User Guide Motherboard SK8N
E1379 Checklist Revised Edition V2 November 2003 Copyright © 2003 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 Features Notices ........................................................................................... vi Safety information ......................................................................... vii About this guide ............................................................................ viii How this guide is organized ................................................ viii Conventions used in this guide ............................................. ix Typography .....................
Contents Safeguards 2.6 2.7 2.5.3 Interrupt assignments .......................................... 2-16 2.5.4 PCI slots .............................................................. 2-17 2.5.5 AGP slot ............................................................... 2-17 Jumpers ............................................................................ 2-18 Connectors ....................................................................... 2-20 2.7.1 Rear panel connectors ................................
Contents 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Advanced menu ............................................................... 4-15 4.4.1 CPU Configuration ............................................... 4-15 4.4.2 Chipset ................................................................. 4-16 4.4.3 Onboard Devices Configuration ........................... 4-24 4.4.4 PCI PnP ............................................................... 4-25 Power menu .....................................................................
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 the motherboard. How this guide is organized This manual contains the following parts: • Chapter 1: Product introduction This chapter describes the motherboard features of the and the new technologies it supports. • Chapter 2: Hardware information This chapter lists the hardware setup procedures that you have to perform when installing system components.
Conventions used in this guide To make sure that you perform certain tasks properly, take note of the following symbols used throughout this manual. DANGER/WARNING: Information to prevent injury to yourself when trying to complete a task. CAUTION: Information to prevent damage to the components when trying to complete a task. IMPORTANT: Information that you MUST follow to complete a task. NOTE: Tips and additional information to aid in completing a task.
SK8N specifications summary CPU Socket 940 for AMD Athlon™ 64 FX and AMD Opteron™ processors Chipset NVIDIA® nForce 3 Pro150 System Bus Scalable Hyper-Transport Bus Memory Dual-channel memory architecture 4 x 184-pin DDR DIMM sockets for up to 8GB memory that supports registered ECC and non-ECC PC3200/ PC2700/PC2100 DDR DIMMs Expansion slots 1 x AGP 8X/4X 5 x PCI Storage Supported by SouthBridge - 2 x UltraDMA 133/100 connectors Supported by Promise PDC20378 RAID controller - 1 x UltraDMA 133 - 2
SK8N specifications summary Internal I/O Floppy disk drive connector Primary/Secondary IDE connectors 2 x Serial ATA connectors RAID ATA connector Internal audio connectors Front panel audio connector 2 x USB 2.0 connectors for 4 additional USB ports CPU/Chassis/Power fan connectors 20-pin/4-pin ATX 12V power connectors CD/AUX connectors S/PDIF out connector GAME/MIDI connector IEEE 1394 connector Serial port 2 connector BIOS features 4Mb Flash EEPROM AMI BIOS with enhanced ACPI, PnP, DMI2.
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Chapter 1 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! Thank you for buying the ASUS® SK8N motherboard! The motherboard delivers a host of new features and latest technologies making it another standout in the long line of ASUS quality motherboards! The motherboard combines the powers of the AMD Athlon™ 64 FX or AMD Opteron™ processor and the NVIDIA nForce3 Pro150 chipset to set a new benchmark for an effective desktop platform solution.
1.3 Special features 1.3.1 Product Highlights Latest processor technology The 940-pin ZIF socket on the motheboard supports the AMD Athlon™ 64 FX and AMD Opteron™ processors. The AMD Opteron™ processor represents the industry’s first x86-64 technology, while the AMD Athlon™ 64 FX is a 64-bit PC processor designed specifically for cinematic computing. 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.
S/PDIF out The motherboard supports S/PDIF out function that turns your computer into a high-end entertainment system with digital connectivity to powerful speaker systems. IEEE 1394 support The IEEE 1394 interface provides high-speed and flexible PC connectivity to a wide range of peripherals and devices compliant to IEEE 1394a standards.
1.3.2 Unique ASUS features ASUS Q-Fan technology The ASUS Q-Fan technology smartly adjusts the fan speeds according to the system loading to ensure quiet, cool, and efficient operation. See page 4-30. CrashFree BIOS 2 This feature allows you to restore the original BIOS data from the ASUS support CD in case when the BIOS codes and data are corrupted. This protection eliminates the need to buy a replacement ROM chip. See page 4-5.
Chapter 2 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 ........................................................ 2-18 2.7 Connectors ...................................................
2.1 Before you proceed Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard components or change any motherboard settings. 1. Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any component. 2. Use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded object or to a metal object, such as the power supply case, before handling components to avoid damaging them due to static electricity. 3. Hold components by the edges to avoid touching the ICs on them. 4.
