drag the slider left or right to the desired level which may range from 10Hz to 1000Hz, and click OK. Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 Note Smaller number indicates stronger bass effect strength. 25 Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3
General Settings You can change the language settings or restore settings to their default values. Click the menu button from the top right corner of the interface and select the option from the list. Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 Start Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 when Windows starts - Check the option if you wish to automatically start Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 when Windows starts. Restore Default... - To set the current audio device to the default state, click on the Restore Default option then click OK on the Windows dialog box. Audio Device Selection... - To select the desired audio output device to apply the SBX Pro Studio effects. Click on the Audio Device Selection option and select the desired output device from the drop down list. And click OK. Select Playback Device... - To select the desired playback device / audio output that you want to apply the SB X-Fi MB3 effects to. Click on the Select Playback Device option and select the desired output device from the drop down list. Click OK. Selecting Recording Device... - To select the desired recording device / audio input that you want to apply the SB X-Fi MB3 effects to. Click on the Select Recording Device option and select the desired output device from the drop down list. Click OK. Software Language Selection... - To change into the desired display language of this program. Click on the Software Language Selection option. Choose the desired language from the drop down list of supported languages. And follow the instructions on the screen to complete the change. Software Update... - To update this program. Click on the Software Update option. And follow the instructions on the screen to complete the update. About Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3... - The About Box shows the version number of the Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 Application. Click on OK on the dialog box to close it. Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 26
Killer Network Manager Killer networking platform is an intelligent network controller that delivers maximum networking performance for all games and streaming media. Killer Network Manager shows you the system information and performance of your computer and gives you the controls to optimize it.
System Requirement In order to run the Killer Network Manager, the following hardware and software is required Hardware: MSI motherboard with Killer LAN chip (E2200 or newer). Software specifications: Note Windows 7 32bit/ 64bit Windows 8 32bit/ 64bit Killer LAN driver The Killer Network Manager is only available for Windows 7 and Windows 8 currently. The supported drivers for other operating systems would be available on the website if provided by vendor. Killer Network Manager Operation The Killer Network Manager software installs with the Killer LAN driver. Once installed, the Killer Network Manager icon shows on system tray (the right bottom corner of the screen). Mouse right click on the tray icon to show the application window. Killer Network Manager In case no icon is shown on the system tray, it is possible to activate Killer Network Manager manually by clicking Start Programs MSI Killer Network Manager. Connection Status The Killer Network Manager icon shows the connection status and overall health. Icon Application Status Network Status (Green) (Red) Good Bad Connected Warning messages Killer Network Manager 28
Configuring Bandwidth This section describes how to configure Internet Provider Speed. You can configure default Internet upload and download bandwidth from the Network tab on the Killer Network Manager window. Important Before using the Killer network for the first time, you should use the Test button which runs a speed test of your current total Internet bandwidth delivered through your Internet service provider. Speed Testing The speed testing is used to optimize bandwidth usage. To test the Upload and Download speed, please follow the steps below: 1. Select the Network tab in Killer Network Manager. 2. Click Test button in the Internet Provider Speed area. The test takes two minutes and automatically provides values for your Upload and Download fields. Manually Changing Bandwidth 1. Select the Network tab in Killer Network Manager. 2. Enter a value in the Upload field In the Internet Provider Speed area. 3. Enter a value in the Download field In the Internet Provider Speed area. Killer Network Manager 29 Killer Network Manager
