ASUS AP6N User Manual

R

P/I-AP6N

All-In-One Pentium Pro Motherboard

USER'S MANUAL

USER'S NOTICE

No part of this product, including the product and software may be reproduced,
transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any lan­guage in any form by any means without the express written permission of ASUS­TeK COMPUTER INC. (hereinafter referred to as ASUS) except documentation
kept by the purchaser for backup purposes.

Specifications are subject to change without notice. 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 be liable for any loss or profits, loss of
business, loss of use or data, interruption of business, or for indirect, special, inci­dental, or consequential damages of any kind, even if ASUS has been advised of
the possibility of such damages arising from any defect or error in this manual or
product. ASUS may revise this manual from time to time without notice.

Products mentioned in this manual are mentioned for identification purposes only.
Product names appearing in this manual may or may not be registered trademarks
or copyrights of their respective companies.

• Intel, LanDesk, and Pentium are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation.

• Symbios is a registered trademark of Symbios Logic Corporation.

• Windows and MS-DOS are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

• Sound Blaster AWE32 and SB16 are trademarks of Creative Technology Ltd.

• Adobe and Acrobat are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated.
The product name and revision number are both printed on the board itself. Manual

revisions are released for each board design represented by the digit before and
after the period of the manual revision number . Manual updates are represented by
the third digit in the manual revision number. For previous or updated manuals,
BIOS, drivers, or product release information you may visit ASUS' home page at:
http://www.asus.com.tw/ or contact ASUS from the following page.

© Copyright 1997 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. All rights reserved.

Product Name: ASUS P/I-AP6N
Manual Revision: 1.03
Release Date: April 1997

2

ASUS P/I-AP6N User's Manual

ASUS CONTACT INFORMATION

ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.

Marketing Info:

Address: 150 Li-Te Road, Peitou, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Technical Support:

Fax: [phone]
BBS: 886-2-896-4667
Email: [e-mail]
WWW: http://www.asus.com.tw/
Gopher: gopher.asus.com.tw
FTP: ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS

ASUS COMPUTER INTERNATIONAL

Marketing Info:

Address: 721 Charcot Avenue, San Jose, CA 95131, USA
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Technical Support:

BBS: 1-408-474-0555
Email: [e-mail]

ASUS COMPUTER GmbH

Marketing Info:

Address: Harkort Str. 25, 40880 Ratingen, BRD, Germany
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Technical Support:

BBS: 49-2102-448690
Email: [e-mail]

ASUS P/I-AP6N User's Manual 3

CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION...........................................................................7

How this manual is organized ..................................................................... 7

Item Checklist ............................................................................................. 7

II. FEATURES ....................................................................................8

Features of the ASUS Motherboard ............................................................ 8

Parts of the ASUS Motherboard ........................................................... 9

III. INSTALLATION ........................................................................10

Map of the ASUS Motherboard ................................................................ 10

Installation Steps ....................................................................................... 12

1. Jumpers ................................................................................................. 12

Jumper Settings ............................................................................ 13

2. System Memory ................................................................................... 18

SIMM Memory Installation Procedures: ...................................... 19

VGA Memory Upgrade ................................................................ 20

3. Central Processing Unit (CPU) ............................................................ 21

4. Expansion Cards................................................................................... 22

Expansion Card Installation Procedure: ....................................... 22

Assigning IRQs for Expansion Cards........................................... 22

Assigning DMA Channels for ISA Cards..................................... 23

5. External Connectors ............................................................................. 24

Power Connection Procedures ............................................................ 31

IV. BIOS SOFTWARE .....................................................................32

Support Software....................................................................................... 32

Flash Memory Writer Utility..................................................................... 32

Main Menu ................................................................................... 32

Advanced Features Menu ............................................................. 33

Managing & Updating your Motherboard's BIOS.............................. 34

6. BIOS Setup........................................................................................... 35

Load Defaults ............................................................................... 36

Standard CMOS Setup ........................................................................ 36

Details of Standard CMOS Setup:................................................ 37

BIOS Features Setup........................................................................... 40

Details of BIOS Features Setup.................................................... 40

Chipset Features Setup........................................................................ 43

Details of Chipset Features Setup................................................. 43

Power Management Setup .................................................................. 46

Details of Power Management Setup ........................................... 46

PNP and PCI Setup ............................................................................. 48

Details of PNP and PCI Setup ...................................................... 48

Load BIOS Defaults............................................................................ 50

Load Setup Defaults............................................................................ 50

Supervisor Password and User Password ........................................... 51

IDE HDD Auto Detection ................................................................... 52

Save and Exit Setup ............................................................................ 53

Exit Without Saving............................................................................ 53

V. DESKTOP MANAGEMENT......................................................55

Desktop Management Interface (DMI) ..................................................... 55

Introducing the ASUS DMI Configuration Utility ....................... 55

System Requirements ................................................................... 55

Using the ASUS DMI Configuration Utility ................................ 56

Notes:............................................................................................ 56

4

ASUS P/I-AP6N User's Manual

CONTENTS

R

A TI VGA Series .................................................................59

VI. Microsoft Windows 95 ................................................................61

Video Driver Installation ........................................................................... 61

Software MPEG & Video Player ........................................................ 65

Windows 95 Display Settings ................................................................... 66

VII. Microsoft Windows 3.x..............................................................67

Video Driver Installation ........................................................................... 67

