ASUS A8R-MVP User Manual

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A8R-MVP

Motherboard

E2319

Revised Edition V2

November 2005

Copyright © 2005 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. All Rights Reserved.

No part of this manual, including the products and software described in it, may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form or by any means, except documentation kept by the purchaser for backup purposes, without the express written permission of ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (ÒASUSÓ).

Product warranty or service will not be extended if: (1) the product is repaired, modified or altered, unless such repair, modification of alteration is authorized in writing by ASUS; or (2) the serial number of the product is defaced or missing.

ASUS PROVIDES THIS MANUAL ÒAS ISÓ WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL ASUS, ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF BUSINESS, LOSS OF USE OR DATA, INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS AND THE LIKE), EVEN IF ASUS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES ARISING FROM ANY DEFECT OR ERROR IN THIS MANUAL OR PRODUCT.

SPECIFICATIONS AND INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL ARE FURNISHED FOR INFORMATIONAL USE ONLY, AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE, AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY ASUS. ASUS ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS OR INACCURACIES THAT MAY APPEAR IN THIS MANUAL, INCLUDING THE PRODUCTS AND SOFTWARE DESCRIBED IN IT.

Products and corporate names appearing in this manual may or may not be registered trademarks or copyrights of their respective companies, and are used only for identification or explanation and to the ownersÕ benefit, without intent to infringe.

i i

Contents

Notices ...............................................................................................

vii

Safety information ............................................................................

viii

About this guide .................................................................................

ix

A8R-MVP specifications summary.......................................................

xi

Chapter 1:

Product introduction

 

1.1

Welcome! ..............................................................................

1-1

1.2

Package contents .................................................................

1-1

1.3

Special features ....................................................................

1-2

 

1.3.1

Product highlights...................................................

1-2

 

1.3.3

Innovative ASUS features .......................................

1-4

Chapter 2:

Hardware information

 

2.1

Before you proceed ..............................................................

2-1

2.2

Motherboard overview ..........................................................

2-2

 

2.2.1

Placement direction ................................................

2-2

 

2.2.2

Screw holes ............................................................

2-2

 

2.2.3

Motherboard layout ................................................

2-3

 

2.2.4

Layout Contents .....................................................

2-4

2.3

Central Processing Unit (CPU) ..............................................

2-5

 

2.3.1

Installing the CPU....................................................

2-5

 

2.3.2 Installing the heatsink and fan ................................

2-7

2.4

System memory .................................................................

2-10

 

2.4.1

Overview ...............................................................

2-10

 

2.4.2

Memory Configurations.........................................

2-11

 

2.4.3 Installing a DDR DIMM ...........................................

2-13

 

2.4.4 Removing a DDR DIMM ..........................................

2-13

2.5

Expansion slots ...................................................................

2-14

 

2.5.1 Installing an expansion card ..................................

2-14

 

2.5.2 Configuring an expansion card..............................

2-14

 

2.5.3

Interrupt assignments ..........................................

2-15

 

2.5.4

PCI slots ................................................................

2-16

 

2.5.5 PCI Express x1 slot ...............................................

2-16

 

2.5.6 Two PCI Express x16 slots ...................................

2-16

i i i

Contents

2.6

Jumper

...............................................................................

2-18

2.7

Connectors .........................................................................

2-19

 

2.7.1

Rear panel connectors ..........................................

2-19

 

2.7.2

Internal connectors...............................................

2-21

Chapter 3: Powering up

 

3.1

Starting up for the first time................................................

3-1

3.2

Powering off the computer ..................................................

3-2

 

3.2.1

Using the OS shut down function ...........................

3-2

 

3.2.2

Using the dual function power switch ....................

3-2

Chapter 4:

BIOS setup

 

4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS ........................................

4-1

 

4.1.1

ASUS Update utility ................................................

4-1

 

4.1.2 Creating a bootable floppy disk ..............................

4-4

 

4.1.3 ASUS EZ Flash utility ..............................................

4-5

 

4.1.4

AFUDOS utility ........................................................

4-6

 

4.1.5 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 utility ................................

4-9

4.2

BIOS setup program ...........................................................

4-11

 

4.2.1

BIOS menu screen.................................................

