Motherboard A8N5X
E2138 First Edition July 2005 Copyright © 2005 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this manual, including the products and software described in it, may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form or by any means, except documentation kept by the purchaser for backup purposes, without the express written permission of ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (“ASUS”).
Contents Notices ............................................................................................... vii Safety information ............................................................................ viii About this guide ................................................................................. ix How this guide is organized .................................................... ix Where to find more information ..............................................
Contents 1.8.5 PCI Express x16 slot ............................................. 1-20 1.8.6 PCI Express x1 slot ............................................... 1-20 1.9 Jumpers .............................................................................. 1-21 1.10 Connectors ......................................................................... 1-22 1.10.1 Rear panel connectors .......................................... 1-22 1.10.2 Internal connectors ............................................
Contents 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.4.2 PCIPnP ................................................................... 2-23 2.4.3 Onboard Devices Configuration ............................ 2-24 2.4.4 JumperFree Configuration .................................... 2-28 2.4.5 LAN Cable Status ................................................. 2-30 2.4.6 PEG Link Mode ...................................................... 2-30 2.4.7 Instant Music ........................................................
Contents 3.4 vi RAID configurations ............................................................ 3-21 3.4.1 Installing hard disks .............................................. 3-22 3.4.2 NVIDIA® RAID configurations ............................... 3-23 3.5 Creating a RAID driver disk ................................................. 3-30 3.6 Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology ............................................... 3-31 3.6.1 Enabling Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology ................... 3-31 3.6.
Notices Federal Communications Commission Statement This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: • This device may not cause harmful interference, and • This device must accept any interference received including interference that may cause undesired operation. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Safety information Electrical safety • To prevent electrical shock hazard, disconnect the power cable from the electrical outlet before relocating the system. • When adding or removing devices to or from the system, ensure that the power cables for the devices are unplugged before the signal cables are connected. If possible, disconnect all power cables from the existing system before you add a device.
About this guide This user guide contains the information you need when installing and configuring the motherboard. How this guide is organized This manual contains the following parts: • Chapter 1: Product introduction This chapter describes the features of the motherboard and the new technology it supports. It also 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.
Conventions used in this guide To make sure that you perform certain tasks properly, take note of the following symbols used throughout this manual. D A N G E R / W A R N I N G : Information to prevent injury to yourself when trying to complete a task. C A U T I O N : Information to prevent damage to the components when trying to complete a task. I M P O R T A N T : Instructions that you MUST follow to complete a task. N O T E : Tips and additional information to help you complete a task.
A8N5X specifications summary CPU Socket 939 for AMD Athlon™ 64 X2/AMD Athlon™ 64FX and AMD Athlon™ 64 processors Supports AMD 64 architecture that enables simultaneous 32-bit and 64-bit architecture Supports AMD® Cool ‘n’ Quiet! Technology Chipset NVIDIA® nForce™ 4 System Bus 1600/2000 MT per second Memory Dual-channel memory architecture 4 x 184-pin DIMM sockets support ECC/non-ECC unbufferred 400/333/266 MHz DDR memory modules Supports up to 4 GB system memory Expansion slots 1 x PCI Express x16
A8N5X specifications summary Internal connectors 1 x Floppy disk drive connector 2 x IDE connectors 4 x Serial ATA connectors 1 x CPU fan connector 1 x Power fan connector 2 x Chassis fan connector 1 x Chipset fan connector 1 x Serial port connector (COM port) 1 x 24-pin ATX power connector 1 x 4-pin ATX 12 V power connector 3 x USB 2.0 connectors for 6 additional USB 2.
A8N5X specifications summary Form Factor ATX form factor: 12 in x 9.6 in (30.5 cm x 24.4 cm) Support CD contents Device drivers ASUS PC Probe II ASUS Live Update utility ASUS Cool’n’Quiet! utility Anti-virus utility (OEM version) NVIDIA® nTune™ utility *Specifications are subject to change without notice.
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This chapter describes the motherboard features and the new technologies it supports.
1.1 Welcome! T h a n k y o u f o r b u y i n g a n A S U S® A 8 N 5 X m o t h e r b o a r d ! The motherboard delivers a host of new features and latest technologies, making it another standout in the long line of ASUS quality motherboards! Before you start installing the motherboard, and hardware devices on it, check the items in your package with the list below. 1.2 Package contents Check your motherboard package for the following items. Motherboard ASUS A8N5X motherboard I/O modules USB 2.
1.3 Special features 1.3.1 Product highlights AMD Dual-Core Architecture The motherboard supports AMD dual-core processors containing two physical CPU cores with discrete L2 cache structure for each core to meet demands for more powerful computing. See page 1-10. Latest processor technology The AMD Athlon™ 64FX and Athlon™ 64 desktop processors are based on AMD’s 64-bit and 32-bit architecture, which represents the landmark introduction of the industry’s first x86-64 technology.
Dual Channel DDR memory support Employing the Double Data Rate (DDR) memory technology, the motherboard supports up to 4GB of system memory using DDR400/333/ 266 DIMMs. The ultra-fast 400MHz memory bus delivers the required bandwidth for the latest 3D graphics, multimedia, and Internet applications. See page 1-13. Serial ATA technology The motherboard supports the next-generation Serial ATA technology through the Serial ATA interfaces and the NVIDIA® nForce™ 4 chipset.