Software MPEG & Video Player .............................................................. 69

ATI Desktop Control Panel ................................................................. 70

ATI Desktop Features ......................................................................... 70

FlexDesk+ ................................................................................................. 71

FlexDesk+ Basic Settings ................................................................... 71

FlexDesk+ Advanced Settings ............................................................ 73

DPMS (for Windows) ............................................................................... 74

Timer Settings..................................................................................... 74

Buttons ................................................................................................ 74

DeskScape ................................................................................................. 75

DeskScape Functions .......................................................................... 75

Buttons ................................................................................................ 76

WinSwitch................................................................................................. 76

Screen Adjustment .............................................................................. 77

DPMS Parameters ............................................................................... 79

VIII. Windows V ideo Player.............................................................80

ATI Player and control panel (Win3.1x and Win95) .......................... 80

Features ............................................................................................... 80

V ideo Acceleration Performance ........................................................ 81

Playing V ideo Clips ............................................................................ 81

Sizing Windows .................................................................................. 81

IX. Microsoft Windows NT...............................................................82

Video Driver Installation ........................................................................... 82

X. IBM OS/2 & OS/2 Warp ..............................................................86

Video Driver Installation ........................................................................... 86

XI. Other Video Drivers....................................................................87

AutoCAD Video Driver Installation ......................................................... 87

Microstation Video Driver Installation ..................................................... 88

Select System Information (optional) ....................................................... 89

Quick Setup (optional) .............................................................................. 89

VDIF Files (optional).......................................................................... 90

Advanced Setup (optional)........................................................................ 91

A. Troubleshooting ............................................................................93

Diagnostics ................................................................................................ 93

Troubleshooting ........................................................................................ 93

System Lockup.......................................................................................... 93

ASUS P/I-AP6N User's Manual 5

FCC & DOC COMPLIANCE

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:

• Re-orient 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 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.

6

ASUS P/I-AP6N User's Manual

I. INTRODUCTION

How this manual is organized

This manual is divided into the following sections:

I. Introduction: Manual information and checklist
II. Features: Information and specifications concerning this product
III. Installation: Instructions on setting up the motherboard.
IV. BIOS Setup: BIOS software setup information.
V. DMI Utility: BIOS supported Desktop Management Interface
VI. VGA Drivers: ATI VGA Drivers and Utilities

Item Checklist

Please check that your package is complete. If you discover damaged or missing
items, please contact your retailer.

√ The ASUS P/I-AP6N motherboard
√ 1 IDE ribbon cable

I. INTRODUCTION

(Manual / Checklist)

√ 1 floppy ribbon cable
√ Support drivers and utilities as follows (view FILELIST.TXT for details)

• Flash Memory Writer utility to update the FLASH BIOS

• Desktop Management Interface (DMI) utility

• Bus Master IDE Drivers for various operating systems

• Readme files for descriptions and use of the files

• Technical Support Form

• ATI Video drivers and utilities (CD)

• Creative Labs Audio drivers and utilities (CD)

√ This user's manual with VGA driver installation
√ Creative Labs ViBRA 16C Series Audio Manual

Optional infrared module
Optional ASUS PCI-SC200 Fast-SCSI card

ASUS P/I-AP6N User’s Manual 7

II. FEATURES

Features of the ASUS Motherboard

The ASUS P/I-AP6N is specially designed for the demanding PC user who wants a
high-performance multi-media motherboard in a single package. This motherboard:

• Multi-Speed Support: Supports one 150-200MHz Pentium Pro CPU on a

ZIF Socket 8.

• Intel Chipset: Features Intel's 440FX PCIset with I/O subsystems.

II. FEATURES

(Features)

• Easy Installation: Is equipped with BIOS that supports auto detection of hard

drives, PS/2 mouse, and Plug and Play devices to make setup of hard drives,
expansion cards, and other devices virtually automatic.

• Error Checking and Correcting (ECC): Using Intel’s 440FX PCIset to-

gether with parity DRAM modules can detect multi-bit memory errors and
correct 1-bit memory errors.

• Desktop Management Interface (DMI): Supports DMI through BIOS which

allows hardware to communicate within a standard protocol creating a higher
level of compatibility . (Requires DMI-enabled components.) (See section V)

• Internal L2 Cache Support: Supports Intel CPU’s built in 256KB/512KB

(depending on CPU) Level 2 cache so that no external SRAM chips are needed.

• V ersatile DRAM Memory Support: Supports 72-pin SIMMs of 4MB, 8MB,

16MB, 32MB or 64MB to form a memory size between 8MB to 384MB. Sup­ports both Fast Page Mode (FPM) and Extended Data Output (EDO) SIMMs.

• Riser Expansion Slot: Supports slot expansion through a daughter card (called

a Riser card) with ISA and/or PCI slots (provided by retailer)

• Super Multi-I/O: Provides two high-speed UART compatible serial ports

and one parallel port with EPP and ECP capabilities. UART2 can also be
directed from COM2 to the Infrared Module for wireless connections. Two
floppy drives of either 5.25" or 3.5" (1.44MB or 2.88MB) are also supported
without an external card. The Japanese "Floppy 3 mode" (3.5" 1.2MB)

floppy standard is also supported.

