User Guide Motherboard SK8V
E1473 Checklist Revised Edition V2 November 2003 Copyright © 2003 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this manual, including the products and software described in it, may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form or by any means, except documentation kept by the purchaser for backup purposes, without the express written permission of ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (“ASUS”).
Contents Features Notices .......................................................................................... vii Safety information ........................................................................ viii About this guide .............................................................................. ix How this guide is organized .................................................. ix Conventions used in this guide .............................................. x Typography .....................
Contents Safeguards 2.6 2.7 2.5.1 Installing an expansion card ................................ 2-15 2.5.2 Configuring an expansion card ............................ 2-15 2.5.3 Interrupt assignments .......................................... 2-16 2.5.4 PCI slots .............................................................. 2-17 2.5.5 AGP slot ............................................................... 2-17 2.5.6 WiFi slot ............................................................... 2-18 Jumpers ..
Contents 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Main menu ........................................................................ 4-12 4.3.1 System Time [xx:xx:xxxx] ..................................... 4-12 4.3.2 System Date [Day xx/xx/xxxx] ............................. 4-12 4.3.3 Legacy Diskette A [1.44M, 3.5 in.] ....................... 4-12 4.3.4 Language [English] .............................................. 4-12 4.3.5 Primary and Secondary IDE Master/Slave .......... 4-13 4.3.6 System Information .............
5.3 Software Information ............................................................ 5-7 5.3.1 ASUS MyLogo2™ .................................................. 5-7 5.3.2 ASUS Instant Music ............................................... 5-9 5.4 AI Audio feature ................................................................ 5-12 5.5 VIA RAID configurations ................................................... 5-16 5.5.1 Install the Serial ATA (SATA) hard disks ............... 5-17 5.5.
Notices Federal Communications Commission Statement This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: • This device may not cause harmful interference, and • This device must accept any interference received including interference that may cause undesired operation. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Safety information Electrical safety • To prevent electrical shock hazard, disconnect the power cable from the electrical outlet before relocating the system. • When adding or removing devices to or from the system, ensure that the power cables for the devices are unplugged before the signal cables are connected. If possible, disconnect all power cables from the existing system before you add a device.
About this guide This user guide contains the information you need when installing the motherboard. How this guide is organized This manual contains the following parts: • Chapter 1: Product introduction This chapter describes the motherboard features of the and the new technologies it supports. • Chapter 2: Hardware information This chapter lists the hardware setup procedures that you have to perform when installing system components.
Conventions used in this guide To make sure that you perform certain tasks properly, take note of the following symbols used throughout this manual. DANGER/WARNING: Information to prevent injury to yourself when trying to complete a task. CAUTION: Information to prevent damage to the components when trying to complete a task. IMPORTANT: Information that you MUST follow to complete a task. NOTE: Tips and additional information to aid in completing a task.
SK8V specifications summary CPU Socket 940 for AMD Athlon™ 64 FX and Opteron™ CPUs Chipset VIA K8T800 VIA VT8237 System Bus Scalable Hyper-Transport Bus Memory 4 x 184-pin DDR DIMM sockets for up to 8GB memory that supports registered ECC and non-ECC PC3200/ PC2700/PC2100/PC1600 DDR DIMMs Expansion slots 1 x AGP 8X/4X 5 x PCI 1 x Wi-Fi slot Storage Supported by SouthBridge - 2 x ATA 133 connectors - 2 x SATA supports RAID 0, RAID 1 configuration Supported by Promise PDC20378 RAID controller - 1 x
SK8V specifications summary Rear panel I/O 1 x Parallel port 1 x Serial port 1 x PS/2 keyboard port 1 x PS/2 mouse port 4 x USB 2.0 ports 1 x IEEE 1394 port 1 x S/PDIF out 1 x RJ-45 port Line In/Line Out/Microphone ports Internal I/O 2 x USB 2.
Chapter 1 This chapter describes the motherboard features and the new technologies it supports.
Chapter summary 1.1 Welcome! ........................................................ 1-1 1.2 Package contents .......................................... 1-1 1.3 Special features .............................................
1.1 Welcome! Thank you for buying the ASUS® SK8V motherboard! The motherboard delivers a host of new features and latest technologies making it another standout in the long line of ASUS quality motherboards! The motherboard combines the powers of the AMD Athlon™ 64 FX or AMD Opteron™ processor and the VIA K8T800 chipset to set a new benchmark for an effective desktop platform solution.
1.3 Special features 1.3.1 Product Highlights Latest processor technology The 940-pin ZIF socket on the motheboard supports the AMD Athlon™ 64 FX and AMD Opteron™ processors. The AMD Opteron™ processor represents the industry’s first x86-64 technology, while the AMD Athlon™ 64 FX is a 64-bit PC processor designed specifically for cinematic computing.
AGP 8X support AGP 8X (AGP 3.0) is the next generation VGA interface specification that enables enhanced graphics performance with high bandwidth speeds up to 2.12 GB/s. S/PDIF out The SK8V’s S/PDIF out function turns your computer into a high-end entertainment system with digital connectivity to powerful speaker systems. IEEE 1394 support The IEEE 1394 interface provides high-speed and flexible PC connectivity to a wide range of peripherals and devices compliant to IEEE 1394a standards.
1.3.2 Unique ASUS features ASUS Wi-Fi slot The ASUS Wi-Fi slot is specifically designed for the ASUS WiFi-b™ add-on card to set up an environment for wireless LAN. The ASUS WiFib™ add-on card bundles the exclusive Software AP (Access Point) to save the extra cost of a stand-alone AP. In addition, the card comes with userfriendly utilities and applications that allow quick connection to notebooks, PDAs and other wireless LAN peripherals. See page 2-18.
ASUS POST Reporter SK8V Deluxe offers a new exciting feature called the ASUS POST Reporter to provide friendly voice messages and alerts during the PowerOn Self-Tests (POST). Through an added external speaker, you will hear the messages informing you of the system boot status and causes of boot errors, if any. The bundled Winbond Voice Editor software allows you to customize the voice messages, and provides multi-language support. See page 3-3.
ASUS Multi-language BIOS The multi-language BIOS allows you to select the language of your choice from the available options. The localized BIOS menus allow you to configure easier and faster. Visit the ASUS website for information on the supported languages. See page 4-12. Instant Music This unique feature allows you to playback audio CDs even without booting the system to Windows™. Just press the ASUS Instant Music special function keys and enjoy the music! See details on pages 4-30 and 5-9.
