Asus M3N78, Manual

Page 1: ...Motherboard M3N78 ...

Page 2: ...RTICULAR PURPOSE IN NO EVENT SHALL ASUS ITS DIRECTORS OFFICERS EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT SPECIAL INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS LOSS OF BUSINESS LOSS OF USE OR DATA INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS AND THE LIKE EVEN IF ASUS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES ARISING FROM ANY DEFECT OR ERROR IN THIS MANUAL OR PRODUCT SPECIFICA...

Page 3: ...ction 1 9 1 5 3 Screw holes 1 9 1 6 Central Processing Unit CPU 1 10 1 6 1 Installing the CPU 1 10 1 6 2 Installing the heatsink and fan 1 12 1 7 System memory 1 14 1 7 1 Overview 1 14 1 7 2 Memory configurations 1 14 1 7 3 Installing a DIMM 1 18 1 7 4 Removing a DIMM 1 18 1 8 Expansion slots 1 19 1 8 1 Installing an expansion card 1 19 1 8 2 Configuring an expansion card 1 19 1 8 3 PCI slots 1 21...

Page 4: ... 6 Configuration fields 2 14 2 2 7 General help 2 14 2 2 8 Pop up window 2 15 2 3 Main menu 2 16 2 3 1 System Time 2 16 2 3 2 System Date 2 16 2 3 3 Legacy Diskette A 2 16 2 3 4 Primary IDE Master Slave 2 17 2 3 5 SATA 1 2 3 and ESATA 2 18 2 3 6 Storage Configuration 2 19 2 3 7 System Information 2 20 2 4 Advanced menu 2 21 2 4 1 JumperFree Configuration 2 22 2 4 2 CPU Configuration 2 24 2 4 3 Chi...

Page 5: ...Exit menu 2 40 Chapter 3 Software support 3 1 Installing an operating system 3 2 3 2 Support DVD information 3 2 3 2 1 Running the Support DVD 3 2 3 2 2 Drivers menu 3 3 3 2 3 Utilities menu 3 4 3 2 4 Make Disk menu 3 6 3 2 5 Manual menu 3 7 3 2 6 ASUS Contact information 3 8 3 2 7 Other information 3 8 3 3 Creating a RAID driver disk 3 10 Chapter 4 NVIDIA technology support 4 1 NVIDIA Hybrid SLI ...

Page 6: ...ause harmful interference to radio or television reception which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the...

Page 7: ...ower supply is broken do not try to fix it by yourself Contact a qualified service technician or your retailer Operation safety Before installing the motherboard and adding devices on it carefully read all the manuals that came with the package Before using the product ensure that all cables are correctly connected and the power cables are not damaged If you detect any damage contact your dealer i...

Page 8: ...Chapter 3 Software support This chapter describes the contents of the support CD that comes with the motherboard package Chapter 4 NVIDIA technology support This chapter tells how to use the Hybrid SLI feature Where to find more information Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product and software updates 1 ASUS websites The ASUS website provides updated information on...

Page 9: ... Key3 If you must press two or more keys simultaneously the key names are linked with a plus sign Example Ctrl Alt D Command Means that you must type the command exactly as shown then supply the required item or value enclosed in brackets Example At the DOS prompt type the command line afudos i filename afudos iM3N78 ROM DANGER WARNING Information to prevent injury to yourself when trying to compl...

Page 10: ...ndows 32 bit operation system may only recognize less than 3GB Hence a maximum of 3GB system memory is recommended if you are using a Windows 32 bit operation system Graphics Integrated Nvidia GeForce 8 Series GPU Hybrid SLI Support support Windows Vista only Supports HDMI technology with max resolution up to 1920 x1200 70Hz Supports DVI with max resolution up to 1600 x 1200 85MHz Supports D Sub w...

Page 11: ...increment Overclocking Protection ASUS C P R CPU Parameter Recall ASUS special features ASUS Express Gate Access the Internet in 5 second boot time without entering Windows A built in OS offers instant fun platform for Internet and Instant Messenger User friendly Picture Manager Interface The actual boot time is subject to hardware configurations and product models ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution ASUS...

Page 12: ...nnector Power CPU Chassis Fan connectors 24 pin EATX power connector 4 pin ATX 12V power connector BIOS 8Mb Flash ROM AMI BIOS PnP DMI2 0 WfM2 0 ACPI2 0 SM BIOS 2 5 ASUS EZ Flash 2 Accessories User manual 1 x Serial ATA cable 1 x Serial ATA power cable 1 x UltraDMA 133 100 66 cable 1 x FDD cable Form Factor ATX form factor 12 x 8 6 30 5cm x 21 8cm Support DVD Drivers Express Gate ASUS Update ASUS ...

