User manual ASUS A7N8X-VM/400

A7N8X-VM/400 User Guide Motherboard E1857 Checklist Revised edition V2 February 2005 Copyright © 2005 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this manual, including the products and software described in it, may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form or by any means, except documentation kept by the purchaser for backup purposes, without the express written permission of ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. ("ASUS"). Product warranty or service will not be extended if: (1) the product is repaired, modified or altered, unless such repair, modification of alteration is authorized in writing by ASUS; or (2) the serial number of the product is defaced or missing. ASUS PROVIDES THIS MANUAL "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL ASUS, ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF BUSINESS, LOSS OF USE OR DATA, INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS AND THE LIKE), EVEN IF ASUS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES ARISING FROM ANY DEFECT OR ERROR IN THIS MANUAL OR PRODUCT. SPECIFICATIONS AND INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL ARE FURNISHED FOR INFORMATIONAL USE ONLY, AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE, AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY ASUS. ASUS ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS OR INACCURACIES THAT MAY APPEAR IN THIS MANUAL, INCLUDING THE PRODUCTS AND SOFTWARE DESCRIBED IN IT. Products and corporate names appearing in this manual may or may not be registered trademarks or copyrights of their respective companies, and are used only for identification or explanation and to the owners' benefit, without intent to infringe. ii Contents Notices ............................................................................................ v Safety information .......................................................................... vi About this guide ............................................................................. vii A7N8X-VM/400 specification summary ........................................ viii Features Chapter 1: Product introduction Welcome! ........................................................................... 1-2 Package contents ............................................................... 1-2 Special features .................................................................. 1-2 Motherboard components .................................................. 1-4 Motherboard layout ............................................................ 1-7 Motherboard installation ..................................................... 1-8 1.6.1 Placement direction ............................................... 1-8 1.6.2 Screw holes ........................................................... 1-8 1.7 Before you proceed ............................................................ 1-9 1.8 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ......................................... 1-10 1.9 System memory ................................................................1-11 1.10 Expansion slots ................................................................ 1-12 1.10.1 Configuring an expansion card ............................ 1-12 1.10.2 Standard Interrupt Assignments .......................... 1-12 1.10.3 AGP slot ............................................................... 1-13 1.10.4 PCI slots .............................................................. 1-13 1.11 Jumpers ............................................................................ 1-14 1.12 Connectors ....................................................................... 1-16 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Chapter 2: BIOS information 2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS .................................... 2-2 2.1.1 Creating a bootable floppy disk ............................. 2-2 2.1.2 Using AFUDOS to copy the current BIOS ............. 2-3 2.1.3 Using AFUDOS to update the BIOS ...................... 2-4 2.1.4 Using ASUS EZ Flash to update the BIOS ............ 2-5 2.1.5 ASUS Update ........................................................ 2-6 BIOS Setup program .......................................................... 2-8 2.2.1 BIOS menu bar ...................................................... 2-8 2.2.2 Legend bar ............................................................. 2-9 iii 2.2 Contents 2.3 Main menu ........................................................................ 2-10 2.3.1 Primary and Secondary IDE Master/Slave ........... 2-11 2.3.2 System Information .............................................. 2-12 Advanced menu ............................................................... 2-13 2.4.1 Chipset ................................................................. 2-13 2.4.2 Onboard Devices Configuration ........................... 2-14 2.4.3 PCIPnP ................................................................ 2-16 Power menu ..................................................................... 2-18 2.5.1 Power Up Control ................................................ 