Motherboard M3N78 PRO
E3864 First Edition May 2008 Copyright © 2008 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 Contents....................................................................................................... iii Notices......................................................................................................... vii Safety information..................................................................................... viii About this guide.......................................................................................... ix M3N78 PRO specifications summary...................
Contents 2.5.6 Jumper......................................................................................... 2-24 2.7 Connectors.................................................................................. 2-25 2.7.1 Rear panel connectors................................................... 2-25 2.7.2 Internal connectors........................................................ 2-28 Chapter 3: Powering up 3.1 Starting up for the first time........................................................
Contents 4.3.8 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 Usable Memory.............................................................. 4-17 Advanced menu.......................................................................... 4-18 4.4.1 JumperFree Configuration............................................. 4-18 4.4.2 Ai Net 2.......................................................................... 4-20 4.4.3 CPU Configuration......................................................... 4-20 4.4.4 Chipset................
Contents 5.4 5.5 5.3.2 Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology...........................................5-11 5.3.3 Audio configurations...................................................... 5-14 5.3.4 ASUS PC Probe II.......................................................... 5-22 5.3.5 ASUS AI Suite................................................................ 5-28 5.3.6 ASUS AI Gear 2............................................................. 5-30 5.3.7 ASUS AI Nap...................................
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 guide contains the following parts: • Chapter 1: Product introduction This chapter describes the features of the motherboard and the new technology it supports. • Chapter 2: Hardware information This chapter lists the hardware setup procedures that you have to perform when installing system components.
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: Instructions that you MUST follow to complete a task. NOTE: Tips and additional information to help you complete a task.
M3N78 PRO specifications summary CPU AMD® Socket AM2/AM2+ for Phenom™ FX / Phenom™ / Athlon™ / Sempron™ processors AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet™ Technology AMD Live!™ Ready Supports CPU TDP up to 140W Chipset NVIDIA® GeForce® 8300 System bus Up to 5200 MT/s; HyperTransport™ 3.
M3N78 PRO specifications summary IEEE 1394 LSI® FW322 controller supports 2 x IEEE 1394a ports (1 at mid-board; 1 on the rear panel) USB 12 x USB 2.0 ports (6 at mid-board; 6 on the rear panel) ASUS unique features ASUS Express Gate: - Web browser, file downloading and uploading* - Further free features upgradable * File downloading and uploading through USB devices only.
M3N78 PRO specifications summary Internal I/O connectors 3 x USB connectors support additional 6 USB ports 1 x Floppy disk drive connector 1 x COM connector 1 x VGA connector 1 x IDE connector 6 x SATA connectors 1 x CPU Fan connector 1 x Chassis Fan connector 1 x Power Fan connector 1 x IEEE1394a connector 1 x Front panel audio connector 1 x S/PDIF Out Header 1 x Chassis Intrusion connector 1 x CD audio in 1 x 24-pin ATX Power connector 1 x 4-pin ATX 12V Power connector 1 x System Panel (Q-Connector) BIO
xiv
This chapter describes the motherboard features and the new technologies it supports.
Chapter summary 1 1.1 Welcome!....................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Package contents.......................................................................... 1-1 1.3 Special features.............................................................................
1.1 Welcome! Thank you for buying an ASUS® M3N78 PRO motherboard! The motherboard delivers a host of new features and latest technologies, making it another standout in the long line of ASUS quality motherboards! Before you start installing the motherboard, and hardware devices on it, check the items in your package with the list below. 1.2 Package contents Check your motherboard package for the following items.
1.3 Special features 1.3.1 Product highlights Green ASUS This motherboard and its packaging comply with the European Union’s Restriction on the use of Hazardous Substances (RoHS). This is in line with the ASUS vision of creating environment-friendly and recyclable products/packaging to safeguard consumers’ health while minimizing the impact on the environment.
NVIDIA® Hybrid SLI Technology Hybrid SLI™ Technology is a unique hybrid multi-GPU technology. It includes two primary features: GeForce Boost and HybridPower™. GeForce Boost turbo-charges performance of discrete graphics cards when combined with M3N series motherboard GPUs. HybridPower™ unleashes graphics performance for demanding 3D applications and enables low-power operation for everyday computing needs.
S/PDIF digital sound ready This motherboard provides convenient connectivity to external home theater audio systems via the coaxial S/PDIF (SONY-PHILIPS Digital Interface) Out jack. It allows digital audio transferring without converting it to analog format, and therefore well preserves signal quality. See page 2-26 and 2-38 for details.
Q-Fan 2 ASUS Q-Fan2 technology intelligently adjusts both CPU fan and chassis fan speeds according to system loading to ensure quiet, cool and efficient operation. See page 4-29 and 5-32 for details. ASUS Crystal Sound This feature can enhance speech-centric applications like Skype, online game, video conference and recording.
Smart Support DVD This feature provides a checklist that allows the user to know which drivers are already installed, as well as those that are not. When using ASUS PC Probe II, you can easily monitor the critical components of the computer. ASUS MyLogo 2™ This feature allows you to convert your favorite photo into a 256-color boot logo for a more colorful and vivid image on your screen. See page 4-33 and 5-9 for details. 1.3.
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 2.1 Before you proceed...................................................................... 2-1 2.2 Motherboard overview.................................................................. 2-2 2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU).................................................... 2-6 2.4 System memory.......................................................................... 2-11 2.5 Expansion slots........................................................................... 2-21 2.
2.1 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.
2.2 Motherboard overview Before you install the motherboard, study the configuration of your chassis to ensure that the motherboard fits into it. Make sure to unplug the power cord before installing or removing the motherboard. Failure to do so can cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components. 2.2.1 Placement direction When installing the motherboard, make sure that you place it into the chassis in the correct orientation.
2.2.3 Motherboard layout Refer to 2.7 Connectors for more information about rear panel connectors and internal connectors.
2.2.4 Slots 1. 2. 3. 4. 2-4 Layout contents DDR2 DIMM slots PCI slots PCI Express x1 slots PCI Express 2.0 x16 slot Page 2-11 2-22 2-22 2-23 Jumper Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC) Page 2-24 Rear panel connectors 1. ��������������������������� PS/2 keyboard port (purple) 2. IEEE 1394a port 3. LAN (RJ-45) port. 4. Center/Subwoofer port (orange) 5. Rear Speaker Out port (black) 6. Line In port (light blue) 7. Line Out port (lime) 8. Microphone port (pink) 9. Side Speaker Out port (gray) 10. USB 2.