Page 13: ...1 Product introduction This chapter describes the motherboard features and the new technologies it supports ...

Page 14: ...the following items Motherboard ASUS M3N78 motherboard Cables 1 x Serial ATA cable 1 x 2 port Serial ATA power cable 1 x Ultra DMA 133 100 66 cable 1 x FDD cable Accessories 1 x I O shield Application DVD ASUS motherboard support DVD Documentation User guide 1 3 Special features 1 3 1 Product highlights AMD Socket AM2 Phenom FX Phenom Athlon Sempron CPU support This motherboard supports AMD Socket...

Page 15: ...stest support of Hybrid SLI technology DirectX10 graphics features It also supports HyperTransport 3 0 interface PCI Express 2 0 bus architecture Serial ATA 3 GB s devices and is optimized with AMD s latest AM2 and multi core CPUs to provide excellent system performance Hybrid SLI Hybrid SLI technology based on NVIDIA s industry leading SLI technology delivers multi GPU benefits when an NVIDIA mot...

Page 16: ...and only industry supported uncompressed all digital audio and video interface via a single cable and is HDCP compliant allowing playback of HD DVD Blu Ray Disc and other protected content See page 1 24 for details Dual VGA output This motherboard supports Dual VGA output RGB HDMI DVI HDMI DVI interface is compliant with HDCP PCI Express 2 0 support This motherboard supports the latest PCIe 2 0 de...

Page 17: ...cessing HDCP circuitry and integration with leading HD movie software players 1 3 2 Innovative ASUS features ASUS Express Gate Taking only 5 seconds to go online from bootup Express Gate is the one stop gateway to instant fun It s a unique motherboard built in OS You can utilize the most popular Instant Messengers IM like MSN Skype Google talk QQ and Yahoo Messenger to keep in touch with friends o...

Page 18: ...2 is a user friendly BIOS update utility Simply launch this tool and update BIOS from a USB flash disk before entering the OS You can update your BIOS only in a few clicks without preparing an additional floppy diskette or using an OS based flash utility See page 2 8 for details CPU Parameter Recall C P R When the system hangs due to overclocking failure there is no need to open the case to clear ...

Page 19: ...rd from the wall socket before touching any component Use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded object or a metal object such as the power supply case before handling components to avoid damaging them due to static electricity Hold components by the edges to avoid touching the ICs on them Whenever you uninstall any component place it on a grounded antistatic pad or in the bag that came...

Page 20: ...240 pin module DDR2 DIMM_A2 64 bit 240 pin module DDR2 DIMM_B2 64 bit 240 pin module CR2032 3V Lithium Cell CMOS Power PCI2 PCI3 PCI1 PCIEX16 PCIEX1_2 PCIEX1_1 CLRTC ATX12V R SPDIF_OUT M3N78 FLOPPY CD 30 5cm 12in VIA VT1708B PRI_IDE 21 8cm 8 6in KB_USB56 VGA_DVI F_ESATA_USB34 LAN1_USB12 AUDIO HDMI SPDIF_O2 CHASSIS PWR_FAN CHA_FAN COM1 LPT IE1394_1 Realtek 8211 JMB 381 Refer to 1 10 Connectors for ...

Page 21: ...herboard ensure that you place it into the chassis in the correct orientation The edge with external ports goes to the rear part of the chassis as indicated in the image below Place this side towards the rear of the chassis 1 5 3 Screw holes Place nine 9 screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the motherboard to the chassis ...

Page 22: ...CPU that is designed for the AM2 AM2 socket The CPU fits in only one correct orientation DO NOT force the CPU into the socket to prevent bending the connectors on the socket and damaging the CPU 1 6 1 Installing the CPU To install a CPU 1 Locate the CPU socket on the motherboard 2 Unlock the socket by pressing the lever sideways then lift it up to a 90 100 angle Ensure that the socket lever is lif...

Page 23: ... the CPU 5 When the CPU is in place push down the socket lever to secure the CPU The lever clicks on the side tab to indicate that it is locked 6 Install a CPU heatsink and fan following the instructions that came with the heatsink package Gold triangle Small triangle 7 Connect the CPU fan cable to the CPU_FAN connector on the motherboard Do not forget to connect the CPU fan connector Hardware mon...

Page 24: ... bracket Ensure that you use only qualified heatsink and fan assembly The retention module base is already installed on the motherboard upon purchase You do not have to remove the retention module base when installing the CPU or installing other motherboard components If you purchased a separate CPU heatsink and fan assembly ensure that a Thermal Interface Material is properly applied to the CPU h...

Page 25: ...lock to the retention module base A clicking sound denotes that the retention bracket is in place 4 Push down the retention bracket lock on the retention mechanism to secure the heatsink and fan to the module base Ensure that the fan and heatsink assembly perfectly fits the retention mechanism module base Otherwise you cannot snap the retention bracket in place ...

