ASUS A7N266-VM, A7N266-VMAA User Manual

®

A7N266-VM

User Guide

Motherboard

Checklist

Product Name: A7N266-VM
Manual Revision: 1.00 E1014
Release Date: March 2002

Copyright © 2002 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. All Rights Reserved.

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

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

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

The product name and revision number are both printed on the product itself. Manual revisions
are released for each product design represented by the digit before and after the period of
the manual revision number. Manual updates are represented by the third digit in the manual
revision number.

For previous or updated manuals, BIOS, drivers, or product release information, contact
ASUS at: http://www.asus.com or through any of the means indicated on the following page.

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

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

ii

About this guide

This user manual contains complete information for installing the ASUS
A7N266-VM motherboard.

How this guide is organized

• Chapter 1: Product introduction. A summary of product features and

special attributes of new technologies.

• Chapter 2: Hardware information. A list of hardware setup procedures
and descriptions of all jumpers and connectors on the motherboard.

• Chapter 3: Powering up. Describes the power up sequence with
information on BIOS beep codes.

• Chapter 4: BIOS setup. How to change system settings using onboard
BIOS firmware. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are supplied.

• Chapter 5: Software support. A summary of contents on the
motherboard support CD ROM.

• Appendix and Glossary . Optional components and technical definitions.

• Index

Conventions used in this guide

Features

T o make sure that you perform set-up tasks properly , take note of the following
symbols used throughout this manual.

WARNING! Information to prevent injury to yourself.

CAUTION! Information to prevent damage to the components.

IMPORTANT! Information that you MUST follow to complete a task.

NOTE! T ips and helpful information.

iii

Safeguards

Contents

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

How this guide is organized...............................................................iii

Conventions used in this guide..........................................................iii

Safety information ...................................................................................... vi

FCC/CDC statements.................................................................................vii

ASUS contact information ......................................................................... viii

Chapter 1: Product introduction ............................................. 1

Welcome! .................................................................................................... 1

1.1 Package contents.............................................................................. 1

1.2 Core Specifications ........................................................................... 2

1.3 Special Features ............................................................................... 3

1.4 Motherboard Components................................................................. 4

1.4.1 Component Locations ......................................................... 5

Chapter 2: Hardware information ............................................ 7

2.1 Motherboard installation .................................................................... 7

2.1.1 Placement direction ............................................................. 7

2.1.2 Screw holes......................................................................... 7

2.2 Layout contents................................................................................. 9

2.3 Before you proceed ......................................................................... 10

2.4 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ........................................................ 11

2.4.1 Overview ........................................................................... 11

2.4.2 Installing the CPU.............................................................. 12

2.5 System memory .............................................................................. 13

2.5.1 Overview ........................................................................... 13

2.5.2 Memory configurations ...................................................... 14

2.5.3 Installing a DIMM............................................................... 14

2.6 Expansion slots ............................................................................... 15

2.6.1 Installing an expansion card .............................................. 15

2.6.2 Configuring an expansion card .......................................... 16

2.6.3 PCI slots............................................................................ 17

2.6.4 AGP slot ............................................................................ 18

2.7 Jumpers .......................................................................................... 19

2.8 Connectors...................................................................................... 23

Chapter 3: Powering up ......................................................... 33

3.1 Starting up for the first time.............................................................. 33

3.2 Powering off the computer............................................................... 34

Chapter 4: BIOS setup ........................................................... 35