2-18 2.5.2 Hardware Monitor ................................................ 2-20 Boot menu ........................................................................ 2-21 2.6.1 Boot Settings Configuration ................................. 2-21 2.6.2 Security ................................................................ 2-23 Exit menu ......................................................................... 2-25 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Chapter 3: Software support 3.1 3.2 Installing an operating system ............................................ 3-2 Support CD information ...................................................... 3-2 3.2.1 Running the support CD ........................................ 3-2 3.2.2 Drivers menu ......................................................... 3-3 3.2.3 Utilities ................................................................... 3-4 3.2.4 ASUS contact information ...................................... 3-5 iv Notices Federal Communications Commission Statement This device complies with FCC Rules Part 15. 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. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with manufacturer's instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures: · Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. · Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver. · Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected. · Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help. The use of shielded cables for connection of the monitor to the graphics card is required to assure compliance with FCC regulations. Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate this equipment. Canadian Department of Communications Statement This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications. This class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003. v 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. · Before connecting or removing signal cables from the motherboard, ensure that all power cables are unplugged. · Seek professional assistance before using an adpater or extension cord. These devices could interrupt the grounding circuit. · Make sure that your power supply is set to the correct voltage in your area. If you are not sure about the voltage of the electrical outlet you are using, contact your local power company. · If the power supply is broken, do not try to fix it by yourself. Contact a qualified service technician or your retailer. Operation safety · Before installing the motherboard and adding devices on it, carefully read all the manuals that came with the package. · Before using the product, make sure all cables are correctly connected and the power cables are not damaged. If you detect any damage, contact your dealer immediately. · To avoid short circuits, keep paper clips, screws, and staples away from connectors, slots, sockets and circuitry. · Avoid dust, humidity, and temperature extremes. Do not place the product in any area where it may become wet. · Place the product on a stable surface. · If you encounter technical problems with the product, contact a qualified service technician or your retailer. vi About this guide Conventions used in this guide To make sure that you perform certain tasks properly, take note of the following symbols used throughout this guide. 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. Where to find more information Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product and software updates. 1. ASUS websites The ASUS websites worldwide provide updated information on ASUS hardware and software products. Refer to the ASUS contact information. 2. Optional documentation Your product package may include optional documentation, such as warranty flyers, that may have been added by your dealer. These documents are not part of the standard package. vii A7N8X-VM/400 specifications summary CPU Chipset Front Side Bus Memory Socket A for AMD AthlonTM XP 2700 MHz+ processors NVIDIA® nForce2 IGP North bridge NVIDIA® nForce2 MCP South bridge 400/333/266 MHz 2 x 184-pin DDR DIMM sockets support up to maximum 2 GB unbuffered PC2700/2100 non-ECC DDR SDRAM memory. Dual-channel memory architecture 3 x PCI 1 x AGP 8X (1.5V only) 2 x UltraDMA133 Integrated GeForce4 MX GPU Supports DVI (AGP-NV-DVI) and TV-out (AV/S) cards Realtek ALC650 6-channel audio CODEC S/PDIF in/out interface Realtek 8201BL 10/100 Mbps LAN PHY Super I/O integrated monitoring of CPU/chassis fan rotation and MB/CPU temperature 1 x Parallel 1 x Serial (COM1) 1 x PS/2 Keyboard 1 x PS/2 Mouse 1 x RJ45 port 1 x Audio I/O 1 x VGA port 4 x USB 2.0/1.1 1 x USB connector supports additional 2 USB 2.0 ports CPU/chassis FAN connectors Chassis intrusion connector 20-pin ATX power connector PANEL connector CD/AUX connectors S/PDIF in/out connector GAME/MIDI connector TV-out connector Serial (COM2) connector Front panel audio connector Expansion slots Storage Graphics Audio LAN Hardware monitoring Rear panel ports Internal connectors (continued next page) viii A7N8X-VM/400 specifications summary BIOS features Industry standard Manageability Support CD contents 4 Mb Flash ROM, AMI BIOS, ACPI, DMI2.0, WfM2.0, Green, PnP, TCAV, SMBIOS 2.3 ASUS EZ Flash, ASUS MyLogo2 