ASUS A7N8X-XE User Manual

A7N8X-XE

User Guide

Motherboard

E2126

First Edition July 2005

No part of t his manua l, i ncl udi ng t he products and s oft war e de scr ibe d in it, ma y 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 INFOR MATIONA L USE ONLY, AND AR E SUBJEC T TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME WI THO UT NOTI CE, A ND S HOUL D NO T B E CON STR UED A S A COMM ITM ENT 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 ownersʼ beneﬁt, without intent to infringe.

Contents

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

Safety Information ..........................................................................................vi

About This Guide ..........................................................................................

A7N8X-XE Speciﬁcations Summary ............................................................

Chapter 1: Product Introduction

1.1 Welcome! ....................................................................................... 1-2

1.2 Package Contents ..........................................................................

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

1.3.1 Product highlights ...........................................................

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

1.4 Before You Proceed .......................................................................

1.5 Motherboard Overview ...................................................................

1.5.1 Motherboard layout .........................................................

1.5.2 Placement direction ........................................................

1.5.3 Screw holes ....................................................................

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

1.6.1 Overview .........................................................................

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

1.7 System Memory .............................................................................

1.7.1 Overview .........................................................................

1.7.2 Memory conﬁgurations ....................................................

1.7.3 Installing a DIMM ...........................................................

1.7.4 Removing a DIMM .........................................................1-11

1.8 Expansion Slots ...........................................................................

1.8.1 Installing an expansion card .........................................

1.8.2 Conﬁguring an expansion card .....................................

1.8.3 AGP slot ........................................................................

1.8.4 PCI slots ........................................................................

1.9 Jumpers .......................................................................................

1.10 Connectors ...................................................................................

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

1.10.2 Internal connectors .......................................................

1-2 1-2 1-2 1-4 1-5 1-6 1-6 1-7 1-7 1-8 1-8 1-8 1-9 1-9 1-9

1-11

1-12 1-12 1-12 1-14 1-14 1-15 1-17 1-17 1-18

vii

viii

iii

Contents

Chapter 2: BIOS Setup

2.1 Managing and Updating Your BIOS ............................................... 2-2

2.1.1 Creating a bootable ﬂoppy disk .......................................

2.1.2 Using AFUDOS to copy the current BIOS .......................

2.1.3 Using AFUDOS to update the BIOS ...............................

2.1.4 ASUS CrashFree BIOS utility .........................................

2.1.5 Using ASUS EZ Flash to update the BIOS .....................

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

2.2 BIOS Setup Program .....................................................................

2.2.1 BIOS menu bar ...............................................................

2.2.2 Navigation keys .............................................................

2.3 Main Menu ...................................................................................

2.4 Advanced Menu ...........................................................................

2.4.1 JumperFree Conﬁguration ............................................

2.4.2 USB ConﬁgurationMemory Conﬁguration .....................

2.4.3 CPU Conﬁguration ........................................................

2.4.4 Chipset ..........................................................................

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

2.4.6 PCIPnP .........................................................................

2.5 Power Menu .................................................................................

2.5.1 APM Conﬁguration ........................................................

2.5.2 Hardware Monitor .........................................................

2.6 Boot Menu ....................................................................................

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

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

2.6.3 Security .........................................................................

2.7 Exit Menu .....................................................................................

2-2 2-3 2-3 2-5 2-6 2-7 2-9

2-8 2-10 2-12 2-15 2-15 2-16 2-17 2-17 2-21 2-22 2-23 2-24 2-26 2-27 2-27 2-28 2-29 2-31

Chapter 3: Software Support

3.1 Installing An Operating System ...................................................... 3-2

3.2 Support CD Information .................................................................

3.2.1 Running the support CD .................................................

3.2.2 Drivers menu ...................................................................

3.2.3 Utilities menu ..................................................................

3.2.4 Contacts menu ................................................................

3-2

3-3

3-4

Notices

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.

Th is equi p ment ha s been t e sted an d found to c omply w ith the lim its 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 manufacturerʼ 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 c an be determ ined b y turn ing th e equipmen t off and on, t he use r 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 userʼs 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 d igital apparatu s set out i n the Radio Interfer ence Regulation s 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 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.

About This Guide

How this guide is organized

This manual contains the following parts:

• Chapter 1: Product Introduction

Th is chap ter des cribes the featu res of t he moth e rboar d and th e new

technology it supports. It also 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 2: BIOS Information

This chapter tells how to change system settings through the BIOS Setup

menus. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided.

• Chapter 3: Software Support

This chapter describes the contents of the support CD that comes with the

motherboard package.