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 may 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.
2.2.4 Layout Contents Expansion slots 1. PCI slots p. 2-17 2. AGP slot p. 2-17 3. DDR DIMM slots p. 2-11 Jumpers 1. Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC1) p. 2-18 2. Boot Block Write-protect (2-pin J1) p. 2-19 3. USB device wake-up (3-pin USBPWR12, USBPWR34) p. 2-19 Rear Panel Connectors 2-4 1. PS/2 mouse port p. 2-20 2. Parallel port p. 2-20 3. IEEE 1394 port p. 2-20 4. Gigabit LAN port (RJ-45) p. 2-20 5. Line In jack p. 2-20 5. Line Out jack p. 2-20 6. Microphone jack p. 2-20 7. USB 2.
Internal Connectors 1. Primary IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE) p. 2-21 2. Secondary IDE connector (40-1 pin SEC_IDE) p. 2-21 3. Floppy disk connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY) p. 2-22 4. RAID ATA connector (40-1 pin PRI_RAID) p. 2-22 5. Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA_RAID1, SATA_RAID2) p. 2-23 6. CPU fan connector (3-pin CPU_FAN) p. 2-24 7. Power fan connector (3-pin PWR_FAN) p. 2-24 8. Chassis fan connector (3-pin CHA_FAN) p. 2-24 9. Serial Port 2 connector (10-1 pin COM2) p. 2-24 10.
2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU) 2.3.1 Overview The motherboard comes with a surface mount 940-pin Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) socket designed for the AMD Athlon™ 64 FX and AMD Opteron™ processors. 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 Installing the CPU Follow these steps to install a CPU. 1. Locate the 940-pin ZIF socket on the motherboard.
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™ 64 FX and AMD Opteron™ processors 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. Push down the retention bracket lock on the retention mechanism to secure the heatsink and fan to the module base. 2.3.4 Connecting the CPU fan cable When the fan, heatsink, and the retention mechanism are in place, connect the CPU fan cable to the connector on the motherboard labeled CPU_FAN. CPU Fan Connector (CPU_FAN1) Don’t forget to connect the CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring errors may occur if you fail to plug this connector. 2.3.
2.4 System memory 2.4.1 Overview The motherboard comes with four Double Data Rate (DDR) Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) sockets. The following figure illustrates the location of the sockets. 104 Pins 80 Pins SK8N DIMM_B2 DIMM_B1 DIMM_A2 DIMM_A1 ® SK8N 184-Pin DDR DIMM Sockets 2.4.2 Memory configurations You may install 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB and 2GB registered DDR DIMMs into the DIMM sockets using the memory configurations in this section. Important notes on memory configurations 1.
Table 1 Recommended memory configurations Sockets DIMM_A1 DIMM_A2 DIMM_B1 DIMM_B2 Mode Single-channel (1) — Populated (2) Populated — (3) Populated Populated — — — — — — Dual-channel* (1) — Populated — Populated (2) Populated — Populated — (3) Populated Populated Populated Populated * Use only identical DDR DIMM pairs.
DDR400 Qualified Vendor List The following table lists the PC3200 (DDR400) memory modules that have been tested and qualified for use with this motherboard. Size Vendor SS/DS Component 256MB SAMSUNG M312L3223EG0-CCC SAMSUNG SS K4H560838E-GCCC • • 512MB Kingston KRX3200K2/1G Kingston DS n/a • • A* B* C* - Model Brand A* B* C* • supports one module inserted in the slot referred in Table 1, in a Single-channel memory configuration.
3. Firmly insert the DIMM into the socket until the retaining clips snap back in place and the DIMM is properly seated. Locked Retaining Clip 2.4.5 Removing a DIMM Follow these steps to remove a DIMM. 1. Simultaneously press the retaining clips outward to unlock the DIMM. Support the DIMM lightly with your fingers when pressing the retaining clips. The DIMM might get damaged when it flips out with extra force. 2. Remove the DIMM from the socket.
2.5 Expansion slots In the future, you may need to install expansion cards. The motherboard has five PCI slots and one Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) slot. 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 Follow these steps to install an expansion card. 1.
2.5.
2.5.4 PCI slots The PCI slots support PCI cards such as a LAN card, SCSI card, USB card, and other cards that comply with PCI specifications. The following figure shows a LAN card installed on a PCI slot. 2.5.5 AGP slot The Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) slot that supports AGP8X/4X cards. When you buy an AGP card, make sure that you ask for one with +1.5V specification. Note the notches on the card golden fingers to ensure that they fit the AGP slot on your motherboard. Install only 1.