Temperature, fan, and voltage monitoring The CPU temperature is monitored by the ASIC (integrated in the Winbond Super I/O) to prevent overheating and damage. The system fan rotations per minute (RPM) is monitored for timely failure detection. The ASIC monitors the voltage levels to ensure stable supply of current for critical components. See section “2.5.4 Hardware Monitor” on page 2-35. 1.3.
1.3.3 Innovative ASUS features CrashFree BIOS 2 This feature allows you to restore the original BIOS data from the support CD in case when the BIOS codes and data are corrupted. This protection eliminates the need to buy a replacement ROM chip. See details on page 2-5. 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 2-35 for details.
1.4 Before you proceed Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard components or change any motherboard settings. • Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any component. • 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 • Hold components by the edges to avoid touching the ICs on them.
1.5 Motherboard overview Before you install the motherboard, study the configuration of your chassis to ensure that the motherboard fits into it. Make sure to unplug the power cord before installing or removing the motherboard. Failure to do so can cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components. 1.5.1 Placement direction When installing the motherboard, make sure that you place it into the chassis in the correct orientation.
1.5.3 Motherboard layout 24.5cm (9.6in) PS/2KBMS T: Mouse B: Keyboard CHA2_FAN CPU_FAN ATX12V AUX FLOPPY EATXPWR Marvell 88E1111 Top:Line In Center:Line Out Bottom:Mic In PWR_FAN SEC_IDE FP_AUDIO PCIEX16_1 ACL850 30.5cm (12.
1.6 Central Processing Unit (CPU) 1.6.1 Overview The motherboard comes with a surface mount 939-pin Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) socket designed for the AMD Athlon™ 64FX, AMD Athlon 64™ or AMD Sempron™ processor. The 128-bit-wide data paths of these processors can run applications faster than processors with only 32-bit or 64-bit wide data paths. Take note of the marked corner (with gold triangle) on the CPU. This mark should match a specific corner on the socket to ensure correct installation. 1.6.
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. The CPU fits only in one correct orientation. DO NOT force the CPU into the socket to prevent bending the pins and damaging the CPU! 5. When the CPU is in place, push down the socket lever to secure the CPU. The lever clicks on the side tab to indicate that it is locked. 1.6.
Follow these steps to install the CPU heatsink and fan. 1 2 CPU Fan CPU Heatsink 4 3 5 Retention Module Base Retention bracket Retention bracket lock 1. Place the heatsink on top of the installed CPU. 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.
1.7 System memory 1.7.1 Overview The motherboard comes with four 184-pin Double Data Rate (DDR) Dual Inline Memory Modules (DIMM) sockets. DIMM_B2 DIMM_B1 DIMM_A2 DIMM_A1 The following figure illustrates the location of the sockets: A8N5X ® A8N5X 184-pin DDR DIMM sockets 1.7.
DDR400 Qualified Vendors List Size Vendor 256MB 512MB 256MB 512MB 256MB 512MB 256MB 512MB 1024MB 256MB 512MB 256MB 256MB 512MB 512MB 256MB 512MB 256MB 512MB 256MB 512MB 1024MB 256MB 512MB KINGSTON KINGSTON KINGSTON KINGSTON KINGSTON KINGSTON KINGSTON KINGSTON KINGSTON SAMSUNG SAMSUNG SAMSUNG SAMSUNG SAMSUNG SAMSUNG MICRON MICRON Infineon Infineon CORSAIR CORSAIR CORSAIR Hynix Hynix Model KVR400X64C3A/256 KVR400X64C3A/512 KVR400X72C3A/256 KVR400X72C3A/512 KVR400X64C3A/256 KVR400X64C3A/512 KVR400X64C3A/25
1.7.3 Installing a DIMM Make sure to unplug the power supply before adding or removing DIMMs or other system components. Failure to do so may cause severe damage to both the motherboard and the components. 2 1. Unlock a DIMM socket by pressing the retaining clips outward. 2. Align a DIMM on the socket such that the notch on the DIMM matches the break on the socket. DDR DIMM notch 1 1 Unlocked retaining clip A DDR DIMM is keyed with a notch so that it fits in only one direction.
1.8 Expansion slots In the future, you may need to install expansion cards. The following sub-sections describe the slots and the expansion cards that they support. Make sure to unplug the power cord before adding or removing expansion cards. Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components. We recommended to install the memory modules first before installing a PCI Express x16 card. 1.8.1 Installing an expansion card To install an expansion card: 1.
1.8.
1.8.5 PCI Express x16 slot This motherboard supports PCI Express x16 graphic cards that comply with the PCI Express specifications. The following figure shows a graphics card installed on the PCI Express x16 slot. In Normal mode, only the PCI Express blue slot can be used for PCI Express x16 graphics cards. The PCI Express black slot functions as a PCI Express x1 slot. 1.8.
1.9 1. Jumpers Clear RTC RAM (CLRTC) This jumper allows you to clear the Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM in CMOS. You can clear the CMOS memory of date, time, and system setup parameters by erasing the CMOS RTC RAM data. The onboard button cell battery powers the RAM data in CMOS, which include system setup information such as system passwords. To erase the RTC RAM: 1. Turn OFF the computer and unplug the power cord. 2. Remove the onboard battery. 3.