Conventions used in this guide

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

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 wo rldw ide provid e upd ated inform atio n on ASU S

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.

vii

A7N8X-XE Speciﬁcations Summary

CPU

Chipset

Front Side Bus (FSB)

Memory

Expansion Slots

Storage

Audio

LAN

USB

ASUS Special features

Rear panel I/O ports

Internal I/O connectors

BIOS features

Industry standard

Manageability

Socket A for AMD Athlon™ XP/Sempron™

NVIDIA® nForce 2 Ultra 400 NVIDIA® nForce 2 MCP-RAID

400/333/266 MHz

3 x 184-pin DDR DIMM Dockets for up to 3GB memory Support DDR 400/333/266, non-ECC, un-buffered memory Support Dual Channel Architecture

1 x AGP 8X 5 x PCI

2 x UltraDMA 133/100/66/33 2 x Serial ATA, RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0 + 1 support

C-Media CMI9761A 6-channel CODEC S/PDIF out interface

Realtek RTL8201BL 10/100Mbps LAN PHY

Supports up to eight USB 2.0 ports

ASUS C.P.R. ASUS C.O.P. (CPU Overheating Protection) ASUS MyLogo2 SFS (Stepless Frequency Selection) from 200MHz up to 400MHz at 1MHz increment

1 x Parallel port 1 x Serial (COM1) port 1 x PS/2 Keyboard port (purple) 1 x PS/2 Mouse port (green) 1 x Audio I/O port 1 x LAN (RJ-45) port 1 x S/PDIF Out (Coaxial) port 4 x USB 2.0 ports

1 x Floppy disk drive connector 2 x IDE connectors 2 x Serial ATA connectors 2 x USB connectors supports additional 4 USB ports 20-pin ATX power connector CD/AUX audio in connectors CPU/Chassis FAN connectors Front panel audio connector

4 Mb Flash ROM, AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0, SM BIOS 2.3, ASUS EZ Flash, ASUS CrashFree BIOS

PCI 2.2, USB 2.0/1.1

WfM 2.0, DMI 2.0, WOL by PME, WOR by PME

Duron™ processors

viii

(continued next page)

A7N8X-XE Speciﬁcations Summary

Support CD

Accessary

Form factor

* Speciﬁcations are subject to change without notice.

Drivers ASUS PC Probe Anti-Virus Software ASUS LiveUpdate

Userʼs Manual UltraDMA cable FDD cable I/O shield SATA cable

ATX, 12” x 7.8” (30.5cm x 19.8cm)

This chapter describes the motherboard feature s and t h e new t e c h nologi e s it supports.

Product

Introduction

1.1 Welcome!

Thank you for buying an ASUS® A7N8X-XE 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.

1.2 Package contents

Check your motherboard package for the following items.

Motherboard ASUS A7N8X-XE motherboard

Cables Serial ATA signal cable and Serial ATA power cable Ultra DMA cable Floppy Disk Drive cable

Accessories I/O shield

Application CDs ASUS motherboard support CD

Documentation User guide

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

1.3 Special features

1.3.1 Product highlights

400 MHz FSB Athlon XP CPU Support

The motherboard supports 400MHz front side bus frequency for AMDʼs Athlon XP and Sempron processors allowing increased ofﬁce productivity and enhanced digital media experience. See page 1-8.

Dual-Channel DDR 400

The 128-bit TwinBank DDR Memory architecture doubles the DDR 400 (PC3200) bandwidth. System bottlenecks are eliminated with balanced architecture and peak bandwidths up to 6.4 GB/s. See page 1-9 for details.

1-2 Chapter 1: Product Introduction

Serial ATA technology

Se rial ATA is the nex t gene r ation ATA sp ecific ation that prov ides sc alabl e performance for today and tomorrow. With up to 150MB/s data transfer rate, Serial ATA is faster than current Parallel ATA, while providing 100% software compatibility. A7N8X-XE supports RAID 0, RAID 1 and RAID 0 + 1. See page 1-19 for details.

Integrated 10/100 LAN controller

A 10/100Mbps Fast Ethernet controller is embedded in this motherboard to give you a fast and reliable connection to a local area network (LAN) and the Internet. See page 1-20

Coaxial S/PDIF out

This motherboard provides convenient connectivity to external home theater audio systems via an coaxial S/PDIF-out (SONY-PHILIPS Digital Interface) jack. it allows to transfer digital audio without converting to analog format and keeps the best signal quality. See page 1-17 for details.

USB 2.0 technology

USB 2.0 is the latest connectivity standard for next generation components and peripherals. Backwards compatible with current USB 1.1 peripherals, USB 2.0 delivers transfer speeds up to 40 times faster at 480 MB/s, for easy connectivity and ultra-fast data transfer rate. See pages1-17 & 1-20 for details.

AGP8X

AGP8X (AGP 3.0) is the mainstream VGA interface specification that enables enhanced graphices performance with high bandwidth up to 2.13 GB/s. See page 1-14 for details.

ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard 1-3

1.3.2 Innovative ASUS features

CrashFree BIOS

CrashFree BIOS allows users to restore BIOS data from a ﬂoppy diskette even when BIOS code and data are corrupted during upgrade or invaded by virus. Unlike other competing vendorsʼ products, ASUS motherboards now enable users to enjoy this protection feature without the need to pay for an extra ROM. See page 2-5 for details.

ASUS EZ Flash BIOS

With ASUS EZ Flash, you can update BIOS before entering operating system. No more DOS-based flash utility and bootable diskette required. See page 2-6 for details.

ASUS C.O.P. (CPU Overheating Protection)

The ASUS C.O.P. (CPU Overheating Protection) is a hardware protection circuit that automatically shuts down the system power before temperatures go high enough to permanently damage the CPU. See page 2-26 for details.

C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)

When the system hangs due to overclocking failure, there is no need to open the case to clear CMOS data. Just simply restrart the system, the BIOS would show the previous setting and then users can amend the CPU setting again.

ASUS MyLogo 2

You can convert your favorite photo into a 256-color boot logo for a more colorful and vivid image on your screen.

1-4 Chapter 1: Product Introduction

1.4 Before you proceed

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

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

• Use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded object or 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.

ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard 1-5

1.5 Motherboard overview

Bottom:Mic In

Center:Line Out

Top:Line In

PANEL

A7N8X-XE

CR2032 3V Lithium Cell

CMOS Power

AUX

IDE1

ATXPWR

19.9cm (7.8in)

30.5cm (12.0in)

CPU_FAN

DDR DIMMA1 (64 bit,184-pin module)

USB34

FLOPPY

Super

I/O

4Mb

BIOS

PS/2KBMS

T: Mouse B: Keyboard

LAN_USB12

REALTEK

RTL8201BL

USB56

SATA2

MCP-RAID

CHA_FAN

Socket 462

DDR DIMMA2 (64 bit,184-pin module)

DDR DIMMB1 (64 bit,184-pin module)

nVidia nForce 2

Ultra 400

IDE2

AGP

PCI1

PCI2

PCI3

PCI4

PCI5

SATA1

USB78

PARALLEL PORT

COM1

SPDIF_O

FSB_SEL0 FSB_SEL1

PS2USBPW

CLRTC

JR1JL1

FP_AUDIO

CM19761A

1.5.1 Motherboard layout

1-6 Chapter 1: Product Introduction

1.5.2 Placement direction

A7N8X-XE

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.

1.5.3 Screw holes

Place seven 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

ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard 1-7

1.6 Central Processing Unit (CPU)

A7N8X-XE

A7N8X-XE CPU Socket 462

AMD™ CPU

CPU NOTCH

LOCK

CPU NOTCH TO INNER CORNER

LEVER

1.6.1 Overview

The motherboard has a Socket A for installation. The AMD Athlon™/Sempron™ /Duron™ CPU has a “marked” corner. This corner is usually indicated with a notch, and/or a golden square or triangle. Refer to this indicator when orienting the CPU. A fan and heatsink should be installed on top of the CPU to prevent overheating.

Do not use processors with core speeds of less than 1GHz.

1.6.2 Installing the CPU

Golden corner

Follow these steps to install a CPU:

1. Locate the CPU socket. Open the socket by pulling the lever gently sideways away from the socket, then lift the lever upwards to a 90 to 100-degree angle.

2. Insert the CPU with the correct o r i e n t a t i o n . Th e no t c h e d or golden corner of the CPU must be oriented toward the inner corner of the socket base nearest to the lever hinge.

1-8 Chapter 1: Product Introduction

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.

1.7 System memory

A7N8X-XE

A7N8X-XE 184-pin DDR DIMM sockets

DIMMA1

DIMMA2

DIMMB1

1.7.1 Overview

The motherboard has three Double Data Rate (DDR) DIMM sockets that support up to 3 GB unbuffered non-ECC DDR400/333/266 DDR SDRAM DIMMs. Each DIMM socket is double-sided.

1.7.2 Memory conﬁgurations

You may install single or double-sided 64 MB, 128 MB, 256 MB, 512 MB, and 1 GB DDR DIMMs to the sockets.

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

1. DIMMs with more than 8 devices on each side of the module are not supported.

2. Make sure the memory frequency and bus frequency setting in the BIOS are the same or set to [Auto] ensure system stability.

3. 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.

4. For optimum compatibility, it is recommended that you obtain memory modules from qualiﬁed vendors. See the next page for a list of qualiﬁed DDR400 DIMM vendors.