4.1 Managing and Updating Your BIOS................................................. 35

iv

Contents

4.1.1 Upon First Use of the Computer System ........................... 35

4.1.2 Updating BIOS Procedures ............................................... 37

4.2 BIOS Setup Program ...................................................................... 39

4.2.1 BIOS Menu Bar ................................................................. 40

4.2.2 Legend Bar........................................................................ 40

4.3 Main Menu ...................................................................................... 42

4.3.1 Primary & Secondary Master/Slave ................................... 43

4.3.2 Keyboard Features ............................................................ 47

4.4 Advanced Menu .............................................................................. 49

4.4.1 Summary of Warning Messages......................................... 51

4.4.2 Chip Configuration............................................................. 52

4.4.3 I/O Device Configuration ................................................... 54

4.4.4 PCI Configuration .............................................................. 56

4.4.5 Shadow Configuration ....................................................... 58

4.5 Power Menu .................................................................................... 59

4.5.1 Power Up Control .............................................................. 61

4.5.2 Hardware Monitor.............................................................. 62

4.6 Boot Menu....................................................................................... 63

4.7 Exit Menu ........................................................................................ 65

Chapter 5: Software support ................................................. 67

5.1 Install an operating system .............................................................. 67

5.2 Support CD information ................................................................... 67

5.3 A7N266-VM Motherboard Support CD ............................................ 68

5.3.1 Installation Menu ............................................................... 68

5.3.2 Installation Procedure........................................................ 69

5.3.3 Installation of PCI Drivers: Win98 ...................................... 70

5.3.4 Installation of Audio Codec Drivers: Win98 ........................ 71

5.3.5 Installation of NVIDIA MCP MAC Driver: Win98................. 72

5.3.6 Installation of NVIDIA GeForce2 GPU Driver: Win98 ......... 72

5.4 ASUS PC Probe.............................................................................. 73

5.5 ASUS Live Update .......................................................................... 78

5.6 3Deep Color Tuner.......................................................................... 79

5.7 CyberLink PowerPlayer SE ............................................................. 81

5.8 CyberLink VideoLive Mail ................................................................ 83

Chapter 6: Appendix ............................................................... 85

6.1 Glossary.......................................................................................... 85

6.2 Troubleshooting............................................................................... 89

Index ........................................................................................ 91

v

Safety information

Electrical safety

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

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

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

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

• Make sure that your power supply is set to the voltage available in your
area.

• If the power supply is broken, contact a qualified service technician or your
retailer.

Operational safety

• Before installing the motherboard and adding new devices, carefully read
all the manuals that came with the package.

• Before use ensure all cables are correctly connected and the power cables
are not damaged. If you detect any damage, contact the 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.

• Mount the motherboard inside a standard PC enclosure.

• If you encounter technical problems with the product, contact a qualified

service technician or the dealer.

vi

FCC/CDC statements

Federal Communications Commission Statement

This device complies with FCC Rules Part 15. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:

• This device may not cause harmful interference, and

• This device must accept any interference received including interference

that may cause undesired operation.

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a
Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits
are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference
in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate
radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with
manufacturer’s instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not
occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful
interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by
turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

• Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to

which the receiver is connected.

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

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

Canadian Department of Communications Statement

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

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

vii

ASUS contact information

ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (Asia-Pacific)

Marketing

Address: 150 Li-Te Road, Peitou, Taipei, Taiwan 112
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Technical Support

Tel (English): [phone]
Tel (Chinese): [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Newsgroup: cscnews.asus.com.tw
WWW: www.asus.com.tw
FTP: ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS

ASUS COMPUTER INTERNATIONAL (America)

Marketing

Address: 6737 Mowry Avenue, Mowry Business Center, Building 2

Newark, CA 94560, USA
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Technical Support

Fax: [phone]
BBS: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
WWW: www.asus.com
FTP: ftp.asus.com/pub/ASUS

ASUS COMPUTER GmbH (Europe)

Marketing

Address: Harkortstr. 25, 40880 Ratingen, BRD, Germany
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail] (for marketing requests only)

Technical Support

Hotline: MB/Others: [phone]

Notebook: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Support (Email): www.asuscom.de/de/support (for online support)
WWW: www.asuscom.de
FTP: ftp.asuscom.de/pub/ASUSCOM

viii

Chapter 1

Product introduction

ASUS A7N266-VM motherboard

Welcome!

Thank you for buying the ASUS® A7N266-VM motherboard!

The A7N266-VM is powered by AMD
processors and supplies advanced features to ensure long-lasting, superlative

®

performance. The ASUS
home PCs and workstations.

~ Up to 1GB of system memory of the latest DDR RAM
~ High-resolution graphics via an AGP 4X slot
~ Digital Audio Interface for 3D sound
~ Onboard LAN PHY for instant networking (Optional)
~ Four USB ports plus one header for two more
~ UltraDMA100 data rates

The A7N266-VM is the perfect vehicle to get ahead in the world of power
computing!