Internal connectors 1. Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY) 2. IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE) 3. NVIDIA GeForce 8300 Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA1-6) 4. ������������������������������������������������ USB connectors (10-1 pin USB78, USB910, USB1112) 5. ��������������������������������������������� IEEE 1394a port connector (10-1 pin IE1394_2) 6. CPU, chassis, and power fan connectors (4-pin CPU_FAN, 3-pin CHA_FAN1, 3-pin PWR_FAN) 7. Chassis intrusion connector (4-1 pin CHASSIS) 8.
2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU) The motherboard comes with an �������������������������������� AM2+/AM2������������������������ socket designed for AMD ���® Socket AM2+ Phenom™ ������������������������������������������������������������������ FX / Phenom / Athlon™ / Sempron™ processors or for Socket AM2 Athlon series / Sempron processors. The AM2+/AM2 socket has a different pinout from the 940-pin socket designed for the AMD Opteron processor. Make sure you use a CPU designed for the AM2+/AM2 socket.
3. Position the CPU above the socket such that the CPU corner with the gold triangle matches the socket corner with a small triangle. 4. Carefully insert the CPU into the socket until it fits in place. Gold triangle Small triangle 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. 6. Install a CPU heatsink and fan following the instructions that came with the heatsink package.
2.3.2 Installing the heatsink and fan The AMD® Phenom™ ������������������������������������������������������������� FX / Phenom / Athlon™/ Sempron™ ��������������������� processor requires a specially designed heatsink and fan assembly to ensure optimum thermal condition and performance. Make sure that you use only AMD-certified heatsink and fan assembly. To install the CPU heatsink and fan: 1.
2. Attach one end of the retention bracket to the retention module base. 3. Align the other end of the retention bracket (near the retention bracket lock) to the retention module base. A clicking sound denotes that the retention bracket is in place. Make sure that the fan and heatsink assembly perfectly fits the retention mechanism module base, otherwise you cannot snap the retention bracket in place. 4.
5. 2-10 When the fan and heatsink assembly is in place, connect the CPU fan cable to the connector on the motherboard labeled CPU_FAN. • Do not forget to connect the CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring errors can occur if you fail to plug this connector. • This connector is backward compatiable with old 3-pin CPU fan.
2.4 System memory 2.4.1 Overview The motherboard comes with four Double Data Rate 2 (DDR2) Dual Inline Memory Modules (DIMM) sockets.
2.4.2 Memory configurations You may install 512 MB, 1 GB, and 2 GB unbuffered ECC and non‑ECC DDR2 DIMMs into the DIMM sockets. Recommended Memory Configurations Mode Single-Channel Sockets DIMM_A2 DIMM_B1 (black) (yellow) – Populated DIMM_A1 (yellow) – DIMM_B2 (black) – Populated – – Dual-channel (1) Populated – Populated – – Dual-channel (2) Populated Populated Populated Populated • You may install varying memory sizes in Channel A and Channel B.
M3N78 PRO Motherboard Qualified Vendors Lists (QVL) DDR2-1066MHz capability for AM2+ CPU DIMM socket support (Optional) Size Vendor Chip No. CL Chip Brand SS/ DS Part No. 4GB (Kit of 2) CORSAIR Heat-Sink Package 5-5-5-15 N/A DS Box P/N:TWIN2X4096-8500C5DF (CM2X2048-8500C5D)(EPP) • 2GB (Kit of 2) G.SKILL Heat-Sink Package 5-5-5-15 N/A DS F2-8500CL5D-2GBPK 4GB (Kit of 2) G.
M3N78 PRO Motherboard Qualified Vendors Lists (QVL) DDR2-800MHz capability for AM2+ CPU (cont.) 2-14 Size Vendor Chip No. CL Chip Brand SS/ DS Part No.
M3N78 PRO Motherboard Qualified Vendors Lists (QVL) DDR2-800MHz capability for AM2+ CPU (cont.) DIMM socket support (Optional) Size Vendor Chip No. CL Chip Brand SS/ DS Part No.
M3N78 PRO Motherboard Qualified Vendors Lists (QVL) DDR2-667MHz capability for AM2+ CPU (cont.) 2-16 DIMM socket support (Optional) Size Vendor Chip No. CL Chip Brand SS/ DS Part No.
M3N78 PRO Motherboard Qualified Vendors Lists (QVL) DDR2-800MHz capability for AM2 CPU DIMM socket support (Optional) Size Vendor Chip No. CL Chip Brand SS/ DS Part No.
M3N78 PRO Motherboard Qualified Vendors Lists (QVL) DDR2-667MHz capability for AM2 CPU 2-18 DIMM socket support (Optional) Size Vendor Chip No. CL Chip Brand SS/ DS Part No.
Side(s): SS - Single-sided DS - Double-sided DIMM support: • A*: Supports one module inserted into either slot as Single-channel memory configuration. • B*: Supports two modules inserted into either the yellow slots or the black slots as one pair of Dual-channel memory configuration. • C*: Supports four modules inserted into both the yellow slots and the black slots as two pairs of Dual-channel memory configuration. Visit the ASUS website for the latest QVL.
2.4.3 Installing a DIMM Unplug the power supply before adding or removing DIMMs or other system components. Failure to do so can cause severe damage to both the motherboard and the components. 2 To install a DIMM: 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. 3. Firmly insert the DIMM into the socket until the retaining clips snap back in place and the DIMM is properly seated.
2.5 Expansion slots In the future, you may need to install expansion cards. The following sub‑sections describe the slots and the expansion cards that they support. Make sure to unplug the power cord before adding or removing expansion cards. Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components. 2.5.1 Installing an expansion card To install an expansion card: 1.
2.5.
2.5.6 PCI Express 2.0 x16 slot This motherboard supports PCI Express 2.0 x16 graphics cards that complies with the PCI Express specifications. Refer to the figure below for the location of the slot. PCI Express x1_1 slot PCI Express 2.0 x16_1 slot PCI_1 slot PCI_2 slot PCI_3 slot PCI Express x 1_2 slot • Currently, only Windows® Vista operation system supports Hybrid SLI™ mode.
2.6 Jumper Clear RTC RAM (3-pin 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. Move the jumper cap from pins 1-2 (default) to pins 2-3.
2.7 Connectors 2.7.1 Rear panel connectors 1. PS/2 keyboard port (purple). This port is for a PS/2 keyboard. 2. ���������������� IEEE 1394a port. This 6-pin IEEE 1394a port provides high-speed connectivity for audio/video devices, storage peripherals, PCs, or portable devices. 3. LAN (RJ-45) port. Supported by Marvell® 88E1116 Gigabit LAN controller, this port allows Gigabit connection to a Local Area Network (LAN) through a network hub. Refer to the table below for the LAN port LED indications.