• PCI Bus Master IDE Controller: Comes with an onboard PCI Bus Master

IDE controller with two connectors that supports four IDE devices in two chan­nels, provides faster data transfer rates, and supports Enhanced IDE devices
such as T ape Backup and CD-ROM drives. This controller supports PIO Modes
3 and 4 and Bus Master IDE DMA Mode 2. BIOS now supports IDE CD-

ROM or SCSI bootup.

• Ready-to-Use Connectors: Is equipped with onboard Monitor, Parallel

(Printer) Port, Serial Ports (COM1&2), PS/2 Mouse, and PS/2 Keyboard con­nectors without the need for extra cables and brackets.

• Multi-Media Ready: Includes Creative Labs 16CL Audio and ATI Mach64

3D RAGE II VGA with 3D enhancement onboard.

8 ASUS P/I-AP6N User’s Manual

II. FEATURES

• Upgradeable Video Memory: Includes 2MB DRAM onboard and upgradeable
to 4MB DRAM.

• Optional IrDA Connector: Supports an optional infrared port module for
wireless interface.

• SCSI BIOS: Has firmware that supports optional ASUS SCSI controller cards.

Parts of the ASUS Motherboard

PS/2
Mouse

PS/2
Keyboard

Audio Port
USB Connector

(Reserved)
Multi-I/O & RTC

Floppy Connector
VGA Memory

Upgrade Sockets

Monitor

Parallel COM 2

COM 1

II. FEATURES

(Parts of Board)

AMC Connector

IDE Connectors
Riser Slot
Audio Wave

Table Upgrade

(6) 72-pin SIMM
DRAM Sockets

Programmable
Flash ROM

Intel's 440FX
PCIset

CPU ZIF Socket 8

ASUS P/I-AP6N User’s Manual 9

III. INSTALLATION

Map of the ASUS Motherboard

III. INSTALLATION

(Map of Board)

VGA Output

512KB DRAM

512KB DRAM

AMC Connector

512KB DRAM
Upgrade Socket

512KB DRAM
Upgrade Socket

512KB DRAM

512KB DRAM

512KB DRAM

512KB DRAM
Upgrade Socket

512KB DRAM

512KB DRAM
Upgrade Socket

Parallel Connector

USB

Audio Connector

Sony CD In

Panasonic CD In

Mitsumi CD In

ATI 3D Rage II
Video Chipset

Intel PIIX3
PCIset

Serial COM2

Audio (En/Dis)

Creative
Labs
ViBRA
Audio

Serial COM1

Raiser Card Connector

Secondary IDE

R

Wave Table Upgrade

PS/2
Mouse

PS/2
Keyboard

Super
Multi-I/O

JP2

JP3

Primary IDE

SIMM Socket 1 (Bank 0)

SIMM Socket 2 (Bank 0)

SIMM Socket 3 (Bank 1)

Floppy Drives

Board Power Input

P8

P9

SIMM Socket 4 (Bank 1)

SIMM Socket 5 (Bank 2)

SIMM Socket 6 (Bank 2)

IDE LED

Panel Connectors

Volume Control

Infrared

Gnd
Up
Gnd
Down
Gnd

BBLKW

Flash ROM
for BIOS

VID0
VID1
VID2
VID3

CPU Voltage

BF0
BF1
BF2
BF3

Freq. Ratio

Intel 440FX
PCIset

BUS FREQ

FS0

FS1

CPU ZIF Socket 8

FANPWR1

Intel 440FX
PCIset

CR2032
3 Volts
Lithium
Button Cell

RTCLR

FANPWR2

CHASSIS

FANPWR3

10 ASUS P/I-AP6N User’s Manual

III. INSTALLATION

Jumpers

1) BBLKW p. 13 Flash ROM Boot Block Program (Enable/Disable)

2) RTCLR p. 14 Real Time Clock RAM (Operation/Clear CMOS Data)

3) AUDIO_JP p. 15 Audio Selection (Enabled/Disabled)

4) FS0, FS1 p. 16 CPU External Clock (BUS) Frequency Selection

5) BF0, BF1, BF2, BF3 p. 16 CPU:BUS Frequency Ratio

6) VID0 - VID3 p. 17 Voltage Regulator Output Selection

Expansion Slots

1) SIMM Sockets p. 18 DRAM Memory Expansion Sockets

2) CPU ZIF Socket 8 p. 21 Central Processing Unit (CPU) Socket

3) Riser Slot p. 22 Slot for a Riser Expansion Slot Card

Connectors

1) PS2KB p. 24 PS/2 Keyboard Connector (6-pin Female)

2) PS2MOUSE p. 24 PS/2 Mouse Connector (6-pin Female)

3) COM1, COM2 p. 24 Serial Port COM1 & COM2 (9-pin Male)

4) PRINTER p. 25 Parallel (Printer) Port Connector (25-pin Female)

5) Video Monitor Output p. 25 Video Connector for Video Monitor (15-pin Female)

6) FLOPPY p. 25 Floppy Drive Connector (34-pin Block)

7) IDE1, IDE2 p. 26 Primary / Secondary IDE Connector (40-pin Blocks)

8) IDELED p. 26 IDE LED Activity Light

9) TB LED (PANEL) p. 27 Turbo LED/Power LED (2-pins)

10) SMI (PANEL) p. 27 SMI Switch Lead (2-pins)

11) RESET (PANEL) p. 27 Reset Switch Lead (2-pins)

