Asus M2A-VM User Manual
M2A-VM
HDMI
Motherboard
E2976
First Edition V1
February 2007
Copyright © 2007 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, modied or altered, unless
such repair, modication 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 identication or explanation and to the
owners’ benet, without intent to infringe.
ii
Contents
Notices ......................................................................................................... vi
Safety information
M2A-VM HDMI specications summary .................................................... x
Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.1 Welcome! ...................................................................................... 1-2
1.2 Package contents
1.3 Special features
1.3.1 Product highlights ...........................................................
1.3.2 Innovative ASUS features ..............................................
1.4 Before you proceed
1.5 Motherboard overview
1.5.1 Motherboard layout .........................................................
1.5.2 Placement direction ........................................................
1.5.3 Screw holes ....................................................................
1.6 Central Processing Unit (CPU)
1.6.1 Installing the CPU .........................................................
1.6.2 Installing the heatsink and fan ......................................
1.7 System memory
1.7.1 Overview .......................................................................
1.7.2 Memory congurations ..................................................
1.7.3 Installing a DIMM ..........................................................
1.7.4 Removing a DIMM ........................................................
1.8 Expansion slots
1.8.1 Installing an expansion card .........................................
1.8.2 Conguring an expansion card .....................................
1.8.3 PCI slots ........................................................................
1.8.4 PCI Express x1 slot .......................................................
1.8.5 PCI Express x16 slot .....................................................
1.9 Jumpers
1.10 Connectors
1.10.1 Rear panel connectors ..................................................
1.10.2 Internal connectors .......................................................
..................................................................................... vii
......................................................................... 1-2
............................................................................ 1-2
..................................................................... 1-7
................................................................. 1-8
................................................. 1-10
......................................................................... 1-14
..........................................................................1-19
...................................................................................... 1-22
................................................................................. 1-24
1-2
1-5
1-8
1-9
1-9
1-10
1-12
1-14
1-14
1-18
1-18
1-19
1-19
1-21
1-21
1-21
1-24
1-26
iii
Contents
Chapter 2: BIOS setup
2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS ............................................ 2-2
2.1.1 ASUS Update utility ........................................................
2.1.2 Creating a bootable oppy disk .......................................
2.1.3 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility ...................................................
2.1.4 Updating the BIOS ..........................................................
2.1.5 Saving the current BIOS le ............................................
2.1.6 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility ....................................
2.2 BIOS setup program
2.2.1 BIOS menu screen ........................................................
2.2.2 Menu bar .......................................................................
2.2.3 Legend bar ....................................................................
2.2.4 Menu items ...................................................................
2.2.5 Sub-menu items ............................................................
2.2.6 Conguration elds .......................................................
2.2.7 Pop-up window .............................................................
2.2.8 General help .................................................................
2.3 Main menu
2.3.1 System Time .................................................................
2.3.2 System Date .................................................................
2.3.3 Legacy Diskette A .........................................................
2.3.4 Primary IDE Master/Slave .............................................
2.3.5 SATA 1-4 .......................................................................
2.3.6 HDD SMART Monitoring ...............................................
2.3.7 Installed Memory ...........................................................
2.3.8 Usable Memory .............................................................
2.4 Advanced menu
2.4.1 JumperFree Conguration ............................................
2.4.2 CPU Conguration ........................................................
2.4.3 Chipset ..........................................................................
2.4.3 PCIPnP .........................................................................
2.4.4 Onboard Device Conguration ......................................
2.4.5 USB Conguration ........................................................
.................................................................................. 2-15