Chapter 2 This chapter lists the hardware setup procedures that you have to perform when installing system components. It includes description of the jumpers and connectors on the motherboard.
Chapter summary 2.1 Before you proceed ....................................... 2-1 2.2 Motherboard overview ................................... 2-2 2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ..................... 2-6 2.4 System memory ............................................ 2-11 2.5 Expansion slots ........................................... 2-15 2.6 Jumpers ........................................................ 2-19 2.7 Connectors ...................................................
2.1 Before you proceed Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard components or change any motherboard settings. 1. Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any component. 2. Use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded object or to a metal object, such as the power supply case, before handling components to avoid damaging them due to static electricity. 3. Hold components by the edges to avoid touching the ICs on them. 4.
2.2 Motherboard overview Before you install the motherboard, study the configuration of your chassis to ensure that the motherboard fits into it. Make sure to unplug the power cord before installing or removing the motherboard. Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components. 2.2.1 Placement direction When installing the motherboard, make sure that you place it into the chassis in the correct orientation.
2.2.3 Motherboard layout 24.5cm (9.6in) PS/2KBMS T: Mouse B: Keyboard ATX Power Connector CPU_FAN USBPWR34 ATX12V PWR_FAN Top:Line In Center:Line Out Below:Mic In PRI_IDE VIA K8T800 SEC_IDE USB2.
2.2.4 Layout Contents Slots 1. PCI slots p. 2-17 2. AGP slot p. 2-17 3. Wi-Fi slot p. 2-18 4. DDR DIMM slots p. 2-11 Jumpers 1. Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC1) p. 2-19 2. Keyboard power (3-pin KBPWR) p. 2-20 3. USB device wake-up (3-pin USBPWR12, USBPWR34 p. 2-20 Rear Panel Connectors 2-4 1. PS/2 mouse port p. 2-21 2. Parallel port p. 2-21 3. IEEE 1394 port p. 2-21 4. Gigabit LAN port (RJ-45) p. 2-21 5. Line In jack p. 2-21 5. Line Out jack p. 2-21 6. Microphone jack p. 2-21 7.
Internal Connectors 1. Primary IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE) p. 2-22 2. Secondary IDE connector (40-1 pin SEC_IDE) p. 2-22 3. Floppy disk connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY) p. 2-23 4. RAID ATA connector (40-1 pin PRI_RAID) p. 2-23 5. Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA1, SATA2, SATA_RAID1, SATA_RAID2) p. 2-24 6. CPU fan connector (3-pin CPU_FAN) p. 2-25 7. Power fan connector (3-pin PWR_FAN) p. 2-25 8. Chassis fan connector (3-pin CHA_FAN) p. 2-25 9. Serial Port 2 connector (10-1 pin COM2) p.
2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU) 2.3.1 Overview The motherboard comes with a surface mount 940-pin Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) socket designed for the AMD Athlon™ 64 FX and AMD Opteron™ processors. 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. Gold triangle 2.3.
2. Unlock the socket by pressing the lever sideways, then lift it up to a 90°-100° angle. Socket Lever Make sure that the socket lever is lifted up to 90°-100° angle, otherwise the CPU does not fit in completely. 3. Position the CPU above the socket such that the CPU corner with the gold triangle matches the socket corner with a small triangle. 4. Carefully insert the CPU into the socket until it fits in place. Gold triangle Small triangle The CPU fits only in one correct orientation.
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. 2.3.3 Installing the heatsink and fan The AMD Athlon™ 64 FX and AMD Opteron™ processors require a specially designed heatsink and fan assembly to ensure optimum thermal condition and performance. Make sure that you use only qualified heatsink and fan assembly. Follow these steps to install the CPU heatsink and fan. 1.
Your boxed CPU heatsink and fan assembly should come with installation instructions for the CPU, heatsink, and the retention mechanism. If the instructions in this section do not match the CPU documentation, follow the latter. 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.
4. Push down the retention bracket lock on the retention mechanism to secure the heatsink and fan to the module base. 2.3.4 Connecting the CPU fan cable When the fan, heatsink, and the retention mechanism are in place, connect the CPU fan cable to the connector on the motherboard labeled CPU_FAN. CPU Fan Connector (CPU_FAN) Don’t forget to connect the CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring errors may occur if you fail to plug this connector. 2.3.
2.4 System memory 2.4.1 Overview The motherboard comes with four Double Data Rate (DDR) Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) sockets. SK8V DIMM_B2 DIMM_B1 DIMM_A2 104 Pins 80 Pins ® DIMM_A1 The following figure illustrates the location of the sockets. SK8V 184-Pin DDR DIMM Sockets 2.4.2 Memory configurations You may install 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, and 1GB registered DDR DIMMs into the DIMM sockets using the memory configurations in this section. Important notes on memory configurations 1.
Table 1 Recommended memory configurations Mode Single-channel DIMM_A1 (1) Populated DIMM_B2 — — — Populated — — (3) Populated Populated — — (1) — Populated — Populated (2) Populated — Populated — (3) Populated Populated Populated Populated (2) Dual-channel* Sockets DIMM_A2 DIMM_B1 — * Use only identical DDR DIMM pairs.
Legend: A* B* C* - supports one module inserted in the slot referred in Table 1, in a Single-channel memory configuration. supports one pair of modules inserted into either the blue slots or the yellow slots as one pair of Dual-channel memory configuration . support for 4 modules inserted into the blue & yellow slots as two pairs of Dual-channel memory configuration. Obtain DDR DIMMs only from ASUS qualified vendors for better system performance. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.
2.4.5 Removing a DIMM Follow these steps to remove a DIMM. 1. Simultaneously press the retaining clips outward to unlock the DIMM. Support the DIMM lightly with your fingers when pressing the retaining clips. The DIMM might get damaged when it flips out with extra force. 2. Remove the DIMM from the socket.
2.5 Expansion slots In the future, you may need to install expansion cards. The motherboard has available PCI slots and an Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) slot. The following sub-sections describe the slots and the expansion cards that they support. Make sure to unplug the power cord before adding or removing expansion cards. Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components. 2.5.1 Installing an expansion card Follow these steps to install an expansion card. 1.
2.5.
2.5.4 PCI slots The PCI slots support PCI cards such as a LAN card, SCSI card, USB card, and other cards that comply with PCI specifications. The following figure shows a LAN card installed on a PCI slot. 2.5.5 AGP slot The Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) slot that supports AGP8X/4X cards. When you buy an AGP card, make sure that you ask for one with +1.5V specification. Note the notches on the card golden fingers to ensure that they fit the AGP slot on your motherboard. ® Install only 1.
