Vista Edition Motherboard M2N32-SLI Premium
E2982 First Edition V1 January 2007 Copyright © 2007 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 Notices......................................................................................................... vii Safety information..................................................................................... viii About this guide.......................................................................................... ix M2N32-SLI Premium Vista Edition specifications summary................... xi Chapter 1: Product introduction 1.1 Welcome!..........................................
Contents 2.5.5 PCI Express x4 slot & PCI Express x1 slot . ................. 2-21 2.5.6 PCI Express x16 slots.................................................... 2-21 2.6 Jumper......................................................................................... 2-22 2.7 Connectors.................................................................................. 2-23 2.7.1 Rear panel connectors................................................... 2-23 2.7.2 Internal connectors...................
Contents 4.3.7 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 HDD SMART Monitoring................................................ 4-18 4.3.8 Installed Memory............................................................ 4-18 4.3.9 Usable Memory.............................................................. 4-18 Advanced menu.......................................................................... 4-19 4.4.1 JumperFree Configuration............................................. 4-19 4.4.2 AI NET2...........................
Contents 5.3 5.4 Software information.................................................................... 5-9 5.3.1 ASUS MyLogo3............................................................... 5-9 5.3.2 Cool ‘n’ Quiet™ Technology.............................................5-11 5.3.3 SoundMAX® High Definition Audio utility........................ 5-13 5.3.4 ASUS PC Probe II.......................................................... 5-18 5.3.5 ASUS AI Suite...........................................
Notices Federal Communications Commission Statement This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: • This device may not cause harmful interference, and • This device must accept any interference received including interference that may cause undesired operation. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Safety information Electrical safety • To prevent electrical shock hazard, disconnect the power cable from the electrical outlet before relocating the system. • When adding or removing devices to or from the system, ensure that the power cables for the devices are unplugged before the signal cables are connected. If possible, disconnect all power cables from the existing system before you add a device.
About this guide This user guide contains the information you need when installing and configuring the motherboard. How this guide is organized This guide contains the following parts: • Chapter 1: Product introduction This chapter describes the features of the motherboard and the new technology it supports. • Chapter 2: Hardware information This chapter lists the hardware setup procedures that you have to perform when installing system components.
Conventions used in this guide To make sure that you perform certain tasks properly, take note of the following symbols used throughout this manual. DANGER/WARNING: Information to prevent injury to yourself when trying to complete a task. CAUTION: Information to prevent damage to the components when trying to complete a task. IMPORTANT: Instructions that you MUST follow to complete a task. NOTE: Tips and additional information to help you complete a task.
M2N32-SLI Premium Vista Edition specifications summary CPU Socket AM2 for AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 / Athlon™64 / Athlon™ 64 FX / Sempron™ processor Supports AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet™ Technology AMD64 architecture enables simultaneous 32-bit and 64-bit computing AMD LIVE!™ Ready Chipset NVIDIA® nForce® 590 SLI™ MCP NVIDIA® LinkBoost™ Technology System bus 2000 / 1600 MT/s Memory Dual-channel memory architecture - 4 x 240-pin DIMM sockets support unbufferred ECC/non-ECC DDR2 800/667/533 MHz memory modules - S
M2N32-SLI Premium Vista Edition specifications summary High Definition Audio SoundMAX® ADI AD1988B 8-channel CODEC Supports Jack-Sensing, Enumeration, Multi-Streaming, and Jack-Retasking Technology Optical and Coaxial S/PDIF Out back I/O ports IEEE 1394 TI 1394 controller supports: - 2 x IEEE 1394a connectors (1 at mid-board; 1 on the rear panel) USB 8 x USB 2.
M2N32-SLI Premium Vista Edition specifications summary ASUS Exclusive Overclocking features Intelligent overclocking tools: - AI NOS™ (Non-delay Overclocking System) - AI Overclocking (intelligent CPU frequency tuner) - AI Clock Skew - ASUS O.C. Profile: overclocking configuration-sharing tool Precision Tweaker: - vDIMM: 25-step DRAM voltage control - vCore: Adjustable CPU voltage at 0.
M2N32-SLI Premium Vista Edition specifications summary Internal connectors 2 x USB 2.0 connectors support four additional USB 2.
This chapter describes the motherboard features and the new technologies it supports.
Chapter summary 1 1.1 Welcome!....................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Package contents.......................................................................... 1-1 1.3 Special features.............................................................................
1.1 Welcome! Thank you for buying an ASUS® M2N32-SLI Premium Vista Edition motherboard! The motherboard delivers a host of new features and the latest technologies, making it another standout in the long line of ASUS quality motherboards! Before you start installing the motherboard, and hardware devices on it, check the items in your package with the list below. 1.2 Package contents Check your motherboard package for the following items.
1.3 Special features 1.3.1 Product highlights Latest processor technology The motherboard comes with a 940-pin AM2 socket that supports AMD Athlon™ 64 X2/Athlon™ 64/Athlon™ 64 FX/Sempron™ processor. With an integrated lowlatency high-bandwidth memory controller and a highly scalable HyperTransport™ technology-based system bus, the motherboard provides a powerful platform for your diverse computing needs, increased office productivity, and enhanced digital media experience. See page 2-7 for details.
Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s technology and SATA-On-The-Go The motherboard fully supports the Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s technology through the Serial ATA interfaces and the NVIDIA® nForce® 590 SLI™ chipset. The Serial ATA 3 Gb/s specification provides twice the bandwidth of the current Serial ATA products with a host of new features, including Nativa Command Queueing (NCQ), and Power Management (PM) Implementation Algorithm.
USB 2.0 technology The motherboard implements the Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 specification, dramatically increasing the connection speed from the 12 Mbps bandwidth on USB 1.1 to a fast 480 Mbps on USB 2.0. USB 2.0 is backward compatible with USB 1.1. See page 2-24 and 2-29 for details. Dual Gigabit LAN solution The motherboard comes with dual Gigabit LAN controllers to provide the total solution for your networking needs.
AP Trigger The AP Trigger allows you to quickly boot or resume directly into media or into your favorite applications. With just a touch of the button on the AI Remote controller, you can quickly turn on your PC and launch predefined applications simultaneously! ScreenDUO The ScreenDUO provides a second display panel to enable you to conveniently view important information without having to start up your PC.
ASUS Array Mic The Bundled Superbeam Array Microphone receives only the sound coming from the reception cone and ignores the sounds coming from other directions. This mechanism eliminates a large number of interferences, including neighboring speakers and reverberations. It also uses advanced de-reverberation techniques to reduce echo and minimize its effect on the speech engine. This feature can enchance speech-centric applications like Skype, online game, video conference, and recording.
1.3.3 ASUS special features ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 The ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 allows users to restore corrupted BIOS data from a USB flash disk containing the BIOS file. This utility saves users the cost and hassle of buying a replacement BIOS chip. See page 4-9 for details. ASUS EZ Flash 2 EZ Flash 2 is a user-friendly BIOS update utility. Simply press the predefined hotkey to launch the utility and update the BIOS without entering the OS.
1.3.4 ASUS Intelligent Overclocking features ASUS O.C. Profile The motherboard features the ASUS O.C. Profile that allows users to conveniently store or load multiple BIOS settings. The BIOS settings can be stored in the CMOS or a separate file, giving users freedom to share and distribute their favorite settings. See page 4-43 for details. AI NOS™ (Non-Delay Overclocking System) Applications such as 3D games and video editing demand a huge chunk of system resource.
1.3.5 ASUS features and the supporting OS Refer to the following table for the OS that supports ASUS features.
1-10 Chapter 1: Product introduction
This chapter lists the hardware setup procedures that you have to perform when installing system components. It includes description of the jumpers and connectors on the motherboard.
Chapter summary 2 2.1 Before you proceed...................................................................... 2-1 2.2 Motherboard overview.................................................................. 2-2 2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU).................................................... 2-7 2.4 System memory.......................................................................... 2-13 2.5 Expansion slots........................................................................... 2-19 2.
2.1 Before you proceed Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard components or change any motherboard settings. • Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any component. • Use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded object or to a metal object, such as the power supply case, before handling components to avoid damaging them due to static electricity. • Hold components by the edges to avoid touching the ICs on them.
