User Guide Motherboard A7N8X-E Deluxe
E1876 Checklist Revised Edition V3 January 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 Features Notices ........................................................................................... vi Safety information ......................................................................... vii About this guide ............................................................................ viii How this guide is organized ................................................ viii Conventions used in this guide ............................................. ix Where to find more information .
Contents Safeguards 2.6 2.7 Jumpers ............................................................................ 2-15 Connectors ....................................................................... 2-18 2.7.1 Rear panel connectors ......................................... 2-18 2.7.2 Internal connectors .............................................. 2-19 Chapter 3: Powering up 3.1 3.2 3.3 Starting up for the first time ................................................ 3-1 Powering off the computer ...
Contents 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.4.4 Power Management Setup .................................. 4-24 4.4.5 PnP/PCI Configurations ....................................... 4-26 Security Menu .................................................................. 4-27 Hardware Monitor Menu ................................................... 4-29 Exit Menu ......................................................................... 4-30 Chapter 5: Software support 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 Install an operating system ....
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 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.
A7N8X-E Deluxe specifications summary CPU Socket A for AMD Duron™/AMD Athlon™/AMD Athlon™ XP 3200+ processors Front Side Bus (FSB) 400/333/266/200Mhz Chipset Northbridge: NVIDIA® nForce2 Ultra 400 Southbridge: NVIDIA® nForce2 MCP-T Memory Dual-channel memory architecture 3 x 184-pin DDR DIMM sockets for up to 3GB memory Supports PC3200/PC2700/PC2100/PC1600 unbuffered non-ECC DDR DIMMs Expansion slots 5 x PCI 1 x AGP Pro/8X (1.
A7N8X-E Deluxe specifications summary Internal I/O Connectors USB 2.0 connector supports additional 2 USB 2.0 ports Game/MIDI connector CPU/Power/Chassis fan connectors 2 x IDE connectors 20-pin ATX power connector 2 x SATA connectors 2 x 1394 connectors Chassis intrusion connector Infrared module connector CD / AUX / Modem connector Front panel audio connector Serial port 2 connector S/PDIF connector BIOS features 4Mb Flash ROM, Award BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, Green Industry standard PCI 2.2, USB 1.1/2.0.
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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® A7N8X-E Deluxe 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 supports the AMD Athlon™, AMD Athlon™ XP or AMD Duron™ processors in a Socket A (462-pin) package with the NVIDIA® nForce2™ Ultra 400 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 motherboard supports the latest AMD Athlon™, Athlon™ XP and AMD Duron™ processors via a 462-pin surface mount ZIF socket. The AMD Athlon™ and AMD Athlon™ XP processors features a 400Mhz front side bus and the QuantiSpeed™ architecture for rapid execution of applications.
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. The IEEE 1394 interface allows up to 400Mbps transfer rates through simple, low-cost, high-bandwidth asynchronous (real-time) data interfacing between computers, peripherals, and consumer electronic devices such as camcorders, VCRs, printers,TVs, and digital cameras. See page 2-25.
ASUS POST Reporter™ The motherboard offers a new exciting feature called the ASUS POST Reporter™ to provide friendly voice messages and alerts during the Power-On Self-Tests (POST). Through an added external speaker, you will hear the messages informing you of the system boot status and causes of boot errors, if any. The bundled Winbond Voice Editor software allows you to customize the voice messages, and provides multi-language support. See page 3-3.
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 ............................................. 2-8 2.5 Expansion slots ............................................ 2-11 2.6 Jumpers ........................................................ 2-15 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 (9.6in) PS/2 T: Mouse B: Keyboard KBPWR1 Bottom: USBPW12 CPU_FAN1 Socket 462 Top: Top: CPU_FSB Top:Line In Center:Line Out Below:Mic In 2 3 4 5 SEC_IDE1 Realtek RTL8201 PWR_FAN1 CHA_FAN1 FLOPPY1 0 1 30.5cm (12.
