Motherboard A8N-SLI Premium
E1952 First Edition March 2005 Copyright © 2005 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this manual, including the products and software described in it, may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form or by any means, except documentation kept by the purchaser for backup purposes, without the express written permission of ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (“ASUS”).
Contents Notices .............................................................................................. viii Safety information .............................................................................. ix About this guide .................................................................................. x How this guide is organized ..................................................... x Where to find more information ..............................................
Contents 2.5.3 Interrupt assignments .......................................... 2-16 2.5.4 PCI slots ................................................................ 2-16 2.5.5 Two PCI Express x16 slots ................................... 2-17 2.5.6 PCI Express x1 slot ............................................... 2-17 2.5.7 Universal PCIe slot (PCI Express x4 slot) .............. 2-17 2.6 Jumpers .............................................................................. 2-18 2.
Contents 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Main menu .......................................................................... 4-15 4.3.1 System Time ......................................................... 4-15 4.3.2 System Date ......................................................... 4-15 4.3.3 Language .............................................................. 4-15 4.3.4 Legacy Diskette A ................................................ 4-15 4.3.5 Primary and Secondary IDE Master/Slave ...........
Contents 5.2 5.4 Support CD information ........................................................ 5-1 5.2.1 Running the support CD ......................................... 5-1 5.2.2 Drivers menu .......................................................... 5-2 5.2.3 Utilities menu .......................................................... 5-3 5.2.4 Manuals menu ......................................................... 5-5 5.2.5 ASUS Contact information ...................................... 5-6 5.
6.2 Dual graphics card setup ...................................................... 6-3 6.2.1 Installing SLI-ready graphics cards ......................... 6-3 6.2.2 Setting the SLI mode in BIOS ................................. 6-7 6.2.3 Installing the device drivers .................................... 6-7 6.2.4 Enabling the multi-GPU feature in Windows ............ 6-7 Appendix A.1 Using the SATA extension module ....................................... A-1 A.1.
Notices Federal Communications Commission Statement This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: • This device may not cause harmful interference, and • This device must accept any interference received including interference that may cause undesired operation. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Safety information Electrical safety • To prevent electrical shock hazard, disconnect the power cable from the electrical outlet before relocating the system. • When adding or removing devices to or from the system, ensure that the power cables for the devices are unplugged before the signal cables are connected. If possible, disconnect all power cables from the existing system before you add a device.
About this guide This user guide contains the information you need when installing and configuring the motherboard. How this guide is organized This manual contains the following parts: • Chapter 1: Product introduction This chapter describes the features of the motherboard and the new technology it supports. • Chapter 2: Hardware information This chapter lists the hardware setup procedures that you have to perform when installing system components.
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 ASUS hardware and software products. Refer to the ASUS contact information. 2. Optional documentation Your product package may include optional documentation, such as warranty flyers, that may have been added by your dealer. These documents are not part of the standard package.
A8N-SLI Premium specifications summary CPU Socket 939 for AMD Athlon™ 64FX/AMD Athlon™ 64 processor Supports AMD 64 architecture that enables simultaneous 32-bit and 64-bit architecture Supports AMD® Cool ‘n’ Quiet! Technology Chipset NVIDIA® nForce™ 4 SLI Supports NVIDIA® Scalable Link Interface™ (SLI) technology System Bus 1600/2000 MT per second Memory Dual-channel memory architecture 4 x 184-pin DIMM sockets support ECC/non-ECC unbufferred 400/333/266 MHz DDR memory modules Supports up to 4 GB sy
A8N-SLI Premium specifications summary AI Overclocking AI NOS™ (Non-Delay Overclocking System) ASUS AI Overclocking (Intelligent CPU frequency tuner) ASUS PEG Link for single/dual graphics card Fixed PCI Express/PCI/SATA frequencies ASUS C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall) Precision Tweaker supports: - DIMM voltage: 9-step DRAM voltage control - Core voltage: Adjustable CPU voltage at 0.
A8N-SLI Premium specifications summary LAN NVIDIA® nForce™ 4 built-in Gigabit MAC with external Marvell® PHY supports: - NV ActiveArmor - NV Firewall - AI NET2 Marvell® 88E81001 PCI Gigabit LAN controller supports: - Marvell® Virtual Cable Tester technology - AI NET2 AI Audio Realtek® ALC850 8-channel CODEC 1 x Coaxial S/PDIF out port 1 x Optical S/PDIF out port Supports Universal Audio Jack (UAJ®) Technology Supports Audio Sensing and Enumeration Technology IEEE 1394 T1 1394a controller supports: - 2
This chapter describes the motherboard features and the new technologies it supports.
Chapter summary 1.1 Welcome! .............................................................................. 1-1 1.2 Package contents ................................................................. 1-1 1.3 Special features ....................................................................
1.1 Welcome! T h a n k y o u f o r b u y i n g a n A S U S® A 8 N - S L I P r e m i u m motherboard! The motherboard delivers a host of new features and latest technologies, making it another standout in the long line of ASUS quality motherboards! Before you start installing the motherboard, and hardware devices on it, check the items in your package with the list below. 1.2 Package contents Check your motherboard package for the following items.
1.3 Special features 1.3.1 Product highlights Latest processor technology The AMD Athlon™ 64FX and Athlon™ 64 desktop processors are based on AMD’s 64-bit and 32-bit architecture, which represents the landmark introduction of the industry’s first x86-64 technology. These processors provide a dramatic leap forward in compatibility, performance, investment protection, and reduced total cost of ownership and development. See page 2-6.
HyperTransport™ Technology HyperTransport™ Technology is a high-speed, low latency, point-to-point link designed to increase the communication speed between integrated circuits in computers, networking and telecommunicatons equipment up to 48 times faster than other existing technologies. Dual Channel DDR memory support Employing the Double Data Rate (DDR) memory technology, the motherboard supports up to 4GB of system memory using DDR400/333/ 266 DIMMs.
S/PDIF digital sound ready The motherboard supports the S/PDIF Out function through the S/PDIF interfaces on the rear panel. The S/PDIF technology turns your computer into a high-end entertainment system with digital connectivity to powerful audio and speaker systems. See page 2-19 for details. IEEE 1394a support The IEEE 1394a interface provides high-speed and flexible PC connectivity to a wide range of peripherals and devices compliant to the IEEE 1394a standard.
1.3.2 ASUS Proactive features AI NOS™ (Non-Delay Overclocking System) ASUS Non-delay Overclocking System™ (NOS) is a technology that auto-detects the CPU loading and dynamically overclocks the CPU speed only when needed. See page 4-30 for details. Precision Tweaker Designed for overclocking aficionados, this feature allows you to fine tune the CPU/memory voltage and gradually increase the Front Side Bus (FSB) and PCI Express frequency to achieve maximum system performance.
1.3.3 Innovative ASUS features ASUS AI Selector The AI Selector allows you to set the video card mode of your system. This utility works when you have two graphics cards installed in your system. See page 5-46 for details. ASUS EZ Plug™ This patented ASUS technology is a 4-pin auxiliary +12V connector that is designed to maintain the voltage integrity of your system. This plug guarantees adequate supply of power to the motherboard and other installed peripherals. See page 6-5 for illustration.
ASUS Multi-language BIOS The multi-language BIOS allows you to select the language of your choice from the available options. The localized BIOS menus allow you to configure easier and faster. See page 4-15 for details. ASUS MyLogo2™ This new feature present in the motherboard allows you to personalize and add style to your system with customizable boot logos. See page 5-9 for details. ASUS Instant Music This unique feature allows you to playback audio files even without booting the system to Windows™.
1-8 Chapter 1: Product introduction
This chapter lists the hardware setup procedures that you have to perform when installing system components. It includes description of the jumpers and connectors on the motherboard.
Chapter summary 2.1 Before you proceed .............................................................. 2-1 2.2 Motherboard overview .......................................................... 2-2 2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU) .............................................. 2-6 2.4 System memory ................................................................. 2-11 2.5 Expansion slots ................................................................... 2-15 2.6 Jumpers ...........................
