Asus A7N8X-E User Manual
A7N8X-E
Deluxe
User Guide
Motherboard
Checklist
E1465
Revised Edition V2
October 2003
Copyright © 2003 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.
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.
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.
ii
Contents
Notices ...........................................................................................vi
Safety information ......................................................................... vii
About this guide............................................................................ viii
How this guide is organized ................................................ viii
Conventions used in this guide ............................................. ix
Where to find more information ............................................. ix
A7N8X-E Deluxe specifications summary .......................................x
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
1.3.2 Unique ASUS features ........................................... 1-3
Features
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)........................................... 2-6
2.3.1 Overview ................................................................ 2-6
2.3.2 Installing the CPU .................................................. 2-6
2.4 System memory ................................................................. 2-8
2.4.1 Overview ................................................................ 2-8
2.4.2 Memory configurations .......................................... 2-8
2.4.3 Installing a DIMM ................................................. 2-10
2.4.4 Removing a DIMM ............................................... 2-10
2.5 Expansion slots .................................................................2-11
2.5.1 Installing an expansion card .................................2-11
2.5.2 Configuring an expansion card .............................2-11
2.5.3 Interrupt assignments .......................................... 2-12
2.5.4 PCI slots .............................................................. 2-13
2.5.5 AGP slot............................................................... 2-13
2.5.6 Wi-Fi slot .............................................................. 2-14
iii
Contents
Safeguards
2.6 Jumpers............................................................................ 2-15
2.7 Connectors ....................................................................... 2-18
2.7.1 Rear panel connectors......................................... 2-18
2.7.2 Internal connectors .............................................. 2-19
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
3.3 ASUS POST Reporter™ .................................................... 3-3
3.3.1 Vocal POST messages .......................................... 3-3
3.3.2 Winbond Voice Editor ............................................ 3-5
Chapter 4: BIOS setup
4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS .................................... 4-1
4.1.1 Creating a bootable floppy disk ............................. 4-1
4.1.2 AwardBIOS Flash Utility......................................... 4-2
4.1.3 ASUS Update ........................................................ 4-5
4.2 BIOS Setup program .......................................................... 4-7
4.2.1 BIOS menu screen ................................................ 4-8
4.2.2 Menu bar................................................................ 4-8
4.2.3 Navigation keys ..................................................... 4-8
4.2.4 Menu items ............................................................ 4-9
4.2.5 Sub-menu items..................................................... 4-9
4.2.6 Configuration fields ................................................ 4-9
4.2.7 General help .......................................................... 4-9
4.2.8 Pop-up window ...................................................... 4-9
4.2.9 Scroll bar................................................................ 4-9
4.3 Main menu........................................................................ 4-10
4.3.1 System Time [xx:xx:xxxx]..................................... 4-10
4.3.2 System Date [Day xx/xx/xxxx] ............................. 4-10
4.3.3 Legacy Diskette A [1.44M, 3.5 in.] ....................... 4-10
4.3.4 Halt On [All Errors] ............................................... 4-10
4.3.5 Primary and Secondary Master/Slave ..................4-11
4.4 Advanced menu ............................................................... 4-14
4.4.1 Advanced BIOS Features .................................... 4-15
4.4.2 Advanced Chipset Features ................................ 4-18
4.4.3 Integrated Peripherals ......................................... 4-22
iv
Contents
4.4.4 Power Management Setup .................................. 4-24
4.4.5 PnP/PCI Configurations ....................................... 4-26
4.5 Security Menu .................................................................. 4-27
4.6 Hardware Monitor Menu................................................... 4-29
4.7 Exit Menu ......................................................................... 4-30
Chapter 5: Software support
5.1 Install 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 ASUS Contact Information..................................... 5-4
5.2.5 Other information ................................................... 5-5
®
5.3 NVIDIA
5.3.1 Launching the NVIDIA® control panel .................... 5-7
5.3.2 Main ....................................................................... 5-7
5.3.3 Speaker Setup ....................................................... 5-7
5.3.4 MIDI ....................................................................... 5-9
5.3.5 Environment........................................................... 5-9
5.3.6 Applications ........................................................... 5-9
5.3.7 Information ........................................................... 5-10
5.4 NVIDIA
nForce control panel ............................................ 5-7
®
NVSwap 1.0 Utility ..............................................5-11
5.5 RAID 0/RAID 1 Configurations ......................................... 5-13
5.5.1 Install the hard disks ............................................ 5-13
5.5.2 Creating and Deleting RAID sets ......................... 5-14
5.6 Onboard Marvell Gigabit LAN drivers for ................................
Windows 98SE/ME........................................................... 5-16
®
5.7 Marvell
Virtual Cable Tester™ (VCT) Technology........... 5-17
Quick Reference Card
v
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
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.
vi
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 adpater 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.
vii
About this guide
This user guide contains the information you need when installing and
configuring the motherboard.