4-12

 

4.2.2

Menu bar ...............................................................

4-12

 

4.2.3

Navigation keys ....................................................

4-12

 

4.2.4

Menu items ...........................................................

4-13

 

4.2.5

Sub-menu items ...................................................

4-13

 

4.2.6

Configuration fields ..............................................

4-13

 

4.2.7

Pop-up window .....................................................

4-13

 

4.2.8

Scroll bar ..............................................................

4-13

 

4.2.9

General help ..........................................................

4-13

4.3

Main menu ..........................................................................

4-14

 

4.3.1

System Time.........................................................

4-14

 

4.3.2

System Date .........................................................

4-14

 

4.3.3

Legacy Diskette A ................................................

4-14

4.3.4Primary, Secondary, Third, and Fourth

 

IDE Master/Slave ..................................................

4-15

4.3.5

Storage Configuration ..........................................

4-16

4.3.6

System Information ..............................................

4-17

i v

Contents

4.4

Advanced menu ..................................................................

4-18

 

4.4.1

JumperFree Configuration ....................................

4-18

 

4.4.2

CPU Configuration.................................................

4-22

 

4.4.3

Chipset Configuration ...........................................

4-26

 

4.4.4

Onboard Devices Configuration ............................

4-27

 

4.4.5

PCI PnP .................................................................

4-29

 

4.4.6

LAN Cable Status .................................................

4-30

 

4.4.7

USB Configuration.................................................

4-30

4.5

Power menu ........................................................................

4-32

 

4.5.1

Suspend Mode ......................................................

4-32

 

4.5.2 Repost Video on S3 Resume ................................

4-32

 

4.5.3

ACPI 2.0 Support ..................................................

4-32

 

4.5.4

ACPI APIC Support ................................................

4-32

 

4.5.5

APM Configuration ................................................

4-33

 

4.5.6

Hardware Monitor .................................................

4-35

4.6

Boot menu ..........................................................................

4-37

 

4.6.1

Boot Device Priority ..............................................

4-38

 

4.6.2

Boot Settings Configuration .................................

4-39

 

4.6.3

Security ................................................................

4-40

4.7

Exit menu ...........................................................................

4-42

Chapter 5:

Software support

 

5.1 Installing an operating system .............................................

5-1

5.2 Support CD information ........................................................

5-1

5.2.1 Running the support CD .........................................

5-1

5.2.2

Drivers menu ..........................................................

5-2

5.2.3

Utilities menu ..........................................................

5-3

5.2.4

Make Disk menu ......................................................

5-4

5.2.5

Manuals menu .........................................................

5-5

5.2.6

ASUS Contact information ......................................

5-6

5.2.7

Other information ...................................................

5-6

v

Contents

5.3

Software information ...........................................................

5-8

 

5.3.1

ASUS MyLogoª .......................................................

5-8

 

5.3.2

AI Net 2 ................................................................

5-10

 

Using the Virtual Cable Testerª .........................................

5-10

 

5.3.3 ASUS PC Probe II ...................................................

5-11

 

5.3.4 Cool ÔnÕ Quietª Technology ..................................

5-17

 

5.3.5 SoundMAX¨ High Definition Audio utility ..............

5-19

 

Audio Setup Wizard ............................................................

5-20

5.4

RAID configurations ............................................................

5-24

 

5.4.1

Installing hard disks ..............................................

5-25

 

5.4.2

ULI¨ RAID configurations ......................................

5-25

5.5

Creating a RAID driver disk .................................................

5-33

Chapter 6: ATI¨ MVP technology support

6.1

Overview...............................................................................

6-1

6.2

Hardware installation ............................................................

6-2

 

6.2.1 Installing a single graphics card ..............................

6-2

 

6.2.2 Installing CrossFireª graphics cards .......................

6-3

6.3

Software information ...........................................................

6-6

 

6.3.1 Installing the device drivers ....................................

6-6

 

6.3.2 Using the Catalystª Control Center .......................

6-8

v i

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. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with manufacturerÕs instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

¥Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

¥Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

¥Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.

¥Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

The use of shielded cables for connection of the monitor to the graphics card is required to assure compliance with FCC regulations. Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the userÕs authority to operate this equipment.

Canadian Department of Communications Statement

This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications.