2.6 Jumpers 1. Clear RTC RAM (CLRTC1) 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 RAM data in CMOS, that include system setup information such as system passwords, is powered by the onboard button cell battery. To erase the RTC RAM: 1. Turn OFF the computer and unplug the power cord. 2. Remove the onboard battery. 3. Move the jumper from pins 1-2 (default) to pins 2-3.
2. Boot Block Write Protect (2- pin J1) This jumper allows you to enable or disable the boot block write protect feature. Remove the jumper cap to enable the boot block write protect feature (the default setting is disabled). SK8N J1 2 1 2 1 Enable Disable (Default) ® SK8N Boot Block Write Protect 3. USB device wake-up (3-pin USBPWR1234) Set these jumpers to +5V to wake up the computer from S1 sleep mode (CPU stopped, DRAM refreshed, system running in low power mode) using the connected USB devices.
2.7 Connectors 2.7.1 Rear panel connectors 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 11 10 9 8 1. PS/2 mouse port. This green 6-pin connector is for a PS/2 mouse. 2. Parallel port. This 25-pin port connects a parallel printer, a scanner, or other devices. 3. IEEE 1394 port. This 6-pin IEEE 1394 port provides high-speed connectivity for audio/video devices, storage peripherals, other PC’s and/or portable devices. 4. RJ-45 port. This port allows connection to a Local Area Network (LAN) through a network hub. 5. Line In jack.
8. USB 2.0 ports 3 and 4. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports are available for connecting USB 2.0 devices. 9. USB 2.0 ports 1 and 2. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports are available for connecting USB 2.0 devices. 10. Serial connector. This 9-pin COM1 port is for serial devices. 11. PS/2 keyboard port. This purple connector is for a PS/2 keyboard. 2.7.2 Internal connectors 1.
2. Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY1) This connector supports the provided floppy drive ribbon cable. After connecting one end to the motherboard, connect the other end to the floppy drive. (Pin 5 is removed to prevent incorrect insertion when using ribbon cables with pin 5 plug). SK8N FLOPPY1 PIN 1 NOTE: Orient the red markings on the floppy ribbon cable to PIN 1. ® SK8N Floppy Disk Drive Connector 3.
4. Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA_RAID1, SATA_RAID2) These next generation connectors support the thin Serial ATA cables for primary internal storage devices. The current Serial ATA interface allows up to 150 MB/s data transfer rate, faster than the standard parallel ATA with 133 MB/s (UltraDMA133).
5. CPU, Power and Chassis Fan Connectors (3-pin CPU_FAN1, PWR_FAN1, CHA_FAN1) The fan connectors support cooling fans of 350mA~740mA (8.88W max.) or a total of 1A~2.22A (26.64W 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. Lack of sufficient air flow within the system may damage the motherboard components.
7. ATX power connectors (20-pin ATXPWR, 4-pin ATX12V) These connectors connect to an ATX 12V power supply. The plugs from the power supply are designed to fit these connectors in only one orientation. Find the proper orientation and push down firmly until the connectors completely fit. In addition to the 20-pin ATXPWR1 connector, this motherboard requires that you connect the 4-pin ATX +12V power plug to provide sufficient power to the CPU. • Do not forget to connect the 4-pin ATX +12V power plug.
8. USB headers (10-1 pin USB56) If the USB ports on the rear panel are inadequate, a USB header is available for additional USB ports. The USB header complies with USB 2.0 specification that supports up to 480 Mbps connection speed. This speed advantage over the conventional 12 Mbps on USB 1.1 allows faster Internet connection, interactive gaming, and simultaneous running of high-speed peripherals. You must install the driver before you can use the USB 2.0 capability.
Right Audio Channel Ground Ground Left Audio Channel SK8N Right Audio Channel Ground Ground Left Audio Channel 9. Internal audio connectors (4-pin CD1, AUX1) These connectors allow you to receive stereo audio input from sound sources such as a CD-ROM, TV tuner, or MPEG card. CD1(Black) AUX1(White) ® SK8N Internal Audio Connectors 10. IEEE 1394 connectors (10-1 pin IE1394_1) These connectors are for IEEE 1394 modules. Attach the 10-1 pin cable plugs to these connectors.
11. Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin FP_AUDIO) This is an interface for the front panel audio cable that allow convenient connection and control of audio devices. By default, the pins labeled LINE_OUT_R/BLINE_OUT_R and the pins LINE_OUT_L/BLINE_OUT_L are shorted with jumper caps. Remove the caps only when you are connecting the front panel audio cable. BLINE_OUT_L AGND +5VA BLINE_OUT_R SK8N MIC2 MICPWR Line out_R NC Line out_L FP_AUDIO ® SK8N Front Panel Audio Connector 12.