A7N266-VM motherboard is the prime choice for

®

Athlon™, Athlon™ XP and Duron

™

1.1 Package contents

Check your A7N266-VM package for the following items.

ASUS A7N266-VM motherboard (MicroATX form factor: 9.6 in x 9.6 in)
ASUS A7N266-VM support CD
ASUS 2-port USB module
40-conductor IDE cable
Ribbon cable for a 3.5-inch floppy drive
COM 2 bracket
I/O shield (LAN model only)
Bag of extra jumper caps
User Guide

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

ASUS A7N266-VM motherboard user guide

1

1.2

Core Specifications

The A7N266-VM motherboard is designed and assembled according to the
highest standards. This ASUS motherboard represents the latest advances
and offers users the finest componentry available today...

®

AMD
North Bridge Chipset: the nVidia

Athlon™/ Athlon™ XP and Duron™ Socket A (462) Processor

®

220D GeForce MX Integrated GPU/
North Bridge controller chipset. The controller supports a 64bit DDR
memory controller and up to 1 GB of 266/200MHz DDR SDRAM memory .
The 64bit memory controller provides a exceptional 2.1 GB/second system
memory bandwidth.

South Bridge Chipset: Features the brand new nVidia

®

nForce

™

MCP-D integrated peripheral South Bridge controller operates at 800MB/
sec to communicate with the North Bridge for maximum bandwith required
for PCI, USB and support for Fast Ethernet devices. The chipset has an
integrated APU (Audio Processing Unit) for Dolby

™

digital encoding. The
controller supports standard UltraDMA/100/66/33 for burst mode data
transfer rates of up to 100MB/sec. Separate data paths for each IDE
channel are built-in for up to four IDE devices. The controller supports
six USB ports and is PCI rev 2.2 compliant. The MCP supplies an LPC

1.0 interface along with AT legacy functions, a clock synthesizer and meets
ACPI 1.0 and PCI Power Management 1.1 specifications.

PC2100 / PC1600 DDR Support: Equipped with two Double Data Rate Dual

Inline Memory Module (DDR DIMM) sockets to support up to 1GB of DDR
DRAM, the newest memory standard with the highest bandwidth and
lowest latency currently available. This new memory technology increases
performance by executing two actions per clock cycle, resulting in data
transfer rates of up to 2.1 GB/s for 133MHz DDR SDRAM and 1.6GB/s
for 100MHz DDR SDRAM.

UltraDMA/100 Support: Comes with an onboard PCI Bus Master IDE

controller with two connectors that support four IDE devices on two
channels. Supports UltraDMA100/66/33, PIO Modes 3 & 4, Bus Master
IDE DMA Mode 2, and Enhanced IDE devices, such as DVD-ROM, CD­ROM, CD-R/RW, LS-120, and Tape Backup drives.

Multi-I/O Chipset: Offers complete support for a variety of I/O functions.

Provides two high-speed UART compatible serial ports and one parallel
port with EPP and ECP capabilities. UART2 can also be directed from
COM2 to the Infrared Module for wireless connections. The Super I/O
controller supports a floppy disk drive, PS/2 keyboard, and PS/2 mouse.

Connections: Parallel Port, PS/2 mouse Port, PS/2 keyboard, 2 USB ports,

Microphone, Line In Jack, Line Out Jack, Standard ATX power.

2

Chapter 1: Product introduction

Expansion: One AGP 4X, four USB ports, three PCI slots, S/PDIF digital

audio connector, front audio panel connector, infrared port.

1.3 Special Features

T emperature, Fan and V oltage Monitoring: CPU temperature is monitored

by ASUS ASIC through a thermal sensor mounted under the CPU. The
sensor signals the computer to prevent overheating and damage. The
CPU and system fans can be monitored for RPM and failure. System
voltage levels are monitored to ensure stable current to critical
motherboard components.

ACPI Ready: Advanced Configuration Power Interface (ACPI) provides more

Energy Saving Features for operating systems that support OS Direct
Power Management (OSPM).