5. Visit ASUS website (www.asus.com) for latest DDR400 Qualiﬁed Vendor List.

ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard 1-9

DDR400 Qualiﬁed Vendors List

Size Vendor Model CL Brand SS/DS Component DIMM socket support

256MB Kingston KVR333X64C25/256 N/A Kingston SS D3208DH1T-6 Pass Pass Pass

256MB Kingston KVR333X64C25/256 N/A Hynix SS HY5DU56822BT-J Pass Pass Pass

256MB Kingston KVR333X64C25/256 N/A Hynix DS HY5DU56822BT-D43 Pass Pass Pass

512MB Kingston KVR333X64C25/512 N/A Kingston DS D3208DH1T-6 Pass Pass -

512MB Kingston KVR333X64C25/512 N/A Hynix DS HY5DU56822BT-J Pass Pass Pass

512MB Kingston KVR400X64C3A/512 N/A Hynix DS HY5DU56822BT-D43 Pass Pass Pass

512MB Kingston KVR400X64C3A/512 N/A Kingston DS D3208DH1T-5 Pass Pass Pass

256MB Kingston KVR400X64C3A/256 N/A Hynix SS HY5DU56822BT-D43 Pass Pass -

256MB Inﬁneon HYS64D32300GU-5-C Inﬁneon SS HYB25D256800CE-5C Pass Pass Pass

512MB Inﬁneon HYS64D64320GU-5-C Inﬁneon DS HYB25D256800CE-5C Pass Pass Pass

256MB Inﬁneon HYS64D32300GU-5-C N/A Inﬁneon SS HYB25D256800CE-5C Pass Pass Pass

512MB Inﬁneon HYS64D64320GU-6-C N/A Inﬁneon DS HYB25D256800CE-6C Pass Pass Pass

256MB HY DDR400-256 N/A Hynix SS HY5DU56822BT-D43 Pass Pass Pass

512MB HY DDR400-512 N/A Hynix DS HY5DU56822BT-D43 Pass Pass Pass

256MB HY DDR333-256 N/A Hynix SS HY5DU56822BT-J Pass Pass Pass

512MB HY DDR333-512 N/A Hynix DS HY5DU56822BT-J Pass Pass -

256MB Corsair VS256MB400 N/A Value select SS VS32M8-5 2B0409 Pass Pass Pass

256MB Corsair XMS3202v3.1 Inﬁneon SS HYB25D256807BT-5B Pass Pass Pass

512MB Corsair VS512MB400 N/A Value select DS VS32M8-5 2B0402 Pass Pass -

256MB Corsair VS256MB333 N/A Samsung SS K4H5608380-TCB3 Pass Pass Pass

512MB Corsair XMS2702v3.1 Mosel DS V58C2256804SAT6 Pass Pass Pass

512MB Corsair XMS2702v1.2 Winbond DS W942508CH-6 Pass Pass -

512MB Corsair VS512MB333 N/A Value select DS VS32M8-6 2B0412 Pass Pass -

512MB Micron MT16VDDT6464AG-335GB N/A Micron DS MT46V32M8TG-6TG Pass Pass Pass

256MB Micron MT8VDDT3264AG-335GB Micron SS MT46V32M8TG-6TG Pass Pass Pass

256MB Micron MT8VDDT3264AG-40BGB Micron SS MT46V32M8TG-5BG Pass Pass Pass

512MB Micron MT16VDDT6464AG-40BCB Micron DS MT46V32M8TG-5BC Pass Pass Pass

256MB Samsung M368L3223FTN-CCC Samsung SS K4H560838F-TCCC - - Pass

512MB Samsung M368L6423FTN-CCC Samsung DS K4H560838F-TCCC Pass Pass Pass

256MB Samsung M368L3223FTN-CB3 Samsung SS K4H560838F-TCB3 Pass Pass Pass

512MB Samsung M368L6423FTN-CB3 Samsung DS K4H560838F-TCB3 Pass Pass Pass

A*: Supports one module inserted in any slot as Single-channel memory con guration B*: Supports one pair of modules inserted into either the blue slots or the black slots as one pair of Dualchannel memory con guration C*: Supports 3 modules inserted into both the blue and black slots as two pairs of Dual-channel memory



con guration



(Optional) A* B* C*

1-10 Chapter 1: Product Introduction

1.7.3 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.

Follow these steps to install a DIMM.

1. L o c a t e the DIMM sock e t s in t h e motherboard.

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

3. Align a DIMM on the socket such that the notch on the DIMM matches the break on the socket.

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.

4. F i rmly i n s e r t the D I M M into t h e socket until the retaining clips snap bac k i n pl a ce an d th e D I M M is properly seated.

1.7.4 Removing a DIMM

Follow these steps to remove a DIMM.

DDR DIMM notch

Unlocked Retaining

Clip

Locked Retaining Clip

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.

ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard 1-11

+ 46 hidden pages