13. System panel connector (20-pin PANEL) This connector accommodates several system front panel functions. IDE_LED ® Reset Ground +5V Ground Ground Speaker PWR Ground PLED- IDE_LED+ IDE_LED- PLED+ Power LED SK8N Speaker Connector Reset SW ATX Power Switch* * Requires an ATX power supply. SK8N System Panel Connectors • System Power LED Lead (Green 3-1 pin PLED) This 3-1 pin connector connects to the system power LED.
2-30 Chapter 2: Hardware information
Chapter 3 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 ...........................
3.1 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.
3.2 Powering off the computer 3.2.1 Using the OS shut down function If you are using Windows 98/98SE/ME/NT/2000, click the Start button, click Shut Down..., make sure that the Shut down option button is selected, then the OK button to shut down the computer. The power supply should turn off after Windows shuts down. If you are using Windows XP, click the Start button, click Turn Off Computer, then the Turn Off button to shut down the computer. The power supply should turn off after Windows shuts down. 3.
Chapter 4 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 ...................................... 4-9 4.3 Main Menu .................................................... 4-12 4.4 Advanced Menu ........................................... 4-15 4.5 Power Menu .................................................. 4-27 4.6 Boot Menu .................................................... 4-31 4.7 Exit 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. ASUS AFUDOS(Updates the BIOS using a bootable floppy disk in DOS mode.) 2. ASUS EZ Flash (Updates the BIOS using a floppy disk during POST.) 3. ASUS CrashFree BIOS2 (Updates the BIOS using a bootable floppy or the motherboard support CD.) 4. ASUS Update (Updates the BIOS in a Windows® environment.
2. Copy the original (or the latest) motherboard BIOS to the bootable floppy disk. 4.1.2 Using AFUDOS to update the BIOS Update the BIOS using the AFUDOS.EXE utility in DOS environment. 1. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS file for your motherboard. Save the BIOS file to a bootable floppy disk. Write down the BIOS file name to a piece of paper. You need to type the exact BIOS file name at the prompt. 2. Copy the AFUDOS.
When the BIOS update process is complete, the utility returns to the DOS prompt. A:\>afudos /iSK8N.rom AMI Firmware Update Utility - Version 1.10 Copyright (C) 2002 American Megatrends, Inc. All rights reserved. Reading file ..... done Erasing flash .... done Writing flash .... 0x0008CC00 (9%) Verifying flash .. done A:\> 5. Reboot the system from the hard disk. 4.1.3 Using AFUDOS to copy BIOS from PC The AFUDOS.
2. The utility will copy the current system BIOS by default to the floppy disk. Make sure that the floppy disk is not write-protected and have enough space (at least 600KB) to store the file. A:\>afudos /oMYBIOS03.rom AMI Firmware Update Utility - Version 1.10 Copyright (C) 2002 American Megatrends, Inc. All rights reserved. Reading flash ..... done A:\> When the BIOS copy process is complete, the utility returns to the DOS prompt. 4.1.
4. Insert the floppy disk that contains the BIOS file. If all the necessary files are found in the floppy disk, EZ Flash performs the BIOS update process and automatically reboots the system when done. DO NOT shutdown or reset the system while updating the BIOS! Doing so may cause system boot failure! User recovery requested. Starting BIOS recovery... Checking for floppy... Floppy found! Reading file “SK8N.rom”. Completed. Start flashing... Flashed successfully. Rebooting. 4.1.
3. Insert a floppy disk that contains the original or the latest BIOS file for this motherboard. If all the necessary files are found in the floppy disk, the BIOS update process continues. Make sure that the BIOS file in the floppy disk is renamed as “SK8N.ROM”. Bad BIOS checksum. Starting BIOS recovery... Checking for floppy... Floppy found! Reading file “SK8N.rom”. Completed. Start flashing... DO NOT shutdown or reset the system while updating the BIOS! Doing so may cause system boot failure! 4.
DO NOT shutdown or reset the system while updating the BIOS! Doing so may cause system boot failure! 4. When the BIOS update process is complete, reboot the system. The recovered BIOS may not be the latest BIOS version for this motherboard. Visit ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS file. 4.1.6 ASUS Update The ASUS Update is a utility that allows you to update the motherboard BIOS in Windows® environment.