2.2 Motherboard overview Before you install the motherboard, study the configuration of your chassis to ensure that the motherboard fits into it. Make sure to unplug the power cord before installing or removing the motherboard. Failure to do so can cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components. 2.2.1 Placement direction When installing the motherboard, make sure that you place it into the chassis in the correct orientation.
2.2.3 ASUS Stack Cool 2 The motherboard comes with the ASUS Stack Cool 2 cooling solution that lowers the temperature of critical heat generating components by 20ºC. The motherboard uses a special design on the printed circuit board (PCB) to dissipate heat that critical components generate.
2.2.4 Motherboard layout 24.5cm (9.6in) SATA_RAID2 SPDIF_O1 DDR2 DIMM_B2 (64 bit, 240-pin module) FLOPPY DDR2 DIMM_A2 (64 bit, 240-pin module) DDR2 DIMM_B1 (64 bit, 240-pin module) CPU_FAN DDR2 DIMM_A1 (64 bit, 240-pin module) PRI_IDE SPDIF_O2 COM1 PS2/2KBMS T:Mouse B:Keyboard ESATA_1394 SOCKET AM2 LAN1_USB12 EATXPWR LAN2_USB34 30.
2.2.5 Layout contents Slots 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. DDR2 DIMM slots PCI slots PCI Express x 4 slot PCI Express x 1 slot PCI Express x16 slots Page 2-13 2-21 2-21 2-21 2-21 Jumper 1. Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC) Page 2-22 Rear panel connectors 1. PS/2 mouse port (green) 2. Serial (COM) port 3. IEEE 1394a port 4. LAN 1/2 (RJ-45) port. 5. Center/Subwoofer port (orange) 6. Rear Speaker Out port (black) 7. Line In port (light blue) 8. Line Out port (lime) 9. Microphone port (pink) 10.
Internal connectors 1. Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY) 2. IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE) 3. NVIDIA® nForce® 590 SLI Southbridge Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA1 [red], SATA2 [red], SATA3 [red], SATA4 [red], SATA5 [red], SATA6 [red]) 4. Silicon Image® Serial ATA RAID connector (7-pin SATA_RAID2) Page 2-26 2-26 2-27 5. 6. 7. 2-29 2-29 2-30 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU) The motherboard comes with a 940-pin AM2 socket designed for the Athlon™ 64 X2/Athlon™ 64/Athlon™ 64FX/Sempron™ processor. The AM2 socket has a different pinout from the 940-pin socket designed for the AMD Opteron processor. Make sure you use a CPU designed for the AM2 socket. The CPU fits in only one correct orientation. DO NOT force the CPU into the socket to prevent bending the connectors on the socket and damaging the CPU! 2.3.
3. Position the CPU above the socket such that the CPU corner with the gold triangle matches the socket corner with a small triangle. 4. Carefully insert the CPU into the socket until it fits in place. Gold triangle Small triangle 2- 5. When the CPU is in place, push down the socket lever to secure the CPU. The lever clicks on the side tab to indicate that it is locked. 6. Install a CPU heatsink and fan following the instructions that came with the heatsink package.
2.3.2 Installing the heatsink and fan The AMD Athlon™ 64FX/Athlon™ 64/Athlon™ 64 X2/Sempron™ processor requires a specially designed heatsink and fan assembly to ensure optimum thermal condition and performance. Make sure that you use only AMD-certified heatsink and fan assembly. To install the CPU heatsink and fan: 1. Place the heatsink on top of the installed CPU, making sure that the heatsink fits properly on the retention module base.
2. Attach one end of the retention bracket to the retention module base. 3. Align the other end of the retention bracket (near the retention bracket lock) to the retention module base. A clicking sound denotes that the retention bracket is in place. Make sure that the fan and heatsink assembly perfectly fits the retention mechanism module base, otherwise you cannot snap the retention bracket in place. 4.
5. When the fan and heatsink assembly is in place, connect the CPU fan cable to the connector on the motherboard labeled CPU_FAN. CPU_FAN CPU FAN PWM CPU FAN IN CPU FAN PWR GND M2N32-SLI PREMIUM M2N32-SLI PREMIUM CPU Fan connectors • Do not forget to connect the CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring errors can occur if you fail to plug this connector. • This connector is backward compatiable with old 3-pin CPU fan.
2.3.3 Installing the optional fan Install the optional fan only if you are using a passive cooler or a water cooler. Installing the optional fan with an active CPU cooler will interfere with the airflow and destabilize the system. 2-12 1. Position the fan above the pipe and heatsink assembly. 2. Fit the grooved edge to the heatsink. 3. Carefully push down the fan until it snugly fits the heatsink, then connect the fan cables. 4. The above photo shows the fan installed on the motherboard.
2.4 System memory 2.4.1 Overview The motherboard comes with four Double Data Rate 2 (DDR2) Dual Inline Memory Modules (DIMM) sockets. A DDR2 module has the same physical dimensions as a DDR DIMM but has a 240-pin footprint compared to the 184-pin DDR DIMM. DDR2 DIMMs are notched differently to prevent installation on a DDR DIMM socket.
• • • When using only one memory module, start installing the DDR2 DIMMs from slot DIMM_A1 or DIMM_B1 for better overclocking capability. For dual-channel configuration (2), you may: • install identical DIMMs in all four sockets OR • install identical DIMM pair in DIMM_A1 and DIMM_B1 (yellow sockets) and another identical DIMM pair in DIMM_A2 and DIMM_B2 (black sockets) Always use identical DDR2 DIMM pairs for dual channel mode.
2.4.3 Installing a DIMM Unplug the power supply before adding or removing DIMMs or other system components. Failure to do so can cause severe damage to both the motherboard and the components. 2 To install a DIMM: 1. Unlock a DIMM socket by pressing the retaining clips outward. 2. Align a DIMM on the socket such that the notch on the DIMM matches the break on the socket. 3. Firmly insert the DIMM into the socket until the retaining clips snap back in place and the DIMM is properly seated.
M2N32-SLI Premium Vista Edition Motherboard Qualified Vendors Lists (QVL) DDR2-800 MHz capability 2-16 SS/ DIMM support Size Vendor Chip No.
DDR2-667 MHz capability SS/ Vendor Chip No.
DDR2-533 MHz capability SS/ Vendor Chip No. A* B* C* 512MB Hynix HY5PS12821F-C4 SS HYMP564U648-C4 • • • 1GB Hynix HY5PS12821F-C4 DS HYMP512U728-C4 AA • • 512MB Hynix HY5PS12821AFP-C3 SS HYMP564U64AP8-C3 • • 1024MB Hynix HY5PS12821AFP-C3 DS HYMP512U64AP8-C3 • 512MB INFINEON HYB18T512 SS HYS64T64000GU-3.7-A • • 512MB INFINEON HYB18T512 SS HYS64T64000HU-3.
2.5 Expansion slots In the future, you may need to install expansion cards. The following sub‑sections describe the slots and the expansion cards that they support. Make sure to unplug the power cord before adding or removing expansion cards. Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components. 2.5.1 Installing an expansion card To install an expansion card: 1.
2.5.
2.5.4 PCI slots The PCI slots support cards such as a LAN card, SCSI card, USB card, and other cards that comply with PCI specifications. Refer to the figure below for the location of the slots. 2.5.5 PCI Express x4 slot & PCI Express x1 slot This motherboard supports PCI Express x4 and PCI Express x1 network cards, SCSI cards and other cards that comply with the PCI Express specifications. Refer to the figure below for the location of the slot. 2.5.
2.6 Jumper Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC) This jumper allows you to clear the Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM in CMOS. You can clear the CMOS memory of date, time, and system setup parameters by erasing the CMOS RTC RAM data. The onboard button cell battery powers the RAM data in CMOS, which include system setup information such as system passwords. To erase the RTC RAM: 1. Turn OFF the computer and unplug the power cord. 2. Remove the onboard battery. 3. Move the jumper cap from pins 1-2 (default) to pins 2-3.
