ADLINK NuPRO-E315 PICMG 1.3 Industrial Motherboard Deployment Guide

ADLINK NuPRO-E315 PICMG 1.3 Industrial Motherboard Deployment and Debugging Guide

In the fields of industrial automation, instrumentation, and embedded control, PICMG 1.3 standard system motherboards (SHBs) are gradually becoming the standard platform for high-performance industrial computing due to their PCIe x16 high bandwidth scalability and native support for new generation peripheral interfaces. ADLINK's NuPRO-E315 full-size single board computer, equipped with Intel ®  Core ™ 2 Quad/Duo、Pentium ®  Dual Core and Celeron ®  Processor (LGA775 package), compatible with Intel ®  G41+ICH7R chipset, providing up to 4GB DDR3 memory, PCIe x16 graphics expansion, SATA 3Gb/s storage, and integrated GMA X4500 display core. This board is designed specifically for industrial scenarios that require high cost-effective graphics performance and rich I/O expansion. This article will provide a detailed technical reference for system integration engineers from the aspects of hardware architecture, interface definition, jumper configuration, installation steps, BIOS tuning, driver deployment, watchdog application, and system resource allocation.

Product positioning and technical specifications overview

The NuPRO-E315 follows the PICMG 1.3 standard and has a board size of 338mm × 126mm (full-size). It provides PCIe x16, PCIe x4, and traditional 32-bit/33MHz PCI buses through the Gold Finger, and is compatible with industrial backboards that support PCIe expansion. The processor supports Intel Yorkfield/Wolfdale/Conroe series (45nm process), FSB supports 800/1066/1333 MHz, and the highest clock frequency is 3.0GHz. The chipset is manufactured by Intel ®  G41 graphics memory control center (GMCH) and ICH7R I/O control center.

Core specifications:

Memory: 2 240 pin DIMM slots, supporting DDR3 800/1066 MHz non ECC buffered memory, with a maximum capacity of 4GB (requiring paired installation of modules of the same density);

Network: Single channel Intel ®  82574L Gigabit Ethernet Controller (PCIe x1), supporting PCIe and Wake on LAN;

Display: Integrated Intel ®  GMA X4500 (built-in in G41), supports DirectX 10, Shader Model 4.0, and OpenGL 2.0, with VGA output up to 2048 × 2048 1536@75Hz ；

Storage: 4 SATA 3Gb/s ports, supporting Intel ®  Matrix Storage Technology (RAID 0/1/5/10) and AHCI mode;

I/O interface: 6 serial ports (COM1 panel DB-9, supporting RS-232/422/485/485+jumper switching; COM2~6 are onboard pin banks RS-232, 1 parallel port (LPT1), 8 USB 2.0 ports (4 onboard pin banks, 4 through backplane), PS/2 keyboard/mouse (panel Mini DIN);

Expansion: PCIe x16, PCIe x4, and PCI 32-bit/33MHz are provided through the backplane;

Monitoring: Hardware monitoring (CPU/system temperature, fan speed, voltage) and programmable watchdog timer (1-255 seconds/minute);

Audio: Optional DB-Audio2 daughter card for HD Audio (BIOS enabled).

This board supports Windows XP/7 (32/64 bit) and mainstream Linux distributions, with a working temperature range of 0 ℃ to 60 ℃.

Detailed explanation of board layout and interface definition

1. Distribution of main connectors

The key connectors on the board include (as shown in the manual):

CPU: LGA775 socket (with load board and locking rod).

Memory: DIMMA1/DIMB1 (two 240 pin slots, dual channel configuration requires paired installation).

SATA: SATA1~4 (4 7P L-type connectors, supporting 3Gb/s).

Parallel port: LPT1 (26 pin pin, requires bracket).

Serial port: COM1 (panel DB-9, supports multi-mode jumpers); COM2~6 (onboard 2 × 5 rows of needles, RS‑232）。

USB: USB12~34 (two sets of 2 × 5 pins, a total of 4 USB 2.0 ports, with an additional 4 through the backplane).

VGA: Panel DB-15 straight out.

Gigabit Ethernet port: Panel RJ-45 (with speed/link LED).