3. If you selected updating/ downloading from the Internet, select the ASUS FTP site nearest you to avoid network traffic, or choose Auto Select. Click Next. 4. From the FTP site, select the BIOS version that you wish to download. Click Next. 5. Follow the instructions on the succeeding screens to complete the update process. If you selected the option to update the BIOS from a file, a window pops up prompting you to locate the file.
4.2 BIOS Setup program This motherboard supports a programmable firmware 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 may want to change the configuration of your computer in the future.
4.2.1 BIOS menu screen Menu items Menu bar System Time System Date Legacy Diskette A Primary IDE Master Primary IDE Slave Secondary IDE Master Secondary IDE Slave Configuration fields [11:10:19] [Thu 03/27/2003] [1.44M, 3.5 in] :[ST320413A] :[ASUS CD-S340] :[Not Detected] :[Not Detected] General help Use [ENTER], [TAB] or [SHIFT-TAB] to select a field. Use [+] or [-] to configure system time.
4.2.4 Menu items The highlighted item on the menu bar displays the specific items for that menu. For example, selecting Main shows the Main menu items. The other items (Advanced, Power, Boot, and Exit) on the menu bar have their respective menu items. System Time System Date Legacy Diskette A Primary IDE Master Primary IDE Slave Secondary IDE Master Secondary IDE Slave [11:10:19] [Thu 03/27/2003] [1.44M, 3.
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. System Time System Date Legacy Diskette A Primary IDE Master Primary IDE Slave Secondary IDE Master Secondary IDE Slave [11:10:19] [Thu 03/27/2003] [1.44M, 3.
4.3.4 Primary and Secondary IDE Master/Slave While entering Setup, BIOS auto-detects the presence of IDE devices. There is a separate sub-menu for each IDE device. Select a device item then press Enter to display the IDE device information. Primary IDE Master Select the type of device connected to the system. Device : Hard Disk Vendor : ST320413A Size : 20.
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] [SWDMA0] [SWDMA1] [SWDMA2] [MWDMA0] [MWDMA1] [MWDMA2] [UDMA0] [UDMA1] [UDMA2] [UDMA3] [UDMA4] [UDMA5] SMART Monitoring [Auto] Sets the Smart Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology. Configuration options: [Auto] [Disabled] [Enabled] 32Bit Data Transfer [Disabled] Enables or disables 32-bit data transfer.
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 may cause the system to malfunction. CPU Configuration Chipset Onboard Devices Configuration PCI PnP USB Configuration Configure CPU. Select Screen Select Item Enter Go to Sub-screen F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit 4.4.
CPU Voltage [ 1.55V] This item allows you to select a specific CPU Voltage. Take caution in setting CPU Voltage, a very high voltage may severely damage the CPU! Configuration options: [1.55V] [1.65V] [1.75V] 4.4.2 Chipset The Chipset menu items allow you to change the advanced chipset settings. Select an item then press Enter to display the sub-menu.
CAS Latency [2.5] This item displays the CAS Latency setting. TRCD [ 3 CLK] This item displays the TRCD clock setting. TRAS [ 7 CLK] This item displays the TRAS clock setting. TRP [ 3 CLK] This item displays the TRP clock setting. Memory Configuration The Northbridge configuration menu item allow you to change the memory settings. Select an item then press Enter to display the sub-menu.
CAS Latency (CL) [Auto] This item sets the CAS Latency. Configuration options: [Auto] [2.0] [3.0] [2.5] TRCD [Auto] This item sets the TRCD. Configuration options: [Auto] [2 CLK] [3 CLK] [4 CLK] [5 CLK] [6 CLK] TRAS [Auto] This item sets the TRAS. Configuration options: [Auto] [5 CLK] [6 CLK] [7 CLK] [8 CLK] [9 CLK] [10 CLK] [11 CLK] [12 CLK] [13 CLK] [14 CLK] [15 CLK] TRP [Auto] This item sets the TRP.
DRAM 2.5V Voltage [ 2.5V] This item enables you to set the DRAM Voltage. Configuration options: [2.5V] [2.6V] [2.7V] South Bridge Configuration The Chipset menu item allow you to change the South Bridge settings. Select an item then press Enter to display the sub-menu.
USB Configuration The items in this menu allows you to change the USB-related features. Select an item then press Enter to display the configuration options. USB Configuration Module Version Enables USB host controllers. : 2.22.4-5.3 USB Devices Enabled : None USB Function Legacy USB Support USB 2.0 Controller USB 2.