2.7 Connectors 2.7.1 Rear panel connectors 1 15 2 14 13 3 4 5 6 12 11 10 7 8 9 1. PS/2 mouse port (green). This port is for a PS/2 mouse. 2. Serial (COM) port. This 9-pin COM1 port is for pointing devices and other serial devices. 3. IEEE 1394a port. This 6-pin IEEE 1394a port provides high-speed connectivity for audio/video devices, storage peripherals, PCs, or portable devices. 4. LAN 1/2 (RJ-45) port.
9. Microphone port (pink). This port connects a microphone. 10. Side Speaker Out port (gray). This port connects the side speakers in an 8-channel audio configuration. Refer to the audio configuration table below for the function of the audio ports in 2, 4, 6, or 8-channel configuration. Audio 2, 4, 6, or 8-channel configuration Port Light Blue Lime Pink Orange Black Gray 11.
• Before creating a RAID set using Serial ATA hard disks, make sure that you have connected the Serial ATA signal cable and installed Serial ATA hard disk drives; otherwise, you cannot enter the Silicon Image RAID utility and SATA BIOS setup during POST. • If you intend to create a RAID configuration using this connector, set the Silicon 3132 Controller item in the BIOS to [RAID Mode]. See section 4.4.6 Onboard Device Configuration for details.
2.7.2 1. Internal connectors Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY) This connector is for the provided floppy disk drive (FDD) signal cable. Insert one end of the cable to this connector, then connect the other end to the signal connector at the back of the floppy disk drive. Pin 5 on the connector is removed to prevent incorrect cable connection when using a FDD cable with a covered Pin 5. FLOPPY NOTE:Orient the red markings on the floppy ribbon cable to PIN1.
PRI_IDE NOTE:Orient the red markings (usually zigzag) on the IDE ribbon cable to PIN1. PIN1 M2N32-SLI PREMIUM M2N32-SLI PREMIUM IDE connector 3. NVIDIA® nForce® 590 SLI Southbridge Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA1 [red], SATA2 [red], SATA3 [red], SATA4 [red], SATA5 [red], SATA6 [red]) These connectors are for the Serial ATA signal cables for Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s hard disk and optical disk drives. The Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s is backward compatible with Serial ATA 1.5 Gb/s specification.
right angle side Connect the right-angle side of SATA signal cable to SATA device. Or you may connect the right-angle side of SATA cable to the onboard SATA port to avoid mechanical conflict with huge graphics cards. 4. Silicon Image® Serial ATA RAID connector (7-pin SATA_RAID2) This connector is for a Serial ATA signal cable. This connector supports a Serial ATA hard disk drive that you can configure for RAID through the onboard Serial ATA RAID controller.
5. USB connectors (10-1 pin USB56, USB 78, USB910_ASAP) These connectors are for USB 2.0 ports. Connect the USB module cable to any of these connectors, then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis. These USB connectors comply with USB 2.0 specification that supports up to 480 Mbps connection speed. NC GND USB_P10+ USB_P10USB+5V USB910_ASAP GND USB_P9+ USB_P9USB+5V USB56 NC GND USB_P6+ USB_P6USB+5V USB78 NC GND USB_P8+ USB_P8USB+5V M2N32-SLI PREMIUM USB 2.
Never connect a USB cable to the IEEE 1394a connector. Doing so will damage the motherboard! You can connect the 1394 cable to ASUS Q-Connector (1394, red) first, and then install the Q-Connector (1394) to the 1394 connector onboard. 7. CPU, chassis, power, and chipset fan connectors (4-pin CPU_FAN, 3-pin CHA_FAN1, 3-pin CHA_FAN2, 3-pin CHA_FAN3, 3-pin CHA_FAN4, 3-pin PWR_FAN, 3-pin CHIP_FAN ) The fan connectors support cooling fans of 350 mA~2000 mA (24 W max.) or a total of 1 A~7 A (84 W max.) at +12V.
8. Chassis intrusion connector (4-1 pin CHASSIS) This connector is for a chassis-mounted intrusion detection sensor or switch. Connect one end of the chassis intrusion sensor or switch cable to this connector. The chassis intrusion sensor or switch sends a high-level signal to this connector when a chassis component is removed or replaced. The signal is then generated as a chassis intrusion event.
• For a fully configured system, we recommend that you use a power supply unit (PSU) that complies with ATX 12 V Specification 2.0 (or later version) and provides a minimum power of 600 W. • Do not forget to connect the 4-pin ATX +12 V power plug; otherwise, the system will not boot. • Use of a PSU with a higher power output is recommended when configuring a system with more power-consuming devices. The system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is inadequate.
11. Optical drive audio connector (4-pin CD) These connectors allow you to receive stereo audio input from sound sources such as a CD-ROM, TV tuner, or MPEG card. CD Right Audio Channel GND GND Left Audio Channel M2N32-SLI PREMIUM M2N32-SLI PREMIUM Internal audio connector 12. Parallel port connector (26-1 pin LPT) AFD# ERROR# PINIT# SLIN# GND GND GND GND GND GND GND GND STB# SPD0 SPD1 SPD2 SPD3 SPD4 SPD5 SPD6 SPD7 ACK# BUSY PE This connector is for a parallel port.
13. Digital audio connector (4-1 pin SPDIF_OUT) +5V M2N32-SLI PREMIUM SPDIFOUT GND This connector is for an additional Sony/Philips Digital Interface (S/PDIF) port(s). Connect the S/PDIF Out module cable to this connector, then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis. SPDIF_OUT M2N32-SLI PREMIUM Digital audio connector The S/PDIF module is purchased separately. 14.
15. System panel connector (20-8 pin PANEL) This connector supports several chassis-mounted functions. Ground Ground Speaker Ground +5V Reset SPEAKER PLED- PLED+ PLED PWR Ground IDE_LED+ IDE_LED- PANEL M2N32-SLI PREMIUM IDE_LED RESET PWRSW * Requires an ATX power supply M2N32-SLI PREMIUM System panel connsector • System power LED (2-pin PLED) This 2-pin connector is for the system power LED. Connect the chassis power LED cable to this connector.
ASUS Q-Connector (system panel) You can use the ASUS Q-Connector to connect/disconnect chassis front panel cables in a few steps. Refer to the instructions below to install the ASUS QConnector. 1. Connect the front panel cables to the ASUS Q-Connector. Refer to the labels on the Q-Connector to know the detailed pin definitions, then match them to the respective front panel cable labels. 2-36 2.
This chapter describes the power up sequence, the vocal POST messages, and ways of shutting down the system.
Chapter summary 3 3.1 Starting up for the first time......................................................... 3-1 3.2 Turning off the computer..............................................................
3.1 Starting up for the first time 1. After making all the connections, replace the system case cover. 2. Be sure that all switches are off. 3. Connect the power cord to the power connector at the back of the system chassis. 4. Connect the power cord to a power outlet that is equipped with a surge protector. 5. Turn on the devices in the following order: 6. a. Monitor b. External SCSI devices (starting with the last device on the chain) c.
3.2 Turning off the computer 3.2.1 Using the OS shut down function If you are using Windows® 2000: 1. Click the Start button then click Shut Down. 2. Make sure that the Shut Down option button is selected, then click the OK button to shut down the computer. 3. The power supply should turn off after Windows® shuts down. If you are using Windows® XP: 1. Click the Start button then select Turn Off Computer. 2. Click the Turn Off button to shut down the computer. 3.
This chapter tells how to change the system settings through the BIOS Setup menus. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided.
Chapter summary 4 4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS............................................. 4-1 4.2 BIOS setup program................................................................... 4-10 4.3 Main menu................................................................................... 4-14 4.4 Advanced menu.......................................................................... 4-19 4.5 Power menu................................................................................. 4-33 4.
4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS The following utilities allow you to manage and update the motherboard Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) setup. 1. ASUS Update (Updates the BIOS in Windows® environment.) 2. ASUS EZ Flash 2 (Updates the BIOS in DOS using a floppy disk / USB flash disk, or the motherboard support DVD.) 3. Award BIOS Flash Utility (Updates the BIOS using a bootable floppy disk / USB flash disk or a CD ROM.) 4.
