Before, we must specify whether the Pentium II CPU's L2 cache supports ECC or not. Right now, starting from Pentium II 350MHz, all Pentium II L2 cache supports ECC. On QDI BX mainboards, there has an option inside the CMOS that allows users enable or disable the setting of ECC support of L2 cache.

There are three new settings under Chipsets Features:

• Clock Spread Spectrum
• Close Empty DIMM Clock
• Close Empty PCI Clock

All BX boards can run at 100MHz FSB, but higher clock frequency creates higher EMI. EMI stands for "Electro-Magnetic Interference" that is a kind of noise brought about by electronic devices. These settings above are to control EMI.

Clock Spread Spectrum is used to tune in clock frequency. The BIOS setting "Disable" is to control the clock spread (This setting will make the signal wave spread shorter and the clock frequency should be more correct and a little bit faster), but, this will bring about more EMI. "Enable" setting can reduce EMI.

Close Empty DIMM Clock and Close Empty PCI Clock are quite similar. When their settings are "Disable", the system will ignore the empty PCI and DIMM slots and will keep free for some time. Even though this status can make the system run a little bit faster, more EMI will occur. Of course, the setting "Enable" will reduce EMI.

Our boards use DMI 2.0a currently. We can put DMI 2.1 in but since DMI2.1 has some compatibility problems, we don't use it on our boards. The BIOS updated can make our boards compliant with DMI2.1.

EDO is not capable of running under 100MHz FSB. If BX boards run under 66MHz FSB, EDO can be used. But even EDO can be used in BX board; the memory module must have SPD.

LM80 has the same functions as LM75. "Chassis status" is new to this IC. LM75 can also detect the CPU temperature. However, since the IC is located too far from the CPU in Pentium II mainboard in comparison with Pentium mainboard and the LM75 is located just below the CPU, the information detected by LM75 in Pentium II mainboard is not correct. In order to obtain more accurate CPU temperature data, starting from Pentium II 350 MHz, there has a signal about CPU temperature obtained from CPU. These temperature data are very correct. Hence, we need a special decoding IC to interpret this signal. That's why MAXIM 1617 is used.

R&D have tried to measure the heat emission from the BX chip and found its level is acceptable. It was decided that it was not necessary to install a heat sink.

Yes. QDI BX board can support 256MB DIMM with 16 pieces chip (128Mbit SDRam), but it cannot support 256MB DIMM with 8 pieces chip (256Mbit SDRam).

Please upgrade your system with the latest BrillianX I BIOS version.

QDI BrillianX I mainboard can support IrDA SIR protocol with maximum baud rate up to 115.2k bps. Because only the I/O chip Winbond 83977TF-AW supports IrDA FIR, and QDI BrillianX I doesn't support Winbond 83977TF-AW I/O chip.