2.5.6 Wi-Fi slot The Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) slot will support the ASUS Wi-Fi module. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) for product updates. ® The Wi-Fi slot conforms to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11b/g standard for wireless devices operating in the 2.4 GHz frequency band. WIFI SK8V SK8V WIRELESS Connectors ASUS WiFi-b™ Setup • • 2-18 The PCI 5 slot and the Wi-Fi slot can not be used at the same time. The ASUS Wi-Fi module is purchased separately.
2.6 Jumpers ® 1. Clear RTC RAM (CLRTC1) This jumper allows you to clear the Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM in CMOS. You can clear the CMOS memory of date, time, and system setup parameters by erasing the CMOS RTC RAM data. The RAM data in CMOS, that include system setup information such as system passwords, is powered by the onboard button cell battery. To erase the RTC RAM: 1. Turn OFF the computer and unplug the power cord. 2. Remove the onboard battery. 3.
2. Keyboard power (3-pin KBPWR) This jumper allows you to enable or disable the keyboard wake-up feature. Set this jumper to pins 2-3 (+5VSB) if you wish to wake up the computer when you press a key on the keyboard. This feature requires an ATX power supply that can supply at least 1A on the +5VSB lead, and a corresponding setting in the BIOS (See section “4.5.5 APM Configuration”). KBPWR 2 3 ® 1 2 +5V +5VSB (Default) SK8V SK8V Keyboard Power Setting 3.
2.7 Connectors 2.7.1 Rear panel connectors 1 3 2 4 5 6 7 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 9 12 11 10 8 PS/2 mouse port. This green 6-pin connector is for a PS/2 mouse. Parallel port. This 25-pin port connects a parallel printer, a scanner, or other devices. IEEE 1394 port. This 6-pin IEEE 1394 port provides high-speed connectivity for audio/video devices, storage peripherals, other PC’s and/or portable devices. RJ-45 port. This port allows connection to a Local Area Network (LAN) through a network hub.
8. USB 2.0 ports 3 and 4. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports are available for connecting USB 2.0 devices. 9. USB 2.0 ports 1 and 2. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports are available for connecting USB 2.0 devices. 10. Serial connector. This 9-pin COM1 port is for serial devices. 11. S/PDIF out jack. This jack connects to external audio output devices. 12. PS/2 keyboard port. This purple connector is for a PS/2 keyboard. 2.7.2 Internal connectors 1.
2. Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY) This connector supports the provided floppy drive ribbon cable. After connecting one end to the motherboard, connect the other end to the floppy drive. (Pin 5 is removed to prevent incorrect insertion when using ribbon cables with pin 5 plug). ® PIN 1 FLOPPY NOTE: Orient the colored stripe on the floppy ribbon cable to PIN 1. SK8V SK8V Floppy Disk Drive Connector ® 3.
4. Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA1, SATA2, SATA_RAID1, SATA_RAID2) These next generation connectors support the thin Serial ATA cables for primary internal storage devices. The current Serial ATA interface allows up to 150 MB/s data transfer rate, faster than the standard parallel ATA with 133 MB/s (UltraDMA133).
5. CPU, Power and Chassis Fan Connectors (3-pin CPU_FAN, PWR_FAN, CHA_FAN) The fan connectors support cooling fans of 350mA~740mA (8.88W max.) or a total of 1A~2.22A (26.64W max.) at +12V. Connect the fan cables to the fan connectors on the motherboard, making sure that the black wire of each cable matches the ground pin of the connector. Do not forget to connect the fan cables to the fan connectors. Lack of sufficient air flow within the system may damage the motherboard components.
7. ATX power connectors (20-pin ATXPWR, 4-pin ATX12V) These connectors connect to an ATX 12V power supply. The plugs from the power supply are designed to fit these connectors in only one orientation. Find the proper orientation and push down firmly until the connectors completely fit. In addition to the 20-pin ATXPWR1 connector, this motherboard requires that you connect the 4-pin ATX +12V power plug to provide sufficient power to the CPU. Do not forget to connect the 4-pin ATX +12V power plug.
8. USB headers (10-1 pin USB56, USB78) If the USB ports on the rear panel are inadequate, a USB header is available for additional USB ports. The USB header complies with USB 2.0 specification that supports up to 480 Mbps connection speed. This speed advantage over the conventional 12 Mbps on USB 1.1 allows faster Internet connection, interactive gaming, and simultaneous running of high-speed peripherals.
® 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. CD (Black) AUX (White) Left Audio Channel Ground Right Audio Channel SK8V SK8V Internal Audio Connectors TPA0GND TPB0+12V GND ® 10. IEEE 1394 connectors (10-1 pin IE1394_1) These connectors are for IEEE 1394 modules. Attach the 10-1 pin cable plugs to these connectors.
® 11. Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin FP_AUDIO) This is an interface for the front panel audio cable that allow convenient connection and control of audio devices. By default, the pins labeled LINE_OUT_R/BLINE_OUT_R and the pins LINE_OUT_L/BLINE_OUT_L are shorted with jumper caps. Remove the caps only when you are connecting the front panel audio cable. FP_AUDIO BLINE_OUT_L BLINE_OUT_R +5VA AGND SK8V Line out_L NC Line out_R MICPWR MIC2 SK8V Front Panel Audio Connector 12.
+5V J2B1 J2CX MIDI_OUT J2CY J2B2 MIDI_IN ® 13. GAME/MIDI connector (16-1 pin GAME) This connector supports a GAME/MIDI module. If a GAME/MIDI module is available, connect the GAME/MIDI cable to this connector. The GAME/MIDI port on the module connects a joystick or a game pad for playing games, and MIDI devices for playing or editing audio files. +5V J1B1 J1CX GND GND J1CY J1B2 +5V GAME SK8V SK8V Game Connector The GAME/MIDI module is purchased separately. 13.
• System Warning Speaker Lead (Orange 4-pin SPKR) This 4-pin connector connects to the case-mounted speaker and allows you to hear system beeps and warnings. • Reset Switch Lead (Blue 2-pin RESET) This 2-pin connector connects to the case-mounted reset switch for rebooting the system without turning off the system power. • ATX Power Switch / Soft-Off Switch Lead (Yellow 2-pin PWRBTN ) This connector connects a switch that controls the system power.
2-32 Chapter 2: Hardware information
Chapter 3 This chapter describes the power up sequence, the vocal POST messages and ways of shutting down the system.