2.1 Before you proceed Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard components or change any motherboard settings. • Make sure that your power supply unit (PSU) can provide at least the minimum power required by your system. See “8. ATX power connectors” on page 2-25 for details. • Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any component.
2.2 Motherboard overview Before you install the motherboard, study the configuration of your chassis to ensure that the motherboard fits into it. Make sure to unplug the power cord before installing or removing the motherboard. Failure to do so can cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components. 2.2.1 Placement direction When installing the motherboard, make sure that you place it into the chassis in the correct orientation.
2.2.3 Motherboard layout 24.5cm (9.6in) PS/2KBMS T: Mouse B: Keyboard CHA2_FAN CPU_FAN ATX12V ACL850 FLOPPY EATXPWR EZ_PLUG PRI_IDE Marvell 88E1111 SEC_IDE FP_AUDIO Top:Line In Center:Line Out Bottom:Mic In PWR_FAN WARN_LED AUX PCIEX16_1 30.5cm (12.
2.2.4 2-4 Layout Contents Slots Page 1. DDR DIMM slots 2-11 2. PCI slots 2-17 3. PCI Express x16 slot 2-17 4. PCI Express x1 slot 2-17 5. PCI Express x4 slot 2-17 Jumpers Page 1. Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC1) 2-18 Rear panel connectors Page 1. PS/2 mouse port (green) 2-19 2. Parallel port 2-19 3. LAN 2 (RJ-45) port 2-19 4. LAN 1 (RJ-45) port 2-19 5. Rear Speaker Out port (gray) 2-19 6. Side Speaker Out port (black) 2-19 7. Line In port (light blue) 2-19 8.
Internal connectors Page 1. Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY) 2-21 2. Primary IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE) 2-21 3. Secondary IDE connector (40-1 pin SEC_IDE) 2-21 4. Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA1, SATA2, SATA3, SATA4) [nForce4] 2-22 5. Serial ATA RAID connectors (7-pin SATA_RAID1, SATA_RAID2, SATA_RAID3, SATA_RAID4) [Silicon Image] 2-23 6. CPU fan connector (3-pin CPU_FAN) 2-24 7. Power fan connector (3-pin PWR_FAN) 2-24 8.
2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU) 2.3.1 Overview The motherboard comes with a surface mount 939-pin Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) socket designed for the AMD Athlon™ 64FX or AMD Athlon 64™ processor. The 128-bit-wide data paths of these processors can run applications faster than processors with only 32-bit or 64-bit wide data paths. Take note of the marked corner (with gold triangle) on the CPU. This mark should match a specific corner on the socket to ensure correct installation. Gold triangle 2.3.
2. Unlock the socket by pressing the lever sideways, then lift it up to a 90°-100° angle. Socket Lever Make sure that the socket lever is lifted up to 90°-100° angle, otherwise the CPU does not fit in completely. 3. Position the CPU above the socket such that the CPU corner with the gold triangle matches the socket corner with a small triangle. 4. Carefully insert the CPU into the socket until it fits in place. Gold triangle Small triangle The CPU fits only in one correct orientation.
2.3.3 Installing the heatsink and fan The AMD Athlon™ 64FX or AMD Athlon 64™ processor require a specially designed heatsink and fan assembly to ensure optimum thermal condition and performance. Make sure that you use only qualified heatsink and fan assembly. Follow these steps to install the CPU heatsink and fan. 1. Place the heatsink on top of the installed CPU, making sure that the heatsink fits properly on the retention module base.
2. Attach one end of the retention bracket to the retention module base. 3. Align the other end of the retention bracket (near the retention bracket lock) to the retention module base. A clicking sound denotes that the retention bracket is in place. Make sure that the fan and heatsink assembly perfectly fits the retention mechanism module base, otherwise you cannot snap the retention bracket in place. 4.
3. When the fan and heatsink assembly is in place, connect the CPU fan cable to the connector on the motherboard labeled CPU_FAN. GND +12V Rotation CPU_FAN A8N-SLI PREMIUM ® A8N-SLI PREMIUM CPU fan connector Do not forget to connect the CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring errors can occur if you fail to plug this connector.
2.4 System memory 2.4.1 Overview The motherboard comes with four 184-pin Double Data Rate (DDR) Dual Inline Memory Modules (DIMM) sockets. DIMM_B2 DIMM_B1 DIMM_A2 DIMM_A1 The following figure illustrates the location of the sockets: A8N-SLI PREMIUM ® A8N-SLI PREMIUM 184-pin DDR DIMM sockets 2.4.
Table 2 DDR400 Qualified Vendors List DIMM support Size Vendor Model Brand Side(s) Component A B C 256MB KINGSTON KVR400X64C3A/256 Hynix SS HY5DU56822BT-D43 • • • 512MB KINGSTON KVR400X64C3A/512 Hynix DS HY5DU56822BT-D43 • • • 256MB KINGSTON KVR400X72C3A/256 Mosel SS V58C2256804SAT5(ECC) • • • 512MB KINGSTON KVR400X72C3A/512 Mosel DS V58C2256804SAT5(ECC) • • • 256MB KINGSTON KVR400X64C3A/256 Infineon SS HYB25D256800BT-5B • • • 512MB KINGSTON KVR400X64C
DDR400 Qualified Vendors List DIMM support Size Vendor Model Brand Side(s) Component A B C 256MB Winbond W9425GCDB-5 Winbond SS W942508CH-5 • • 512MB Winbond W9451GCDB-5 Winbond DS W942508CH-5 • • • 256MB PSC AL5D8B53T-5B1K PSC SS A2S56D30BTP • • • 512MB PSC AL6D8B53T-5B1K PSC DS A2S56D30BTP • • • 256MB KINGMAX MPXB62D-38KT3R N/A SS KDL388P4LA-50 • • • • 512MB KINGMAX MPXC22D-38KT3R N/A DS KDL388P4LA-50 • • 256MB NANYA NT256D64S88C0G-5T N/A SS
2.4.3 Installing a DIMM Make sure to unplug the power supply before adding or removing DIMMs or other system components. Failure to do so may cause severe damage to both the motherboard and the components. 2 1. Unlock a DIMM socket by pressing the retaining clips outward. 2. Align a DIMM on the socket such that the notch on the DIMM matches the break on the socket. DDR DIMM notch 1 1 Unlocked retaining clip A DDR DIMM is keyed with a notch so that it fits in only one direction.
2.5 Expansion slots In the future, you may need to install expansion cards. The following sub-sections describe the slots and the expansion cards that they support. Make sure to unplug the power cord before adding or removing expansion cards. Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components. 2.5.1 Installing an expansion card To install an expansion card: 1.
2.5.
2.5.5 Two PCI Express x16 slots This motherboard supports one PCI Express x16 graphics card or two SLI-ready PCI Express x16 graphic cards that comply with the PCI Express specifications. The figure shows a graphics card installed on the PCI Express x16 slot. See Chapter 6 for details on the SLI technology feature. In Normal mode, only the PCI Express blue slot can be used for PCI Express x16 graphics cards. The PCI Express black slot functions as a PCI Express x1 slot. 2.5.
2.6 1. Jumpers Clear RTC RAM (CLRTC) This jumper allows you to clear the Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM in CMOS. You can clear the CMOS memory of date, time, and system setup parameters by erasing the CMOS RTC RAM data. The onboard button cell battery powers the RAM data in CMOS, which include system setup information such as system passwords. To erase the RTC RAM: 1. Turn OFF the computer and unplug the power cord. 2. Remove the onboard battery. 3.