2.2.4 Layout Contents Slots 1. PCI slots p. 2-13 2. AGP slot p. 2-13 3. Wi-Fi slot p. 2-14 4. DDR DIMM slots p. 2-8 Jumpers 1. Keyboard wake-up (3-pin KBPWR1) p. 2-15 2. Central Processing Unit FSB Setting (3-pin CPU_FSB) p. 2-15 3. USB device wake-up (3-pin USBPW12, USBPW34, USBPW56) p. 2-16 4. Gigabit LAN Setting (3-pin GLAN_SW) p. 2-16 5. Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC1) p. 2-17 6. Serial ATA setting (3-pin SATA_EN1) p. 2-17 Rear Panel Connectors 2-4 1. PS/2 mouse port p. 2-18 2.
Internal Connectors 1. Primary IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE) p. 2-19 2. Secondary IDE connector (40-1 pin SEC_IDE) p. 2-19 3. Floppy disk connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY1) p. 2-20 4. Chassis intrusion connector (4-1 pin CHASSIS1) p. 2-20 5. Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA_RAID1, SATA_RAID2 ) p. 2-21 6. CPU fan connector (3-pin CPU_FAN1) p. 2-22 7. Power fan connector (3-pin PWR_FAN1) p. 2-22 8. Chassis fan connector (3-pin CHA_FAN1) p. 2-22 9. Serial Port 2 connector (10-1 pin COM2) p.
2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU) 2.3.1 Overview The motherboard comes with a surface mount 462-pin Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) socket designed for the AMD Athlon™, AMD Athlon™ XP and AMD Duron™ 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 Do not use processors with core speeds of less than 1GHz on this motherboard. 2.3.
2. Unlock the socket by pressing the lever sideways, then lift it up to a 90°-100° angle. 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 base of the socket lever. 4. Carefully insert the CPU into the socket until it fits in place. Gold triangle The CPU fits only in one correct orientation.
2.4 System memory 2.4.1 Overview The motherboard comes with three (3) Double Data Rate (DDR) Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) sockets. The following figure illustrates the location of the sockets. 104 Pins A7N8X-E 80 Pins ® A7N8X-E 184-Pin DDR DIMM Sockets 2.4.2 Memory configurations You may install 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, and 1GB DDR DIMMs into the DIMM sockets using the memory configurations in this section. Important notes on memory configurations 1.
Table 1 Recommended memory configurations Mode DIMM_A1 Single-channel Dual-channel* Sockets DIMM_A2 DIMM_B1 — — (1) Populated (2) — Populated — (3) — — Populated (1) Populated — Populated (2) — Populated Populated (3) Populated Populated Populated Obtain DDR400 DIMMs only from ASUS qualified vendors for better system performance. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) for the latest qualified vendors list.
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. 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 Unlocked Retaining Clip A DDR DIMM is keyed with a notch so that it fits in only one direction.
2.5 Expansion slots 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. Before installing the expansion card, read the documentation that came with it and make the necessary hardware settings for the card. 2. Remove the system unit cover (if your motherboard is already installed in a chassis). 3.
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.
2.5.6 Wi-Fi slot The Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) slot will support the ASUS WiFi-b™ module when available. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) for product updates. The Wi-Fi slot conforms to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11b/g standard for wireless devices operating in the 2.4 GHz frequency band. WIFI A7N8X-E ® A7N8X-E Wi-Fi connector ASUS WiFi-b™ Setup • • 2-14 The PCI 5 slot and the WiFi slot can not be used at the same time.
2.6 Jumpers 1. Keyboard wake up (3-pin KBPWR1) This jumper allows you to enable or disable the keyboard wake-up feature. Set this jumper to pins 2-3 (+5VSB) if you wish to wake up the computer when you press a key on the keyboard. This feature requires an ATX power supply that can supply at least 1A on the +5VSB lead, and a corresponding setting in the BIOS. KBPWR1 2 3 1 2 +5V (Default) +5VSB A7N8X-E ® A7N8X-E Keyboard Power Setting 2.