Concurrent PCI: Concurrent PCI allows multiple PCI transfers from PCI

master busses to the memory and processor.

Auto Fan Off: The system fans powers off automatically even in sleep mode.
Dual Function Power Button: Push the power button for less than 4 seconds

when the system is operating places the system into sleep or soft-off
modes; press the power button for more than 4 seconds, and the system
enters the soft-off mode regardless of the BIOS setting.

Dolby
nVidia

™

Integrated Audio

®

GeForce2 MX™ Integrated VGA technology

ASUS A7N266-VM motherboard user guide

3

1.4

Motherboard Components

Before installing the A7N266-VM motherboard, take time to familiarize yourself
with its configuration: understanding the motherboard makes upgrading easy .
Sufficient knowledge of specifications prevents accidental damage.

Location

Processor Support Socket A for AMD

®

Chipsets nVidia

Realtek 8201L PHY controller ........................................ 3

2Mbit Programmable Flash EEPROM ..........................13

Multi-I/O controller .........................................................15

Main Memory Maximum 1GB support

2 DDR DIMM Sockets .....................................................4

Expansion Slots 3 PCI Slots ....................................................................16

1 Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) 4X Slot ..................20

System I/O 2 IDE Connectors (UltraDMA100/66 Support) ................7

1 Floppy Disk Drive Connector ....................................... 8

1 System Panel Connector ............................................. 9

USB Headers (Ports 2/3, 4/5) ....................................... 11

1 COM2 Header ............................................................14

1 PS/2 Mouse Connector .................................(green) 21

1 PS/2 Keyboard Connector .......................... (purple) 31

1 Parallel Port................................................................23

1 Serial Ports (COM1) ...................................................29

USB Connectors (Ports 0/1)..........................................30

Hardware Monitoring System Voltage Monitor (integrated in ASUS ASIC) ..... 10

Special Feature Onboard LED ..................................................................6

Audio Features (on audio models only)

Audio Connectors..........................................................19

2-CH Audio Controller .................................................. 18

1 ASUS Front Audio Panel Connector .......................... 17

1 Line Out Connector ......................................... (lime) 27

1 Line In Connector ................................... (light blue) 26

1 Microphone Connector .................................... (pink) 25

Power ATX Power Supply Connector .........................................5

Form Factor Micro-ATX

220D North Bridge ..............................................2

®

Athlon™ and Duron™ Processors....... 1

NOTE: Software driver support for the 6-CH audio system is available
for downloading at the ASUS website: www.asus.com

4

Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.4.1 Component Locations

20
19

18
17

16

2461

3

5

7

11

21 23 24

31 30

ASUS A7N266-VM motherboard user guide

22

29 28 252627

81013 12 91415

5

Chapter 2

Hardware information

ASUS A7N266-VM motherboard

2.1 Motherboard installation

The A7N266-VM uses the Micro-ATX form factor, measuring 24.5 cm
(9.6 in.) x 24.5 cm (9.6 in.) - a standard fit for most large chassis.

WARNING! Unplug the power cord before installing the motherboard.

Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and damage motherboard
components.

2.1.1 Placement direction

When installing the motherboard, take care to orient the chassis correctly:
The edge with external ports goes to the rear part of the chassis. Refer to the
image below. It may be more convenient to install major cables, the CPU
and modular components before fixing the motherboard inside the case frame.

2.1.2 Screw holes

Place eight (8) screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the
motherboard to the chassis.

CAUTION! Do not overtighten the screws! Doing so may damage the

motherboard.

