ASROCK Z590 PRO4 / Z590M PRO4 Install guide.

First assemble the computer parts.
For ease of use during Windows installation, Merging recommends that you install security dongles, NET-MSC GBEX1, MT-USBSync board and Pyramix-Ovation keyboard after the Windows Installation.
Please make sure your Windows and Pyramix-Ovation-VCube versions are compatible, see this page for details.

Merging highly recommends you "defer feature updates" in Windows 10.

1.BIOS

Validated BIOS version :
Z590 PRO4 : 1.50 / 1.60
Z590M PRO4 : 1.60
Please consult support@merging.com for other BIOS support.
First update BIOS if required. 

!Merging Technologies does not guarantee any issue or instability if any overclocking is enabled!

Sealevel GPIO 8206 & 8206FX are NOT compatible with this motherboard, because of their incompatibility with Intel USB chipsets.
Other SeaLevel GPIO are compatible, see our supported controllers table for details on supported models.

BIOS first opens in the EZ mode page, a summary of the system information.
You may adjust date and time.
Please switch to Advance Mode (F6)

1.1. Main page

System information only.

1.2. OC Tweaker

Base Frequency Boost : Auto
Advanced Turbo : Disabled. This option appears only when you adopt K-Series CPU
Load Optimized CPU OC Setting: Disabled (only displayed if your CPU supports this feature)

1.2.1 CPU Configuration

CPU Ratio: Auto
AVX2 Ratio Offset: Auto (only displayed if your CPU supports this feature)
AVX512 Ratio Offset: Auto (only displayed if your CPU supports this feature)
CPU Cache Ratio: Auto
BCLK Frequency: 100.00
BCLK Spread Spectrum: Disabled (only displayed if your CPU supports this feature)
BCLK Aware Adaptive Voltage: Enabled (only displayed if your CPU supports this feature)

Boot Performance Mode:  Max non-Turbo Performance 
FCLK Frequency: 800Mhz
Ring to Core Ratio Offset: Disabled (only displayed if your CPU supports this feature)

Intel Speed Step Technology: Disabled
Intel Turbo Boost Technology: Disabled
Intel Speed Shift Technology: Disabled
Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0: not accessible (Speed Shift being disabled)
Intel Thermal Velocity Boost Voltage Optimizations : Disabled

Dual Tau Boost : Disabled
Long Duration Power Limit: Auto
Long Duration Maintained: Auto
Short Duration Power Limit: Auto
CPU Core Current Limit: Auto
System Agent Current Limit: Auto

1.2.2 DRAM Configuration

No settings to change.  Leave default values.
Load XMP Setting: Auto
DRAM Frequency: Auto
Primary Timing: No settings to change.  Leave default values.
Secondary Timing: No settings to change.  Leave default values.
Third Timing: No settings to change.  Leave default values.
Fourth Timing: No settings to change.  Leave default values.
Advanced Setting: No settings to change.  Leave default values.

1.2.3 Voltage Configuration

Voltage Mode: Stable
CPU Core/Cache Voltage: Auto
CPU Load-Line Calibration: Auto
GT Voltage: Auto
GT Load-Line Calibration: Auto
DRAM Voltage: Auto
DRAM Activating Power Supply: Auto
PCH Voltage: Auto
VCCIO Voltage: Auto
VCCST Voltage: Auto
VCCSA Voltage: Auto

1.3. Advanced

1.3.1 CPU Configuration

Intel Hyper Threading Technology: Enabled (only displayed if your CPU supports this feature)
Active Processor Cores: All
CPU C States Support: Disabled
C6DRAM : Disabled (only displayed if your CPU supports this feature)

CPU Thermal Throttling: Disabled
Intel Virtualization Technology: Enabled
Hardware Prefetecher: Enabled
Adjacent Cache Line Prefetch: Enabled
Software Guard extension (SGX): Disabled (only displayed if your CPU supports this feature)

1.3.2 Chipset Configuration

Primary Graphics Adapter: PCI Express if you use a separate graphic card (recommended - only displayed if your CPU supports this feature)
Above 4G Decoding: Disabled
VT-d: Enabled
SR-IOV Support: Disabled
DMI Link Speed : Gen3
PCIE1 to PCIE5 Link Speed: Auto

PCI Express Native Control: Disabled
PCIE ASPM Support: Disabled
PCH PCIE ASPM Support: Disabled
DMI ASPM Support: Disabled
PCH DMI ASPM Support: Disabled