12) KEYLOCK (PANEL) p. 27 Keyboard Lock Switch Lead (5-pins)

13) SPEAKER (PANEL) p. 27 Speaker Connector (4-pins)

14) IR p. 28 Infrared Port Module Connector

15) VOL_CON p. 28 Digital Volume Control (Up/Down)

16) FANPWR1, 2, 3 p. 29 1 CPU, 2 Power Supply, 3 Chassis Fan Power Leads (6-pin Block)

17) CHASSIS p. 29 Chassis Open Alarm Lead (3-pin Block)

18) Power Input p. 30 Motherboard Power Connector (12-pin Block)

(Map of Board)

III. INSTALLATION

ASUS P/I-AP6N User’s Manual 11

III. INSTALLATION

Installation Steps

Before using your computer, you must follow the six steps as follows:

1. Set Jumpers on the Motherboard

2. Install DRAM Modules

3. Install the CPU

4. Install Expansion Cards

5. Connect Cables, Wires, and Power Supply

6. Setup the BIOS Software

1. Jumpers

Several hardware settings are made through the use of jumper caps to connect jumper
pins (JP) on the motherboard. See "Map of the Motherboard" on page 4 for loca-

III. INSTALLATION

(Jumpers)

tions of jumpers. The jumper settings will be described numerically such as [----],
[1-2], [2-3] for no connection, connect pins 1&2, and connect pins 2&3 respec­tively. Pin 1 for our motherboards is always on top

holding the motherboard with the keyboard connector away from yourself. A "1" is
written besides pin 1 on jumpers with three pins. The jumpers will also be shown
graphically such as

Jumpers with two pins will be shown as
For manufacturing simplicity, the jumpers may be sharing pins from other groups.
Use the diagrams in this manual instead of following the pin layout on the board.
Settings with two jumper numbers require that both jumpers be moved together . To
connect the pins, simply place a plastic jumper cap over the two pins as diagramed.

WARNING: Computer motheboards and components contain very delicate
Integrated Circuit (IC) chips. To protect the motherboard and other compo­nents against damage from static electricity, you should follow some precau­tions whenever you work on your computer.

1. Unplug your computer when working on the inside.

2. Hold components by the edges and try not to touch the IC chips, leads, or
circuitry.

3. Use a grounded wrist strap before handling computer components.

4. Place components on a grounded antistatic pad or on the bag that came with
the component whenever the components are separated from the system.

to connect pins 1&2 and to connect pins 2&3.

for short (On) and for open (Off).

Pin 1

or on the left

Pin 1

when

12 ASUS P/I-AP6N User’s Manual

III. INSTALLATION

Jumper Settings

1. Flash ROM Boot Block Programming (BBLKW)

This sets the operation mode of the boot block area of the BIOS Flash ROM to
allow programming in the Enabled position.

Programming BBLKW

Disabled [1-2] (Default)
Enabled [2-3]

BBLKW

1
2
3

R

Disabled / Protected
(Default)

Boot Block Programming (Disable / Enable)

BBLKW

1
2
3

Enabled

(Jumpers)

III. INSTALLATION

ASUS P/I-AP6N User’s Manual 13

III. INSTALLATION

(Jumpers)

III. INSTALLATION

2. Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM (RTCLR)

The CMOS RAM is powered by the onboard button cell battery. To clear the
RTC data: (1) Turn off your computer, (2) Move this jumper to “Clear Data,”
(3) Power on your computer, (4) Turn off your computer, (5) Move the jumper
back to “Operation,” (6) T urn on your computer, (7) Hold down <Delete> during
bootup and enter BIOS setup to re-enter user preferences.

Battery Test Jumper (RTCLR)

You can test the battery’s current by removing this jumper and attaching a cur­rent meter to pins 2&3. WARNING: You must unplug the power cord to

your power supply to ensure that there is no power to your motherboard.
The CMOS RAM containing BIOS setup information may be cleared by
this action. You should enter BIOS to “Load Setup Defaults” and r e-enter
any user information after removing and reapplying this jumper.

RTC RAM RTCLR

Operation [2-3] (Default)
Clear Data [1-2] (momentarily)

R

RTCLR

1
2
3

(Default)

Real Time Clock RAM (Operation / Clear CMOS Data)

RTCLR

1
2
3

Clear CMOS DataOperation

14 ASUS P/I-AP6N User’s Manual

III. INSTALLATION

3. Onboard Audio Selection (AUDIO_JP)

This jumper allows you to Disable the onboard audio chipset in order to use
your own audio card. Otherwise, leave on default of Enabled.

Onboard Audio AUDIO_JP

Enabled [1-2] (Default)
Disabled [2-3]

AUDIO_JP

1
2
3

R

Enabled
(Default)

Onboard Audio Selection (Enable / Disabled)

AUDIO_JP

1
2
3

Disabled

(Jumpers)

III. INSTALLATION

ASUS P/I-AP6N User’s Manual 15

III. INSTALLATION

4. CPU External (BUS) Frequency Selection (FS0, FS1)

These jumpers tell the clock generator what frequency to send to the CPU. These
allow the selection of the CPU’ s External frequency (or BUS Clock). The BUS
Clock times the BUS Ratio equals the CPU's Internal frequency (the advertised
CPU speed).