PS/2: Panel Mini DIN 6-pin (can be connected to both keyboard and mouse through Y wire).

Front panel: CN1 (2 × 10 pin rows, including power LED, HDD LED, reset/power button, speaker, keyboard lock, WDT related signals).

Power supply: ATX12V2 (4-pin 12V CPU auxiliary power supply) and backplane ATX power supply.

Fans: CPUFAN1 (4-pin PWM speed regulation), SYSFAN1 (3-pin system fan).

Audio: HDAUD1 (10 pin pin, used for DB-Audio2 daughter cards).

GPIO: GPO1 (8-pin pin pin, providing 4 universal I/O).

SPI: SPI_CN1 (used for SPI Flash programming).

External keyboard: KBMS2 (5-pin pin arrangement).

2. Key points of key signal pins

Serial port (COM2-6): Standard 9-pin RS-232 signal (DCD, RXD, TXD, DTR, GND, DSR, RTS, CTS, RI), default COM1=3F8h/IRQ4, COM2=2F8h/IRQ3.

Parallel port: Supports ECP/EPP/bidirectional mode, default LPT1=378h/IRQ7 (adjustable through BIOS).

Front panel pin arrangement: includes PWRON (power on), PWRBT (power button), RESETBT, PLED, HDDLED, SPKR (speaker), and keyboard lock signal.

Gigabit Ethernet port: RJ-45 built-in LED - green LED indicates 1000M (on) or 100M (off), amber LED indicates link/activity.

Detailed explanation of jumper configuration

1. AT/ATX mode selection (PSON1)

AT mode: Short circuit 1-2, suitable for traditional AT power supply or applications that require hard switching.

ATX mode: Short circuit 2-3 (default), supports soft switching and power management.

Warning: In AT mode, do not short-circuit the PSON signal of the backplane ATX power supply to ground, otherwise the board cannot start.

2. COM1 mode selection (JP1~JP4)

By combining four sets of jumper wires, COM1 can be set as RS-232, RS-422, RS-485, or RS-485+:

RS‑232：JP1 1‑3&2‑4，JP2 1‑2，JP3 1‑3&2‑4，JP4 1‑3&2‑4；

RS‑422：JP1 1‑3&2‑4，JP2 3‑4，JP3 3‑5&4‑6，JP4 3‑5&4‑6；

RS‑485：JP1 3‑5&4‑6，JP2 5‑6，JP3 3‑5&4‑6，JP4 3‑5&4‑6；

RS‑485+：JP1 3‑5&4‑6，JP2 5‑6，JP3 3‑5&4‑5，JP4 3‑5&4‑6。

(Please refer to Table 2-4 in the manual for specific combinations, and make sure to check for accuracy.)

3. Clear CMOS (CMOS1)

Normal mode: Short circuit 1-2 (default).

Clear CMOS: Short circuit for 2-3 seconds after power off, then restore 1-2 to clear RTC data and password.

Detailed explanation of hardware installation steps

1. CPU installation (LGA775)

Press down the locking lever and disengage from the fixed buckle, then rotate to a 135 ° angle.

Use your thumb and index finger to open the load board to a 100 ° angle.

Remove the plastic protective cover.

Align the golden triangle mark of the CPU with the bottom left corner of the socket and insert it vertically into the socket (foolproof design).

Close the load board and fasten the locking rod back to the fixed buckle.

2. Installation of radiator (key precautions)

It is recommended to use a heat sink with a backplane (such as 1U/3U or copper core heat sink) for the board. It is strictly prohibited to use push pin (plastic clip) types as they may cause PCB bending and damage.

Installation steps:

Attach the back panel to the bottom of the board (if it comes with adhesive pads, remove the protective film).

Apply thermal grease evenly on the surface of the CPU (if the heat sink is not pre coated).

Align the radiator with the backplate screw and face the fan cable towards the FAN1 connector.

Gradually tighten the four screws in diagonal order to avoid damage to the CPU caused by single point pressure.

3. Memory installation

Must be installed in pairs (DIMMA1+DIMMB1), and both have identical capacity, speed, and CAS latency.