This class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.

v i i

Safety information

Electrical safety

¥To prevent electrical shock hazard, disconnect the power cable from the electrical outlet before relocating the system.

¥When adding or removing devices to or from the system, ensure that the power cables for the devices are unplugged before the signal cables are connected. If possible, disconnect all power cables from the existing system before you add a device.

¥Before connecting or removing signal cables from the motherboard, ensure that all power cables are unplugged.

¥Seek professional assistance before using an adapter or extension cord. These devices could interrupt the grounding circuit.

¥Make sure that your power supply is set to the correct voltage in your area. If you are not sure about the voltage of the electrical outlet you are using, contact your local power company.

¥If the power supply is broken, do not try to fix it by yourself. Contact a qualified service technician or your retailer.

Operation safety

¥Before installing the motherboard and adding devices on it, carefully read all the manuals that came with the package.

¥Before using the product, make sure all cables are correctly connected and the power cables are not damaged. If you detect any damage, contact your dealer immediately.

¥To avoid short circuits, keep paper clips, screws, and staples away from connectors, slots, sockets and circuitry.

¥Avoid dust, humidity, and temperature extremes. Do not place the product in any area where it may become wet.

¥Place the product on a stable surface.

¥If you encounter technical problems with the product, contact a qualified service technician or your retailer.

The symbol of the crossed out wheeled bin indicates that the product (electrical and electronic equipment) should not be placed in municipal waste. Please check local regulations for disposal of electronic products.

viii

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. It includes description of the switches, jumpers, and connectors on the motherboard.

¥Chapter 3: Powering up

This chapter describes the power up sequence, the vocal POST messages, and ways of shutting down the system.

¥Chapter 4: BIOS setup

This chapter tells how to change system settings through the BIOS Setup menus. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided.

¥Chapter 5: Software support

This chapter describes the contents of the support CD that comes with the motherboard package.

¥Chapter 6: ATI¨ MVP technology support

This chapter tells how to install ATI¨ MVP graphics cards.

Where to find more information

Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product and software updates.

1 . ASUS websites

The ASUS website provides updated information on ASUS hardware and software products. Refer to the ASUS contact information.

2 . Optional documentation

Your product package may include optional documentation, such as warranty flyers, that may have been added by your dealer. These documents are not part of the standard package.

i x

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.

Typography

Bol d text

Indicates a menu or an item to select.

Italics

Used to emphasize a word or a phrase.

<Key>

Keys enclosed in the less-than and greater-than sign means

 

that you must press the enclosed key.

 

Example: <Enter> means that you must press the Enter or

 

Return key.

<Key1+Key2+Key3>

If you must press two or more keys simultaneously, the

 

key names are linked with a plus sign (+).

 

Example: <Ctrl+Alt+D>

Command

Means that you must type the command exactly as shown,

 

then supply the required item or value enclosed in

 

brackets.

 

Example: At the DOS prompt, type the command line:

 

afudos /i[filename]

 

afudos /iA8R-MVP.ROM

x

A8R-MVP specifications summary

C P U

Chipset

System bus

Memory

Expansion slots

CrossFireª

Storage

AI Audio

L A N

IEEE 1394a

U S B

BIOS features

Special features

Socket 939 for AMD Athlonª 64FX/Athlonª 64 X2/ Athlonª 64/Sempronª processor*

AMD64 architecture enables simultaneous 32and 64-bit computing

Supports AMD Cool ÔnÕ Quietª Technology Supports AMD HyperTransportª Technology

ATI Radeon¨ Xpress 200 CrossFireª

2000/1600 MT/s

Dual-channel memory architecture

4 x 184-pin DIMM sockets support up to 4 GB unbufferred ECC/non-ECC 400/333/266 MHz DDR memory modules

2 x PCI Expressª x16 slot for discrete graphics card 1 x PCI Expressª x1 slot

3 x PCI slots

Supports ATI CrossFireª graphics cards (both at x8 mode)

ULi M1575 Southbridge supports:

-2 x IDE connectors for up to four Ultra DMA 133/100/66/33 hard disks

-4 x Serial ATA I/II 3.0 Gb/s hard disks with RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 1+0, RAID 5, and JBOD configuration

