Asus A8N-VM NBP User Manual

A8N-VM CSM

Motherboard

E2294

Revised Edition V2

October 2005

Copyright © 2005 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.

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Contents

Notices ................................................................................................	vi
Safety information .............................................................................	vii
A8N-VM CSM specifications summary ..............................................	viii

Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.1	Welcome! ..............................................................................		1-2
1.2	Package contents .................................................................		1-2
1.3	Special features ....................................................................		1-2
	1.3.1	Product highlights...................................................	1-2
	1.3.2	Innovative ASUS features .......................................	1-5
1.4	Before you proceed ..............................................................		1-6
1.5	Motherboard overview ..........................................................		1-7
	1.5.1	Motherboard layout ................................................	1-7
	1.5.2	Placement direction ................................................	1-8
	1.5.3	Screw holes ............................................................	1-8
1.6	Central Processing Unit (CPU) ..............................................		1-9
1.7	System memory .................................................................		1-11
	1.7.1	Overview ...............................................................	1-11
	1.7.2	Memory configurations .........................................	1-11
	1.7.3	Installing a DIMM ...................................................	1-13
	1.7.4	Removing a DIMM .................................................	1-13
1.8	Expansion slots ...................................................................		1-14
	1.8.1	Installing an expansion card ..................................	1-14
	1.8.2	Configuring an expansion card..............................	1-14
	1.8.3	PCI slots ................................................................	1-16
	1.8.4	PCI Express x1 slot ...............................................	1-16
	1.8.5	PCI Express x16 slot .............................................	1-16
1.9	Jumpers	..............................................................................	1-17
1.10	Connectors .........................................................................		1-20
	1.10.1	Rear panel connectors ..........................................	1-20
	1.10.2	Internal connectors...............................................	1-22

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Contents

Chapter 2: BIOS setup

2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS ........................................			2-2
	2.1.1 Creating a bootable floppy disk ..............................		2-2
	2.1.2 ASUS EZ Flash utility ..............................................		2-3
	2.1.3	AFUDOS utility ........................................................	2-4
	2.1.4	ASUS Update utility ................................................	2-6
2.2	BIOS setup program .............................................................		2-9
	2.2.1	BIOS menu screen.................................................	2-10
	2.2.2	Menu bar ...............................................................	2-10
	2.2.3	Navigation keys ....................................................	2-10
	2.2.4	Menu items ...........................................................	2-11
	2.2.5	Sub-menu items ...................................................	2-11
	2.2.6	Configuration fields ..............................................	2-11
	2.2.7	Pop-up window .....................................................	2-11
	2.2.8	Scroll bar ..............................................................	2-11
	2.2.9	General help ..........................................................	2-11
2.3	Main menu ..........................................................................		2-12
	2.3.1	System Time.........................................................	2-12
	2.3.2	System Date .........................................................	2-12
	2.3.3	Legacy Diskette A ................................................	2-12

2.3.4Primary and Secondary IDE Master/Slave;

	First, Second, Third, and Fourth SATA .................	2-13
2.3.5	IDE Configuration ..................................................	2-14
2.3.6	System Information ..............................................	2-15
2.4 Advanced menu ..................................................................		2-16
2.4.1 AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet Configuration .........................		2-16
2.4.2	JumperFree Configuration ....................................	2-17
2.4.3	CPU Configuration.................................................	2-18
2.4.4	Chipset .................................................................	2-18
2.4.5	Onboard Devices Configuration ............................	2-25
2.4.6	PCI PnP .................................................................	2-26
2.4.7	USB Configuration.................................................	2-27

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Contents

2.5	Power menu ........................................................................		2-28
	2.5.1	Suspend Mode ......................................................	2-28
	2.5.2 Repost Video on S3 Resume ................................		2-28
	2.5.3	ACPI 2.0 Support ..................................................	2-28
	2.5.4	ACPI APIC Support ................................................	2-28
	2.5.5	APM Configuration ................................................	2-29
	2.5.6	Hardware Monitor .................................................	2-30
2.6	Boot menu ..........................................................................		2-32
	2.6.1	Boot Device Priority ..............................................	2-32
	2.6.2	Boot Settings Configuration .................................	2-33
	2.6.3	Security ................................................................	2-34
2.7	Exit menu ...........................................................................		2-36

Chapter 3: Software support

3.1	Installing 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 ..........................................................	3-4
	3.2.4	Make Disk menu ......................................................	3-5
	3.2.5	Manual menu ...........................................................	3-6
	3.2.6	ASUS Contact information ......................................	3-7
	3.2.7	Other information ...................................................	3-7

v

Notices

Federal Communications Commission Statement

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

•This device may not cause harmful interference, and

•This device must accept any interference received including interference that may cause undesired operation.

