ASUS A8V-XE User Manual

A8V-XE

Motherboard

E223 5

Firs t E diti o n
Janu a r y 200 6

Copyright © 2006 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 ownersʼ benefit, without intent to infringe.

ii

Table of contents

Notices ................................................................................................ vi

Safety information ............................................................................. vii

Operation Safety ................................................................................ vii

About this guide .................................................................................viii

A8V-XE specifications summary ........................................................... x

Chapter 1: Hardware information

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

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

1.3 Special features .................................................................... 1-3

1.3.1 Product highlights ................................................... 1-3

1.3.2 Innovative ASUS features ....................................... 1-4

1.4 Before you proceed .............................................................. 1-5

1.5 Motherboard Overview .......................................................... 1-6

1.5.1 Placement direction ................................................ 1-6

1.5.2 Screw holes ............................................................. 1-6

1.5.3 Motherboard layout ................................................ 1-7

1.6 Central Processing Unit (CPU) .............................................. 1-8

1.6.1 Overview ................................................................. 1-8

1.6.2 Installing the CPU ................................................... 1-8

1.6.3 Installing the CPU heatsink and fan ....................... 1-10

1.7 System memory .................................................................. 1-12

1.7.1 Overview ............................................................... 1-12

1.7.2 Memory Configurations ......................................... 1-12

1.7.3 Installing a DIMM ...................................................1-15

1.7.4 Removing a DIMM ..................................................1-15

1.8 Expansion slots ................................................................... 1-16

1.8.1 Installing an expansion card .................................. 1-16

1.8.2 Configuring an expansion card .............................. 1-16

1.8.3 PCI slots ................................................................ 1-18

1.8.4 PCI Express x16 slot ............................................. 1-18

1.8.5 PCI Express x1 slot ............................................... 1-18

1.9 Jumpers .............................................................................. 1-19

1.10 Connectors .........................................................................1-21

1.7.1 Rear panel connectors .......................................... 1-21

iii

Table of contents

1.7.2 Internal connectors ............................................... 1-22

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 Updating the BIOS ................................................... 2-3

2.1.3 Saving the current BIOS file .................................... 2-5

2.1.4 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 utility ................................ 2-6

2.1.5 ASUS EZ Flash utility ............................................... 2-8

2.1.6 ASUS Update utility ................................................ 2-9

2.2 BIOS setup program ............................................................ 2-12

2.2.1 BIOS menu screen ................................................. 2-13

2.2.2 Menu bar ............................................................... 2-13

2.2.3 Legend bar ............................................................ 2-14

2.2.4 Menu items ........................................................... 2-14

2.2.5 Sub-menu items .................................................... 2-14

2.2.6 Configuration fields ............................................... 2-14

2.2.7 Pop-up window ...................................................... 2-15

2.2.8 General help .......................................................... 2-15

2.3 Main menu ........................................................................... 2-16

2.3.1 System Time ......................................................... 2-16

2.3.2 System Date ......................................................... 2-16

2.3.3 Legacy Diskette A ...............................................2-16

2.3.4 Primary and Secondary IDE Master/Slave ............. 2-17

2.3.5 HDD SMART Monitoring ......................................... 2-18

2.4 Advanced menu .................................................................. 2-19

2.4.1 JumperFree Configuration ..................................... 2-19

2.4.2 CPU Configuration ................................................. 2-21

2.4.3 Chipset .................................................................. 2-21

2.4.4 PCI PnP .................................................................. 2-23

2.4.5 Onboard Devices Configuration ............................. 2-25

2.4.6 USB Configuration ................................................. 2-26

2.5 Power menu ........................................................................ 2-27

2.5.1 ACPI Suspend Type ...............................................2-27

2.5.2 ACPI APIC Support ............................................... 2-27

iv

Contents

2.5.3 APM Configuration ................................................2-28

2.5.4 Hardware Monitor .................................................. 2-29

2.6 Boot menu .......................................................................... 2-30

2.6.1 Boot Device Priority .............................................. 2-31

2.6.2 Removable Drives .................................................. 2-31

2.6.3 Hard Disk Drives .................................................... 2-31

2.6.4 Boot Settings Configuration ................................. 2-32

2.6.5 Security ................................................................. 2-33

2.7 Exit menu ............................................................................ 2-35

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 Manuals menu ......................................................... 3-6