USB Mass Storage Device Configuration USB Mass Storage Device Configuration USB Mass Storage Reset Delay [20 Sec] No USB Mass Storage device detected Number of seconds POST waits for the USB mass storage device after that start unit command. +F1 F10 ESC Select Screen Select Item Change Option General Help Save and Exit Exit USB Mass Storage Reset Delay [20 Sec] Allows you to select the number of seconds POST waits for the USB mass storage device after the start unit command.
AGP Configuration The Chipset menu item allow you to change the AGP settings. Select an item then press Enter to display the sub-menu. AGP Chipset Configuration AGP Overclock in MHz Aperture Size AGP 1.5V Voltage AGP FW Enable AGP SideBand Address Primary Video [66] [ 128 MB] [ 1.5V] [Auto] [Auto] [PCI] +F1 F10 ESC Select Screen Select Item Change Option General Help Save and Exit Exit AGP Overclock in MHz [ 66] This item sets the AGP Frequency ranged from 66 to 75 (MHz).
Primary Video [PCI] This item will switch the PCI Bus scanning order while searching for a video card. This allows to select the type of Primary VGA in case of multiple video controllers. Configuration options: [PCI] [AGP] HyperTransport Configuration The Chipset menu item allow you to change the HyperTransport settings. Select an item then press Enter to display the sub-menu.
4.4.3 Onboard Devices Configuration Onboard Floppy Controller Serial Port1 Address Serial Port2 Address Parallel Port Address Parallel Port Mode Parallel Port IRQ [Enabled] [3F8/IRQ4] [2F8/IRQ3] [378] [Normal] [IRQ7] IEEE 1394 Controller OnBoard Promise Controller Operating Mode [Enabled] [Enabled] [IDE] +F1 F10 ESC Select Screen Select Item Change Option General Help Save and Exit Exit OnBoard Floppy Controller [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the floppy disk controller.
IEEE 1394 Controller [Enabled] This item enables or disables the IEEE 1394 controller. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] OnBoard Promise Controller [Enabled] This item enables or disables the onboard Promise controller. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] Operating Mode [IDE] This item sets the system operating mode. Configuration options: [RAID] [IDE] 4.4.4 PCI PnP The PCI PnP menu items allow you to change the advanced settings for PCI/PnP devices.
PCI Latency Timer [64] Allows you to select the value in units of PCI clocks for the PCI device latency timer register. Configuration options: [32] [64] [96] [128] [160] [192] [224] [248] Allocate IRQ 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.
4.5 Power menu The Power menu items allow you to change the settings for the Advanced Power Management (APM). Select an item then press Enter to display the configuration options. ACPI Suspend Mode Repost Video on S3 Resume ACPI 2.0 Support ACPI APIC Support BIOS -> AML ACPI table [S3 only] [No] [No] [Enabled] [Enabled] Configure CPU. APM Configuration Hardware Monitor Select Screen Select Item Enter Go to Sub-screen F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit 4.5.
4.5.6 APM Configuration PME Resume RI Resume Onboard LAN Resume RTC Resume Resume On PS2 Keyboard Restore on AC Power Loss [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Power On] Enabled or disable APM. +F1 F10 ESC Select Screen Select Item Change Option General Help Save and Exit Exit PME Resume [Disabled] Allows you to enable or disable the PME to generate a wake event.
4.5.7 Hardware Monitor Hardware Monitor CPU temperature CPU Temperature MB Temperature [44°C/111°F] [36°C/96.5°F] CPU Fan Speed Chassis Fan Speed Power Fan Speed [2250RPM] [XXX RPM] [XXX RPM] VCORE Voltage 3.3V Voltage 5V Voltage 12V Voltage [1.550V] [3.386V] [4.890V] [11.
CPU Q-FAN Function [Disabled] This item 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] The above item appears only when the CPU Q-FAN Function item is set to Enabled. CPU Fan High Temp [55ºC] This item sets the CPU fan high temperature mark. Configuration options: [35ºC] ~ [75ºC] CPU Fan Medium Temp [45ºC] This item sets the CPU fan medium temperature mark.
4.6 Boot menu The Boot menu items allow you to change the system boot options. Select an item then press Enter to display the sub-menu. Boot Settings Specifies the Boot Device Priority sequence. Boot Device Priority Boot Settings Configuration Security Select Screen Select Item Enter Go to Sub-screen F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit 4.6.
4.6.2 Boot Settings Configuration Boot Settings Configuration Quick Boot Full Screen Logo Add On ROM Display Mode Bootup Num-Lock PS/2 Mouse Support Typematic Rate Boot to OS/2 Wait for ‘F1’ If Error Hit ‘DEL’ Message Display Interrupt 19 Capture [Enabled] [Enabled] [Force BIOS] [On] [Auto] [Fast] [No] [Enabled] [Enabled] [Disabled] Allows BIOS to skip certain tests while booting. This will decrease the time needed to boot the system.
