ASUS A7N8X-VM User Manual

A7N8X-VMA7N8X-VM

A7N8X-VM

A7N8X-VMA7N8X-VM

User Guide

Motherboard

Checklist

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.

Contents

Notices ............................................................................................ v

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

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

Conventions used in this guide ..................................................... vii

A7N8X-VM specifications summary ............................................. viii

Chapter 1: Motherboard Info ..................................................... 1

1.1 Welcome!................................................................................. 2

1.2 Motherboard components ....................................................... 3

1.3 Motherboard layout ................................................................. 6

1.4 Before you proceed ................................................................. 7

1.5 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ................................................ 7

1.76 System memory ..................................................................... 8

1.6.1 Installing a DIMM .......................................................... 8

1.7 Expansion slots ....................................................................... 8

1.7.1 Configuring an expansion card .................................... 8

1.7.2 Standard Interrupt Assignments .................................. 9

1.7.3 AGP slot ...................................................................... 9

1.7.4 CNR slot .................................................................... 10

Features

1.8 Jumpers ................................................................................... 11

1.9 Connectors ............................................................................ 13

Chapter 2: BIOS Information ..................................................... 1

2.1 BIOS Setup program ................................................................ 2

2.1.1 BIOS menu bar ............................................................. 2

2.1.2 Legend bar ................................................................... 3

2.2 Main Menu ................................................................................ 4

2.2.1 Primary and Secondary IDE Master/Slave ................... 5

2.2.2 System Information ...................................................... 7

2.3 Advanced Menu ........................................................................ 8

2.3.1 Chipset ......................................................................... 8

2.3.2 Onboard Devices Configurations ................................. 9

2.3.3 PCIPnP ........................................................................ 11

2.4 Power Menu ........................................................................... 13

2.4.1 Hardware Monitor ....................................................... 14

iii

Safeguards

Contents

2.4.2 Power Up Control ....................................................... 15

2.5 Boot Menu .............................................................................. 17

2.5.1 Boot Settings Configuration ........................................ 17

2.5.2 Security ...................................................................... 19

2.6 Exit Menu ............................................................................... 21

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.

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.

About this guide

Conventions used in this guide

To make sure that you perform certain tasks properly, take note of the following symbols used throughout this manual.

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.

vii

A7N8X-VM specifications summary

CPU

Chipset

Front Side Bus (FSB)

Memory

Expansion slots

IDE

Audio (optional)

LAN (optional)

Special features

Socket A for AMD Athlon 333 MHz FSB Support

Northbridge: NVIDEA nFORCE2 IGP Southbridge: NVIDEA nFORCE2 MCP

333/266 MHz

2 x 184-pin DDR DIMM Sockets Max. 2 GB unbuffered PC2700/2100 non-ECC DDR RAM memory

3 x PCI 1 x AGP 8X (1.5V only)

2 x UltraDMA 133/100/66/33

RealTek ALC650 6-channel audio CODEC linked w/ South Bridge

1Port Realtek 8201BL PHY

ASUS C.O.P. (CPU Overheating Protection) Supports S/PDIF in/out

/ Athlon

XP 3000+ or above

Back panel I/O Ports

Internal I/O Connectors

BIOS features

Industry standard

1 x Parallel 1 x Serial 1 x PS/2 keyboard 1 x PS/2 mouse 1 x RJ-45 port 1 x Audio I/O 1 x VGA port 2 x USB 2.0

2 x USB 1.1 connectors support 4 additional USB2.0 ports CPU/Chassis fan connectors 20-pin ATX power connector PANEL connector CD / AUX S/PDIF in/out connector TV out connector Front panel audio connector (optional)

4Mb Flash ROM, ACPI 2.0, AMI BIOS, TCAV, PnP, DMI2.0, DMI, Green, SMBIOS 2.3

PCI 2.2, USB 1.1/2.0

Manageability

Form Factor

* Specifications are subject to change without notice.

DMI 2.0, WOL, WOR, WO_USB, WO_KB/MS, SM Bus

Micro-ATX form factor: 9.6 in x 8.6 in (24.5 cm x 21.9 cm)

viii

Chapter 1

This chapter gives information about the ASUS A7N8X-VM motherboard that came with the system.This chapter includes the motherboard layout, jumper settings, and connector locations.

ASUS A7N8X-VM Motherboard

Motherboard Info

1-1

1.1 Welcome!

Thank you for buying the ASUS® A7N8X-VM motherboard!

The ASUS A7N8X-VM motherboard is loaded with the most advanced technologies to deliver the maximum performance for socket A processors. This motherboard is loaded with value-added features for guaranteed consumer satisfaction. For future upgrades or system reconfiguration, this chapter provides technical information about the motherboard.

1-2

1.2 Motherboard components

23 61 5

912

8 710

19 20 21

ASUS A7N8X-VM Motherboard

24 23

1-3

ATX power connector. This standard 20-pin connector connects to an ATX

12V power supply. The power supply must have at least 1A on the +5V standby lead (+5VSB).