3.2.6 ASUS Contact information ...................................... 3-7

v

Notices

Fed er al Co mm un ica ti on s C om mi ssi on S tat em en t

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
manufacturerʼs 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.

WARNING! 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.

Can ad ia n D ep ar tme nt o f C om mu nic at io ns St at eme nt

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.

vi

Safety information

Ele ct ri cal s af ety

•

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.

Ope ra ti on sa fe ty

•

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.

The symbol of the crossed out wheeled bin indicates that the product
(electrical and electronic equipment) should not be placed in municipal
waste. Check local regulations for disposal of electronic products.

vii

About this guide

This user guide contains the information you need when installing and
configuring the motherboard.

How t hi s g ui de is o rg ani ze d

This manual contains the following parts:

• Chap t e r 1: P r o duct i n trod u c t ion
This chapter describes the features of the motherboard and the 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.

• Chap t e r 2: B I O S se t u p
This chapter tells how to change system settings through the BIOS

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

• Chap t e r 3: S o f twar e s uppo r t
This chapter describes the contents of the support CD that comes

with the motherboard package.

Whe re t o f in d mor e in for ma ti on

Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product
and software updates.

1. ASUS w e bsit e s
The ASUS website provides updated information on ASUS hardware

and software products. Refer to the ASUS contact information.

2. Opti o n a l do c u m enta t i o n
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.

viii

Con ve nt ion s us ed in t his g ui de

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

DANGER/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: Instructions that you MUST follow to complete a

task.

NOTE: Tips and additional information to help you complete a

task.

Typography

Bold text Indicates a menu or an item to select

Italics

Used to emphasize a word or a phrase

<Key> Keys enclosed in the less-than and greater-than sign means
that you must press the enclosed key

Example: <Enter> means that you must press the Enter or
Return key

<Key1>+<Key2>+<Key3> If you must press two or more keys simultaneously, the
key names are linked with a plus sign (+)

Example: <Ctrl>+<Alt>+<D>

Command

then supply the required item or value enclosed in
brackets
Example: At the DOS prompt, type the command line:
awdflash A8V-XE.BIN

Means that you must type the command exactly as shown,

ix

A8V-XE specifications summary

CPU

Chipset

System Bus

Memory

Expansion slots

Storage

Audio

USB

LAN

ASUS special
features

BIOS features

Back Panel I/O
Ports

Socket 939 for AMD® Athlon™ 64FX/ Athlon™ 64 X2/
Athlon™ 64/ Sempron processor
Supports AMD Cool ʻnʼ Quiet!™ Technology

Northbridge: VIA® K8T890
Southbridge: VIA® VT8251

2000/ 1600 MHz

Dual-channel memory architecture
4 x 184-pin DIMM sockets support unbufferred ECC/
non-ECC DDR 400/333/266 MHz memory modules
Supports up to 4 GB system memory

1 x PCI-E x16 slot for discrete graphic card
2 x PCI-E x1 slots
3 x PCI slots

VIA® VT8251 South Bridge supports:

- 2 x Ultra DMA 133/100/66/33 connectors for up
to four IDE devices

- 4 x Serial ATA 3Gb/s devices with RAID 0, RAID 1,
RAID 0+1, RAID 5 and JBOD

ADI AD1986A SoundMax 6-channel HIgh Definition
Audio CODEC
Supports Jack Sensing and Enumeration Technology
Supports S/PDIF out interface

