® A7V266-EX JumperFree™ DDR DRAM 266MHz FSB AGP Pro/4X Socket A Motherboard USER’S MANUAL
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ASUS CONTACT INFORMATION ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (Asia-Pacific) Marketing Address: Telephone: Fax: Email: 150 Li-Te Road, Peitou, Taipei, Taiwan 112 +886-2-2894-3447 +886-2-2894-3449 info@asus.com.tw Technical Support MB/Others (Tel): +886-2-2890-7121 (English) Notebook (Tel): +886-2-2890-7122 (English) Desktop/Server (Tel):+886-2-2890-7123 (English) Fax: +886-2-2890-7698 Email: tsd@asus.com.tw WWW: www.asus.com.tw FTP: ftp.asus.com.
CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................. 7 1.1 How This Manual Is Organized ................................................... 7 1.2 Item Checklist .............................................................................. 7 2. FEATURES ........................................................................................ 8 2.1 ASUS A7V266-EX Motherboard ................................................ 8 2.1.1 Specifications ..............
CONTENTS 4.3.2 Keyboard Features ............................................................ 54 4.4 Advanced Menu ......................................................................... 56 4.4.1 Chip Configuration ........................................................... 60 4.4.2 I/O Device Configuration ................................................. 63 4.4.3 PCI Configuration ............................................................ 65 4.5 Power Menu .............................................
FCC & DOC COMPLIANCE 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.
1. INTRODUCTION 1. INTRODUCTION Manual / Checklist 1.1 How This Manual Is Organized This manual is divided into the following sections: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. INTRODUCTION FEATURES HARDWARE SETUP BIOS SETUP SOFTWARE SETUP SOFTWARE REFERENCE APPENDIX Manual information and checklist Production information and specifications Instructions on setting up the motherboard.
2. FEATURES 2.1 ASUS A7V266-EX Motherboard The ASUS A7V266-EX motherboard is the perfect answer for home PCs, workstations and servers. The A7V266-EX is powered by the AMD® Athlon™/ Duron™ processor and is bundled with advanced features to provide superlative performance. 2.1.1 Specifications 2.
2. FEATURES • Smart BIOS: 2Mb firmware enables Vcore and CPU/DDR SDRAM frequency adjustments, boot block write protection, and HD/SCSI/MO/ZIP/CD/Floppy boot selection. 2.1.2 Connections • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CPU socket: Socket A (462) for AMD® processors. PCI Expansion Slots: Provides five 32-bit Legacy Free PCI slots, (PCI 2.2 compliant) with no ISA, eliminating bottlenecks and system memory management issues. All PCI slots can support Bus Master PCI cards, such as SCSI or LAN cards.
2. FEATURES 2.1.2 Performance • • 2. FEATURES Performance • • • • • 10 DDR DRAM Optimized Performance: This motherboard supports a new generation memory, Double Data Rate (DDR) Dynamic Random Access Memory (DDR DRAM). This new memory technology increases performance by executing two actions per clock cycle, resulting in data transfer rates of up to 2.1 GB/s for 133MHz DDR SDRAM and 1.6GB/s for 100MHz DDR SDRAM.
2. FEATURES 2.1.3 Intelligence • • • • • • • Auto Fan Off: The system fans powers off automatically even in sleep mode. This function reduces both energy consumption and system noise, and is an important feature in implementing silent PC systems. Dual Function Power Button: Pushing the power button for less than 4 seconds when the system is in the working state places the system into one of two states: sleep mode or soft-off mode, depending on the BIOS or OS setting (See PWR Button < 4 Secs in 4.
2. FEATURES 2.2 Motherboard Components See opposite page for locations. Location Processor Support Socket A for AMD® Athlon™ XP and Duron™ Processors ........ 2 Feature Setting DIP Switches ................................................... 8 2. FEATURES M/B Components Chipsets VIA® KT266A North Bridge .................................................... 1 VIA® VT8233A South Bridge ................................................ 13 Promise IDE / RAID controller ........................................
2. FEATURES 2.2.1 Component Locations 2 3 4 5 6 2.
3. HARDWARE SETUP 3.1 Motherboard Layout 24.5cm (9.
3. HARDWARE SETUP Motherboard Settings 1) JEN 2) DIP_SW 3) DSW 4) VID1, 2, 3, 4 5) BCS 6) KBWK 7) ACRUSB1, ACRUSB2 8) USB01, 23_PWR 9) RAID_EN 10) CLR_RTC 11) THEMCPU p. 18 p. 19 p. 20 p. 21 p. 21 p. 22 p. 22 p. 23 p. 23 p. 24 p. 24 JumperFree Mode Setting (Disable / Enable) CPU External Frequency Selection (Switches 1–4) Manual CPU Ratio Settings (Switches 1-5) Voltage Regulator Output Volt. Setting (1.675V-1.
3. HARDWARE SETUP 16) 17) 18) 19) 20) 21) 22) 23) 24) 25) 26) 27) 28) 29) 30) SMB CD/AUX/MODEM JTPWR SPDIFOUT / CDSPDIFIN CHASSIS IPANEL SMARTCON BACK_LT/BACK_RT PWR.LED (PANEL) KEYLOCK (PANEL) SPEAKER (PANEL) MSG.LED (PANEL) SMI (PANEL) PWR.SW (PANEL) RESET (PANEL) p. 38 p. 39 p. 39 p. 40 p. 40 p. 41 p. 41 p. 42 p. 43 p. 43 p. 43 p. 43 p. 43 p. 43 p.
3. HARDWARE SETUP 3.3 Hardware Setup Procedure Complete the following steps before using your computer: 1. Check motherboard settings 2. Install memory modules 3. Install the Central Processing Unit (CPU) 4. Install Expansion Cards 5. Connect ribbon cables, panel wires, and power supply cables 6. Configure the BIOS parameter settings 3.4 Motherboard Settings This section tells you how to change motherboard function settings through the switches and/or jumpers. 3.