Place this side towards
the rear of the chassis

ASUS A7N266-VM motherboard user guide

7

24.5cm (9.64in)

PS/2

T: Mouse
B: Keyboard

Bottom:

Top:

USB1

RJ-45

USB2

COM1

PARALLEL PORT

VGA

Line
Out

Line

In

Mic

In

GAME_AUDIO

CD_IN1

USBPWR01
KBPWR1

BSEL0
BSEL1

AUDIO_COM1

Socket 462

Accelerated Graphics Port

nVidia

220D

Chipset

(AGP)

CPU_FAN

A7N266-VM

CR2032 3V
Lithium Cell

CMOS Power

PLED

DDR DIMM1 (64/72 bit, 184-pin module)

DDR DIMM2 (64/72 bit, 184-pin module)

®

0 1

2 3

ATX Power Connector

CLRTC

Primary IDE

30.5cm (12.0in)

Audio

Codec

AAPANEL1

Super

I/O

Secondary IDE

nVidia

MCP-D

Chipset

USB45

USBPWR23
USBPWR45

BUZZER

USB23

ASUS

ASIC

with Hardware

Monitor

SMB

IDELED

FLOPPY

IR

PANEL

COM2

PCI 1

PCI 2

PCI 3

2Mb

BIOS

SPDIF1

Optional components are grayed in the above motherboard layout.

8

Chapter 2: Hardware information

2.2 Layout contents

CPU, Memory and Expansion Slots

1) Socket 462 p. 12 CPU Support

2) DIMM 1/2 p. 14 System Memory Support

3) PCI 1/2/3 p. 18 32-bit PCI Bus Expansion Slots

4) AGP 4x p. 18 Accelerated Graphics Slot

Motherboard Settings (Switches and Jumpers)

1) BSEL0, BSEL1 p. 19 CPU:DRAM Frequency Setting (Various)

2) KBPWR p. 20 Keyboard Wake Up (+5V / +5VSB)

3)

USBPWR_01,_23,_45

4) CLRTC p. 22 Clear RTC RAM (CLRTC)

Connectors

1) PS2KBMS p. 23 PS/2 Mouse Port (6 pin female)

2) PS2KBMS p. 23 PS/2 Keyboard Port (6 pin female)

p. 21 USB Device Wake-up (Disable/Enable)

3) USB p. 24 Universal Serial Bus Ports 0, 1

4) COM1 / COM2 p. 24 Serial Ports (One 9-pin, One 10-1 pin)

5) VGA p. 25 Monitor Output Connector (Blue 15-pin)

6) PRINTER p. 25 Parallel Port (25 pin female)

7) GAME_AUDIO p. 25 Game/MIDI Ports (Gold 15-pin) (Optional)

8) AUDIO p. 26 Audio Connectors (Three 1/8” AUDIO) (Optional)

9) IDELED p. 26 IDE Activity LED (Two 40-1 pin)

10) FLOPPY p. 27 Floppy Disk Drive Connector (34-1 pin)

11) PRIMARY / SEC. IDE p. 27 IDE Connectors (Two 40-1 pin)

12) CPU_F AN p. 28

13) AAPANEL p. 28 ASUS Front Panel Audio Connector (10 pin)

14) ATXPWR p. 29 ATX Power Supply Connector (20 pin)

15) SMB p. 29 SMBus Connector (6-1 pin)

16)

CD_IN1, AUX

17) SPDIF1 p. 30 Digital Audio Interfaces (4-1 pin SPDIF1)

18) USB_23, _45 p. 31 USB Headers (Two 10-1 pin)

CPU Fan Connector (3 pin)

p. 30 Internal Audio Connectors (Two 4 pin)

(Two x 4 pin female)

(Optional)

(Optional)

18) IR p. 31 Infrared module connector (Two 5-1 pin)

20) PWR_LED (Panel) p. 32

21) KEYLOCK (Panel) p. 32 Keyboard Lock Switch Lead (2 pin)

22) SPEAKER (Panel) p. 32 System Warning Speaker Lead (4 pin )

23) LED (Panel) p. 32 System Message LED Lead (2 pin)

24) SMI (Panel) p. 32 System Management Interrupt Lead (2 pin)

25) PWR (Panel) p. 32 ATX Power Switch / Soft-Off Switch Lead (2 pin)

26) RESET (Panel) p. 32 Reset Switch Lead (2 pin)

System Power LED Lead (3-1 pin)

ASUS A7N266-VM motherboard user guide

9

2.3 Before you proceed

Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard
components or change any motherboard settings.

CAUTION!

1. Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any
component.

2. Use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded object or to a
metal object, such as the power supply case, before handling
components to avoid damaging them due to static electricity.