5. CPU to BUS Frequency Ratio (BF0, BF1, BF2, BF3)

These jumpers set the frequency ratio between the Internal frequency of the
CPU and the External frequency (called the BUS Clock) within the CPU. These
must be set together with the above jumpers CPU External (BUS) Frequency

Selection.

FS1

FS0

FS1

FS0

FS1

FS0

FS1

FS0

III. INSTALLATION

(Jumpers)

R

CPU External Clock (BUS) Frequency Selection

BF0
BF1
BF2
BF3

CPU : BUS Frequency Ratio (2.0x, 2.5x, 3.0x, 3.5x, 4.0x)

60MHz 66MHzReserved Reserved

BF0
BF1
BF2
BF3

BF0
BF1
BF2
BF3

BF0
BF1
BF2
BF3

3.5 x2.0 x 2.5 x 3.0 x 4.0 x

BF0
BF1
BF2
BF3

Set the jumpers by the Internal speed of the Intel CPU as follows:

(BUS Freq.) (CPU to BUS Freq. Ratio)

Freq. Ratio BUS Freq. FS1 FS0 BF0 BF1 BF2 BF3

200MHz 3.0x 66MHz [1-2] [2-3] [ON] [OFF] [ON] [ON]
180MHz 3.0x 60MHz [2-3] [1-2] [ON] [OFF] [ON] [ON]

166MHz 2.5x 66MHz [1-2] [2-3] [OFF] [ON] [ON] [ON]
150MHz 2.5x 60MHz [2-3] [1-2] [OFF] [ON] [ON] [ON]

16 ASUS P/I-AP6N User’s Manual

III. INSTALLATION

6. Voltage Regulator Output Selection (VID0 -VID3)

Pentium Pro Processors may require different voltages. Current processors
(marked “Pentium Pro”) support VID and will automatically adjust the voltage
regulator so that no jumper settings are needed (leave these jumpers open in this
case). Older processors without VID support require manual voltage ID setting.
Use [S] for Short and [O] for Open.

Voltage 3.5 3.4 3.3 3.2 3.1 3.0 2.9 2.8 2.7 2.6 2.5 2.4 2.3 2.2 2.1 Auto
VID 0 [S] [O] [S] [O] [S] [O] [S] [O] [S] [O] [S] [O] [S] [O] [S] [O]
VID 1 [S] [S] [O] [O] [S] [S] [O] [O] [S] [S] [O] [O] [S] [S] [O] [O]
VID 2 [S] [S] [S] [S] [O] [O] [O] [O] [S] [S] [S] [S] [O] [O] [O] [O]
VID 3 [S] [S] [S] [S] [S] [S] [S] [S] [O] [O] [O] [O] [O] [O] [O] [O]

AUTO

R

VID0
VID1
VID2
VID3

(Default)

(Jumpers)

Voltage Regulator Output Selection

III. INSTALLATION

ASUS P/I-AP6N User’s Manual 17

2. System Memory

This motherboard supports six 72-pin SIMMs (Single Inline Memory Modules) of
4MB, 8MB, 16MB, 32MB, or 64MB to form a memory size between 8MB to 384MB.
The DRAM can be either 60ns or 70ns Fast Page Mode (FPM) (Asymmetric or
Symmetric), Extended Data Out (EDO), or Burst Extended Data Out (BEDO).
SIMMs must be installed in pairs so that each bank contains two of the same size
memory modules. Maximum memory size of each memory bank must be 128MB
or less. To support Error Checking and Correcting (ECC), you must use true (op­posed to phantom parity generated by TTL chips) 36-bit parity-type SIMM (e.g. 8
chips + 4 parity chips ) in pairs for all modules. Mixing 32-bit non-parity SIMM (e.
g. 8 chips) and 36-bit SIMM (e.g. 12 chips) will work minus the ECC feature.

IMPORTANT: Memory speed setup is r equir ed in BIOS Chipset Setup "Auto

III. INSTALLATION

(System Memory)

Configuration."

Install memory in any or all of the banks in any combination as follows:

III. INSTALLATION

Bank Memory Module Total Memory
Bank 0 4MB, 8MB, 16MB, 32MB, 64MB x2

SIMM Sockets 1&2 72-pin FPM, EDO, BEDO SIMM
Bank 1 4MB, 8MB, 16MB, 32MB, 64MB x2

SIMM Sockets 3&4 72-pin FPM, EDO, BEDO SIMM
Bank 2 4MB, 8MB, 16MB, 32MB, 64MB x2

SIMM Sockets 5&6 72-pin FPM, EDO, BEDO SIMM

Total System Memory (Max 384MB) =

IMPORTANT: The same size and type (FPM, EDO, BEDO) of memory must
be installed in pairs so that memory modules are not mixed in each bank. Do
not use memory modules with more than 24 chips per module. Modules with
more than 24 chips exceed the design specifications of the memory subsystem
and will be unstable.

18 ASUS P/I-AP6N User’s Manual

III. INSTALLATION

DRAM in SIMM Sock

SIMM Memory Installation Procedures:

1. The SIMM memory modules will only fit in one orientation as shown because
of a "Plastic Safety Tab" on one end of the SIMM slots which requires the
"Notched End" of the SIMM memory modules.

1234

R

Bank 0 Bank 1

65

Bank 2

Notched End

72 Pin SIMM DRAM Sockets

2. Press the memory module firmly into place starting from a 45 degree angle
making sure that all the contacts are aligned with the socket.