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

•Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

•Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

•Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.

•Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

The use of shielded cables for connection of the monitor to the graphics card is required to assure compliance with FCC regulations. Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate this equipment.

Canadian Department of Communications Statement

This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications.

This class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.

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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.

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A8N-VM CSM specifications summary

C P U	Socket 939 for AMD Athlon™ 64FX/Athlon™ 64 X2/
	Athlon™ 64 processors
	Supports AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet™ Technology
Chipset	Northbridge: NVIDIA® GeForce™ 6150 GPU
	Southbridge: NVIDIA® nForce™430 MCP
Front Side Bus	2000/1600 MT/s
Memory	Dual-channel memory architecture
	4 x 184-pin DIMM sockets support up to 4 GB of
	unbufferred ECC/non-ECC 400/333 MHz DDR
	memory modules
Expansion slots	1 x PCI Express™ x16 slot
	1 x PCI Express™ x1 slot
	2 x PCI slots
Graphics	Integrated in the NVIDIA® GeForce™ 6150 Graphics
	Processing Unit (GPU)
	Dual VGA output: DVI-D/TV-OUT, RGB
	High definition video processing with maximum
	resolution of 1920 x 1440 pixels for RGB display
	Note: DVI-D only supports digital display. You
		cannot convert DVI-D to output RGB signal to
		CRT display.
Storage	NVIDIA® nForce™430 media and communications
	processor (MCP) supports:
	- 2 x Ultra DMA 133/100/66/33 interfaces for four
		(4) hard disk drives
	- 4 x Serial ATA I/Serial ATA II 3 Gb/s hard disk
		drives supporting RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, and
		RAID 5 configuration
High Definition	SoundMAX® ADI AD1986A 5.1-channel CODEC
Audio	Supports Jack Sensing technology
	S/PDIF out interface
L A N	NVIDIA® nForce™430 built-in Gigabit MAC with external
	Marvell® 88E1111 PHY supports:
	-	NV Active Armor
	-	NV Firewall
IEEE 1394	VIA 6307 IEEE 1394a controller supports:
	- 2 x IEEE 1394a ports
	(continued on the next page)

viii

A8N-VM CSM specifications summary

	U S B		Supports up to 8 USB 2.0 ports
	Special features
			ASUS Q-Fan
			ASUS C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)
			ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2
			ASUS EZ Flash
			ASUS MyLogo2™
			Stepless Frequency Selection (SFS) allows FSB tuning
			from 200 MHz to 240 MHz at 1 MHz increment
			Note: ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 and ASUS EZ Flash only
			support VGA/RGB output.
	BIOS features
			4 Mb Flash ROM, AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI, WfM2.0, ACPI 2.0a,
			SM BIOS 2.3
	Rear panel
			1 x Parallel port
			1 x IEEE 1394a port
			1 x LAN (RJ-45) port
			4 x USB 2.0 ports
			1 x VGA/RGB Out port
			1 x VGA/DVI-D port
			1 x PS/2 keyboard port
			1 x PS/2 mouse port
			6-channel audio ports
	Internal
			1 x IEEE 1394a connector
	connectors		1 x Front panel audio connector
			1 x CD audio in connector
			1 x Chassis intrusion connector
			1 x Serial port connector
			1 x CPU fan connector
			1 x Chassis fan connector
			1 x Floppy disk drive connector
			1 x Primary IDE connector
			1 x Secondary IDE connector
			1 x S/PDIF Out connector
			1 x TV Out connector
			4 x Serial ATA connectors
			2 x USB 2.0 connectors for four additional USB 2.0 ports
			24-pin ATX power connector
			4-pin x ATX 12V power connector
			System panel connector
	Power
			ATX power supply (with 24-pin and 4-pin 12 V plugs)
	Requirement		ATX 12 V 2.0 compliant
	Form Factor
			uATX: 9.6 in. x 9.6 in. (24.5cm x 24.5cm)
			(continued on the next page)

i x

A8N-VM CSM specifications summary

	Manageability		WfM2.0, DMI 2.0, WOL by PME, WOR by PME
	Support CD
			Device drivers
	contents		ASUS PC Probe II
			AMD Cool ‘n’Quiet™ utility
			ASUS Live Update utility
			Anti-virus software (OEM version)

*Specifications are subject to change without notice.

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This chapter describes the motherboard

features and the new technologies 1 it supports.

Product introduction

1.1Welcome!