Quit all Windows® applications before you update the BIOS using this utility. Updating the BIOS through the Internet To update the BIOS through the Internet: 4- 1. Launch the ASUS Update utility from the Windows® desktop by clicking Start > Programs > ASUS > ASUSUpdate > ASUSUpdate. The ASUS Update main window appears. 2. Select Update BIOS from the Internet option from the drop‑down menu, then click Next. 3. Select the ASUS FTP site nearest you to avoid network traffic, or click Auto Select.
4. From the FTP site, select the BIOS version that you wish to download. Click Next. 5. Follow the screen instructions to complete the update process. The ASUS Update utility is capable of updating itself through the Internet. Always update the utility to avail all its features. Updating the BIOS through a BIOS file To update the BIOS through a BIOS file: 1. Launch the ASUS Update utility from the Windows® desktop by clicking Start > Programs > ASUS > ASUSUpdate > ASUSUpdate.
4.1.2 1. Creating a bootable floppy disk Do either one of the following to create a bootable floppy disk. DOS environment a. Insert a 1.44MB floppy disk into the drive. b. At the DOS prompt, type format A:/S then press . Windows® XP environment a. Insert a 1.44 MB floppy disk to the floppy disk drive. b. Click Start from the Windows® desktop, then select My Computer. c. Select the 3 1/2 Floppy Drive icon. d. Click File from the menu, then select Format. A Format 3 1/2 Floppy Disk window appears.
4.1.3 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility The ASUS EZ Flash 2 feature allows you to update the BIOS without having to go through the long process of booting from a floppy disk and using a DOS‑based utility. The EZ Flash 2 utility is built-in the BIOS chip so it is accessible by pressing + during the Power-On Self Tests (POST). To update the BIOS using EZ Flash 2: 1. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS file for the motherboard. 2.
4.1.4 Updating the BIOS The Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) can be updated using the AwardBIOS Flash Utility. Follow these instructions to update the BIOS using this utility. 1. Download the latest BIOS file from the ASUS web site. Rename the file to M2N32SLI.BIN and save it to a floppy disk, CD ROM or a USB flash disk in FAT 16/12 format. Save only the updated BIOS file in the disk to avoid loading the wrong BIOS file. 2. Copy the AwardBIOS Flash Utility (awdflash.
6. Type the BIOS file name in the File Name to Program field, then press . AwardBIOS Flash Utility for ASUS V1.14 (C) Phoenix Technologies Ltd. All Rights Reserved For NF590-SLI-M2N32-SLI-PREMIUM DATE:03/30/2006 Flash Type - PMC Pm49FL004T LPC/FWH File Name to Program: M2N32SLI.bin Message: Do You Want To Save Bios (Y/N) 7. Press when the utility prompts you to save the current BIOS file. The following screen appears. 8.
4.1.5 Saving the current BIOS file You can use the AwardBIOS Flash Utility to save the current BIOS file. You can load the current BIOS file when the BIOS file gets corrupted during the flashing process. Make sure that the floppy disk, CD ROM or a USB flash disk has enough disk space to save the file. To save the current BIOS file using the AwardBIOS Flash Utility: 1. Follow steps 1 to 6 of the previous section. 2. Press when the utility prompts you to save the current BIOS file.
4.1.6 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility The ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 is an auto recovery tool that allows you to restore the BIOS file when it fails or gets corrupted during the updating process. You can update a corrupted BIOS file using the motherboard support DVD, the floppy disk, or the USB flash disk that contains the updated BIOS file. Prepare the motherboard support DVD, the floppy disk or the USB flash disk containing the updated motherboard BIOS before using this utility.
4.2 BIOS setup program This motherboard supports a programmable Low-Pin Count (LPC) chip that you can update using the provided utility described in section “4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS.” Use the BIOS Setup program when you are installing a motherboard, reconfiguring your system, or prompted to “Run Setup.” This section explains how to configure your system using this utility. Even if you are not prompted to use the Setup program, you can change the configuration of your computer in the future.
4.2.1 BIOS menu screen Menu items Main Menu bar Advanced Power Configuration fields Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Tools Exit System Time System Date Language 15 : 30 : 36 Thu, Apr 6 2006 [English] Legacy Diskette A: [1.44M, 3.5 in.
4.2.3 Legend bar At the bottom of the Setup screen is a legend bar. The keys in the legend bar allow you to navigate through the various setup menus. The following table lists the keys found in the legend bar with their corresponding functions.
4.2.7 Pop-up window Select a menu item then press to display a pop-up window with the configuration options for that item. Main Advanced Power Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Tools Exit System Time System Date Language 15 : 30 : 36 Thu, Apr 6 2006 [English] Legacy Diskette A: [1.44M, 3.5 in.] Legacy Diskette A: Primary IDE Master [None] Primary IDE Slave [None] Disabled ..... [ ] SATA 1 [None] 720K , 3.5 in. ..... [ ] SATA 2 [None] 1.44M, 3.5 in. .....
4.3 Main menu When you enter the BIOS Setup program, the Main menu screen appears, giving you an overview of the basic system information. Refer to section 4.2.1 BIOS menu screen for information on the menu screen items and how to navigate through them. Main Advanced Power Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Tools Exit System Time System Date Language 15 : 30 : 36 Thu, Apr 6 2006 [English] Legacy Diskette A: [1.44M, 3.5 in.
4.3.5 Primary IDE Master/Slave While entering Setup, the BIOS automatically detects the presence of IDE devices. There is a separate sub-menu for each IDE device. Select a device item then press to display the IDE device information.
Access Mode [Auto] The default [Auto] allows automatic detection of an IDE hard disk drive. Select [CHS] for this item if you set the IDE Primary Master/Slave to [Manual]. Configuration options: [CHS] [LBA] [Large] [Auto] Before attempting to configure a hard disk drive, make sure you have the correct configuration information supplied by the drive manufacturer. Incorrect settings may cause the system to fail to recognize the installed hard disk. Capacity Displays the auto-detected hard disk capacity.
4.3.6 SATA 1-6 While entering Setup, the BIOS automatically detects the presence of Serial ATA devices. There is a separate sub-menu for each SATA device. Select a device item then press to display the SATA device information.
Head Shows the number of the hard disk read/write heads. This item is not configurable. Landing Zone Shows the number of landing zone per track. This item is not configurable. Sector Shows the number of sectors per track. This item is not configurable. After entering the IDE hard disk drive information into BIOS, use a disk utility, such as FDISK, to partition and format new IDE hard disk drives. This is necessary so that you can write or read data from the hard disk.
4.4 Advanced menu The Advanced menu items allow you to change the settings for the CPU and other system devices. Take caution when changing the settings of the Advanced menu items. Incorrect field values can cause the system to malfunction. Main Advanced Power Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Tools Exit Select Menu JumperFree Configuration AI Net2 Item Specific Help CPU Configuration Chipset PCIPnP Onboard Device Configuration F1:Help ESC: Exit 4.4.
Standard Loads the standard settings for the system. AI Overclock Loads overclocking profiles with optimal parameters for stability when overclocking. AI N.O.S. The ASUS Non-delay Overclocking System feature intelligently determines the system load and automatically boosts the performance for the most demanding tasks. The following item becomes user-configurable when you set AI Tuning to [AI Overclock]. Overclock Options [Disabled] Allows you to set the overclocking options.
DDR2 Voltage Control [Auto] Allows you to set the operating DDR2 voltage. Configuration options: [Auto] [1.800V] [1.825V] [1.850V]~[2.500V] CPU Voltage [Auto] Allows you to set the operating CPU voltage. The configuration options may vary depending on the type of CPU installed. Configuration options: [Auto] [1.5625V] [1.5500V] [1.5375V] [1.5250V] [1.5125V] [1.5000V]~[0.8875V] [0.8750V] [0.8625V] [0.8500V] [0.8375V] [0.8250V] [0.8125V] [0.
