ASUS A7V8X-X User Manual
A7V8X-X
User Guide
Motherboard
Checklist
E1 198
First Edition V1
January 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 ............................................................................................v
Safety information ..........................................................................vi
About this guide............................................................................. vii
ASUS contact information ............................................................ viii
A7V8X-X specifications summary ..................................................ix
Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.1 Welcome! ........................................................................... 1-2
1.2 Package contents............................................................... 1-2
1.3 Motherboard components .................................................. 1-3
1.3.1 Core specifications ................................................. 1-4
1.4 Special Features ................................................................ 1-6
1.4.1 Product highlights................................................... 1-6
1.5 Motherboard layout ............................................................ 1-7
Features
1.6 Before you proceed ............................................................ 1-8
1.7 Motherboard installation ..................................................... 1-9
1.7.1 Placement direction ............................................... 1-9
1.7.2 Screw holes ........................................................... 1-9
1.8 Central Processing Unit (CPU)......................................... 1-10
1.8.1 Installing the CPU ................................................ 1-10
1.9 System memory ................................................................1-11
1.10 Expansion slots .................................................................1-11
1.10.1 Configuring an expansion card........................... 1-12
1.10.2 Standard interrupt assignments ......................... 1-12
IRQ assignments for this motherboard ....................... 1-12
1.10.3 AGP slot ............................................................. 1-13
1.11 Jumpers............................................................................ 1-13
1.12 Connectors ....................................................................... 1-15
Chapter 2: BIOS information
2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS .................................... 2-2
2.1.1 Using ASUS EZ Flash to update the BIOS ............ 2-2
2.1.2 Using AFLASH to update the BIOS ....................... 2-4
2.1.3 CrashFree BIOS feature ........................................ 2-7
2.2 BIOS Setup program .......................................................... 2-8
2.2.1 BIOS menu bar ...................................................... 2-8
2.2.2 Legend bar............................................................. 2-9
iii
Safeguards
Contents
2.3 Main Menu........................................................................ 2-10
2.3.1 Primary and Secondary Master/Slave ................. 2-12
2.3.2 Keyboard Features .............................................. 2-14
2.4 Advanced Menu ............................................................... 2-15
2.4.1 Chip Configuration ............................................... 2-16
2.4.2 I/O Device Configuration...................................... 2-18
2.4.3 PCI Configuration ................................................ 2-19
2.5 Power Menu ..................................................................... 2-21
2.5.1 Power Up Control ................................................ 2-23
2.5.2 Hardware Monitor ................................................ 2-24
2.6 Boot Menu ........................................................................ 2-25
2.7 Exit Menu ......................................................................... 2-26
Chapter 3: Software support
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 Drivers menu ......................................................... 3-3
3.2.3 Utilities menu ......................................................... 3-3
3.2.4 ASUS Contact Information..................................... 3-4
3.2.5 Multi-channel audio feature ................................... 3-5
iv
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.
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
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/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: +886-2-2894-3447
General Fax: +886-2-2894-3449
General Email: info@asus.com.tw
Technical Support
MB/Others (Tel): +886-2-2890-7121 (English)
Notebook (Tel): +886-2-2890-7122 (English)
Desktop/Server (Tel): +886-2-2890-7123 (English)
Support Fax: +886-2-2890-7698
Support Email: tsd@asus.com.tw
Web Site: www.asus.com.tw
ASUS COMPUTER INTERNATIONAL (America)
Address: 6737 Mowry Avenue, Mowry Business Center,
Building 2, Newark, CA 94560, USA
General Fax: +1-510-608-4555
General Email: tmd1@asus.com
Technical Support
Support Fax: +1-510-608-4555
General Support: +1-502-933-8713
Web Site: www.asus.com
Support Email: tsd@asus.com
ASUS COMPUTER GmbH (Germany and Austria)
Address: Harkortstr. 25, 40880 Ratingen, BRD, Germany
General Fax: +49-2102-442066
General Email: sales@asuscom.de (for marketing requests only)
Technical Support
Support Hotline: MB/Others: +49-2102-9599-0
Notebook (Tel): +49-2102-9599-10
Support Fax: +49-2102-9599-11
Support (Email): www.asuscom.de/de/support (for online support)
Web Site: www.asuscom.de
viii
A7V8X-X specifications summary
CPU
Chipset
Front Side Bus (FSB)
Memory
Expansion slots
IDE
Audio (optional)
LAN (optional)
Socket A for AMD Barton/Thoroughbred/Athlon XP/Athlon/
Duron 2.25+ GHz CPU
Northbridge: VIA KT400
Southbridge: VIA VT8235
200/266/333Mhz
3 x DDR DIMM Sockets
Max. 3 GB unbuffered PC2100/1600 non-ECC DDR SDRAM
(Note: PC3200 maximum to 2 banks only. PC2700 maximum
to 4 banks only.)