(System Memory)

III. INSTALLATION

3. W ith your finger tips, rock the memory module into a vertical position so that it
clicks into place.

72 Pin

Metal Clip

Plastic Safety Tab (This Side Only)

et

Mounting Hole

4. The plastic guides should go through the two "Mounting Holes" on the sides and
the "Metal Clips" should snap on the other side.

5. To release the memory module, squeeze both "Metal Clips" outwards and rock
the module out of the "Metal Clips".

ASUS P/I-AP6N User’s Manual 19

III. INSTALLATION

VGA Memory Upgrade

The ASUS P/I-AP6N motherboard comes with 2MB DRAM for the onboard VGA.
Four sockets are available to upgrade the VGA memory to 4MB by adding four
512KB DRAM chips. 3MB is not supported on this product. Specifications may
change without notice.

Onboard VGA DRAM Specification:
40 pins SOJ, 256Kx16, DUAL CAS EDO DRAM 40ns

Suggested VGA DRAM for P/I-AP6N:

1. TM T224162A-40JE

2. EtronTech Em614163A-40

III. INSTALLATION

(System Memory)

This is an example of an installed DRAM. The indentation is made white for vis­ibility, it is normally black.

1. Match the small indentation on the chip’s sloped edge with the socket’ s cut corner .

2. Place the chip flat and evenly into the socket and press firmly but carefully so that
the chip enters evenly. When installed, the chip should be flush with the socket.

WARNING: Installing the memory chip incorrectly may damage the memory
and the product itself.

IMPORTANT: Make sure that all VGA memory are of the same type and speed to
ensure reliable operation.

Small indentation on the chip's sloped edge

Socket's cut corner

20 ASUS P/I-AP6N User’s Manual

III. INSTALLATION

3. Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The motherboard provides a 387-pin ZIF Socket 8. The CPU that came with the
motherboard should have a fan attached to it to prevent overheating. If this is not the
case then purchase a fan before you turn on your system. Apply thermal jelly to the
CPU top and then install the fan onto the CPU.

WARNING: Without a fan circulating air on the CPU and heat sinks, the
CPU and/or heat sinks can overheat and cause damage to both the CPU and the
motherboard. (See "CPU Cooling Fan Connector” at the end of this section.)

To install a CPU, first turn off your system and remove its cover. Locate the ZIF
socket and open it by first pulling the lever sideways away from the socket then
upwards to a 90-degree right angle. Insert the CPU with the correct orientation as
shown. Use the notched corner of the CPU with the white dot as your guide. The
white dot should point towards the end the of the lever . Notice that there is a blank
area where one hole is missing from that corner of the square array of pin holes and
a "1" printed on the motherboard next to that corner . Because the CPU has a corner
pin for three of the four corners, the CPU will only fit in the one orientation as
shown. The picture is for reference only; you should have a CPU fan that will cover
the face of the CPU. W ith the added weight of the CPU fan, no force is required to
insert the CPU. Once completely inserted, hold down on the fan and close the
socket's lever.

(CPU)

III. INSTALLATION

IMPORTANT: You must set jumpers for "CPU to BUS Frequency Ratio" and
jumpers for "BUS Frequency Selection" depending on the CPU that you install.

R

ZIF Socket 8 with Pentium Pro Processor

ASUS P/I-AP6N User’s Manual 21

4. Expansion Cards

WARNING: Make sure that you unplug your power supply when adding or
removing expansion cards or other system components. Failure to do so may
cause severe damage to both your motherboard and expansion cards.

IMPORTANT: This motherboard requires a Riser card in order to add expansion
cards. Insert the Riser card provided by your retailer into the Riser slot with the
notch over the safety tab. The Riser card cannot be inserted in the wrong orientation
because of the safety tab. The following is an example only. Your riser card may
look different. Check your system manual for specific settings that may be needed.

III. INSTALLATION

(Expansion Cards)

III. INSTALLATION

Expansion Card Installation Procedure:

1. Read the documentation for your expansion card.

2. Set any necessary jumpers on your expansion card.

3. Remove your computer system's cover.

4. Remove the bracket on the slot you intend to use. Keep the bracket for
possible future use.

5. Carefully align the card’s connectors and press firmly.

6. Secure the card on the slot with the screw you removed in step 4.

7. Replace the computer system's cover.

8. Setup the BIOS if necessary (such as "IRQ xx Used By ISA: Yes" in PNP AND
PCI SETUP)

9. Install the necessary software drivers for your expansion card.

Assigning IRQs for Expansion Cards

Some expansion cards need to use an IRQ to operate. Generally an IRQ must be
exclusively assigned to one use. In an standard design there are 16 IRQs available
but most of them are already in use by parts of the system which leaves 6 free for
expansion cards.

22 ASUS P/I-AP6N User’s Manual

III. INSTALLATION

Both ISA and PCI expansion cards may need to use IRQs. System IRQs are avail­able to cards installed in the ISA expansion bus first, and any remaining IRQs are
then used by PCI cards. Currently, there are two types of ISA cards. The original
ISA expansion card design, now referred to as “Legacy” ISA cards, requires that
you configure the card’ s jumpers manually and then install it in any available slot on
the ISA bus. You may use Microsoft's Diagnostic (MSD.EXE) utility included in
the Windows directory to see a map of your used and free IRQs. For Windows 95
users, the "Control Panel" icon in "My Computer," contains a "System" icon which
gives you a "Device Manager" tab. Double clicking on a specific device give you
"Resources" tab which shows the Interrupt number and address. Make sure that no
two devices use the same IRQs or your computer will experience problems when
those two devices are in use at the same time.