How this guide is organized
This manual contains the following parts:
• Chapter 1: Product introduction
This chapter describes the motherboard features of the and the new
technologies 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 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.
viii
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: Information that you MUST follow to complete a
task.
NOTE: Tips and additional information to aid in completing a task.
Where to find more information
Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product
and software updates.
1. ASUS websites
The ASUS websites worldwide provide 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.
ix
A7N8X-E Deluxe specifications summary
CPU
Front Side Bus (FSB)
Chipset
Memory
Expansion slots
Storage
Audio
Socket A for AMD Duron™/AMD Athlon™/AMD Athlon™ XP
3200+ processors
400/333/266/200Mhz
Northbridge: NVIDIA
Southbridge: NVIDIA® nForce2 MCP-T
Dual-channel memory architecture
3 x 184-pin DDR DIMM sockets for up to 3GB memory
Supports PC3200/PC2700/PC2100/PC1600 unbuffered
non-ECC DDR DIMMs
5 x PCI
1 x AGP Pro/8X (1.5V only)
1 x ASUS proprietary Wi-Fi slot
2 x UltraDMA 133/100/66/33
2 x Serial ATA with RAID 0, 1 support
MCP-T southbridge integrated Audio Processor Unit (APU) +
Realtek ALC650 6-channel audio CODEC
®
nForce2 Ultra 400
LAN
1394
Special Features
Rear Panel I/O
®
Marvell
MCP-T southbridge integrated controller MAC + Realtek
8201BL LAN PHY
MCP-T southbridge integrated IEEE1394a controller +
Realtek 8801B PHY
ASUS Q-Fan Technology
ASUS POST Reporter
ASUS C.O.P. (CPU Overheating Protection)
Power Loss Restart
CPU Throttle
1 x parallel port
1 x serial port
1 x PS/2 keyboard port
1 x PS/2 mouse port
1 x S/PDIF in/out port
1 x surround L/R audio jack
1 x CNTR/LFE audio jack
1 x audio I/O port
1 x Gigabit RJ-45 Port
1 x Fast Ethernet RJ-45 port
4 x USB 2.0 ports
88E8001 Gigabit LAN
(continued on the next page)
x
A7N8X-E Deluxe specifications summary
Internal I/O
Connectors
BIOS features
Industry standard
Manageability
Form Factor
Support CD contents
USB 2.0 connector supports additional 2 USB 2.0 ports
Game/MIDI connector
CPU/Power/Chassis fan connectors
2 x IDE connectors
20-pin ATX power connector
2 x SATA connectors
2 x 1394 connectors
Chassis intrusion connector
Infrared module connector
CD / AUX / Modem connector
Front panel audio connector
Serial port 2 connector
S/PDIF connector
4Mb Flash ROM, Award BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, Green
PCI 2.2, USB 1.1/2.0.
DMI 2.0, WOL, WOR, Chassis Intrusion
ATX form factor: 12 in x 9.6 in (30.5 cm x 24.5 cm)
Device drivers
ASUS PC Probe
I’m InTouch™ Remote Access Application
Trend Micro
ASUS LiveUpdate Utility
TM
PC-cillin 2002 anti-virus software
* Specifications are subject to change without notice.
xi
xii
Chapter 1
This chapter describes the motherboard
features and the new technologies it
supports.
Product introduction
Chapter summary
1.1 Welcome! ........................................................ 1-1
1.2 Package contents .......................................... 1-1
1.3 Special features ............................................. 1-2
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
1.1 Welcome!
®
Thank you for buying the ASUS
The motherboard delivers a host of new features and latest technologies
making it another standout in the long line of ASUS quality motherboards!
The motherboard supports the AMD Athlon™, AMD Athlon™ XP or AMD
Duron™ processors in a Socket A (462-pin) package with the NVIDIA
nForce2™ Ultra 400 chipset to set a new benchmark for an effective
desktop platform solution.
Supporting up to 3GB of system memory with PC3200/PC2700/PC2100/
PC1600 DDR SDRAM, high-resolution graphics via an AGP 8X slot, SATA,
RAID, IEEE 1394, USB 2.0, and 6-channel audio features, the
motherboard takes you ahead in the world of power computing!