3. USB device wake-up (3-pin USBPW12, USBPW34, USBPW56) 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. Set to +5VSB to wake up from S3 and S4 sleep modes (no power to CPU, DRAM in slow refresh, power supply in reduced power mode).
5. Clear RTC RAM (CLRTC1) This jumper clears the Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM of date, time, and system setup parameters in CMOS. The RAM data in CMOS 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 battery. 3. Move the jumper caps from pins 1-2 (default) to pins 2-3. Keep the cap on pins 2-3 for about 5~10 seconds then move the cap back to pins 1-2. 4. Replace the battery. 5. Plug the power cord and turn ON the computer. 6.
2.7 Connectors 2.7.1 Rear panel connectors 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 1. PS/2 mouse port. This green 6-pin connector is for a PS/2 mouse. 2. Fast Ethernet port (RJ-45). This port allows up to 100 Mbps of data transfer rate to a Local Area Network (LAN). 3. Parallel port. This 25-pin port connects a parallel printer, a scanner, or other devices. 4. Gigabit LAN port (RJ-45). This port allows up to 1 Gigabit of data transfer rate to a Local Area Network (LAN). 5. Line In jack.
13. USB 2.0 ports 3 and 4. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports are available for connecting USB 2.0 devices. 14. PS/2 keyboard port. This purple connector is for a PS/2 keyboard. 2.7.2 Internal connectors 1. IDE connectors (40-1 pin PRI_IDE1, SEC_IDE1) This connector supports the provided UltraATA100 IDE hard disk ribbon cable.
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). FLOPPY1 NOTE: Orient the red markings on the floppy ribbon cable to PIN 1 A7N8X-E ® PIN 1 A7N8X-E Floppy Disk Drive Connector 3.
4. Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA_RAID1, SATA_RAID2) These Serial ATA connectors support SATA hard disks that you may configure as a RAID set. Through the onboard Promise® PDC20378 RAID controller, you may create a RAID0, RAID1, RAID0+1, or multiRAID configuration together with the RAID ATA133 connector. See Chapter 5 for details on RAID configuration.
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 ATXPWR1) This connector connects to an ATX 12V power supply. The plugs from the power supply is designed to fit this connectors in only one orientation. Find the proper orientation and push down firmly until the connector completely fits. Make sure that your ATX 12V power supply can provide 8A on the +12V lead and at least 1A on the +5-volt standby lead (+5VSB). The minimum recommended wattage is 300W, or 350W for a fully configured system.
8. USB header (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 and allows faster Internet connection, interactive gaming, and simultaneous running of high-speed peripherals. USB+5V USB_P6USB_P6+ GND NC You must install the driver before you can use the USB 2.0 capability. A7N8X-E ® 1 A7N8X-E USB 2.
9. Internal audio connectors (4-pin MODEM1, CD1, AUX1) These connectors allow you to receive stereo audio input from sound sources such as a CD-ROM, TV tuner, or MPEG card. The modem connector allows the onboard audio to interface with a voice modem card with a similar connector. It also allows the sharing of mono_in (such as phone) and a mono_out (such as a speaker) between the audio and a voice modem card.
FP_AUDIO MIC2 MICPWR Line out_R NC Line out_L A7N8X-E BLINE_OUT_L AGND +5VA BLINE_OUT_R 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. ® A7N8X-E Front Panel Audio Connector GND GND 12.
+5V J1B2 J1CY GND GND J1CX J1B1 +5V 13. GAME/MIDI connector (16-1 pin GAME1) This connector supports a GAME/MIDI module. If a GAME/MIDI module is available, connect the GAME/MIDI cable to this connector. The GAME/MIDI port on the module connects a joystick or a game pad for playing games, and MIDI devices for playing or editing audio files. A7N8X-E ® MIDI_IN J2B2 J2CY MIDI_OUT J2CX J2B1 +5V GAME1 A7N8X-E Game Connector The GAME/MIDI module is purchased separately. 14.