Killer Network Manager Control Panel Overview Tab The Overview tab shows your overall system information, including processor, memory, graphics, operation system and connection status. Killer Network Manager The Applications pane shows the following information: Bandwidth Control settings LAN Exception settings Active and inactive processes Graph of total bandwidth percentages and speeds (Mbps) for uploaded, downloaded data Killer Network Manager 30
PC Monitor Tab If PC Monitor tab is selected, the following screen is displayed: There are six monitors in the tab, including Processor, Memory, FPS and Internet Bandwidth. The function of each monitor is described as follows: Processor - CPU usage (percentage). Memory - The percentage of system memory in use. FPS - Display rate in frames per second. To view FPS, the Fraps application and a DirectX or OpenGL game must be installed and running. You can download and install the Fraps application from www.fraps.com. Internet Bandwidth - The network bandwidth transmit (TX) and receive (RX) speeds. Slide Tab: You can view history by using the slide tab beneath the graph window. Killer Network Manager Clear History Button: Click the Clear History button will reset the log file. Save Log Button: Click the Save Log button to save the log file to your computer. The log file includes maximum of 24 hours data for all monitored information in a.csv format. 31 Killer Network Manager
Applications Tab If Applications tab is selected, the following screen is displayed: Killer Network Manager The Applications tab displays currently using network bandwidth applications, as well as all applications that have used a network connection previously. The active or online applications appear with colored icons. The closed or inactive applications appear with gray icons. The number icon to the left of the application icon is used to convey the current priority level set for the application. Priorities are set automatically by Killer Network Manager, and the Games will be set to first priority. You can override the priority by using the priority drop-down menu contained in each application item in the list. You can also block or allow access to the Internet by using the Block/ Allow drop-down menu. Sort By drop-down menu: Sort the application list alphabetically or by current bandwidth usage. Show Running Only check box: When check the check box, the application list show only the active network applications. Magnifying Glass Icon Button: Click the magnifying glass icon button, a dialog windows will appear showing detailed information about the application. Killer Network Manager 32
Network Tab If Network tab is selected, the following screen is displayed: Network Connection: Connection Speed - Select the connection speed. The default setting is Auto. Duplex - Select the Duplex mode. We recommend you set this to Auto unless you have specific requirements to connect to your local network Status - Shows the network connection type. Internet Provider Speed: Upload/ Download - Configure the internet upload/ download bandwidth. We recommend setting these values under the available bandwidth. Status - Shows the upload and download speed. Test Button - Test your upload and download speed automatically. Killer Network Manager TCP Protocol Settings: TCP No Delay Checkbox - When checked, it sends data packets without waiting. This setting is used to optimize TCP games, such as WoW. However, when you forget to un-ckeck the setting, it will affect the performance of the other applications or games. TCP ACK Frequency - Please keep default setting. Status - Shows the TCP No Delay, TCP ACK Frequency and MTU status. 33 Killer Network Manager
Advanced Tab If Advanced tab is selected, the following screen is displayed: Killer Network Manager This tab is used to configure Killer Network Manager features. Overview Area: You can select information to show on the Overview panel. Appliction Area: Default Application Settings - Allows you to change the default priority and block rule for new network applications. Global Application Control - This setting is used to enable or disable the Bandwidth Control Features on the Applications tab. Reset Application Data Button - Click this button to restore default settings for application. Options Area: Show Dialog on Close Checkbox - When checked, a warning dialogue will pupup when Killer Network Manager minimizes to the Windows System Tray. Auto Updates Checkbox - When checked, Killer Network Manager will automatically check for updates and notify you when new software is available for your Killer Ethernet network adapter. Bandwidth Units - It is used to specify the units of bandwidth. PC Monitor and Logging - It is used to enable or disable the PC Monitor feature. You can disable this setting to improve network performance. Killer Network Manager 34
Live Update 5 Live Update 5 is an application for the MSI system to scan and download the latest drivers, BIOS and utilities. With Live Update 5, you don t need to search the drivers on web sites, and don t need to know the models of motherboard and graphics cards. Live Update 5 will download the appropriate drivers automatically.