1.10 Connectors 1.10.1 Rear panel connectors 1 3 2 4 5 6 7 8 14 1. 2. 3. 13 12 11 10 9 P S / 2 m o u s e p o r t ( g r e e n ) . This port is for a PS/2 mouse. P a r a l l e l p o r t . This 25-pin port connects a parallel printer, a scanner, or other devices. L A N ( R J - 4 5 ) p o r t . Supported by the NVIDIA® nForce™ 4 Gigabit MAC with external Marvell® PHY, this port allows Gigabit connection to a Local Area Network (LAN) through a network hub.
Refer to the audio configuration table below for the function of the audio ports in 2, 4, 6, or 8-channel configuration.
1.10.2 Internal connectors 1. Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY) This connector is for the provided floppy disk drive (FDD) signal cable. Insert one end of the cable to this connector, then connect the other end to the signal connector at the back of the floppy disk drive. The Pin 5 on the connector is removed to prevent incorrect cable connection when using an FDD cable with a covered Pin 5. FLOPPY NOTE: Orient the red markings on the floppy ribbon cable to PIN 1.
3. Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA1, SATA2, SATA3, SATA4) Supported by the NVIDIA® nForce™ 4 chipset, these connectors are for the Serial ATA signal cables for Serial ATA hard disk drives that allows up to 1.5Gb/s of data transfer rate. If you installed Serial ATA hard disk drives, you can create a RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 1+0, or JBOD configuration that span across the Parallel ATA drives. Refer to Chapter 3 for details on how to set up RAID configurations.
CPU, Chassis, Chipset and Power fan connectors (3-pin CPU_FAN, 3-pin CHA2_FAN, 3-pin CHIP_FAN, 3-pin PWR_FAN, 3-pin CHA1_FAN) The fan connectors support cooling fans of 350mA~2000mA (24 W max.) or a total of 1A~3.48A (41.76 W max.) at +12V. Connect the fan cables to the fan connectors on the motherboard, making sure that the black wire of each cable matches the ground pin of the connector. • Do not forget to connect the fan cables to the fan connectors.
5. Serial port connector (10-1 pin COM1) This connector is for a serial (COM) port. Connect the serial port module cable to this connector, then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis. COM1 PIN 1 A8N5X ® A8N5X COM port connector 6. USB connectors (10-1 pin USB56, USB78, USB910) These connectors are for USB 2.0 ports. Connect the USB/GAME module cable to any of these connectors, then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis.
8. ATX power connectors (24-pin EATXPWR1, 4-pin ATX12V1) These connectors are for an ATX power supply plugs. The power supply plugs are designed to fit these connectors in only one orientation. Find the proper orientation and push down firmly until the connectors completely fit. • Use of a power supply unit (PSU) with a higher power output is recommended when configuring a system with more powerconsuming devices. The system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is inadequate.
9. Internal audio connectors (4-pin CD, AUX) These connectors allow you to receive stereo audio input from sound sources such as a CD-ROM, TV-tuner, or MPEG card. Left Audio Channel Ground Ground Right Audio Channel CD (black) A8N5X ® AUX (white) Right Audio Channel Ground Ground Left Audio Channel A8N5X Internal audio connectors The function of these connectors are disabled under 8-channel mode. +5V J2B1 J2CX MIDI_OUT J2CY J2B2 MIDI_IN 1 0 .
1 1 . Chassis intrusion connector (4-1 pin CHASSIS) This connector is for a chassis-mounted intrusion detection sensor or switch. Connect one end of the chassis intrusion sensor or switch cable to this connector. The chassis intrusion sensor or switch sends a high-level signal to this connector when a chassis component is removed or replaced. The signal is then generated as a chassis intrusion event.
1 3 . System panel connector (20-pin PANEL) This connector supports several chassis-mounted functions. SPEAKER +5V Ground Ground Speaker PLED- PLED+ PLED ® IDE_LED Reset Ground PWR Ground A8N5X IDE_LED+ IDE_LED- PANEL RESET PWRSW * Requires an ATX power supply. A8N5X System panel connector The sytem panel connector is color-coded for easy connection. Refer to the connector description below for details.
1-30 Chapter 1: Product introduction
This chapter tells how to change the system settings through the BIOS Setup menus. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided.
2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS The following utilities allow you to manage and update the motherboard Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) setup. 1. 2. 3. 4. A w a r d B I O S F l a s h U t i l i t y (Updates the BIOS in DOS mode using a bootable floppy disk.) A S U S C r a s h F r e e B I O S 2 (Updates the BIOS using a bootable floppy disk or the motherboard support CD when the BIOS file fails or gets corrupted.
c. Click S t a r tt, then select R u n n. d. From the Open field, type D:\bootdisk\makeboot a: assuming that D: is your optical drive. e. Press , then follow screen instructions to continue. 2. Copy the original or the latest motherboard BIOS file to the bootable floppy disk. 2.1.2 Updating the BIOS The Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) can be updated using the AwardBIOS Flash Utility. Follow these instructions to update the BIOS using this utility. 1.
6. Type the BIOS file name in the F i l e N a m e t o P r o g r a m field, then press . AwardBIOS Flash Utility for ASUS V1.01 (C) Phoenix Technologies Ltd. All Rights Reserved For NF-KC804-A8N5X-00 DATE: 11/18/2004 Flash Type - SST 49LF004A/B /3.3V File Name to Program: 1001.bin Message: Do You Want To Save Bios (Y/N) 7. Press when the utility prompts you to save the current BIOS file. The following screen appears. 8.