Page 26: ...240 pin footprint compared to the 184 pin DDR DIMM DDR2 DIMMs are notched differently to prevent installation on a DDR DIMM socket The figure illustrates the location of the DDR2 DIMM sockets R M3N78 M3N78 240 pin DDR2 DIMM Sockets DIMM_B1 DIMM_A2 DIMM_B2 DIMM_A1 128 Pins 112 Pins Channel Sockets Channel 1 DIMM_A1 and DIMM_A2 Channel 2 DIMM_B1 and DIMM_B2 Recommended memory configurations Sockets ...

Page 27: ...s 32 bit version operating system e g 32 bit Windows XP 32 bit Vista without the Physical Address Extension PAE support the system will allocate a certain amount of memory space for system devices We recommend that you install only a maximum of 3GB system memory when using a Windows 32 bit version operating system without the PAE The excess over 3GB of installed memory will not cause any problem h...

Page 28: ...anscend 505485 1034 5 Transcend DS TQ123PJF8F0801 512MB VDATA M2GVD6G3H3160Q1E52 N A VDATA SS VD29608A8A 25EG20813 1G ADATA M2OAD6G314170Q1E58 N A ADATA DS AD29608A8A 25EG80810 2G PSC AL8E8F73C 8E1 5 PSC DS A3R1GE3CFF734MAA0E 2G PSC AL7E8E63H 10E1K 5 PSC DS A3R1GE3CFF750RABBP ECC 1G GEIL GX22GB6400DC 5 GEIL DS Heat Sink Package 2G GEIL GE28GB800C5QC 5 GEIL DS Heat Sink Package 1G Super Talent T800...

Page 29: ...rt Optional A B C 512MB Kingston KVR667D2N5 512 N A Hynix SS HY5PS12821EFP Y5 1G Kingston KVR667D2N5 1G N A Hynix DS HY5PS12821EFP Y5 512MB Qimonda HYS64T64000EU 3S B2 5 Qimonda SS HYB18T512B00B2F3SFSS28171 1G Qimonda HYS64T128020EU 3S B2 5 Qimonda DS HYB18T512B00B2F3SFSS28171 1G Corsair XMS2 5400 4 Corsair DS Heat Sink Package 512MB Kingmax KLCC28F A8KB5 N A Kingmax SS KKEA88B4LAUG 29DX 1G Kingma...

Page 30: ...o may cause severe damage to both the motherboard and the components A DDR2 DIMM is keyed with a notch so that it fits in only one direction DO NOT force a DIMM into a socket to avoid damaging the DIMM The DDR2 DIMM sockets do not support DDR DIMMs Do not install DDR DIMMs to the DDR2 DIMM sockets Unlocked retaining clip DDR2 DIMM notch 1 2 3 1 7 4 Removing a DIMM To remove a DIMM 1 Simultaneously...

Page 31: ...rew for later use 4 Align the card connector with the slot and press firmly until the card is completely seated on the slot 5 Secure the card to the chassis with the screw you removed earlier 6 Replace the system cover Ensure that you unplug the power cord before adding or removing expansion cards Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and damage to the motherboard components 1 8 2 Configu...

Page 32: ...I bridge 20 NVIDIA network bus enumerator 20 Standard enhanced PCI to USB host controller 20 Standard bisync IDE channel 21 Standard enhanced PCI to USB host controller 22 Microsoft UAA bus driver for high definition audio 22 NVIDIA nForce system management controller 23 Standard OpenHCD USB host controller 23 Standard OpenHCD USB host controller LNKA LNKB LNKC LN0A LNT2A LNT3A PCI Slot 1 shared P...

Page 33: ...s x1 slot This motherboard supports PCI Express x1 network cards SCSI cards and other cards that comply with the PCI Express specifications The following figure shows a network card installed on the PCI Express x1 slot 1 8 5 PCI Express x16 slot This motherboard has supports PCI Express x16 graphic cards that comply with PCI Express specifications The figure shows a graphics card installed on the ...

Page 34: ...o pins 2 3 Keep the cap on pins 2 3 for about 5 10 seconds then move the cap back to pins 1 2 4 Reinstall the battery 5 Plug the power cord and turn ON the computer 6 Hold down the Del key during the boot process and enter BIOS setup to reenter data Except when clearing the RTC RAM never remove the cap on CLRTC jumper default position Removing the cap will cause system boot failure You do not need...

Page 35: ...connects the rear speakers in a 4 channel 6 channel or 8 channel audio configuration 6 Center Subwoofer port orange This port connects the center subwoofer speakers 7 Line In port light blue This port connects the tape CD DVD player or other audio sources 8 Line Out port lime This port connects a headphone or a speaker In 4 channel 6 channel and 8 channel configuration the function of this port be...