Live Update 5 overview After installing and activating Live Update 5, you will see Home, Live Update, History, Setting and About tabs at the top. You can click the tab to switch the control panel. Home Tab When you launch Live Update 5, you will see the Home tab at first, this tab displays the information of the system. Live Update 5 Live Update Tab This tab allows you to select files to download. You can also read the relevant information by clicking the information icon on the right of the item listed. Download options Download list Scan / Download / Total installer button Live Update 5 36
History Tab This tab shows the downloading history. Setting This tab allows you specify the frequency that Live Update 5 remind you to update. Reminder Frequency configuration Important The pictures in this guide are for reference only and may vary from the product you purchased. Please refer to the actual screen of your system for detailed information. Live Update 5 37 Live Update 5
About This tab shows the information about Live Update 5. You can click the MSI Online Customer Service button to open the online customer service web page. MSI Online Customer Service link button Live Update 5 Live Update 5 38
Updating The System This section describes how to update your system with Live Update 5. Please follow the steps below: 1. Select download options in Live Update tab. If you select Automatic scan, Live Update 5 will automatically detect your system, select the appropriate items to download. 2. Click the Scan button at the bottom, you will see the screen below. It may take several moments to complete the process. Please wait while it is displayed. 3. When the download list appears, please check the items you intend to update. Select all 4. 5. Click Download button at the bottom. When Save Path prompt, you need to specify the directory for Live Update 5. 6. When downloading you will see the screen below. It may take several moments to complete the process. Please wait while it is displayed. Live Update 5 7. To install the applications, simply unpack the packages and install. 39 Live Update 5
Total Installer Total Installer is a convenient feature to simplify frequent installing procedure. To use Total Installer: 1. Scan updates in Live Update tab. Select all Total installer button 2. 3. Check the items you intend to update. Click the Total Installer button. Live Update 5 will automatically install them. Live Update 5 4. 5. When prompted, click OK to complete the Total Installer procedure Reboot your system. Live Update 5 40
Network Genie Network Genie is an utility to optimize the traffic for bandwidth control. Network Genie is designed for the Realtek LAN chip with Windows Vista and Windows 7 platforms. With the Network Genie you can play on-line games and download data without being disturbed by latency. Just set up the network priority in Network Genie. You do not need to close some of occupied bandwidth applications while enjoying on-line games or streaming videos.
System Requirement In order to run the Network Genie, the following hardware and software is required Hardware: MSI motherboard with Realtek LAN chip (8111E or newer). Software specifications: Windows 7 32bit/ 64bit Windows 8 32bit/ 64bit Realtek LAN driver Network Genie Operation Once installed, the Network Genie icon shows on system tray (the right bottom corner of the screen). Mouse right click at the icon, will display the following screen. Moving the mouse pointer on Mode option, a sub-menu will appear for user to select Game, Stream, Browser and Auto mode. Clicking on the Show option will open a new window with Network Genie control panel. Clicking on the Hide option will hide the Network Genie control panel. Clicking on the Exit option will exit Network Genie. Invisible logo means Network Genie is not activated. Network Genie In case no icon is shown on the system tray, it is possible to activate Network Genie manually by clicking Start Programs MSI Network Genie Network Genie. Network Genie 42
Network Genie Control Panel Mode Tab If Mode tab is selected, the following screen is displayed: Mode selection Mode selection is used to quickly change the network mode. The following options are available: Game Mode - Network Genie will set gaming applications to high priority. Stream Mode - Network Genie will set streaming applications to high priority. Browser Mode - Network Genie will set web browsers to high priority. Auto Mode - Network Genie will set gaming, streaming applications and web browsers to high priority. Click Apply button to complete. Network Genie 43 Network Genie
Application Tab If Application tab is selected, the following screen is displayed: Application tab lists all network related applications. There are 5 columns in the list, including Program, Priority, Blocked, Download and Upload. The function of each column is described as follows: Program - Shows the currently running network related applications. Priority - H : represents high network priority. L : represents low network priority. You can manually change the priority by clicking H or L. Blocked - Lock icon : represents the network application is blocked. Un-lock icon : represents the network application is allowed. You can block the network application by clicking the block icon. Download/ Upload - Indicate the download and upload status. Inactive programs will be listed at the bottom and you can check the Hide inactive programs to hide them. After changing the settings, click the Save button to store the newer configurations. Network Genie Network Genie 44
Advanced Tab If Advanced tab is selected, the following screen is displayed: Advanced tab provides detailed settings for Network Genie. There are two parts in this tab, one is Internet Speed, and another is Delay/Sensitivity Settings. In Internet Speed, you can set the maximum available bandwidth to the upload/ download speed manually or just leave blank for no limit. In Delay/Sensitivity Settings, you can enable Speed up Response Time and No TCP Delay to reduce the latency of the high priority applications. Network Genie 45 Network Genie
System Info Tab If System Info tab is selected, the following screen is displayed: System Info tab shows system information, including Processor, Network Card, Memory, Graphics Card, Operating System, CPU Usage, Connection Status, Total Packets Sent, and Total Packets Received. About Tab If About tab is selected, the following screen is displayed: Network Genie About tab shows information of Network Genie, including Version, Copyright, and web address. Network Genie 46
Super Charger Super Charger provides i-pad, i-phone and ipod charging function. The ipad with very special charging requirements as it requires 1.6A power supply rather than the 0.5A current available with conventional USB interfaces. That is ordinary computer cannot charge your ipad even at power on status. The MSI Super-Charger is a Windows resident program capable of revising power supply mode of your USB port. Once an ipad is connected to your USB port the Super-Charger sends a signal to initiate its charging circuit. When system goes into suspend, hibernate state or even shutdown, Super- Charger will be still able to provide charging function.