Thank you for buying an ASUS® A8N-VM CSM 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.

1.2Package contents

Check your motherboard package for the following items.

Motherboard	ASUS A8N-VM CSM motherboard
Cables	2 x Serial ATA signal cables
	1 x Serial ATA power cable for two Serial ATA devices
	1 x IEEE 1394 1-port module
	1 x Ultra DMA 133/100/66 cable
	1 x IDE cable
	1 x Floppy disk drive cable
Accessoy	I/O shield
Application CD	ASUS motherboard support CD
Documentation	User guide

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

1.3Special features

1.3.1Product highlights

Latest processor technology

The motherboard comes with a 939-pin surface mount, Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) socket that supports AMD Athlon™ 64/Athlon™ 64 FX/Athlon™ 64 X2 processors. With an integrated low-latency high-bandwidth memory controller and a highly-scalable HyperTransport™ technology-based system bus, the motherboard provides a powerful platform for your diverse computing needs, increased office productivity, and enhanced digital media experience. See page 1-9.

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Chapter 1: Product introduction

NVIDIA® GeForce™ 6150 GPU

and NVIDIA® nForce™ 430 MCP chipsets

The NVIDIA® GeForce™ 6150 graphics processing unit (GPU) Northbridge supports Microsoft® DirectX 9.0 Shader Model 3.0, dual VGA out (RGB and DVI-D), NVIDIA® PureVideo Technology with unprecedented integrated video quality, TV-out, and PCI Express interface.

The NVIDIA® nForce™ 430 media and communications processor (MCP) Southbridge delivers NVIDIA® Gigabit LAN with ActiveArmor Firewall for secure networking, and NVIDIA® MediaShield storage management technology allowing easy RAID configuration (RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, and RAID 5) for Serial ATA II.

Dual-channel DDR memory support

Employing the Double Data Rate (DDR) memory technology, the motherboard supports up to 4 GB of system memory using DDR400/333 DIMMs. The ultra-fast 400 MHz memory bus delivers the required bandwidth for the latest 3D graphics, multimedia, and Internet applications. See page 1-11 for details.

PCI Express™ interface

The motherboard fully supports PCI Express, the latest I/O interconnect technology that speeds up the PCI bus. PCI Express features point-to-point serial interconnections between devices and allows higher clockspeeds by carrying data in packets. This high speed interface is software compatible with existing PCI specifications. See page 1-16 for details.

Serial ATA II technology

The motherboard supports the Serial ATA 3 Gb/s technology through the Serial ATA interfaces and the NVIDIA® nForce™430 MCP Southbridge. The Serial ATA II 3 Gb/s specification provides twice the bandwidth of the current Serial ATA products with a host of new features, including Native Command Queueing (NCQ), and Power Management (PM) Implementation Algorithm. Serial ATA allows for thinner, more flexible cables with lower pin count, reduced voltage requirement. See page 1-24 for details.

The Hot Swap function is supported only in RAID mode.

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S/PDIF digital sound ready

The motherboard supports the S/PDIF Out function through the S/PDIF interface at midboard. The S/PDIF technology turns your computer into a high-end entertainment system with digital connectivity to powerful audio and speaker systems. See page 1-25 for details.

USB 2.0 technology

The motherboard implements the Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 specification, dramatically increasing the connection speed from the

12 Mbps bandwidth on USB 1.1 to a fast 480 Mbps on USB 2.0. USB 2.0 is backward compatible with USB 1.1. See pages 1-18 and 1-26 for details.

IEEE 1394a support

The IEEE 1394a interface provides high-speed and flexible PC connectivity to a wide range of peripherals and devices compliant to IEEE 1394a standards. The IEEE 1394a interface allows up to 400 Mbps transfer rates through simple, low-cost, high-bandwidth asynchronous (real-time) data interfacing between computers, peripherals, and consumer electronic devices such as camcorders, VCRs, printers,TVs, and digital cameras. See page 1-27 for details.

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Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.3.2Innovative ASUS features

ASUS EZ Flash BIOS

With the ASUS EZ Flash, you can easily update the system BIOS even before loading the operating system. No need to use a DOS-based utility or boot from a floppy disk. See page 2-3 for details.

ASUS Q-Fan technology

The ASUS Q-Fan technology smartly adjusts the CPU fan speed according to the system loading to ensure quiet, cool, and efficient operation. See page 2-31 for details.

ASUS MyLogo2™

This feature allows you to personalize and add style to your system with customizable boot logos. See page 2-33 for details.