Page 36: ...nnel 6 channel 8 channel Light Blue Line In Line In Line In Line In Lime Line Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out Pink Mic In Mic In Mic In Mic In Orange Center Subwoofer Center Subwoofer Black Rear Speaker Out Rear Speaker Ou Rear Speaker Out Gray Side Speaker Out DO NOT insert different connectors to the external SATA port 13 DVI D Out port This port is for any DVI D compat...

Page 37: ...c make sure to use an HDCP compliant monitor 15 Optical S PDIF Out port This port connects an external audio output device via an optical S PDIF cable 16 USB 2 0 ports 5 and 6 These two 4 pin Universal Serial Bus USB ports are available for connecting USB 2 0 devices 1 10 2 Internal connectors 1 Floppy disk drive connector 34 1 pin FLOPPY This connector is for the provided Floppy Disk Drive FDD si...

Page 38: ...to match the covered hole on the Ultra DMA cable connector This prevents incorrect insertion when you connect the IDE cable Use the 80 conductor IDE cable for Ultra DMA 133 100 66 IDE devices If any device jumper is set as Cable Select ensure that all other device jumpers have the same setting R M3N78 M3N78 IDE Connector NOTE Orient the red markings usually zigzag on the ID ribbon cable to PIN 1 P...

Page 39: ..._RXP4 RSATA_RXN4 GND SATA5 GND RSATA_TXP2 RSATA_TXN2 GND RSATA_RXP2 RSATA_RXN2 GND SATA2 GND RSATA_TXP3 RSATA_TXN3 GND RSATA_RXP3 RSATA_RXN3 GND SATA3 GND RSATA_TXP1 RSATA_TXN1 GND RSATA_RXP1 RSATA_RXN1 GND SATA1 Important note on Serial ATA Install the Windows XP Service Pack 1 before using Serial ATA For detailed instructions on how to configure RAID 0 RAID 1 and RAID 0 1 RAID 5 and JBOD refer t...

Page 40: ... Fan function R M3N78 M3N78 Fan Connectors CPU_FAN GND CPU FAN PWR CPU FAN IN CPU FAN PWM CHA_FAN GND Rotation 12V PWR_FAN GND Rotation 12V Do not forget to connect the fan cables to the fan connectors Insufficient air flow inside the system may damage the motherboard components These are not jumpers DO NOT place jumper caps on the fan connectors 5 Optical drive audio in connector 4 pin CD This co...

Page 41: ...ion speed The USB 2 0 module is purchased separately M3N78 USB 2 0 Connectors R M3N78 USB78 USB 5V USB_P8 USB_P8 GND NC USB 5V USB_P7 USB_P7 GND 1 USB910 USB 5V USB_P10 USB_P10 GND NC USB 5V USB_P9 USB_P9 GND 1 USB1112 USB 5V USB_P12 USB_P12 GND NC USB 5V USB_P11 USB_P11 GND 1 7 LPT connector The LPT Line Printing Terminal connector supports devices such as a printer LPT standardizes as IEEE 1284 ...

Page 42: ...ou connect a high definition front panel audio module to this connector to avail of the motherboard high definition audio capability By default this connector is set to HD Audio If you want to connect a High Definition front panel audio module to this connector set the Front Panel Select item in the BIOS to HD Audio See section 2 4 3 Chipset for details 9 Digital audio connector 4 1 pin SPDIF_OUT ...

Page 43: ...pin and 4 pin power plugs If you intend to use a PSU with 20 pin and 4 pin power plugs make sure that the 20 pin power plug can provide at least 15 A on 12 V and that the PSU has a minimum power rating of 300 W The system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is inadequate Do not forget to connect the 4 pin ATX 12 V power plug otherwise the system will not boot up We recommend that y...

Page 44: ...t the back of the system chassis R M3N78 M3N78 IEEE 1394a Connector IE1394_1 GND 12V TPB1 GND TPA1 12V TPB1 GND TPA1 1 12 Serial port connector 10 1 pin COM1 The connector is for a serial COM port Connect the serial port module cable to the connector then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis The serial port bracket COM1 is purchased separately R M3N78 M3N78 COM Po...

Page 45: ...onnector is for the HDD Activity LED Connect the HDD Activity LED cable to this connector The IDE LED lights up or flashes when data is read from or written to the HDD System warning speaker This 4 pin connector is for the chassis mounted system warning speaker The speaker allows you to hear system beeps and warnings Power Soft off button This 2 pin connector is for the system power button Pressin...

Page 46: ...1 34 Chapter 1 Product introduction ...

Page 47: ...2 BIOS setup This chapter tells how to change the system settings through the BIOS Setup menus Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided ...