PCI 2.2, USB 2.0 DMI 2.0, WOL by PME, WOR by PME, WO_USB, WO_KB/MS Device drivers ASUS PC Probe ASUS Update ASUS Screen Saver Adobe Acrobat Reader Anti-Virus Utility ASUS A7N8X-VM/400 series support CD UltraDMA133 cable FDD cable I/O shield User guide Micro-ATX form factor: 9.6 in x 9.6 in Accessories Form Factor * Specifications are subject to change without notice. ix Chapter 1 This chapter describes the features of the motherboard. It includes brief descriptions of the motherboard components, and illustrations of the layout, jumper settings, and connectors. Product introduction 1.1 Welcome! Thank you for buying the ASUS® A7N8X-VM/400 motherboard! The ASUS A7N8X-VM/400 motherboard comes with the most advanced technologies to deliver maximum performance for Socket A processors. This motherboard is packed with value-added features for guaranteed consumer satisfaction. The following sections provide important technical information about the motherboard for future upgrades or system reconfiguration. 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 ASUS A7N8X-VM/400 motherboard Micro-ATX form factor: 9.6 in x 9.6 in ASUS A7N8X-VM/400 series support CD 40-pin 80-conductor ribbon cable for UltraDMA133 IDE drives Ribbon cable for a 3.5-inch floppy drive Bag of extra jumper caps I/O shield User guide Check your ASUS A7N8X-VM/400 package for the following items. 1.3 Special features 400 MHz FSB support The motherboard comes with a Socket 462 that supports the latest 400 MHz FSB AMD Athlon XPTM processor. This feature is guaranteed to give you a powerful and efficient computer platform. Dual-channel DDR memory support With the 128-bit Twinbank DDR memory architecture, the motherboard doubles the DDR333 bandwidth thus eliminating system bottlenecks. The motherboard is capable of performing at peak bandwidth of up to 5.4 GB/s assuring you of fast, reliable computing solution. See details on page 1-11. 1-2 Chapter 1: Product introduction AGP 8X support AGP 8X (AGP 3.0) is the next generation VGA interface specification that enables enhanced graphics performance with high bandwidth speeds of up to 2.12 GB/s. See details on page 1-13. Integrated GeForce4 MX GPU This motherboard is equipped with an integrated GeForce MX GPU, a second-generation mainstream graphics processing unit designed to deliver the best graphics experience with its high texture content and scene complexity capabilities. See details on page 2-13. ASUS MyLogo2 The ASUS MyLogo2 allows you to personalize and add style to your system with customizable boot logos. See pages 2-22 and 3-5 for details. ASUS C.O.P. The ASUS C.O.P. (CPU Overheating Protection) is a hardware protection circuit that automatically shuts down the system power before temperatures go high enough to permanently damage the CPU. ASUS EZ Flash With the ASUS EZ Flash, you can easily update the system BIOS even before loading the operating system. No need to use a DOS-based utility or boot from a floppy disk. See details on page 2-5. Digital video output support The DVO interface feature of this motherboard allows you to enjoy simultaneous digital display and TV output with the separately purchased ASUS AGP-NV-DVI and ASUS AV/S TV-out cards. See details on pages 1-13, 1-20, and 2-14. ASUS A7N8X-VM/400 motherboard user guide 1-3 1.4 Motherboard components Before you install the motherboard, learn about its major components and available features to facilitate the installation and future upgrades. Refer to the succeeding pages for the component descriptions. 12 34 5 67 14 13 12 11 15 16 10 17 9 8 18 19 20 25 24 23 22 21 1-4 Chapter 1: Product introduction 1 Onboard LED. This onboard LED lights up if there is a standby power on the motherboard. This LED acts as a reminder to turn off the system power before plugging or unplugging devices. ATX power connector. This standard 20-pin connector connects to an ATX 12V power supply. The power supply must have at least 1A on the +5V standby lead (+5VSB). CPU socket. This is a Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) socket for AMD Athlon XPTM processors. Northbridge controller. The NVIDIA® nForce2TM IGP Northbridge controller chip supports a 64/128-bit DDR memory controller and up to 2GB of 333/266/200MHz DDR memory . The Northbridge controller is equipped with a maximum 128 MB integrated graphics UMA share memory for the onboard VGA. DDR DIMM sockets. Two Double Data Rate Dual Inline Memory Module (DDR DIMM) sockets are available for up to 2 GB of DDR SDRAM. This memory technology supplies data transfer rates up to 5.4 GB/s for 333MHz DDR SDRAM. IDE connectors. These dual-channel bus master IDE connectors support up to four UltraDMA133, PIO Modes 0-4 IDE devices. Both the primary (blue) and secondary (black) connectors are slotted to prevent incorrect insertion of the IDE cable. Floppy disk connector. This connector is for the provided FDD cable for the floppy disk drive. One side of the connector is slotted to prevent incorrect insertion of the FDD cable. Flash ROM. This 4 Mb LPC chip contains the programmable BIOS program. Super I/O chipset. ITE IT8712F-A offers support for a variety of I/O functions. Provides two high-speed UART compatible serial ports, and a parallel port with EPP and ECP capabilities. The Super I/O controller supports a floppy disk drive, PS/2 keyboard, and PS/2 mouse. Southbridge controller. This motherboard comes with the brand new NVIDIA® nForce2TM MCP integrated peripheral Southbridge controller. This controller communicates at 800 MB/s with the Northbridge chip for maximum bandwith required to support PCI, USB, and Fast Ethernet devices. The controller also supports standard UltraDMA133 and has separate data paths for each IDE channel. AGP slot. The Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) slot supports 1.5 V AGP 8X/4X mode graphics cards for 3D graphics applications. The AGP slot also supports digital visual interface (DVI) cards for digital display on LCD monitors and projectors. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 ASUS A7N8X-VM/400 motherboard user guide 1-5 12 13 14 15 16 17 Audio CODEC. The Realtek ALC650 6-channel Audio CODEC is AC'97-compliant onboard audio solution for PC multimedia systems. PCI slots. These 32-bit PCI 2.2 expansion slots support bus master PCI cards like SCSI and LAN cards. LAN controller. The Realtek 8201BL LAN PHY Fast Ethernet controller allows connection to a Local Area Network (LAN) through a network hub. 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 or a scanner. LAN (RJ-45) port. Using the NVMAC® in the Southbridge controller and the Realtek 8201BL LAN PHY, this port allows connection to a Local Area Network (LAN) through a network hub. Line In port (light blue). This port connects a tape player or other audio sources. Line Out port (lime). This port connects a headphone or a speaker. Microphone port (pink). This port connects a microphone. USB 1 & 2 ports. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus 2.0/1.1 ports are available for connecting USB devices such as mouse or PDA. VGA port. This 15-pin VGA port connects a VGA monitor. Serial port (COM1). This port connects a serial mouse or other serial devices. USB 3 & 4 ports. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus 2.0/1.1 ports are available for connecting USB devices such as mouse or PDA. PS/2 keyboard port. This purple 6-pin connector is for a PS/2 keyboard. 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 1-6 Chapter 1: Product introduction 1.5 T: Mouse B: Keyboard Motherboard layout 24.5cm (9.64in) PS/2 USB3 USB4 DDR DIMM2 (64/128 bit, 184-pin module) COM1 PARALLEL PORT PWR_LED1 DDR DIMM3 (64/128 bit, 184-pin module) FLOPPY1 SEC_IDE PRI_IDE CR2032 3V Lithium Cell CMOS Power USBPW34 Socket 462 CPU_FAN1 VGA USBPW12 Bottom: ATX Power Connector U46 nVidia nForce2 IGP USB1 RJ-45 USB2 Top:Line In Center:Line Out Below:Mic In Top: CHA_FAN A7N8X-VM Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP8X1) Realtek RTL8201 23 45 AUX1 CD1 PCI 1 Super I/O nVidia FPAUDIO SPDIF1 PCI 2 PCI 3 MCP CLRTC1 CHASSIS1 COM2 USBPW56 GAME1 USB56 4Mb BIOS Audio Codec PANEL1 ASUS A7N8X-VM/400 motherboard user guide 24.5cm (9.64in) 1-7 1.6 Motherboard installation Unplug the power cord before installing the motherboard. Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and damage to motherboard components. This motherboard uses the Micro ATX form factor. 1.6.1 Placement direction When installing the motherboard, make sure that you place it into the chassis in the correct orientation. The edge with the external ports goes to the rear part of the chassis as indicated in the image below. 1.6.2 Screw holes Place eight (8) screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the motherboard to the chassis. Do not overtighten the screws! Doing so may damage the motherboard. Place this side towards the rear of the chassis 1-8 Chapter 1: Product introduction 1.7 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. Avoid touching the ICs on components. 4. Whenever you uninstall any component, place it on a grounded antistatic pad or in the bag that came with the component. 5. Before you install or remove any component, ensure that the ATX power supply is switched off or the power cord is detached from the power supply. Failure to do so may cause severe damage to the motherboard, peripherals, and/or components. Onboard LED The motherboard comes with a standby power LED. The green LED lights up to indicate that the system is ON, in sleep mode, or in soft-off mode. This is a reminder that you should shut down the system and unplug the power cable before removing or plugging in any motherboard component. The illustration below shows the location of the onboard LED. SB_PWR1 A7N8X-VM ON Standby Power OFF Powered Off A7N8X-VM/400 Onboard LED ASUS A7N8X-VM/400 motherboard user guide 1-9 1.8 Central Processing Unit (CPU) The motherboard comes with a Socket A (462) that supports AthlonTM XP processors with "QuantiSpeed" data processing, large data caches, 3D enhancements and 400/333/266 MHz bus speeds. AMD AthlonTM XP processors offer gigahertz speeds to support all the latest computing platforms and applications. CPU NOTCH TO INNER CORNER LOCK LEVER A7N8X-VM AMDTM CPU A7N8X-VM/400 Socket 462 CPU NOTCH Each AMD CPU has a "marked" corner. This corner is usually indicated with a notch, and/or a golden square or triangle. Refer to this indicator while orienting the CPU. A fan and heatsink should be attached to the CPU to prevent overheating. This motherboard does not support AthlonTM, DuronTM, and other AMD processors with less than 1 GHz core speed. Installing the CPU Follow these steps to install a CPU: 1. Locate the CPU socket, open it by pulling the lever sideways, then lift the lever upwards to an angle of 90 ~ 100 degrees. 