Audio 2, 4, 6, or 8-channel configuration Headset 2-channel Line In Line Out Mic In – – – Port Light Blue Lime Pink Orange Black Gray 4-channel 6-channel 8-channel Line In Front Speaker Out Mic In – Rear Speaker Out – Line In Front Speaker Out Mic In Center/Subwoofer Rear Speaker Ou – Line In Front Speaker Out Mic In Center/Subwoofer Rear Speaker Out Side Speaker Out 10. USB 2.0 ports 1 and 2. These 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports are available for connecting USB 2.0 devices. 11. USB 2.
Troubleshooting on HDTV overscaling or underscaling: If your desktop is extending beyond the viewable display area or the desktop or image is not filling the entire display area while using the onboard HDMI out port and the HDMI cable, you can resize the desktop appearing on your HDTV screen. To resize your HDTV desktop: 1. Install NVIDIA Chipset Driver Program from the motherboard support DVD. 2. Right-click the desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel. 3.
2.7.2 1. Internal connectors Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY) This connector is for the provided floppy disk drive (FDD) signal cable. Insert one end of the cable to this connector, then connect the other end to the signal connector at the back of the floppy disk drive. Pin 5 on the connector is removed to prevent incorrect cable connection when using a FDD cable with a covered Pin 5.
2. IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE) The onboard IDE connector is for the Ultra DMA 133/100/66/33 signal cable. There are three connectors on each Ultra DMA 133/100/66/33 signal cable: blue, black, and gray. Connect the blue connector to the motherboard’s IDE connector, then select one of the following modes to configure your device.
3. NVIDIA® GeForce 8300 Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA1-6) These connectors are for the Serial ATA signal cables for Serial ATA hard disk and optical disk drives. If you install SATA hard disk drives to the SATA connectors, you can create a RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, RAID 5, or JBOD configuration through the onboard NVIDIA® GeForce 8300 controller. • SATA1-4 connectors are set to [IDE] by default.
4. USB connectors (10-1 pin USB 78, USB910, USB1112) These connectors are for USB 2.0 ports. Connect the USB module cable to any of these connectors, then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis. These USB connectors comply with USB 2.0 specification that supports up to 480 Mbps connection speed. Never connect a 1394 cable to the USB connectors.
5. IEEE 1394a port connector (10-1 pin IE1394_2) This connector is for a IEEE 1394a port. Connect the IEEE 1394a module cable to this connector, then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis. Never connect a USB cable to the IEEE 1394a connector.
6. CPU, chassis, and power fan connectors (4-pin CPU_FAN, 3-pin CHA_FAN1, 3-pin PWR_FAN) The fan connectors support cooling fans of 350 mA~2000 mA (24 W max.) or a total of 1 A~7 A (84 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. Insufficient air flow inside the system may damage the motherboard components.
7. 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. By default , the pin labeled “Chassis Signal” and “Ground” are shorted with a jumper cap.
8. ATX power connectors (24-pin EATXPWR; 4-pin ATX12V) These connectors are for 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. • For a fully configured system, we recommend that you use a power supply unit (PSU) that complies with ATX 12 V Specification 2.0 (or later version) and provides a minimum power of 600 W.
9. Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin AAFP) This connector is for a chassis-mounted front panel audio I/O module that supports either HD Audio or legacy AC`97 audio standard. Connect one end of the front panel audio I/O module cable to this connector. 2-36 • We recommend that you connect a high-definition front panel audio module to this connector to avail of the motherboard’s high-definition audio capability.
10. Optical drive audio connector (4-pin CD) These connectors allow you to receive stereo audio input from sound sources such as a CD-ROM, TV tuner, or MPEG card. 11. 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. The COM module is purchased separately.
12. Digital audio connector (4-1 pin SPDIF_OUT) This connector is for an additional Sony/Philips Digital Interface (S/PDIF) port(s). Connect the S/PDIF Out module cable to this connector, then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis. The S/PDIF module is purchased separately. 13. Video Graphics Adapter (VGA) connector (16-pin VGA) This connector is for the onboard VGA connection, allowing you to connect a display device to your system.
14. System panel connector (20-8 pin PANEL) This connector supports several chassis-mounted functions. • System power LED (2-pin PLED) This 2-pin connector is for the system power LED. Connect the chassis power LED cable to this connector. The system power LED lights up when you turn on the system power, and blinks when the system is in sleep mode. • Hard disk drive activity LED (2-pin IDE_LED) This 2-pin connector is for the HDD Activity LED. Connect the HDD Activity LED cable to this connector.
15. ASUS Q-Connector (system panel) You can use the ASUS Q-Connector to connect/disconnect chassis front panel cables in a few steps. Refer to the instructions below to install the ASUS Q-Connector. 1. Connect the front panel cables to the ASUS Q-Connector. Refer to the labels on the Q-Connector to know the detailed pin definitions, then match them to the respective front panel cable labels. 2-40 2.
This chapter describes the power up sequence, the vocal POST messages, and ways of shutting down the system.
Chapter summary 3 3.1 Starting up for the first time......................................................... 3-1 3.2 Turning off the computer..............................................................
3.1 Starting up for the first time 1. After making all the connections, replace the system case cover. 2. Be sure that all switches are off. 3. Connect the power cord to the power connector at the back of the system chassis. 4. Connect the power cord to a power outlet that is equipped with a surge protector. 5. Turn on the devices in the following order: 6. a. Monitor b. External SCSI devices (starting with the last device on the chain) c.
3.2 Turning off the computer 3.2.1 Using the OS shut down function If you are using Windows® XP: 1. Click the Start button then select Turn Off Computer. 2. Click the Turn Off button to shut down the computer. 3. The power supply should turn off after Windows® shuts down. If you are using Windows® Vista™: 1. 2. Click the Start button then select ShutDown. The power supply should turn off after Windows® shuts down. 3.2.
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 4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS............................................. 4-1 4.2 BIOS setup program..................................................................... 4-9 4.3 Main menu................................................................................... 4-13 4.4 Advanced menu.......................................................................... 4-18 4.5 Power menu.................................................................................