1 x AGP 8X
6 x PCI
2 x UltraDMA 133/100/66
ADI 1980 6-channel CODEC
S/PDIF out interface
Realtek 10/100 Mbps Ethernet PHY
USB 2.0
Special Features
Back Panel I/O Ports
Internal I/O
Connectors
VT8235 built-in USB 2.0
6 x USB 2.0 ports
ASUS MyLogo
ASUS EZ Flash
ASUS C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)
Power Loss Restart
ASUS Jumperfree
SFS (Stepless Frequency Selection)
ASUS C.O.P. (CPU Overheating Protection)
CrashFree BIOS
1 x Parallel
1 x Serial
1 x S/PDIF out (on audio model only)
1 x PS/2 Keyboard
1 x PS/2 Mouse
1 x Audio I/O (on audio model only)
4 x USB 2.0
1 x RJ-45 Port (on LAN model only)
CPU/Chassis FAN connector
20 pin ATX power connector
IDE LED connector
Chassis Intrusion
GAME port (on audio model only)
CD/AUX audio in (on audio model only)
Front panel audio connector (on audio model only)
1 x USB 2.0 connector supports additional 2 USB 2.0 ports
(continued on the next page)
ix
A7V8X-X specifications summary (Cont’)
BIOS features
Industry standard
Manageability
Form Factor
Support CD contents
Accessories
* Specifications are subject to change without notice.
2Mb Flash ROM, Award BIOS, DMI2.0, PnP, WfM2.0, SM
BIOS 2.3, TCAV, EZ Flash, ASUS MyLogo, ASUS CrashFree
BIOS, ASUS JumperFree, ASUS C.P.R.
PCI 2.2, USB 2.0
WfM2.0, DMI2.0, WOR, WOL, Chassis Intrusion
ATX form factor: 12 in x 9.6 in (30.5 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
I/O shield
tm
PC-cillin 2002 anti-virus software
x
Chapter 1
This chapter gives information about the ASUS
A7V8X-X motherboard that came with the
system.This chapter includes the motherboard
layout, jumper settings, and connector locations.
ASUS A7V8X-X Motherboard
Motherboard Info
1-1
1.1 Welcome!
Thank you for buying the ASUS® A7V8X-X motherboard!
The ASUS A7V8X-X 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. Unique ASUS
features such as ASUS C.O.P., ASUS C.P.R., ASUS EZFlash, ASUS JumperFree,
ASUS MyLogo, ASUS CrashFree BIOS 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.
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 A7V8X-X package for the following items.
ASUS A7V8X-X motherboard
ATX form factor: 12 in x 9.6 in (30.5 cm x 24.5 cm)
ASUS A7V8X-X 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 Motherboard components
3
7
1 2
8
4
5
6
15
8
9
0
16 17
Before you install the motherboard, learn about its major components and available
features to facilitate the installation and future upgrades. Refer to the succeeding
pages for the component descriptions.
14
13
12
11
10
9
1
25 22
ASUS A7V8X-X Motherboard
2324
1
21
2
1-3
1.3.1 Core specifications
®
1
North bridge controller. The VIA
266/200MHz Front Side Bus, and the latest 400/333/266/200MHz 64-bit
memory bus.
KT400 supports AGP 8X mode, 333/
2
CPU socket. Socket 462 (Socket A) surface mount, Zero Insertion Force
(ZIF) socket for the AMD Barton/Thoroughbred/Athlon XP/Athlon/Duron
Processors, with 600 MHz ~ 2.25GHz system bus. (Note: When using
333MHz FSB CPU, system memory supports DDR333 only.)
TABLE 1.3.1
FSB/DDR
Support Table
3
DDR DIMM sockets. These three 184-pin DIMM sockets support up to 3GB
system memory using unbuffered non-ECC PC2100/1600 DDR DIMMs.
(Note: PC2700 maximum to 4 banks only. PC3200 maximum to 2 banks
only. V isit the ASUS website [www .asus.com] for the latest qualified DDR400
module list.)