2. Insert the CPU with the correct orientation. The notched or golden corner of the CPU must be oriented toward the inner corner of the socket base nearest to the lever hinge. Gold triangle The CPU should drop easily into place. Do not force the CPU into the socket to avoid bending the pins. If the CPU does not fit, check its alignment and look for bent pins. 1-10 Chapter 1: Product introduction 1.9 System memory The motherboard has two DDR DIMM sockets that supports up to 2 GB non-ECC PC2700/2100 DDR SDRAM DIMMs. Each DIMM socket is two-sided. DIMMs come in combinations of single or double-sided types ranging through 64 MB, 128MB, 256 MB, 512 MB and 1 GB. The motherboard supports dual-channel memory architecture when you install two DDR DIMMs. 104 Pins A7N8X-VM 80 Pins A7N8X-VM/400 184-Pin DDR DIMM Sockets Installing a DIMM 1. Unlock a DIMM socket by pressing the retaining clips outward. 2. Align a DIMM on the socket. Make sure the notches on the DIMM exactly match the notches in the socket. 3. Firmly insert the DIMM into the socket until the retaining clips lock into place. DDR DIMM notch Unlocked Retaining Clip A DDR DIMM is keyed with a notch so that it fits in only one direction. DO NOT force a DIMM into a socket to avoid damaging the DIMM. ASUS A7N8X-VM/400 motherboard user guide 1-11 1.10 Expansion slots The motherboard has three PCI and one Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) slots. The following sections describe the slots and the expansion cards that they support. 1.10.1 Configuring an expansion card Some expansion cards need an IRQ to operate. Generally, an IRQ must be exclusively assigned to one function at a time. In a standard design configuration, 16 IRQs are available but most are already in use. Normally, six IRQs are free for expansion cards. Sometimes IRQs are "shared" by more than one function; in this case, IRQ assignments are swapped automatically or adjusted through the BIOS Setup. Standard Interrupt Assignments IRQ 0 1 2 3* 4* 5* 6 7* 8 9* 10* 11* 12* 13 14* 15* Standard Function System Timer Keyboard Controller Programmable Interrupt Controller USB Universal Host Controller Communications Port (COM1) Onboard Audio Standard Floppy Disk Controller Printer Port (LPT1) System CMOS/Real Time Clock Onboard LAN USB Universal Host Controller Onboard VGA PS/2 Compatible Mouse Port Numeric Data Processor Ultra ATA Controller Secondary Ultra ATA Controller *These IRQs are usually available for ISA or PCI devices. IRQ assignments for this motherboard PCI slot 1 PCI slot 2 PCI slot 3 AGP slot A used ­ ­ ­ B ­ ­ ­ used C ­ ­ used ­ D ­ used ­ ­ 1-12 Chapter 1: Product introduction 1.10.2 AGP slot This motherboard has an AGP slot that supports +1.5V AGP 8X cards. Note the notches on the card golden fingers to ensure that they fit the AGP slot on your motherboard. The AGP slot also supports Digital Video Output (DVO) interface cards (AGP-NV-DVI) for digital display on new-generation LCD monitors and projectors. AGP Card without Retention Notch A7N8X-VM ASUS AGP-NV-DVI A7N8X-VM/400 Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) The ASUS AGP-NV-DVI card is purchased separately. 1.10.3 PCI slots Three 32-bit PCI slots are available on the motherboard. The slots support PCI cards such as LAN card, SCSI card, USB card, and other cards that comply with PCI specifications. This figure shows a typical PCI card installed into a slot. ASUS A7N8X-VM/400 motherboard user guide 1-13 1.11 Jumpers This section describes and illustrates the jumpers on the motherboard. 1. USB device wake-up (3-pin USBPW12, USBPW34, USBPW56) Set these jumpers to +5V to wake up the computer from S1 sleep mode (CPU stopped, DRAM refreshed, system running in low power mode) using the connected USB devices. Set to +5VSB to wake up from S3 sleep mode (no power to CPU, DRAM in slow refresh, power supply in reduced power mode). Both jumpers are set to pins 1-2 (+5V) by default because not all computers have the appropriate power supply to support this feature. The USBPW12 jumper is for the rear USB port. USBPW34 and USBPW56 are for the internal USB header that you can connect to front USB ports. · This feature requires a power supply that can provide at least 2A on the +5VSB lead when these jumpers are set to +5VSB. Otherwise, the system does not power up. The total current consumed must NOT exceed the power supply capability (+5VSB) whether under normal condition or in sleep mode. USBPW34 12 +5V (Default) 23 +5VSB · USBPW12 12 A7N8X-VM 23 +5VSB +5V (Default) 12 USBPW56 23 +5VSB A7N8X-VM/400 USB Device Wake Up +5V (Default) 1-14 Chapter 1: Product introduction 2. Clear RTC RAM (CLRTC1) This jumper clears the Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM of date, time and system setup parameters in CMOS. The RAM data in CMOS is powered by the onboard button battery cell. To erase the RTC RAM: 1. Turn OFF the computer and unplug the power cord. 2. Remove the battery. 