T o simplify this process this motherboard has complied with the Plug and Play (PNP)
specification which was developed to allow automatic system configuration when­ever a PNP-compliant card is added to the system. For PNP cards, IRQs are as­signed automatically from those available.

If the system has both Legacy and PNP ISA cards installed, IRQs are
assigned to PNP cards from those not used by Legacy cards. The PCI and PNP
configuration of the BIOS setup utility can be used to indicate which IRQs are being
used by Legacy cards. For older Legacy cards that does not work with the BIOS,
you can contact your vendor for an ISA Configuration Utility.

An IRQ number is automatically assigned to PCI expansion cards after those used
by Legacy and PNP ISA cards. In the PCI bus design, the BIOS automatically
assigns an IRQ to a PCI slot that has a card in it that requires an IRQ. To install a
PCI card, you need to set something called the INT (interrupt) assignment. Since all
the PCI slots on this motherboard use an INTA #, be sure that the jumpers on your
PCI cards are set to INT A.

Assigning DMA Channels for ISA Cards

Some ISA cards, both Legacy and PNP may also need to use a DMA (Direct Memory
Access) channel. DMA assignments for this motherboard are handled the same way
as the IRQ assignment process described above. You can select a DMA channel in
the PCI and PNP configuration section of the BIOS Setup utility.

(DMA Channels)

III. INSTALLATION

IMPORTANT: Choose "Yes" for those IRQ's and DMA's you wish to r eserve
for Legacy (Non-PnP) ISA expansion cards in “IRQ xx Used By ISA” and “DMA
x Used By ISA” of the PNP and PCI Setup in the BIOS SOFTWARE section,
otherwise conflicts may occur.

ASUS P/I-AP6N User’s Manual 23

III. INSTALLATION

5. External Connectors

WARNING: Some pins are used for connectors or power sources. These are
clearly separated from jumpers in "Map of the Motherboard". Placing jumper
caps over these will cause damage to your motherboard.

IMPORTANT: Ribbon cables should always be connected with the red stripe
on the Pin 1 side of the connector. The four corners of the connectors are la­beled on the motherboard. Pin 1 is the side closest to the power connector on
hard drives and floppy drives. IDE ribbon cable must be less than 18in. (46cm),
with the second drive connector no more than 6in. (15cm) from the first con­nector.

III. INSTALLATION

(Connectors)

1. PS/2 Keyboard Connector (6-pin Female)
This connection is for a standard keyboard using a PS/2 plug (mini DIN). This
connector will not allow standard AT size (large DIN) keyboard plugs. You
may use a DIN to mini DIN adapter on standard AT keyboards.

PS/2 Keyboard (6-pin Female)

2. PS/2 Mouse Connector (6-pin Female)

The system will direct IRQ12 to the PS/2 mouse if one is detected. If not de­tected, expansion cards can use IRQ12. See "PS/2 Mouse Control" in BIOS
Features Setup of the BIOS SOFTWARE.

PS/2 Mouse (6-pin Female)

3. Serial Port COM1 and COM2 Connectors (Two 9-pin Male)

The two serial ports can be used for pointing devices or other serial devices. See
"Onboard Serial Port" in Chipset Features Setup of the BIOS SOFTWARE.

COM 1 COM 2

Serial Ports (9-pin Male)

24 ASUS P/I-AP6N User’s Manual

III. INSTALLATION

4. Parallel Printer Connector (25-pin Female)

You can enable the parallel port and choose the IRQ through "Onboard Parallel
Port" in Chipset Features Setup of the BIOS SOFTW ARE. NOTE: Serial printers
must be connected to the serial port.

Parallel (Printer) Port (25-pin Female)

5. Video Monitor Output (15-pin Female)

There is a built-in video chip on this motherboard so that a separate video card is
not necessary. Connect your monitor cable to the onboard monitor output
connector.

Video Monitor Output (15-pin Female)

6. Floppy Drive Connector (34-pin block )

This connector supports the provided floppy drive ribbon cable. After connect­ing the single end to the board, connect the two plugs on the other end to the
floppy drives. (Pin 5 is removed to prevent inserting in the wrong orienta-

tion when using ribbon cables with pin 5 plugged).

Pin 1

Connect the Red stripe to Pin 1

R

Floppy Drive Connector

(Connectors)

III. INSTALLATION

ASUS P/I-AP6N User’s Manual 25

III. INSTALLATION

(Connectors)

III. INSTALLATION

7. Primary / Secondary IDE Connectors (Two 40-pin Block)

These connectors support the provided IDE hard disk ribbon cable.
After connecting the single end to the board, connect the two plugs at the other
end to your hard disk(s). If you install two hard disks, you must configure the
second drive to Slave mode by setting its jumper accordingly . Please refer to the
documentation of your hard disk for the jumper settings. BIOS now supports
SCSI device or IDE CD-ROM bootup (see "HDD Sequence SCSI/IDE First" &
"Boot Sequence" in the BIOS Features Setup of the BIOS SOFTWARE) (Pin

20 is removed to prevent inserting in the wrong orientation when using
ribbon cables with pin 20 plugged).

