Asus A7S266-U2 User Manual

A7S266-VM

User Guide

Motherboard

Checklist

E1 116
First Edition

August 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.

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

Contents ......................................................................................... iii

FCC/CDC statements......................................................................v

Federal Communications Commission Statement .................v

Canadian Department of Communications Statement ...........v

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

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

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

Where to find more information ............................................ vii

ASUS contact information ............................................................. vii

Specifications summary .................................................................ix

Chapter 1 - Motherboard Info ................................................... 1-1

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

1.2 Package contents ....................................................... 1-2

Features

1.3 Introduction.................................................................. 1-3

1.4 Motherboard components .......................................... 1-3

1.5 Motherboard layout..................................................... 1-6

1.6 Before you proceed..................................................... 1-7

1.7 Central Processing Unit (CPU)................................... 1-7

1.8 System memory........................................................... 1-8

1.9 Expansion Slots........................................................... 1-9

1.9.1 Configuring an expansion card .................................. 1-9

1.9.2 Standard Interrupt Assignments ................................ 1-9

1.10 Jumpers ....................................................................... 1-10

1.11 Connectors ................................................................. 1-11

Chapter 2 - BIOS Information ..................................................... .2-1

2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS ............................ 2-2

2.1.1 Using ASUS EZFLASH to update the BIOS................ 2-2

2.1.2 Using ASUS AFLASH to update the BIOS................... 2-4

Updating BIOS procedures.................................... 2-5

2.2 BIOS Setup Program ................................................... 2-7

2.2.1 BIOS menu bar ........................................................... 2-7

2.2.2 Legend bar .................................................................. 2-8

iii

Safeguards

Contents

2.3 Main Menu .................................................................... 2-9

2.3.1 Primary and Secondary Master/Slave......................... 2-11

2.3.2 Keyboard Features ..................................................... 2-13

2.4 Advanced Menu ........................................................... 2-14

2.4.1 Chip Configuration ...................................................... 2-15

2.4.2 I/O Device Configuration ............................................. 2-17

2.4.3 PCI Configuration ........................................................ 2-18

2.4.3.1 PCI IRQ Resource Exclusion ................................... 2-19

2.5 Power Menu .................................................................. 2-20

2.5.1 Power-up Control ........................................................ 2-22

2.5.2 Hardware Monitor ........................................................ 2-23

2.6 Boot Menu ..................................................................... 2-24

2.7 Exit Menu ................................................................. 2-25

Chapter 3 - Starting Up .............................................................. 3-1

3.1 Install an operating system......................................... 3-2

3.2 Support CD information.............................................. 3-2

3.2.1 Running the support CD ............................................ 3-2

3.2.2 Software drivers and installation menus .................... 3-3

3.3 Software Information................................................... 3-5

3.3.1 ASUS Update ............................................................. 3-5

3.3.2 ASUS PC Probe ......................................................... 3-6

Starting ASUS PC Probe ...................................... 3-6

Using ASUS PC Probe ......................................... 3-7

ASUS PC Probe Task Bar Icon ............................ 3-9

iv

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.

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. 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.

vi

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/DANGER: 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. The ASUS websites are listed in the
ASUS Contact Information on page viii.

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

ASUS contact information

ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (Asia-Pacific)

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

Technical Support

MB/Others (Tel): [phone] (English)
Notebook (Tel): [phone] (English)
Desktop/Server (Tel): [phone] (English)
Support Fax: [phone]
Support Email: [e-mail]
Web Site: www.asus.com.tw
Newsgroup: cscnews.asus.com.tw

ASUS COMPUTER INTERNATIONAL (America)

Address: 6737 Mowry Avenue, Mowry Business Center,

Building 2, Newark, CA 94560, USA
General Fax: [phone]
General Email: [e-mail]

Technical Support

Support Fax: [phone]
General Support: [phone]
Web Site: www.asus.com
Support Email: [e-mail]

ASUS COMPUTER GmbH (Europe)

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

Technical Support

Support Hotline: MB/Others: [phone]
Notebook (Tel): [phone]
Support Fax: [phone]
Support (Email): www.asuscom.de/de/support (for online support)
Web Site: www.asuscom.de

viii

A7S266-VM specifications summary

CPU

Chipset

Front Side Bus (FSB)
Memory

Expansion slots
IDE
Audio (optional)

LAN (optional)

Socket A for AMD Athlon XP/Athlon/Duron 2 GHz+
Thoroughbred core CPU ready

Northbridge: SiS 740
Southbridge: SiS 961B

266/200Mhz
2 x DDR DIMM Sockets

Max. 2 GB unbuffered PC2100/1600 non-ECC DDR SDRAM
2 x SDR DIMM Sockets
Max. 2 GB unbuffered PC133/100 non-ECC SDRAM
(Note: DDR and SDR memory cannot be used on A7S266-
VM simultaneously.)