Chapter summary 3.1 Starting up for the first time .......................... 3-1 3.2 Powering off the computer ........................... 3-2 3.3 ASUS POST Reporter™ .................................
3.1 Starting up for the first time 1. After making all the connections, replace the system case cover. 2. Be sure that all switches are off. 3. Connect the power cord to the power connector at the back of the system chassis. 4. Connect the power cord to a power outlet that is equipped with a surge protector. 5. Turn on the devices in the following order: a. Monitor b. External SCSI devices (starting with the last device on the chain) c.
3.2 Powering off the computer 3.2.1 Using the OS shut down function If you are using Windows 98SE/ME/2000, click the Start button, click Shut Down..., make sure that the Shut down option button is selected, then the OK button to shut down the computer. The power supply should turn off after Windows shuts down. If you are using Windows XP, click the Start button, click Turn Off Computer, then the Turn Off button to shut down the computer. The power supply should turn off after Windows shuts down. 3.2.
3.3 ASUS POST Reporter™ This motherboard includes the Winbond speech controller to support the ASUS POST Reporter™ feature. This feature gives you vocal POST messages and alerts to inform you of system events and boot status. In case of a boot failure, you will hear the specific cause of the problem. These POST messages are customizable using the Winbond Voice Editor software that came with your package. You can record your own messages to replace the default messages.
POST Message Action System failed due to CPU over-clocking • Check your CPU settings in BIOS and make sure you only set to the recommended settings. See section “4.4 Advanced menu.” No keyboard detected • Check your keyboard if properly connected to the purple PS/2 connector on the rear panel. • See section “2.7.1 Rear panel connectors” for the location of the connector. No floppy disk detected • Make sure you have connected a floppy disk to the floppy disk connector on the motherboard.
3.3.2 Winbond Voice Editor The Winbond Voice Editor software allows you to customize the vocal POST messages. Install the software from the utilities menu of the support CD. See section “5.2.3 Utilities menu” for details. To avoid conflicts, do not run the Winbond Voice Editor while running the ASUS PC Probe. Follow these steps to use the Winbond Voice Editor.
Changing the default language 1. Click on the Load button. a window showing the available languages appears. 2. Select your desired language then click Open. The event messages for the language you selected appear on the Voice Editor screen. For some languages, not all events have a corresponding message due to file size constraints. 3. Click on the Write button to update the EEPROM. 4. Click Yes on the confirmation window that appears.
Customizing your POST messages If your language is not in the selection or if you wish to record your own POST messages to replace the pre-installed wave files, follow these steps. 1. Launch the Voice Editor and take note of the list of POST events on the leftmost column of the screen. 2. Prepare your message for each event. The total compressed size for all the wave files must not exceed 1Mbit, so make your messages as short as possible. 3.
7. Click a POST event on the Voice Editor screen, then on the Edit button. The Event Sound Editor window appears. 8. Locate and select your wave file for the event then click on the arrow opposite Voice1. The file you selected appears on the space next to it. 9. Click OK to return to the Voice Editor screen. 10. Do steps 7 to 9 for the other events. 11. When done, click the Save button. A window appears prompting you to save your configuration. 12. Type a file name with a .flh extension, then click Save.
Chapter 4 This chapter tells how to change the system settings through the BIOS Setup menus. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided.
Chapter summary 4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS .............. 4-1 4.2 BIOS Setup program ...................................... 4-7 4.3 Main Menu .................................................... 4-12 4.4 Advanced Menu ........................................... 4-15 4.5 Power Menu .................................................. 4-31 4.6 Boot Menu .................................................... 4-35 4.7 Exit Menu ......................................................
4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS The following utilities allow you to manage and update the motherboard Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) setup. 1. ASUS AFUDOS(Updates the BIOS using a bootable floppy disk in DOS mode.) 2. ASUS EZ Flash (Updates the BIOS using a floppy disk during POST.) 3. ASUS CrashFree BIOS (Updates the BIOS using a bootable floppy disk or the motherboard support CD.) 4. ASUS Update (Updates the BIOS in a Windows® environment.
2. Copy the original (or the latest) motherboard BIOS to the bootable floppy disk. 4.1.2 Using AFUDOS to update the BIOS Update the BIOS using the AFUDOS.EXE utility in DOS environment. 1. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS file for your motherboard. Save the BIOS file to a bootable floppy disk. Write down the BIOS file name to a piece of paper. You need to type the exact BIOS file name at the prompt. 2. Copy the AFUDOS.
When the BIOS update process is complete, the utility returns to the DOS prompt. A:\>afudos /iSK8V.rom AMI Firmware Update Utility - Version 1.10 Copyright (C) 2002 American Megatrends, Inc. All rights reserved. Reading file ..... done Erasing flash .... done Writing flash .... 0x0008CC00 (9%) Verifying flash .. done A:\> 5. Reboot the system from the hard disk. 4.1.3 Using AFUDOS to copy BIOS from PC The AFUDOS.
2. The utility will copy the current system BIOS by default to the floppy disk. Make sure that the floppy disk is not write-protected and have enough space (at least 600KB) to store the file. A:\>afudos /oMYBIOS03.rom AMI Firmware Update Utility - Version 1.10 Copyright (C) 2002 American Megatrends, Inc. All rights reserved. Reading flash ..... done A:\> When the BIOS copy process is complete, the utility returns to the DOS prompt. 4.1.
4. Insert the floppy disk that contains the BIOS file. If all the necessary files are found in the floppy disk, EZ Flash performs the BIOS update process and automatically reboots the system when done. DO NOT shutdown or reset the system while updating the BIOS! Doing so may cause system boot failure! User recovery requested. Starting BIOS recovery... Checking for floppy... Floppy found! Reading file “SK8V.rom”. Completed. Start flashing... Flashed successfully. Rebooting. 4.1.
3. Insert a floppy disk that contains the original or the latest BIOS file for this motherboard. If all the necessary files are found in the floppy disk, the BIOS update process continues. Make sure that the BIOS file in the floppy disk is renamed as “SK8V.ROM”. Bad BIOS checksum. Starting BIOS recovery... Checking for floppy... Floppy found! Reading file “SK8V.rom”. Completed. Start flashing... DO NOT shutdown or reset the system while updating the BIOS! Doing so may cause system boot failure! 4.
DO NOT shutdown or reset the system while updating the BIOS! Doing so may cause system boot failure! 4. When the BIOS update process is complete, reboot the system. The recovered BIOS may not be the latest BIOS version for this motherboard. Visit ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS file. 4.1.6 ASUS Update The ASUS Update is a utility that allows you to update the motherboard BIOS in Windows® environment.