Typematic Rate [Fast] Allows you to select the keyboard typematic rate. Configuration options: [Slow] [Fast] Boot to OS/2 [No] Allows you to specify the OS/2 compatibility mode. Configuration options: [No] [Yes] Wait for ‘F1’ If Error [Enabled] When set to Enabled, the system waits for F1 key to be pressed when error occurs. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Hit ‘DEL’ Message Display [Enabled] When set to Enabled, the system displays the message “Press DEL to run Setup” during POST.
4.6.3 Security The Security menu items allow you to change the system security settings. Select an item then press Enter to display the configuration options. Security Settings Supervisor Password User Password Not Installed Not Installed to change password. again to disable password.
After you have set a supervisor password, the other items appear to allow you to change other security settings. Security Settings Supervisor Password User Password Change Supervisor Password User Access Level Change User Password Clear User Password Password Check Installed Not Installed to change password. again to disable password.
To change the user password, follow the same steps as in setting a user password. Clear User Password Select this item if you wish to clear the user password. Password Check [Setup] When set to [Setup], BIOS checks for user password when accessing the Setup utility. When set to [Always], BIOS checks for user password both when accessing Setup and booting the system. Configuration options: [Setup] [Always] 4.
If you attempt to exit the Setup program without saving your changes, the program prompts you with a message asking if you want to save your changes before exiting. Pressing saves the changes while exiting. Exit & Discard Changes Select this option only if you do not want to save the changes that you made to the Setup program. If you made changes to fields other than system date, system time, and password, the BIOS asks for a confirmation before exiting.
4-38 Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
Chapter 5 This chapter describes the contents of the support CD that comes with the motherboard package.
Chapter summary 5.1 Install an operating system ........................... 5-1 5.2 Support CD information ................................ 5-1 5.3 Software information ..................................... 5-7 5.4 Multi-channel audio feature .......................... 5-9 5.5 RAID configurations ..................................... 5-11 5.6 Creating a floppy disk with RAID driver ....
5.1 Install an operating system This motherboard supports Windows 2000/Windows 2003 Server/XP operating system (OS). Always install the latest OS version and corresponding updates so you can maximize the features of your hardware. Because motherboard settings and hardware options vary, use the setup procedures presented in this chapter for general reference only. Refer to your OS documentation for more information. 5.
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 This item installs the Nvidia® Chipset drivers for the Nvidia nForce 3 Pro 150 chipset. Promise PDC20378 Driver This item installs the Promise PDC20378 driver for the ATA and Serial ATA RAID features. ALC650 Audio Driver This item installs the Realtek ALC650 audio driver and application. USB 2.
5.2.3 Utilities menu The Utilities menu shows the applications and other software that the motherboard supports. ASUS PC Probe This smart utility monitors the fan speed, CPU temperature, and system voltages, and alerts you on any detected problems. This utility helps you keep your computer at a healthy operating condition. ASUS Update This program allows you to download the latest version of the BIOS from the ASUS website.
ASUS Screen Saver This item installs the ASUS screen saver. Screen display and utilities option may not be the same for other operating system versions. 5.2.4 ASUS Contact Information Clicking the ASUS Contact Information tab displays as stated. You may also find this information in the inside front cover of this user guide.
5.2.5 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 The window displays the general specifications of the SK8N motherboard. Browse this CD The window displays the support CD contents in graphical format.
Technical Support Form The window displays the ASUS Technical Support Request Form that you have to fill up when requesting technical support. Filelist The window displays the contents of the support CD and a brief description of each in text format.
5.3 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 for more information. This section provides details on the software applications that the motherboard supports. 5.3.1 ASUS MyLogo2™ The ASUS MyLogo2™ is automatically installed when you install the ASUS Update utility from the software menu. See section “5.2.3 Utilities menu”.
4. From the selection that appears, choose a logo image. Click Next. If you wish, you may create your own boot logo image in GIF, JPG, or BMP file formats. 5. When you click on an image, it displays larger on the MyLogo2 screen. If you wish to make the logo image smaller, click on the arrow on the Ratio item and select your desired scale. 6. The next screen prompts you to flash the original BIOS to update it with the new boot logo. Click Flash to update the BIOS. 7.