4 x PCI
2 x UltraDMA 133/100/66
C-media 4-channel CODEC

S/PDIF-out interface
SiS 961B integrated 10/100Mbps Fast Ethernet with Realtek

external PHY

Special Features

Back Panel I/O Ports

Internal I/O
Connectors

Power Loss Restart
ASUS Jumperfree
SFS (Stepless Frequency Selection)
support S/PDIF out interface (on audio model only)
ASUS C.O.P. (CPU Overheating Protection)

1 x Parallel
1 x Serial
1 x VGA
1 x PS/2 Keyboard
1 x PS/2 Mouse
1 x Audio I/O, Game/MIDI (on audio model only)
2 x USB 1.1
1 x RJ-45 Port (on LAN model only)

CPU/Chassis FAN connector
20 pin ATX power connector
IDE LED connector
SIR
COM2 port
S/PDIF out connector (on audio model only)
CD/AUX audio in (on audio model only)
Front panel audio connector (on audio model only)
2 x USB 1.1 connector supports additional 4 USB 1.1 ports

(continued on the next page)

ix

A7S266-VM specifications summary

BIOS features

Industry standard
Manageability
Form Factor
Support CD contents

Accessories

* Specifications are subject to change without notice.

2Mb Flash ROM, EEPROM, ASUS JumperFree, Award
BIOS with ACPI, DMI2.0, PnP, WfM2.0, Green, TCAV (Trend
Chip Away Virus)

PCI 2.2, USB 1.1.
WfM2.0, DMI2.0, WOR, WOL
ATX form factor: 9.6 in x 9.6 in (24.5 cm x 24.5 cm)
Device drivers

ASUS PC Probe
Trend Micro
ASUS LiveUpdate Utility

User’s manual
Support CD
1 x UltraDMA 133/100/66 cable
FDD cable
COM2 cable
I/O shield

tm

PC-cillin 2002 anti-virus software

x

Chapter 1

This chapter gives information about the
ASUS A7S266-VM motherboard that came
with the system.This chapter includes the
motherboard layout, jumper settings, and
connector locations.

ASUS A7S266-VM Motherboard

Motherboard Info

1-1

1.1 Welcome!

Thank you for buying the ASUS® A7S266-VM motherboard!

The ASUS A7S266-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.

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 ASUS A7S266-VM package for the following items.

ASUS A7S266-VM motherboard

ATX form factor: 9.6 in x 9.6 in (24.5 cm x 24.5 cm)
ASUS A7S266-VM series support CD
1 pc. 80-conductor ribbon cable for UltraDMA/66/100/133 IDE drives
Ribbon cable for a 3.5-inch floppy drive
Bag of extra jumper caps
User Guide
I/O shield

1-2

1.3 Introduction

The ASUS A7S266-VM motherboard is yet another high-quality motherboard
from ASUS. Unique ASUS features such as ASUS C.O.P., ASUS JumperFree
and more are included to ensure the best user experience and value in a
motherboard. For future upgrades or system reconfiguration, this chapter
provides technical information about the motherboard.

1.4 Motherboard components

15

14
13

23 61 5

4

12

10

16 18 19

26 25

17

24 23 202122

7811 9

ASUS A7S266-VM Motherboard

1-3

1

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

socket for the AMD Athlon XP 2200+/Athlon/Duron Processors, with
frequency of 2200+ or higher.

2

3

4

5

6

7

NorthBridge Controller. The SIS 740 NorthBridge controller

supports 266 Mhz front side bus.
DDR DIMM Sockets. These two 184-pin DIMM sockets support up

to 2GB using non-ECC PC2100/1600 DDR DIMMs
SDRAM DIMM Sockets. These two 168-pin DIMM sockets support

up to 2GB using non-ECC PC133/100 SDRAM DIMMs.

(Note: DDR and SDRAM memory cannot be used simultaneously)

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.

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).

South bridge controller. The SIS 961B integrated peripheral
controller supports various I/O functions including, dual-channel
ATA133/100/66 bus master IDE controller, up to six USB 1.1 ports,
PS/2 keyboard and mouse port, LPC Super I/O interface, AC’97
interface,10/100Mb LAN and PCI 2.2 interface..

8

9

10
11

12

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.

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.

COM2 connector. This 9-pin connector connects to COM2 port.
Flash ROM. This 2Mb firmware contains the programmable BIOS

program.
Super I/O chipset. This interface provides the commonly used

Super I/O functionality. The chipset supports a high-performance
floppy disk controller for a 360K/720K/1.44M/2.88M floppy disk
drive, a multi-mode parallel port, a game port and a serial port.

1-4

Chapter 1: Motherboard Information

13

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.