ADI SoundMAX¨ AD1986A 6-channel CODEC S/PDIF Out port on the rear panel

Marvell¨ 88E8001 Gigabit LAN controller featuring AI NET2

T1 1394 controller supports:

-2 x IEEE 1394a ports (one on the rear panel and one at mid-board)

Supports up to 8 USB 2.0/1.1 ports

4 Mb Flash ROM, AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0

ASUS MyLogoª

ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2

ASUS Q-Fan2 Technology

ASUS EZ Flash

(continued on the next page)

x i

A8R-MVP specifications summary

Overclocking

Rear panel

Manageabiity

Internal connectors

Support CD contents

Form factor

ASUS PEG Link

AI Overclocking (intelligent CPU frequency tuner) Precision Tweaker:

-vDIMM: 8-step DRAM voltage control

-vCore: Adjustable CPU voltage at 0.025 increment

-Stepless Frequency Selection (SFS) allows FSB tuning from 200 MHz up to 400 MHz at 1 MHz increment

ASUS C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)

1 x PS/2 mouse port

1 x PS/2 keyboard port

1 x Parallel port

1 x LAN (RJ-45) port

4 x USB 2.0 ports

1 x Serial (COM) port

1 x Coaxial S/PDIF port

1 x IEEE 1394a port

6-Channel audio ports

WfM 2.0, DMI 2.0, WOL by PME, WOR by PME, chassis intrusion, PXE, and RPL

1 x Floppy disk drive connector

2 x IDE connectors

4 x Serial ATA connectors

1 x CPU fan connector

1 x Chassis fan connector

1 x Power fan connector

1 x IEEE 1394a connector

2 x USB 2.0 connectors for four additional USB 2.0 ports 1 x 24-pin EATX power connector

1 x 4-pin ATX 12 V power connector 1 x EZ Plug connector

1 x GAME/MIDI port connector

1 x CD-in connector

1 x AUX connector

1 x Chassis intrusion connector

1 x Front panel High Definition Audio connector

1 x System panel connector

Drivers

ASUS PC Probe 2

ASUS LiveUpdate Utility

Anti-virus software (OEM version)

ATX form factor: 12 in x 9.6 in (30.5 cm x 24.4 cm)

Specifications are subject to change without notice.

x i i

This chapter describes the motherboard features and the new technologies it supports

Product1 information

Chapter summary

1

 

1.1

Welcome! ..............................................................................

1-1

1.2

Package contents .................................................................

1-1

1.3

Special features ....................................................................

1-2

ASUS A8R-MVP

1.1Welcome!

Thank you for buying an ASUS¨ A8R-MVP motherboard!

The motherboard delivers a host of new features and 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.

1.2Package contents

Check your motherboard package for the following items.

Motherboard

ASUS A8R-MVP motherboard

Cables

1 x Floppy disk drive signal cable

 

1 x

IDE cable

 

1 x

Ultra DMA cable 133/100/66 cable

 

2 x Serial ATA signal cables

 

1 x Serial ATA power cable (dual-plug)

 

1 x IEEE 1394a cable

 

 

Accessories

I/O shield

 

1 x MVP Switch Card

 

1 x 2-port USB 2.0/Game module

 

 

Application CDs

ASUS motherboard support CD

 

 

Documentation

User guide

 

 

 

If any of the above items is damaged or missing, contact your retailer.

In single card mode, install the MVP Switch Card on the black PCI Express slot.

ASUS A8R-MVP

1 - 1

1.3Special features

1.3.1Product highlights

Latest processor technology

The motherboard comes with a 939-pin surface mount, Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) socket that supports AMD Athlonª 64/Athlonª 64 FX/Athlonª 64 X2/Sempronª processors. With an integrated low-latency high-bandwidth memory controller and a highly-scalable HyperTransportª 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 2-5.

ATI Radeon¨ Xpress 200 CrossFireª

The ATI Radeon¨ Xpress 200 CrossFireª boosts image quality and rendering speed, eliminating the need to crank down screen resolutions to get high quality images. The chipset allows higher antialiasing, anisotropic filtering, shading, and texture settings. ATI Radeon¨ Xpress 200 CrossFireª features the ATI Catalystª Control Center that allows you to get real-time 3D-rendered previews of adjustments to your display configurations and advanced 3D settings. See Chapter 6 for details.