Supports up to 8 USB 2.0 ports

Realtek RTL8201CL 10/100M LAN PHY

ASUS C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)
ASUS JumperFree
ASUS MyLogo
ASUS EZ Flash
ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2
SFS (Stepless Frequency Selection) from 200MHz up
to 300 MHz at 1MHz increment

4 Mb Flash ROM, Award BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0, SM
BIOS 2.3

1 x Parallel port
1 x Serial port
1 x PS/2 keyboard port
1 x PS/2 mouse port
1 x RJ45 port
4 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports
1 x 6-Channel Audio I/O port
1 x S/PDIF Out (Coaxial) port

(continued on the next page)

x

A8V-XE specifications summary

Internal I/O
connectors

Manageability

Support CD
contents

Form Factor

*Specifications are subject to change without notice.

1 x Floppy disk drive connector
2 x IDE connectors
4 x Serial ATA connectors
1 x 24-pin ATX power connector
1 x 4-pin ATX 12V power connector
2 x USB connectors for 4 additional USB 2.0 ports
1 x GAME/MIDI connector
1 x Front panel High Definition Audio connector
1 x S/PDIF out connector
CPU/Chassis Fan connectors
CD/ AUX audio-in connectors
Chassis Intrusion connector
System panel connector

Wfm2.0, DMI2.0, WOL by PME, WOR by PME, PXE, RPL

Drivers
ASUS PC Probe II
ASUS LiveUpdate Utility
Anti-Virus software

ATX Form Factor: 12 in x 8.3 in (30.5 cm x 21.0 cm)

xi

xii

This chapter describes the motherboard
features and the new technologies
it supports.

introduction

Product

1

1.1 Welcome!

T h a n k y o u f o r b u y i n g a n A S U S® A 8 V - X E m o t h e r b o a r d !

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 A8V-XE motherboard

Cables 1 x 2 in 1 FD/ATA cable
1 x SATA power cable
1 x SATA signal 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.

1-2

Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.3 Special features

1.3 .1 Pro du ct hi gh li ght s

Lat e st pro c es s or a nd 64- b it
com p ut i ng t ec h nol o gy

The AMD Athlon™ 64FX, Athlon™ 64, Athlon™ 64 X2, and AMD Sempron™
desktop processors are based on AMDʼs 64-bit and 32-bit architecture,
which represents the landmark introduction of the industryʼs first x86-64
technology. These processors provide a dramatic leap forward in compatibility,
performance, investment protection, and reduced total cost of ownership and
development. See page 1-8 for details.

ADI So u ndM A X H igh - De f ini t io n au d io

The onboard 6-channel AD1986A High Definition audio CODEC enables
high-quality audio which automatically detects and identifies what type of
peripherals are plugged into the audio I/O jacks. It also notifies the user of
inappropriate connection. See pages 1-21 and 1-22 for details.

Ser i al ATA 3G b /s t ec h nol o gy

The motherboard supports the Serial ATA 3 Gb/s technology through
the Serial ATA interfaces. 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
pages 1-24 for details.

AMD Co o l ʻ n ʼ Q uie t !™ Tec h no l ogy

The motherboard supports the AMD Cool ʻnʼ Quiet!™ Technology that
dynamically and automatically changes the CPU speed, voltage and amount
of power depending on the task the CPU performs.

Dua l C h ann e l D DR m em o ry s up p ort

Employing the Double Data Rate (DDR) memory technology,
the motherboard supports up to 4GB of system memory using
DDR400/333/266 DIMMs. The ultra-fast 400MHz memory bus delivers the
required bandwidth for the latest 3D graphics, multimedia, and Internet
applications. See page 1-12.

ASUS A8V-XE

1-3

USB 2.0 te c hno log y

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 1-20 and 1-26 for details.

S/P D IF - out on Bac k I / O P o rt

This motherboard provides convenient connectivity to external home
theater audio systems via an 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 pages 1-22 for details.