3. HARDWARE SETUP Motherboard Frequency Settings (DIP Switches) The motherboard frequency is adjusted through the DIP switches. The white block represents the switch’s position. The illustration below shows all the switches in the OFF position. SYSCLK ON 1 2 3 4 ON OFF 1.Frequency Selection 2.Frequency Selection 3.Frequency Selection 4.Frequency Selection A7V266-EX R A7V266-EX DIP Switch 3.
3. HARDWARE SETUP 2) CPU External Frequency Selection (DIP_SW Switches 1–4) This option tells the clock generator what frequency to send to the CPU, DRAM, and the PCI bus. This allows the selection of the CPU’s External frequency (or BUS Clock). The BUS Clock multiplied by the Frequency Multiple equals the CPU’s Internal frequency (the advertised CPU speed). SYSCLK ON 1 2 3 4 ON 1 2 3 4 ON 1 2 3 4 ON 1 2 3 4 A7V266-EX R 133.33MHz 140MHz 66.67MHz 70MHz 33.33MHz 35MHz (JumperFree Mode) 3.
3. HARDWARE SETUP 3) Voltage Over Setting (OVER1, OVER2) This jumper opens or closes the circuit to control the use of voltage increases to enhance CPU performance. The default setting, [2-3] disables the use of “overvoltage” increases. Switch the jumper cap to [1-2] before attempting changes with the VID jumpers. NOTE: It is not recommended to use this feature unless confident that the CPU will not be damaged. OVER2 OVER1 2 3 1 2 OVER Voltage ENABLE A7V266-EX R OVER Voltage DISABLE (Default) 3.
3. HARDWARE SETUP 5) Bass Center Setting (CENTER/BASS, BASS/CENTER) Use these jumpers in conjunction with the C-Media PCI Audio Driver and to adjust output for 4 or 6 speaker audio. No audio standard exists for the three pick-up surfaces on male audio jacks, therefore it may be necessary to switch jumpers from the default position, Center/Bass [1-2] to Bass/Center [2-3] in order to help reroute signals among the internal leads in the Line-In, Line-Out, Mic female sockets.
3. HARDWARE SETUP 6) Keyboard Wake Up (KBWK) This allows you to disable or enable the keyboard power up function. Set this jumper to Enable if you wish to use your keyboard (by pressing ) to power up your computer. This feature requires an ATX power supply that can supply at least 300mA on the +5VSB lead. The default is set to Enable. (The computer will not power ON if you set this to Enable but do not have the correct ATX power supply.
3. HARDWARE SETUP 8) USB Device Wake-up (USB01_PWR/USB23_PWR/USB45_PWR) Set these jumpers to +5V to allow wake up from the S1 sleep state (CPU stopped; RAM refreshed; system running in low power mode) using the connected USB devices. Set to +5VSB to allow wake up from S3 sleep state (no power to CPU; RAM in slow refresh; power supply in reduced power mode). The default setting for the three jumpers is 1-2 to select +5V (because not all computers have the appropriate power supply). NOTES: 1.
3. HARDWARE SETUP 10) Clear RTC RAM (2-pin CLR_RTC) 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 battery. 3.
3. HARDWARE SETUP 3.5 System Memory This motherboard uses only Double Data Rate (DDR) Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM) Dual Inline Memory Modules (DIMMs). 3.5.1 DDR DIMM Support DIMMs come in combinations of single or double-sided types ranging through 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB and 1GB to form a total memory size of 64MB to 3GB. Each DIMM socket/module is two-sided: each side comprises one “row” of memory.
3. HARDWARE SETUP 3.5.2 Memory Installation WARNING! Make sure that you unplug your power supply when adding or removing memory modules or other system components. Failure to do so may cause severe damage to both your motherboard and expansion cards Insert the module(s) as shown. Because the number of pins are different on either side of the breaks, the module will only fit in the orientation shown. A 184-pin DDR SDRAM DIMM has a single notch slightly to the right of center.
3. HARDWARE SETUP 3.6 Central Processing Unit (CPU) The motherboard provides a Socket 462 or Socket A for CPU installation. A fan and heatsink should be attached to the CPU to prevent overheating. Purchase and install a fan and heatsink before turning on the system. CPU NOTCH TO INNER CORNER LOCK LEVER A7V266-EX R AMD™ CPU CPU NOTCH A7V266-EX Socket A 3. H/W SETUP System Memory 1. Locate the Socket 462 and open it by pulling the lever gently sideways away from the socket. Then lift the lever upwards.
3. HARDWARE SETUP 3.7 Expansion Cards In the future, you may need to install expansion cards. The motherboard has five PCI expansion slots to support these cards. Follow the steps in the next section when installing expansion cards. WARNING! Unplug the system power cord when adding or removing expansion cards or other system components. Failure to do so may cause severe damage to both the motherboard and expansion cards. 3.7.1 Installing an Expansion Card 3. H/W SETUP CPU Installation 1.
3. HARDWARE SETUP 3.7.2 Assigning IRQs for Expansion Cards Some expansion cards need an IRQ to operate. Generally, an IRQ must be exclusively assigned to one use. In a standard design, there are 16 IRQs available but most of them are already in use, leaving 6 IRQs free for expansion cards. If your motherboard has PCI audio onboard, an additional IRQ will be used. If your motherboard also has MIDI enabled, another IRQ will be used, leaving 4 IRQs free.
3. HARDWARE SETUP 3.7.3 Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) Pro Slot This motherboard has an Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) Pro slot to support the new generation graphics cards with ultra-high memory bandwidth. AGP Card without Retention Notch A7V266-EX R TOP VIEW A7V266-EX Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP PRO) 20-pin bay Rib (inside slot) 28-pin bay Rib 3. H/W SETUP Expansion Cards CAUTION! The AGP Pro slot is shipped with a warning label over the 20-pin bay.