3. If you selected updating/ downloading from the Internet, select the ASUS FTP site nearest you to avoid network traffic, or choose Auto Select. Click Next. 4. From the FTP site, select the BIOS version that you wish to download. Click Next. 5. Follow the instructions on the succeeding screens to complete the update process. If you selected the option to update the BIOS from a file, a window pops up prompting you to locate the file.
4.2 BIOS Setup program This motherboard supports a programmable firmware chip that you can update using the provided utility described in section “4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS.” Use the BIOS Setup program when you are installing a motherboard, reconfiguring your system, or prompted to “Run Setup”. This section explains how to configure your system using this utility. Even if you are not prompted to use the Setup program, you may want to change the configuration of your computer in the future.
4.2.1 BIOS menu screen Menu items Menu bar System Time System Date Legacy Diskette A Language Primary IDE Master Primary IDE Slave Secondary IDE Master Secondary IDE Slave Configuration fields [11:51:19] [Thu 08/05/2003] [1.44M, 3.5 in] [English] :[ST320413A] :[ASUS CD-S340] :[Not Detected] :[Not Detected] General help Use [ENTER], [TAB] or [SHIFT-TAB] to select a field. Use [+] or [-] to configure system time.
4.2.4 Menu items The highlighted item on the menu bar displays the specific items for that menu. For example, selecting Main shows the Main menu items. The other items (Advanced, Power, Boot, and Exit) on the menu bar have their respective menu items. System Time System Date Legacy Diskette A Language Primary IDE Master Primary IDE Slave Secondary IDE Master Secondary IDE Slave [11:51:19] [Thu 08/05/2003] [1.44M, 3.
4.3 Main menu When you enter the BIOS Setup program, the Main menu screen appears giving you an overview of the basic system information. Refer to section “4.2.1 BIOS menu screen” for information on the menu screen items and how to navigate through them. System Time System Date Legacy Diskette A Language Primary IDE Master Primary IDE Slave Secondary IDE Master Secondary IDE Slave [11:51:19] [Thu 08/05/2003] [1.44M, 3.
4.3.5 Primary and Secondary IDE Master/Slave While entering Setup, BIOS auto-detects the presence of IDE devices. There is a separate sub-menu for each IDE device. Select a device item then press Enter to display the IDE device information. Primary IDE Master Select the type of device connected to the system. Device : Hard Disk Vendor : ST320413A Size : 20.
PIO Mode [Auto] Selects the PIO mode. Configuration options: [Auto] [0] [1] [2] [3] [4] DMA Mode [Auto] Selects the DMA mode. Configuration options: [Auto] [SWDMA0] [SWDMA1] [SWDMA2] [MWDMA0] [MWDMA1] [MWDMA2] [UDMA0] [UDMA1] [UDMA2] [UDMA3] [UDMA4] [UDMA5] SMART Monitoring [Auto] Sets the Smart Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology. Configuration options: [Auto] [Disabled] [Enabled] 32Bit Data Transfer [Disabled] Enables or disables 32-bit data transfer.
4.4 Advanced menu The Advanced menu items allow you to change the settings for the CPU and other system devices. Take caution when changing the settings of the Advanced menu items. Incorrect field values may cause the system to malfunction. CPU Configuration Chipset Onboard Devices Configuration PCI PnP JumperFree Configuration Speech Configuration Instant Music Configuration Configure CPU. Select Screen Select Item Enter Go to Sub-screen F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit 4.4.
HyperTransport Configuration HyperTransport Configuration HT Tristate Enable CRC Flood Enable HT Frequency HT DATA Width(Upstream) HT DATA Width(Downstream) [Enabled] [Disabled] [800 MHz] [16 BIT] [16 BIT] +F1 F10 ESC Select Screen Select Item Change Option General Help Save and Exit Exit HT Tristate Enable [Enabled] This item enables or disables the HyperTransport Tristate that enables the tristate link during the disconnected state of an LDTSTOP.
Memory Configuration Memory Configuration Memory Configuration ECC Configuration Memory CLK CAS Latency TRCD TRAS TRP : : : : : 266 MHz 2.5 3 CLK 6 CLK 3 CLK +F1 F10 ESC Select Screen Select Item Change Option General Help Save and Exit Exit Memory Configuration The Memory configuration menu item allows you to change the memory settings. Select an item then press Enter to display the sub-menu.
Bank Interleaving [ Auto] This item sets whether to allow memory accesses to be spread out over BANKS on the same node or across nodes, decreasing access contention. Configuration options: [Auto] [Disabled] CAS Latency (CL) [Auto] This item sets the CAS Latency. Configuration options: [Auto] [2.0] [3.0] [2.5] TRC [Auto] This item sets the TRC. Configuration options: [Auto] [7 CLK] [8 CLK] [9 CLK] [10 CLK] [11 CLK] [12 CLK] [13 CLK] TRFC [Auto] This item sets the TRFC.
ECC Configuration ECC Configuration Master ECC Enable [Disabled] +F1 F10 ESC Select Screen Select Item Change Option General Help Save and Exit Exit Master ECC Enable [Disabled] This item enables or disables support on all nodes for ECC error detect and correction. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] The following items appear only when the Master ECC Enable item is set to [Enabled].
DRAM BG Scrub [Disabled] This item disables or set the DRAM scrubbing functionality that corrects and rewrites memory errors so later reads are correct. Doing this while the memory is not being used improves performance. Configuration options: [Disabled] [40ns] [80ns] [160ns] [320ns] [640ns] [1.28us] [2.56us] [5.12us] [10.2us] [20.5us] [41.0us] [81.9us] [163.8us] [327.7us] [655.4us] [1.31ms] [2.62ms] [5.24ms] [10.49ms] [20.97ms] [42.00ms] [84.
AMD PowerNow Configuration AMD PowerNow Configuration FID/VID Change [Auto] +F1 F10 ESC Select Screen Select Item Change Option General Help Save and Exit Exit FID/VID Change [Auto] This item allows you to manually set the Frequency ID and Voltage ID. Set to auto to automatically detect recommended settings. Configuration options: [Auto] [Manual] The following items appear only when the FID/VID Change item is set to [Manual].
4.4.2 Chipset The Chipset menu items allow you to change the advanced chipset settings. Select an item then press Enter to display the sub-menu.