Supports 512MB, 1GB, and 2GB non ECC buffer free DDR3 modules.

When installing, insert the DIMM vertically into the slot, align the foolproof notch, and press it in until the two side buckles are locked.

4. IDE/storage device connection

Connect the hard drive or optical drive (with 4 onboard SATA ports) using a SATA data cable.

If RAID or AHCI mode is required, the Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver (for Windows XP) needs to be loaded through F6 during OS installation.

5. Front panel and power connection

Connect the PWRBT (power button), RESETBT, PLED and other signals on CN1 to the chassis or backplane.

Be sure to connect ATX12V2 (4-pin 12V CPU auxiliary power supply), otherwise the system cannot run stably.

6. Support for heat dissipation backplate

After installing the heat sink, be sure to hold the edge of the board with both hands to support the weight of the heat sink and avoid PCB bending that may damage the circuit or components.

Core points of BIOS settings

BIOS is based on AMI Aptio, press<Del>to enter when booting up. The key configuration items include:

1. Advanced menu

CPU configuration: C1E (enhanced shutdown state) can be enabled/disabled, Max CPUID Value Limit (compatible with old OS), Intel ®  Virtualization technology (VT-x), CPU TM function (temperature regulation frequency), multi-core processing support.

IDE configuration:

ATA/IDE Configuration: Can be set to [Disabled] or [Enhanced].

Configure SATA as: Optional [IDE], [AHCI], or [RAID]. If RAID function is required, it needs to be set to [RAID] here and the driver needs to be loaded when installing the OS.

Super IO configuration: parallel port address/mode/IRQ can be set, and each serial port address/IRQ (COM3-6 addresses can choose C80/C88/C90/C98, IRQ can choose 5/7/10/11).

Hardware health configuration: Display CPU/system temperature, voltage, and fan speed. CPU Smart Fan mode (Silent/Optimized/Performance) can be set to balance noise and heat dissipation.

Remote access configuration: Supports remote viewing of POST information and command execution through serial port (requires enabling Remote Access and selecting COM1/COM2 and baud rate).

APM configuration: Restore on AC Power Loss (Power Off/Power On/Last State) can be set, as well as Resume On PCIE WAKE # and RTC Alarm.

2. PCI/PnP settings

Clear NVRAM: Clear ESCD data (used when installing a new card conflict).

PCI Latency Timer: Adjustable PCI latency (32-248 clock cycles).

IRQ/DMA resources: Specific IRQ/DMA can be reserved for ISA devices.

Reserved Memory Size: 16/32/64KB of memory can be reserved for ISA devices.

3. Boot menu

Quick Boot: Skip some POST tests and speed up startup.

Quiet Boot: Enable to display full screen logo and hide POST information.

Bootup Num Lock: Set the state of the numeric lock key when booting up.

Boot Device Priority: Set the boot sequence (hard drive, optical drive, USB, network, etc.).

4. Chipset menu

North Bridge Configuration:

Memory Remap Feature: Enable remapping of memory space above 4GB.

DRAM Frequency: 667/800/1066 MHz (or Auto) can be manually specified.

Configure DRAM Timing by SPD: It is recommended to enable (automatically configure timing by SPD).

Initial Graphics Adapter: Optional IGD (onboard) PCI/IGD、PCI/PEG、PEG/IGD、PEG/PCI。

DVMT Mode Select: Fixed, DVMT, and Both (dynamic video memory allocation) can be selected.

IGD Graphics Mode Select: 32/64/128MB of system memory can be allocated to integrated graphics cards.

South Bridge Configuration:

USB Functions: You can disable or select the number of USB ports (2/4/6/8).

USB 2.0 Controller: Enable/disable USB 2.0 functionality.

Legacy USB Support: It is recommended to enable (to support USB keyboard/mouse under DOS).

Audio Controller: Enable/disable HD Audio (required when using DBAudio2).

Onboard LAN BootROM: Enable/disable PXE network boot.

Resume On LAN1: Enable LAN wake-up function.

5. Security and Exit

Security: Administrator and user passwords can be set (clear CMOS to remove).