PCI Expressª interface

The motherboard fully supports PCI Express, the latest I/O interconnect technology that speeds up the PCI bus. PCI Express features point-to-point serial interconnections between devices and allows higher clockspeeds by carrying data in packets. This high speed interface is software compatible with existing PCI specifications. See page 2-16 for details.

6-channel High Definition audio

Onboard is the SoundMAX¨ ADI AD1986A 6-channel CODEC that supports Jack Sensing and Enumeration Technology. The CODEC supports High Definition Audio standard. With the CODEC, 6-channel audio ports, and S/PDIF interface, your computer will produce crystal-clear digital audio. See page 5-19 for details.

1 - 2

Chapter 1: Product introduction

Serial ATA I/II technology

The motherboard supports the Serial ATA II 3 Gb/s technology through the Serial ATA interfaces and the ULI M1575 Southbridge. The Serial ATA II 3 Gb/s specification provides twice the bandwidth of the current Serial ATA products with a host of new features, including Native Command Queueing (NCQ), and Power Management (PM) Implementation Algorithm. Serial ATA allows for thinner, more flexible cables with lower pin count, reduced voltage requirement. See page 2-22 for details.

SATA RAID solution

Onboard RAID controllers provide the motherboard with RAID functionality. The ULI M1575 Southbridge allows RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, RAID 5, and JBOD configuration. See page 5-25 for details.

Gigabit LAN

The motherboard comes with the Marvell¨ Yukonª 88E8001 Gigabit LAN controller to meet your growing networking needs. See pages 2-19 and 5-10 for details.

IEEE 1394a support

The IEEE 1394a interface provides high-speed and flexible PC connectivity to a wide range of peripherals and devices compliant to IEEE 1394a standards. The IEEE 1394a interface allows up to 400 Mbps transfer rates through simple, low-cost, high-bandwidth asynchronous (real-time) data interfacing between computers, peripherals, and consumer electronic devices such as camcorders, VCRs, printers,TVs, and digital cameras. See pages 2-19 and 2-26 for details.

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 pages 2-20 and 2-24 for details.

ASUS A8R-MVP

1 - 3

1.3.3Innovative ASUS features

AI NET2

The AI NET2 is a BIOS-based diagnostic tool that detects and reports Ethernet cable faults and shorts. With this utility, you can easily monitor the condition of the Ethernet cable(s) connected to the LAN (RJ-45) port(s). During the bootup process, AI NET2 immediately diagnoses the LAN cable(s) and reports shorts and faults up to 100 meters at 1 meter accuracy. See page 5-10 for details.

Precision Tweaker

This feature allows you to fine tune the CPU/memory voltage and gradually increase the memory Front Side Bus (FSB) and PCI Express frequency at 1MHz increment to achieve maximum system performance. See pages 4-19 and 4-20 for details.

PEG Link Mode for two graphics cards

This feature enhances your PCI Express graphics card performance, allowing the motherboard to automatically adjust the PCI Express graphics link mode to the correct frequency based on the system configuration. Four additional settings are available for overclocking the PEG Link Mode. See page 4-20 for details.

ASUS Q-Fan 2 technology

The ASUS Q-Fan 2 technology smartly adjusts the CPU fan speed according to the system loading to ensure quiet, cool, and efficient operation. See page 4-35 for details.

ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2

This feature allows you to restore the original BIOS data from the support CD when the BIOS codes and data are corrupted. This protection eliminates the need to buy a replacement ROM chip. See page 4-9 for details.

1 - 4

Chapter 1: Product introduction

ASUS MyLogoª

This feature allows you to personalize and add style to your system with customizable boot logos. See page 5-8 for details.

C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)

The C.P.R. feature of the motherboard BIOS allows automatic re-setting to the BIOS default settings in case the system hangs due to overclocking. When the system hangs due to overclocking, C.P.R. eliminates the need to open the system chassis and clear the RTC data. Simply shut down and reboot the system, and the BIOS automatically restores the CPU default setting for each parameter.

ASUS EZ Flash BIOS

With the ASUS EZ Flash, you can easily update the system BIOS even before loading the operating system. No need to use a DOS-based utility or boot from a floppy disk. See page 4-5 for details.

