User Guide Motherboard A7N8X-X
E1875 Checklist Revised Edition V3 January 2005 Copyright © 2005 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this manual, including the products and software described in it, may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form or by any means, except documentation kept by the purchaser for backup purposes, without the express written permission of ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (“ASUS”).
Contents Features Notices ............................................................................................ v Safety information .......................................................................... vi ASUS contact information ............................................................ viii A7N8X-X specifications summary .................................................. ix Chapter 1: Motherboard Info 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Welcome! ..................................................
Contents Safeguards 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.4.3 Integrated Peripherals ......................................... 2-18 2.4.4 Power Management Setup .................................. 2-20 2.4.5 PnP / PCI Configurations ..................................... 2-22 Security Menu .................................................................. 2-23 Hardware Monitor Menu ................................................... 2-24 Exit Menu .........................................................................
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.
Conventions used in this guide To make sure that you perform certain tasks properly, take note of the following symbols used throughout this manual. WARNING/DANGER: 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.
ASUS contact information ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (Asia-Pacific) Address Telephone Web site Technical Support Telephone(MB/Component) (Notebook) (Server/PC) (Networking) Support fax 15 Li-Te Road, Peitou, Taipei, Taiwan 112 +886-2-2894-3447 www.asus.com.
A7N8X-X specifications summary CPU Socket A for AMD Duron™/Athlon™/Athlon™ XP 3200+ or higher 400/333 MHz FSB Support Chipset Northbridge: NVIDIA® nForce2 400 Southbridge: NVIDIA® nForce2 MCP Front Side Bus (FSB) 400/333/266/200Mhz Memory 3 x 184-pin DDR DIMM Sockets Max. 3 GB unbuffered PC3200/2700/2100/1600 non-ECC DDR RAM memory. (Visit ASUS website for latest qualified DDR400 module list.) Expansion slots 5 x PCI 1 x AGP 8X (1.
A7N8X-X specifications summary BIOS features 2Mb Flash ROM, Award BIOS, TCAV, PnP, DMI2.0, DMI, Green Industry standard PCI 2.2, USB 1.1/2.0. Manageability DMI 2.0, WOL, WOR, Chassis Intrusion, SM Bus Support CD contents Device drivers ASUS PC Probe Anti-virus utility ASUS LiveUpdate utility Accessories User’s manual Support CD 1 x UltraDMA 133/100/66 cable FDD cable 9-pin COM cable (optional) 2-port USB/Game port bracket (optional) I/O shield Form Factor ATX form factor: 12 in x 9.
This chapter gives information about the ASUS A7N8X-X motherboard that came with the system.This chapter includes the motherboard layout, jumper settings, and connector locations.
1.1 Welcome! Thank you for buying the ASUS® A7N8X-X motherboard! The ASUS A7N8X-X motherboard is loaded with the most advanced technologies to deliver the maximum performance for socket A processors. This motherboard is loaded with value-added features for guaranteed consumer satisfaction. Unique ASUS features such as ASUS C.O.P., ASUS Q-Fan Technology and more are included to ensure the best user experience and value in a motherboard.
1.
1-4 1 CPU Sockets. Socket 462 (Socket A) Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) socket for the AMD Duron™/Athlon™/Athlon XP™ 3000+ processors. 2 NorthBridge Controller. The NVIDIA® nForce2™ 400 North Bridge controller chipset. The controller supports a 64-bit DDR memory controller and up to 3 GB of 400/333/266/200MHz DDR memory. 3 DDR DIMM Sockets.
13 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. 14 PCI slots. These 32-bit PCI 2.2 expansion slots support bus master PCI cards like SCSI or LAN cards with 133MB/s maximum output. 15 S/PDIF connector. This header connects to the S/PDIF bracket. (optional) 16 Audio CODEC.
1.4 Motherboard layout 24.5cm (9.
1.5 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.
1.7 System memory The motherboard has three Double Data Rate (DDR) DIMM sockets that supports up to 3GB non-ECC PC3200/2700/2100/1600 DDR.. 104 Pins ® A7N8X-X 80 Pins A7N8X-X 184-Pin DDR DIMM Sockets 1. DIMMs with more than 8 devices on each side of the module are not supported. 2. Make sure the memory frequency and bus frequency setting in the BIOS are the same or set to [Auto] ensure system stability. 3. A DDR DIMM is keyed with a notch so that it fits in only one direction.
Normally, 6 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 firmware. 1.8.
1.9 Jumpers This section describes and illustrates the jumpers on the motherboard. 1. USB device wake-up (3-pin USBPWR_12,USBPWR_34,USBPWR_56) 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).
3. Clear RTC RAM (CLRTC1) (optional) 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 cell battery. 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.