Before you start installing the motherboard, and hardware devices on it,
check the items in your package with the list below.
A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard!
®
1.2 Package contents
Check your motherboard package for the following items.
ASUS motherboard
ASUS support CD
2 x SATA cables
1 x SATA power cable
1 x 2-port USB module w/ cable
1 x 2-port IEEE1394 module
1 x 80-conductor ribbon cable for UltraDMA/66/100/133 IDE drives
1 x 40-conductor IDE cable
1 x Ribbon cable for a 3.5-inch floppy drive
WinDVD Suite
I/O shield
Bag of extra jumper caps
User Guide (includes Quick Reference Card)
Quick Setup Guide
Jumper/Connector sticker
If any of the above items is damaged or missing, contact your retailer.
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
1-1
1.3 Special features
1.3.1 Product Highlights
Latest processor technology
The motherboard supports the latest AMD Athlon™, Athlon™ XP and AMD
Duron™ processors via a 462-pin surface mount ZIF socket. The AMD
Athlon™ and AMD Athlon™ XP processors features a 400Mhz front side
bus and the QuantiSpeed™ architecture for rapid execution of
applications.
NVIDIA® nForce™ Platform Processing Architecture
The motherboard combines the power of NVIDIA’s nForce2™ Ultra 400
and nForce2™ MCP-T chipsets that improves processing efficiency and
overall system performance.
Serial ATA solution
The motherboard supports two interfaces compliant to the Serial ATA
(SATA) specification, an evolutionary replacement of the Parallel ATA
storage interface. The Serial ATA specification allows for thinner, more
flexible cables with lower pin count, reduced voltage requirement, up to
150 MB/s data transfer rate. See page 2-21.
AGP 8X support
The motherboard support AGP 8X (AGP 3.0) specification offering 2.12
GB/s bandwidth. See page 2-13.
Dual LAN (Fast-Ethernet and Gigabit) solution
The onboard Marvell® Gigabit LAN controller and Fast-Ethernet LAN
controller integrated in the southbridge supply two separate ports for LAN
on Motherboard (LOM) applications. The Marvell® Gigabit LAN controller is
equipped with the net-diagnosing utility, VCT (Virtual Cable Tester), that
intelligently diagnoses and reports cable faults from a remote location up
to 100 meters. This feature helps maintain a more stable network
connection. See pages 2-18, 5-17.
S/PDIF in/out function
The motherboard’s S/PDIF out function turns your computer into a highend entertainment system with digital connectivity.
1-2
Chapter 1: Product introduction
IEEE 1394 support
The IEEE 1394 interface provides high-speed and flexible PC connectivity
to a wide range of peripherals and devices compliant to IEEE 1394a
standards. The IEEE 1394 interface allows up to 400Mbps 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 page 2-25.
6-channel digital audio
The Realtek ALC650 AC’97 audio 6-channel CODEC works with the Audio
Processing Unit (APU) integrated in the NVIDIA
southbridge to provide 3D surround audio effects and Dolby® Digital
cinematic-quality audio.
®
NForce2™ MCP-T
6 USB 2.0 ports
The motherboard implements the Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0
specification to provide up to 480Mbps connection speed. See page 2-24.
1.3.2 Unique ASUS features
ASUS Wi-Fi slot
The ASUS Wi-Fi slot is based on the 802.11b/g wireless standard that is
specifically designed for the ASUS WiFi-b™ add-on card to set up a
wireless LAN environment. The ASUS WiFi-b™ add-on card bundles the
Software AP (Access Point) to save the extra cost of a stand-alone AP.
The card comes with user-friendly utilities and applications that allow quick
connection to notebooks, PDAs, and other wireless LAN peripherals. See
page 2-14.
ASUS Q-Fan technology
The ASUS Q-Fan technology smartly adjusts the fan speeds according to
the system loading to ensure quiet, cool, and efficient operation. See
pages 4-29.
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
1-3
ASUS POST Reporter™
The motherboard offers a new exciting feature called the ASUS POST
Reporter™ to provide friendly voice messages and alerts during the
Power-On Self-Tests (POST). Through an added external speaker, you will
hear the messages informing you of the system boot status and causes of
boot errors, if any. The bundled Winbond Voice Editor software allows you
to customize the voice messages, and provides multi-language support.
See page 3-3.
1-4
Chapter 1: Product introduction
Chapter 2
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.
