User Guide

iii
Features
Contents
Notices ............................................................................................v
Safety information .......................................................................... vi
About this guide............................................................................. vii
ASUS contact information ............................................................ viii
P4P8X SE specifications summary ................................................ ix
Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.1 Welcome! ........................................................................... 1-2
1.2 Package contents ............................................................... 1-2
1.3 Special features.................................................................. 1-3
1.4 Motherboard components .................................................. 1-5
1.5 Motherboard layout ............................................................ 1-9
1.6 Before you proceed .......................................................... 1-10
1.7 Motherboard installation ....................................................1-11
1.7.1 Placement direction ..............................................1-11
1.7.2 Screw holes ..........................................................1-11
1.8 Central Processing Unit (CPU)......................................... 1-12
1.8.1 Overview .............................................................. 1-12
1.8.2 Installing the CPU ................................................ 1-13
1.9 System memory ............................................................... 1-14
1.9.1 Memory configurations ........................................ 1-14
1.9.2 Installing a DIMM ................................................. 1-16
1.10 Expansion slots ................................................................ 1-17
1.10.1 Standard interrupt assignments ........................... 1-17
1.10.2 PCI slots .............................................................. 1-18
1.10.3 AGP slot ............................................................... 1-18
1.11 Jumpers............................................................................ 1-19
1.12 Connectors ....................................................................... 1-21
Chapter 2: BIOS information
2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS .................................... 2-2
2.1.1 Creating a bootable floppy disk ............................. 2-2
2.1.2 Using AFUDOS to update the BIOS ...................... 2-2
2.1.3 Using ASUS EZ Flash to update the BIOS ............ 2-4
2.1.4 Recovering the BIOS with CrashFree BIOS 2 ....... 2-5
2.2 BIOS Setup program .......................................................... 2-7
2.2.1 BIOS menu screen ................................................ 2-8