4
ATX power connector. This 20-pin connector connects to an ATX +12V
power supply. The power supply must have at least 1A on the +5V standby
lead (+5VSB).
5
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.
FSB DDR 266 DDR 333 DDR 400
200/266 MHz
333 MHz
6
7
8
9
10
Floppy disk connector. This connector accommodates 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.
®
South bridge controller. The VIA
VT8235 integrated peripheral controller
supports various I/O functions including, 2-channel ATA/133 bus master
IDE controller, up to six USB 2.0 ports, LPC Super I/O interface, AC’97
interface and PCI 2.2 interface.
Flash ROM. This 2Mb firmware contains the programmable BIOS
program.
Standby power LED. This 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.
Super I/O controller. This Low Pin Count (LPC) interface provides the
commonly used Super I/O functionality. The chipset supports a highperformance floppy disk controller for a 360K/720K/1.44M/2.88M floppy
disk drive, a multi-mode parallel port, two standard compatible UARTs and
a Flash ROM interface.
1-4
11
PCI slots. These six 32-bit PCI 2.2 expansion slots support bus master
PCI cards like SCSI or LAN cards with 133MB/s maximum throughput.
Chapter 1: Motherboard Information
12
Audio CODEC . The ADI AD1980 is an AC’97 CODEC that allows
6-channel audio playback. The audio CODEC provides six DAC channels
for 5.1 surround sound, S/PDIF interface, AUX and Line In stereo inputs,
integrated headphone amplifier, greater than 90dB dynamic range.
(on audio models only)
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
LAN PHY. This Realtek RTL8201BL LAN PHY supports your local area
networking needs. (on LAN model only)
AGP slot. This Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) slot supports 1.5V
AGP8X mode graphics cards for 3D graphical applications.
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. This port allows connection to a Local Area Network (LAN)
through a network hub. (on LAN models only)
Line In jack. This Line In (light blue) jack connects a tape player or other
audio sources. In 6-channel mode, the function of this jack becomes Bass/
Center. (on audio models only)
Line Out jack. This Line Out (lime) jack connects a headphone or a
speaker . In 6-channel mode, the function of this jack becomes Front
Speaker Out. (on audio models only)
Microphone jack. This Mic (pink) jack connects a microphone. In 6-channel
mode, the function of this jack becomes Rear Speaker Out.
(on audio models only)
The functions of the Line Out, Line In and Microphone jacks change when you
select the 6-channel audio configuration as shown in the following table:
Audio 2, 4 or 6-channel configuration (Note:Win98SE supports 4-channel only.)
Headphone/
2-Speaker 4-Speaker 6-Speaker
Light Blue Line In Line In Bass/Center
Lime Line Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out
Pink Mic In Rear Speaker Out Rear Speaker
21
USB 2.0 ports 3 and 4. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports
are available for connecting USB 2.0 devices.
22
USB 2.0 ports 1 and 2. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports
are available for connecting USB 2.0 devices.
23
Serial port. This 9-pin COM1 port is for pointing devices or other serial
devices.
24
S/PDIF out port. This port connects to external home theater systems for
surround sound and enhanced 3D audio when playing DVDs or games.
25
PS/2 keyboard port. This purple 6-pin connector is for a PS/2 keyboard.
ASUS A7V8X-X Motherboard
1-5
1.4 Special features
1.4.1 Product highlights
333MHz FSB Athlon XP CPU support
AMD’s Athlon XP 2800+ and all follow-up CPUs now support 333MHz Front Side
Bus (FSB) for increased application program productivity and enhanced digital
media experience.
AGP 8X support
AGP 8X (AGP 3.0) is the next generation VGA interface specification that enables
enhanced graphics performance with high bandwidth speeds up to 2.12 GB/s. With
a bus of 533Mhz, AGP 8X is twice as fast as AGP 4X.
DDR400 (PC3200) support
DDR400 (PC3200), the latest and fastest DDR memory standard, supports
bandwidth up to 3.2 GB/s to provide enhanced system performance.
(Note: PC2700 maximum to 4 banks only. PC3200 maximum to 2 banks only.)
C.O.P. (CPU Overheating Protection):
With AMD® Athlon XP™ installed, the motherboard offers automatic CPU
Overheating Protection to prolong the life of the entire system. If the CPU
temperature exceeds the set criteria, the PC shuts down automatically.