AGP Mode [AGP 8X] This motherboard supports the AGP 8X interface that transfers video data at 2.12GB/s. AGP 8X is backward-compatible, so you may keep the default [AGP 8X] mode even if you are using an AGP 4X video card. When set to [AGP 4X] mode, the AGP interface only provides a peak data throughput of 1.06GB/s even if you are using an AGP 8X video card. Configuration options: [8X] [4X] AGP Fast Write [Enabled] This item enables or disables the AGP Fast Write feature.
USB Configuration The items in this menu allows you to change the USB-related features. Select an item then press Enter to display the configuration options. USB Configuration Module Version Enables USB host controllers. : 2.23.0-7.4 USB Devices Enabled : None USB 1.1 Ports Configuration USB 2.0 Controller Legacy USB Support USB 2.
4.4.
OnBoard 1394 [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the onboard IEEE 1392 controller. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Serial Port1 Address [3F8/IRQ4] Allows you to select the Serial Port1 base address. Configuration options: [Disabled] [3F8/IRQ4] [3E8/IRQ4] [2E8/IRQ3] Serial Port2 Address [2F8/IRQ3] Allows you to select the Serial Port2 base address.
4.4.4 PCI PnP The PCI PnP menu items allow you to change the advanced settings for PCI/PnP devices. The menu includes setting IRQ and DMA channel resources for either PCI/PnP or legacy ISA devices, and setting the memory size block for legacy ISA devices. Take caution when changing the settings of the PCI PnP menu items. Incorrect field values may cause the system to malfunction. Advanced PCI/PnP settings WARNING: Setting wrong values in the sections below may cause system to malfunction.
IRQ xx [Available] When set to [Available], 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: [Available] [Reserved] 4.4.5 JumperFree Configuration Configure System Frequency/Voltage CPU FSB Frequency VCORE Offset DDR Voltage AGP Voltage V-Link Voltage Performance Mode [200MHz] [None] [Auto] [1.5V] [2.
Performance Mode [Safe] Allows enhanced system performance. Setting to [TurboX] may cause the system to become unstable. If this happens, revert to the default setting [Standard]. Configuration options: [Standard] [Turbo1] [Turbo2] [Turbo3] [Safe] 4.4.6 Speech Configuration - Speech Option Speech Report Report Report Post Reporter IDE Error System Checking System Booting Disable/Enable Speech.
4.4.7 Instant Music Configuration Instant Music Option Instant Music [Disabled] Disable/Enable Instant Music feature. +F1 F10 ESC Select Screen Select Item Change Option General Help Save and Exit Exit Instant Music [Disabled] Allows you to enable or disable the Instant Music feature in BIOS. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] When Instant Music is enabled, the PS/2 keyboard power up feature is automatically disabled.
4.5 Power menu The Power menu items allow you to change the settings for the Advanced Power Management (APM). Select an item then press Enter to display the configuration options. Suspend Mode Repost Video on S3 Resume ACPI 2.0 Support ACPI APIC Support [S1 (POS) & S3 (STR)] [No] [No] [Enabled] Configure CPU. APM Configuration Hardware Monitor Select Screen Select Item Enter Go to Sub-screen F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit 4.5.
4.5.5 APM Configuration Power Management/APM [Enabled] Power Button Mode Suspend Power Saving Type Restore on AC Power Loss [On/Off] [C3] [Power Off] Suspend Time Out Hard Disk Time Out (Minute) [Disabled] [Disabled] Video Power Down Mode Hard Disk Power Down Mode [Suspend] [Enabled] Power On By RTC Alarm Power On External Modems Power On PCI Device Resume On PS/2 Keyboard Resume On PS/2 Mouse [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] Enabled or disable APM.
Hard Disk Time Out (Minute) [Disabled] Allows you to select the specified time in minute at which the hard disk goes on standby mode. Configuration options: [Disabled] [1] [2] ~ [15] Video Power Down Mode [Suspend] Allows you to select the video power down mode. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Standby] [Suspend] Hard Disk Power Down Mode [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the hard disk power down mode.
Resume On By PS/2 Mouse [Disabled] When set to [Enabled], this parameter allows you to use the PS/2 mouse to resume the system. This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides at least 1A on the +5VSB lead. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] 4.5.6 Hardware Monitor Hardware Monitor CPU temperature CPU Temperature MB Temperature [40°C/104°F] [36°C/96.5°F] CPU Fan Speed Chassis Fan Speed [2250RPM] [N/A] Q-Fan Control [Disabled] VCORE Voltage 3.3V Voltage 5V Voltage 12V Voltage [1.
If any of the monitored items is out of range, the following error message appears: “Hardware Monitor found an error. Enter Power setup menu for details”. You will then be prompted to “Press F1 to continue or DEL to enter SETUP”. 4.6 Boot menu The Boot menu items allow you to change the system boot options. Select an item then press Enter to display the sub-menu. Boot Settings Specifies the Boot Device Priority sequence.
4.6.2 Removable Drives This item appears only when there are removable drives (like a USB flash disk) plugged in the system. Removable Drives 1st Boot Device 2nd Boot Device 3rd Boot Device [1st FLOPPY DRIVE] [ASUS USB Flash Disk] [ASUS USB Flash Disk] Specifies the boot sequence from the available devices. A device enclosed in parenthesis has been disabled in the corresponding type menu.
Full Screen Logo [Enabled] This allows you to enable or disable the full screen logo display feature. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Make sure that the above item is set to [Enabled] if you wish to use the ASUS MyLogo2™ feature. Add On ROM Display Mode [Force BIOS] Sets the display mode for option ROM. Configuration options: [Force BIOS] [Keep Current] Bootup Num-Lock [On] Allows you to select the power-on state for the NumLock.
4.6.4 Security The Security menu items allow you to change the system security settings. Select an item then press Enter to display the configuration options. Security Settings Supervisor Password User Password Not Installed Not Installed to change password. again to disable password.
After you have set a supervisor password, the other items appear to allow you to change other security settings. Security Settings Supervisor Password User Password Change Supervisor Password User Access Level Change User Password Clear User Password Password Check Boot Sector Virus Protection Installed Not Installed to change password. again to disable password.
To change the user password, follow the same steps as in setting a user password. Clear User Password Select this item if you wish to clear the user password. Password Check [Setup] When set to [Setup], BIOS checks for user password when accessing the Setup utility. When set to [Always], BIOS checks for user password both when accessing Setup and booting the system.
4.7 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. Exit Options Exit & Save Changes Exit & Discard Changes Discard Changes Load Setup Defaults Exit system setup after saving the changes. F10 key can be used for this operation. Select Screen Select Item Enter Go to Sub-screen F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit Pressing does not immediately exit this menu.