NB to SB HT Voltage [Auto] Allows you to set the NB to SB HT voltage. Configuration options: [Auto] [+1.300V] [+1.325V] [+1.350V]~[+1.500V] NB Core/PCI-E Voltage [Auto] Allows you to set the NB Core/PCI-E voltage. Configuration options: [Auto] [+1.200V] [+1.250V] [+1.300V] [+1.350V] [+1.400V] SB Core/PCI-E Voltage [Auto] Allows you to set the Southbridge core/PCI Express voltage. Configuration options: [Auto] [+1.500V] [+1.525V] [+1.550V]~[+1.700V] [+1.750V] SB Standby Core Voltage [+1.
4.4.3 CPU Configuration Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Advanced Select Menu CPU Configuration CPU Type AMD Sempron(tm) Processor 3000+ CPU Speed 1600 MHz Cache RAM 256K DRAM Configuration AMD Live! AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet Function Item Specific Help DRAM timing and control. [Disabled] [Disabled] DRAM Configuration The items in the sub-menu show the DRAM-related information auto-detected by the BIOS.
1T/2T Memory Timing [Auto] Sets the memory timing. Configuration options: [Auto] [1T] [2T] DRAM ECC Enable [Disabled] Enables or disables the DRAM ECC function. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] This item appears only when you install DRAM modules that support ECC function. AI Clock Skew [Auto] Allows you to adjust the DRAM clock skew for Channel A and B. The following two items become user-configurable when you set the AI Clock Skew item to [Manual].
Trdrd [Auto] Configuration options: [Auto] [2] [3] [4] [5] Tref [Auto] Configuration options: [Auto] [7.8 us] [3.
CS/ODT Fine Delay [Auto] Configuration options: [Auto] [No delay] [1/64 MEMCLK delay] [2/64 MEMCLK delay] [3/64 MEMCLK delay] [4/64 MEMCLK delay] [5/64 MEMCLK delay]~[30/64 MEMCLK delay] [31/64 MEMCLK delay] CS/ODT Setup Time [Auto] Configuration options: [Auto] [1/2 MEMCLK] [1 MEMCLK] Address/Command Fine Delay [Auto] Configuration options: [Auto] [No delay] [1/64 MEMCLK delay] [2/64 MEMCLK delay] [3/64 MEMCLK delay] [4/64 MEMCLK delay] [5/64 MEMCLK delay]~[30/64 MEMCLK delay] [31/64 MEMCLK delay] Address/
AMD Live! [Disabled] Enables or disables the AMD Live! technology. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet Function [Disabled] Enables or disables the AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet technology. Configuration options: [Auto] [Disabled] 4.4.
SB-->NB HT Speed [5xSB to NB HT Frequency] Allows you to set the Southbridge to Northbridge HT Speed. Configuration options: [1xSB to NB HT Frequency] [2xSB to NB HT Frequency] [3xSB to NB HT Frequency] [4xSB to NB HT Frequency] [5xSB to NB HT Frequency] CPU<->NB HT Width [↓16 ↑16] Allows you to set the CPU to Northbridge HT width. Configuration options: [↓8 ↑8] [↓16 ↑16] NB<->SB HT Width [↓16 ↑16] Allows you to set the Northbridge to Southbridge HT width.
4.4.5 PCIPnP Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Advanced PCIPnP Select Menu Plug & Play O/S [No] Item Specific Help Resources Controlled By x IRQ Resources [Auto] Select Yes if you are using a Plug and Play capable operating system. Select No if you need the BIOS to configure non-boot devices. Plug & Play O/S [No] When set to [No], the BIOS configures all the devices in the system.
4.4.
Serial-ATA Configuration This sub-menu allows you to change Serial ATA settings. Select an item then press to edit.
Onboard 1394 Controller [Enabled] Allows you to disable or enable the onboard 1394 device support. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Onboard 1st/2nd nVidia LAN [Enabled] Enables or disables the onboard NVIDIA® LAN controller. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] OnBoard LAN Boot ROM [Disabled] Allows you to enable or disable the onboard LAN boot ROM.
Parallel Port Mode [EPP] Allows you to select the Parallel Port mode. Configuration options: [Normal] [EPP] [ECP] [Bi-Directional] The ECP Mode Use DMA item becomes user-configurable when the Parallel Port Mode item is set to [ECP] or [Bi-Directional] ECP Mode Use DMA [3] Allows selection of ECP Mode. Configuration options: [1] [3] 4.5 Power menu The Power menu items allow you to change the settings for the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) and the Advanced Power Management (APM).
4.5.
Date (of Month) Alarm [xx] To set the date of alarm, highlight this item then press <+> or <-> to make the selection (Min=0; Max=31). Alarm Time (hh:mm:ss) [xx:xx:xx] To set the time of alarm, use or < → > / < ← > to select a field, then press <+> or <-> to make the selection (Min=0, Max=23 for the hour field; Min=0, Max=59 for the minutes/seconds field).
4.5.4 Hardware Monitor The items in this sub-menu displays the hardware monitor values automatically detected by the BIOS. It also allows you to change CPU Q-Fan feature-related parameters. Select an item then press to display the configuration options. Power Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Hardware Monitor x x Select Menu CPU Q-Fan Control CPU Q-Fan Profile Chassis Q-Fan Control Chassis Q-Fan Profile Vcore Voltage 3.
Chassis Q-Fan Profile [Performance] Allows you to set the appropriate performance level of the chassis Q-Fan. When set to [Optimal], the chassis fan automatically adjusts depending on the chassis temperature. Set this item to [Silent] to minimize fan speed for quiet chassis fan operation, or [Performance] to achieve maximum chassis fan speed. Configuration options: [Performance] [Optimal] [Silent] Vcore Voltage, 3.
4.6 Boot menu The Boot menu items allow you to change the system boot options. Select an item then press to display the sub-menu. Main Advanced Power Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Tools Exit Select Menu Boot Device Priority Removable Drives Hard Disk Drives CDROM Drives Boot Settings Configuration Security F1:Help ESC: Exit 4.6.
4.6.2 Removable Drives Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Removable Drives 1. Floppy Disks Select Menu Item Specific Help 1. Floppy Disks Allows you to assign a removable drive attached to the system. 4.6.3 Hard Disk Drives Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Hard Disk Drives 1. SATA1: XXXXXXXXX Select Menu Item Specific Help 1. SATA1: XXXXXXXXX Allows you to assign hard disk drives attached to the system. 4.6.
4.6.
Typematic Rate (Chars/Sec) [6] Allows you to select the rate at which a character repeats when you hold a key. Configuration options: [6] [8] [10] [12] [15] [20] [24] [30] Typematic Delay (Msec) [250] Allows you to set the delay before keystrokes begin to repeat. Configuration options: [250] [500] [750] [1000] OS Select for DRAM > 64MB [Non-OS2] Set this item to OS2 only when you are running on an OS/2 operating system with an installed RAM of greater than 64 KB.
3. When prompted, confirm the password by typing the exact characters again, then press . The password field setting is changed to Set. To clear the password: 1. Select the password field and press twice. The following message appears: PASSWORD DISABLED !!! Press any key to continue... 2. Press any key to continue. The password field setting is changed to Clear. A note about passwords The Supervisor password is required to enter the BIOS Setup program preventing unauthorized access.
4.7 Tools menu The Tools menu items allow you to configure options for special functions. Select an item then press to display the sub-menu. Main Advanced Power Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Tools Exit ASUS O.C. Profile ASUS EZ Flash 2 Select Menu Item Specific Help F1:Help ESC: Exit 4.7.1 ↑↓ : Select Item →←: Select Menu -/+: Change Value Enter: Select Sub-menu F5: Setup Defaults F10: Save and Exit ASUS O.C.
Load from File Allows you to load the previous BIOS file saved in the hard disk/floppy disk/USB flash disk with the FAT32/16/12 format. Follow the instructions below to load the BIOS file. 1. Insert the storage devices that contains the “xxx.CMO” file. 2. Turn on the system. 3. Enter BIOS setup program. Go to the “Tools” menu to select “Load from File.” Press then the setup screen will appear. 4. Press to switch between drives before the correct “xxx.CMO” file is found.