.................................................................. 2-11
......................................................................... 2-20
2-2
2-5
2-6
2-7
2-9
-210
2-12
2-12
2-13
2-13
2-13
2-13
2-14
2-14
2-15
2-15
2-15
2-16
2-18
2-19
2-19
2-19
2-20
2-21
2-22
2-24
2-25
2-27
iv
Contents
2.5 Power menu ................................................................................ 2-28
2.5.1 ACPI Suspend Type ......................................................
2.5.2 ACPI APIC Support .......................................................
2.5.3 APM Conguration ........................................................
2.5.4 Hardware Monitor .........................................................
2.6 Boot menu
2.6.1 Boot Device Priority ......................................................
2.6.2 Removable Drives .........................................................
2.6.3 Hard Disk Drives ...........................................................
2.6.4 Boot Settings Conguration .........................................
2.6.5 Security .........................................................................
2.7 Tools menu
2.7.1 ASUS Music Alarm ........................................................
2.7.2 ASUS O.C. Prole .........................................................
2.7.3 ASUS EZ Flash 2 ..........................................................
2.8 Exit menu
Chapter 3: Software support
3.1 Installing an operating system ................................................... 3-2
3.2 Support CD/DVD information
3.2.1 Running the support CD/DVD .........................................
3.2.2 Drivers menu ...................................................................
3.2.3 Utilities menu ..................................................................
3.2.4 Make Disk menu .............................................................
3.2.5 Manual menu ..................................................................
3.2.6 ASUS Contact information ..............................................
3.2.7 Other information ............................................................
.................................................................................. 2-32
................................................................................. 2-36
.................................................................................... 2-41
...................................................... 3-2
2-28
2-28
2-28
2-30
2-32
2-32
2-33
2-33
2-35
2-36
2-38
2-40
3-2
3-3
3-4
3-5
3-5
3-6
3-6
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 modications
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.
vi
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 x it by yourself. Contact a qualied
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 qualied
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. Please
check local regulations for disposal of electronic products.
vii
About this guide
This user guide contains the information you need when installing and conguring
the motherboard.
How this guide is organized
This manual contains the following parts:
• Chapter 1: Product introduction
This chapter describes the features of the motherboard and the new
technology it supports. This chapter 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.
• Chapter 2: BIOS setup
This chapter tells how to change system settings through the BIOS Setup
menus. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided.
• Chapter 3: Software support
This chapter describes the contents of the support CD/DVD that comes with
the motherboard package.
Where to nd more information
Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product and
software updates.
1. ASUS websites
The ASUS website provides updated information on ASUS hardware and
software products. Refer to the ASUS contact information.
2. Optional documentation
Your product package may include optional documentation, such as warranty
yers, that may have been added by your dealer. These documents are not
part of the standard package.
viii
Conventions used in this guide
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 Means that you must type the command exactly
as shown, then supply the required item or value
enclosed in brackets.
Example: At the DOS prompt, type the command line:
format A:/S
ix
M2A-VM HDMI specications summary
CPU Support AMD socket AM2 for AMD Athlon™ 64FX/
Chipset Northbridge: AMD 690G
Front side bus 2000/1600 MT/s
Memory Dual-channel memory architecture 4 x 240-pin DIMM
Expansion slots 1 x PCI Express™ x16 slot
Graphics Integrated ATI Radeon X1250-based graphics
Storage ATI SB600 chipset supports:
High Denition Audio Realtek® ALC883 High Denition Audio 6-channel
Athlon™ 64 X2/Athlon™ 64/Sempron processors
AMD64 architecture enables simultaneous 32-bit and
64-bit computing
Supports AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet™ Technology
AMD Live!™ Ready
Southbridge: ATI SB600
sockets support up to 8 GB of unbufferred ECC/
non-ECC 800/667/533 MHz DDR2 memory modules
1 x PCI Express™ x1 slot
2 x PCI slots
Supports Max. shared memory up to 256MB
Supports HDMI™ Technology with HDCP compliant with
max. resolution 1920 x 1080p
(The resolution cannot reach 1080p when playing HD
DVD and Blu-Ray Disc due to mainstream DVD player
limit)
Supports YPbPr component TV-out with max. resolutions
1280 x 720p and 1920 x 1080i
Supports DVI-D with max. resolution 2560 x 1600
(@60Hz)
Supports RGB with max. resolution 2048 x 1536
(@85Hz)
Dual VGA output support:
CRT & DVI/HDMI
DVI & HDMI
TV-out (YPbPr/AV/S) & DVI/HDMI
Note: Simultaneous output for YPbPr, AV, S, and RGB is
not supported.