Discard Changes This option allows you to discard the selections you made and restore the previously saved values. After selecting this option, a confirmation appears. Select [Yes] to discard any changes and load the previously saved values. 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 [Yes] to load default values.
Chapter 5 This chapter describes the contents of the support CD that comes with the motherboard package.
Chapter summary 5.1 Install an operating system ........................... 5-1 5.2 Support CD information ................................ 5-1 5.3 Software information ..................................... 5-7 5.4 AI Audio feature ........................................... 5-12 5.5 VIA® RAID configurations ............................ 5-16 5.6 Promise® RAID configurations ................... 5-23 5.7 Creating a floppy with RAID driver ............. 5-26 5.8 AI Net feature ..................
5.1 Install an operating system This motherboard supports Windows 2000/Windows 2003 Server/XP operating system (OS). Always install the latest OS version and corresponding updates so you can maximize the features of your hardware. Because motherboard settings and hardware options vary, use the setup procedures presented in this chapter for general reference only. Refer to your OS documentation for more information. 5.
5.2.2 Drivers menu The drivers menu shows the available device drivers if the system detects installed devices. Install the necessary drivers to activate the devices. VIA 4 in 1 drivers This item installs the following drivers: - VIA Registry (INF) driver - VIA AGP VxD driver - VIA ATAPI vendor support driver - VIA PCI IRQ Miniport driver. Promise FastTrak 378 Driver This item installs the Promise FastTrak 378 driver for Serial ATA and RAID features.
5.2.3 Utilities menu The Utilities menu shows the applications and other software that the motherboard supports. ASUS PC Probe This smart utility monitors the fan speed, CPU temperature, and system voltages, and alerts you on any detected problems. This utility helps you keep your computer at a healthy operating condition. ASUS Update This program allows you to download the latest version of the BIOS from the ASUS website.
Winbond Voice Editor This program is for recording and customizing wave files for the ASUS POST Reporter™. Use this program if you wish to change the default vocal POST messages. See section “3.2 Vocal POST Messages” for a list of the default messages. Promise Array Management Utility This item installs the Promise Array Management Utility. Use this utility to configure a disk array for RAID installations. 5.2.4 ASUS Contact Information Clicking the ASUS Contact Information tab displays as stated.
5.2.5 Other information The icons on the top right corner of the screen give additional information on the motherboard and the contents of the support CD. Click an icon to display the specified information. Motherboard Info The window displays the general specifications of the SK8V motherboard. Browse this CD The window displays the support CD contents in graphical format.
Technical Support Form The window displays the ASUS Technical Support Request Form that you have to fill up when requesting technical support. Filelist The window displays the contents of the support CD and a brief description of each in text format.
5.3 Software Information Most of the applications in the support CD have wizards that will conveniently guide you through the installation. View the online help or readme file that came with the software for more information. This section provides details on the software applications that the motherboard supports. 5.3.1 ASUS MyLogo2™ The ASUS MyLogo2™ is automatically installed when you install the ASUS Update utility from the software menu. See section “5.2.3 Utilities menu”.
4. From the selection that appears, choose a logo image. Click Next. If you wish, you may create your own boot logo image in GIF, JPG, or BMP file formats. 5. When you click on an image, it displays larger on the MyLogo2 screen. If you wish to make the logo image smaller, click on the arrow on the Ratio item and select your desired scale. 6. The next screen prompts you to flash the original BIOS to update it with the new boot logo. Click Flash to update the BIOS. 7.
5.3.2 ASUS Instant Music The motherboard is equipped with a BIOS-based audio playback feature called Instant Music. This feature is supported by the onboard audio AC’97 CODEC, and requires an optical drive (CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or CD-RW). 1. Instant Music only supports CDs in audio format. 2. Instant Music does not work if you installed and enabled an add-on sound card. 3. Instant Music only supports PS/2 keyboard. To enable ASUS Instant Music: 1.
To use ASUS Instant Music: 1. Ensure that the power cord is plugged to a grounded power source, so that the system has a standby power. 2. Use either one of the two sets of special function keys on your keyboard to play audio CDs. These keys only function as indicated if you enabled the Instant Music item in BIOS. Instant Music function keys (Set 1) CD ON/OFF PLAY/PAUSE Esc F1 STOP/EJECT PREVIOUS NEXT F3 F4 F2 VOL. DOWN VOL.
If there is no CD on the drive and you press F1 or Space Bar, the drive tray ejects. 7. Refer to the Instant Music function key definitions on the previous page to select other tracks or control the volume. 8. Press F2 or Enter once to stop playing the CD. Press F2 or Enter one more time to eject the CD.
5.4 AI Audio feature The ADI AD1985 AC ‘97 audio CODEC provides 6-channel audio capability through the SoundMAX4 XL with AudioESP™ software to deliver the ultimate audio experience on your PC. The software implements high quality audio synthesis/rendering, 3D sound positioning, and advanced voice-input technologies. Follow the installation wizard to install the SoundMAX Audio Driver and Application from the support CD that came with the motherboard package to activate the 6-channel audio feature.
Setup wizards Use the speaker and microphone setup wizards to fine tune the gain/ attenuation of the inputs/outputs for optimal audio performance. You may launch the setup wizards by clicking the Configuration button when AudioESP detects and verifies a newly connected peripheral, or by clicking icon from the SoundMAX control panel. on the Speaker wizard Follow the screen instructions to configure the speakers to your desired settings.
Audio preferences The Preferences page of the SoundMAX4 XL allows you to change various audio settings. Listening environment options The SoundMAX4 XL support several audio technologies including SoundMAX SPX™ Animated Audio, 3DPA™, MultiDrive™ 5.1, EnvironmentFC™, MacroFX/ZoomFX™, and Virtual Theater Surround.
Rear panel audio ports function variation The functions of the Line Out (lime), Line In (blue), and Mic (pink) ports on the rear panel change when you select the 4-channel or 6-channel audio configuration as shown in the following table.
5.5 VIA RAID configurations The motherboard includes a high performance IDE RAID controller integrated in the VIA VT8237 southbridge chipset. It supports RAID 0 and RAID 1 with two independent Serial ATA channels. RAID 0 (called data striping) optimizes two identical hard disk drives to read and write data in parallel, interleaved stacks. Two hard disks perform the same work as a single drive but at a sustained data transfer rate, double that of a single disk alone, thus improving data access and storage.