14

15

16
17

18

19

20

Audio CODEC. The C-Media 4-channel CODEC is an AC’97

compliant audio CODEC designed for PC multimedia systems.

(on audio model only)

LAN PHY. The SiS 961B integrated 10/100Mbps Fast Ethernet with
Realtek external PHY allows connection to a Local Area Network
(LAN) through a network hub. (on LAN model only)

PS/2 mouse port. This green 6-pin connector is for a PS/2 mouse.
RJ-45 port. This port allows connection to a Local Area Network

(LAN) through a network hub. (on LAN model only)
Parallel port. This 25-pin port connects a parallel printer, a

scanner, or other devices.
MIDI/Game port. This port allows connection to a joystick, game

pad and other musical MIDI enable musical instruments.

(on audio model only)

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

(on audio model only)

21

22

23
24

25

26

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

other audio sources. (on audio model only)
Line Out jack. This Line Out (lime) jack connects a headphone or

a speaker. (on audio model only)

Video port. This port connects a VGA monitor.
Serial port. This port connects to your serial mouse and other

serial devices.
USB 1.1 ports. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus 1.1 (USB 1.1)

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

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

ASUS A7S266-VM Motherboard

1-5

1.5 Motherboard layout

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

Audio
Codec

Super

2Mb

BIOS

AUX1

CD1

FP_AUDIO1

I/O

USBPWR12

Socket 462

LAN
PHY

FLOPPY

COM2

PCI 1

PCI 2

PCI 3

SB_PWR1

PCI 4

CPU_FAN1

SiS

740

Chipset

®

A7S266-VM

USB56

DIMM Socket1 (64/72 bit, 168-pin module)

DIMM Socket2 (64/72 bit, 168-pin module)

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

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

0 1

2 3

0 1

2 3

SiS

961B

Chipset

USB34

CMOS Power

SPDIF_OUT1
IR_CON1

USBPWR56

USBPWR34

CR2032 3V
Lithium Cell

PANEL1

ATX Power Connector

IDE2

CHA_FAN1

BUZZER

24.5cm (9.64in)

IDE1

IDE_LED1

1-6

Chapter 1: Motherboard Information

1.6 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.

1.7 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 A7S266-VM supports AthlonTM XP/AthlonTM and
DuronTM processors.

CPU NOTCH
TO INNER
CORNER

LOCK

LEVER

®

CPU NOTCH

A7S266-VM

A7S266-VM Socket 462

AMD™ CPU

ASUS A7S266-VM Motherboard

1-7

1.8 System memory

The motherboard has two Double Data Rate (DDR) DIMM sockets and
two Single Data Rate (SDR) DIMM sockets that supports up to 2GB non­ECC PC2100/1600 DDR and PC133/100 SDRAM DIMMs.

A DDR DIMM has the same physical dimensions as an SDR DIMM, but it
has a 184-pin footprint compared to the 168-pin of the SDR DIMM. Also, a
DDR DIMM is single notched while an SDR DIMM is double notched.

104 Pins

®

80 Pins

A7S266-VM

A7S266-VM 184-Pin DDR
DIMM Sockets

®

A7S266-VM

A7S266-VM 168-Pin DIMM Sockets

1. A DDR or SDR 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.

2. DDR and SDRAM memory slots cannot be used simultaneously.

88 Pins

60 Pins

20 Pins

1-8

Chapter 1: Motherboard Information

1.9 Expansion slots

The A7S266-VM motherboard has four (4) expansion slots. The following
sub-sections describe the slots and the expansion cards that they support.

1.9.1 Configuring an expansion card

After physically installing the expansion card, configure the card by
adjusting the software settings.

1. Turn on the system and change the necessary BIOS settings, if any.

2. Assign an IRQ to the card. Refer to the tables below.

3. Install the software drivers for the expansion card.

1.9.2 Standard Interrupt Assignments

IRQ Standard Function

0 System Timer
1 Keyboard Controller
2 Programmable Interrupt Controller
3* USB Universal Host Controller
4* Communications Port (COM1)
5* Onboard Audio
6 Standard Floppy Disk Controller
7* Printer Port (LPT1)
8 System CMOS/Real Time Clock
9* Onboard LAN
10* USB Universal Host Controller
11* Onboard VGA
12* PS/2 Compatible Mouse Port
13 Numeric Data Processor
14* Ultra ATA Controller
15* Secondary Ultra ATA Controller

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

IRQ assignments for this motherboard

ABCDEFGH

PCI slot 1 shared ———————
PCI slot 2 — used ——————
PCI slot 3 ——used —————
PCI slot 4 ———used ————
Onboard USB controller HC0 ————used ———
Onboard USB controller HC1 ———————used
Onboard LAN ——————used —
Onboard Audio —————used ——
Onboard VGA shared ———————

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 two PCI groups.

ASUS A7S266-VM Motherboard

1-9