CPU Sockets. Socket 462 (Socket A) Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) socket for

the AMD Athlon™/Athlon XP™ 3000+ processors or higher.

NorthBridge Controller. The NVIDIA

nForce2™ IGP North Bridge controller chipset. The controller supports a 64/128bit DDR memory controller and up to 2 GB of 333/266/200MHz DDR memory.

DDR DIMM Sockets. Equipped with two Double Data Rate Dual Inline

Memory Module (DDR DIMM) sockets to support up to 2GB of DDR DRAM, the newest memory standard with the highest bandwidth and lowest latency currently available. This memory technology supplies data transfer rates up to 5.4GB/s for 333MHz DDR SDRAM.

IDE Connectors. These dual-channel bus master IDE connectors support

up to four Ultra DMA133/100/66, PIO Modes 3 & 4 IDE devices. Both the primary(blue) and secondary(black) connectors are slotted to prevent incorrect insertion of the IDE ribbon cable.

Floppy Disk connector. This connector connects the provided ribbon

cable for the floppy disk drive. One side of the connector is slotted to prevent incorrect insertion of the floppy disk cable.

Flash ROM. This 4Mb firmware contains the programmable BIOS

program.

Super I/O chipset. ITE IT8712F-A offers 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.

South bridge controller. Features the brand new NVIDIA

MCP 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 controller supports standard UltraDMA133/100/66/33 and separate data paths for each IDE channel are built-in for up to two IDE devices. The controller supports six USB ports, one LAN port and is PCI rev2.2 compliant.

1-4

AGP Slot. This Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) slot only supports 1.5V

AGP 8X mode graphics cards for 3D graphical applications.

CNR slot. The Communications and Networking Riser (CNR) slot supports

interface cards that integrates audio, modem, and network functionality.

Audio CODEC. The Realtek 6-channel CODEC is an AC’97 compliant

audio CODEC designed for PC multimedia systems.

Chapter 1: Motherboard Information

PCI slots. These 32-bit PCI 2.2 expansion slots support bus master PCI

cards like SCSI or LAN cards with 133MB/s maximum output.

LAN chip. The Realtek 8201BL PHY Fast Ethernet controller allows

connection to a Local Area Network (LAN) through a network hub.

Onboard LED. This onboard LED lights up if there is a standby power on the motherboard. This LED acts as a reminder to turn off the system power before plugging or unplugging devices.

PS/2 mouse port. This green 6-pin connector is for a PS/2 mouse.

Parallel port. This 25-pin port connects a parallel printer, a scanner, or

other devices.

RJ-45 port. Using the NVIDIA

LAN 10/100 Mbps fast ethernet controller, this port allows connection to a Local Area Network (LAN) through a network hub.

Line In jack. This Line In (light blue) jack connects a tape player or other audio sources.

Line Out jack. This Line Out (lime) jack connects a headphone or a speaker.

Microphone jack. This Mic (pink) jack connects a microphone.

USB 2.0 ports. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus 2.0 (USB 2.0) ports

are available for connecting USB devices such as a mouse and PDA.

VGA port. This 15-pin VGA port connects to a VGA monitor.

Serial port. This port connects to your serial mouse and other serial

devices.

PS/2 keyboard port. This purple 6-pin connector is for a PS/2 keyboard.

ASUS A7N8X-VM Motherboard

1-5

1.3 Motherboard layout

24.5cm (9.64in)

PS/2

T: Mouse B: Keyboard

COM1

PWR_LED1

Socket 462

CPU_FAN1

VGA

USBPWR12

Bottom:

Top:

USB1

RJ-45

USB2

Top:Line In Center:Line Out Below:Mic In

FPAUDIO1

Audio

Codec

PARALLEL PORT

USBPWR34

USB34

TV_OUT

FLOPPY1

nVidia

Gfore4MX

CRUSH18G

ATX Power Connector

Realtek

RTL8201

CD1

AUX1

SPDIF1

CNR1

Chipset

CHA_FAN1

A7N8X-VM

Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP8X1)

PCI 1

PCI 2

PCI 3

BUZZ1

nForce2

MCP-T/MCP

Chipset

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

DDR DIMM3 (64/72 bit, 184-pin module)

IDE1

CHASSIS1

COM2

GAME1

IDE2

CR2032 3V Lithium Cell

CMOS Power

4Mb

BIOS

PANEL1

Super

USBPWR56

USB56

I/O

CLRTC1

24.5cm (9.64in)

IR_CON1

1-6

Chapter 1: Motherboard Information

1.4 Before you proceed

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.

1.5 Central Processing Unit (CPU)

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 A7N8X-VM supports Athlon™ XP processors with “QuantiSpeed” data processing, large data caches, 3D enhancements and 333/266Mhz bus speeds.

CPU NOTCH TO INNER CORNER

LOCK

A7N8X-VM

AMD™ CPU

A7N8X-VM Socket 462

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.

LEVER

CPU NOTCH

ASUS A7N8X-VM Motherboard

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