1.10 Connectors This section describes and illustrates the connectors on the motherboard. 1. IDE connectors (40-1 pin PRI_IDE1, SEC_IDE1) This connector supports the provided UltraDMA/133/100/66 IDE hard disk ribbon cable. Connect the cable’s blue connector to the primary (recommended) or secondary IDE connector, then connect the gray connector to the UltraDMA/133/100/66 slave device (hard disk drive) and the black connector to the UltraDMA/133/100/66 master device.
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 ribbon cables with pin 5 plug). FLOPPY1 NOTE: Orient the red markings on the floppy ribbon cable to PIN 1 ® A7N8X-X PIN 1 A7N8X-X Floppy Disk Drive Connector 3.
4. USB header (10-1 pin USB56) (optional) USB+5V USB_P6USB_P6+ GND NC If the USB 2.0 port connectors on the back panel are inadequate, one USB header is available for four additional USB port connectors. Connect a 2-port USB connector set to a USB header and mount the USB bracket to an open slot in the chassis. ® A7N8X-X 1 A7N8X-X USB 2.0 Header USB+5V USB_P5USB_P5+ GND USB56 5.
6. CPU and Chassis Fan Connectors (3-pin CPU_FAN1, CHA_FAN1) 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. CPU_FAN1 Rotation +12V GND ® A7N8X-X GND +12V Rotation CHA_FAN1 A7N8X-X 12-Volt Cooling Fan Power Do not forget to connect the fan cables to the fan connectors.
8. Front panel audio connectors (10-1 pin FP_AUDIO1) This is an interface for the Intel front panel audio cable that allow convenient connection and control of audio devices. ® A7N8X-X BLINE_OUT_L MIC2 MICPWR Line out_R NC Line out_L AGND +5VA BLINE_OUT_R FPAUDIO1 A7N8X-X Front Panel Audio Connector 9.
11. Internal audio connectors (4-pin CD1, AUX1, MODEM1) These connectors allow you to receive stereo audio input from sound sources such as a CD-ROM, TV tuner, MPEG card or modem. A7N8X-X Internal Audio Connectors Right Audio Channel Ground Left Audio Channel Ground AUX1 (White) Left Audio Channel A7N8X-X CD1 (Black) Right Audio Channel ® Modem-In Ground Ground Modem-Out MODEM1 12. Power Supply Thermal Sensor (2-pin PWRTMP1) This header supports a thermal sensor for the power supply.
GND GND 14. Digital Audio Connector (6 pin SPDIF1) (optional) This connector is for optional S/PDIF audio module that allows digital instead of analog sound input and output. 1 SPDIF_OUT A7N8X-X +5V ® SPDIF_IN SPDIF1 A7N8X-X Digital Audio Connector When you input sound for S/PDIF IN, the LINE_OUT will output the sound. Mute LINE_OUT to impede sound output from S/PDIF IN. 15.
16. System panel connector (20-pin PANEL1) This connector accommodates several system front panel functions. +5V Ground Ground Speaker PLEDKeylock Ground ExtSMI# Ground PWR GND PLED+ Power LED Speaker Connector ® Reset SW A7N8X-X SMI Lead A7N8X-X System Panel Connectors • Reset Ground Keyboard Lock ATX Power Switch* * Requires an ATX power supply. System Power LED Lead (3-1 pin PLED) This 3-1 pin connector connects to the system power LED.
1-20 Chapter 1: Motherboard Information
This chapter gives information about the ASUS A7N8X-X Basic Input/Output System (BIOS).This chapter includes updating the BIOS using the ASUS AFLASH BIOS that is bundled with the support CD.
2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS 2.1.1 Using the computer system for the first time It is recommended that you save a copy of the original motherboard BIOS along with a Flash Memory Writer utility (AWDFLASH.EXE) to a bootable floppy disk in case you need to reinstall the BIOS later. AWDFLASH.EXE is a Flash Memory Writer utility that updates the BIOS by uploading a new BIOS file to the programmable flash ROM on the motherboard. This file works only in DOS mode.
2.1.2 Updating BIOS procedures Update the BIOS only if you have problems with the motherboard and you are sure that the new BIOS revision will solve your problems. Careless updating may create more problems ! The Binary Input/Output System (BIOS) can be updated using the built-in Flash Memory Writer utility or using a bootable floppy disk with the executable Flash Memory Writer Utility (AWDFLASH.EXE). The following sub-sections explain the steps in flashing your BIOS.
6. The program asks to save the previous BIOS to a separate file. Type a file name for the old bios and then press . The AWDFLASH program backsup the file. 7. AWDFLASH proceeds to check the new BIOS file and asks the user to program (flash) the new BIOS file to the motherboard. 8. Type and Press to flash the new Bios file. NOTE: Do not shut off system power or unplug the supply during the flash process.