Hardware information
Chapter summary
2.1 Before you proceed ....................................... 2-1
2.2 Motherboard overview................................... 2-2
2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ..................... 2-6
2.4 System memory ............................................. 2-8
2.5 Expansion slots ............................................2-11
2.6 Jumpers ........................................................ 2-15
2.7 Connectors ................................................... 2-18
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
2.1 Before you proceed
®
d
Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard
components or change any motherboard settings.
1. Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any
component.
2. Use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded object or to
a metal object, such as the power supply case, before handling
components to avoid damaging them due to static electricity.
3. Hold components by the edges to avoid touching the ICs on them.
4. 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
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. When lit, the green
LED indicates that the system is ON, in sleep mode, or in soft-off mode, 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.
A7N8X-E
A7N8X-E Onboard LED
PWR_LED1
ON
Standby
Power
OFF
Powere
Off
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
2-1
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 may 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. The edge with external ports goes to the
rear part of the chassis as indicated in the image below.
2.2.2 Screw 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 may damage the
motherboard.
Place this side towards
the rear of the chassis
2-2
Chapter 2: Hardware information
2.2.3 Motherboard layout
24.5cm (9.6in)
®
PS/2
T: Mouse
B: Keyboard
Bottom:
Top:
USB3
RJ-45
USB4
COM1
CNTR/
LFE1
SURR1
SPDIFOUT2
Bottom:
Top:
USB1
RJ-45
USB2
Top:Line In
Center:Line Out
Below:Mic In
IE1394_2
IE1394_1
GLAN_SW
Realtek
RTL8801
FPAUDIO1
MODEM1
PARALLEL PORT
Marrell
88E8001
Audio
Codec
KBPWR1
USBPW12
USBPW34
Realtek
RTL8201
PCI LAN
SPDIF1
CD1
AUX1
Socket 462
NVIDIA
nForce2
SPP
Ultra400
CHA_FAN1
Chipset
Speech
Controller
WIFI
CR2032 3V
Lithium Cell
CMOS Power
SATALInk
Chipset
SATA_RAID2
CPU_FSB
PWR_FAN1
Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP Pro)
PCI 1
A7N8X-E
PCI 2
PCI 3
PCI 4
SB_PWR1
PCI 5
CPU_FAN1
ATX Power Connector
DDR DIMM_B1 (64/72 bit, 184-pin module)
DDR DIMM_A1 (64/72 bit, 184-pin module)
DDR DIMM_A2 (64/72 bit, 184-pin module)
0 1
2 3
4 5
SEC_IDE1
4Mb
BIOS
NVIDIA
nForce2
MCP-T
Chipset
Super
CLRTC1
SATA_EN1
with Hardware
SATA_RAID1
ASUS
ASIC
Monitor
CHASSIS1
USB56
USBPW56
IR_CON1
CTRL_PANEL1
FLOPPY1
PRI_IDE1
I/O
COM2
GAME1
30.5cm (12.0in)
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
2-3
2.2.4 Layout Contents
Slots
1. PCI slots p. 2-13
2. AGP slot p. 2-13
3. Wi-Fi slot p. 2-14
4. DDR DIMM slots p. 2-8
Jumpers
1. Keyboard wake-up (3-pin KBPWR1) p. 2-15
2. Central Processing Unit FSB Setting (3-pin CPU_FSB) p. 2-15
3. USB device wake-up (3-pin
4. Gigabit LAN Setting (3-pin GLAN_SW) p. 2-16
5. Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC1) p. 2-17
6. Serial ATA setting (3-pin SATA_EN1) p. 2-17
USBPW12, USBPW34, USBPW56
) p. 2-16
Rear Panel Connectors
1. PS/2 mouse port p. 2-18
2. Fast Ethernet port (RJ-45) p. 2-18
3. Parallel port p. 2-18
4. Gigabit LAN port (RJ-45) p. 2-18
5. Line In jack p. 2-18
6. Line Out jack p. 2-18
7. Microphone jack p. 2-18
8. USB 2.0 ports 1 and 2 p. 2-18
9. S/PDIF out jack p. 2-18
2-4
10. Surround L/R audio jack p. 2-18
11. Center/LFE audio jack p. 2-18
12. Serial connector p. 2-18
13. USB 2.0 ports 3 and 4 p. 2-19
14. PS/2 keyboard port p. 2-19
Chapter 2: Hardware information
Internal Connectors
1. Primary IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE) p. 2-19
2. Secondary IDE connector (40-1 pin SEC_IDE) p. 2-19
3. Floppy disk connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY1) p. 2-20
4. Chassis intrusion connector (4-1 pin CHASSIS1) p. 2-20
5. Serial AT A connectors (7-pin SATA_RAID1, SATA_RAID2 ) p. 2-21
6. CPU fan connector (3-pin CPU_FAN1) p. 2-22
7. Power fan connector (3-pin PWR_FAN1) p. 2-22
8. Chassis fan connector (3-pin CHA_FAN1) p. 2-22