2.1.3 Saving the current BIOS file You can use the AwardBIOS Flash Utility to save the current BIOS file. You can load the current BIOS file when the BIOS file gets corrupted during the flashing process. Make sure that the floppy disk has enough disk space to save the file. To save the current BIOS file using the AwardBIOS Flash Utility: 1. Follow steps 1 to 6 of the previous section. 2. Press when the utility prompts you to save the current BIOS file. The following screen appears.
2.1.4 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 utility The ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 is an auto recovery tool that allows you to restore the BIOS file when it fails or gets corrupted during the updating process. You can update a corrupted BIOS file using the motherboard support CD or the floppy disk that contains the updated BIOS file. Prepare the motherboard support CD or the floppy disk containing the updated motherboard BIOS before using this utility.
Recovering the BIOS from a floppy disk To recover the BIOS from a floppy disk: 1. Remove any CD from the optical drive, then turn on the system. 2. Insert the floppy disk with the original or updated BIOS file to the floppy disk drive. 3. The utility displays the following message and automatically checks the floppy disk for the original or updated BIOS file. Award BootBlock BIOS v1.0 Copyright (c) 2000, Award Software, Inc. BIOS ROM checksum error Detecting IDE ATAPI device...
2.1.5 ASUS EZ Flash utility The ASUS EZ Flash feature allows you to update the BIOS without having to go through the long process of booting from a floppy disk and using a DOS-based utility. The EZ Flash utility is built-in the BIOS chip so it is accessible by pressing + during the Power-On Self Tests (POST). To update the BIOS using EZ Flash: 1. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS file for the motherboard. 2.
2.1.6 ASUS Update utility The ASUS Update is a utility that allows you to manage, save, and update the motherboard BIOS in Windows® environment. The ASUS Update utility allows you to: • Save the current BIOS file • Download the latest BIOS file from the Internet • Update the BIOS from an updated BIOS file • Update the BIOS directly from the Internet, and • View the BIOS version information. This utility is available in the support CD that comes with the motherboard package.
Updating the BIOS through the Internet To update the BIOS through the Internet: 1. Launch the ASUS Update utility from the Windows® desktop by clicking Start > Programs > ASUS > ASUSUpdate > ASUSUpdate e. The ASUS Update main window appears. 2. Select U p d a t e B I O S f r o m t h e I n t e r n e t option from the drop-down menu, then click N e x tt. 2-10 3. Select the ASUS FTP site nearest you to avoid network traffic, or click A u t o S e l e c tt. Click N e x tt.
4. From the FTP site, select the BIOS version that you wish to download. Click Next. 5. Follow the screen instructions to complete the update process. The ASUS Update utility is capable of updating itself through the Internet. Always update the utility to avail all its features. Updating the BIOS through a BIOS file To update the BIOS through a BIOS file: 1. 2.
2.2 BIOS setup program This motherboard supports a programmable Low-Pin Count (LPC) chip that you can update using the provided utility described in section “2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS.” Use the BIOS Setup program when you are installing a motherboard, reconfiguring your system, or prompted to “Run Setup”. This section explains how to configure your system using this utility. Even if you are not prompted to use the Setup program, you can change the configuration of your computer in the future.
2.2.1 BIOS menu screen Menu items Menu bar Main Advanced Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Power Boot Exit System Time System Date Language 15 : 30 : 36 Wed, Nov 5 2004 [English] Legacy Diskette A: [1.44M, 3.5 in.
2.2.3 Legend bar At the bottom of the Setup screen is a legend bar. The keys in the legend bar allow you to navigate through the various setup menus. The following table lists the keys found in the legend bar with their corresponding functions.
2.2.7 Pop-up window Select a menu item then press to display a pop-up window with the configuration options for that item. Main Advanced Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Power Boot Exit System Time System Date Language 15 : 30 : 36 Wed, Nov 5 2004 [English] Legacy Diskette A: [1.44M, 3.5 in.] Legacy Diskette A: Primary IDE Master [ST321122A] Disabled ..... [ ] Primary IDE Slave [ASUS CDS520/A] Secondary IDE Master 360K , 5.25 in. [None] ..... [ ] Secondary IDE Slave 1.2M , 5.25 in.
2.3 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 “2.2.1 BIOS menu screen” for information on the menu screen items and how to navigate through them. Main Advanced Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Power Boot Exit System Time System Date Language 15 : 30 : 36 Wed, Nov 5 2004 [English] Legacy Diskette A: [1.44M, 3.5 in.
2.3.5 Primary and Secondary IDE Master/Slave While entering Setup, the BIOS automatically detects the presence of IDE devices. There is a separate sub-menu for each IDE device. Select a device item then press to display the IDE device information.
Access Mode [Auto] The default [Auto] allows automatic detection of an IDE hard disk drive. Select [CHS] for this item if you set the IDE Primary Master/Slave to [Manual]. Configuration options: [CHS] [LBA] [Large] [Auto] Before attempting to configure a hard disk drive, make sure you have the correct configuration information supplied by the drive manufacturer. Incorrect settings may cause the system to fail to recognize the installed hard disk. Capacity Displays the auto-detected hard disk capacity.