2.7 Connectors 2.7.1 Rear panel connectors 1 3 2 4 5 6 7 8 9 16 1. 2. 3. 4. 15 14 13 12 11 10 P S / 2 m o u s e p o r t ( g r e e n ) . This port is for a PS/2 mouse. P a r a l l e l p o r t . This 25-pin port connects a parallel printer, a scanner, or other devices. L A N 2 ( R J - 4 5 ) p o r t . Supported by the Marvell® 88E81001 Gigabit LAN controller, this port allows Gigabit connection to a Local Area Network (LAN) through a network hub. L A N 1 ( R J - 4 5 ) p o r t .
9 . M i c r o p h o n e p o r t ( p i n k ) . This port connects a microphone. 1 0 . C e n t e r / S u b w o o f e r p o r t ( y e l l o w o r a n g e ) . This port connects the center/subwoofer speakers. Refer to the audio configuration table below for the function of the audio ports in 2, 4, 6, or 8-channel configuration.
2.7.2 1. Internal connectors Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY) This connector is for the provided floppy disk drive (FDD) signal cable. Insert one end of the cable to this connector, then connect the other end to the signal connector at the back of the floppy disk drive. The Pin 5 on the connector is removed to prevent incorrect cable connection when using an FDD cable with a covered Pin 5. FLOPPY NOTE: Orient the red markings on the floppy ribbon cable to PIN 1.
3. Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA1, SATA2, SATA3, SATA4) Supported by the NVIDIA® nForce4™ chipset, these connectors are for the Serial ATA signal cables for Serial ATA hard disk drives that allows up to 3Gb/s of data transfer rate. If you installed Serial ATA hard disk drives, you can create a RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 1+0, or JBOD configuration that span across the Parallel ATA drives. Refer to Chapter 5 for details on how to set up RAID configurations.
4. Serial ATA RAID connectors (7-pin SATA_RAID1, SATA_RAID2, SATA_RAID3, SATA_RAID4) Supported by the Silicon Image® Sil3114 RAID controller, these connectors are for Serial ATA signal cables. These connectors support up to four Serial ATA hard disk drives that can be configured as a disk array through the onboard Silicon Image Sil3114 SATA RAID controller. Refer to Chapter 5 for details on how to set up Serial ATA RAID configurations. By default, the RAID function of these connectors are enabled.
CPU, Chassis, Chipset and Power fan connectors (3-pin CPU_FAN, 3-pin CHA2_FAN, 3-pin CHIP_FAN, 3-pin PWR_FAN, 3-pin CHA1_FAN) The fan connectors support cooling fans of 350mA~2000mA (24 W max.) or a total of 1A~3.48A (41.76 W max.) at +12V. Connect the fan cables to the fan connectors on the motherboard, making sure that the black wire of each cable matches the ground pin of the connector. • Do not forget to connect the fan cables to the fan connectors.
6. Serial port connector (10-1 pin COM1) This connector is for a serial (COM) port. Connect the serial port module cable to this connector, then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis. COM1 A8N-SLI PREMIUM PIN 1 ® A8N-SLI PREMIUM COM port connector 7. USB connectors (10-1 pin USB56, USB78, USB910) These connectors are for USB 2.0 ports.
8. ATX power connectors (24-pin EATXPWR1, 4-pin ATX12V1, 4-pin EZ_PLUG) These connectors are for an ATX power supply plugs. The power supply plugs are designed to fit these connectors in only one orientation. Find the proper orientation and push down firmly until the connectors completely fit. • Do not forget to connect the 4-pin ATX +12 V power plug; otherwise, the system will not boot.
9. Internal audio connectors (4-pin CD, AUX) These connectors allow you to receive stereo audio input from sound sources such as a CD-ROM, TV-tuner, or MPEG card. A8N-SLI PREMIUM ® AUX (white) Right Audio Channel Ground Ground Left Audio Channel Left Audio Channel Ground Ground Right Audio Channel CD (black) A8N-SLI PREMIUM Internal audio connectors The function of these connectors are disabled under 8-channel mode. 1 0 .
1 1 . Chassis intrusion connector (4-1 pin CHASSIS) This connector is for a chassis-mounted intrusion detection sensor or switch. Connect one end of the chassis intrusion sensor or switch cable to this connector. The chassis intrusion sensor or switch sends a high-level signal to this connector when a chassis component is removed or replaced. The signal is then generated as a chassis intrusion event.
1 3 . Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin FP_AUDIO) This connector is for a chassis-mounted front panel audio I/O module that supports legacy AC ‘97 audio standard. Connect one end of the front panel audio I/O module cable to this connector. FP_AUDIO BLINE_OUT_L A8N-SLI PREMIUM ® BLINE_OUT_R +5VA AGND Line out_L NC Line out_R MICPWR MIC2 A8N-SLI PREMIUM Front panel audio connector 1 4 . System panel connector (20-pin PANEL) This connector supports several chassis-mounted functions.
• • • 2-30 System warning speaker (Orange 4-pin 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 (Yellow 2-pin PWRSW) This connector is for the system power button. Pressing the power button turns the system ON or puts the system in SLEEP or SOFT-OFF mode depending on the BIOS settings. Pressing the power switch for more than four seconds while the system is ON turns the system OFF.
This chapter describes the power up sequence, the vocal POST messages, and ways of shutting down the system.
Chapter summary 3.1 Starting up for the first time ................................................ 3-1 3.2 Powering off the computer .................................................. 3-2 3.3 ASUS POST Reporter™ ..........................................................
3.1 Starting up for the first time 1. After making all the connections, replace the system case cover. 2. Be sure that all switches are off. 3. Connect the power cord to the power connector at the back of the system chassis. 4. Connect the power cord to a power outlet that is equipped with a surge protector. 5. Turn on the devices in the following order: a. Monitor b. External SCSI devices (starting with the last device on the chain) c. System power 6.
3.2 Powering off the computer 3.2.1 Using the OS shut down function If you are using Windows® 2000: 2. Click the S t a r t button then click S h u t D o w n . . . Make sure that the S h u t D o w n option button is selected, then click the O K button to shut down the computer. 3. The power supply should turn off after Windows® shuts down. 1. If you are using Windows® XP: 2. Click the S t a r t button then select T u r n O f f C o m p u t e r .
3.3 ASUS POST Reporter™ This motherboard includes the Winbond speech controller to support a special feature called the ASUS POST Reporter™. This feature lets you hear vocal messages during POST that alerts you of system events and boot status. In case of a boot failure, you will hear the specific cause of the problem. These POST messages are customizable using the Winbond Voice Editor software that came with your package. You can record your own messages to replace the default messages. 3.3.
POST Message Action CPU temperature too high • Check if the CPU fan is working properly. CPU fan failed • Check the CPU fan and make sure it turns on after you apply power to the system. • Make sure that your CPU fan supports the fan speed detection function. • Check your power supply and make sure it is not defective. • Call ASUS technical support for assistance. See the “ASUS contact information” on the inside front cover of this user guide.
3.3.2 Winbond Voice Editor The Winbond Voice Editor software allows you to customize the vocal POST messages. You can install this application from the support CD. To avoid conflicts, do not run the Winbond Voice Editor while running the ASUS PC Probe application. Launching the Voice Editor You can launch the program from the Windows® desktop by clicking S t a r t > A l l P r o g r a m s > W i n b o n d V o i c e E d i t o r > V o i c e E d i t o rr. The Winbond Voice Editor screen appears.
Changing the default language To change the default language: 1. Click the L o a d button from the Voice Editor main window. A window with the available languages appears. 2. Select your desired language, then click O p e n n. The event messages for the language you selected appear on the Voice Editor main window. Not all events on some languages have a corresponding message due to file size constraints. 3. Click the W r i t e button from the Voice Editor main window to update the EEPROM. 4.
Customizing your POST messages The Voice Editor application allows you to record your own POST messages if your language is not supported or if you wish to to replace the pre-installed wave files. To customize your POST messages. 1. Launch the Voice Editor application and note the list of POST events on the leftmost column of the screen. 2. Prepare your message for each event. 3. Use a recording software (e.g. Windows® Recorder) to record your messages, then save the messages as wave files (.WAV). 4.