4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS The following utilities allow you to manage and update the motherboard Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) setup. 1. ASUS Update (Updates the BIOS in Windows® environment.) 2. ASUS EZ Flash 2 (Updates the BIOS using a floppy disk or USB flash disk.) 3. AwardBIOS Flash Utility (Updates the BIOS using a bootable floppy disk or a USB flash disk.) Refer to the corresponding sections for details on these utilities.
Quit all Windows® applications before you update the BIOS using this utility. Updating the BIOS through the Internet To update the BIOS through the Internet: 4-2 1. Launch the ASUS Update utility from the Windows® desktop by clicking Start > Programs > ASUS > ASUSUpdate > ASUSUpdate. The ASUS Update main window appears. 2. Select Update BIOS from the Internet option from the drop‑down menu, then click Next. 3. Select the ASUS FTP site nearest you to avoid network traffic, or click Auto Select.
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. Launch the ASUS Update utility from the Windows® desktop by clicking Start > Programs > ASUS > ASUSUpdate > ASUSUpdate.
4.1.2 1. Creating a bootable floppy disk Do either one of the following to create a bootable floppy disk. DOS environment a. Insert a 1.44MB floppy disk into the drive. b. At the DOS prompt, type format A:/S then press . Windows® XP environment a. Insert a 1.44 MB floppy disk to the floppy disk drive. b. Click Start from the Windows® desktop, then select My Computer. c. Select the 3 1/2 Floppy Drive icon. d. Click File from the menu, then select Format. A Format 3 1/2 Floppy Disk window appears.
4.1.3 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility The ASUS EZ Flash 2 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 2 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 2: 1. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS file for the motherboard. 2.
4.1.4 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. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) and download the latest BIOS file for the motherboard. Save the BIOS file to a bootable floppy disk or a USB flash disk in FAT 16/12 format. Save only the updated BIOS file in the disk to avoid loading the wrong BIOS file. 2. Copy the AwardBIOS Flash Utility (awdflash.
6. Type the BIOS file name in the File Name to Program field, then press . AwardBIOS Flash Utility for ASUS V1.33 (C) Phoenix Technologies Ltd. All Rights Reserved For MCP78-M3N78-PRO-00 Flash Type - DATE:01/08/2008 File Name to Program: M3N78.bin Message: Do You Want To Save Bios (Y/N) 7. Press when the utility prompts you to save the current BIOS file. The following screen appears. 8.
4.1.5 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 or the USB flash 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.
4.2 BIOS setup program This motherboard supports a programmable Low-Pin Count (LPC) chip that you can update using the provided utility described in section 4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS. Use the BIOS Setup program when you are installing a motherboard, reconfiguring your system, or prompted to“Run Setup.” This section explains how to configure your system using this utility. Even if you are not prompted to use the Setup program, you can change the configuration of your computer in the future.
4.2.1 BIOS menu screen Menu items Menu bar Configuration fields General help Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main Advanced System Time System Date Power Legacy Diskette A: Boot Tools Exit 15 : 30 : 36 Mon, Dec 24 2007 Select Menu [1.44M, 3.5 in.] Item Specific Help Primary IDE Master Primary IDE Slave SATA1 SATA3 SATA2 SATA4 HDD SMART Monitoring [ST321122A] [ASUS DVDS520/A] [None] [None] [None] [None] [Disabled] Change the internal time.
4.2.3 Legend bar At the bottom of the Setup screen is a legend bar. The keys in the legend bar allow you to navigate through the various setup menus. The following table lists the keys found in the legend bar with their corresponding functions.
4.2.7 Pop-up window Select a menu item then press to display a pop-up window with the configuration options for that item. Main Advanced Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Power Boot Tools Exit System Time System Date 15 : 30 : 36 Thu, Apr 6 2006 Legacy Diskette A: Select Menu Item Specific Help [1.44M, 3.5 in.] Diskette A: Primary IDE MasterLegacy [ST321122A] Primary IDE Slave [ASUS CDS520/A] SATA1 [None] Disabled ..... [ ] SATA3 720K [None] , 3.5 in. ..... [ ] SATA2 [None] 1.44M, 3.
4.3 Main menu When you enter the BIOS Setup program, the Main menu screen appears, giving you an overview of the basic system information. Refer to section 4.2.1 BIOS menu screen for information on the menu screen items and how to navigate through them. Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main Advanced System Time System Date Power Boot Tools Exit 19 : 49 : 36 Wed, Jan 9 2008 Legacy Diskette A: [1.44M, 3.5 in.
4.3.4 Primary IDE Master/Slave While entering Setup, the BIOS automatically detects the presence of IDE devices. There is a separate sub-menu for each IDE device. Select a device item then press to display the IDE device information.
Access Mode [Auto] The default [Auto] allows automatic detection of an IDE hard disk drive. Select [CHS] for this item if you set the IDE Primary Master/Slave to [Manual]. Configuration options: [CHS] [LBA] [Large] [Auto] Before attempting to configure a hard disk drive, make sure you have the correct configuration information supplied by the drive manufacturer. Incorrect settings may cause the system to fail to recognize the installed hard disk. Capacity Displays the auto-detected hard disk capacity.
4.3.5 SATA1/2/3/4 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. Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main SATA1 Extended IDE Drive Access Mode Capacity Item Specific Help 164 GB Cylinder Head Landing Zone Sector F1:Help ESC: Exit Select Menu [Auto] [Auto] Selects the type of fixed disk connected to the system.
Head Shows the number of the hard disk read/write heads. 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. This is necessary so that you can write or read data from the hard disk.
4.4 Advanced menu The Advanced menu items allow you to change the settings for the CPU and other system devices. Take caution when changing the settings of the Advanced menu items. Incorrect field values can cause the system to malfunction. The configuration options for the Advanced menu items vary depending on the CPU and DIMMs you install on the motherboard.
Overclock Options [Disabled] This item becomes user-configurable only when you set the AI Tuning item to [AI Overclock] and allows you to set the overclocking options. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Overclock 3%] [Overclock 5%] [Overclock 8%] [Overclock 10%] CPU VTT Voltage [AUTO] Allows you to set the CPU VTT voltage. Configuration options: [AUTO] [0.8000v] [0.8125v] [0.8250v] [0.8375v] [0.8500v] ~ [1.6250v] [1.6375v] [1.6500v] [1.6625v] [1.
4.4.2 Ai Net 2 This menu displays the status of the Local Area Network (LAN) cable connected to the LAN (RJ-45) port. Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Advanced AI NET 2 Select Menu POST Check LAN Cable [Disabled] Item Specific Help Pair LAN1(1-2) LAN1(3-6) LAN1(4-5) LAN1(7-8) Status Open Open Open Open Enable or Disable LAN cable check during POST. Length N/A N/A N/A N/A POST Check LAN cable [Disabled] Allows you to enable or disable LAN cable check during POST.