PCI Ex p res s ™ i nte r fa c e

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 1-18 for details.

1.3 .2 Inn ov at ive A SU S f ea tu res

C.P . R. (CP U P a ram e te r Re c al l )

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.

Cra s hF r ee B IO S 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. See page 2-6 for details.

ASU S M y Log o ™

This new feature present in the motherboard allows you to personalize and
add style to your system with customizable boot logos.

ASU S E Z Fl a sh BIO S

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 2-8 for details.

1-4

Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.4 Before you proceed

A8V-XE Onboard LED

SB_PWR

ON

Standby

Power

OFF

Powered

Off

A8V-XE

R

Take note of the following precautions before you install components into
the system.

•

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.

Onb oa rd LE D

The motherboard comes with a green standby power LED. This LED
lights up to indicate that the system is ON, in sleep mode or in soft­off mode, and not powered OFF. Unplug the power cable from the
power outlet and make sure that the standby power LED is OFF before
installing any system component.

ASUS A8V-XE

1-5

1.5 Motherboard overview

A8V-XE

R

Before you install the motherboard, study the configuration of your chassis
to ensure that the motherboard fits into it.

Make sure to unplug the power cord before installing or removing the
motherboard. Failure to do so can cause you physical injury and damage
motherboard components.

1.5 .1 Pla ce me nt di re cti on

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 .2 Scr ew h ole s

Place seven (6) 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.

1-6

Place this side towards
the rear of the chassis

Chapter 1: Product introduction

SOCKET 939

VIA K8T890

VIA VT8251

PCI2

PCI3

PCI1

PCIEX16

PCIEX1_1

PCIEX1_2

EATXPWR

ATX12V

SB_PWR

30.5cm(12.0in)

21.0cm(8.3in)

CHASSIS

SATA4 SATA2

SATA3 SATA1

DDR DIMM_A

1

(

64

bit,

184

-pin module)

DDR DIMM_

A

2

(

64

bit,

184

-pin module)

DDR DIMM_

B1

(

64

bit,

184

-pin module)

DDR DIMM_

B2

(

64

bit,

184

-pin module)

CR2032 3V
Lithium Cell

CMOS Power

AUX CD

SPDIF_OUT

FLOPPY

GAME

AAFP

CPU_F

AN

CHA_FAN

USB56

PANEL

CLRTC

USBPW2

USBPW1

KBPWR

PS/2KBMS
T: Mouse
B: Keyboard

SPDIF_O

PARALLEL PORT

COM1

F_USB12

LAN_USB34

Below:Mic In

Center:Line Out

Top:Line In

PRI_IDE

SEC_IDE

A8V-XE

R

AD1986A

4Mb Flash

ROM

Realtek

USB78

Super I/O

1.5 .3 Mot he rb oar d la you t

ASUS A8V-XE

1-7

A8V-XE CPU Socket 939

A8V-XE

R

1.6 Central Processing Unit (CPU)

1.6 .1 Ove rv ie w

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

1.6 .2 Ins ta ll lin g th e C PU

To install a CPU:

1. Locate the CPU socket on the motherboard.

1-8

Before installing the CPU, make sure that the socket box is facing
towards you and the load lever is on your left.

Chapter 1: Product introduction

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

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

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.

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.

ASUS A8V-XE

1-9

1.6 .3 Ins ta ll ing t he h e at si nk an d fa n

The AMD Athlon™ 64FX, Athlon™ 64X2, AMD Athlon 64™ or AMD
Sempron™ processor require a specially designed heatsink and fan assembly
to ensure optimum thermal condition and performance.

Follow these steps to install the CPU heatsink and fan.

1. Place the heatsink on top of the installed CPU, making sure that the
heatsink fits properly on the retention module base.

• The retention module base is already installed on the motherboard
upon purchase.

• You do not have to remove the retention module base when
installing the CPU or installing other motherboard components.