TIP: You may configure two hard disks to be both Masters using one ribbon

cable on the primary IDE connector and another ribbon cable on the secondary
IDE connector. You may install one operating system on an IDE drive and
another on a SCSI drive and select the boot disk through BIOS Features Setup.

Pin 1

R

Primary IDE Connector

Connect the Red stripe to Pin 1

Secondary IDE Connector

8. IDE Activity LED (IDE LED)

This connector supplies power to the cabinet’s IDE activity LED. Read and
write activity by devices connected to the Primary or Secondary IDE connectors
will cause the LED to light up.

R

TIP: If the case-mounted LED does not light,
try reversing the 2-Pin plug.

+

IDE (Hard Drive) Activity LED

26 ASUS P/I-AP6N User’s Manual

III. INSTALLATION

9. System Power LED (TB LED)

The motherboard's turbo function is always on. The turbo LED connection is
labeled here but the LED will remain constantly lit while the system power is
on. You may wish to connect the Power LED from the system case to this lead.
See the figure below.

10. SMI Suspend Switch Lead (SMI)

This allows the user to manually place the system into a suspend mode or "Green"
mode where system activity will be instantly decreased to save electricity and
expand the life of certain components when the system is not in use. This 2-pin
connector (see the figure below) connects to the case-mounted suspend switch.
If you do not have a switch for the connector, you may use the "Turbo Switch"
since it does not have a function. SMI is activated when it detects a short to
open moment and therefore leaving it shorted will not cause any problems. May
require one or two pushes depending on the position of the switch. W ake-up can
be controlled by settings in the BIOS but the keyboard will always allow wake­up (the SMI lead cannot wake-up the system). If you want to use this connector,
"Suspend Switch" in the POWER MANAGEMENT SETUP of the BIOS soft­ware should be on the default setting of Enable. See the figure below.

11. Reset Switch Lead (RESET)

This 2-pin connector connects to the case-mounted reset switch for rebooting
your computer without having to turn off your power switch This is a preferred
method of rebooting in order to prolong the life of the system's power supply.
See the figure below.

12. Keyboard Lock Switch Lead & System Power LED (KEYLOCK)

This 5-pin connector connects to the case-mounted keyboard lock switch for
locking the keyboard and also to connect the system power LED. The system
power LED lights when the system is powered on. See the figure below.

13. Speaker Connector (SPEAKER)

This 4-pin connector connects to the case-mounted speaker.

System
Power LED

R

SMI Lead

Reset SW

+5V
GND

GND

GND

GND

+5V

System

NC

Power LED

GND

LOCK

Keyboard Lock

GND

+5V

Speaker

GND
GND

Connector

SPKR

(Connectors)

III. INSTALLATION

System Case Connections

ASUS P/I-AP6N User’s Manual 27

III. INSTALLATION

14. IrDA-Compliant Infrared Module Connector (IR)

This connector supports the optional wireless transmitting and receiving infra­red module. This module mounts to a small opening on system cases that sup­port this feature. You must also configure the setting through "UART2 Use
Infrared" in Chipset Features Setup to select whether UART2 is directed for
use with COM2 or IrDA. Use the five pins as shown on the Back View and
connect a ribbon cable from the module to the motherboard according to the pin
definitions.

III. INSTALLATION

(Connectors)

NC

GND

R

Infrared Module Connector

+5V

IRRX
IRTX

Front View

Back View

IRTX
GND

+5V

NC

IRRX

15. Onboard Digital Audio Control (VOL_CON)

This jumper allows you to adjust the audio volume digitally using case mounted
momentary buttons.

Audio Control VOL_CON

Volume Up [1-2] (momentary)
Volume Down [4-5] (momentary)

VOL_CON

Ground

1

Volume Up

2

Ground

3

Volume Down

R

4

Ground

5

Onboard Digital Audio Control

28 ASUS P/I-AP6N User’s Manual

III. INSTALLATION

16. CPU Cooling Fan, Power Supply Fan, & Chassis Fan Power Connectors (F ANPWR)

These connectors support cooling fans of 500mAMP (6WATT) or less. Orien­tate the fans so that the heat sink fins allow airflow to go across the onboard heat
sink(s) instead of the expansion slots. Depending on the fan manufacturer, the
wiring and plug may be different. The red wire should be positive, while the
black should be ground. Connect the fan's plug to the board taking into consid­eration the polarity of the this connector . NOTE: The “Rotation” signal is to

be used only by a specially designed fan with rotation signal.

WARNING: The CPU and/or motherboard will overheat if there is no air-

flow across the CPU and onboard heatsinks. Damage may occur to the
motherboard and/or the CPU fan if these pins are incorrectly used. These

are not jumpers, do not place jumper caps over these pins.

CPU Fan Power
Power Supply Fan
Chassis Fan Power

+12V

R

GND

+12V

GND

12Volt CPU, Power Supply, & Chassis Fan Power

Air Flow

Orientate the fins so that air flow
runs across motherboard's heatsinks.

Air Flow

17. Chassis Open Alarm Lead (CHASSIS)

This lead is for an open chassis monitor. A high level signal to the CHASSIS
lead will indicate to the system that the chassis has been opened.

R

+5V GND

(Connectors)

III. INSTALLATION

CHASSIS

Chassis open alarm lead

ASUS P/I-AP6N User’s Manual 29