3. Hold components by the edges and do not to touch the ICs on them.

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

5. Before you install or remove any component, ensure that the

A TX 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.

NOTE! When lit, the onboard LED indicates that the system is ON, in

sleep mode or in soft-off mode, not powered OFF. See the illustration
below.

A7N266-VM

PLED

®

ON

Standby

Power

A7N266-VM Onboard LED

OFF

Powered

Off

10

Chapter 2: Hardware information

2.4 Central Processing Unit (CPU)

2.4.1 Overview

The motherboard provides a Socket A (462) for CPU installation. AMD
processors offer gigahertz speeds to support all the latest computing platforms

™

and applications. The A7N266-VM supports Athlon
“QuantiSpeed” data processing, large data caches, 3D enhancements and
266Mhz bus speeds.

A7N266-VM

CPU NOTCH
TO INNER
CORNER

XP processors with

LOCK

®

AMD™ CPU

A7N266-VM Socket 462

LEVER

CPU NOTCH

Each AMD CPU has a “marked” corner . This corner is usually indicated with
a notch, and/or a golden square or triangle. Refer to this indicator while
orienting the CPU. See the next page for installation details.

A fan and heatsink should be attached to the CPU to prevent overheating.

ASUS A7N266-VM motherboard user guide

11

2.4.2 Installing the CPU

Follow these steps to install a CPU:

1. Locate the Socket 462 and open it by
pulling the lever gently sideways away
from the socket. Then lift the lever
upwards. The socket lever must be fully
opened (90 to 100 degrees).

2. Insert the CPU with the correct
orientation. The notched or golden
corner of the CPU must be oriented
toward the inner corner of the socket
base nearest to the lever hinge.

CAUTION! The CPU should drop easily into place. Do not force the

CPU into the socket to avoid bending the pins. If the CPU does not fit,

check its alignment and look for bent pins.

4. Once completely inserted, press the CPU firmly and close the socket
lever until it snaps shut.

5. Place the CPU fan and heatsink on the CPU. The heatsink should entirely
cover the CPU. Carefully attach the heatsink locking brace to the plastic
clips on the socket base. With the added weight of the CPU fan and
heatsink locking brace, no extra force is required to keep the CPU in
place

CAUTION! Take care not to scrape the motherboard surface when

mounting a clamp-style processor fan, or else damage may occur . When
mounting a heatsink onto your CPU, make sure that exposed CPU
capacitors do not touch the heatsink, or damage may occur!

NOTE! Do not neglect to set the correct Bus Frequency and leave the

CPU Multiple setting at default to avoid start-up problems.

12

Chapter 2: Hardware information

2.5 System memory

2.5.1 Overview

This motherboard uses only Double Data Rate (DDR) Synchronous Dynamic
Random Access Memory (SDRAM) Dual Inline Memory Modules (DIMMs).
These sockets support up to 1GB system memory using non-ECC PC200/
266 DIMMs.

Each DIMM socket/module is two-sided: each side defines one “row” of
memory. DIMMs come in combinations of single or double-sided types
ranging through 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB

to form a total memory size of 64MB to 1GB.
~ Two (2) sockets are available for both 266MHz-PC2100 or 200MHz-PC1600

DDR DIMMs to form a memory size of 64MB to 1GB.

A7N266-VM

104 Pins

®

80 Pins

A7N266-VM 184-Pin DDR
DIMM Sockets

CAUTION! DIMMs are keyed to fit into notches with only one direction.

DO NOT force a DIMM into a socket to avoid damaging the DIMM.

• DIMMs with more than 18 chips are not supported.

• ASUS motherboards support SPD (Serial Presence Detect)DIMMs.

This is the memory of choice for best performance vs. stability

• BIOS shows DDR SDRAM memory on bootup screen.

ASUS A7N266-VM motherboard user guide

13

2.5.2 Memory configurations

Install DIMMs in any of the following combinations.

DIMM Location 184-pin DIMM (DDR) Total Memory

Socket 1 (Rows 0&1) 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB x1
Socket 2 (Rows 2&3) 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB x1

Total system memory (Max. 1GB) =

2.5.3 Installing a DIMM

CAUTION! Make sure to unplug the power supply before adding or

removing DIMMs or other system components. Failure to do so may cause
severe damage to both the motherboard and the components.