Note: DVI-D can not be converted to output RGB signal
to CRT and isn’t compatible with DVI-I.
- 1 x Ultra DMA 133/100/66/33 interface for two
(2) hard disk drives
- 4 x Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s hard disk drives supporting
RAID 0, RAID 1 and RAID 10 conguration
CODEC
Supports Jack-Sensing, Enumeration and Jack-Retasking
technology
Supports S/PDIF out throught the port on the bundled
HDMI card
(continued on the next page)
x
M2A-VM HDMI specications summary
IEEE1394 TI IEEE 1394a controller supports:
LAN PCIe Gigabit LAN
USB Supports up to 10 USB 2.0/1.1 ports
Manageability WfM2.0, DMI2.0, WOL by PME, WOR, PXE, WOR by
Special features ASUS Q-Fan
BIOS features 8 Mb Flash ROM, Award BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0,
Rear panel 1 x Parallel port
Internal connectors 1 x IEEE 1394a connector
Power Requirement ATX power supply (with 24-pin and 4-pin 12 V plugs)
Form Factor uATX: 9.6 in. x 9.0 in. (24.5cm x 22.9cm)
Support CD Device drivers
*Specications are subject to change without notice.
- 2 x IEEE 1394a ports
PME
ASUS C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)
ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3
ASUS EZ Flash 2
ASUS Music Alarm
ASUS O.C. Prole
ASUS MyLogo2™
SM BIOS 2.3
1 x IEEE 1394a port
1 x LAN (RJ-45) port
4 x USB 2.0 ports
1 x VGA Out port
1 x DVI-D port
1 x PS/2 keyboard port
1 x PS/2 mouse port
6-channel audio ports
1 x Front panel audio connector
1 x CD audio in connector
1 x CPU fan connector
1 x Chassis fan connector
1 x Floppy disk drive connector
1 x COM connector
1 x Primary IDE connector
1 x S/PDIF Out connector
1 x System panel connector
4 x Serial ATA connectors
3 x USB 2.0 connectors for 6 additional USB 2.0 ports
24-pin ATX power connector
4-pin x ATX 12V power connector
Chassis intrusion connector
ATX 12 V 2.0 compliant
ASUS PC Probe II
ASUS Live Update utility
Anti-virus software (OEM version)
xi
xii
This chapter describes the motherboard
features and the new technologies
it supports.
Product
1
introduction
1.1 Welcome!
Thank you for buying an ASUS® M2A-VM HDMI 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.
1.2 Package contents
Check your motherboard package for the following items.
Motherboard ASUS M2A-VM HDMI motherboard
Cables 2 x Serial ATA signal cables
2 x Serial ATA power cables
1 x Ultra DMA 133/100/66 cable
1 x Floppy disk drive cable
1 x YPbPr cable
Accessories I/O shield
1 x ASUS Q-connector kit (USB, System panel,
Retail version only)
1 x HDMI/AV/S/SPDIF card
Application CD ASUS motherboard support CD/DVD
Documentation User guide
If any of the above items is damaged or missing, contact your retailer.
1.3 Special features
1.3.1 Product highlights
Latest processor technology
The motherboard supports AMD socket AM2 single-core Athlon 64/ Sempron and
dual-core Athlon 64 X2/Athlon 64 FX processors with 2MB/1MB/512KB L2 cache,
which is based on 64-bit architecture. It features 2000/1600 MT/s HyperTransport
Bus, dual-channel un-buffered DDR2 800 memory support and AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet
Technology. See page 1-10 for details.
1-2 Chapter 1: Product introduction
AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet Technology
The motherboard supports the AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet Technology, which monitors
system operation and automatically adjusts CPU voltage and frequency for a cool
and quiet operating environment. See page 2-21 for details.