Save to File Allows you to save the current BIOS file to the hard disk/floppy disk/USB flash disk with FAT32/16/12 format. Follow the instructions below to save the BIOS file. 1. Insert the storage devices with enough space. 2. Turn on the system. 3. Enter the BIOS setup program. Go to the “Tools” menu to select “Save to File.” Press then the setup screen will appear. 4. Press to switch between the drives. Press hot-key to save the file. 5. Key in the file name.
4.7.2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 Allows you to run ASUS EZ Flash 2. When you press , a confirmation message appears. Use the left/right arrow key to select between [Yes] or [No], then press to confirm your choice. Please see page 4-5, section 4.1.3 for details.
4.8 Exit menu The Exit menu items allow you to load the optimal or failsafe default values for the BIOS items, and save or discard your changes to the BIOS items. Main Advanced Power Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Tools Exit Exit & Save Changes Exit & Discard Changes Load Setup Default Discard Changes Select Menu Item Specific Help This option save data to CMOS and exiting the setup menu. Pressing does not immediately exit this menu.
4-48 Chapter 4: BIOS setup
This chapter describes the contents of the support DVD that comes with the motherboard package.
Chapter summary 5 5.1 Installing an operating system.................................................... 5-1 5.2 Support DVD information............................................................. 5-1 5.3 Software informtion...................................................................... 5-9 5.4 Windows® Vista feature.............................................................. 5-39 5.5 RAID configurations................................................................... 5-40 5.
5.1 Installing an operating system This motherboard supports Windows® 2000/2003 Server/XP/64-bit XP/Vista/64bit Vista operating systems (OS). Always install the latest OS version and corresponding updates to maximize the features of your hardware. 5.2 • Motherboard settings and hardware options vary. Use the setup procedures presented in this chapter for reference only. Refer to your OS documentation for detailed information.
5.2.2 Drivers menu The drivers menu shows the available device drivers if the system detects installed devices. Install the necessary drivers to activate the devices. ASUS InstAll - Drivers Installation Wizard Installs all of the drivers through the installation wizard. AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet Driver Installs the AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet™ technology driver. Nvidia Chipset Driver Program Installs the NVIDIA® Chipset drivers for the NVIDIA® nForce™ 590 SLI chipset.
5.2.3 Utilities menu The Utilities menu shows the applications and other software that the motherboard supports. Click to display the next screen Click to display the previous screen ASUS InstAll - Installation Wizard for Utilities Installs all of the utilities through the installation wizard. ASUS Cool ‘n’ Quiet Utility Installs the AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet™ software.
ASUS Update The ASUS Update utility allows you to update the motherboard BIOS in Windows® environment. This utility requires an Internet connection either through a network or an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Before using the ASUS Update, make sure that you have an Internet connection so that you can connect to the ASUS website. ASUS AI Suite Installs the ASUS AI Suite. ASUS Accelerated Propeller Installs the ASUS Accelerated Propeller (ASAP). Adobe Reader V7.
5.2.4 Make Disk menu The Make Disk menu contains items to create the NVIDIA® nForce™ 590-SLI or Silicon Image SATA/RAID driver disk. Make NV SATA/RAID 32bit Driver Allows you to create an NVIDIA® Serial ATA RAID driver disk for a 32-bit system.
5.2.5 Manual menu The Manual menu contains a list of supplementary user manuals. Click an item to open the folder of the user manual. Most user manual files are in Portable Document Format (PDF). Install the Adobe® Acrobat® Reader from the Utilities menu before opening a user manual file. 5.2.6 ASUS Contact information Click the Contact tab to display the ASUS contact information. You can also find this information on the inside front cover of this user guide.
5.2.7 Other information The icons on the top right corner of the screen give additional information on the motherboard and the contents of the support DVD. Click an icon to display the specified information. Motherboard Info Displays the general specifications of the motherboard. Browse this DVD Displays the support DVD contents in graphical format.
Technical support Form Displays the ASUS Technical Support Request Form that you have to fill out when requesting technical support. Filelist Displays the contents of the support DVD and a brief description of each in text format.
5.3 Software information Most of the applications in the support DVD have wizards that will conveniently guide you through the installation. View the online help or readme file that came with the software application for more information. 5.3.1 ASUS MyLogo3™ The ASUS MyLogo3™ utility lets you customize the boot logo. The boot logo is the image that appears on screen during the Power‑On Self-Tests (POST).
7. When the logo images appear on the right window pane, select an image to enlarge by clicking on it. 8. Adjust the boot image to your desired size by selecting a value on the Ratio box. 9. When the screen returns to the ASUS Update utility, flash the original BIOS to load the new boot logo. 10. After flashing the BIOS, restart the computer to display the new boot logo during POST.
5.3.2 Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology The motherboard supports the AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology that dynamically and automatically change the CPU speed, voltage, and amount of power depending on the task the CPU performs. Enabling Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology To enable Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology: 1. Turn on the system and enter BIOS by pressing the key during the Power On Self-Tests (POST). 2. Go to Advanced > CPU Configuration > AMD Cool ‘n’Quiet function and set it to [Enabled]. See section “4.
• Make sure to install the AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ driver and application before using this feature. • The AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ technology feature works only with the AMD heatsink and fan assembly with monitor chip • If you purchased a separate heatsink and fan package, use the ASUS Q-Fan technology feature to automatically adjust the CPU fan speed according to your system loading.
5.3.3 SoundMAX® High Definition Audio utility The ADI AD1988B High Definition Audio CODEC provides 8-channel audio capability through the SoundMAX® audio utility with AudioESP™ software to deliver the ultimate audio experience on your PC. The software implements high quality audio synthesis/rendering, 3D sound positioning, and advanced voice-input technologies.
From the taskbar, double-click on the SoundMAX® icon to display the SoundMAX® Control Panel. Audio Setup Wizard By clicking the icon from the SoundMAX® control panel, you can easily configure your audio settings. Simply follow succeeding screen instructions and begin enjoying High Definition Audio.
Jack configuration Adjust speaker volume This screen helps you configure your computer’s audio ports, depending on the audio devices you have installed. This screen helps you adjust speaker volume. Click the Test button to hear the changes you have made. Adjust microphone volume This screen helps you adjust microphone volume. You will be asked to read prewritten text to allow the AudioWizard to adjust the volume as you speak.
Audio preferences Click the icon to go to the Preferences page. This page allows you to change various audio settings. General options Click the General tab to choose your playback and recording devices, enable/ disable the AudioESP™ feature, and enable/disable digital output. Listening options Click the Listening Environment tab to optimize your speaker output settings.
Microphone options Click the Microphone tab to optimize your microphone input settings. Enhanced Microphone features Noise Filtering Enables Noise Filter function. Detects repetitive and stationary noises like computer fans, air conditioners, and other background noises then eliminates it in the incoming sudio stream while recording. You can enable it for a better recording quality.
5.3.4 ASUS PC Probe II PC Probe II is a utility that monitors the computer’s vital components, and detects and alerts you of any problem with these components. PC Probe II senses fan rotations, CPU temperature, and system voltages, among others. Because PC Probe II is software-based, you can start monitoring your computer the moment you turn it on. With this utility, you are assured that your computer is always at a healthy operating condition. Refer to page 1-9 for the OS that supports this utility.
Button Function Opens the Configuration window Opens the Report window Opens the Desktop Management Interface window Opens the Peripheral Component Interconnect window Opens the Windows Management Instrumentation window Opens the hard disk drive, memory, CPU usage window Shows/Hides the Preference section Minimizes the application Closes the application Sensor alert When a system sensor detects a problem, the main window right handle turns red, as the illustrations below show.
Hardware monitor panels The hardware monitor panels display the current value of a system sensor such as fan rotation, CPU temperature, and voltages. The hardware monitor panels come in two display modes: hexagonal (large) and rectangular (small). When you check the Enable Monitoring Panel option from the Preference section, the monitor panels appear on your computer’s desktop.
Monitoring sensor alert The monitor panel turns red when a component value exceeds or is lower than the threshold value. Refer to the illustrations below. Small display Large display WMI browser Click to display the WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation) browser. This browser displays various Windows® management information. Click an item from the left panel to display on the right panel. Click the plus sign (+) before WMI Information to display the available information.