Page 48: ...ave a copy of the original motherboard BIOS file to a bootable floppy disk or a USB flash disk in case you need to restore the BIOS in the future Copy the original motherboard BIOS using the ASUS Update or AFUDOS utilities 2 1 1 Creating a bootable floppy disk 1 Do either one of the following to create a bootable floppy disk DOS environment a Insert a 1 44MB floppy disk into the drive b At the DOS...

Page 49: ...e Click Start 2 1 2 AFUDOS utility The AFUDOS utility allows you to update the BIOS file in DOS environment using a bootable floppy disk with the updated BIOS file This utility also allows you to copy the current BIOS file that you can use as backup when the BIOS fails or gets corrupted during the updating process Copying the current BIOS To copy the current BIOS file using the AFUDOS utility Ensu...

Page 50: ...fudos oOLDBIOS1 rom AMI Firmware Update Utility Version 1 19 ASUS V2 07 03 11 24BB Copyright C 2002 American Megatrends Inc All rights reserved Reading flash done Write to file ok A Updating the BIOS file To update the BIOS file using the AFUDOS utility 1 Visit the ASUS website at www asus com and download the latest BIOS file for the motherboard Save the BIOS file to a bootable floppy disk 2 Copy...

Page 51: ... flash done Advance Check Erasing flash done Writing flash done Verifying flash done Please restart your computer A A afudos iM3N78 ROM AMI Firmware Update Utility Version 1 19 ASUS V2 07 03 11 24BB Copyright C 2002 American Megatrends Inc All rights reserved WARNING Do not turn off power during flash BIOS Reading file done Reading flash done Advance Check Erasing flash done Writing flash 0x0008CC...

Page 52: ... USB flash disk to M3N78 ROM Recovering the BIOS from a floppy disk To recover the BIOS from a floppy disk 1 Turn on the system 2 Insert the floppy disk with the original or updated BIOS file to the floppy disk drive 3 The utility displays the following message and automatically checks the floppy disk for the original or updated BIOS file Bad BIOS checksum Starting BIOS recovery Checking for flopp...

Page 53: ... drive for the original or updated BIOS file The utility then updates the corrupted BIOS file Bad BIOS checksum Starting BIOS recovery Checking for floppy 4 Restart the system after the utility completes the updating process The recovered BIOS may not be the latest BIOS version for this motherboard Visit the ASUS website at www asus com to download the latest BIOS file Recovering the BIOS from the...

Page 54: ... Flash 2 utility The ASUS EZ Flash 2 feature allows you to update the BIOS without having to go through the long process of booting from a floppy disk and using a DOS based utility The EZ Flash 2 utility is built in the BIOS chip so it is accessible by pressing Alt F2 during the Power On Self Tests POST 1 Insert the floppy disk USB flash disk that contains the BIOS file to the floppy disk drive or...

Page 55: ...rive The Drivers menu appears 2 Click the Utilities tab then click Install ASUS Update See page 3 4 for the Utilities screen menu 3 The ASUS Update utility is copied to your system 2 1 5 ASUS Update utility The ASUS Update is a utility that allows you to manage save and update the motherboard BIOS in Windows environment The ASUS Update utility allows you to Save the current BIOS file Download the ...

Page 56: ... Next Updating the BIOS through the Internet To update the BIOS through the Internet 1 Launch the ASUS Update utility from the Windows desktop by clicking Start Programs ASUS ASUSUpdate ASUSUpdate The ASUS Update main window appears 2 Select Update BIOS from the Internet option from the drop down menu then click Next ...

Page 57: ...m a file option from the drop down menu then click Next 4 From the FTP site select the BIOS version that you wish to download Click Next 5 Follow the screen instructions to complete the update process The ASUS Update utility is capable of updating itself through the Internet Always update the utility to avail all its features 3 Locate the BIOS file from the Open window then click Open 4 Follow the...

Page 58: ... you can enable the security password feature or change the power management settings This requires you to reconfigure your system using the BIOS Setup program so that the computer can recognize these changes and record them in the CMOS RAM of the SPI chip The firmware chip on the motherboard stores the Setup utility When you start up the computer the system provides you with the opportunity to ru...

Page 59: ...his chapter are for reference purposes only and may not exactly match what you see on your screen Visit the ASUS website at www asus com to download the latest BIOS information Select Screen Select Item Change Field Tab Select Field F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 American Megatrends Inc BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit Use ENTER TAB or...

Page 60: ...menu items If an item is user configurable you can change the value of the field opposite the item You cannot select an item that is not user configurable A configurable field is enclosed in brackets and is highlighted when selected To change the value of a field select it then press Enter to display a list of options Refer to 2 2 8 Pop up window 2 2 3 Navigation keys At the bottom right corner of...