• If you purchased a separate CPU heatsink and fan assembly, make

sure that a Thermal Interface Material is properly applied to the CPU
heatsink or CPU before you install the heatsink and fan assembly.

CPU F a n

CPU H e atsin k

Ret e n t ion b r a c ket

1-10

Ret e n t ion M o d u le Ba s e

Ret e n t ion b r a c ket l o c k

Your boxed CPU heatsink and fan assembly should come with installation
instructions for the CPU, heatsink, and the retention mechanism. If the
instructions in this section do not match the CPU documentation, follow
the latter.

Chapter 1: Product introduction

2. Attach one end of the retention bracket to the retention module base.

1

3

4

5

2

A8V-XE CPU Fan Connector

GND

Rotation

+12V

CPU_FAN

A8V-XE

R

3. Align the other end of the retention bracket (near the retention
bracket lock) to the retention module base. A clicking sound denotes
that the retention bracket is in place.

Make sure that the fan and heatsink assembly perfectly fits the
retention mechanism module base, otherwise you cannot snap the
retention bracket in place.

4. Push down the retention bracket lock on the retention mechanism to
secure the heatsink and fan to the module base.

5. When the fan and heatsink assembly is in place, connect the CPU fan
cable to the connector on the motherboard labeled CPU_FAN.

ASUS A8V-XE

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

1-11

1.7 System memory

A8V-XE 184-pin DDR DIMM Sockets

DIMM_A1

DIMM_A2

DIMM_B1

DIMM_B2

80 Pins

A8V-XE

R

104 Pins

1.7 .1 Ov e rv ie w

The motherboard comes with two Double Data Rate (DDR) Dual Inline
Memory Module (DIMM) sockets.

The following figure illustrates the location of the sockets:

Channel Sockets

Channel A DIMM_A1 and DIMM_A2
Channel B DIMM_B1 and DIMM_B2

1.7 .2 Me m or y co n fi gu ra t io ns

You may install 64MB, 128 MB, 256 MB, 512 MB, and 1 GB unbuffered
ECC or non-ECC DDR DIMMs into the DIMM sockets using the memory
configuration in this section.

• When you installed four 1 GB DDR memory modules, the system
may detect not more than 3 GB of total system memory because of
address space allocation. This limitation applies only to systms with
Windows® XP 32-bit operating system since it does not support PAE
(Physical Address Extension) mode.

• We recommend that you install less than 3GB of total system
memory when using windows XP 32-bit operating system.

• Always install DIMMs with the same CAS latency. For optimum
compatibility, we recommend that you obtain memory modules from
the same vendor. Refer to the DDR400 Qualified Vendors List on
page 1-14 for details.

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Chapter 1: Product introduction

Tab l e 1 Re c om m end e d m emo r y c onf i gu r ati o ns

Sockets
Mode DIMM_A1 DIMM_A2 DIMM_B1 DIMM_B2

Single-channel (1) — — Populated —
Dual-channel* (1) Populated — Populated —
(2) Populated Populated Populated Populated

* Use only identical DDR DIMM pairs.
* For dual-channel configuration (3), you may:

•

•

install identical DIMMs in all four sockets OR

install identical DIMM pair in DIMM_A1 and DIMM_B1

(blue sockets)

ASUS A8V-XE

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DDR 4 00 Qua l ifi ed V end ors Lis t