Enabling Super-Charger Install and launch Super-Charger, the dialogue as below will appear. Super Charger To enable Super-Charger, click the On/Off button to On. When a warning prompt window appears, click Yes to continue. Important When Super-Charger is enabled, the USB port will be changed to Charging mode, therefore, the data syncing will be disabled. Super Charger 48
VIRTU MVP 2 Lucid VIRTU MVP 2 solution is designed for the platforms with one integrated and one discrete GPU. VIRTU MVP 2 dynamically assigns tasks to best available graphics resource based on power, performance and features. There is no need for HW or HW changes. VIRTU MVP 2 allows user to fully utilize the capabilities of both integrated and discrete GPUs When no high end graphics is used and display is connected to integrated GPU, the discrete GPU is put in idle mode thus GPU utilization, heat, fan speed and power are down to near zero, turning the system to an environment friendly platform. Advanced performance improvement features of VIRTU MVP 2, Virtual Vsync and HyperFormance provide the uncompromised image quality and game responsiveness performance gain.
System Requirement VIRTU MVP 2 In order to run the Lucid VIRTU MVP 2, the following hardware and software is required Hardware specifications: MSI motherboard supports VIRTU MVP 2 Any Intel CPU with integrated graphics support Any NVIDIA/ AMD GPU with DX9/ DX10/ DX11 support At least 2GB memory Software specifications: i-mode Windows 7 32bit/ 64bit Windows 8 32bit/ 64bit DirectX 9/ 10/ 10.1/ 11 Intel/ NVIDIA/ AMD GPU drivers i-mode provides user with near zero performance overhead on 3D graphics games, Virtual VSync and Hyperformance features, integrated GPU special features and power saving options when no 3D gaming is used. Important GPU vendor specific multi GPU acceleration features such as SLI and CrossFire are not available in i-mode due to GPU vendor limitations. To use Lucid VIRTU in i-mode, display must be always connected to motherboard video output as shown below. Graphics card NO DISPLAY CONNECTED Display connected to motherboard video port VIRTU MVP 2 50
d-mode d-mode is provided for demanding 3D gamers to achieve uncompromised 3D performance of discrete GPU installed in the system, along with Virtual VSync and Hyperformance quality/ performance improvement features. In this mode, VIRTU MVP 2 allows user to utilize integrated GPU special features such as trascoding, while display is connected to discrete GPU. Important In d-mode SLI and CrossFire are available. Media features can be virtualized by VIRTU MVP 2 to integrated GPU. Virtual Vsync and HyperFormance features are not available when SLI or CrossFire is enabled. To use Lucid VIRTU MVP 2 solution in d-mode, display must be connected to discrete GPU installed in the system as shown below. VIRTU MVP 2 Display connected to graphics card Installing VIRTU In BIOS SETTINGS Integerated Graphics Devices Configuration IGD Multi-Monitor, the IGD Multi-Monitor must be set to Enabled. Intel/ NVIDIA/ AMD GPU drivers must be installed prior to Lucid VIRTU MVP 2 installation. Install Lucid VIRTU MVP 2 from MSI Driver DVD setup screen Driver OTHERS. You can also find Setup_32Bit.exe, Setup_64Bit.exe and doubleclick it to install. The full path on the DVD is \\Utility\Lucid Virtu Driver\MVP\. GPU drivers and Lucid VIRTU should be installed before running any graphic application. It is recommended to restart the system after every driver installation. 51 VIRTU MVP 2
VIRTU Operation Once installed, the icon shows on system tray (the right bottom corner of the screen). Mouse right click at the icon, will display the following screen. VIRTU MVP 2 Clicking on the Open Virtu MVP Control Panel option will open a new window with VIRTU MVP 2 control panel. Clicking on the Check for updates option will check for new updates. Clicking on the Disable MVP option, allows the user to stop VIRTU MVP 2 function. Invisible or grey logo means VIRTU is disabled. Clicking on the Remove from system tray option will remove the VIRTU icon from the system tray. In case no icon is shown on the system tray, it is possible to activate the driver and the control panel manually by using the following instructions: 1. Click Start Programs VIRTU MVP 2.0. 2. Right-click on VIRTU MVP 2 Control Panel. In case logo icon is grey, right-click while pointing at the logo to get the following screen: Clicking on the Enable MVP option, will activate the VIRTU MVP 2. VIRTU MVP 2 52