Page 61: ...s Inc BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit Use ENTER TAB or SHIFT TAB to select a field Use or to configure system Time System Time 19 34 30 System Date Mon 11 19 2007 Legacy Diskette A 1 44M 3 5 in Primary IDE Master Not Detected Primary IDE Slave Not Detected SATA1 Not Detected SATA2 Not Detected SATA3 Not Detected ESATA Not Detected Storage Configuration System Information Opt...

Page 62: ... in Refer to section 2 2 1 BIOS menu screen for information on the menu screen items and how to navigate through them Select Screen Select Item Change Field Tab Select Field F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 American Megatrends Inc BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit Use ENTER TAB or SHIFT TAB to select a field Use or to configure system Tim...

Page 63: ...figuration options Not Installed Auto CDROM ARMD LBA Large Mode Auto Enables or disables the LBA mode Setting to Auto enables the LBA mode if the device supports this mode and if the device was not previously formatted with LBA mode disabled Configuration options Disabled Auto Block Multi Sector Transfer M Auto Enables or disables data multi sectors transfers When set to Auto the data transfer fro...

Page 64: ...tem then press Enter to display the SATA device information Select Screen Select Item Change Option F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 American Megatrends Inc BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main Disabled Disables LBA Mode Auto Enables LBA Mode if the device supports it and the device is not already formatted with LBA Mode disabled SATA1 Device Not Detected LBA Large Mode A...

Page 65: ...tions Disabled Auto PIO Mode Auto Selects the PIO mode Configuration options Auto 0 1 2 3 4 DMA Mode Auto Selects the DMA mode Configuration options Auto SMART Monitoring Auto Sets the Smart Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology Configuration options Auto Disabled Enabled 32Bit Data Transfer Enabled Enables or disables 32 bit data transfer Configuration options Disabled Enabled 2 3 6 Storag...

Page 66: ...AID Mode SATA1 2 3 5 6 Enabled Allows you to disable or enable the SATA1 2 3 5 6 Configuration options Disabled Enabled 2 3 7 System Information This menu gives you an overview of the general system specifications The BIOS automatically detects the items in this menu Select Screen Select Item F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 American Megatrends Inc BIOS SETUP...

Page 67: ... American Megatrends Inc BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit JumperFree Configuration CPU Configuration Chipset Onboard Devices Configuration PCIPnP USB Configuration Select Screen Select Item Change Field Tab Select Field F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit Adjust System Frequency Voltage etc AMI BIOS Displays the auto detected BIOS information Processor Displays the aut...

Page 68: ...nufacturer recomends are not guaranteed to be stable If the system becomes unstable return to the default Scroll down to display the following items v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 American Megatrends Inc Chipset Voltage Chipset Voltage Auto CPU Overclocking Auto Allows selection of CPU overclocking options to achieve desired CPU internal frequency Select either one of the preset overclocking Configu...

Page 69: ...erTransport link width Configuration options 16 16 8 8 Memory Clock Mode Auto Allows you to set the memory clock mode Configuration options Auto Manual DRAM Timing Mode Auto Allows you to set the DRAM timing mode Configuration options Auto DCT 0 Memory Over Voltage Auto Allows you to set the memory over voltage The value ranges from 1 85000V to 2 24375V with a 0 00625V interval Configuration optio...

Page 70: ... Disabled Microcode Updation Enabled Secure Virtual Machine Mode Enabled Cool n Quiet Enabled This option should remain disabled for the normal operation The driver developer may enable it for testing purpose BIOS SETUP UTILITY Advanced GART Error Reporting Disabled This option should remain disabled for the normal operation The driver developer may enable it for testing purpose Configuration opti...

Page 71: ... Options for NB Advanced Memory Configuration Bank Interleaving Auto Channel Interleaving Disabled Enable Clock to ALL DIMMs Disabled MemClk Tristate C3 ATLVID Disabled Memory Hole Remapping Enabled DCT Unganged Mode Auto Power Down Enable Enabled Enable Bank Memory Interleaving Memory Configuration Bank Interleaving Auto Allows you to enable the bank memory interleaving Configuration options Disa...

Page 72: ...ions Auto Always Power Down Enable Enabled Enables or disables the DDR power down mode Configuration options Disabled Enabled ECC Configuration ECC Configuration ECC Mode Disabled DRAM ECC Enable Disabled DRAM SCRUB REDIRECT Disabled 4 Bit ECC Mode Disabled DRAM BG Scrub Disabled Date Cache BG Scrub Disabled L2 Cache BG Scrub Disabled L3 Cache BG Scrub Disabled Set the level of ECC protection Note...

Page 73: ...et the Hybrid SLI mode Configuration options mGPU Auto mGPU always enable PCIE 2 0 Support Auto Allows you to enable or disable the PCIE 2 0 feature Configuration options Disabled Auto AZALIA AUDIO Internal codec External codec Allows you to set the HD audio mode Configuration options Disabled Internal codec External codec Internal codec External codec Front Panel Select HD Audio Allows you to set...