15. System panel connector (20-pin CTRL_PANEL1) This connector accommodates several system front panel functions. A7N8X-E ® IDE_LED A7N8X-E System Panel Connectors Reset Ground +5V Ground Ground Speaker PLEDKeylock Ground IDE_LED+ IDE_LED- PLED+ Power LED Speaker Connector PWR GND Keyboard Lock Reset SW ATX Power Switch* * Requires an ATX power supply. • System Power LED Lead (Green 3-1 pin PLED) This 3-1 pin connector connects to the system power LED.
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 ........................... 3-2 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.
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.
3.3 ASUS POST Reporter™ This motherboard includes the Winbond speech controller to support a special feature called the ASUS POST Reporter™. This feature gives you vocal POST messages and alerts to inform 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 No keyboard detected • Check your keyboard if properly connected to the purple PS/2 connector on the rear panel. • See section “2.7.1 Rear panel connectors” for the location of the connector. No floppy disk detected • Make sure you have connected a floppy disk to the floppy disk connector on the motherboard. No IDE hard disk detected • Make sure you have connected an IDE hard disk drive to the one of the IDE connectors on the motherboard.
3.3.2 Winbond Voice Editor The Winbond Voice Editor software allows you to customize the vocal POST messages. Install the software from the utilities menu of the support CD. See section “5.2.3 Utilities menu” for details. To avoid conflicts, do not run the Winbond Voice Editor while running the ASUS PC Probe. Follow these steps to use the Winbond Voice Editor.
Changing the default language 1. Click on the Load button. a window showing the available languages appears. 2. Select your desired language then click Open. The event messages for the language you selected appear on the Voice Editor screen. For some languages, not all events have a corresponding message due to file size constraints. 3. Click on the Write button to update the EEPROM. 4. Click Yes on the confirmation window that appears.
Customizing your POST messages If your language is not in the selection or if you wish to record your own POST messages to replace the pre-installed wave files, you may easily do so. Follow these steps to customize your POST messages. 1. Launch the Voice Editor and take note of the list of POST events on the leftmost column of the screen. 2. Prepare your message for each event. The total compressed size for all the wave files must not exceed 1Mbit, so make your messages as short as possible. 3.
7. Click a POST event on the Voice Editor screen, then on the Edit button. The Event Sound Editor window appears. 8. Locate and select your wave file for the event then click on the arrow opposite Voice1. The file you selected appears on the space next to it. 9. Click OK to return to the Voice Editor screen. 10. Do steps 7 to 9 for the other events. 11. When done, click the Save button. A window appears prompting you to save your configuration. 12. Type a file name with a .flh extension, then click Save.
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 ...................................... 4-7 4.3 Main Menu .................................................... 4-10 4.4 Advanced Menu ........................................... 4-14 4.5 Security Menu .............................................. 4-27 4.6 Hardware Monitor Menu .............................. 4-29 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. Award Flash BIOS Utility (Updates the BIOS using a floppy disk or during POST.) 2. ASUS Update (Updates the BIOS in a Windows® environment.) Refer to the corresponding sections for details on these utilities.
4.1.2 AwardBIOS Flash Utility Updating BIOS via the Built-in AwardBIOS Flash Utility The built-in AwardBIOS Flash Utility allows you to easily update the BIOS without having to go through the long process of booting from a floppy disk and using a DOS-based utility. Press + during the Power-On Self Tests (POST) to launch the AwardBIOS flash utility. Write down the BIOS file name to a piece of paper. You need to type the exact BIOS file name at the prompt. 1. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.
5. Type the name of the new BIOS file, for example: “AW0702.BIN” then press . The program asks if you want to save the previous BIOS. Select since it is advisable to back-up the original BIOS in case you need to reprogram it. 6. The program asks to save the previous BIOS to a separate file. Type a file name for the old bios and then press . The AWDFLASH program backs-up the file. 7.