3. HARDWARE SETUP 3.8 Connectors 3.8.1 External Connectors WARNING! Some pins are used for connectors or power sources. These are clearly distinguished from jumpers in the Motherboard Layout. Placing jumper caps over these connector pins will cause damage to your motherboard. IMPORTANT: Ribbon cables should always be connected with the red stripe to Pin 1 on the connectors.
3. HARDWARE SETUP 3) Universal Serial Bus Ports 1 & 2 (Black two 4-pin USB) Two USB ports are available for connecting USB devices. USB 1 Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2 3. H/W SETUP Connectors 4) Parallel Port (Burgundy 25-pin PRINTER) You can enable the parallel port and choose the IRQ through Onboard Parallel Port (see 4.4.2 I/O Device Configuration). NOTE: Serial printers must be connected to the serial port.
3. HARDWARE SETUP 6) Game/MIDI Ports (Gold 15-pin GAME_AUDIO) (optional) This connector supports a joystick or a game pad for playing games, and MIDI devices for playing or editing audio files. Joystick/Midi (15-pin Female) 3. H/W SETUP Connectors 7) Audio Connectors (Three 1/8” AUDIO) (optional) The Line Out (lime) connects a headphone or speakers. The Line In (light blue) connects a tape players or other audio sources. The Mic (pink) connects a microphone.
3. HARDWARE SETUP 8) IDE Activity LED (2-pin IDELED) This connector supplies power to the cabinet’s IDE activity LED. Read and write activity by devices connected to the Primary or Secondary IDE connectors cause the IDE LED to light up. IDELED A7V266-EX R TIP: If the case-mounted LED does not light, try reversing the 2-pin plug. A7V266-EX IDE Activity LED 3. H/W SETUP Connectors 9) Floppy Disk Drive Connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY) This connector supports the provided floppy drive ribbon cable.
3. HARDWARE SETUP PIN 1 A7V266-EX IDE Connectors 3. H/W SETUP Connectors Secondary IDE Connector Primary IDE Connector R PROMISE IDE1 Connector A7V266-EX PROMISE IDE2 Connector 10) Primary (Blue) / Secondary (Black) IDE Connectors (40-1 pin PRIMARY IDE and SECONDARY IDE) (40-1 pin PROMISE IDE1 and PROMISE2 IDE) These connectors support the IDE hard disk ribbon cables supplied with the motherboard.
3. HARDWARE SETUP 11) CPU Fan, Power Fan, and Chassis Fan Connectors (CPU_FAN, PWR_FAN, CHA_FAN) The three fan connectors support cooling fans of 350mA (4.2 Watts) or less. Orient the fans so that the heat sink fins allow airflow to go across the onboard heat sinks instead of the expansion slots. The fan wiring and plug may vary depending on the fan manufacturer. Connect the fan cable to the connector making sure that the black wire matches the ground pin.
3. HARDWARE SETUP Standard Infrared (SIR) Front View Back View IRRX GND IRTX +5V (NC) 13) Infrared Module Connector (10-1 pin IR_CON) This connector supports an optional wireless transmitting and receiving infrared module. This module mounts to a small opening on system cases that support this feature. You must also configure the setting through UART2 Use Infrared (see 4.4.2 I/O Device Configuration) to select whether UART2 is directed for use with COM2 or IrDA.
3. HARDWARE SETUP 15) Power Supply Connectors (20-pin block ATXPWR) This connector connects to an ATX 12V power supply. The plug from the power supply fits in only one orientation because of the different hole sizes. Find the proper orientation and push down firmly making sure that the pins are aligned. IMPORTANT: Make sure that the ATX 12V power supply (minimum recommended wattage: 230W) can supply at least 10mA on the +5-volt standby lead (+5VSB).
3. HARDWARE SETUP 17) Internal Audio Connectors (4-1 pin CD, AUX, MODEM) (optional) These connectors allow you to receive stereo audio input from sound sources as a CD-ROM, TV tuner, or MPEG card. The MODEM connector allows the onboard audio to interface with a voice modem card with a similar connector. It also allows the sharing of mono_in (such as a phone) and a mono_out (such as a speaker) between the audio and a voice modem card. MODEM AUX (Black) CD (White) 3.
3. HARDWARE SETUP 19) Digital Audio Interfaces (2-pin SPDIFOUT/CDSPDIFIN) (optional) These connectors connect SPDIF audio cable that allows digital instead of analog sound output from CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, CD-RW, and advanced sound cards such as SoundBlaster. Live. GND GND SPDIF_C SPDIF_OUT +5V R SPDIF_IN 1 A7V266-EX A7V266-EX Digital Audio Connector 3.
3. HARDWARE SETUP 21) ASUS iPanel Audio Connector (10-1 pin IPANEL) Connect the audio cable from the optional ASUS iPanel to this for front panel audio control. BLINE_OUT_L A7V266-EX R BLINE_OUT_R +5VA AGND Line out_L NC Line out_R MICPWR MIC2 IPANEL A7V266-EX Front Panel Audio Connector 3. H/W SETUP Connectors 22) ASUS SmartCard Connector (14-1 pin SMARTCON) This connector attaches to an optional SmartCard reader device.
3. HARDWARE SETUP The following 20-pin PANEL illustration is for items 24-30: * Requires an ATX power supply. R Message LED A7V266-EX System Panel Connectors SMI Lead Reset Ground A7V266-EX MLED+ MLEDExtSMI# Ground PWR GND PLED+ PLEDKeylock Ground Power LED Speaker Connector +5V Ground Ground Speaker Keyboard Lock Reset SW ATX Power Switch* 3. H/W SETUP Connectors 24) System Power LED Lead (3-1 pin PWR.LED) This 3-1 pin connector connects to the system power LED.