ASUS A8R-MVP

1 - 5

1 - 6

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.

Hardware2 information

Chapter summary

2

 

2.1

Before you proceed ..............................................................

2-1

2.2

Motherboard overview ..........................................................

2-2

2.3

Central Processing Unit (CPU) ..............................................

2-5

2.4

System memory .................................................................

2-10

2.5

Expansion slots ...................................................................

2-14

2.6

Jumper ...............................................................................

2-18

2.7

Connectors .........................................................................

2-19

ASUS A8R-MVP

2.1Before 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 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.

¥Whenever you uninstall any component, place it on a grounded antistatic pad or in the bag that came with the component.

¥Before you install or remove any component, ensure that the ATX power supply is switched off or the power cord is detached from the power supply. Failure to do so may cause severe damage to the motherboard, peripherals, and/or components.

Onboard LED

The motherboard comes with a standby power LED that lights up to indicate that the system is ON, in sleep mode, or in soft-off mode. This is a reminder that you should shut down the system and unplug the power cable before removing or plugging in any motherboard component. The illustration below shows the location of the onboard LED.

 

SB_PWR

A8R-MVP

 

 

 

ON

OFF

A8R-MVP Onboard LED

Standby

Powered

Power

Off

Make sure to connect the EZPlug when using two PCI Express graphics cards and a 20-pin ATX power supply unit, or if the graphics cards do not have auxiliary power plugs. See page 2-24 for the location of the EZPlug connector.

ASUS A8R-MVP

2 - 1

2.2Motherboard overview

Before you install the motherboard, study the configuration of your chassis to ensure that the motherboard fits into it. Refer to the chassis documentation before installing the motherboard.

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.

2.2.1Placement direction

When installing the motherboard, make sure that you place it into the chassis in the correct orientation. The edge with external ports goes to the rear part of the chassis as indicated in the image below.

2.2.2Screw holes

Place nine (9) screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the motherboard to the chassis.

Do not overtighten the screws! Doing so can damage the motherboard.

Place this side towards the rear of the chassis

A8R-MVP

®

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 - 2

Chapter 2: Hardware information

2.2.3Motherboard layout

24.5cm (9.6in)

 

PS/2KBMS

 

 

 

 

T: Mouse

 

 

 

 

B: Keyboard

ATX12V

 

 

 

 

 

 

PORTPARALLEL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SPDIF_O

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COM1

Bottom: Top:

USB1USB2 1394

USB2.0 Top:

T: USB3 RJ-45

B: USB4

Top:Line In

 

 

Center:Line Out

CHA_FAN

 

Below:Mic In

 

ATI

 

 

 

 

Radeon®

 

 

Xpress 200

 

USB78_WFG

CrossFire™

CD

AUX

 

 

EZ_PLUG

 

AAFP

PCIEX16_2

 

 

PCIEX1_1

 

AD1986A

A8R-MVP

 

 

PCIEX16_1

 

PCI1

 

88E8001

®

 

PCI2

 

TI 1394

PCI3

 

 

IE1394_1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CPU_FAN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Super

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I/O

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(64bit,184-pin module)

 

(64bit,184-pin module)

 

(64bit,184-pin module)

 

(64bit,184-pin module)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Socket 939

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EATXPWR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DIMM A1

 

DIMM A2

 

DIMM B1

 

DIMM B2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PRI IDE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DDR

 

DDR

 

DDR

 

DDR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

30.5cm (12in)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IDE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SEC_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CR2032 3V

Lithium Cell

CMOS Power

ULI

M1575

 

PWR

4Mbit

BIOS

_

SB

 

 

 

PWR_FAN GAME

USB56

SATA4

SATA3

FLOPPY

SATA2

SATA1

 

CLRTC

CHASSIS

PANEL

ASUS A8R-MVP

2 - 3

2.2.4Layout Contents

S l o t s

P a g e

1.

DDR DIMM slots

2-10

 

 

 

2.

PCI slots

2-16

3.

PCI Express x1 slot

2-16

4.

PCI Express x16 slots

2-16

 

 

 

Jumper

 

P a g e

1.

Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC)

2-18

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rear panel connectors

P a g e

1.

PS/2 mouse port

2-19

 

 

 

2.