Page 74: ...nd setting the memory size block for legacy ISA devices Take caution when changing the settings of the PCI PnP menu items Incorrect field values can cause the system to malfunction Select Screen Select Item Change Option F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 American Megatrends Inc BIOS SETUP UTILITY Advanced Advanced PCI PnP Settings WARNING Setting wrong values ...

Page 75: ...Q to PCI VGA Yes When set to Yes BIOS assigns an IRQ to PCI VGA card if the card requests for an IRQ When set to No BIOS does not assign an IRQ to the PCI VGA card even if requested Configuration options Yes No Palette Snooping Disabled When set to Enabled the palete snooping feature informs the PCI devices that an ISA graphics device is installed in the system so that the latter can function corr...

Page 76: ... Auto USB 2 0 Controller Mode HiSpeed Disabled Enabled Options USB Functions Enabled Enables or disables the USB functions Configuration options Enabled Disabled USB 2 0 Controller Enabled Enables or disables the USB 2 0 Controller Configuration options Enabled Disabled Legacy USB Support Auto Allows you to enable or disable support for Legacy USB storage devices including USB flash drives and USB...

Page 77: ...o RAM sleep state default In S3 sleep state the system appears to be off and consumes less power than in the S1 state When signaled by a wake up device or event the system resumes to its working state exactly where it was left off Auto Detected by OS Suspend Mode Auto ACPI 2 0 Support Disabled ACPI APIC Support Enabled APM Configuration Hardware Monitor Select the ACPI state used for System Suspen...

Page 78: ...allows you to turn on the system through a PCI PCIE card This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides at least 1A on the 5VSB lead Configuration options Disabled Enabled Power On By Ring Disabled Enable or disable RI to generate a wake event Configuration options Disabled Enabled Power On By PS 2 KB MS Disabled Enable or disable PS 2 Keyboard Mouse to generate a wake event Configuration...

Page 79: ...e 5V Voltage 12V Voltage The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the voltage output through the onboard voltage regulators Smart Q Fan Function Disabled Allows you to enable or disable the ASUS Q Fan feature that smartly adjusts the fan speeds for more efficient system operation Configuration options Disabled Enabled v02 58 C Copyright 1985 2006 American Megatrends Inc Select Screen Sel...

Page 80: ... Select Screen Select Item Change Option F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit Boot Device Priority 1st Boot Device 1st FLOPPY DRIVE 2nd Boot Device Hard Drive 3rd Boot Device ATAPI CD ROM Specifies the boot sequence from the available devices Select Screen Select Item Enter Go to Sub Screen F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 American Megatrends Inc Boot S...

Page 81: ...m When set to Disabled BIOS performs all the POST items Configuration options Disabled Enabled Full Screen Logo Enabled This allows you to enable or disable the full screen logo display feature Configuration options Disabled Enabled AddOn ROM Display Mode Force BIOS Sets the display mode for option ROM Configuration options Force BIOS Keep Current Bootup Num Lock On Allows you to select the power ...

Page 82: ...o change password Enter again to disabled password Change Supervisor Password Select this item to set or change the supervisor password The Supervisor Password item on top of the screen shows the default Not Installed After you set a password this item shows Installed To set a Supervisor Password 1 Select the Change Supervisor Password item and press Enter 2 From the password box type a password c...

Page 83: ...ssword box that appears type a password composed of at least six letters and or numbers then press Enter 3 Confirm the password when prompted The message Password Installed appears after you set your password successfully To change the user password follow the same steps as in setting a user password Clear User Password Select this item to clear the user password Password Check Setup When set to S...

Page 84: ...ight 1985 2007 American Megatrends Inc ASUS EZ Flash 2 Express Gate Enabled Enter OS Timer 10 Seconds Reset User Data No AI NET2 Press ENTER to run the utility to select and update BIOS This utility doesn t support 1 NTFS format BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit ASUSTek EZ Flash 2 BIOS ROM Utility V3 21 Current ROM Update ROM A Note Enter Select or Load Tab Switch V Drive Info...

Page 85: ... Reset When setting this item to Reset make sure to save the setting to the BIOS so that the user data will be cleared the next time you enter the Express Gate User data includes the Express Gate s settings as well as any personal information stored by the web browser bookmarks cookies browsing history etc This is useful in the rare case where corrupt settings prevent the Express Gate environment ...

Page 86: ...tile RAM Exit Save Changes Once you are finished making your selections choose this option from the Exit menu to ensure the values you selected are saved to the CMOS RAM An onboard backup battery sustains the CMOS RAM so it stays on even when the PC is turned off When you select this option a confirmation window appears Select OK to save changes and exit 2 8 Exit menu Pressing Esc does not immedia...