 DIMM support

Size Vendor Model CL Brand Side(s) Component A B C

256MB KINGSTON V58C2256804SAT5(ECC) N/A N/A SS KVR400X72C3A/256 • • •
512MB KINGSTON V58C2256804SAT5(ECC) N/A N/A DS KVR400X72C3A/512 • • •
512MB KINGSTON Heat-Sink Package N/A N/A DS KHX3200A/512 • • •
256MB KINGSTON D3208DL3T-5A N/A N/A SS KVR400X64C3A/256 • • •
256MB KINGSTON A2S56D30BTP N/A N/A SS KVR400X64C3A/256 • • •
512MB KINGSTON V58C2256804SAT5 N/A N/A DS KVR400X64C3A/512 • • •
512MB KINGSTON HY5DU12822BT-D43 N/A N/A SS KVR400X64C3A/512 • • •
1024MB KINGSTON HYB25D512800BE-5B N/A N/A DS KVR400X64C3A/1G • • •
256MB SAMSUNG K4H560838E-TCCC(ECC) N/A SAMSUNG SS M381L3223ETM-CCC • • •
512MB SAMSUNG K4H560838E-TCCC(ECC) N/A SAMSUNG DS M381L6423ETM-CCC • • •
512MB SAMSUNG K4H560838F-TCCC N/A SAMSUNG DS M368L6423FTN-CCC • • •
256MB MICRON MT46V32M8TG-5BC N/A MICRON SS MT8VDDT3264AG-40BCB • • •
512MB MICRON MT46V32M8TG-5BC N/A MICRON DS MT16VDDT6464AG-40BCB • • •
256MB Infineon HYB25D256800CE-5C 3 Infineon SS HYS64D32300HU-5-C • • •
512MB Infineon HYB25D256800CE-5C N/A Infineon DS HYS64D64320HU-5-C • • •
256MB Infineon HYB25D512160CE-5C 3 Infineon SS HYS64D32301HU-5-C • • •
1024MB Infineon HYB25D512800CE-5B 3 Infineon DS HYS64D128320HU-5-C • • •
256MB CORSAIR W942508BH-5 N/A N/A SS CMX256A-3200C2PT • • •
512MB CORSAIR VS32M8-5 N/A N/A DS VS512MB400 • • •
1024MB CORSAIR Heat-Sink Package N/A N/A DS TWINX2048-3200C2 • • •
256MB Hynix HY5DU56822DT-D43 N/A N/A SS HYMD232646D8J-D43 • • •
256MB Transcend K4H560838F-TCCC 3 SAMSUNG SS TS32MLD64V4F3 • • •
512MB Transcend K4H560838F-TCCC 3 SAMSUNG DS TS64MLD64V4F3 • • •
1024MB Transcend K4H510838B-TCCC 3 SAMSUNG DS TS128MLD64V4J • • •
256MB A DATA K4H560838E-TCCC 3 SAMSUNG SS MDOSS6F3G31Y0K1E0Z • • •
512MB A DATA K4H560838F-TCCC 3 SAMSUNG DS MDOSS6F3H41Y0N1E0Z • • •
256MB A DATA HY5DU56822CT-D43 3 Hynix SS MDOHY6F3G31Y0N1E0Z • • •
512MB A DATA HY5DU56822CT-D43 3 Hynix DS MDOHY6F3H41Y0N1E0Z • • •
256MB A DATA ADD8608A8A-5B 2.5 N/A SS MDOAD5F3G31Y0D1E02 • • •
512MB A DATA ADD8608A8A-5B 2.5 N/A DS MDOAD5F3H41Y0D1E02 • • •
256MB KINGMAX KDL388P4LA-50 N/A N/A SS MPXB62D-38KT3R • • •
512MB KINGMAX KDL388P4LA-50 N/A N/A DS MPXC22D-38KT3R • • •
256MB crucial Heat-Sink Package 2 Ballistix SS BL3264Z402.8TG •
512MB crucial Heat-Sink Package 2 Ballistix DS BL6464Z402.16TG •

Side(s): SS - Single-Sided DS - Double-Sided
DIMM Support:

A

- supports one module inserted into either the blue slots, in a Single­channel memory configuration.

B

- supports on pair of modules inserted into either the blue slots or the
black slots as one pair of Dual-channel memory configuration.

C

- support for 4 modules inserted into the blue and black slots as two
pairs of Dual-channel memory configuration.

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

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Chapter 1: Product introduction