C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)

The C.P.R. feature of the motherboard BIOS allows automatic re-setting to the BIOS default settings in case the system hangs due to overclocking. When the system hangs due to overclocking, C.P.R. eliminates the need to open the system chassis and clear the RTC data. Simply shut down and reboot the system, and the BIOS automatically restores the CPU default setting for each parameter.

ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2

This feature allows you to restore the original BIOS data from the support CD in case when the BIOS codes and data are corrupted. This protection eliminates the need to buy a replacement ROM chip.

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1.4Before 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.

Onboard LED

The motherboard comes with a standby power LED that lights up to indicate that the system is ON, in sleep mode, or in soft-off mode. This is a reminder that you should shut down the system and unplug the power cable before removing or plugging in any motherboard component. The illustration below shows the location of the onboard LED.

A8N-VM CSM
	SB_PWR
	ON	OFF
A8N-VM CSM Onboard LED	Standby	Powered
	Power	Off

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Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.5Motherboard overview

1.5.1Motherboard layout

24.5cm (9.6in)

PS/2KBMS
T: Mouse
B: Keyboard	KBPWR		ATX12V
DVI
PARALLEL PORT		USBPW12	USBPW34		Socket 939	A8N-VM CSM	DIMMDDRA2 (64 bit,184-pin module)	DIMMDDRA1 (64 bit,184-pin module)	DIMMDDRB2 (64 bit,184-pin module)	DIMMDDRB1 (64 bit,184-pin module)
LAN_USB34				nVIDIA§
VGA
F_USB12
				GeForceì6150
Top:Line In
Center:Line Out				TV_OUT
Bottom:Mic In		CHA_FAN

PCIEX16_1

§

Marvell 88E8053

PCI1

nVIDIA§

nForceì430

PCI2

SATA2

VIA

USBPW78

ADI

PCIEX1_1

VT6307

USBPW56

SATA1

1986A

CD

USB56

USB78

AAFP

IE1394_1

SB_PWR
SPDIF_OUT	COM1

CPU_FAN

FLOPPY

I/O

EATXPWR Super

SEC IDE

PRI IDE

24.5cm (9.6in)

4Mb

BIOS

CR2032 3V

CLRTC

CHASSIS

SATA4

Lithium Cell

CMOS Power

BUZZER

SATA3

PANEL

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1.5.2Placement 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.

1.5.3Screw holes

Place eight (8) 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

A8N-VM CSM

Æ

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Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.6Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The motherboard comes with a surface mount 939-pin Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) socket designed for the AMD Athlon™ 64FX/AMD Athlon™ 64 / Athlon™ 64 X2 processor.

The 128-bit-wide data paths of these processors can run applications faster than processors with only 32-bit or 64-bit wide data paths.

Take note of the marked corner (with gold triangle) on the CPU. This mark should match a specific corner on the socket to ensure correct installation.

Gold triangle

Installing the CPU

To install a CPU.

1.Locate the 939-pin ZIF socket on the motherboard.

A8N-VM CSM

A8N-VM CSM CPU Socket 939

2.Unlock the socket by pressing the lever sideways, then lift it up to a 90°-100° angle.

Socke t lever

Make sure that the socket lever is lifted up to 90°-100° angle, otherwise the CPU does not fit in completely.

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1 - 9

3.Position the CPU above the socket such that the CPU corner with the gold triangle matches the socket corner with a small triangle.

4.Carefully insert the CPU into the socket until it fits in place.

Small triangle

Gol d triangle

The CPU fits only in one correct orientation. DO NOT force the CPU into the socket to prevent bending the pins and damaging the CPU!

5.When the CPU is in place, push down the socket lever to secure the CPU. The lever clicks on the side tab to indicate that it is locked.

6.Install a CPU heatsink and fan following the instructions that came with the heatsink package.

7.Connect the CPU fan cable to the CPU_FAN connector on the motherboard.

CPU_FAN

A8N-VM CSM

GND +12V Rotation

A8N-VM CSM CPU fan connector

Do not forget to connect the CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring errors can occur if you fail to plug this connector.

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Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.7System memory

1.7.1Overview

The motherboard comes with four 184-pin Double Data Rate (DDR) Dual Inline Memory Modules (DIMM) sockets.

The following figure illustrates the location of the sockets:

A8N-VM CSM

A8N-VM CSM 184-pin DDR DIMM sockets

Channel Sockets

Channel 1 DIMM_A1 and DIMM_B1

Channel 2 DIMM_A2 and DIMM_B2

DIMM A2

DIMM A1

DIMM B2

DIMM B1

1.7.2Memory configurations

You may install 128 MB, 256 MB, 512 MB, and 1 GB unbuffered ECC/ non-ECC DDR DIMMs into the DIMM sockets using the memory configurations in this section.