6. Select a POST event on the Voice Editor main window, then click the E d i t button. The E v e n t S o u n d E d i t o r window appears. 7. Locate and select your wave file for the event, then click on the arrow opposite Voice1. The file you select appears on the space next to it. 8. Click O K to return to the Voice Editor main window. 9. Do steps 6 to 8 for the other events. 10. When done, click S a v e e. A window appears prompting you to save your configuration. 11. Type a file name with an .
This chapter tells how to change the system settings through the BIOS Setup menus. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided.
Chapter summary 4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS ........................................ 4-1 4.2 BIOS setup program ........................................................... 4-11 4.3 Main menu .......................................................................... 4-15 4.4 Advanced menu .................................................................. 4-20 4.5 Power menu ........................................................................ 4-35 4.6 Boot menu ........................
4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS The following utilities allow you to manage and update the motherboard Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) setup. 1. 2. 3. 4. A w a r d B I O S F l a s h U t i l i t y (Updates the BIOS in DOS mode using a bootable floppy disk.) A S U S C r a s h F r e e B I O S 2 (Updates the BIOS using a bootable floppy disk or the motherboard support CD when the BIOS file fails or gets corrupted.
c. Click S t a r tt, then select R u n n. d. From the Open field, type D:\bootdisk\makeboot a: assuming that D: is your optical drive. e. Press , then follow screen instructions to continue. 2. Copy the original or the latest motherboard BIOS file to the bootable floppy disk. 4.1.2 Updating the BIOS The Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) can be updated using the AwardBIOS Flash Utility. Follow these instructions to update the BIOS using this utility. 1.
6. Type the BIOS file name in the F i l e N a m e t o P r o g r a m field, then press . AwardBIOS Flash Utility for ASUS V1.01 (C) Phoenix Technologies Ltd. All Rights Reserved For NF-KC804-A8N-SLI-00 DATE: 11/18/2004 Flash Type - SST 49LF004A/B /3.3V File Name to Program: 1001.bin Message: Do You Want To Save Bios (Y/N) 7. Press when the utility prompts you to save the current BIOS file. The following screen appears. 8.
4.1.3 Saving the current BIOS file You can use the AwardBIOS Flash Utility to save the current BIOS file. You can load the current BIOS file when the BIOS file gets corrupted during the flashing process. Make sure that the floppy disk has enough disk space to save the file. To save the current BIOS file using the AwardBIOS Flash Utility: 1. Follow steps 1 to 6 of the previous section. 2. Press when the utility prompts you to save the current BIOS file. The following screen appears.
4.1.4 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 utility The ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 is an auto recovery tool that allows you to restore the BIOS file when it fails or gets corrupted during the updating process. You can update a corrupted BIOS file using the motherboard support CD or the floppy disk that contains the updated BIOS file. Prepare the motherboard support CD or the floppy disk containing the updated motherboard BIOS before using this utility.
Recovering the BIOS from a floppy disk To recover the BIOS from the support CD: 1. Remove any CD from the optical drive, then 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. Award BootBlock BIOS v1.0 Copyright (c) 2000, Award Software, Inc. BIOS ROM checksum error Detecting IDE ATAPI device...
4.1.5 ASUS EZ Flash utility The ASUS EZ Flash 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 utility is built-in the BIOS chip so it is accessible by pressing + during the Power-On Self Tests (POST). To update the BIOS using EZ Flash: 1. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS file for the motherboard. 2.
4.1.6 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 latest BIOS file from the Internet • Update the BIOS from an updated BIOS file • Update the BIOS directly from the Internet, and • View the BIOS version information. This utility is available in the support CD that comes with the motherboard package.
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 e. The ASUS Update main window appears. 2. Select U p d a t e B I O S f r o m t h e I n t e r n e t option from the drop-down menu, then click N e x tt. ASUS A8N-SLI Premium 3. Select the ASUS FTP site nearest you to avoid network traffic, or click A u t o S e l e c tt. Click N e x tt.
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. Updating the BIOS through a BIOS file To update the BIOS through a BIOS file: 1. 2.
4.2 BIOS setup program This motherboard supports a programmable Low-Pin Count (LPC) chip that you can update using the provided utility described in section “4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS.” Use the BIOS Setup program when you are installing a motherboard, reconfiguring your system, or prompted to “Run Setup”. This section explains how to configure your system using this utility. Even if you are not prompted to use the Setup program, you can change the configuration of your computer in the future.
4.2.1 BIOS menu screen Menu items Menu bar Main Advanced Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Power Boot Exit System Time System Date Language 15 : 30 : 36 Wed, Nov 5 2004 [English] Legacy Diskette A: [1.44M, 3.5 in.
4.2.3 Legend bar At the bottom of the Setup screen is a legend bar. The keys in the legend bar allow you to navigate through the various setup menus. The following table lists the keys found in the legend bar with their corresponding functions.
4.2.7 Pop-up window Select a menu item then press to display a pop-up window with the configuration options for that item. Main Advanced Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Power Boot Exit System Time System Date Language 15 : 30 : 36 Wed, Nov 5 2004 [English] Legacy Diskette A: [1.44M, 3.5 in.] Legacy Diskette A: Primary IDE Master [ST321122A] Disabled ..... [ ] Primary IDE Slave [ASUS CDS520/A] Secondary IDE Master 360K , 5.25 in. [None] ..... [ ] Secondary IDE Slave 1.2M , 5.25 in.
4.3 Main menu When you enter the BIOS Setup program, the Main menu screen appears, giving you an overview of the basic system information. Refer to section “4.2.1 BIOS menu screen” for information on the menu screen items and how to navigate through them. Main Advanced Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Power Boot Exit System Time System Date Language 15 : 30 : 36 Wed, Nov 5 2004 [English] Legacy Diskette A: [1.44M, 3.5 in.
4.3.5 Primary and Secondary IDE Master/Slave While entering Setup, the BIOS automatically detects the presence of IDE devices. There is a separate sub-menu for each IDE device. Select a device item then press to display the IDE device information.
Access Mode [Auto] The default [Auto] allows automatic detection of an IDE hard disk drive. Select [CHS] for this item if you set the IDE Primary Master/Slave to [Manual]. Configuration options: [CHS] [LBA] [Large] [Auto] Before attempting to configure a hard disk drive, make sure you have the correct configuration information supplied by the drive manufacturer. Incorrect settings may cause the system to fail to recognize the installed hard disk. Capacity Displays the auto-detected hard disk capacity.
4.3.5 First, Second, Third, Fourth SATA Master While entering Setup, the BIOS automatically detects the presence of Serial ATA devices. There is a separate sub-menu for each SATA device. Select a device item then press to display the SATA device information.
Head Shows the number of the hard disk read/write heads. This item is not configurable. Precomp Shows the number of precomp per track. This item is not configurable. Landing Zone Shows the number of landing zone per track. This item is not configurable. Sector Shows the number of sectors per track. This item is not configurable. After entering the IDE hard disk drive information into BIOS, use a disk utility, such as FDISK, to partition and format new IDE hard disk drives.
4.4 Advanced menu The Advanced menu items allow you to change the settings for the CPU and other system devices. Take caution when changing the settings of the Advanced menu items. Incorrect field values can cause the system to malfunction. Main Advanced Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Power Boot Exit CPU Configuration PCIPnP Onboard Device Configuration SLI Configuration JumperFree Configuration LAN Cable Status PEG Link Mode Speech Configuration Instant Music F1:Help ESC: Exit 4.4.
DRAM Configuration The items in this sub-menu show the DRAM-related information auto-detected by the BIOS.
Row precharge Time (Trp) [Auto] Sets the Row precharge time. Precharge to Active or Auto-Refresh of the same bank. Configuration options: [Auto] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] Row Cycle Time (Trc) [Auto] Sets the row cycle time. Configuration options: [Auto] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] Row Refresh Cycle Time (Trfc) [Auto] Sets the row refresh cycle time. Configuration options: [Auto] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] Write Recovery Time (Twr) [Auto] Sets the write recovery time.