Page 87: ...3 Software support This chapter describes the contents of the Support DVD that comes with the motherboard package ...

Page 88: ...pplications and utilities that you can install to avail all motherboard features 3 2 1 Running the Support DVD Place the Support DVD to the optical drive The DVD automatically displays the Drivers menu if Autorun is enabled in your computer Motherboard settings and hardware options vary Use the setup procedures presented in this chapter for reference only Refer to your OS documentation for detaile...

Page 89: ...for Drivers Installs the ASUS InstAll Installation Wizard for drivers NVIDIA nForce Chipset Driver Install the NVIDIA nForce chipset driver VIA Audio Driver Install the VIA audio driver Nvidia HDMI Driver Program Installs the Nvidia HDMI driver program NVIDIA Hybrid SLI Driver Installs the NVIDIA Hybrid SLI driver The screen display and drivers option may not be the same for different operating sy...

Page 90: ...SP ASUS PC Probe II This smart utility monitors the fan speed CPU temperature and system voltages and alerts you of any detected problems This utility helps you keep your computer in healthy operating condition Adobe Acrobat Reader 8 Installs the Adobe Acrobat Reader that allows you to open view and print documents in Portable Document Format PDF Corel MediaOne Starter Installs the Corel MediaOne ...

Page 91: ... software Click to show the rest of the utilities under the Utilities menu Anti Virus Utility Installs the anti virus application that detects and protects your computer from viruses that destroy data Anti Virus Utility Download Downloads and installs the latest anti virus application ASUS Cool n Quiet Utility Installs the ASUS Cool n Quiet utility The screen display and utilities option may not b...

Page 92: ...river Disk 1 2 Allows you to create an NVIDIA 32 64bit XP Serial ATA SATA RAID driver disk NVIDIA 32 64bit Vista SATA RAID Driver Allows you to create an NVIDIA 32 64bit Vista Serial ATA SATA RAID driver disk NVIDIA 32 64bit XP AHCI Driver Disk 1 2 Allows you to create an NVIDIA 32 64bit XP AHCI driver disk Click to display the next page ...

Page 93: ...es are in Portable Document Format PDF Install the Adobe Acrobat Reader before opening a user manual file Due to floppy disk capacity limitation when creating a RAID configuration under Windows Vista install the AHCI RAID driver through the motherboard support DVD or a USB device Find RAID driver in the support DVD through the path below Drivers Chipset Disk RAID Find AHCI driver in the support DV...

Page 94: ... this information on the inside front cover of this user guide 3 2 7 Other information The icons on the top right corner of the screen give additional information on the motherboard and the contents of the Support DVD Click an icon to display the specified information Motherboard Info Displays the general specifications of the motherboard ...

Page 95: ...echnical Support Request Form that you have to fill out when requesting technical support Filelist Displays the contents of the Support DVD and a brief description of each in text format Browse this DVD Displays the Support DVD contents in graphical format ...

Page 96: ...ion refer to the NVIDIA SATA RAID User s Manual found in your motherboard Support DVD 4 Insert a floppy disk to the floppy disk drive 5 Follow the succeeding screen information to complete the process 6 Write protect the floppy disk to avoid computer virus infection To install the RAID driver 1 During the OS installation the system prompts you to press the F6 key to install third party SCSI or RAI...

Page 97: ...4 NVIDIA technology support This chapter tells how to use the Hybrid SLI feature ...

Page 98: ...nded for GeForce Boost At least 256MB of Frame Buffer carve out for the motherboard GPU For best HybridPower benefits AMD Athlon X2 3800 CPU operating at 1800Mhz or higher 2 x 1024MB of DDR2 667 DRAM Discrete GPU recommended for HybridPower At least 256MB of Frame Buffer carve out for the motherboard GPU Hybrid SLI technology is supported by Windows Vista only GeForce Boost supports up to two disp...

Page 99: ...s 3 Save your changes and exit Setup 4 Turn off the system disconnect your display from the dGPU and connect your display to the onboard VGA port at the rear panel 5 Turn on the system and press Del during the Power On Self Test POST to enter the BIOS Setup Utility 6 Go to Advanced Chipset SouthBridge Configuration Set the Hybrid SLI Frame buffer Size item to 256MB See section 2 4 3 Chipset for de...

Page 100: ...rformance of the dGPU 12 Click the Hybrid SLI icon and select Save Power item 13 The icon will change state from to to indicate that the system is in Power Saving mode which means that the dGPU is turned off and the mGPU is both rendering and displaying 14 When the Power Saving mode is enabled the dGPU does not show in the Windows Device Manager 7 Save your changes and exit Setup 8 From the Window...