9. The BIOS flashes and displays the results. Press to restart. Updating BIOS via Bootable Floppy Disk 1. Boot from the floppy disk. 2. 3. At the “A:\” prompt, type “C:\” and then press . At the “C:\” prompt, type “AWDFLASH /e BIOSFILE” and then . For example: “AWDFLASH /e aw0702.bin” The AWDFLASH screen appears, and the BIOS file appears in the space, “File Name to Program”. 4. Type the name of the new BIOS file, for example: “AW0702.BIN” then press .
2.2 BIOS Setup program This motherboard supports a programmable FLASH ROM that you can update using the provided utility described in section “2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS.” Use the BIOS Setup program when you are installing a motherboard, reconfiguring your system, or prompted to “Run Setup”. This section explains how to configure your system using this utility. Even if you are not prompted to use the Setup program, you may want to change the configuration of your computer in the future.
2.2.1 BIOS menu bar The top of the screen has a menu bar with the following selections: MAIN Use this menu to make changes to the basic system configuration. ADVANCED Use this menu to enable and make changes to the advanced features, including BIOS, Chipset, Peripheral, Power and PnP/ PCI configurations. SECURITY Use this menu to set the Supervisor and User passwords. HARDWARE Monitor the status of vital components, including voltages and fan speeds.
General help In addition to the Item Specific Help window, the BIOS setup program also provides a General Help screen. You may launch this screen from any menu by simply pressing or the + combination. The General Help screen lists the legend keys and their corresponding functions. Saving changes and exiting the Setup program See “4.7 Exit Menu” for detailed information on saving changes and exiting the setup program.
2.3 Main Menu When you enter the Setup program, the following screen appears. System Date [mm/dd/yy] Sets the system to the date that you specify (usually the current date). The format is month, day, year. Valid values for month, day, and year are Month: (1 to 12), Day: (1 to 31), Year: (up to 2084). Use the or + keys to move between the month, day, and year fields. System Time [hh:mm:ss] Sets the system to the time that you specify (usually the current time).
2.3.1 Primary Master/Slave IDE HDD Auto-Detection [Press Enter] Press enter to automatically detect an IDE hard disk drive, if the hard drive is not already detected. In cases of undetected HDDs, pressing enter will detect the HDD and then open access to both the IDE Primary Master and Access Mode fields. IDE Primary Master/Slave [Auto] Select [Auto] to automatically detect an IDE hard disk drive.
[Manual] & [CHS] Settings Manually enter the number of cylinders, heads and sectors per track for the drive. Refer to the drive documentation or on the drive label for this information. After entering the IDE hard disk drive information into BIOS, use a disk utility, such as FDISK, to partition and format new IDE hard disk drives. This is necessary so that you can write or read data from the hard disk. Make sure to set the partition of the Primary IDE hard disk drives to active.
Landing Zone This field displays the drive’s maximum useable capacity as calculated by the BIOS based on the drive information you entered. Sector This field configures the number of sectors per track. Refer to the drive documentation to determine the correct value. To make changes to this field, set the Type field to [User Type HDD] and the Translation Method field to [Manual]. 2.3.
2.4 Advanced Menu Advanced menu items The Advanced menu accesses five important sub-menus: Advanced BIOS Features These fields set the functional properties of CPU caches, as well as boot devices, security and operational modes. Advanced Chipset Features These fields set chipset and CPU functions, including system and AGP caches, boot devices, memory settings, voltages and frequencies.
2.4.1 Advanced BIOS Features Boot Virus Detection [Disabled] This field disables boot virus protection by default. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] CPU Level 1, Level 2 Cache [Enabled] These fields enables the CPU levels 1 and 2 cache by default. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] Quick Power On Self Test [Enabled] This field enables the power on test.
Boot-up NumLock Status [On] This field sets the capability of the NumLock light/key to display/activate the system. Configuration options: [On] [Off] Gate A20 Option [Fast] This field sets the gate A20 rate. The default is [Fast]. Configuration options: [Normal] [Fast] Typematic Rate Setting [Disabled] This field enables or disable permission to change the rate of keystroke registration and display. By default, the rate cannot be changed. Change to [Enabled] to make settings in the nextt field.
CPU Frequency Multiple Setting [Auto] This field sets the frequency multiple between the CPU’s internal frequency (CPU speed) and external frequency. Set this field in conjunction with CPU Frequency (MHz) to match the speed of the CPU. CPU Frequency Multiple [5.0x] This field is available to unlocked processors only. For unlocked processors, this field sets the frequency multiple between the CPU’s internal frequency (CPU speed) and the external frequency. Configuration options: [5.0x] [5.5x]... ...[11.