4.4.2 PCIPnP Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Advanced Frequency/Voltage control Plug & Play O/S Init Display First Resources Controlled By x IRQ Resources PCI/VGA Palette Snoop F1:Help ESC: Exit ↑↓ : Select Item →←: Select Menu [No] [PCI Slot] Select Menu Item Specific Help [Auto] [Disabled] -/+: Change Value Enter: Select Sub-menu F5: Setup Defaults F10: Save and Exit Plug & Play O/S [No] When set to [No], the BIOS configures all the devices in the system.
IRQ Resources This sub-menu is activated only when the R e s o u r c e s C o n t r o l l e d B y item is set to Manual.
IDE Function Setup This sub-menu contains IDE function-related items. Select an item then press to edit.
SATA2 DMA transfer [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the SATA2 DMA transfer access. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] IDE Prefetch Mode [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the IDE prefetch mode. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] NVRAID Configuration This sub-menu contains NVRAID function-related items. Select an item then press to edit.
USB Configuration The items in this menu allows you to change the USB-related features. Select an item then press to display the configuration options. Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Advanced USB Configuration USB Controller USB2.
OnBoard LAN2 Boot ROM [Disabled] Allows you to enable or disable the onboard LAN 2 boot ROM. This item is user-configurable only when the PCI Giga LAN item is Enabled. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] AC97 Audio [Enabled] Allows you to disable or enabled the onboard AC97 audio controller. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] PCI IEEE 1394a [Enabled] Allows you to disable or enabled the onboard PCI IEEE 1394 controller.
4.4.4 SLI Configuration Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Advanced SLI Configuration EZ-Plug Warning AI-Selector ↑↓ : Select Item →←: Select Menu F1:Help ESC: Exit [Enabled] [Auto] -/+: Change Value Enter: Select Sub-menu Select Menu Item Specific Help F5: Setup Defaults F10: Save and Exit EZ-Plug Warning [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the EZ-Plug warning feature. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] AI Selector [Auto] Allows you to set the AI selector.
4.4.5 JumperFree Configuration Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Advanced JumperFree Configuration x x x x x x x x x x Overclock Profile Overclock Options N.O.S. Option CPU Frequency PCI Express Clock DDR Voltage Chipset Voltage HT Voltage CPU Multiplier CPU Voltage PCI Clock Synchronization Mode ↑↓ : Select Item →←: Select Menu F1:Help ESC: Exit [Auto] Disable Disable 200.00 100Mhz Auto +1.5V +1.
Selecting a very high CPU frequency may cause the system to become unstable! If this happens, revert to the default setting. PCI Express Clock [100MHz] Allows you to set the PCI Express clock. Key-in a decimal value between 100-200 MHz. Configuration options: [100Mhz] [101Mhz~[145Mhz] DDR Voltage [Auto] Sets the operating DDR voltage. Configuration options: [Auto] [2.60V] [2.65V] [2.70V] [2.75V] [2.80V] [2.85V] [2.90V] [2.95V] [3.00V] Chipset Voltage [+1.5V] Sets the operating chipset voltage.
The following item is user-configurable only when the AI Overclocking item is set to [AI Overclock]. Overclock Options [Disable] Allows you to set the oveclocking options. Configuration options: [Disable] [Overclock 3%] [Overclock 5%] [Overclock 8%] [Overclock 10%] The following item is user-configurable only when the AI Overclocking item is set to [AI N.O.S.]. N.O.S. Option [Disable] Sets the Non-Delay Overclocking System mode.
4.4.7 PEG Link Mode Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Advanced JumperFree Configuration PEG Link Mode PEG Root Control PEG Buffer Length F1:Help ESC: Exit ↑↓ : Select Item →←: Select Menu [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] -/+: Change Value Enter: Select Sub-menu Select Menu Item Specific Help Enhance performance on PCIE serial graphics card. F5: Setup Defaults F10: Save and Exit PEG Link Mode [Disabled] Allows you to enhance the performance of your PCI Express graphics card.
4.4.8 Speech Configuration Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Advanced JumperFree Configuration Speech IC Reporter Report IDE Error Report System Booting [Enabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] Select Menu Item Specific Help Enable/Disable Speech IC Controller Speech IC Reporter [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the ASUS Speech POST Reporter™ feature. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] The following items appear only when Speech POST Reporter is set to Enabled.
4.5 Power menu The Power menu items allow you to change the settings for the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) and the Advanced Power Management (APM). Select an item then press to display the configuration options. Main Advanced Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Power Boot Exit ACPI Suspend Type ACPI APIC support APM Configuration Hardware Monitor F1:Help ESC: Exit 4.5.
4.5.
Power On By RTC Alarm [Disabled] Allows you to enable or disable RTC to generate a wake event. When this item is set to Enabled, the items Date of Month Alarm and Time (hh:mm:ss) Alarm items become user-configurable with set values. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Day of Month Alarm [Disabled] To set the date of alarm, highlight this item and press to display the Day of Month Alarm pop-up menu. Key-in a value within the specified range then press .
4.5.4 Hardware Monitor The items in this sub-menu displays the hardware monitor values automatically detected by the BIOS. It also allows you to change CPU Q-Fan feature-related parameters. Select an item then press to display the configuration options. Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Power Hardware Monitor Q-Fan Controller Vcore Voltage 3.
CPU Target Temperature Allows you to set the temperature threshold before the CPU fan stops. Configuration options: [51ºC] [54ºC] [57ºC] [60ºC] [63ºC] [66ºC] [69ºC] [72ºC] [75ºC] [78ºC] [81ºC] CPU Fan Speed warning [1200 RPM] Allows you to set the CPU fan warning speed. Configuration options: [Disabled] [800 RPM] [1200 RPM] [1600 RPM] CHA1 Fan Speed warning [Disabled] Allows you to set the chassis fan warning speed.
4.6 Boot menu The Boot menu items allow you to change the system boot options. Select an item then press to display the sub-menu. Main Advanced Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Power Boot Exit Boot Device Priority Removable Drives Hard Disk Drives CDROM Drives Boot Settings Configuration Security ↑↓ : Select Item →←: Select Menu F1:Help ESC: Exit 4.6.
4.6.2 Removable Drives Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Removable Drives 1. Floppy Disks Select Menu Item Specific Help Use <↑> or <↓> to select a device, then press <+> to move it up, or <-> to move it down the list. Press to exit this menu. F1:Help ESC: Exit ↑↓ : Select Item →←: Select Menu -/+: Change Value Enter: Select Sub-menu F5: Setup Defaults F10: Save and Exit 1. Floppy Disks Allows you to assign a removable drive attached to the system. 4.6.
4.6.4 CDROM Drives Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot CDROM Drives Select Menu 1. 1st Slave: XXXXXXXXX Item Specific Help Use <↑> or <↓> to select a device, then press <+> to move it up, or <-> to move it down the list. Press to exit this menu. F1:Help ESC: Exit ↑↓ : Select Item →←: Select Menu -/+: Change Value Enter: Select Sub-menu F5: Setup Defaults F10: Save and Exit 1. 1st Slave: XXXXXXXXX Allows you to assign optical drives attached to the system. 4.6.
Boot Up Floppy Seek [Enabled] Enables or disables the chassis open status feature. Setting to Enabled, clears the chassis open status. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Bootup Num-Lock [On] Allows you to select the power-on state for the NumLock. Configuration options: [Off] [On] Typematic Rate Setting [Disabled] Allows you to set the keystroke rate. Enable this item to configure the T y p e m a t i c R a t e ( C h a r s / S e c ) and the T y p e m a t i c D e l a y ( M s e c )).
4.6.6 Security Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Boot Settings Configuration Supervisor Password User Password Password Check F1:Help ESC: Exit ↑↓ : Select Item →←: Select Menu Clear Clear [Setup] -/+: Change Value Enter: Select Sub-menu Select Menu Item Specific Help Supervisor password controls full access, to change password. F5: Setup Defaults F10: Save and Exit Supervisor Password User Password These fields allow you to set passwords: To set a password: 1.