ASUS EZ Flash
With ASUS EZ Flash, you can update BIOS before entering operating system. No
more DOS-based flash utility and bootable diskette required.
SoundMax Digital Audio System (on audio models only)
The SoundMax Digital Audio System is the industry’s highest performance and
most reliable audio solution for business professionals, audiophiles, musicians,
and gamers. SoundMAX Digital Audio System can output 5.1 channel surround
and features state-of-the-art DLS2 MIDI synthesizer with Yamaha DLSbyXG sound
set, 5.1 Virtual Theater™ and supports all major game audio technologies
including Microsoft DirectX™8.0, Microsoft DirectSound 3D™, A3D, MacroFX,
ZoomFX, MultiDrive 5.1 and EAX. Refer to section “3.2.5 Multi-channel audio
feature” on page 3-5 for more information.
C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)
When the system hangs due to overclocking failure, there is no need to open the
case to clear the CMOS data. Simply restart the system and the BIOS will
automatically restore the CPU default setting for each parameter.
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 a virus.
Unlike other competing vendors’ products, ASUS motherboards now enable users
to enjoy this protection feature without the need to pay for an optional ROM.
1-6
Chapter 1: Motherboard Information
1.5 Motherboard layout
24.4cm (9.6in)
PS/2KBMS
T: Mouse
B: Keyboard
SPDIF1
COM1
USB20_12
Bottom:
USB3
USB4
Top:Line In
Center:Line Out
Below:Mic In
Codec
KBPWR
PARALLEL PORT
Top:
RJ-45
FP_AUDIO
Audio
OVER_VOLT
USBPW12
USBPW34
AUX
CD
LAN
PHY
MDC
VIA
KT400
Chipset
Accelerated Graphics Port
(AGP)
PCI Slot 1
A7V8X-X
PCI Slot 2
PCI Slot 3
PCI Slot 4
CPU_FAN
Socket 462
DDR DIMM1 (64/72 bit, 184-pin module)
01
23
VIA
VT8235
Chipset
CR2032 3V
Lithium Cell
CMOS Power
CLRTC
ATX Power Connector
DDR DIMM2 (64/72 bit, 184-pin module)
DDR DIMM3 (64/72 bit, 184-pin module)
45
PRI_IDE
FLOPPY
SEC_IDE
30.5cm (12.0in)
PCI Slot 5
®
PCI Slot 6
ASUS A7V8X-X Motherboard
Super
I/O
USBPW56
GAME
USB56
SB_PWR
CHA_FAN
2Mbit
Firmware
Hub
CHASSIS
IDE_LED
PANEL
1-7
1.6 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.
When lit, the green LED (SB_PWR) 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.
A7V8X-X
®
A7V8X-X Onboard LED
Install only 1.5V AGP cards on this motherboard to prevent damage to
your AGP card or motherboard.
SB_PWR
ON OFF
Standby
Power
Powere
Off
1-8
Chapter 1: Motherboard Information
1.7 Motherboard installation
Before you install the motherboard, study the configuration of your chassis to
ensure that the motherboard fits into it. The motherboard uses the ATX form factor
that measures 12 inches x 9.6 inches (30.5 cm x 24.5 cm).
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.
1.7.1 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.
1.7.2 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
ASUS A7V8X-X Motherboard
1-9
1.8 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 A7V8X-X supports Athlon
A7V8X-X
®
TM
XP, AthlonTM, Barton™ and DuronTM processors.
CPU NOTCH
TO INNER
CORNER
AMD™ CPU
A7V8X-X Socket A
CPU NOTCH
1.8.1 Installing the CPU
Follow these steps to install a CPU:
1. Locate the Socket 462 and open it by pulling
the lever gently sideways away from the
socket. Then lift the lever upwards. The
socket lever must be fully opened (90 to 100
degrees).
2. Insert the CPU with the correct orientation.
The notched or golden corner of the CPU
must be oriented toward the inner corner of
the socket base nearest to the lever hinge.
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.
LEVER
LOCK
4. Once completely inserted, press the CPU firmly and close the socket lever until it
snaps shut.
5. Place the CPU fan and heatsink on the CPU. The heatsink should entirely cover
the CPU. Carefully attach the heatsink locking brace to the plastic clips on the
socket base. With the added weight of the CPU fan and heatsink locking brace,
no extra force is required to keep the CPU in place
1-10
Chapter 1: Motherboard Information
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