9. Serial Port 2 connector (10-1 pin COM2) p. 2-22
10. ATX power connector (20-pin ATXPWR1) p. 2-23
11. USB headers (10-1 pin USB56) p. 2-24
12. MODEM connector (4-pin MODEM1) p. 2-25
13. CD connector (4-pin CD1) p. 2-25
14. AUX connector (4-pin AUX1) p. 2-25
15. IEEE 1394 connectors (10-1 pin IE1394_1, IE1394_2) p. 2-25
16. Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin FP_AUDIO) p. 2-26
17. Digital audio connector (6-1 pin SPDIF1) p. 2-26
18. GAME/MIDI connector (16-1 pin GAME1) p. 2-27
19. Infrared module connector (10-1 pin IR_CON1) p. 2-27
20. System panel connector (20-pin CTRL_PANEL1) p. 2-28
- System Power LED Lead (Green 3-1 pin PLED)
- Keyboard Lock Lead (Brown 2-pin KEYLOCK)
- System Warning Speaker Lead (Orange 4-pin SPKR)
- Reset Switch (Blue 2-pin RESET)
- ATX Power Switch (Yellow 2-pin PWRBTN)
- Hard Disk Activity LED (Red 2-pin IDE_LED)
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
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2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU)
2.3.1 Overview
The motherboard comes with a surface mount 462-pin Zero Insertion
Force (ZIF) socket designed for the AMD Athlon™, AMD Athlon™ XP and
AMD Duron™ processors.
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.
Do not use processors with core speeds of less than 1GHz on this
motherboard.
2.3.2 Installing the CPU
Follow these steps to install a CPU.
1. Locate the 462-pin ZIF socket on the motherboard.
Gold triangle
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Chapter 2: Hardware information
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.
3. Position the CPU above the
socket such that the CPU corner
with the gold triangle matches the
base of the socket lever.
4. Carefully insert the CPU into the
socket until it fits in place.
90°-100° angle
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.
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
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2.4 System memory
®
s
2.4.1 Overview
The motherboard comes with four Double Data Rate (DDR) Dual Inline
Memory Module (DIMM) sockets.
The following figure illustrates the location of the sockets.
104 Pin
A7N8X-E
80 Pins
A7N8X-E 184-Pin DDR
DIMM Sockets
2.4.2 Memory configurations
You may install 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, and 1GB DDR DIMMs into
the DIMM sockets using the memory configurations in this section.
Important notes on memory configurations
1. Installing DDR DIMMs other than the recommended configurations
may cause memory sizing error or system boot failure. Use any of
the recommended configurations in Table 1.
2. Always install DIMMs with the same CAS latency. For optimum
compatibility, it is recommended that you obtain memory modules
from the same vendor.
3. DIMMs with more than 18 chips are not supported.
4. DIMMs with more than 8 devices on each side of the module are
not supported.
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Chapter 2: Hardware information
Table 1 Recommended memory configurations
Sockets
Mode DIMM_A1 DIMM_A2 DIMM_B1
Single-channel (1) Populated — —
(2) — Populated —
(3) — — Populated
Dual-channel* (1) Populated — Populated
(2) — Populated Populated
(3) Populated Populated Populated
Obtain DDR400 DIMMs only from ASUS qualified vendors for better
system performance. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) for the
latest qualified vendors list.
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2.4.3 Installing a DIMM
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.
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.
Unlocked Retaining Clip
A DDR DIMM is keyed with a notch so that it fits in only one direction.
DO NOT force a DIMM into a socket to avoid damaging the DIMM.
3. Firmly insert the DIMM into the
socket until the retaining clips
snap back in place and the DIMM
is properly seated.
DDR DIMM NOTCH
Locked Retaining Clip
2.4.4 Removing a DIMM
Follow these steps to remove a DIMM.
1. Simultaneously press the
retaining clips outward to unlock
the DIMM.
Support the DIMM lightly with your fingers when pressing the retaining
clips. The DIMM might get damaged when it flips out with extra force.
2. Remove the DIMM from the socket.
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