Share Memory:  Memory allowed to the onboard graphics.  Auto for dedicated graphic card. (set to 1024M if you use onboard graphics) 
IGPU Multi-Monitor: Disabled

Realtek 2.5G Ethernet Controller: Enabled
Onboard HD Audio: Auto
Front Panel HD: HD
Onboard WAN Device: Disabled
Deep Sleep: Disabled
Restore on AC/Power Loss: set it to Power On if you want the system to restart after a power failure.
Turn on Onboard LED in S5: Disabled
Restore on Onboard LED Default: Disabled
RGB LED: Off

1.3.3 Storage Configuration

SATA Controller: Enabled
SATA Mode Selection: AHCI / Intel RST Premium (RAID)
If you plan to use RAID array, you should install Windows with this setting set to Intel RST Premium (RAID), even if your system drive will not be in the RAID Array.
You will need to add the RAID driver on your installation media, download it from the manufacturer website or use the Easy RAID installer feature (see 1.4.3 below)
WARNING: PMX V11/ Ovation V7 to PMX25th Hotfix2 / Ovation 9.0.5, MassCore users running a RAID configuration must use a dedicated RTX dongle (SSK-HUD-RTX) to authorize MassCore.
This issue only affects the system (Windows ) RAID drives, if you have RAID Data drives, a dedicated dongle is not required.
Since PMX25th Hotfix3 / Ovation 9.0.6, the RTX dongle SSK-HUD-RTX is no longer mandatory.

To configure your RAID array, please see the RAID Installation notes below.

SATA Aggressive Link Power Management: Disabled
Hard Disk S.M.A.R.T.: Enabled

SATA_0 to 5:
External SATA: enable if the drive uses eSATA (External Drives for example).
Hot plug: enable if you need Hot-Plug capability (Drive trays for example).
SATA device type: set to Solid State Drive or Hard Disk Drive

1.3.4 Intel® Thunderbolt

Discrete Thunderbolt(TM) Support : Disabled

1.3.5 Super I/O Configuration

PS2 Y-Cable: Auto

1.3.6 ACPI Configuration

Suspend to RAM: Disabled
PS/2 Keyboard S4/S5 Wakeup Support: Disabled
PCIE Devices Power On: Disabled
RTC Alarm Power On: By OS
USB Keyboard / Remote Power On: Disabled
USB Mouse Power On: Disabled

1.3.7 USB Configuration

Legacy USB Support: Enabled  (if set to disable, no USB Support until OS is booted)
XHCI Hand-off: Disabled
USB Single port Control: all should be set to Enabled  

1.3.8 Trusted Computing

Security Device Support: Disable

1.3.9 UEFI Configuration

UEFI Setup Style: Advanced Mode
Active Page on Entry: Main
Full HD UEFI: Auto

1.4. Tools

1.4.1 ASRock polychrome RGB

Onboard RGB Led 

1.4.2 UEFI Tech Service

ASRock support contact

1.4.3 Easy RAID Installer

Help to copy the RAID Driver (F6) on a USB drive to install OS in RAID mode

1.4.4 SSD Secure Erase Tool / NVME Sanitization Tool

Tool to erase datas on SSD / NVMe drive

1.4.5 UEFI Update Utility

Instant Flash: BIOS update
Intel MEI Flash : do not use.
Internet Flash DHCP: allows to update BIOS through Internet Connection.  Use at your own risk.
Network Configuration: allows to configure network connection for BIOS update through internet.

1.5. H/W Monitor

Allows to fine tune each fan on the computer.
Merging recommends to set CPU Fan1 to Standard mode or higher (Performance or Full Speed)

1.6. Security 

Supervisor / User Password: set according to your needs

Secure Boot option: Disabled (not applicable to Windows 7 – not compatible with MassCore for both Windows 7 and Windows 10) 
Intel® Platform Trust Technology: Disabled

1.7 Boot

Boot Options #: You should first set the optical drive as your first boot device, then the system drive.
Do not use Windows Boot Manager or use UEFI, unless you are sure you want to run in EFI mode.

CD/DVD Rom Drive Priorities / Network device BBS Priorities / Hard Drive Priorities
If you have several device, you can decide for each type the devices priority.
Network devices can be disabled.
USB Devices Priorities option will only be displayed when a USB device is plugged when starting the computer.