•Installing DDR DIMMs other than the recommended configurations may cause memory sizing error or system boot failure.

•Install only identical (the same type and size) DDR DIMM pairs for each channel.

•Always install DIMMs with the same CAS latency. For optimum compatibility, we recommend that you obtain memory modules from the same vendor.

•Due to chipset limitation, this motherboard does not support DIMM modules with less than or equal to 128 Mb memory chips.

•If you are installing only one DIMM module for a Single-channel configuration, install the module on DIMM_A1 (blue slot).

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Recommended memory configurations

			Sockets
M o d e		DIMM _ A2	DIMM _ A1	DIMM _ B2	DIMM _ B1
		(blue)	(blue)	(black)	(black)
Single-channel	(1)	—	Populated	—	—
Dual-channel	(1)*	Populated	Populated	—	—
	(2)*	Populated	Populated	Populated	Populated

* Use only identical DIMM pairs.

Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) for the latest DDR 400 Qualified Vendors List for this motherboard.

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Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.7.3Installing a DIMM

Make sure to unplug the power supply before adding or removing DIMMs or other system components. Failure to do so may cause severe damage to both the motherboard and the components.

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

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

socket.	1

2

DDR DIMM notch

1

Unlocked retaining clip

A DDR DIMM is keyed with a notch so that it fits in only one direction. DO NOT force a DIMM into a socket to avoid damaging the DIMM.

3.Firmly insert the DIMM into the socket until the retaining clips snap back in place and the DIMM is properly seated.

Locked Retaining Clip

1.7.4Removing a DIMM

To remove a DIMM:

1.Simultaneously press the retaining clips outward to unlock the DIMM.

2

1

1DDR DIMM notch

Support the DIMM lightly with your fingers when pressing the retaining clips. The DIMM might get damaged when it flips out with extra force.

2.Remove the DIMM from the socket.

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1.8Expansion slots

In the future, you may need to install expansion cards. The following sub-sections describe the slots and the expansion cards that they support.

Make sure to unplug the power cord before adding or removing expansion cards. Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components.

1.8.1Installing an expansion card

To install an expansion card:

1.Before installing the expansion card, read the documentation that came with it and make the necessary hardware settings for the card.

2.Remove the system unit cover (if your motherboard is already installed in a chassis).

3.Remove the bracket opposite the slot that you intend to use. Keep the screw for later use.

4.Align the card connector with the slot and press firmly until the card is completely seated on the slot.

5.Secure the card to the chassis with the screw you removed earlier.

6.Replace the system cover.

1.8.2Configuring an expansion card

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

1.Turn on the system and change the necessary BIOS settings, if any. See Chapter 2 for information on BIOS setup.

2.Assign an IRQ to the card. Refer to the tables on the next page.

3.Install the software drivers for the expansion card.

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Chapter 1: Product introduction

Standard interrupt assignments

	I R Q	Priority	Standard Function
	0	1	System Timer
	1	2	Keyboard Controller
	2	–	Re-direct to IRQ#9
	3	11	IRQ holder for PCI steering*
	4	12	Communications Port (COM1)*
	5	13	IRQ holder for PCI steering*
	6	14	Floppy Disk Controller
	7	15	Printer Port (LPT1)*
	8	3	System CMOS/Real Time Clock
	9	4	IRQ holder for PCI steering*
	10	5	IRQ holder for PCI steering*
	11	6	IRQ holder for PCI steering*
	12	7	PS/2 Compatible Mouse Port*
	13	8	Numeric Data Processor
	14	9	Primary IDE Channel
	15	10	Secondary IDE Channel

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

IRQ assignments for this motherboard

	A	B	C	D
PCI slot 1	used	—	—	—
PCI slot 2	—	used	—	—
IEEE 1394	—	—	—	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 the two PCI groups, making the system unstable and the card inoperable.

ASUS A8N-VM CSM

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1.8.3PCI slots

The PCI slots support cards such as a LAN card, SCSI card, USB card, and other cards that comply with PCI specifications. The figure shows a LAN card installed on a PCI slot.

1.8.4PCI Express x1 slot

This motherboard supports PCI Express x1 network cards, SCSI cards and other cards that comply with the PCI Express specifications. The following figure shows a network card installed on the PCI Express x1 slot.

1.8.5PCI Express x16 slot

This motherboard has supports PCI Express x16 graphic cards that comply with PCI Express specifications. The figure shows a graphics card installed on the PCI Express x16 slot.

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Chapter 1: Product introduction