A note about passwords The Supervisor password is required to enter the BIOS Setup program preventing unauthorized access. The User password is required to boot the system preventing unauthorized use. Forgot your password? If you forget your password, you can clear it by erasing the CMOS Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM. The RAM data containing the password information is powered by the onboard button cell battery. If you need to erase the CMOS RAM, refer to section “2.6 Jumpers” for instructions.
4.7 Exit menu The Exit menu items allow you to load the optimal or failsafe default values for the BIOS items, and save or discard your changes to the BIOS items. Main Advanced Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Power Boot Exit Select Menu Exit & Save Changes Exit & Discard Changes Load Setup Default Discard Changes F1:Help ESC: Exit ↑↓ : Select Item →←: Select Menu Item Specific Help This option save data to CMOS and exiting the setup menu.
Load Setup Defaults This option allows you to load the default values for each of the parameters on the Setup menus. When you select this option or if you press , a confirmation window appears. Select Y e s to load default values. Select E x i t & S a v e C h a n g e s or make other changes before saving the values to the non-volatile RAM. Discard Changes This option allows you to discard the selections you made and restore the previously saved values.
4-48 Chapter 4: BIOS setup
This chapter describes the contents of the support CD that comes with the motherboard package.
Chapter summary 5.1 Installing an operating system ............................................. 5-1 5.2 Support CD information ........................................................ 5-1 5.4 Software information ........................................................... 5-9 5.5 RAID configurations ............................................................ 5-21 5.6 Creating a RAID driver disk ................................................. 5-40 5.7 Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology .............
5.1 Installing an operating system This motherboard supports Windows® 2000/XP operating systems (OS). Always install the latest OS version and corresponding updates to maximize the features of your hardware. 5.2 • Motherboard settings and hardware options vary. Use the setup procedures presented in this chapter for reference only. Refer to your OS documentation for detailed information.
5.2.2 Drivers menu The drivers menu shows the available device drivers if the system detects installed devices. Install the necessary drivers to activate the devices. Nvidia Chipset Driver Program Installs the NVIDIA® Chipset drivers for the NVIDIA® nForce™ 4 SLI chipset. Make NVIDIA RAID Driver Disk Creates the NVIDIA® driver disk for Serial ATA and RAID features. Marvell Yukon Gigabit Ethernet Driver Installs the Marvell® Yukon Gigabit Ethernet driver.
USB 2.0 Driver Installs the Universal Serial Bus 2.0 (USB 2.0) driver. The screen display and drivers option may not be the same for different operating system versions. 5.2.3 Utilities menu The Utilities menu shows the applications and other software that the motherboard supports. NVIDIA Chipset nTune Utility Installs the NVIDIA® nTune™ utility that allows easy and safe system tuning for optimum performance.
ASUS AI Booster The ASUS AI Booster application allows you to overclock the CPU speed in a Windows® environment. ASUS AI Selector The ASUS AI Selector utility allows you to set the video card mode of your system. Microsoft DirectX Installs the Microsoft® DirectX 9.0 driver. The Microsoft DirectX® 9.0 is a multimedia technology that enhances computer graphics and sound.
5.2.4 Manuals menu The Manuals menu contains a list of supplementary user manuals. Click an item to open the folder of the user manual. • Most user manual files are in Portable Document Format (PDF). Install the Adobe® Acrobat® Reader from the U t i l i t i e s m e n u before opening a user manual file. • Some user manuals listed in this menu may not be applicable for this motherboard model.
5.2.5 ASUS Contact information Click the C o n t a c t tab to display the ASUS contact information. You can also find this information on the inside front cover of this user guide. 5.2.6 Other information The icons on the top right corner of the screen give additional information on the motherboard and the contents of the support CD. Click an icon to display the specified information. Motherboard Info Displays the general specifications of the motherboard.
Browse this CD Displays the support CD contents in graphical format. Technical support Form Displays the ASUS Technical Support Request Form that you have to fill out when requesting technical support.
Filelist Displays the contents of the support CD and a brief description of each in text format.
5.4 Software information Most of the applications in the support CD have wizards that will conveniently guide you through the installation. View the online help or readme file that came with the software application for more information. 5.4.1 ASUS MyLogo2™ The ASUS MyLogo2™ utility lets you customize the boot logo. The boot logo is the image that appears on screen during the Power-On Self-Tests (POST).
7. When the logo images appear on the right window pane, select an image to enlarge by clicking on it. 8. Adjust the boot image to your desired size by selecting a value on the R a t i o box. 9. When the screen returns to the ASUS Update utility, flash the original BIOS to load the new boot logo. 10. After flashing the BIOS, restart the computer to display the new boot logo during POST.
5.4.2 AI NET 2 The Marvell® Virtual Cable Tester™ (VCT) is a cable diagnostic utility that reports LAN cable faults and shorts using the Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) technology. The VCT detects and reports open and shorted cables, impedance mismatches, pair swaps, pair polarity problems, and pair skew problems of up to 100 meters at one meter accuracy. The VCT feature reduces networking and support costs through a highly manageable and controlled network system.
5.4.3 Audio configurations The Realtek® ALC850 AC ‘97 audio CODEC provides 8-channel audio capability to deliver the ultimate audio experience on your PC. The software provides Jack-Sensing function (Line-In, Line-Out, Mic-In), S/PDIF out support and interrupt capability. The ALC850 also includes the Realtek® proprietary UAJ® (Universal Audio Jack) technology for three ports (Line-In, Line-Out and Mic-In), eliminating cable connection errors and giving users plug and play convenience.
To set the sound effect options: 1. From the Realtek Audio Control Panel, click the S o u n d E f f e c t button. 2. Click the shortcut buttons to change the acoustic environment, adjust the equalizer, or set the karaoke to your desired settings. 3. The audio settings take effect immediately after you click on the buttons. Click the Exit (X X ) button on the upper-right hand corner of the window to exit. 4.
Speaker Configuration This option allows you to set your speaker configuration. To set the speaker configuration: 1. From the Realtek Audio Control Panel, click the S p e a k e r C o n f i g u r a t i o n button. 2. Select from the combo list box your current speaker setup, then click A u t o T e s t to test your settings. Click the U A J A u t o m a t i c button to enable or disable the Universal Audio Jack(UAJ®) technology feature.
AI Audio feature The AI Audio feature works through the connector sensing option that allows you to check if your audio devices are connected properly. To start the connector sensing: 1. From the Realtek Audio Control Panel, click the C o n n e c t o r S e n s i n g button. 2. Click the B r a c k e t button to display connected audio devices. Click the O p t i o n button to change sensing options. 3. 4. Click the S t a r t button to start connection sensing.
6. 7. 8. If there are detected problems, make sure that your audio cables are connected to the proper audio jack and repeat connector sensing. Click the X button to exit EZ-connection dialog box. X ) button on the upper-right hand corner of the window Click the Exit (X to exit audio control panel. HRTF Demo This option shows a demo of the Head-Related Transfer Functions (HRTF). To start the HRTF demo: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5-16 From the Realtek Audio Control Panel, click the H R T F D e m o button.
General settings This option shows the audio settings and allows you to change the language setting or toggle the SoundEffect icon display on the Windows taskbar. To display the general settings: 1. From the Realtek Audio Control Panel, click the G e n e r a l button. 2. Click the option button to enable or disable the icon display on the Windows taskbar. Click the L a n g u a g e combo list box to change language display. 3. 4.
5.4.4 Using the NVIDIA® Firewall™ The motherboard supports the NVIDIA® Firewall™ (NVFirewall™) application that protects your computer from intruders. The NVFirewall™ is classified as a personal firewall or desktop firewall that works at the device level to protect your system from malicious computer code by controlling the connections to and from your computer and alerting you for attempted intrusions. The following sections describe how to use the NVIDIA® Firewall™.