VIRTU MVP 2 Control Panel Basic When activating the VIRTU MVP 2 control panel, the following window is displayed: Activate Button Feature Toggle Mode Indicator Switch Button VIRTU MVP 2 Activate Button By pressing the activate button VIRTU MVP 2 solution is activated. Feature Toggle By toggling on HyperFormance and Virtual Vsync features, these features can be enabled/disabled for all games. HyperFormance - When enabled, improves overall game responsiveness performance and observed frame rate. Virtual Vsync - Enables games to run at high FPS with fast user responsiveness while eliminating no image tearing artifacts. You must keep in game Vsync option enabled to enjoy this feature standalone. Both features work well together, providing uncompromised visual quality together with extra performance and game responsiveness. Switch Button VIRTU MVP 2 control panel can be expanded to Advanced mode, in which user can access and change many parameters of the solution. VIRTU MVP 2 expands Control Panel expands by pressing the switch button on the right side of the screen. Mode Indicator Display the information about GPU connection mode. 53 VIRTU MVP 2
Main Tab After expansion, Control panel will look like this: VIRTU MVP 2 In-Game Icon In-Game Icon selection is used to enable/disable in game VIRTU logo indication. The following options are available: Show - The logo will be constantly displayed in the selected corner of the screen. Show for a few seconds - The logo will be shown for a few second and then will disappear. Hide - No logo will be shown. Chose a Corner - is a control to select a corner of the screen in which VIRTU Universal MVP logo will be displayed. Show in system tray If Show in system tray is selected, a small icon will be displayed on the system tray together with the rest of the current running applications. VIRTU MVP 2 54
Performance Tab If Performance tab is selected, the following screen is displayed: VIRTU MVP 2 This screen controls the unique VIRTU MVP 2 performance and visual quality optimization features. By toggling On/Off buttons on HyperFormance and Virtual Vsync features, these features can be enabled/disabled for all games. HyperFormance When enabled, improves overall game responsiveness performance and observed frame rate. Virtual Vsync Enables games to run at high FPS with fast user responsiveness while eliminating no image tearing artifacts. You must keep in game Vsync option enabled to enjoy this feature standalone. Both features work well together, providing uncompromised visual quality together with extra performance and game responsiveness. 55 VIRTU MVP 2
Applications Tab If Applications tab is selected, the following screen is displayed: VIRTU MVP 2 This screen shows the applications that VIRTU MVP 2 supports with the available graphic cards. The dropdown list includes the applications that meet functionality and performance tests done by Lucid quality assurance. D indication means application will use discrete GPU when running, regardless of physical display cables connection. Good for 3D extensive applications. I indication means application will use integrated GPU when running, regardless of physical display cables connection. Good for Media extensive applications H indication means application will use HyperFormance feature when HyperFormance enabled in Performance tab Add, Edit and Remove buttons allow users to add new applications to the list. We cannot guarantee the functionality and performance of applications that were not part of the Lucid qualified application list provided with the product. Important Not all application can are currently qualified to use HyperFormance feature. Unqualified application may experience some issues. VIRTU MVP 2 56
Adding and editing of the applications list is disabled in evaluation versions of the product. When application from dropdown list is selected, it can be separately configured. VIRTU MVP 2 Activated checkbox means VIRTU MVP 2 will optimize this application D-Discrete/I-Integrated Radio button is used to define which GPU this application should use for rendering. H-HyperFormance checkbox is used to enable HyperFormance optimization on this application Add, Edit and Remove buttons allow users to add new applications to the list. Lucid cannot guarantee the functionality and performance of applications that were not part of the Lucid qualified application list provided with the product. When click the Add button, the following window is displayed: Place the desired application full exe file path in the exe name box. Clicking on the button next to the exe name box allows using a standard Windows browser to find the location of the desired application exe file. The Friendly name box allows the user to give the desired application a name that best describes the application. This is a free text box. 57 VIRTU MVP 2