2.3.6 First, Second, Third, Fourth SATA Master While entering Setup, the BIOS automatically detects the presence of Serial ATA devices. There is a separate sub-menu for each SATA device. Select a device item then press to display the SATA device information.
Head Shows the number of the hard disk read/write heads. This item is not configurable. Precomp Shows the number of precomp per track. This item is not configurable. Landing Zone Shows the number of landing zone per track. This item is not configurable. Sector Shows the number of sectors per track. This item is not configurable. After entering the IDE hard disk drive information into BIOS, use a disk utility, such as FDISK, to partition and format new IDE hard disk drives.
2.4 Advanced menu The Advanced menu items allow you to change the settings for the CPU and other system devices. Take caution when changing the settings of the Advanced menu items. Incorrect field values can cause the system to malfunction. Main Advanced Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Power Boot Exit CPU Configuration PCIPnP Onboard Device Configuration JumperFree Configuration LAN Cable Status PEG Link Mode Instant Music ↑↓ : Select Item →←: Select Menu →← F1:Help ESC: Exit 2.4.
Max Memclock (MHz) [Auto] Sets the maximum operating memory clock. Configuration options: [Auto] [DDR200] [DDR266] [DDR333] [DDR400] [DDR400] [DDR433] [DDR466] [DDR500] [DDR533] [DDR550] [DDR600] 1T/2T Memory Timing [Auto] Sets the memory timing. Configuration options: [Auto] [1T] [2T] CAS# latency (Tcl) [Auto] Sets the CAS# latency. Configuration options: [Auto] [2.0] [2.5] [3.0] RAS# to CAS# delay (Trcd) [Auto] Sets the RAS# to CAS# delay to Rd/Wr command on the same bank.
2.4.2 PCIPnP Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Advanced Frequency/Voltage control Plug & Play O/S Init Display First [No] [PCI Slot] Resources Controlled By x IRQ Resources Select Menu Item Specific Help [Auto] PCI/VGA Palette Snoop [Disabled] Plug & Play O/S [No] When set to [No], the BIOS configures all the devices in the system. When set to [Yes] and if you install a Plug and Play operating system, the operating system configures the Plug and Play devices not required for boot.
PCI/VGA Palette Snoop [Disabled] When set to [Enabled], the pallete snooping feature informs the PCI devices that an ISA graphics device is installed in the system so that the latter can function correctly. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] 2.4.
IDE DMA transfer access [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the IDE DMA transfer access. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Serial Port 1, 2 [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the SATA 1 and 2 ports. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] SATA DMA access [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the SATA DMA transfer access. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Serial Port 3, 4 [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the SATA 3 and 4 ports.
IDE Primary, Secondary Master/Slave RAID [Disabled] Enables or disables the RAID function of the primary or secondary master or slave IDE. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] First, Second, Third, Fourth SATA Master RAID [Disabled] Enables or disables the RAID function of the first, second, third or fourth SATA master drive. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] USB Configuration The items in this menu allows you to change the USB-related features.
Serial Port1 Address [3F8/IRQ4] Allows you to select the Serial Port1 base address. Configuration options: [Disabled] [3F8/IRQ4] [3E8/IRQ4] [2E8/IRQ3] Parallel Port Address [378/IRQ7] Allows you to select the Parallel Port base addresses. Configuration options: [Disabled] [378/IRQ7] [278/IRQ5] [3BC/IRQ7] Parallel Port Mode [ECP+EPP] Allows you to select the Parallel Port mode. Configuration options: [Normal] [Bi-directional] [EPP] [ECP] ECP Mode Use DMA [3] Allows selection of ECP Mode.
2.4.4 JumperFree Configuration Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Advanced JumperFree Configuration x x x x x x x Overclock Profile Overclock Options N.O.S. Option CPU Frequency PCI Express Clock DDR Voltage CPU Multiplier CPU Voltage [Auto] Disable Disable 200.00 100Mhz Auto Auto Auto Select Menu Item Specific Help Overclock Profile [Auto] Allows selection of CPU overclocking options to achieve desired CPU internal frequency.
PCI Express Clock [100MHz] Allows you to set the PCI Express clock. Key-in a decimal value between 100-200 MHz. Configuration options: [100Mhz] [101Mhz~[145Mhz] DDR Voltage [Auto] Sets the operating DDR voltage. Configuration options: [Auto] [2.60V] [2.65V] [2.70V] [2.75V] [2.80V] [2.85V] [2.90V] [2.95V] [3.00V] CPU Multiplier [Auto] Sets the operating CPU multiplier. The configuration options vary depending on the type of CPU installed. Configuration options: [Auto] [x4] [x4.5] [x5] [x5.5] [x6] [x6.
The following item is user-configurable only when the AI Overclocking item is set to [AI N.O.S.]. N.O.S. Option [Disable] Sets the Non-Delay Overclocking System mode. Configuration options: [Disable] [Overclock 3%] [Overclock 5%] [Overclock 8%] [Overclock 10%] 2.4.5 LAN Cable Status The items in this menu displays the status of the Local Area Network (LAN) cable.
PEG Buffer Length [Auto] Allows you to set the PCI Express graphics buffer length. Configuration options: [Auto] [Long] [Short] 2.4.7 Instant Music Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Advanced JumperFree Configuration Instant Music x Instant Music CD-ROM Drive [Disabled] Primary Master Select Menu Item Specific Help If enabled, power up by PS/2 keyboard function will be disabled. Instant Music [Disabled] Allows you to enable or disable the ASUS Instant Music feature.