Setting security profiles The NVFirewall™ application allows several security profiles to match your system security needs. The following describes the NVFirewall™ security profiles: • • • • L o w - allows safe incoming connections and deny those that are known to be dangerous connections. This profile also enables some anti-hacking features. M e d i u m - blocks most incoming connections. Incoming connections to some ports must be set to allow file transfers using some online messaging applications.
Turning the NVFirewall™ off Take caution when using this option, your computer becomes vulnerable to viruses, hackers or intruders after you turn off the firewall. To turn off the NVFirewall™: 1. From the NVIDIA Firewall™ summary menu, click the Current Firewall Profile combo list box then select O f ff. The following confirmation box appears. 2. Click T u r n F i r e w a l l O F FF.
5.5 RAID configurations The motherboard comes with the Silicon Image Sil3114 and the NVIDIA® SLI Southbridge RAID controllers that allow you to configure IDE and Serial ATA hard disk drives as RAID sets. The motherboard supports the following RAID configurations. R A I D 0 (Data striping) optimizes two identical hard disk drives to read and write data in parallel, interleaved stacks.
If you want to boot the system from a hard disk drive included in a RAID set, copy first the RAID driver from the support CD to a floppy disk before you install an operating system to a selected hard disk drive. Refer to section “5.6 Creating a RAID driver disk” for details. 5.5.1 Installing hard disks The motherboard supports Ultra DMA /133/100/66 and Serial ATA hard disk drives. For optimal performance, install identical drives of the same model and capacity when creating a disk array.
5.5.2 NVIDIA® RAID configurations The motherboard includes a high performance IDE RAID controller integrated in the NVIDIA® SLI southbridge chipset. It supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, and JBOD with four independent Serial ATA channels. Setting the BIOS RAID items After installing the hard disk drives, make sure to set the necessary RAID items in the BIOS before setting your RAID configuration. To set the BIOS RAID items: 1. 2.
Entering the NVIDIA® RAID utility To enter the NVIDIA® RAID utility: 1. Boot up your computer. 2. During POST, press to display the main menu of the utility. The RAID BIOS setup screens shown in this section are for reference only, and may not exactly match the items on your screen. NVIDIA RAID Utility Oct 5 2004 - Define a New Array RAID Mode: Striping Striping Block: Free Disks Loc Disk Model Name Array Disks Loc Disk Model Name 1.0.M 1.1.M 2.0.M 2.1.
2. Press select the Striping Block then press . The following submenu appears: 8K ↑ 16K 32K 64K 128K Optim↓ If you selected Striping or Stripe Mirroring, use the up or down arrow keys to select the stripe size for your RAID 0 array then press .The available values range from 8 KB to 128 KB. The default selection is 128 KB. The strip value should be chosen based on the planned drive usage.
NVIDIA RAID Utility Oct 5 2004 - Array List Boot Id Status Vendor Array Model Name No 4 Healthy NVIDIA MIRROR [Ctrl-X]Exit [↑↓]Select [B]Set Boot XXX.XXG [N]New Array [ENTER]Detail A new set of navigation keys is displayed on the bottom of the screen. 6. Press to save settings and exit. Rebuilding a RAID array To rebuild a RAID array: 1. From the Array List menu, use the up or down arrow keys to select a RAID array then press . The RAID Array details appear.
A new set of navigation keys is displayed on the bottom of the screen. 2. Press to rebuild a RAID array. The following screen appears. Array 1 : NVIDIA MIRROR XXX.XXG - Select Disk Inside Array RAID Mode: Mirroring Striping Width: 1 Striping Block: 64K Adapt Channel M/S Index Disk Model Name Capacity 2 1 1 0 Master Master 0 1 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX.XXGB XXX.XXGB [↑↓] Select [F6] Back 3.
Deleting a RAID array To delete a RAID array: 1. From the Array List menu, use the up or down arrow keys to select a RAID array then press . The RAID Array details appear. Array 1 : NVIDIA MIRROR XXX.XXG - Array Detail RAID Mode: Mirroring Striping Width: 1 Striping Block: 64K Adapt Channel M/S Index Disk Model Name Capacity 2 1 1 0 Master Master 0 1 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX.XXGB XXX.
Clearing a disk data To clear disk data: 1. From the Array List menu, use the up or down arrow keys to select a RAID array then press . The RAID Array details appear. Array 1 : NVIDIA MIRROR XXX.XXG - Array Detail RAID Mode: Mirroring Striping Width: 1 Striping Block: 64K Adapt Channel M/S Index Disk Model Name Capacity 2 1 1 0 Master Master 0 1 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX.XXGB XXX.
5.5.3 Silicon Image RAID configurations The Silicon Image RAID controller supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 10, JBOD, and RAID 5 configurations. Use the Silicon Image RAID utility to configure a disk array. Setting the BIOS RAID items After installing the hard disk drives, make sure to set the necessary RAID items in the BIOS before setting your RAID configuration. To set the BIOS RAID items: 1. 2. Boot the system and press during the Power-On Self-Test (POST) to enter the BIOS Setup Utility.
Entering the Silicon Image BIOS RAID Configuration Utility To enter the Silicon Image BIOS RAID configuration utility: 1. Boot up your computer. 2. During POST, press or . The RAID BIOS setup screens shown in this section are for reference only, and may not exactly match the items on your screen. RAID Configuration Utility - Silicon Image Inc.
Creating a RAID 0 set (Striped) To create a RAID set: 1. 2. 3. From the Silicon Image configuration utility main menu, select Create RAID set then press to display an option menu. Select R A I D 0 then press to display the following.
T I P : For server systems, we recommend using a lower array block size. For multimedia computer systems used mainly for audio and video editing, we recommend a higher array block size for optimum performance. c. The selection bar moves to the Physical Drive menu. Using the up or down arrow keys, select a drive then press to set the first drive of the RAID set. PHYSICAL DRIVE 0 1 2 3 XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXMB XXXXXXMB XXXXXXMB XXXXXXMB d.
3. Select your desired method of configuration. Auto configuration a. Select Auto Configuration then press . b. The utility prompts a message to input the RAID size, use the up or down arrow keys to set the RAID size then press . c. Press to confirm or to return to the Main Menu. • Auto-configuration creates a RAID 1 set without a backup copy of the current source disk data. • When migrating a single hard disk drive to a RAID 1 set, use of the Manual configuration is recommended.
e. If you selected Create with data copy y, the following pop-up menu appears. MAIN MENU Auto configuration Manual configuration online copy offline copy The o n l i n e c o p y option automatically copies the data to the target drives on the background while writing to the source drives. The o f f l i n e c o p y option allows you to copy the contents of the source drive to the target drives now. f. Use the up or down arrow keys to select desired copy method, then press . g.
3. Select your desired method of configuration. Auto configuration a. Select Auto Configuration then press . b. The utility prompts a message to input the RAID size, use the up or down arrow keys to set the RAID size then press . c. Press to confirm or to return to the Main Menu. Manual configuration a. Select M a n u a l c o n f i g u r a t i o n and press . The following pop-up menu appears. MAIN MENU Auto configuration Manual configuration b.
Creating a RAID 10 set (Mirrored+Striped) To create a RAID 10 set: 1. 2. 3. From the Silicon Image configuration utility main menu, select Create RAID set then press . The following sub-menu appears. Select R A I D 1 0 then press to display the following.
c. The selection bar moves to the Physical Drive menu. Using the up or down arrow keys, select a drive then press to set the first drive of the RAID set. PHYSICAL DRIVE 0 1 2 3 XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXMB XXXXXXMB XXXXXXMB XXXXXXMB d. Repeat step c to set the second, third, and fourth drive. The number of available drives depend on the installed and enabled physical drives in the system. e. After setting the RAID drives, the following pop-up menu appears.
g. Use the up or down arrow keys to select desired copy method, then press . h. The utility prompts a message to input the RAID size, use the up or down arrow keys to set the RAID size then press . i. Press to confirm or to return to the Main Menu. A copy progress appears if you previously selected offline copy. • You can also create a RAID set using the SATARAID5 GUI utility under a Windows® environment.