4. BIOS SETUP 4.1 Managing and Updating Your BIOS 4.1.1 Upon First Use of the Computer System It is recommended that you save a copy of the original motherboard BIOS along with a Flash Memory Writer utility (AFLASH.EXE) to a bootable floppy disk in case you need to reinstall the BIOS later. AFLASH.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.
4. BIOS SETUP 5. Select 1. Save Current BIOS to File from the Main menu and press . The Save Current BIOS To File screen appears. 6. Type a filename and the path, for example, A:\XXX-XX.XXX and then press . 4.
4. BIOS SETUP 4.1.2 Updating BIOS Procedures WARNING! Update the BIOS only if you have problems with the motherboard and you know that the new BIOS revision will solve your problems. Careless updating can result in your motherboard having more problems! 4. BIOS SETUP Updating BIOS 1. Download an updated ASUS BIOS file from the Internet (WWW or FTP) (see ASUS CONTACT INFORMATION on page 3 for details) and save to the boot floppy disk you created earlier. 2. Boot from the floppy disk. 3.
4. BIOS SETUP 7. The utility starts to program the new BIOS information into the Flash ROM. The boot block is updated automatically only when necessary. This minimizes the possibilities of boot problems in case of update failures. When the programming is done, Flashed Successfully appears. 8. Follow the onscreen instructions to continue. 4. BIOS SETUP Updating BIOS WARNING! If you encounter problems while updating the new BIOS, DO NOT turn off the system because this may cause boot problems.
4. BIOS SETUP 4.2 BIOS Setup Program This motherboard supports a programmable EEPROM that you can update using the provided utility described in 4.1 Managing and Updating Your BIOS. The utility is used if you are installing a motherboard, reconfiguring your system, or prompted to “Run Setup”. This section describes how to configure your system using this utility. Even if you are not prompted to use the Setup program, at some time in the future you may want to change the configuration of your computer.
4. BIOS SETUP 4.2.1 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. POWER Use this menu to configure and enable Power Management features. BOOT Use this menu to configure the default system device used to locate and load the Operating System. EXIT Use this menu to exit the current menu or specify how to exit the Setup program.
4. BIOS SETUP 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 with 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.
4. BIOS SETUP 4.3 Main Menu When you enter the Setup program, the following screen appears: 4. BIOS SETUP Main Menu System Time [XX:XX:XX] Sets the system to the time that you specify (usually the current time). The format is hour, minute, second. Valid values for hour, minute and second are Hour: (00 to 23), Minute: (00 to 59), Second: (00 to 59). Use the or + keys to move between the hour, minute, and second fields.
4. BIOS SETUP 4.3.1 Primary & Secondary Master/Slave 4. BIOS SETUP Master/Slave Drives Type [Auto] Select [Auto] to automatically detect an IDE hard disk drive. If automatic detection is successful, Setup automatically fills in the correct values for the remaining fields on this sub-menu. If automatic detection fails, this may be because the hard disk drive is too old or too new. If the hard disk was already formatted on an older system, Setup may detect incorrect parameters.
4. BIOS SETUP [User Type HDD] 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. If no drive is installed or if you are removing a drive and not replacing it, select [None]. 4. BIOS SETUP Master/Slave Drives Translation Method [LBA] Select the hard disk drive type in this field.
4. BIOS SETUP 4. BIOS SETUP Master/Slave Drives CHS Capacity This field shows the drive’s maximum CHS capacity as calculated by the BIOS based on the drive information you entered. Maximum LBA Capacity This field shows the drive’s maximum LBA capacity as calculated by the BIOS based on the drive information you entered. Multi-Sector Transfers [Maximum] This option automatically sets the number of sectors per block to the highest number that the drive supports.
4. BIOS SETUP 4.3.2 Keyboard Features Boot Up NumLock Status [On] This field enables users to activate the Number Lock function upon system boot. Configuration options: [Off] [On] 4. BIOS SETUP Keyboard Features Keyboard Auto-Repeat Rate [12/Sec] This controls the speed at which the system registers repeated keystrokes. Options range from 6 to 30 characters per second.
4. BIOS SETUP Language [English] This field displays the BIOS language version. 4. BIOS SETUP Main Menu Supervisor Password [Disabled] / User Password [Disabled] These fields allow you to set passwords. 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 ignored. To confirm the password, type the password again and press . The password is now set to [Enabled].
4. BIOS SETUP 4.4 Advanced Menu CPU Speed [Manual] When the motherboard is set to JumperFree™ mode, this field sets the internal frequency of your CPU. Select [Manual] if you want to make changes to the next two fields. Note that selecting a frequency higher than the CPU manufacturer recommends may cause the system to hang or crash. Configuration options: [Manual] [750MHz] [1000MHz] 4.
4. BIOS SETUP System/SDRAM Frequency Ratio [Auto] This field determines whether the memory clock frequency is set to be in synchronous or asynchronous mode with respect to the system frequency. The options that appear in the popup menu vary according to the System/ PCI Frequency (MHz). Configuration options: [Auto] [100:100] [100:133] Vcore [1.775V] This field determines the range of core voltage available to the Central Processing Unit. Configuration options: [1.850] [1.825] [1.800] [1.775] [1.
4. BIOS SETUP Notes for JumperFree Mode CPU Upgrade/Reinstallation To ensure that the system can enter BIOS Setup after changing the processor, the system starts up running at a bus speed of 100MHz and a fail-safe CPU internal frequency. Then it automatically enters the Advanced menu with a popup display of all the possible CPU internal frequencies. 4.
4. BIOS SETUP System Hangup If the system crashes or hangs due to improper frequency settings, power OFF the system and restart. The system starts up in safe mode running at a bus speed of 100MHz and enters the BIOS Setup. Cause for Hangup: Improper CPU Speed 4.