2.5 Power menu The Power menu items allow you to change the settings for the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) and the Advanced Power Management (APM). Select an item then press to display the configuration options. Main Advanced Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Power Boot Exit ACPI Suspend Type ACPI APIC support APM Configuration Hardware Monitor F1:Help ESC: Exit 2.5.
2.5.
Power On By RTC Alarm [Disabled] Allows you to enable or disable RTC to generate a wake event. When this item is set to Enabled, the items Date of Month Alarm and Time (hh:mm:ss) Alarm items become user-configurable with set values. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Day of Month Alarm [Disabled] To set the date of alarm, highlight this item and press to display the Day of Month Alarm pop-up menu. Key-in a value within the specified range then press .
2.5.4 Hardware Monitor The items in this sub-menu displays the hardware monitor values automatically detected by the BIOS. It also allows you to change CPU Q-Fan feature-related parameters. Select an item then press to display the configuration options. Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Power Hardware Monitor Q-Fan Controller Vcore Voltage 3.
CPU Target Temperature Allows you to set the temperature threshold before the CPU fan rotates at full speed. Configuration options: [51ºC] [54ºC] [57ºC] [60ºC] [63ºC] [66ºC] [69ºC] [72ºC] [75ºC] [78ºC] [81ºC] 2.6 Boot menu The Boot menu items allow you to change the system boot options. Select an item then press to display the sub-menu.
2.6.2 Removable Drives Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Removable Drives 1. Floppy Disks Select Menu Item Specific Help 1. Floppy Disks Allows you to assign a removable drive attached to the system. 2.6.3 Hard Disk Drives Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Hard Disk Drives 1. 1st Master: XXXXXXXXX 2. Bootable Add-in Cards Select Menu Item Specific Help 1. 1st Master: XXXXXXXXX Allows you to assign hard disk drives attached to the system. 2.6.
2.6.5 Boot Settings Configuration Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Boot Settings Configuration Case Open Warning Quick Boot Boot Up Floppy Seek Bootup Num-Lock Typematic Rate Setting x Typematic Rate (Chars/Sec) x Typematic Delay (Msec) OS Select For DRAM > 64MB Full Screen LOGO Halt On F1:Help ESC: Exit ↑↓ : Select Item →←: Select Menu →← [Enabled] [Enabled] [Enabled] [On] [Disabled] 6 250 [Non-OS2] [Enabled] [All Errors] Select Menu Item Specific Help Press [Enter] to enable or disable.
Typematic Rate (Chars/Sec) [6] Allows you to select the rate at which a character repeats when you hold a key. Configuration options: [6] [8] [10] [12] [15] [20] [24] [30] Typematic Delay (Msec) [250] Allows you to set the delay before keystrokes begin to repeat. Configuration options: [250] [500] [750] [1000] OS Select for DRAM > 64MB [Non-OS2] Set this item to OS2 only when you are running on an OS/2 operating system with an installed RAM of greater than 64 KB.
3. When prompted, confirm the password by typing the exact characters again, then press . The password field setting is changed to Set. To clear the password: 1. Select the password field and press twice. The following message appears: PASSWORD DISABLED !!! Press any key to continue... 2. Press any key to continue. The password field setting is changed to Clear. A note about passwords The Supervisor password is required to enter the BIOS Setup program preventing unauthorized access.
2.7 Exit menu The Exit menu items allow you to load the optimal or failsafe default values for the BIOS items, and save or discard your changes to the BIOS items. Main Advanced Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Power Boot Exit Select Menu Exit & Save Changes Exit & Discard Changes Load Setup Default Discard Changes ↑↓ : Select Item →←: Select Menu →← F1:Help ESC: Exit Item Specific Help This option save data to CMOS and exiting the setup menu.
Load Setup Defaults This option allows you to load the default values for each of the parameters on the Setup menus. When you select this option or if you press , a confirmation window appears. Select Y e s to load default values. Select E x i t & S a v e C h a n g e s or make other changes before saving the values to the non-volatile RAM. Discard Changes This option allows you to discard the selections you made and restore the previously saved values.
This chapter describes the contents of the support CD that comes with the motherboard package.
3.1 Installing an operating system This motherboard supports Windows® 2000/XP operating systems (OS). Always install the latest OS version and corresponding updates to maximize the features of your hardware. 3.2 • Motherboard settings and hardware options vary. Use the setup procedures presented in this chapter for reference only. Refer to your OS documentation for detailed information.
3.2.2 Drivers menu The drivers menu shows the available device drivers if the system detects installed devices. Install the necessary drivers to activate the devices. Nvidia Chipset Driver Program Installs the NVIDIA® Chipset drivers for the NVIDIA® nForce™ 4 chipset. Make NVIDIA PATA RAID Driver Disk Creates the NVIDIA® driver disk for Parallel ATA and RAID features. Make NVIDIA SATA RAID Driver Disk Creates the NVIDIA® driver disk for Serial ATA and RAID features.
3.2.3 Utilities menu The Utilities menu shows the applications and other software that the motherboard supports. ASUS PC Probe II This smart utility monitors the fan speed, CPU temperature, and system voltages, and alerts you of any detected problems. This utility helps you keep your computer in healthy operating condition. ASUS Update Allows you to download the latest version of the BIOS from the ASUS website.