Parallel port

2-19

 

 

 

3.

IEEE 1394a port

2-19

 

 

 

4.

LAN (RJ-45) port

2-19

5.

Line In port

2-19

6.

Line Out port

2-19

7.

Microphone port

2-19

 

 

 

8.

USB 2.0 ports 3 and 4

2-20

 

 

 

9.

USB 2.0 ports 1 and 2

2-20

 

 

 

10.

Serial port

2-20

 

 

 

11.

Coaxial S/PDIF Out port

2-20

12.

PS/2 keyboard port

2-20

 

 

 

 

Internal connectors

P a g e

1.

Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY)

2-21

 

 

 

2.

IDE connectors (40-1 pin PRI_IDE, 40-1 pin SEC_IDE)

2-21

 

 

 

3.

Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA1 [red], SATA2 [red],

 

 

SATA3 [black], SATA4 [black])

2-22

4.

CPU, Chassis, and Power fan connectors

2-23

 

(3-pin CPU_FAN, 3-pin CHA_FAN, 3-pin PWR_FAN )

 

5.

USB connectors (10-1 USB56, USB78_WFG)

2-24

6.

Power connectors (24-pin EATXPWR, 4-pin ATX12V; 4-pin EZ_PLUG)

2-24

7.

GAME/MIDI port connector (16-1 pin GAME)

2-25

 

 

 

8.

IEEE 1394a connector (10-1 pin IE1394_1)

2-26

 

 

 

9.

Chassis intrusion connector (4-1 pin CHASSIS)

2-26

 

 

 

10.

Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin AAFP)

2-27

11.

Internal audio connectors (4-pin CD [black], 4-pin AUX [white])

2-27

12.

System panel connectors (20 pin PANEL)

2-28

 

-

System Power LED (Green 3-pin PLED)

 

 

-

Hard Disk activity (Red 2-pin IDE_LED)

 

 

-

System warning speaker (Orange 4-pin SPEAKER)

 

 

-

Power/Soft-off button(Yellow 2-pin PWRSW)

 

 

-

Reset switch (Blue 2-pin RESET)

 

2 - 4

Chapter 2: Hardware information

2.3Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The motherboard comes with a surface mount 939-pin Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) socket designed for the AMD Athlonª 64FX/AMD Athlonª 64 / Athlonª 64 X2 processor.

The 128-bit-wide data paths of these processors can run applications faster than processors with only 32-bit or 64-bit wide data paths.

Take note of the marked corner (with gold triangle) on the CPU. This mark should match a specific corner on the socket to ensure correct installation.

Gold triangle

2.3.1Installing the CPU

To install a CPU.

1.Locate the 939-pin ZIF socket on the motherboard.

A8R-MVP

A8R-MVP CPU Socket 939

2.Unlock the socket by pressing the lever sideways, then lift it up to a 90¡-100¡ angle.

Socket lever

Make sure that the socket lever is lifted up to 90¡-100¡ angle, otherwise the CPU does not fit in completely.

ASUS A8R-MVP

2 - 5

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.

Small triangle

Gold triangle

The CPU fits only in one correct orientation. DO NOT force the CPU into the socket to prevent bending the pins and damaging the CPU!

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 - 6

Chapter 2: Hardware information

2.3.2Installing the heatsink and fan

The AMD Athlonª 64FX/Athlonª 64/Athlonª 64 X2/Sempronª 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.

¥ The retention module base is already installed on the motherboard upon purchase.

¥You do not have to remove the retention module base when installing the CPU or installing other motherboard components.

¥If you purchased a separate CPU heatsink and fan assembly, make sure that a Thermal Interface Material is properly applied to the CPU heatsink or CPU before you install the heatsink and fan assembly.

CP U fan

CPU heatsink

Retention module base

Retention bracket

Retention bracket lock

Your boxed CPU heatsink and fan assembly should come with installation instructions for the CPU, heatsink, and the retention mechanism. If the instructions in this section do not match the CPU documentation, follow the latter.

ASUS A8R-MVP

2 - 7

ASUS A8R-MVP User Manual

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.Push down the retention bracket lock on the retention mechanism to secure the heatsink and fan to the module base.

2 - 8

Chapter 2: Hardware information

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