4. BIOS SETUP 4.4.1 Chip Configuration (Scroll down to see more items as shown) 4. BIOS SETUP Chip Configuration SDRAM Configuration [By SPD] This sets the optimal timings for items 2–5, depending on the memory modules that you are using. The default setting is [By SPD], which configures items 2–5 by reading the contents in the SPD (Serial Presence Detect) device.
4. BIOS SETUP SDRAM Active to Precharge Time [6T] To make changes to this field, set the SDRAM Configuration field to [User Defined]. Configuration options: [6T] [5T]A7V Bank Interleave [Auto] Configuration options: [None] [2 Banks] [4 Banks] [Auto] DRAM 4K/8K Page Enable [Auto] Configuration options: [Auto] [4K page enable] [8K page enable] DDR_1T/2T_ITEM [2T CMD] Configuration options: [1T CMD] [2T CMD] [Auto Mode] Burst Len [Auto] The DRAM burst length supports 8QW and 4QW.
4. BIOS SETUP AGP Drive Strength [Auto] Configuration options: [Auto] [Manual] Graphics Aperture Size [32MB] This feature allows you to select the size of mapped memory for AGP graphic data. Configuration options: [4MB] [8MB] [16MB] [32MB] [64MB] [128MB] [256MB] Video Memory Cache Mode [UC] USWC (uncacheable, speculative write combining) is a new cache technology for the video memory of the processor. It can greatly improve the display speed by caching the display data.
4. BIOS SETUP 4.4.2 I/O Device Configuration Onboard FDC Swap A & B [No Swap] This field allows you to reverse the hardware drive letter assignments of your floppy disk drives. Configuration options: [No Swap] [Swap AB] 4. BIOS SETUP I/O Device Config Onboard Serial Port 1 [3F8H/IRQ4] Onboard Serial Port 2 [2F8H/IRQ3] These fields allow you to set the addresses for the onboard serial connectors. Serial Port 1 and Serial Port 2 must have different addresses.
4. BIOS SETUP Parallel Port Mode [ECP+EPP] This field allows you to set the operation mode of the parallel port. [Normal] allows normal-speed operation but in one direction only; [EPP] allows bidirectional parallel port operation; [ECP] allows the parallel port to operate in bidirectional DMA mode; [ECP+EPP] allows normal speed operation in a two-way mode.
4. BIOS SETUP 4.4.3 PCI Configuration Slot 1, Slot 2, Slot 3, Slot 4/5 IRQ [Auto] These fields automatically assign the IRQ for each PCI slot. The default setting for each field is [Auto], which utilizes auto-routing to determine IRQ assignments. Configuration options: [Auto] [NA] [3] [4] [5] [7] [9] [10] [11] [12] [14] [15] 4. BIOS SETUP PCI Configuration PCI/VGA Palette Snoop [Disabled] Some non-standard VGA cards, such as graphics accelerators or MPEG video cards, may not show colors properly.
4. BIOS SETUP USB Function [Enabled] Set this field to [Enabled] if you want to use Universal Serial Bus (USB) devices. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Primary VGA BIOS [PCI Card] This field allows you to select the primary graphics card. Configuration options: [PCI Card] [AGP Card] SCSI/ATA100 Boot Sequence [ATA100/SCSI] This field sets the priority of boot sequencing for either the ATA100 or the SCSI controller.
4. BIOS SETUP 4.5 Power Menu The Power menu allows you to reduce power consumption. This feature turns off the video display and shuts down the hard disk after a period of inactivity. 4. BIOS SETUP Shadow Configuration Power Management [User Defined] This field must be enabled to activate the automatic power saving features. When set to [Disabled], the power management features do not function regardless of the other settings on this menu.
4. BIOS SETUP Video Off Option [Suspend -> Off ] This field determines when to activate the video off feature for monitor power management. Configuration options: [Always On] [Suspend -> Off] Video Off Method [DPMS OFF] This field defines the video off features. The DPMS (Display Power Management System) feature allows the BIOS to control the video display card if it supports the DPMS feature. [Blank Screen] only blanks the screen (use this for monitors without power management or “green” features.
4. BIOS SETUP 4.5.1 Power Up Control 4. BIOS SETUP Power Menu AC PWR Loss Restart [Disabled] This allows you to set whether you want your system to reboot after the power has been interrupted. [Disabled] leaves your system off and [Enabled] reboots your system. [Previous State] sets your system back to the state it is before the power interruption.
4. BIOS SETUP Wake Up by USB Device [Disabled] When set to [Enabled], this field allows you to wake up the system by a USB device ac tivity. This feature requires an ATX power supply that can supply at least 1A on the +5VSB lead. The default is [Disabled] because not all computer have the appropriate power supply. A computer without the correct power supply will power up if you set this field to [Enabled].
4. BIOS SETUP 4.5.2 Hardware Monitor MB Temperature [xxxC/xxxF] CPU1/CPU2 Temperature [xxxC/xxxF] JTPWR Temperature [xxxC/xxxF] The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the MB (motherboard), CPU, and JTPWR (power supply) temperatures. 4. BIOS SETUP Power Up Control CPU Fan Speed [xxxxRPM] Power Fan Speed [xxxxRPM] Chassis Fan Speed [N/A] The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the speeds of the CPU fan, chassis fan, and chassis fan measured in rotations per minute (RPM).
4. BIOS SETUP 4.6 Boot Menu Boot Sequence 4. BIOS SETUP Hardware Monitor The Boot menu allows you to select among the four possible types of boot devices listed using the up and down arrow keys. By using the <+> or key, you can promote devices and by using the <-> key, you can demote devices. Promotion or demotion of devices alters the priority which the system uses to search for a boot device on system power up.
4. BIOS SETUP Plug & Play O/S [No] This field allows you to use a Plug-and-Play (PnP) operating system to configure the PCI bus slots instead of using the BIOS. When [Yes] is selected, interrupts may be reassigned by the OS. When a non-PnP OS is installed or you want to prevent reassigning of interrupt settings, select the default setting of [No]. Configuration options: [No] [Yes] Reset Configuration Data [No] The Extended System Configuration Data (ESCD) contain information about non-PnP devices.