SDRAM RAS Precharge Delay [1] Row-precharge delay. SDRAM CAS Latency [2.5T] This field sets the override clock cycle for the latency time between the SDRAM read command and the moment that the data actually becomes available. Normally, the system determines the rate automatically by default. FSB Spread Spectrum [Disabled] Configuration options: [Disabled] [0.50%] [1.00%] AGP Spread Spectrum [Disabled] Configuration options: [Disabled] [0.50%] [1.
Video RAM Cacheable [Disabled] This field establishes whether or not the video RAM is cacheable. Disabled by default. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] DDR Reference Voltage [ 2.6V] This field sets the voltage limits for the voltage supplied to the DDR memory. Note that increasing voltage to the DDR can cause premature failure of system components. Configuration options: [2.6V] [2.7V] [2.8V] AGP VDDQ Voltage [1.
USB Controllers [V1.1+V2.0] This field sets the protocols for OnChip processing of USB outputs. The default accomodates USB protocols 1.0 and 2.0. Configuration options: [Disabled] [V1.1 +V2.0] [V1.1] USB Legacy Keyboard Support [Disabled] This field sets support for USB keyboards. The USB keyboard is disabled by default. Enable this field to use a USB keyboard. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] USB Legacy Mouse Support [Disabled] This field sets support for USB keyboards.
Onboard Parallel Port [378/IRQ7] This field sets the address of the onboard parallel port connector to 378/IRQ7 by default. Disabling the port makes the parallel port unavailable. Configuration options: [Disabled] [378/IRQ7] [278/IRQ5] [3BC/IRQ7] Parallel Port Mode [SPP] This field sets the operation mode of the parallel port.
Video Off Method [DPMS Support] This field defines “video off” features. The DPMS support option (Display Power Management System) permits the BIOS to control the video display card if it supports the DPMS feature. Blank Screen option blanks the screen; use blank screen for monitors without power management or “green” features. [V/H SYNC+Blank] blanks the screen and turns off vertical and horizontal scanning.
Power On By PS/2 Mouse [Disabled] When set to [Enabled], this parameter allows you to use the PS/2 mouse to turn on the system. This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides at least 1A on the +5VSB lead. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Power On By PS/2 Keyboard [Disabled] This parameter allows you to use specific keys on the keyboard to turn on the system. This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides at least 1A on the +5VSB lead.
2.5 Security Menu The BIOS Setup program permits two different passwords to control access to the BIOS during system startup: a Supervisor password and a User password. Passwords are not case sensitive, meaning, passwords can be typed in either uppercase or lowercase letters. The table below describes the authority level when setting Supervisor or User Password. TABLE 2.5.
Security Option [Setup] This field sets the security options. The default enables the setup option for security. Configuration options: [Setup] [System] Set Supervisor Password / Set User Password To set a password, highlight the appropriate field and press . Type in a password then press . You can type up to eight alphanumeric characters; symbols and other characters are not useable. To confirm the password, type the password again and press . The password is now set to [Enabled].
MB, CPU Temperature [xx C / xx F] The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the MB (motherboard) and CPU temperatures. VCORE Voltage, +3.3V Voltage, +5V Voltage, +12V Voltage The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the voltage output through the voltage regulators.
2.7 Exit Menu Exit & Save Changes Choose this option from the Exit menu to ensure the selected values are saved to the CMOS RAM. When selecting this option, a confirmation window appears. Select [Yes] to save changes and exit. The CMOS RAM is sustained by an onboard backup battery and stays on even when the PC is turned off. If attempting to exit the Setup program without saving changes, the program prompts with a message asking if you want to save your changes before exiting.
Chapter 3 Starting Up This chapter helps you power up your system and install drivers and utilities that came with the support CD.
3.1 Install an operating system This motherboard supports Windows 98SE/ME/NT/2000/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. 3.
3.2.2 Drivers menu The drivers menu shows the available device drivers if the system detects installed devices. Install the necessary drivers to activate the devices. NVIDIA nForce Driver This item installs the NVIDIA nForce set of drivers. QFE Drivers Click this item to load the installation wizard and install the Win98 QFE drivers. USB 2.0 Driver This item installs the Universal Serial Bus 2.0 (USB 2.0) driver. Some menu items appear only to specific operating system versions. 3.2.
Anti-virus Utility The anti-virus application scans, identifies, and removes computer viruses. View the online help for detailed information. ADOBE Acrobat Reader V5.0 This installs software for viewing files in Portable Document Format (PDF). ASUS Screen Saver This item installs the ASUS screen saver. 3.2.4 ASUS Contact Information Clicking the ASUS Contact Information tab displays as stated. You may also find this information on page viii of this user guide.