8. Type and Press to flash the new Bios file. NOTE: Do not shut off system power or unplug the supply during the flash process. 9. The BIOS flashes and displays the results. Press to restart. Updating BIOS via Bootable Floppy Disk 1. Boot from the floppy disk. 2. At the A:\ prompt, type C:\ then press . 3. At the C:\ prompt, type AWDFLASH /qi BIOSFilename then to display the AWDFLASH screen. 4. Type the name of the new BIOS file, for example: “AW0702.
4.1.3 ASUS Update The ASUS Update is a utility that allows you to update the motherboard BIOS in Windows® environment. This utility is available in the support CD that comes with the motherboard package. ASUS Update requires an Internet connection either through a network or an Internet Service Provider (ISP). To install ASUS Update: 1. Insert the support CD into the CD-ROM drive. The Drivers menu appears. 2. Click the Utilities tab, then click Install ASUS Update VX.XX.XX.
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. Select the file, click Save, then follow the screen instructions to complete the update process.
4.2 BIOS Setup program This motherboard supports a programmable firmware 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 may want to change the configuration of your computer in the future.
4.2.1 BIOS menu screen Menu items Menu bar Menu bar Configuration fields General help Navigation keys 4.2.2 Menu bar The menu bar on top of the screen has the following main items: Main Advanced Security For changing the basic system configuration For changing the advanced system settings Use this menu to set the Supervisor and User passwords. Hardware Monitor Monitor the status of vital components, including voltages and fan speeds.
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. Main menu items 4.2.5 Sub-menu items An item with a sub-menu on any menu screen is distinguished by a solid triangle before the item. To display the sub-menu, select the item and press Enter. 4.2.
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. 4.3.1 System Time [xx:xx:xxxx] This item allows you to set the system time. 4.3.2 System Date [Day xx/xx/xxxx] This item allows you to set the system date. 4.3.3 Legacy Diskette A [1.44M, 3.5 in.] Sets the type of floppy drive installed.
4.3.5 Primary and Secondary 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. The values opposite the dimmed items (Capacity, Cylinder, Head, PreComp, Landing Zone) are auto-detected by BIOS and are not userconfigurable. These items show N/A if no IDE device is installed in the system.
Access Mode [Auto] The default [Auto] automatically detects an IDE hard disk drive. Select [CHS] in coordination with the [Manual] setting of the IDE Primary Master in order to enter the Hard Disk Drive values manually. 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.
Access Mode [Auto] Select the hard disk drive type in this field. When Logical Block Addressing (LBA) is enabled, the 28-bit addressing of the hard drive is used without regard for cylinders, heads, or sectors. Note that LBA Mode is necessary for drives with more than 504MB storage capacity. Select [CHS] to make manual entries for configuring the fields below. Configuration options: [CHS] [LBA] [Large] [Auto] Cylinders This field configures the number of cylinders.
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.
4.4.1 Advanced BIOS Features (Scroll down to view all items on the menu.) Boot Virus Detection [Disabled] This field enables or disables the boot virus protection. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] CPU Level 1 Cache [Enabled] This field enables or disables the CPU level 1 cache. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] CPU Level 2 Cache [Enabled] This field enables or disables the level 2 cache.
First Boot Device [Floppy] This field sets the priority of the first boot device. By default, the system boots up on the floppy diskette drive. Configuration options: [Floppy] [LS120] [HDD-0] [SCSI] [CDROM] [HDD-1] [HDD-2] [HDD-3] [ZIP] [USBFDD] [USB-ZIP] [USB-CDROM] [USB-HDD] [LAN] [Disabled] Second Boot Device [HDD] This field sets the priority of the second boot device. By default, the system boots up on the hard disk driver if the floppy drive is not present.
Typematic Rate Setting [Disabled] This field enables or disable permission to change the rate of keystroke registration and display. By default, the rate cannot be changed. Change to [Enabled] to make settings in the nextt field. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] Typematic Rate Setting (Char/Sec) [6] This field determines the number of keystrokes per second that the system can register.