4. BIOS SETUP 4.7 Exit Menu When you have made all of your selections from the various menus in the Setup program, save your changes and exit Setup. Select Exit from the menu bar to display the following menu: NOTE: Pressing does not immediately exit this menu. Select one of the options from this menu or from the legend bar to exit this menu. 4.
4. BIOS SETUP 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. Select Exit Saving Changes or make other changes before saving the values to the non-volatile RAM. Discard Changes This option allows you to discard the selections you made and restore the previously saved values.
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5. SOFTWARE SETUP 5.1 Install Operating System You should always use the latest operating system and updates when using new hardware to ensure full compliancy. You may use any version of Windows 98/2000/ Millenium, but for Windows 95, you must use OSR 2.0 or later. For Windows NT 4.0, you must use Service Pack 3.0 or later. NOTE: To configure your system to use the RAID 0 or 1 option, you must run the FastTrack133™ BIOS before installing the OS.
5. SOFTWARE SETUP 5.3 A7V266-EX Motherboard Support CD NOTE: The support CD contents are subject to change at any time without notice. To begin using your support CD disc, just insert it into your CD-ROM drive and the support CD installation menu should appear. If the menu does not appear, doubleclick or run D:\ASSETUP.EXE (assuming that your CD-ROM drive is drive D:). 5.3.1 Installation Menu • • • • • • 5.
5. SOFTWARE SETUP • • • • ASUS Screen Saver: Installs the nifty ASUS screen saver. E-Color 3Deep: Installs graphical driver and an application for tuning the quality of color output from CRT and LCD monitors. Show Motherboard Information: Allows you to view information about your motherboard, such as product name, BIOS version, and CPU. Browse Support CD: Allows you to view the contents of the CD. ReadMe: Allows you to view the support CD file list and contact information.
5. SOFTWARE SETUP 5.4 Using the Promise Chip for RAID 0 or 1 The Promise® chip, PDC20276, onboard the A7V266-EX, offers a high performance Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) configuration that supports only UltraDMA-133/100/66/33, EIDE or FastATA-2 hard disks. After connecting two hard disks to the motherboard, activating either RAID 0 or 1 function is easily configured through the MBMBMBFastTrak133™ “Lite” firmware BIOS during boot up.
5. SOFTWARE SETUP 5.4.1 Installing the Hard Disks The RAID 0 setting allows users to reformat two hard disks with the same new OS simultaneously. RAID 1 arrays can use a pre-existing hard disk along with a blank hard disk, or two new hard disks. 1. Install the first and second hard disk into the hard disk bays of your system. Connect each hard disk drive with a separate UltraDMA/100 cable, one to the Promise IDE1 connector, and the other to the Promise IDE2 connector onboard the A7V266-EX.
5. SOFTWARE SETUP 5.4.3 Creating a RAID 0 Array 1. In the FastBuild™ Utility Main Menu, select Auto Setup [1]. The screen below is displayed. The Auto Setup Options Menu configures hard disks for RAID 0 and RAID 1 arrays. These selections assign all available drives that are appropriate for the new array and configures data formats and the IDE channels. FastBuild (tm) Utility 1.31 (c) 1996-2000 Promise Technology, Inc.
5. SOFTWARE SETUP 5.4.4 Creating a RAID 1 Array 1. In the FastBuild™ Utility Main Menu, select Auto Setup [1]. FastBuild (tm) Utility 1.31 (c) 1996-2000 Promise Technology, Inc. Optimize Array for: [ Auto Setup Options Menu ] Security Typical Application to use: Not Available [ Array Setup Configuration ] Mode ........................................ Mirror Spare Drive.................................. 0 Drive(s) Used in Array....................... 2 Array Disk Capacity (size in MB).............
5. SOFTWARE SETUP 5. The utility prompts: Please Select A Source Disk. Choose the pre-existing hard disk as the source and then a new, blank hard disk as the target. Then select to save the selection. The utility prompts a choice between to continue and to stop and escape. Choosing begins to duplicate the source hard disk onto the target hard disk. 6. To configure two new blank hard disks in a RAID 1 array, choose for Create Only; (At step 3).
5. SOFTWARE SETUP 5.4.5 Other FastBuild Utility Commands Command options 3-6 on the FastBuild™ Utility Main Menu are not required for setting up an array, but they are useful for modifying or reconfiguring an array: View Array (3): View the drive assignments of hard disks in an array. Delete Array (4): Deletes an array to reconfigure the system. Deleting an array does not remove information on the hard disks. If an array is deleted by mistake, recover it immediately by redefining it as the deleted array.
5. SOFTWARE SETUP 8. Confirm the command to copy data from the intact source hard disk onto a new replacement hard disk. A progress gauge displays the copy progress for the duration of the task. 9. After the rebuild is complete, the user is prompted to reboot the system. Controller Configuration (6): Default for Controller Configuration is: [enabled]. 5.4.6 Alternative Set Ups and Other Details Hot Spares A hot spare hard disk may be installed to support a RAID 1 array.
5. SOFTWARE SETUP 5.5 Manual Installation of IDE/RAID Drivers The A7V266-EX support CD contains several IDE and RAID 0 or 1 drivers in the Promise folder, including Windows, NetWare and Nt4. Below follow two popular OS installations. The others are available on the support CD. 5.5.1 Win9x-ME Promise® MBFastTrak133 Speed BIOS 1. Ensure the Support CD-ROM is in the CD Drive and press “Start” button. 2. Move highlight bar to “Settings” and select “Control Panel”. 3. Double click on “System” icon. 4.