3. Move the jumper caps from [1-2] to [2-3] momentarily. Replace the jumper cap to the original position, [1-2]. 4. Re-install the battery. 5. Plug the power cord and turn ON the computer. 6. Hold down the key during the boot process and enter BIOS setup to re-enter data. A7N8X-VM CLRTC1 12 Normal (Default) 23 Clear CMOS A7N8X-VM/400 Clear RTC RAM ASUS A7N8X-VM/400 motherboard user guide 1-15 1.12 Connectors This section describes and illustrates the connectors on the motherboard. 1. IDE connectors (40-1 pin PRI_IDE, SEC_IDE) This connector supports the provided UltraDMA133 IDE cable. Connect the cable's blue connector to the primary (recommended) or secondary IDE connector, then connect the gray connector to the UltraDMA133 master device (hard disk drive) and the black connector to the UltraDMA133 slave device (hard disk drive). · Pin 20 on each IDE connector is removed to match the covered hole on the UltraDMA cable connector. This prevents incorrect orientation when you connect the cables. For UltraDMA133 IDE devices, use a 40-pin 80-conductor cable. · A7N8X-VM SEC_IDE NOTE: Orient the red markings (usually zigzag) on the IDE ribbon cable to PIN 1. A7N8X-VM/400 IDE Connectors PIN 1 2. Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY1) This connector supports the provided floppy drive ribbon cable. After connecting one end to the motherboard, connect the other end to the floppy drive. (Pin 5 is removed to prevent incorrect insertion when using cable connectors with a closed pin 5 slot.) FLOPPY1 A7N8X-VM NOTE: Orient the red markings on the floppy ribbon cable to PIN 1 PIN 1 A7N8X-VM/400 Floppy Disk Drive Connector 1-16 Chapter 1: Product introduction PRI_IDE 3. ATX power connectors (20-pin ATXPWR1) These connectors connect to an ATX 12 V 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 the power plug firmly until the connectors fit. ATXPWR1 +12.0VDC +5VSB PWR_OK COM +5.0VDC COM +5.0VDC COM +3.3VDC +3.3VDC +5.0VDC +5.0VDC -5.0VDC COM COM COM PS_ON# COM -12.0VDC +3.3VDC A7N8X-VM A7N8X-VM/400 ATX Power Connector If you will need to replace the power supply in the future, make sure that your new ATX 12 V power supply can provide 8 A on the +12 V lead and at least 1 A on the +5-volt standby lead (+5VSB). The minimum recommended wattage is 230W, or 300W for a fullyconfigured system. When the power supply is inadequate, the system may become unstable and may experience difficulty powering. 4. USB header (10-1 pin USB56) If the USB ports on the rear panel are inadequate, a USB connector is available for two additional USB ports. Connect one end the USB/GAME port module cable to this connector, then mount the USB/GAME port module to an open slot in the chassis. A7N8X-VM USB56 A7N8X-VM/400 USB 2.0 Header The USB/GAME port module is purchased separately. ASUS A7N8X-VM/400 motherboard user guide USB+5V USB_P5USB_P5+ GND 1 USB+5V USB_P6USB_P6+ GND NC 1-17 5. GAME/MIDI connector (16-1 pin GAME1) This connector supports a GAME/MIDI port module. Connect the GAME/MIDI port module cable to this connector, then mount the USB/GAME port module to an open slot in the chassis. The GAME/MIDI port connects a joystick, a game pad for playing games, and/or MIDI devices for playing or editing audio files. A7N8X-VM GAME1 A7N8X-VM/400 Game Connector MIDI_IN J2B2 J2CY MIDI_OUT J2CX J2B1 +5V The USB/GAME port module is purchased separately. 6. CPU and chassis fan connectors (3-pin CPU_FAN1, CHA_FAN) The fan connectors support cooling fans of 350 mA ~ 740 mA (8.88 W max). Connect the fan cable plugs to the fan connectors on the motherboard, making sure that the black wire of each cable matches CPU_FAN1 Rotation +12V GND A7N8X-VM CHA_FAN GND +12V Rotation A7N8X-VM/400 Fan Connectors 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. These are not jumpers! Do not place jumper caps on the fan connectors! 1-18 Chapter 1: Product introduction +5V J1B2 J1CY GND GND J1CX J1B1 +5V 7. Chassis intrusion connector (4-1 pin CHASSIS1) This connector is for a chassis designed with intrusion detection feature. The connector requires an external detection mechanism such as a chassis intrusion sensor or microswitch. When you remove any chassis component, the sensor triggers and sends a high-level signal to this connector to record a chassis intrusion event. By default, the pins labeled "Chassis Signal" and "Ground" are shorted with a jumper cap. If you wish to use the chassis intrusion detection feature, remove the jumper cap from the pins. CHASSIS1 Chassis Signal GND +5VSB_MB A7N8X-VM A7N8X-VM/400 Chassis Alarm Lead (Default) 8. Front panel audio connectors (10-1 pin FP_AUDIO) This connects the front panel audio module that allows convenient connection and control of audio devices. AGND +5VA BLINE_OUT_R A7N8X-VM FP_AUDIO MIC2 MICPWR Line out_R NC Line out_L A7N8X-VM/400 Front Panel Audio Connector ASUS A7N8X-VM/400 motherboard user guide BLINE_OUT_L 1-19 9. Internal audio connectors (4 pin CD1, AUX1) These connectors allow you to receive stereo audio input from sound sources such as a CD-ROM, TV tuner or MPEG card. AUX1 (White) CD1 (Black) A7N8X-VM Left Audio Channel Ground Right Audio Channel A7N8X-VM/400 Internal Audio Connectors 10. TV-out connector (6-1 pin U46) This connects an audio and TV-out port module. This connector allows dual display (TV+VGA or TV+DVI) with the ASUS AV/S and AGP-NV-DVI cards. U46 1 A7N8X-VM A7N8X-VM/400 TV Out Connector ASUS AV/S The ASUS AV/S module is purchased separately. 