4.4.2 Advanced Chipset Features The Chipset menu items allow you to change the advanced chipset settings. Select an item then press Enter to display the sub-menu. (Scroll down to view all items on the menu.) CPU External Frequency (MHz) [100MHz] This field sets the external frequency ratio of the CPU. The system normally auto-detects the frequency capability based on the type of CPU installed.The Front Side Bus (FSB) is equal to 2 times this field value.
CPU Frequency Multiple [5.0x] This field is available to unlocked processors only. For unlocked processors, this field sets the frequency multiple between the CPU’s internal frequency (CPU speed) and the external frequency. System Performance [Optimal] This field permits change of mode for system performance. When set to [Optimal], the system uses the most stable settings.
SDRAM RAS to CAS Delay [3] RAS-to-CAS. This item controls the latency between the SDRAM Active command to the SDRAM. SDRAM RAS Precharge Delay [3] This item controls the idle clocks after issuing a precharge command to the DDR SDRAM. SDRAM CAS Latency [2.5T] This field sets the override clock cycle for the latency time between the SDRAM read command and the moment that the data actually becomes available. Normally, the system determines the rate automatically by default. FSB Spread Spectrum [0.
System BIOS Cacheable [Disabled] This field establishes whether or not the BIOS is cacheable. Disabled by default. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] Video RAM Cacheable [Disabled] This field establishes whether or not the video RAM is cacheable. Disabled by default. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] DDR Reference Voltage [ 2.6V] This field sets the voltage limits for the voltage supplied to the DDR memory.
4.4.3 Integrated Peripherals Primary VGA BIOS [PCI VGA Card] This field sets the priority for the display of VGA signals. Change from the PCI VGA Cardt default to AGP VGA Card if using an AGP card. Configuration options: [PCI VGA Card] [AGP VGA Card] USB Controllers [V1.1+V2.0] This field sets the protocols for OnChip processing of USB outputs. The default accomodates USB protocols 1.0 and 2.0. Configuration options: [Disabled] [V1.1 +V2.0] [V1.
Onboard 1394 Device [Auto] When set to auto, this field sets the on chip support for IEEE 1394 signal outputs. Configuration options: [Auto] [Disabled] Floppy Disk Access Controller [Enabled] This field enables the FDA Controller. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] Onboard Serial Port 1 [3F8/IRQ4] These fields set the addresses for onboard serial port 1. Serial Port 1 and Serial Port 2 must have different addresses.
Onboard Game Port [201] This field sets the address of the game port t0 201 by default. Disabling the game port makes the port unavailable. Configuration options: [Disabled] [201] [209] Onboard MIDI I/O [330] This field sets the address of the MIDI I/O port to 330 by default. Configuration options: [Disabled] [330] [300] Onboard MIDI IRQ [10] This field sets the IRQ address of the MIDI port to 10 by default. Configuration options: [5] [10] 4.4.
PWR button < 4 Secs [Soft-Off] This field sets the delay after which the system powers off after depressing the external case-mounted power button. The default setting powers off the system instantly. Configuration options: [Soft-Off] [Suspend] Power Up on PCI Device [Disabled] This field enables Wake-On-LAN from soft-off mode. The default disables this option. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] Wake-Power Up On Ext.
4.4.5 PnP/PCI Configurations Resources Controlled By [Auto(ESCD)] This field sets control over the IRQ resources by the automatic (ESCD) system or manual assignment of IRQ channels. The default enables automatic (ESCD) control. Configuration options: [Auto(ESCD)] [Manual] Selecting Manual access the IRQ Resources sub-menu; see the next page. PCI/VGA Palette Snoop [Disabled] This field enables the PCI/VGA palette snoop. This feature is disabled by default.
4.5 Security Menu The BIOS Setup program permits two different passwords to control access to the BIOS during system startup: a Supervisor password and a User password. Passwords are not case sensitive, meaning, passwords can be typed in either uppercase or lowercase letters. The table below describes the authority level when setting Supervisor or User Password.