Installing a DIMM:

1. Unlock a DIMM socket by pressing the retaining clips outward.

2. Align a DIMM on the socket such that the notches on the DIMM exactly
match the notches in the socket.

3. Firmly insert the DIMM into the socket until the retaining clips snap back
in place.

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Unlocked Retaining Clip Locked Retaining Clip

Chapter 2: Hardware information

2.6 Expansion slots

The motherboard has three PCI slots and one Accelerated Graphics Port
(AGP) slot.. The following sub-sections describe the slots and the expansion
cards that they support.

WARNING! Unplug your power supply when adding or removing

expansion cards or other system components. Failure to do so may cause
you physical injury and damage motherboard components.

2.6.1 Installing an expansion card

Follow these steps to install an expansion
card.

1. Before installing the expansion card, read
the documentation that came with it and
make the necessary hardware settings.

2. Remove the system unit cover (if your
motherboard is already installed in a
chassis).

3. Remove the bracket opposite the PCI slot.
Keep the screw for later use.

4. Align the card connector with the slot and
press firmly until the card is completely
seated on the slot.

5. Secure the card to the chassis with the
screw you removed earlier.

6. Replace the system cover.

7. Set up the BIOS if necessary.

8. Install the necessary software drivers for your expansion card.

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15

2.6.2 Configuring an expansion card

Some expansion cards need an IRQ to operate. Generally , an IRQ must be
exclusively assigned to one function at a time. In a standard design
configuration, 16 IRQs are available but most are already in use. Normally,
6 IRQs are free for expansion cards. If the motherboard has PCI audio
onboard, an additional IRQ will be used. If your motherboard also has MIDI
enabled, another IRQ will be used, leaving 4 IRQs free. Sometimes IRQs
are “shared” by more than one function; in this case, IRQ assignments are
swapped automatically or adjusted through the BIOS firmware.

IMPORTANT! When using PCI cards on shared slots, ensure that the

drivers support “Share IRQ” or that the cards do not need IRQ
assignments. Otherwise, conflicts will arise between the three PCI groups,
making the system unstable and the card inoperative.

Standard Interrupt Assignments

IRQ Priority Standard Function

0 1 System Timer
1 2 Keyboard Controller
2 N/A Programmable Interrupt
3* 11 Communications Port (COM2)
4* 12 Communications Port (COM1)
5* 13 Sound Card (sometimes LPT2)
6 14 Floppy Disk Controller
7* 15 Printer Port (LPT1)
8 3 System CMOS/Real Time Clock
9* 4 ACPI Mode when used
10* 5 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
11* 6 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
12* 7 PS/2 Compatible Mouse Port
13 8 Numeric Data Processor
14* 9 Primary IDE Channel
15* 10 Secondary IDE Channel

*These IRQs are usually available for ISA or PCI devices.

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Chapter 2: Hardware information

Interrupt Request Table for this Motherboard

INT-A INT-B INT-C INT-D INT-E INT-F INT-G INT-H INT-I

PCI slot 1 used ————————
PCI slot 2 ———used —————
PCI slot 3 ——used ——————
Onboard USB0 —————shared ———
Onboard USB1 —————shared ——used
Onboard Audio ————used ————
Onboard Modem———————used —

2.6.3 PCI slots

Three 32-bit PCI slots are available on this motherboard. The slots support
PCI cards such as a LAN card, SCSI card, USB card, and other cards that
comply with PCI specifications.

This figure shows a typical PCI card installed into a slot:

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17

2.6.4 AGP slot

This motherboard provides an Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP 4X) slot to
support AGP graphics cards. Take note of the notches on the card golden
fingers to ensure that they fit the AGP slot on your motherboard. Below is an
example of a +1.5V AGP card.

A7N266-VM

®

Keyed for 1.5v

A7N266-VM Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP)

CAUTION! To avoid damaging your AGP graphics card, your computer’s

power supply should be unplugged before inserting your graphics card
into the slot.

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Chapter 2: Hardware information