5.6 Creating a RAID driver disk A floppy disk with the RAID driver is required when installing Windows® 2000/XP operating system on a hard disk drive that is included in a RAID set. To create a RAID driver disk: 1. 2. Place the motherboard support CD into the CD-ROM drive. When the D r i v e r s menu appears, select the RAID driver disk you want to create: • Click M a k e N V I D I A R A I D D r i v e r to create an NVIDIA® RAID driver disk.
5.7 Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology The motherboard supports the AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology that dynamically and automatically change the CPU speed, voltage, and amount of power depending on the task the CPU performs. 5.7.1 Enabling Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology To enable Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology: 1. 2. 3. Turn on the system and enter BIOS by pressing the key during the Power On Self-Tests (POST).
5.7.2 Launching the Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ software The motherboard support CD includes the Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ software that enables you to view your system’s real-time CPU Frequency and voltage. Make sure to install the Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ software from the motherboard support CD. Refer to section “5.2.3 Utilities menu”, for details. To launch the Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ program: 1. 2. 3. 5-42 If you are using Windows® 98SE/ME/2000, click the S t a r t button.
5.8 Using the NVIDIA® nTune™ utility The motherboard supports the NVIDIA® nTune™ utility that allows easy and safe system tuning for optimum performance. This utility provides the safest and easiest way to tweak voltages or change system bus speeds and memory timings for maximum system performance. Follow the N V I D I A C h i p s e t D r i v e r P r o g r a m installation wizard to install the NVIDIA® nTune™ utility from the motherboard support CD.
5.8.2 Clock control The Clock control menu allows dynamic modifications for system bus speeds and memory controller timing. The system bus speed includes the front side bus (FSB) and AGP bus. Click to launch the Clock control menu 5.8.3 Voltage/Fan control The Voltage/Fan control menu allows tweaking options for the CPU and memory voltage. This menu also allows dynamic modifications for the CPU and auxiliary fan speeds.
5.8.4 Information The information page displays related information about the processor, memory, motherboard, nForce™ profile, version information, and the calculated system performance results. Click to launch the Information page 5.8.5 Other options Other option buttons allow you to easily save or revert your settings and save or load nTune™ profiles.
5.9 Using the ASUS AI Selector utility The motherboard support CD comes with the ASUS AI Selector that allows you to set the video card mode of your system. Follow the A I S e l e c t o r installation wizard to install the AI Selector utility from the motherboard support CD. Use this utility only when you have two graphics cards installed in your system. 5.9.
The utility prompts you to restart your system after setting the video card mode. Click Y e s to implement settings and restart your system or N o to return to the AI Selector menu. 5.9.2 Using the SLI mode To use SLI mode: 1. Set the S L I M u l t i - G P U feature in Display Properties. See section “6.2.4 Enabling the multi-GPU feature in Windows” on page 6-6 for details. 2. d. Select D u a l v i d e o c a r d When prompted, click Y e s to restart your system. 3.
5-48 Chapter 5: Software support
This chapter tells how to install SLI-ready PCI Express graphics cards.
Chapter summary 6.1 Overview ............................................................................... 6-1 6.2 Dual graphics cards setup ....................................................
6.1 Overview The motherboard supports the NVIDIA® SLI™ (Scalable Link Interface) technology that allows you to install two identical PCI Express™ x16 graphics cards. Follow the installation procedures in this section. 6.1.1 Requirements • You should have two identical SLI-ready graphics cards that are NVIDIA® certified. • Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) for a list of qualified SLI-ready graphics cards for this motherboard.
GeForce 6800 GT models Vendor Model Number ASUS EN6800GT BFG BFG BFGO68256GTOCX eVGA 256-P2-N376-AX/BX Gigabyte GV-NX68T256DH Leadtek WinFast PX6800 GT XFX/Pine XFX GeForce 6800GT PCI-E (PV-T45G-UD) GeForce 6600 GT models Vendor 6-2 Model Number Albatron GF6600GT AOpen Aeolus 6600GT-DV128 Asus Extreme N6600GT BFG BFGR6600GTOCX Chaintech SE6600G eVGA 128-P2-N368-AX/BX Gigabyte NX66T128D Leadtek WinFast PX6600GT MSI MS-8983 NX6600GT-VTD128E/NX6600GT-TD128E Palit GeForce 660
6.2 Dual graphics card setup 6.2.1 Installing SLI-ready graphics cards Install only identical SLI-ready graphics cards that are ASUS and NVIDIA® certified. Different types of graphics cards will not work together properly. To install the graphics cards: 1. Prepare two graphics cards. Each graphics card should have goldfingers for the SLI connector. Goldfingers 2. Remove the metal bracket covers opposite the two PCI Express x16 slots.
3. Insert one graphics card into the blue slot labeled P C I E X 1 6 _ 1 1. Make sure that the card is properly seated on the slot. 4. Insert the second graphics card into the black slot labeled PCIEX16_2 2. Make sure that the card is properly seated on the slot. If required, connect an auxiliary power source to the PCI Express graphics cards.
5. Align and insert the SLI connector to the goldfingers on each graphics card. Make sure that the connector is firmly in place. SLI connector 6. If using a 20-pin ATX power connector, connect a 4-pin ATX power cable to the EZ Plug™ labeled E Z _ P L U G on your motherboard. ASUS EZ Plug™ The onboard red warning LED lights up if you do not plug a 4-pin ATX power cable to the EZ Plug.
7. Remove any of the two bracket covers between the graphics cards. Bracket slot 8. Align and insert the retention bracket into the slot then secure it with a screw. Make sure that the retention bracket firmly supports the two graphics cards. Retention bracket 9. Connect a V G A c a b l e or a D V I - I c a b l e to the graphics card installed on the b l u e PCI Express slot. 6.2.
6.2.4 Enabling the multi-GPU feature in Windows After installing your graphics cards and the device drivers, enable the Multi-Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) feature in the NVIDIA nView properties. To enable the multi-GPU feature: 1. Click the N V I D I A S e t t i n g s i c o n on your Windows taskbar. NVIDIA Settings icon 2. From the pop-up menu, select nView Desktop Manager then click n V i e w P r o p e r t i e ss. 3.
5. From the Display Properties dialog box, select the S e t t i n g s tab then click A d v a n c e d d. 6. Select the N V I D I A G e F o r c e tab. 7. Click the slider to display the following screen, then select the S L I m u l t i - G P U item.
8. 9. Click the E n a b l e S L I m u l t i - G P U check box. Click O K when done. 6.2.5 Setting the ASUS AI Selector utility From the AI Selector utility, select Dual video Cards then click Yes to restart your system. Refer to the Table 1 below the AI Selector card settings. See section “5.9 Using the ASUS AI Selector utility” on page 5-46 for details.
6-10 C h a p t e r 6 : N V I D I A® S L I ™ t e c h n o l o g y s u p p o r t
This chapter describes the contents of the support CD that comes with the motherboard package.
Chapter summary A.1 Using the SATA extension module .......................................
A.1 Using the SATA extension module Your motherboard package comes with a 2-port Serial ATA extension module that allows you to externally connect two Serial ATA hard drives. A.1.1 Installing the 2-port SATA extension module To install your 2-port Serial ATA extension module: 1. Select an available expansion card slot on the rear panel of your chassis. 2. Place the 2-port Serial ATA extension module on the available slot and secure it with a screw. 3.
A.1.2 Installing SATA hard drives To install Serial ATA hard drives: 1. Connect one end of the first SATA signal cable to the SATA connector labeled S A T A 1 1. 2. Connect the other end of the SATA signal cable to the SATA connector on the first drive. 3. Connect one end of the second SATA signal cable to the other SATA connector labeled S A T A 2 2. 4. Connect the other end of the second SATA signal cable to the SATA connector on the second drive. 5.