Fast Boot: Disabled.  If this setting is enabled, Windows will boot much faster, but you will not have access anymore to BIOS, RAID configuration page and Windows Boot menu.
Boot from onboard LAN: Disabled

Setup Prompt Timeout: set according to your needs (usually 1 second is enough)
Bootup NumLock: Enabled
Boot Beep: Disabled
Full Screen Logo: enables or disables splash screen when starting the computer.
AddOn ROM Display: Enabled
Boot Failure Guard Message:
This setting restores all BIOS setting to default after several BIOS boot failure, meaning you will lose all your BIOS setting in that case.  Merging recommends to set it to Disabled.  Use with caution if you enable it.
CSM (Compatibility Support Module) :
CSM: Enabled
Launch PXE OpROM Policy: Do not launch
Launch Storage OpROM Policy: Legacy only
Other PCI device ROM Priority: UEFI only

1.8 Saving your BIOS/UEFI settings

You can save your BIOS settings in the OC Tweaker page, into the motherboard ROM or on a USB drive (must be formatted as FAT32)
After a BIOS update, those settings might be lost or incompatible with the updated BIOS version.

RAID Installation notes

Compared to previous generations motherboards, the system must now run in EFI. In this mode, the system is more prone to System Management Interrupts, that can cause audio drops. 
Therefore please be very cautious when installing third party programs.

1. Go to Boot > CSM and set CSM to Disabled
2. Go to Advanced > Storage Configuration and set SATA Mode Selection to Intel RST , then save the configuration changes and exit setup.
   
3. Go to Advanced > Intel Rapid Storage Technology
   
4. Create a RAID volume
   Set a name and select the RAID type you need
   Select the drives to be part of the RAID volume (select the drive, then select the X symbol)
   
   
5. Select Create Volume and press Enter to start creating the RAID array.
6. Save the configuration changes and exit setup.
7. Boot the computer on your Windows installation media.
   Please note that you will need to provide the RAID driver (F6 Drivers) to install Windows, as those drivers are currently not included in the Windows installation.
   Those drivers can be downloaded from Asrock website, as the other motherboards drivers.

2.WINDOWS INSTALLATION

Windows 10 users may install from Windows 10 CD or USB bootable drive.

3.WINDOWS CONFIGURATION

Merging recommends to download the latest drivers from 
http://www.asrock.com/support/download.asp

Merging recommends to install WHQL (Driver certified by Microsoft) .
Install the drivers ONLY, do not install the utilities it can cause much trouble.
Do not install Intel® Wireless Lan driver.
Do not install the ASRock Motherboard utility, Nahimic3 utility, APP Shop, ASRock Polychrome RGB ver:2.0.49

If you have installed a PCIe graphic card, you should now install its driver.
See the Graphic cards recommendations and Graphic cards recommended settings.

Now you can follow our Windows configuration guides 

4.SOFTWARE INSTALLATION

4.1 INSTALL PYRAMIX / OVATION / VCUBE

After the installation plug Security dongles, NET-MSC-GBEX1 and other Merging hardware.
(not the Ovation-Pyramix Keyboard!)
See dedicated install guide / user manual for further details.
The NET-MSC-GBEX1 card can be fitted in PCIe1x.
RTX64 dongle (SSK-HUD-RTX) users : driver included in MassCore Runtime installation, please plug the dongle when installing MassCore.
Black Magic Decklink Studio/Decklink Studio 4K should be placed in PCIe slot 4.
Black Magic Mini-Monitor can be placed in any PCIe slot.
Black Magic driver has to be installed separately; it is not included in Merging installers.

4.1.1 Authorization Keys

Insert the authorization keys in MT Security Settings.

MassCore users can go now in MT Security MassCore tab and click on Install MassCore Runtime.
Restart the computer after MassCore installation.
Windows must be activated to be able to install MassCore.

See the MT Security Troubleshooting in case of issues.

4.2 THIRD PARTY SOFTWARE

Install Google Chrome 
https://www.google.com/chrome
If there are several users on the computer, you need to use the alternate Chrome installer for all users : http://www.google.com/chrome/eula.html?system=true&standalone=1
Set merging.com as start page !

You may also install additional VST Plugins now.

If you have controllers, you can install the required software (Eucon, NetSmart, GPIO,....)
Networked controllers cannot use the same IP addresses range as the RAVENNA Network.
See this page for further details.