5.5.1 Install the Serial ATA (SATA) hard disks The VIA VT8237 southbridge chipset supports Serial ATA hard disk drives. For optimal performance, install identical drives of the same model and capacity when creating a RAID set. • • If you are creating a RAID 0 (striping) array for perfomance, use two new drives.
5.5.2 Entering VIA® Tech RAID BIOS Utility 1. Boot-up your computer. 2. During POST, press to enter VIA RAID configuration utility. The following menu options will appear. The RAID BIOS information on the setup screen shown is for reference only. What you see on your screen may not be exactly the same as shown. VIA Tech. RAID BIOS Ver 1.
5.5.3 Create Array 1. In the VIA RAID BIOS utility main menu, select Create Array then press . The main menu items on the upper-left corner of the screen are replaced with create array menu options. VIA Tech. RAID BIOS Ver 1.
TIP: For server systems, it is recommended to use a lower array block size. For multimedia computer systems used mainly for audio and video editing, a higher array block size is recommended for optimum performance. 4K 8K 16K 32K 64K Use arrow keys to move selection bar on items and press to select. 5. Select Start Create Process and press to setup hard disk for RAID system.
4. Select Select Disk Drives, then press . Use arrow keys to select disk drive/s, then press to mark selected drive. (An asterisk is placed before a selected drive.) 5. Select Start Create Process and press to setup hard disk for RAID system. The following confirmation message appears: The same confirmation message appears when the Auto Setup for Data Security option is selected. The data on the selected disks will be destroyed.
5.5.5 Select Boot Array 1. In the VIA RAID BIOS utility main menu, select Select Boot Array then press . The focus is directed to the list of channel used for IDE RAID arrays. 2. Press to select a RAID array for boot. The Status of the selected array will change to Boot. Press to return to menu items. Follow the same procedure to deselect the the boot array. ESC : Exit Channel Drive Name Array Name Mode Size(GB) Status Serial_Ch0 Master XXXXXXXXXX xxxxx xxx.
5.6 Promise® RAID configurations The motherboard includes the Promise® PDC20378 controller chipset to support Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) configurations. Using two Serial ATA hard disks on the PRI_SATA / SEC_SATA interfaces, and two ATA133 hard disks on the PRI_RAID interface, you may set up RAID0, RAID1, RAID0+1, and Multi-RAID configurations. Use the MBFastTrak378™ BIOS and the FastBuild™ utility to configure a disk array.
5.6.1 Install the hard disks The PDC20378 chipset supports Ultra ATA/133/100/66 hard disk drives. For optimal performance, install identical drives of the same model and capacity when creating a disk array. • • • If you are creating a RAID 0 (striping) array for perfomance, use two new drives. If you are creating a RAID 1 (mirroring) array for protection, you can use two new drives or use an existing drive and a new drive (the new drive must be of the same size or larger than the existing drive).
5.6.2 Enter the MBFastBuild™ utility 1. Boot the system. If this is the first time you boot the system with the new hard disks installed and connected to the ATAIDE connectors on the motherboard, the MBFastTrak378™ BIOS displays the following: MBFastTrak378 (tm) BIOS version 1.00 (c)2000-2005 Promise Technology, Inc. All Rights Reserved. No Array defined... Press to enter FastBuild (tm) Utility Or press key to continue booting. 2.
5.6.3 Creating a RAID 0 array (Performance) 1. In the FastBuild™ utility main menu, press “1” to select Auto Setup. The following screen appears. FastBuild (tm) Utility 2.00 (c) 2002-2005 Promise Technology, Inc. [ Auto Setup Options Menu ] Optimize Array for: Performance [ Array Setup Configuration ] Mode ........................................ Stripe Spare Drive.................................. 0 Drive(s) Used in Array....................... 2 Array Disk Capacity (size in MB).............
5.6.4 Creating a RAID 1 array (Security) Creating a Security Array with New Drives 1. In the FastBuild™ utility main menu, press “1” to select Auto Setup. FastBuild (tm) Utility 2.00 (c) 2002-2005 Promise Technology, Inc. [ Auto Setup Options Menu ] Optimize Array for: Security [ Array Setup Configuration ] Mode ........................................ Mirror Spare Drive.................................. 0 Drive(s) Used in Array....................... 2 Array Disk Capacity (size in MB).............
7. Use the FDISK utility and follow the format procedure for installing a new hard drive. After you have formatted the arrayed drives, install an operating system (OS). 8. Install the RAID driver from the support CD that came with the motherboard package. Depending on the operating system you are installing, you may need to install the RAID driver during or after the OS installation.
8. Select Y to continue. Select N to return to the main menu. 9. When the duplication process is completed, a message appears confirming that your Security array has been created. 10. Press any key to reboot the system. 11. Install the RAID driver from the support CD that came with the motherboard package. Depending on the operating system you are installing (or that is already installed), the RAID driver installation sequence may vary. 5.6.
FastBuild (tm) Utility 2.00 (c) 2002-2005 Promise Technology, Inc. [ Rebuild Array Menu ] Array No RAID Mode Array Array Array Array Mirror/Stripe ------------- 1 2 3 4 Total Drv Capacity 4 ------------- Status 7999 ------------- Critical ------------- [ Keys Available ] [ ] Up [ ] Down [ESC] Exit [Enter] Select 7. Select the replacement drive. Press . FastBuild (tm) Utility 2.00 (c) 2002-2005 Promise Technology, Inc.
5.7 Creating a floppy with RAID driver A floppy disk with the Promise® SATA 378, FastTrak 378 or VIA® RAID driver is required when installing Windows® XP™, Windows® 2000™ or Windows® NT™ operating systems. You can create a floppy disk with the RAID driver using Makedisk.exe utility. A floppy disk with a RAID driver is necessary when configuring RAID installations. To create a floppy disk with RAID driver: 1. Insert the motherboard support CD into the CD-ROM drive and locate the Makedisk.
5.8 AI Net feature The motherboard supports the 3COM® Virtual Cable Tester (VCT) Technology. The VCT virtually diagnose and report cable faults using the Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR). With this essential tool, installation and network diagnosis has never been easier. The VCT technology detects and reports open and shorted cables with up to 1 meter of accuracy. It also detects impedance mismatches, pair swaps, pair polarity problems and pair skew problems of up to 64ns.
4. Click on the (VCT) Virtual Cable Tester button to display the following screen. 5. Click on Run to execute test. If there is no cable connection problem, the Run button is grayed out and not selectable.
5-34 Chapter 5: Software support