Timing Mode [Auto] Allows selection of the DRAM timing mode. Configuration options: [Auto] [MaxMemClk] [Manual] Memory Clock Frequency [Auto] This item becomes user-configurable when you set the Timing Mode item to [MaxMemClk] or [Manual] and allows you to adjust the memory clock frequency. Configuration options: [Auto] [DDR2 533] [DDR2 667] [DDR2 800] [DDR2 1066] Memory Hole Remapping [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable memory hole remapping support.
iGPU Frame Buffer Control [Auto] Allows you to set the onboard GPU frame buffer control mode. Configuration options: [Auto] [Manual] Frame Buffer Size [128M] This item becomes user-configurable when you set the iGPU Frame Buffer Control item to [Manual] and allows you to set frame buffer size for onboard GPU. Configuration options: [64M] [128M] [256M] [512M] The configuration options for this item vary depending on the total memory size you install on the motherboard.
Primary Display Adapter [PCI-E] Allows you to select which graphics controller to use as the primary boot device. Configuration options: [PCI] [Onboard] [PCI-E] 4.4.
IRQ-xx assigned to [PCI Device] When set to [PCI Device], the specific IRQ is free for use of PCI/PnP devices. When set to [Reserved], the IRQ is reserved for legacy ISA devices. Configuration options: [PCI Device] [Reserved] Maximum Payload Size [4096] Sets maximum TLP payload size for the PCI Express devices. The unit is byte. Configuration options: [128] [256] [512] [1024] [2048] [4096] 4.4.
MCP Storage Config Advanced Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility MCP Storage Config SATA Operation Mode Select Menu [IDE] Item Specific Help SATA Operation Mode [IDE] Allows you to select the onboard Serial ATA type. Configuration options: [IDE] [RAID] [AHCI] • If you want to use the Serial ATA hard disk drives as Parallel ATA physical storage devices, keep the default setting [IDE].
Make sure to set the HDMI Audio item to [Auto] to enable HDMI audio output. Onboard LAN Device [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the OnBoard LAN device. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Onboard LAN Boot ROM [Disabled] Allows you to enable or disable the OnBoard LAN Boot ROM. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] Serial Port1 Address [3F8/IRQ4] Allows you to select the Serial Port1 base address.
4.5 Power menu The Power menu items allow you to change the settings for the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) and the Advanced Power Management (APM). Select an item then press to display the configuration options. Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main Advanced Power Boot ACPI Suspend Type ACPI APIC support APM Configuration Hardware Monitor Tools Exit [S1&S3] [Enabled] Select Menu Item Specific Help Select the ACPI state used for System Suspend.
PWR Button < 4 secs [Instant-Off] When set to [Instant-Off], the system goes into Soft-off mode after you press the power button for less than 4 seconds. When set to [Suspend], the system goes into Suspend mode after you press the power button for less than 4 seconds. Configuration options: [Suspend] [Instant-Off] Power Up On PCI/PCIE Devices [Disabled] Allows you to enable or disable the PME to wake up from S5 by PCI/PCIE devices and the NVIDIA® onboard LAN.
Power Up By PS/2 Keyboard [Disabled] Allows you to disable the Power On by PS/2 keyboard function or set specific keys on the PS/2 keyboard to turn on the system. This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides at least 1A on the +5VSB lead. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Space Bar] [Ctrl-ESC] [Power Key] 4.5.4 Hardware Monitor The items in this sub-menu displays the hardware monitor values automatically detected by the BIOS. It also allows you to change CPU Q-Fan feature-related parameters.
CPU Q-Fan Profile [Performance] Allows you to set the appropriate performance level of the CPU Q-Fan. When set to [Optimal], the CPU fan automatically adjusts depending on the CPU temperature. Set this item to [Silent] to minimize fan speed for quiet CPU fan operation, or [Performance] to achieve maximum CPU fan speed. Configuration options: [Performance] ������������������� [Optimal] [Silent] Chassis Q-Fan Control [Disabled] Allows you to enable or disable the Chassis Q-Fan controller.
4.6 Boot menu The Boot menu items allow you to change the system boot options. Select an item then press to display the sub-menu. Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit Select Menu Boot Device Priority Removable Drives Boot Settings Configuration Security Item Specific Help Select Boot Device Priority F1:Help ESC: Exit 4.6.
4.6.3 Boot Settings Configuration Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Boot Settings Configuration x x Case Open Warning Quick Boot Boot Up Floppy Seek Bootup Num-Lock Typematic Rate Setting Typematic Rate (Chars/Sec) Typematic Delay (Msec) OS Select For DRAM > 64MB Full Screen LOGO Halt On [Enabled] [Enabled] [Disabled] [On] [Disabled] 6 250 [Non-OS2] [Enabled] [All Errors] Select Menu Item Specific Help Allows the system to skip certain tests while booting.
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 MB. Configuration options: [Non-OS2] [OS2] Full Screen LOGO [Enabled] This allows you to enable or disable the full screen logo display feature. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Set this item to [Enabled] to use the ASUS MyLogo 2™ feature. Halt On [All Errors] Allows you to set the error report type.
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. The User password is required to boot the system preventing unauthorized use. Forgot your password? If you forget your password, you can clear it by erasing the CMOS Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM. The RAM data containing the password information is powered by the onboard button cell battery.
4.7 Tools menu The Tools menu items allow you to configure options for special functions. Select an item then press to display the sub-menu. Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit ASUS EZ Flash 2 Express Gate F1:Help ESC: Exit 4.7.1 Select Menu Item Specific Help ↑↓ : Select Item →←: Select Menu -/+: Change Value Enter: Select SubMenu F5: Setup Defaults F10: Save and Exit ASUS EZ Flash 2 Allows you to run ASUS EZ Flash 2.
4.7.2 Express Gate Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Tools Express Gate Express Gate Boot Out Timer Reset User Data [Enabled] [10] [No] Select Menu Item Specific Help Express Gate [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the ASUS Express Gate feature. The ASUS Express Gate is a unique instant-on environment that provides quick access to the Internet browser and Skype. Refer to section 5.3.10 ASUS Express Gate for details.
4.8 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 Tools Exit Exit & Save Changes Exit & Discard Changes Load Setup Default Discard Changes F1:Help ESC: Exit ↑↓ : Select Item →←: Select Menu Select Menu Item Specific Help This option save data to CMOS and exiting the setup menu.