PCI browser Click to display the PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) browser. This browser provides information on the PCI devices installed on your system. Click the plus sign (+) before the PCI Information item to display available information. Usage The Usage browser displays real-time information on the CPU, hard disk drive space, and memory usage. Click to display the Usage browser. CPU usage The CPU tab displays realtime CPU usage in line graph representation.
Memory usage The Memory tab shows both used and available physical memory. The pie chart at the bottom of the window represents the used (blue) and the available physical memory. Configuring PC Probe II Click to view and adjust the sensor threshold values. The Config window has two tabs: Sensor/Threshold and Preference. The Sensor/ Threshold tab enables you to activate the sensors or to adjust the sensor threshold values.
5.3.5 ASUS AI Suite ASUS AI Suite allows you to launch AI Gear, AI N.O.S., AI Booster, AI Nap, and Q-Fan utilities easily. Installing AI Suite To install AI Suite on your computer: 1. Place the support DVD to the optical drive. The Drivers installation tab appears if your computer has an enabled Autorun feature. 2. Click the Utilities tab, then click AI Suite. 3. Follow the screen instructions to complete installation.
Other feature buttons Click on right corner of the main window to open the monitor window. Displays the CPU/ system temperature, CPU/memory/PCIE voltage, and CPU/ chassis fan speed Displays the FSB/CPU frequency Click on right corner of the expanded window to switch the temperature from degrees Centigrade to degrees Fahrenheit.
5.3.6 ASUS AI N.O.S. This ASUS Non-delay Overclocking System feature intelligently determines the system load and automatically boosts the performance for the most demanding tasks. After installing AI Suite from the bundled support DVD, you can launch the utility by double-clicking the AI Suite icon on the Windows OS taskbar and click the AI N.O.S. button on the AI Suite main window. drop-down menu button Click the drop-down menu button and select Disable or Manual. select an N.O.S.
5.3.7 ASUS AI Gear ASUS AI Gear provides four system performance options that allows you to select the best performance setting for your computing needs. This easy-to-use utility adjusts the processor frequency and vCore voltage to minimize system noise and power consumption. After installing AI Suite from the bundled support DVD, you can launch AI Gear by double-clicking the AI Suite icon on your Windows OS taskbar and then click the AI Gear button on the AI Suite main window.
5.3.8 ASUS AI Nap This feature allows you to minimize the power consumption of your computer whenever you are away. Enable this feature for minimum power consumption and a more quiet system operation. After installing AI Suite from the bundled support DVD, you can launch the utility by double-clicking the AI Suite icon on the Windows OS taskbar and click the AI Nap button on the AI Suite main window. Click Yes on the confirmation screen.
5.3.9 ASUS AI Booster The ASUS AI Booster application allows you to overclock the CPU speed in WIndows® environment without the hassle of booting the BIOS. After installing AI Suite from the bundled support DVD, you can launch the utility by double-clicking the AI Suite icon on the Windows® OS taskbar and click the AI Booster button on the AI Suite main window.
5.3.10 ASUS Q-Fan This ASUS Q-Fan Control feature allows you to set the appropriate performance level of the CPU Q-Fan or the Chassis Q-Fan for more efficient system operation. After enabling the Q-Fan function, the fans can be set to automatically adjust depending on the temperature, to decrease fan speed, or to achieve the maximum fan speed.
5.3.11 AI Remote With the ASUS AI Remote, you can play, pause, or adjust the volume on any songs desired without leaving your sofa. Have AI Remote in your hand and do more with your PC at a distance away. Overview of the ASUS AI Remote 1. Power 3. AI Gear 2. Full Screen 4. AI Nap 5. AP-1/2 Trigger 6. AP Menu Volume Up 7. Media Control Zone Play/Pause Next Previous Volume Down 1. Power: Turns the computer on/off. 2. Full Screen: Puts the media application into full screen. 3.
USB IR Receiver Your motherboard will come bundled with a IR Receiver, simply connect the USB end to your PC USB ports under the LAN2 port and place the IR receiver end at a suitable place without hindrance. ASUS >>USB receiver IR Receiver USB end Infrared end USB Ports USB receiver • • The valid IR function distance is 6m depending on the environment. Suggest you to aim at the IR receiver when using the ASUS AI Remote to ensure a smooth and successful operation.
Activating HID-Compliant Devices Due to the limitation of the operating system, if you remove the IR receiver from the previous port and have it reinstall into the other USB port, the IR receiver will not function. To activate the HID-compliant devices again, go to Device Manager/ Power Manager and check the box of Allow this device to bring the computer out of standby. 1. Click Windows icon and choose Control Panel. 2. Double click System and Maintenance. 3. Click Device Manager. 4.
ASUS AI Remote Settings After the installation of the ASUS AI Remote software, the utility screen will show up and allows you to configure the ASUS AI Remote settings. Set up the function keys following the instructions below. 1 2 3 1. Power On / Off Key Enable power key Click this box to enable this power button. Enable power on after power loss Click this box to restart the system after the AC power loss.
2. AP-1/2 You are allowed to configure two sets of applications for AP-1 Trigger and AP-2 Trigger buttons. After the setup, you can easily launch the pre-defined application by pressing the designated button. (1) Click the box before Use Profile, and you are able to select a default application from the drop-down menu. (2) To launch a non-default application, unclick the box before Use Profile. (3) Click the Browse button and locate the executable (.
AP Menu Button and Application menu Navigate with the media control zone. upward leftward downward rightward enter Select Application Profile After you press (AP Menu) on the remote control, an application profile will be displayed on the screen. Use the remote control to navigate and initiate a desired application. Select Application Path If the software fails to locate the executable file of the applicaton at the first-time use, the Select Application Path screen will appear.
Define Hotkeys for Application If you want to use the Media Control Zone to control non-default applications, such as ACDSee, you can select User Define from the drop-down menu and rename it by pressing Rename. The ASUS AI Remote software has correctly set up nine popular applications and defined the funtion buttons for your convenient operation. User Define After clicking the box before Use Hotkeys for Application, you are free to define the hotkeys of the User Define applications.
The Function Buttons and AP Profile The ASUS AI Remote software helps you set up the correspondence between the function buttons on the remote to the function hotkeys of nine popular applications in advance and leaves five sets for User Define.
5.4 Windows® Vista feature 5.4.1 ASAP (ASUS Accelerated Propeller) This motherboard is equipped with the ASUS Accelerated Propeller (ASAP) feature. ASAP supports the Windows® ReadyBoost™ technology that improves system performance under Windows® Vista. Refer to page 1-9 for the OS that supports ASAP. Before activating ASAP, install the ASAP utility from the bundled support DVD. To activate ASAP: 1. From the Windows® Vista desktop, click Start > Computer. 2.
5.5 RAID configurations The motherboard comes with the Silicon Image Sil3132 and the NVIDIA® nForce™ 590 SLI Southbridge RAID controllers that allow you to configure Serial ATA hard disk drives as RAID sets. The motherboard supports the following RAID configurations. RAID 0 (Data striping) optimizes two identical hard disk drives to read and write data in parallel, interleaved stacks.
If you want to boot the system from a hard disk drive included in a RAID set, copy first the RAID driver from the support DVD to a floppy disk before you install an operating system to a selected hard disk drive. Refer to section 5.6 Creating a RAID driver disk for details. 5.5.1 Installing hard disks The motherboard supports Serial ATA hard disk drives. For optimal performance, install identical drives of the same model and capacity when creating a disk array.
5.5.2 NVIDIA® MediaShield RAID configurations The motherboard includes a high performance RAID controller integrated in the NVIDIA® nForce™ 590 SLI southbridge chipset. It supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, RAID 5 and JBOD for six independent Serial ATA channels. Setting the BIOS RAID items After installing the hard disk drives, make sure to set the necessary RAID items in the BIOS before setting your RAID configuration. To set the BIOS RAID items: 1.
Entering the NVIDIA® MeidaShield RAID utility To enter the NVIDIA® RAID utility: 1. Boot up your computer. 2. During POST, press to display the main menu of the utility. The RAID BIOS setup screens shown in this section are for reference only, and may not exactly match the items on your screen. NVIDIA RAID Utility Oct 5 2004 - Define a New Array RAID Mode: Striping Striping Block: Free Disks Loc Disk Model Name Array Disks Loc Disk Model Name 1.0.M 1.1.M 2.0.M 2.1.