Security Option [Setup] This field sets the security options. The default enables the setup option for security. Configuration options: [Setup] [System] Set Supervisor Password / Set User Password To set a password, highlight the appropriate field and press . Type in a password then press . You can type up to eight alphanumeric characters; symbols and other characters are not useable. To confirm the password, type the password again and press . The password is now set to [Enabled].
4.6 Hardware Monitor Menu The Harware Monitor menu displays all vital system statistics. MB, CPU Temperature [xx C / xx F] The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the MB (motherboard) and CPU temperatures. VCORE Voltage, +3.3V Voltage, +5V Voltage, +12V Voltage The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the voltage output through the voltage regulators.
Fan Speed Ratio [10/15] This item allows you to select the appropriate fan speed ratio for the system. The default [10/15] is the minimum fan speed ratio. Select a higher ratio if you installed additional devices and the system requires more ventilation. This item is required to be set when the Q-Fan Control field is [Enabled]. Configuration options: [10/15] [11/15] [12/15] [13/15] [14/ 15] [Full Speed].
Exit & Save Changes Once you are finished making your selections, choose this option from the Exit menu to ensure the values you selected are saved to the CMOS RAM. The CMOS RAM is sustained by an onboard backup battery and stays on even when the PC is turned off. When you select this option, a confirmation window appears. Select [Yes] to save changes and exit.
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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 infomation .................................. 5-1 5.3 NVIDIA® nForce control panel ....................... 5-3 5.4 NVIDIA® NVSwap 1.0 Utility .......................... 5-11 5.5 RAID 0 / RAID 1 configurations .................. 5-13 5.6 Onboard Marvell Gigabit LAN drivers for Windows® 98SE/ME ..................................... 5-16 5.7 Marvell® Virtual Cable Tester Technology ..
5.1 Install an operating system This motherboard supports Windows 2000/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 nForce driver This item installs the NVIDIA® nForce2 drivers. Silicon Image Serial ATA driver This item displays the step-by-step installation information of the Silicon Image Serial ATA driver for various operating systems.
3. When you install the NVIDIA nForce Drivers, the system will ask for the Windows 98SE CD, set the directory to C:\Win98SRC. B. For Windows 98SE and Windows ME users, following these steps before installing the Silicon Image Serial ATA Utility. If you are not using Serial ATA devices, DO NOT install the Silicon Image Serial ATA Utility or your system may become unstable. 1. Connect the Serial ATA device. 2. Install Silicon Image Serial ATA Utility from support CD. 3.
Winbond Voice Editor This program is for recording and customizing wave files for the ASUS POST Reporter™. Use this program if you wish to change the default vocal POST messages. See section “3.3 ASUS POST Reporter™”. Anti-virus utility The anti-virus application scans, identifies, and removes computer viruses. View the online help for detailed information. Adobe Acrobat Reader V5.0 This item installs the Adobe Acrobat Reader V5.0.
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 A7N8X-E Deluxe 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 NVIDIA® nForce control panel The NVIDIA® nForce Control Panel is a suite of five convenient applications to help you get the most from all your computer controlled audio systems. Follow the installation wizard to install the NVIDIA nForce drivers from the motherboard support CD. Use 4-channel or 6-channel speakers for this setup. 5.3.1 Launching the NVIDIA® control panel After installation, the NVIDIA® nForce™ APU icon appears on the bottom right of the Windows desktop.
Here are some of the features on the Speaker Setup: • • Dolby® Surround Encoding - enables audio to be encoded for playback on home theater receivers (using analog stereo outputs only) Dolby® Digital Encoding - enables audio to be encoded for playback on 5.1 home theater receivers (using digital SPDIF output only) This optional S/PDIF audio module allows digital instead of analog sound input and output.