4-38 Chapter 4: BIOS setup
This chapter describes the contents of the support DVD that comes with the motherboard package.
Chapter summary 5 5.1 Installing an operating system.................................................... 5-1 5.2 Support DVD information............................................................. 5-1 5.3 Software information.................................................................... 5-9 5.4 RAID configurations................................................................... 5-42 5.5 Creating a RAID driver disk........................................................
5.1 Installing an operating system This motherboard supports Windows® XP/64-bit XP/Vista/64-bit Vista operating systems (OS). Always install the latest OS version and corresponding updates to maximize the features of your hardware. 5.2 • Motherboard settings and hardware options vary. Use the setup procedures presented in this chapter for reference only. Refer to your OS documentation for detailed information.
5.2.2 Drivers menu The drivers menu shows the available device drivers if the system detects installed devices. Install the necessary drivers to activate the devices. ASUS InstAll - Installation Wizard for Drivers Installs all of the drivers through the installation wizard. NVIDIA Chipset Driver Program Installs the NVIDIA® chipset drivers for the NVIDIA GeForce 8300 chipset. Realtek Audio Driver Installs the Realtek® ALC1200 audio driver and application.
5.2.3 Utilities menu The Utilities menu shows the applications and other software that the motherboard supports. ASUS Express Gate Installer Click to display the next page Click to return to the previous page ASUS InstAll - Installation Wizard for Utilities Installs all of the utilities through the Installation Wizard. ASUS PC Probe II This smart utility monitors the fan speed, CPU temperature, and system voltages, and alerts you of any detected problems.
ASUS Update Allows you to download the latest version of the BIOS from the ASUS website. Before using the ASUS Update, make sure that you have an Internet connection so you can connect to the ASUS website. ASUS Cool‘n’Quiet Utility This item installs the ASUS Cool‘n’Quiet utility. ASUS Express Gate Installer Allows you to Install or update ASUS Express Gate functions.
5.2.4 Make Disk menu The Make Disk menu contains items to create the NVIDIA® GeForce™ 8300 SATA/RAID driver disk. Click to display the next page Click to return to the previous page NVIDIA 32/64bit XP SATA RAID Driver (Disk 1/2) Allows you to create NVIDIA SATA RAID driver disks for 32/64bit Windows® XP. NVIDIA 32/64bit XP AHCI Driver (Disk 1/2) Allows you to create NVIDIA AHCI driver disks for 32/64bit Windows® XP.
5.2.5 Manual menu The Manual menu contains a list of supplementary user manuals. Click an item to open the folder of the user manual. Most user manual files are in Portable Document Format (PDF). Install the Adobe® Acrobat® Reader from the Utilities menu before opening a user manual file. 5.2.6 ASUS Contact information Click the Contact tab to display the ASUS contact information. You can also find this information on the inside front cover of this user guide.
5.2.7 Other information The icons on the top right corner of the screen give additional information on the motherboard and the contents of the support DVD. Click an icon to display the specified information. Motherboard Info Displays the general specifications of the motherboard. Browse this DVD Displays the support DVD contents in graphical format.
Technical support Form Displays the ASUS Technical Support Request Form that you have to fill out when requesting technical support. File list Displays the contents of the support DVD and a brief description of each in text format.
5.3 Software information Most of the applications in the support DVD have wizards that will conveniently guide you through the installation. View the online help or readme file that came with the software application for more information. 5.3.1 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 Ratio box. 9. When the screen returns to the ASUS Update utility, flash the original BIOS to load the new boot logo. 10. After flashing the BIOS, restart the computer to display the new boot logo during POST.
5.3.2 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. Enabling Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology To enable Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology: 1. Turn on the system and enter BIOS by pressing the key during the Power On Self-Tests (POST). 2. Go to Advanced > CPU Configuration > AMD Cool ‘n’Quiet Function and set it to [Enabled]. See section 4.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 5-12 Windows® Vista From the Windows® Vista operating system, click Start. Select Control Panel. Make sure the Control Panel is set to Classic View. Double-click the Personalization icon in the Control Panel then click the Screen Saver item. Click “Change power settings...”. The following dialogue box appears. From the Preferred plans, select Power saver. Close all windows. • Make sure to install the AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ driver and application before using this feature.
Launching the Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ software The motherboard support CD/DVD 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/DVD. Refer to section 5.2.3 Utilities menu for details. To launch the Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ program: 1. If you are using Windows® XP, click the Start button. Select Programs > ASUS > Cool & Quiet > Cool & Quiet. 2.
5.3.3 Audio configurations The Realtek® audio CODEC provides 8-channel audio capability to deliver the ultimate audio experience on your computer. The software provides Jack-Sensing function, S/PDIF Out support, and interrupt capability. The CODEC also includes the Realtek® proprietary UAJ® (Universal Audio Jack) technology for all audio ports, eliminating cable connection errors and giving users plug and play convenience.
Information Click the Information button ( ) to display information about the audio driver version, DirectX version, audio controller, audio codec, and language setting. Device advanced settings Click Device advanced settings to show further settings for the playback and recording device. Connector settings Click the Connector Settings button ( ) to show further settings for the analog/digital output/input ports. Exit Click the Exit button or the OK button ( Manager.
Digital Output The Realtek® audio CODEC allows you to connect an external audio output device via the coaxial/digital S/PDIF port. You can set your listening environment, set the karaoke, or select pre‑programmed equalizer settings for your listening pleasure. To set the digital output options 1. From the Realtek HD Audio Manager, click the Digital Output tab. 2. Click Set Default Device to set the digital output port as the default audio output device. 3.
Line In The Line In tab allows you to configure audio input settings using the analog line in port. To set the analog line in options 1. From the Realtek HD Audio Manager, click the Line In tab. 2. Click Set Default Device to set the analog line in port as the default audio input device. 3. The Line In tab allows you to adjust the recording and playback volume and set a default format for audio input. 4. Click to effect the Line In settings and exit.
B. Realtek HD Audio Manager for Windows XP™ Exit button Configuration options Minimize button Control settings window Information button Information Click the information button ( ) to display information about the audio driver version, DirectX version, audio controller, audio codec, and language setting. Minimize Click the minimize button ( ) to minimize the window. Exit Click the exit button ( 5-18 ) to exit the Realtek HD Audio Manager.