Anti-virus Utility The anti-virus application detects and protects your computer from viruses that destroys data. ADOBE Acrobat Reader Installs the Adobe® Acrobat® Reader that allows you to open, view, and print documents in Portable Document Format (PDF). ASUS Screen Saver Bring life to your computer screen by installing the ASUS screen saver. ASUS AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet Software Installs the AMD® Cool ‘n’ Quiet! software. 3.2.4 Manuals menu The Manuals menu contains a list of supplementary user manuals.
NVIDIA RAID User’s Guide Allows you to open the NVIDIA® RAID User’s Guide. Sil3114 User’s Manual Allows you to open the Silicon Image RAID User’s Guide. NVIDIA nTune Manual Allows you to open the NVIDIA® nTune™ user’s manual. NvRAID Disk Alert User’s Guide Allows you to open the NVIDIA® NVRAID™ Disk Alert user’s guide. 3.2.5 ASUS Contact information Click the C o n t a c t tab to display the ASUS contact information. You can also find this information on the inside front cover of this user guide.
3.3 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 application for more information. 3.3.1 ASUS MyLogo2™ The ASUS MyLogo2™ utility lets you customize the boot logo. The boot logo is the image that appears on screen during the Power-On Self-Tests (POST).
7. When the logo images appear on the right window pane, select an image to enlarge by clicking on it. 8. Adjust the boot image to your desired size by selecting a value on the R a t i o box. 9. When the screen returns to the ASUS Update utility, flash the original BIOS to load the new boot logo. 10. After flashing the BIOS, restart the computer to display the new boot logo during POST.
3.3.2 AI NET 2 The Marvell® Virtual Cable Tester™ (VCT) is a cable diagnostic utility that reports LAN cable faults and shorts using the Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) technology. The VCT detects and reports open and shorted cables, impedance mismatches, pair swaps, pair polarity problems, and pair skew problems of up to 100 meters at one meter accuracy. The VCT feature reduces networking and support costs through a highly manageable and controlled network system.
3.3.3 Audio configurations The Realtek® ALC850 AC ‘97 audio CODEC provides 8-channel audio capability to deliver the ultimate audio experience on your PC. The software provides Jack-Sensing function (Line-In, Line-Out, Mic-In), S/PDIF out support and interrupt capability. The ALC850 also includes the Realtek® proprietary UAJ® (Universal Audio Jack) technology for three ports (Line-In, Line-Out and Mic-In), eliminating cable connection errors and giving users plug and play convenience.
To set the sound effect options: 1. From the Realtek Audio Control Panel, click the S o u n d E f f e c t button. 2. Click the shortcut buttons to change the acoustic environment, adjust the equalizer, or set the karaoke to your desired settings. 3. The audio settings take effect immediately after you click on the buttons. Click the Exit (X X ) button on the upper-right hand corner of the window to exit. 4.
Speaker Configuration This option allows you to set your speaker configuration. To set the speaker configuration: 1. From the Realtek Audio Control Panel, click the S p e a k e r C o n f i g u r a t i o n button. 2. Select from the combo list box your current speaker setup, then click A u t o T e s t to test your settings. Click the U A J A u t o m a t i c button to enable or disable the Universal Audio Jack(UAJ®) technology feature.
AI Audio feature The AI Audio feature works through the connector sensing option that allows you to check if your audio devices are connected properly. To start the connector sensing: 1. From the Realtek Audio Control Panel, click the C o n n e c t o r S e n s i n g button. 2. Click the B r a c k e t button to display connected audio devices. Click the O p t i o n button to change sensing options. 3. 4. Click the S t a r t button to start connection sensing.
6. 7. 8. If there are detected problems, make sure that your audio cables are connected to the proper audio jack and repeat connector sensing. Click the X button to exit EZ-connection dialog box. X ) button on the upper-right hand corner of the window Click the Exit (X to exit audio control panel. HRTF Demo This option shows a demo of the Head-Related Transfer Functions (HRTF). To start the HRTF demo: 1. 2. 3. 4. 3-14 From the Realtek Audio Control Panel, click the H R T F D e m o button.
General settings This option shows the audio settings and allows you to change the language setting or toggle the SoundEffect icon display on the Windows taskbar. To display the general settings: 1. From the Realtek Audio Control Panel, click the G e n e r a l button. 2. Click the option button to enable or disable the icon display on the Windows taskbar. Click the L a n g u a g e combo list box to change language display. 3. 4.
3.3.4 Using the NVIDIA® Firewall™ The motherboard supports the NVIDIA® Firewall™ (NVFirewall™) application that protects your computer from intruders. The NVFirewall™ is classified as a personal firewall or desktop firewall that works at the device level to protect your system from malicious computer code by controlling the connections to and from your computer and alerting you for attempted intrusions. The following sections describe how to use the NVIDIA® Firewall™.
Setting security profiles The NVFirewall™ application allows several security profiles to match your system security needs. The following describes the NVFirewall™ security profiles: • • • • L o w - allows safe incoming connections and deny those that are known to be dangerous connections. This profile also enables some anti-hacking features. M e d i u m - blocks most incoming connections. Incoming connections to some ports must be set to allow file transfers using some online messaging applications.