5.3.4 MIDI This tab allows you to change settings to MIDI playback. A MIDI song can be tested at the Audition section using all available effects or just the highted effect. The Download Sounds section allows the loading and unloading of DLS or SoundFont sample banks from system memory. These banks provide the instrument sounds for any MIDI files played on the system. Finally, at the bottom we have the effects panel. Since this panel is very similar to the Environment tab. 5.3.
5.3.7 Information The Information tab shows the details of the APU (optional), hardware and software revisions, driver revisions, currect DirectX version, and in “Advanced” mode the DSP and voice utilization. This is the first place to look when you are verifying what drivers you are running and the last place to look when you want to know what is going on at the lower levels of the APU.
5.4 NVIDIA® NVSwap 1.0 Utility Running the NVSwap Application NVSwap 1.0 sets up and optimizes your audio experience when you use NVIDIA® audio products such as the NVIDIA SoundStorm™ audio solution. This software helps you configure your speaker setup on NVIDIA nForce™ motherboards equipped with an audio processing unit (APU) or a standard soft audio. NVSwap is a self-contained application that requires no installation in order to function.
Line In and Rear Speaker Toggle Button The first button is for toggling between Line In and Rear Speaker settings. The default setting for the NVSwap application is for Line In to be active. If you are clicking this button, you disable the Line In and enable Rear Speakers. When Rear Speaker is enabled, the connection on your motherboard will not accept a Line In source.
5.5 RAID 0/RAID 1 Configurations The motherboard includes the Silicon Image Sil 3112A controller chipset and two Serial ATA interfaces to support Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) configuration. This feature supports Serial ATA hard disks. Use the SATARaid™ utility to configure the RAID sets. RAID 0 (called data striping) optimizes two identical hard disk drives to read and write data in parallel, interleaved stacks.
Follow these steps to install the hard disks for RAID configuration. 1. Install the Serial ATA hard disks into the drive bays. 2. Connect one Serial ATA HDD to each Serial ATA connector, using separate serial ATA cables. 4. Connect the power cable to the power connector on each drive. 5. Make sure that the Serial ATA jumpers are set to enabled. See “2.7 Jumpers, Serial ATA Setting (3-pin SATA_EN1)” for more detailed information on jumper settings. 6. Proceed to 5.9.2 for the next procedure. 5.5.
Creating RAID Sets 1. Select “Create RAID Set” 2. Choose either a “Striped” or “Mirrored” RAID Set. 3. Select if you want the utility to Auto Configure the RAID Set or if you want to manually configure the RAID set. For Striped Sets, you can change the chunk size. For Mirrored Sets, you assign which is the Source and Target drives, as well as if you want a Disk Copy. • What is a chunk? The chunk size is the “stripe” on each disk. It is the unit of storage equivalent to one stripe on a RAID 0 set.
5.6 Onboard Marvell Gigabit LAN drivers for Windows 98SE/ME Before you can use the onboard Gigabit LAN under Windows® 98SE or Windows® ME operating systems, you need to install the onboard LAN drivers from the support CD. Installing onboard LAN drivers Follow these instructions to install the onboard LAN drivers for Windows 98SE/ME. 1. Boot your computer. 2. Click the Start button. Select Settings, then Control Panel. 3. Double-click the System icon in the Control Panel. Select the Device Manager tab. 4.
5.7 Marvell® Virtual Cable Tester™ (VCT) Technology The motherboard supports the Marvell® Virtual Cable Tester (VCT) Technology. The VCT virtually diagnose and report cable faults using the Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR). With this essential tool, installation and network diagnosis has never been easier. The VCT technology detects and reports open and shorted cables with up to 1 meter of accuracy.
5-18 Chapter 5: Software support
QUICK REFERENCE CARD PWR_FAN1 CHA_FAN1 CPU_FAN1 A7N8X-E ASUS Motherboard Speaker Connector Refer to the Quick Setup Guide when installing components or devices for the items indicated in this reference card. Keyboard Lock Power LED Reset SW ATX Power Switch* * Requires an ATX power supply.