After entering the application name, select the required mode of operation Work in D-mode means application will use Discrete GPU for 3D rendering Work in I-mode means application will use Integrated GPU for 3D rendering H-HyperFormance checked means application will be optimized using HyperFormance technology VIRTU MVP 2 Press OK after filling the required information. This will automatically add and application to the supported game list. Once the application starts, VIRTU MVP 2 will be applied to this application. Important Aadding manually an application that was not originally part of the game list means that the application did not pass Lucid QA tests. We cannot guarantee the functionality and performance of applications that were not part of the Lucid qualified application list provided with the driver. VIRTU MVP 2 58
Advanced Tab If Advanced tab is selected, the following screen is displayed: Choose Language dropdown box This dropdown box is used to select interface language. VIRTU MVP 2 Check for Updates Now button This button is used to manually check if there is an updated software available from vendors site. Reset all Warning Dialogs button This button is used to reset all previously selected don t show this message again actions. Restore to Default button This button is used to resets all settings to default. 59 VIRTU MVP 2
About Tab If About tab is selected, the following screen is displayed: VIRTU MVP 2 This screen provides VIRTU version installed, including information about Core engine, and Profile VIRTU MVP 2 60
Super RAID Super RAID provides one click installation of Intel Responsiveness Technologies (Intel Rapid Start Technology, Intel Smart Response Technology, Intel Smart Connect Technology) and integrates them in a single user interface.
System Requirement You need to have the following system requirements to support Intel Responsiveness Technologies: MSI motherboard supports Intel Rapid Start Technology, Intel Smart Response Technology and Intel Smart Connect Technology. Solid State Drive (SSD) for Intel Rapid Start Technology and Intel Smart Response Technology. BIOS with SATA mode set to RAID for Intel Smart Response Technology. BIOS with SATA mode set to ACHI or RAID for Intel apid Start Technology. Operating system: Windows 7 32bit/ 64bit, Windows 8 32bit/ 64bit Overview and Operation Super RAID After installing and activating Super RAID, you can click on each Intel Responsiveness Technologies name to enable them. Super RAID detects your system condition, and automatically install related applications. Main Buttons Main Buttons Status The Super RAID main buttons show the system supporting status and Intel Responsiveness Technologies ON/OFF status. Button Status (White Text) Available/ OFF (Gray Text) Unavailable (Bright) Selected/ ON Super RAID 62
Intel Rapid Start Intel Rapid Start Technology enables systems to quickly resume from deep sleep. Intel Rapid Start Technology requests a SSD partition, and the size should be equal to the amount of DRAM in a system, in order to transfer active memory pages from system DRAM to SSD (from S3 to S4 mode). To enable Intel Rapid Start Technology: 1. Click the Intel Rapid Start button, the Shrink SSD Volume dialogue will pop up. 2. Select Auto (DRAM + 1G) or Manual. 3. If you select Manual, specify the partition size of SSD. 4. Click Apply. Super RAID Intel Smart Response Intel Smart Response Technology intelligently caches applications and data blocks from HDD to the SSD for improving system performance. To enable Intel Smart Response Technology: 1. Click the Intel Smart Response button. 2. Click the Apply button. Intel Smart Connect Intel Smart Connect Technology schedules the system to wake up from Sleep (S3) to update data in a lower power state for a short time. To enable Intel Smart Connect Technology: 1. Click the Intel Smart Connect button. 2. Click the Apply button. 63 Super RAID
Apply To enable Intel Responsiveness Technologies, you need to click the Apply button. Once you click the Apply button, Super RAID will start the process in background, and pop up a status message. Super RAID Apply Button Status Message Current Process Restart Remains Super RAID 64