Exit: Supports saving changes and exiting, discarding changes, loading Optimal default values (performance first) or Failed Safe default values (stability first).

Driver installation process (Windows XP/7)

Suggest installing in order:

Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver (if using AHCI/RAID):

Press F6 to load the floppy disk driver (or use nLite integration) during Windows XP installation.

Windows 7 does not require preloading.

Chipset driver (Intel G41): Run infist_autol-9.2.0.1030.exe.

Display driver (GMA X4500): Run winxp_14425.exe (Windows XP) or the corresponding Windows 7 version.

Network card driver (Intel 82574L): Run PROWin32.exe.

Audio driver (optional DBAudio2): Run setup. exe (Audio Controller needs to be enabled in BIOS first).

All drivers are located on the accompanying driver CD or ADLINK official website.

Programming Example of Watchdog Timer (WDT)

The WDT of NuPRO-E315 is implemented through Winbond W83627DHG-A Super I/O. Programming steps (example code summary):

Unlock Super I/O: Write 0x87 sequence to port 0x2E.

Select logical device 8: Write 0x07 to 0x2E, and then write 0x08 to 0x2F.

Activate WDT: Write from 0x30 to 0x2E, then from 0x01 to 0x2F.

Set the counting unit: write 0x5F to 0x2E, then write 0x00 (seconds) or 0x08 (minutes) to 0x2F.

Set timeout value: Write 0x6F to 0x2E, and then write timeout value (0x01~0xFF) to 0x2F.

Refresh counter: Repeat step 5 to write the same timeout value to 'feed the dog'.

The system will automatically reset after timeout.

System resource allocation and interrupt routing

Memory mapping (brief):

640KB~768KB: Video buffer.

768KB~896KB: PCI expansion ROM (including VGA BIOS and LAN PXE ROM).

1MB or more: System BIOS and APIC space.

DMA channel: channels 0/1/2 are open, and channel 3 is reserved for parallel ports (shared with floppy drives).

I/O address (typical):

COM1=3F8h（IRQ4），COM2=2F8h（IRQ3）

LPT1=378h（IRQ7）

COM3~6: C80h/C88h/C90h/C98h (IRQ configurable)

IRQ routing (APIC mode): PCIe root port and onboard devices (USB, SATA, network card, graphics card) are assigned IRQ 16~23. If there is a conflict when inserting a third-party PCI card, the PIRQ routing can be manually adjusted in the BIOS (refer to Table B-6).

Common troubleshooting and engineering recommendations

Possible causes and solutions for the fault phenomenon

Power on, no display. CPU not installed/uneven pressure in heat sink/memory not properly plugged in. Check CPU installation, re plug and unplug memory, and use recommended heat sink

The heat sink caused the PCB to bend. The push pin heat sink was replaced with a screw fixed heat sink with a backplate

SATA hard drive cannot recognize SATA mode settings (IDE/AHCI/RAID). Configure SATA as in BIOS and adjust it to matching mode. Install the corresponding driver

COM1 communication abnormal jumper mode inconsistent with external device. Adjust JP1~JP4 according to actual application (232/422/485)

USB keyboard is invalid under DOS. Legacy USB Support is not enabled. Enable Legacy USB Support in BIOS

The system cannot wake up (LAN) Resume On LAN1 is not enabled. Enable Resume On LAN1 in BIOS

The watchdog did not trigger a reset, WDT was not activated, or the timeout value was set improperly. Check the activation and feeding logic in the code to ensure that the timeout value is valid

Remote access cannot connect due to mismatched serial port parameters or Remote Access not enabled. Check if Remote Access is enabled in BIOS and the baud rate matches the terminal

After AC power failure, it does not automatically start. Restore on AC Power Loss is set to Power Off and changed to Power On or Last State

Reference for heat dissipation and power consumption:

Core ™ 2 Quad Q9400 has a full load of approximately 75W (total power consumption), dual core E8400 has approximately 63W, and Pentium E5300 has approximately 50W.

The chassis needs to ensure an ambient temperature of 0-60 ℃ and a good air duct. It is recommended to use a 3U or larger size heat sink.