Configuration options Click any of the tabs in this area to configure your audio settings. Sound Effect The Realtek® audio CODEC allows you to set your listening environment, adjust the equalizer, set the karaoke, or select pre‑programmed equalizer settings for your listening pleasure. To set the sound effect options 1. From the Realtek HD Audio Manager, click the Sound Effect tab. 2.
Audio I/O The Audio I/O option allows you configure your input/output settings. To set the Audio I/O options 1. From the Realtek HD Audio Manager, click the Audio I/O tab. 2. Click the drop-down menu to select the channel configuration. 3. The control settings window displays the status of connected devices. Click for analog and digital options. 4.
3D Audio Demo The 3D Audio Demo option gives you a demonstration of the 3D audio feature. To start the 3D Audio Demo 1. From the Realtek HD Audio Manager, click the 3D Audio Demo tab. 2. Click the option buttons to change the sound, moving path, or environment settings. 3. Click 4. Click to test your settings. ASUS M3N78 PRO to effect the 3D Audio Demo settings and exit.
5.3.4 ASUS PC Probe II PC Probe II is a utility that monitors the computer’s vital components, and detects and alerts you of any problem with these components. PC Probe II senses fan rotations, CPU temperature, and system voltages, among others. Because PC Probe II is software-based, you can start monitoring your computer the moment you turn it on. With this utility, you are assured that your computer is always at a healthy operating condition. Refer to page 1-9 for the OS that supports this utility.
Button Function Opens the Configuration window Opens the Report window Opens the Desktop Management Interface window Opens the Peripheral Component Interconnect window Opens the Windows Management Instrumentation window Opens the hard disk drive, memory, CPU usage window Shows/Hides the Preference section Minimizes the application Closes the application Sensor alert When a system sensor detects a problem, the main window right handle turns red, as the illustrations below show.
Hardware monitor panels The hardware monitor panels display the current value of a system sensor such as fan rotation, CPU temperature, and voltages. The hardware monitor panels come in two display modes: hexagonal (large) and rectangular (small). When you check the Enable Monitoring Panel option from the Preference section, the monitor panels appear on your computer’s desktop.
Monitoring sensor alert The monitor panel turns red when a component value exceeds or is lower than the threshold value. Refer to the illustrations below. Small display Large display WMI browser Click to display the WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation) browser. This browser displays various Windows® management information. Click an item from the left panel to display on the right panel. Click the plus sign (+) before WMI Information to display the available information.
PCI browser Click to display the PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) browser. This browser provides information on the PCI devices installed on your system. Click the plus sign (+) before the PCI Information item to display available information. Usage The Usage browser displays real-time information on the CPU, hard disk drive space, and memory usage. Click to display the Usage browser. CPU usage The CPU tab displays realtime CPU usage in line graph representation.
Memory usage The Memory tab shows both used and available physical memory. The pie chart at the bottom of the window represents the used (blue) and the available physical memory. Configuring PC Probe II Click to view and adjust the sensor threshold values. The Config window has two tabs: Sensor/Threshold and Preference. The Sensor/ Threshold tab enables you to activate the sensors or to adjust the sensor threshold values.
5.3.5 ASUS AI Suite ASUS AI Suite allows you to launch AI Gear 2, AI Booster, AI Nap, and Q-Fan 2 utilities easily. Installing AI Suite To install AI Suite on your computer: 1. Place the support DVD to the optical drive. The Drivers installation tab appears if your computer has an enabled Autorun feature. 2. Click the Utilities tab, then click AI Suite. 3. Follow the screen instructions to complete installation.
Other feature buttons Click on right corner of the main window to open the monitor window. Displays the CPU/ system temperature, CPU/memory/PCIE voltage, and CPU/ chassis fan speed Displays the FSB/CPU frequency Click on right corner of the expanded window to switch the temperature from degrees Centigrade to degrees Fahrenheit.
5.3.6 ASUS AI Gear 2 ASUS AI Gear 2 provides four system performance options that allows you to select the best performance setting for your computing needs. This easy-to-use utility adjusts the processor frequency and vCore voltage to minimize system noise and power consumption. After installing AI Suite from the bundled support DVD, you can launch AI Gear 2 by double-clicking the AI Suite icon on your Windows OS taskbar and then click the AI Gear 2 button on the AI Suite main window.
5.3.7 ASUS AI Nap This feature allows you to minimize the power consumption of your computer whenever you are away. Enable this feature for minimum power consumption and a more quiet system operation. After installing AI Suite from the bundled support DVD, you can launch the utility by double-clicking the AI Suite icon on the Windows OS taskbar and click the AI Nap button on the AI Suite main window. Click Yes on the confirmation screen.
5.3.8 ASUS Q-Fan 2 This ASUS Q-Fan 2 Control feature allows you to set the appropriate performance level of the CPU Q-Fan 2 or the Chassis Q-Fan 2 for more efficient system operation. After enabling the Q-Fan 2 function, the fans can be set to automatically adjust depending on the temperature, to decrease fan speed, or to achieve the maximum fan speed.
5.3.9 ASUS AI Booster The ASUS AI Booster application allows you to overclock the CPU speed in WIndows® environment without the hassle of booting the BIOS. After installing AI Suite from the bundled support DVD, you can launch the utility by double-clicking the AI Suite icon on the Windows® OS taskbar and click the AI Booster button on the AI Suite main window.
5.3.10 ASUS Express Gate ASUS Express Gate is an instant-on environment that gives you quick access to the Internet. Within a few seconds of powering on your computer, you will be at the Express Gate menu where you can start the web browser, Skype, or other Express Gate softwares. Installing ASUS Express Gate • ASUS Express Gate supports installation on SATA HDDs (IDE mode). Set the SATA Operation Mode item in the BIOS to [IDE] before installing ASUS Express Gate .
The First Screen Express Gate’s first screen appears within a few seconds after you power on the computer. From here, you can immediately start the web browser or Skype. You can also choose to continue booting normally (e.g. to your installed OS such as Windows), enter BIOS setup, or power off. If you don’t make any selection, Express Gate will automatically exit and boot to your normal OS after a certain amount of time. The timer countdown is shown on-screen inside the “boot to OS” button.
Knowing the Express Gate hot-keys Here is a list of common-used hot-keys for Express Gate.
• The number of the LAN ports may differ from motherboards. • You can connect the LAN cable to either port, and Express Gate will automatically use the connected port. Also specify whether each port uses DHCP (most common) or static IP. For PPPoE and wireless (optional), set the login credentials (user name, password, SSID, etc.) as well.