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6. S/W REFERENCE 6.1 Winbond Smart Manager The Winbond Smart Manager is a clever utility that helps secure the PC with a smart card containing a mini-chip insert, like a GSM cell phone SIM card. Once a smart card reader is configured, set up the Smart Manager software utility for “boot up” or “always on” system security. 6.1.1 Setting Up Smart Manager Connect the smart card reader to the A7V266-EX; (refer to page 41 in Hardware Setup for the connector location.
6. SOFTWARE REFERENCE 6. S/W REFERENCE Smart Manager The auto-installer implements all of the drivers, base components and displays the Winbond Smart Manager program groups. Restart. Windows should auto-detect the smart card reader and install its system drivers. NOTE: Do not install system components or Winbond applications unless you install a smart card reader, (see page 7).
6.1.2 Starting to Use Smart Manager After installing the software, start Windbond Smart Manager for the first time: select the Programs menu from the Start bar and select the Windbond program group. When you click the program application, an icon is created for the Logon Smart Card software in the bottom right hand corner of the screen. The new icon resembles a key. Right click on the icon and select Setting Logon Smart Card. Click the Add New button and then select the type of card you are using.
6. SOFTWARE REFERENCE Return to the Windbond Smart Manager icon on the bottom right hand corner of the Windows screen. Select the Logon Card Check Mode to choose the security mode. Three basic modes are available: 1. Disable Check renders the Smart Manager security system inoperative. 2. Boot Check enables the Smart Manager security system for start up. The user must insert the smart card into the reader during start up in order to complete the Windows boot up process.
PC Probe 6. S/W REFERENCE 6.2 ASUS PC Probe ASUS PC Probe is a convenient utility to continuously monitor your computer system’s vital components, such as fan rotations, Voltages, and temperatures. It also has a utility that lets you review useful information about your computer, such as hard disk space, memory usage, and CPU type, CPU speed, and internal/external frequencies through the DMI Explorer. 6.2.
6. SOFTWARE REFERENCE Monitoring Monitor Summary Shows a summary of the items being monitored. Temperature Monitor Shows the PC’s temperature. Temperature Warning threshold adjustment (Move the slider up to increase the threshold level or down to decrease the threshold level) Fan Monitor Shows the PC’s fan rotation. Fan Warning threshold adjustment (Move the slider up to increase the threshold level or down to decrease the threshold level) Voltage Monitor Shows the PC’s voltages.
6. S/W REFERENCE PC Probe Settings Lets you set threshold levels and polling intervals or refresh times of the PC’s temperature, fan rotation, and voltages. CPU Cooling System Setup Lets you select when to enable software CPU cooling. When When CPU Overheated is selected, the CPU cooling system is enabled whenever the CPU temperature reaches the threshold value. History Lets you record the current monitoring activity of a certain component of your PC for future reference.
6. SOFTWARE REFERENCE 6. S/W REFERENCE PC Probe Memory Shows the PC’s memory load, memory usage, and paging file usage. Device Summary Shows a summary of devices in your PC. DMI Explorer Shows information pertinent to the PC, such as CPU type, CPU speed, and internal/external frequencies, and memory size. Utility Lets you run programs outside of the ASUS Probe modules. To run a program, click Execute Program.
PC Probe 6. S/W REFERENCE 6.2.3 ASUS PC Probe Task Bar Icon Right-clicking the PC Probe icon will bring up a menu to open or exit ASUS PC Probe and pause or resume all system monitoring. When the ASUS PC Probe senses a problem with your PC, portions of the ASUS PC Probe icon changes to red, the PC speaker beeps, and the ASUS PC Probe monitor is displayed. ASUS A7V266-EX User’s Manual 97 PC Probe 6.
6. SOFTWARE REFERENCE The C-Media PCI Audio Driver and Applications are located on the Support CD. Installing the programs enables the multi-channel audio feature. Note: You must use 4 or 6 channel speakers for this setup. 6.3.1 The C-Media Audio Mixer 1.
2. The PCI Multi-Channel Audio Demo has several Demos to help fine tune your PC speaker system. The Help menu features several pages of instructions and hardware diagrams to help configure and test the system. To activate the Speaker Channel Configuration Menu, point your mouse arrow and click on the TV box. 3. The Speaker Channel Configuration Menu displays all the options available to help tune the multichannel audio system even more precisely. 6.3.
6. SOFTWARE REFERENCE LiveUpdate 6. S/W REFERENCE 6.4 ASUS Live Update ASUS LiveUpdate is a utility that allows you to update your motherboard’s BIOS and drivers. The use of this utility requires that you are properly connected to the Internet through an Internet Service Provider (ISP). 1. Start ASUS Update Launch the utility from your Windows Start menu:Programs/AsusUpdate 2. Select an update method. 3. If you selected updating/downloading from the Internet, you will need to select an Internet site.
6. SOFTWARE REFERENCE 6. S/W REFERENCE 6.5 3Deep Color Tuner The 3-Deep color tuner is designed to match your CRT or LCD color monitor to maximize the color quality of all graphical applications. Users may also tune their internet applications to match “true” internet source colors with the color displayed on the monitor. Simply run the setup program from the start menu and follow the instructions on the various setup/test screens. 6.5.1 3Deep Color Tuning 1.
6. SOFTWARE REFERENCE 6. S/W REFERENCE 4. Select the color squares which most closely blend and match with the background. 5. The next step repeats the color matching process to achieve full color quality. 6. The tuning process is complete. Click on the bottom left button to connect to the internet and follow the instructions. 6.5.2 The 3Deep Control Panel Using the Windows Start button, activate the 3Deep Control Panel program from the 3Deep Applications group on the Main Program menu.
6. S/W REFERENCE Cyberlink 6. SOFTWARE REFERENCE 6.6 CyberLink PowerPlayer SE CyberLink PowerPlayer SE is an intelligent software player that can automatically detect and playback all kinds of video/audio files, CD and MP3 files as well. This is the only software you need for all types of video and audio files. No need to waste time identifying your file types. 6.6.