2. Press select the Striping Block then press . The following submenu appears: 8K ↑ 16K 32K 64K 128K Optim↓ If you selected Striping or Stripe Mirroring, use the up or down arrow keys to select the stripe size for your RAID 0 array then press .The available values range from 8 KB to 128 KB. The default selection is 128 KB. The strip value should be chosen based on the planned drive usage.
NVIDIA RAID Utility Oct 5 2004 - Array List Boot Id Status Vendor Array Model Name No 4 Healthy NVIDIA MIRROR [Ctrl-X]Exit [↑↓]Select [B]Set Boot XXX.XXG [N]New Array [ENTER]Detail A new set of navigation keys is displayed on the bottom of the screen. 6. Press to save settings and exit. Rebuilding a RAID array To rebuild a RAID array: 1. From the Array List menu, use the up or down arrow keys to select a RAID array then press . The RAID Array details appear.
A new set of navigation keys is displayed on the bottom of the screen. 2. Press to rebuild a RAID array. The following screen appears. Array 1 : NVIDIA MIRROR XXX.XXG - Select Disk Inside Array RAID Mode: Mirroring Striping Width: 1 Striping Block: 64K Adapt Channel M/S Index Disk Model Name Capacity 2 1 1 0 Master Master 0 1 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX.XXGB XXX.XXGB [↑↓] Select [F6] Back 3.
Deleting a RAID array To delete a RAID array: 1. From the Array List menu, use the up or down arrow keys to select a RAID array then press . The RAID Array details appear. Array 1 : NVIDIA MIRROR XXX.XXG - Array Detail RAID Mode: Mirroring Striping Width: 1 Striping Block: 64K Adapt Channel M/S Index Disk Model Name Capacity 2 1 1 0 Master Master 0 1 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX.XXGB XXX.
Clearing a disk data To clear disk data: 1. From the Array List menu, use the up or down arrow keys to select a RAID array then press . The RAID Array details appear. Array 1 : NVIDIA MIRROR XXX.XXG - Array Detail RAID Mode: Mirroring Striping Width: 1 Striping Block: 64K Adapt Channel M/S Index Disk Model Name Capacity 2 1 1 0 Master Master 0 1 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX.XXGB XXX.
5.5.3 Silicon Image RAID configurations The Silicon Image RAID controller supports RAID 0, RAID 1 and JBOD configurations. Use the Silicon Image RAID utility to configure a disk array. Setting the BIOS RAID items After installing the hard disk drives, make sure to set the necessary RAID items in the BIOS before setting your RAID configuration. To set the BIOS RAID items: 1. Boot the system and press during the Power-On Self-Test (POST) to enter the BIOS Setup Utility. 2.
Entering the Silicon Image BIOS RAID Configuration Utility To enter the Silicon Image BIOS RAID configuration utility: 1. Boot up your computer. 2. During POST, press or . The RAID BIOS setup screens shown in this section are for reference only, and may not exactly match the items on your screen. RAID Configuration Utility - Silicon Image Inc.
Creating a RAID 0 set (Striped) To create a RAID set: 1. From the Silicon Image configuration utility main menu, select Create RAID set then press to display an option menu. 2. Select RAID 0 then press to display the following. 3. MAIN MENU Create RAID set Delete RAID set Rebuild Raid1 set Resolve Conflicts Low Level Format Logical Drive Info RAID0 RAID1 SPARE DRIVE CONCATENATION MAIN MENU Auto configuration Manual configuration Select your desired method of configuration.
TIP: For server systems, we recommend using a lower array block size. For multimedia computer systems used mainly for audio and video editing, we recommend a higher array block size for optimum performance. c. The selection bar moves to the Physical Drive menu. Using the up or down arrow keys, select a drive then press to set the first drive of the RAID set. PHYSICAL DRIVE 0 1 2 3 XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXMB XXXXXXMB XXXXXXMB XXXXXXMB d.
3. Select your desired method of configuration. Auto configuration a. Select Auto Configuration then press . b. The utility prompts a message to input the RAID size, use the up or down arrow keys to set the RAID size then press . c. Press to confirm or to return to the Main Menu. • Auto-configuration creates a RAID 1 set without a backup copy of the current source disk data. • When migrating a single hard disk drive to a RAID 1 set, use of the Manual configuration is recommended.
e. If you selected Create with data copy, the following pop-up menu appears. MAIN MENU Auto configuration Manual configuration online copy offline copy The online copy option automatically copies the data to the target drives on the background while writing to the source drives. The offline copy option allows you to copy the contents of the source drive to the target drives now. f. Use the up or down arrow keys to select desired copy method, then press . g.
Creating a CONCATENATION set To create a CONCATENATION set: 1. From the Silicon Image configuration utility main menu, select Create RAID set then press . MAIN MENU Create RAID set Delete RAID set Rebuild Raid1 set Resolve Conflicts Low Level Format Logical Drive Info 2. From the sub-menu Select CONCATENATION then press . 3. The selection bar moves to the Physical Drive menu. Using the up or down arrow keys, select a drive then press to set a drive for the RAID set.
5.6 Creating a RAID driver disk A floppy disk with the RAID driver is required when installing Windows® 2000/XP/ Vista operating system on a hard disk drive that is included in a RAID set. To create a RAID driver disk: 1. Place the motherboard support DVD into the DVD-ROM drive. 2. Select Make Disk tab. 3. From the Make Disk menu, select the RAID driver disk you want to create or browse the contents of the support DVD to locate the driver disk utility. Refer to section 5.2.
This chapter tells how to install SLI‑ready PCI Express graphics cards.
Chapter summary 6.1 Overview........................................................................................ 6-1 6.2 Dual graphics cards setup...........................................................
6.1 Overview The motherboard supports the NVIDIA® SLI™ (Scalable Link Interface)‑Intel® Edition technology that allows you to install two identical PCI Express™ x16 graphics cards. Follow the installation procedures in this section. Requirements • You should have two identical SLI-ready graphics cards that are NVIDIA® certified. • Make sure that your graphics card driver supports the NVIDIA® SLI™ technology. Download the latest driver from the NVIDIA website (www.nvidia. com).
6.2 Dual graphics card setup 6.2.1 Installing SLI-ready graphics cards Install only identical SLI-ready graphics cards that are NVIDIA®-certified. Different types of graphics cards will not work together properly. To install the graphics cards: 1. Prepare two graphics cards. Each graphics card should have goldfingers for the SLI connector. Goldfingers 2. 6- Remove the metal bracket covers opposite the two PCI Express x16 slots.
3. Insert one graphics card into either the blue or black slot. Make sure that the card is properly seated on the slot. 4. Insert the second graphics card into the other slot. Make sure that the card is properly seated on the slot. If required, connect an auxiliary power source to the PCI Express graphics cards.
5. Align and insert the SLI connector to the goldfingers on each graphics card. Make sure that the connector is firmly in place. SLI connector 6. When installing two VGA cards using a 20-pin ATX PSU with sufficient+12v capability, we recommend that you connect the auxillary power source from the power supply to the graphics card. Refer to the PSU documentation for dual VGA power requirements. 7. Connect a VGA cable or a DVI-I cable to the graphics card/s.
6.2.2 Installing the device drivers Refer to the documentation that came with your graphics card package to install the device drivers. Make sure that your PCI Express graphics card driver supports the NVIDIA SLI technology. Download the latest driver from the NVIDIA website (www.nvidia. com). 6.2.3 Enabling the multi-GPU feature in Windows® After installing your graphics cards and the device drivers, enable the Multi‑Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) feature in the NVIDIA nView properties.
5. From the Display Properties dialog box, select the Settings tab then click Advanced. 6. Select the NVIDIA GeForce tab. 7. Click the slider to display the following screen, then select the SLI multi‑GPU item. Slider 6- 8. Click the Enable SLI multi-GPU check box. 9. Click OK when done.