Turning the NVFirewall™ off Take caution when using this option, your computer becomes vulnerable to viruses, hackers or intruders after you turn off the firewall. To turn off the NVFirewall: 1. From the NVIDIA Firewall summary menu, click the Current Firewall Profile combo list box then select O f ff. The following confirmation box appears. 2. Click T u r n F i r e w a l l O F FF.
3.4 RAID configurations The motherboard comes with the NVIDIA® nForce™ 4 southbridge RAID controller that allow you to configure IDE and Serial ATA hard disk drives as RAID sets. The motherboard supports the following RAID configurations. R A I D 0 (Data striping) optimizes two identical hard disk drives to read and write data in parallel, interleaved stacks.
3.4.1 Installing hard disks The motherboard supports Ultra DMA /133/100/66 and Serial ATA hard disk drives. For optimal performance, install identical drives of the same model and capacity when creating a disk array. Installing Parallel ATA hard disks To install IDE hard disks for a RAID configuration: 1. Set the jumpers of each hard disk as Master/Master or Slave/Slave. 2. Install the hard disks into the drive bays. 3. Connect the HDD signal cables. 4.
3.4.2 NVIDIA® RAID configurations The motherboard includes a high performance IDE RAID controller integrated in the NVIDIA® nForce 4 southbridge chipset. It supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 1+0, and JBOD with four independent Serial ATA channels. Setting the BIOS RAID items After installing the hard disk drives, make sure to set the necessary RAID items in the BIOS before setting your RAID configuration. To set the BIOS RAID items: 1. 2.
Entering the NVIDIA® RAID utility To enter the NVIDIA® RAID utility: 1. Boot up your computer. 2. During POST, press to display the main menu of the utility. The RAID BIOS setup screens shown in this section are for reference only, and may not exactly match the items on your screen. NVIDIA RAID Utility Oct 5 2004 - Define a New Array RAID Mode: Striping Striping Block: Free Disks Loc Disk Model Name Array Disks Loc Disk Model Name 1.0.M 1.1.M 2.0.M 2.1.
2. Press select the Striping Block then press . The following submenu appears: ↑ 8K 16K 32K 64K 128K ↓ Optim↓ If you selected Striping or Stripe Mirroring, use the up or down arrow keys to select the stripe size for your RAID 0 array then press .The available values range from 8 KB to 128 KB. The default selection is 128 KB. The strip value should be chosen based on the planned drive usage.
NVIDIA RAID Utility Oct 5 2004 - Array List Boot Id Status Vendor Array Model Name No 4 Healthy NVIDIA MIRROR [Ctrl-X]Exit [↑ ↑↓]Select [B]Set Boot XXX.XXG [N]New Array [ENTER]Detail A new set of navigation keys is displayed on the bottom of the screen. 6. Press to save settings and exit. Rebuilding a RAID array To rebuild a RAID array: 1. From the Array List menu, use the up or down arrow keys to select a RAID array then press . The RAID Array details appear.
A new set of navigation keys is displayed on the bottom of the screen. 2. Press to rebuild a RAID array. The following screen appears. Array 1 : NVIDIA MIRROR XXX.XXG - Select Disk Inside Array RAID Mode: Mirroring Striping Width: 1 Striping Block: 64K Adapt Channel M/S Index Disk Model Name Capacity 2 1 1 0 Master Master 0 1 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX.XXGB XXX.XXGB [↑↓] Select [F6] Back 3.
Deleting a RAID array To delete a RAID array: 1. From the Array List menu, use the up or down arrow keys to select a RAID array then press . The RAID Array details appear. Array 1 : NVIDIA MIRROR XXX.XXG - Array Detail RAID Mode: Mirroring Striping Width: 1 Striping Block: 64K Adapt Channel M/S Index Disk Model Name Capacity 2 1 1 0 Master Master 0 1 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX.XXGB XXX.
Clearing a disk data To clear disk data: 1. From the Array List menu, use the up or down arrow keys to select a RAID array then press . The RAID Array details appear. Array 1 : NVIDIA MIRROR XXX.XXG - Array Detail RAID Mode: Mirroring Striping Width: 1 Striping Block: 64K Adapt Channel M/S Index Disk Model Name Capacity 2 1 1 0 Master Master 0 1 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX.XXGB XXX.
3.5 RAID driver installation Creating a RAID driver disk A floppy disk with the RAID driver is required when installing Windows® 2000/XP operating system on a hard disk drive that is included in a RAID set. You can create a RAID driver disk in DOS (using FreeDOS from the support CD). To create a RAID driver disk in DOS environment: 1. Place the motherboard support CD in the optical drive. 2. Restart the computer, then enter the BIOS Setup. 3.
3.6 Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology The motherboard supports the AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology that dynamically and automatically change the CPU speed, voltage, and amount of power depending on the task the CPU performs. 3.6.1 Enabling Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology To enable Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology: 1. 2. 3. Turn on the system and enter BIOS by pressing the key during the Power-On Self-Tests (POST).
3.6.2 Launching the Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ software The motherboard support CD includes the Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ software that enables you to view your system’s real-time CPU Frequency and voltage. Make sure to install the Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ software from the motherboard support CD. Refer to section “3.2.3 Utilities menu”, for details. To launch the Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ program: 1. 2. 3. 3-30 If you are using Windows® 2000, click the S t a r t button. Select Programs > ASUS > Cool & Quiet > Cool & Quiet.