6. SOFTWARE REFERENCE 6. S/W REFERENCE Cyberlink 6.7 CyberLink VideoLive Mail CyberLink’s VideoLive Mail Plus Ver 3.0 (a.k.a. VLM 3) is a convenient and excellent way to create professional quality video mails from PC video/audio input devices and to send the mails to any recipients via VLM 3’s built-in e-mail system through the Internet. VLM 3’s mails comprise video, sound, or snapshot information; and thus may convey the most profound information to target audiences.
6. SOFTWARE REFERENCE 6. S/W REFERENCE Cyberlink 6.7.1 Starting VideoLive Mail To start VideoLive Mail, click the Windows Start button, point to Programs, and then CyberLink VideoLive Mail, and then click VideoLive Mail x.x. VLM 3’s Setup Wizard will start and guide you through configuring the video and audio input peripherals and to setup the e-mail environment. 1. Setup Wizard first will prompt a dialog to confirm that you want to configure the hardware and E-mail setting.
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7. APPENDIX 7.1 Modem Riser 7.1.1 56K Software Modem Layout of Primary Top: 7.1.2 Primary/Seconday MR There are two types of modem risers: primary MR and secondary MR. In appearance, the primary MR has a crystal onboard but the secondary does not. If your motherboard has an audio codec and no PCI audio chipset onboard, you may use the secondary MR; otherwise, you should use the primary MR. 7.
7. APPENDIX 7.1.4 Software Setup in Windows 98 The Modem Riser supports the Plug and Play feature. It allows your computer to automatically set the optimal configurations for the MR and communication software. Follow the procedure below to install the modem driver. 1. Power ON the computer after the hardware installation is completed. 7. APPENDIX Modem Riser 2. Windows 98 will automatically detect the modem and display a “PCI Card” message under “Add New Hardware Found”. 3.
7. APPENDIX 7.2 Glossary Bus Bus Frequency Bandwidth Data Transfer Rate PCI AGP 1X AGP 2X AGP 4X 33MHz 66MHz 66MHz 66MHz 33MHz 66MHz 133MHz 266MHz 133MByte/sec 266MByte/sec 512MByte/sec 1024MByte/sec 7 . APPENDIX Glossary 1394 1394 is the IEEE designation for a high performance serial bus tht offers data transfers at 100/ 200/400 Mbps. This serial bus defines both a back plane physical layer and a point-to-point cable-connected virtual bus.
7. APPENDIX 7. APPENDIX Glossary Boot Boot means to start the computer operating system by loading it into system memory. When the manual instructs you to “boot” your system (or computer), it means to turn ON your computer. “Reboot” means to restart your computer. When using Windows 95 or later, selecting “Restart” from “Start | Shut Down...” will reboot your computer. Bus Master IDE PIO (Programmable I/O) IDE requires that the CPU be involved in IDE access and waiting for mechanical events.
7. APPENDIX ASUS A7V266-EX User’s Manual 7 . APPENDIX Glossary IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) IDE devices integrate the drive control circuitry directly on the drive itself, eliminating the need for a separate adapter card (in the case for SCSI devices). UltraDMA/33 IDE devices can achieve up to 33MB/Sec transfer. I/O (Input/Output) The data transfers from the input devices like a keyboard, mouse, or scanner, to the output devices like a printer or the monitor screen.
7. APPENDIX 7. APPENDIX Glossary PS/2 Port PS/2 ports are based on IBM Micro Channel Architecture. This type of architecture transfers data through a 16-bit or 32-bit bus. A PS/2 mouse and/or keyboard may be used on ATX motherboards. RDRAM (Rambus DRAM) Developed by Rambus, Inc., this type of memory can deliver up to 1.6GB of data per second.
INDEX Symbols C 3Deep Color Tuner Using 101 C-Media Audio Setup 98 Central Processing Unit 27 Central Processing Unit (CPU) CPU socket 9 External Frequency 19, 22 Level 1/Level 2 Cache 57 Speed 56 Upgrade/Reinstallation 58 Chassis Intrusion 40 Chip Configuration 60 Clear RTC RAM jumper 24 Connectors ASUS EZ Plug 9 ATX power 9 Audio 33 Chassis Fan 36 CPU Fan 36 External 31 Floppy disk 9 Floppy Disk Drive 34, 39 Game/MIDI 9, 33 IDE 9, 35 Infrared Module 37 Internal Audio 39 Panel 42 Parallel Port 32 Power
INDEX D DIMMs.
INDEX M Memory Hole 62 Memory Installation 26 Modem Riser 107 Motherboard Components 12, 13 IRQ Table 29 Layout 14 Settings 17 Specifications 8, 9 Mouse Connector 31 Multi-Channel Audio 98 Using 98 Multi-Sector Transfers 53 P Parallel Port 63 Modes 64 Parallel Port Connector 32 Password If You Forget 55 Notes 55 Supervisor 55 User 55 PC Probe Using 93 PCI Configuration 65 PCI Latency Timer 65 PCI/VGA Palette Snoop 65 PIO Mode 53 Plug & Play O/S 73 Ports.
INDEX U UART2 63 Ultra DMA Mode 53 Universal Serial Bus (USB) 32 Headers 36 Ports 32 USB device wake up jumper 23 USB Legacy Support 57 USB ports 9 Using 3Deep Color Tuner 101 ASUS Update 100 LiveUpdate 101 Multi-Channel Audio Feature 98 PC Probe 93 PowerPlayer SE 103 Windbond Smart Manager 89 USWC 62 V Video Memory 62 VideoLive Mail 104 Using 104 Voltage over jumper 20 Voltage regulator output 20 W Winbond Smart Manager 89 Windbond Smart Manager Modes 92 Using 91 116 ASUS A7V266-EX User’s Manual