5.4 Multi-channel audio feature The RealTek ALC650 6-channel AC’97 audio driver and applications are included in the support CD that came with your motherboard package. Install these programs to enable the multi-channel audio feature. You must use 4 or 6 channel speakers for this setup. Setting the RealTek ALC650 AC’97 Audio Configuration 1. Install the RealTek ALC650 AC’97 audio driver from the support CD. 2.
5. Click the Speaker Configuration tab to customize your speaker system. Make sure to select the correct speaker channel mode based on your actual speaker setup. 6. Click on the Speaker Test tab for the Multi-channel audio test. When you use the 6-channel function and your speaker Center/Subwoofer channel is incorrect, select Swap Center/ Subwoofer Output. 7. Click on the General tab for version information and multilanguage settings.
5.5 RAID configurations The motherboard includes the Promise® PDC20378 controller chipset to support Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) configurations. Using two Serial ATA hard disks on SATA_RAID1/SATA_RAID2 interfaces, and two ATA133 hard disks on the PRI_RAID interface, you may set up RAID 0, RAID 1 and RAID 0+1 configurations. Use the MBFastTrak378™ BIOS and the FastBuild™ utility to configure a disk array.
5.5.1 Install the hard disks The PDC20378 chipset supports Ultra ATA/133/100/66 hard disk drives. For optimal performance, install identical drives of the same model and capacity when creating a disk array. • If you are creating a RAID 0 (striping) array for perfomance, use two new drives. • If you are creating a RAID 1 (mirroring) array for protection, you can use two new drives or use an existing drive and a new drive (the new drive must be of the same size or larger than the existing drive).
5.5.2 Enter the MBFastBuild™ utility 1. Boot the system. If this is the first time you boot the system with the new hard disks installed and connected to the ATAIDE connectors on the motherboard, the MBFastTrak378™ BIOS displays the following: MBFastTrak378 (tm) BIOS version 1.00 (c)2000-2005 Promise Technology, Inc. All Rights Reserved. No Array defined... Press to enter FastBuild (tm) Utility Or press key to continue booting. 2.
5.5.3 Creating a RAID 0 array (Performance) 1. In the FastBuild™ utility main menu, press 1 to select Auto Setup. The following screen appears. FastBuild (tm) Utility 2.00 (c) 2002-2005 Promise Technology, Inc. [ Auto Setup Options Menu ] Optimize Array for: Performance [ Array Setup Configuration ] Mode ........................................ Stripe Spare Drive.................................. 0 Drive(s) Used in Array....................... 2 Array Disk Capacity (size in MB).............
5.5.4 Creating a RAID 1 array (Security) Creating a Security Array with New Drives 1. In the FastBuild™ utility main menu, press 1 to select Auto Setup. FastBuild (tm) Utility 2.00 (c) 2002-2005 Promise Technology, Inc. [ Auto Setup Options Menu ] Optimize Array for: Security [ Array Setup Configuration ] Mode ........................................ Mirror Spare Drive.................................. 0 Drive(s) Used in Array....................... 2 Array Disk Capacity (size in MB).............
7. Use the FDISK utility and follow the format procedure for installing a new hard drive. After you have formatted the arrayed drives, install an operating system (OS). 8. Install the RAID driver from the support CD that came with the motherboard package. Depending on the operating system you are installing, you may need to install the RAID driver during or after the OS installation.
8. Select Y to continue. Select N to return to the main menu. 9. When the duplication process is completed, a message appears confirming that your Security array has been created. 10. Press any key to reboot the system. 11. Install the RAID driver from the support CD that came with the motherboard package. Depending on the operating system you are installing (or that is already installed), the RAID driver installation sequence may vary. 5.5.
FastBuild (tm) Utility 2.00 (c) 2002-2005 Promise Technology, Inc. [ Rebuild Array Menu ] Array No RAID Mode Array Array Array Array Mirror/Stripe ------------- 1 2 3 4 Total Drv Capacity 4 ------------- Status 7999 ------------- Critical ------------- [ Keys Available ] [ ] Up [ ] Down [ESC] Exit [Enter] Select 7. Select the replacement drive. Press . FastBuild (tm) Utility 2.00 (c) 2002-2005 Promise Technology, Inc.
5.6 Creating a floppy disk with RAID driver A floppy disk with the Promise® SATA 378 or FastTrak 378 driver is required when installing Windows® XP™, Windows® 2000™ or Windows® NT™ operating systems. You can create a floppy disk with the RAID driver using the Makedisk.exe utility. A floppy disk with a RAID driver is necessary when configuring RAID installations. To create a floppy disk with RAID driver: 1. Insert the motherboard support CD into the CD-ROM drive and locate the Makedisk.
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