In the rare case that one of the above softwares stops responding, you can rightclick on its icon and then select Close to force it to close. The smaller icons on the right side of the LaunchBar are: Click on this icon to open the File Manager window, which lets you conveniently access the files on a USB drive. If a USB device is detected, the icon contains a green arrow. ASUS Express Gate supports file uploading and downloading on USB drives in FAT16/32 format only.
How Do I Get on to the Internet If Internet doesn’t seem to be working in the Express Gate environment, check the following: 1. Open the Configuration Panel. Open Configuration Panel 2. Open Network. Network 3. Make the proper network configurations. Each network interface is enabled immediately when you check the box next to it.
• If you use a network cable connected to a home router (which is then connected to your DSL/cable modem), enable both LAN1 and LAN2. Express Gate will automatically use whichever port (LAN1 or LAN2) is connected. If you plug the network cable into a different port while Express Gate is running (e.g. move the cable from LAN1 to LAN2), you may need to press the “Refresh” button to detect the change. • The most common scenario is for your computer to automatically obtain network settings (i.e. DHCP).
Configuring Express Gate in BIOS Setup Enter BIOS setup by pressing DEL key after powering on or by clicking on the BIOS setup icon on Express Gate ’s first screen. Express Gate configuration options are under the Tools menu. Refer to section 4.7.2 Express Gate for details.
5.4 RAID configurations The motherboard comes with the NVIDIA GeForce 8300 chipset that allows you to configure Serial ATA hard disk drives as RAID sets. The motherboard supports the following RAID configurations: RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, RAID 5 and JBOD. 5.4.1 RAID definitions RAID 0 (Data striping) optimizes two identical hard disk drives to read and write data in parallel, interleaved stacks.
5.4.2 NVIDIA® RAID configurations The motherboard includes a high performance SATA RAID controller integrated in the NVIDIA® GeForce 8300 chipset. It supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, RAID 5 and JBOD for six independent Serial ATA channels. Installing Serial ATA (SATA) 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.
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.
Creating a RAID Volume To create a RAID volume: 1. From the NVIDIA® RAID utility Define a New Array menu, select RAID Mode then press . The following submenu appears. Use the up or down arrow keys to select a RAID mode then press . 2. Press select the Striping Block then press .
NVIDIA RAID Utility Oct 5 2004 - Array List Boot Id Status Vendor Array Model Name No 4 Healthy NVIDIA MIRROR [Ctrl-X]Exit [↑↓]Select [B]Set Boot XXX.XXG [N]New Array [ENTER]Detail A new set of navigation keys is displayed on the bottom of the screen. 6. Press to save settings and exit. Rebuilding a RAID array To rebuild a RAID array: 1. From the Array List menu, use the up or down arrow keys to select a RAID array then press . The RAID Array details appear.
A new set of navigation keys is displayed on the bottom of the screen. 2. Press to rebuild a RAID array. The following screen appears. Array 1 : NVIDIA MIRROR XXX.XXG - Select Disk Inside Array RAID Mode: Mirroring Striping Width: 1 Striping Block: 64K Adapt Channel M/S Index Disk Model Name Capacity 2 1 1 0 Master Master 0 1 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX.XXGB XXX.XXGB [↑↓] Select [F6] Back 3.
Deleting a RAID array To delete a RAID array: 1. From the Array List menu, use the up or down arrow keys to select a RAID array then press . The RAID Array details appear. Array 1 : NVIDIA MIRROR XXX.XXG - Array Detail RAID Mode: Mirroring Striping Width: 1 Striping Block: 64K Adapt Channel M/S Index Disk Model Name Capacity 2 1 1 0 Master Master 0 1 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX.XXGB XXX.
Clearing a disk data To clear disk data: 1. From the Array List menu, use the up or down arrow keys to select a RAID array then press . The RAID Array details appear. Array 1 : NVIDIA MIRROR XXX.XXG - Array Detail RAID Mode: Mirroring Striping Width: 1 Striping Block: 64K Adapt Channel M/S Index Disk Model Name Capacity 2 1 1 0 Master Master 0 1 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX.XXGB XXX.
5.5 Creating a RAID driver disk A floppy disk with the RAID driver is required when installing Windows® XP operating system on a hard disk drive that is included in a RAID set. For Windows® Vista™ operating system, use either the motherboard support CD/ DVD or a USB device with the RAID driver. 5.5.1 Creating a RAID driver disk without entering the OS To create a RAID/SATA driver disk without entering the OS: 1. Boot your computer. 2. Press during POST to enter the BIOS setup utility. 3.
To install the RAID driver in Windows® Vista™: 1. Insert the motherboard support CD/DVD or USB device with RAID driver into the optical drive or USB port. Find RAID driver in the support CD/DVD through the path below: Drivers\Chipset\Disk\RAID Find AHCI driver in the support CD/DVD through the path below: Drivers\Chipset\Disk\AHCI 2. Follow the succeeding screen instructions to complete the installation.
5-52 Chapter 5: Software support
This chapter describes the NVIDIA Hybrid SLI™ feature and shows the graphics card installation procedures.
Chapter summary 6.1 6 NVIDIA Hybrid SLI Technology....................................................
6.1 NVIDIA® Hybrid SLI® Technology The motherboard supports the NVIDIA® Hybrid SLI® technology that ������������� includes two primary features: GeForce® Boost and HybridPower™. GeForce® Boost enhances the performance of NVIDIA discrete Graphics Process Units (dGPU) when they work with the onboard motherboard GPU (mGPU). HybridPower™ unleashes the graphics performance of the dGPU and enables low-power operation when the performance of the dGPU is not needed.
6.1.2 Enabling GeForce® Boost and HybridPower™ Before enabling GeForce Boost and HybridPower, make sure that you have installed a dGPU recommended for GeForce Boost on your motherboard. GeForce Boost 1. Turn on the system and press during the Power-On Self-Test (POST) to enter the BIOS Setup Utility. 2. Go to Advanced > Chipset and set the Hybrid Support item to [Auto]. See section 4.4.4 Chipset for details. The Hybrid Support item becomes user-configurable only when a dGPU is detected.
To enable HybridPower 1. Follow Step 1 to 5 on the previous page to complete the hardware and driver installation. 2. If the driver is correctly installed, you will find the Hybrid SLI icon on the taskbar. The Hybrid SLI icon indicates that the system is in Performance mode and that rendering is being done by the dGPU. The mGPU is being used only to drive the display. 3. Click the Hybrid SLI icon and select Save Power. 4.
6-4 Chapter 6: NVIDIA® Hybrid SLI™ technology support