1-20 Chapter 1: Product introduction 11. Digital audio connector (6-1 pin SPDIF1) This connector is for an optional S/PDIF audio module that allows digital instead of analog sound input and output. The S/PDIF port module is purchased separately. SPDIF_OUT +5V A7N8X-VM SPDIF1 1 GND A7N8X-VM/400 Digital Audio Connector When you input sound for S/PDIF IN, the LINE_OUT outputs the sound. Mute LINE_OUT to impede sound output from S/PDIF IN. 12. Serial connector (10-1 pin COM2) This connector accommodates a second serial port using an optional serial port module. Connect the module cable plug to this connector, then install the module into a slot opening at the back of the system chassis. COM2 PIN 1 A7N8X-VM A7N8X-VM/400 Serial Connector The serial port module is purchased separately. ASUS A7N8X-VM/400 motherboard user guide GND SPDIF_IN 1-21 13. System panel connector (20-pin PANEL1) This connector accommodates several system front panel functions. Keyboard Lock Power LED PLEDKeylock Ground PLED+ Speaker Connector +5V Ground Ground Speaker A7N8X-VM ExtSMI# Ground PWR Ground +5V IDELED IDE LED SMI Lead Reset SW ATX Power Switch* A7N8X-VM/400 Panel Connectors * Requires an ATX power supply. · System Power LED (3-1 pin PLED) This connector is for the system power LED in the chassis front panel. The system power LED lights up when you turn on the system power. · Keyboard Lock (2-1 pin KEYLOCK) This connector is for the chassis-mounted switch that allows the use of the keyboard lock feature. · System Warning Speaker (4-pin SPEAKER) This connector is for the chassis-mounted speaker that allows you to hear system beeps and warnings. · System Management Interrupt (2-pin SMI) This connector allows switching to suspend mode, or "Green" mode. While is green mode, the system activity is instantly decreased to save power and to expand the life of certain system components. · Reset Switch (2-pin RESET) This connector is for the chassis-mounted reset switch used for rebooting the system without turning off the power switch. · ATX Power Switch / Soft-Off Switch (2-pin PWR) This connector is for the system power switch located in the chassis front panel. Pressing the power switch turns the system between ON and SLEEP, or ON and SOFT OFF, depending on the BIOS or OS settings. When the system is on, pressing the power switch for more than 4 seconds turns the system off. · Hard Disk Activity (2-pin IDE LED) This connector is for the hard disk drive activity LED. The read or write activities of any primary or secondary IDE device cause the hard disk drive activity LED to light up. 1-22 Chapter 1: Product introduction Reset Ground Chapter 2 This chapter tells how to change system settings through the BIOS Setup menus. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided. BIOS information 2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS The following utilities allow you to manage and update the motherboard Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) setup. 1. AFUDOS (Updates the BIOS in DOS mode using a bootable floppy disk.) 2. ASUS EZ Flash (Updates the BIOS using a floppy disk during POST.) 3. ASUS Update (Updates the BIOS in Windows® environment. See Chapter 3 for details.) Refer to the corresponding section for each utility. Important notes · It is recommended that you save a copy of the original motherboard BIOS file to a bootable floppy disk in case you need to restore the BIOS in the future. Copy the original motherboard BIOS using the AFUDOS or the ASUS Update utilities. A working BIOS file for this motherboard is in the support CD. Use this file only when you do not have a copy of the original motherboard BIOS file in a floppy disk. Visit the ASUS website and download the latest BIOS file for this motherboard using the ASUS Update utility. · · 2.1.1 Creating a bootable floppy disk 1. Do either one of the following to create a bootable floppy disk. DOS environment Insert a 1.44 MB floppy disk into the drive. At the DOS prompt, type: format A:/S then press . Windows® 98SE/ME environment a. From your Windows desktop, click on Start, point to Settings, then click on Control Panel. b. Double-click on Add/Remove Programs icon from the Control Panel window. c. Click on the Startup Disk tab, then on Create Disk... button. d. Insert a 1.44 MB floppy disk when prompted. Follow the succeeding screen instructions to complete the process. 2. Copy the original (or the latest) motherboard BIOS to the bootable floppy disk. 2-2 Chapter 2: BIOS information 2.1.2 Using AFUDOS to copy the current BIOS The AFUDOS.EXE utility can also be used to copy the current system BIOS settings to a floppy or hard disk. The copy can be used as a backup in case the system BIOS fails or gets corrupted. 1. At the DOS prompt, type the command line: afudos /o, then press . The filename can be any user provided filename of not more than eight (8) alpha-numeric characters for the main filename and three (3) alpha-numeric characters for the extension name. The BIOS information on the screen is for reference only. What you see on your screen may not be exactly the same as shown. Main filename Extension name A:\>afudos /oMYBIOS03.rom AMI Firmware Update Utility - Version 1.10 Copyright (C) 2002 American Megatrends, Inc. All rights reserved. Reading flash ..... 0x0008CC00 (9%) 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 600 KB) 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. ASUS A7N8X-VM/400 motherboard user guide 2-3 2.1.3 Using AFUDOS to update the BIOS Update the BIOS only if you are sure that updating revision will solve your problems. Careless updating may result to more problems with the motherboard! 1. Download an updated ASUS BIOS file from the Internet (www.asus.com), then save the file to the bootable floppy disk you created earlier. 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.EXE utility from the support CD to the bootable floppy disk that contains the BIOS file. 3. Boot the system from the floppy disk. 3. At the DOS prompt, type afudos /i and then press . 4. The utility starts to program the new BIOS information into the flash ROM. Several tasks are performed and the message "done" appears at the end of each task when programming is done. A:\AFUDOS>afudos /ia7nvm400.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%) DO NOT shutdown or reset the system while updating the BIOS! Doing so may cause system boot failure! 5. After all tasks are performed, AFUDOS utility automatically exits to DOS. A:\AFUDOS>afudos /ia7nvm400.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......done Verifying flash....done A:\ 6. Reboot the system from the hard disk. 2-4 Chapter 2: BIOS information 2.1.4 Using ASUS EZ Flash to update the BIOS The ASUS EZ Flash feature allows you to easily update the BIOS without having to go through the long process of booting from a diskette and using a DOS-based utility. The EZ Flash is built-in the BIOS firmware so it is accessible by simply pressing + during the Power-On Self Tests (POST). To update the BIOS using ASUS EZ Flash: 1. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS file for your motherboard. Save the BIOS file to a floppy disk. 2. Reboot the system. 3. To launch EZ Flash, press + during POST to display the following. User recovery requested. Starting BIOS recovery... Checking for floppy... · · If there is no floppy disk found in the drive, the error message "Floppy not found!" appears. If the correct BIOS file is not found in the floppy disk, the error message "A7NVM400.ROM not found!" is displayed. Make sure to rename the downloaded BIOS file as "A7NVM400.ROM". 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 "a7nvm400.rom". Completed. Start flashing... Flashed successfully. Rebooting. ASUS A7N8X-VM/400 motherboard user guide 2-5 2.1.5 ASUS Update The ASUS Update is a utility that allows you to update the motherboard BIOS in Windows® environment. This utility is available in the support CD that comes with the motherboard package. ASUS Update requires an Internet connection either through a network or an Internet Service Provider (ISP). To install ASUS Update: 1. Place the support CD to the optical drive. The Drivers menu appears. 2. Click the Utilities tab, then click Install ASUS Update VX.XX.XX. See page 3-3 for the Utilities menu screen. The ASUS Update utility is copied into your system. To update the BIOS using the ASUS Update: 1. Launch the utility from the Windows desktop by clicking Start > Programs > ASUS > ASUSUpdate > ASUSUpdate. The ASUS Update initial screen appears. 2. Select your desired update method, then click Next. 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. 2-6 Chapter 2: BIOS information 4. From the FTP site, select the BIOS version that you wish to download. Click Next. 5. Follow the instructions on the succeeding screens to complete the update process. If you selected the option to update the BIOS from a file, a window pops up prompting you to locate the file. Select the file, click Save, then follow the screen instructions to complete the update process. ASUS A7N8X-VM/400 motherboard user guide 2-7 2.2 BIOS Setup program 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. For example, you may want to enable the security password feature or make changes to the power management settings. This requires you to reconfigure your system using the BIOS Setup program so that the computer can recognize these changes and record them in the CMOS RAM of the Flash ROM. The Flash ROM on the motherboard stores the Setup utility. When you start up the computer, the system provides you with the opportunity to run this program. Press during the Power-On Self Test (POST) to enter the Setup utility, otherwise, POST continues with its test routines. The Setup program is designed to make it as easy to use as possible. It is a menudriven program, which means you can scroll through the various sub-menus and make your selections among the predetermined choices. Because the BIOS software is constantly being updated, the following BIOS setup screens and descriptions are for reference purposes only, and may not exactly match what you see on your screen. 2.2.1 BIOS menu bar