AMD® 690G
and ATI SB600 chipsets
The AMD 690G Northbridge is the latest AMD chipset designed to support
800/1000MHz HT(HyperTransport) interface speeds, Microsoft® DirectX 9.0, Pixel
Shader V2.0 and dual VGA outputs, and max. shared memory up to 256MB.It
features the integrated ATI Radeon X1250 Graphics. See page 1-25 and 2-22 for
details.
Surroundview
The Surroundview function provides four independent monitors display with an
additional ATI VGA card for multi-tasking.See pages 1-21 and 2-23 for details.
HDMI Interface
HDMI (High-Denition Multimedia Interface) is the rst and only industry-supported,
uncompressed, all digital audio and video interface via a single cable and is HDCP
compliant allowing playback of HD DVD, Blu-Ray Disc and other protected content.
See pages 1-35 and 2-23 for details.
DVI Interface
DVI (Digital Visual Interface) provides high visual quality of digital display devices
such as LCD monitor. The interface of this motherboard supports dual VGA output
both DVI and RGB and is HDCP compliant allowing playback of HD DVD and BluRay Disc. See pages 1-25 and 1-36 for details.
YPbPr TV-out
The motherboard supports superior YPbPr TV-out functionality with a higher
resolution to 1080i and 720p format, delivering high image quality. See page 1-30,
1-35, and 2-23 for details.
ASUS M2A-VM HDMI 1-3
DDR2 memory support
The motherboard supports DDR2 memory which features data transfer rates of
800MHz/667 MHz/533 MHz to meet the higher bandwidth requirements of the
latest 3D graphics, multimedia, and Internet applications. The dual-channel DDR2
architecture doubles the bandwidth of your system memory to boost system
performance, eliminating bottlenecks with peak bandwidths of up to 12.8 GB/s.
See page 1-14 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
specications. See page 1-21 for details.
Serial ATA 3.0Gb/s technology
The motherboard supports next-generation SATA hard drives based on the new
SATA 3.0Gb/s storage specication. The onboard ATI® SB600 allows RAID 0, RAID
1 and RAID 10 congurations for four SATA connectors. See pages 1-28 and 2-26
for details
IEEE 1394a support
The IEEE 1394a interface provides high-speed and exible 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 pages 1-31 and 2-26 for details.
Gigabit LAN solution
PCI Express Gb LAN controller delivers transfer speeds up to ten times faster than
conventional 10/100/1000 Ethernet connections. Gigabit LAN is the networking
standard for the early future and is ideal for handling large amounts of data such
as video, audio, and voice. See page 1-24 for details.
USB 2.0 technology
The motherboard implements the Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 specication,
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 1-25 and 1-30 for details.
1-4 Chapter 1: Product introduction
6-channel high denition audio
Onboard is the Realtek® ALC883 High Denition Audio 6-channel audio CODEC.
This CODEC is fully-compliant with Intel® High Denition Audio standard (192 KHz,
24-bit audio). With the CODEC, 6-channel audio ports, and S/PDIF interfaces,
you can connect your computer to home theater decoders to produce crystal-clear
digital audio.
The Realtek® ALC883 CODEC comes with a software application that features
jack detection to monitor the plugging status of each jack, impedance sensing to
determine audio device classes, and pre-dened equalization for various audio
devices. See pages 1-24, 1-32 and 2-25 for details.
1.3.2 Innovative ASUS features
ASUS Q-Fan technology
The ASUS Q-Fan technology smartly adjusts the CPU fan speeds according to the
system loading to ensure quiet, cool, and efcient operation.
See page 2-30 for details.
ASUS MyLogo2™
This feature allows you to personalize and add style to your system with
customizable boot logos. See page 2-34 for details.
ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3
The ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 allows users to restore corrupted BIOS data from a
USB ash disk containing the BIOS le. This utility saves users the cost and hassle
of buying a replacement BIOS chip. See page 2-10 for details.
ASUS EZ Flash 2
EZ Flash 2 is a user-friendly BIOS update utility. Simply press the predened
hotkey to launch the utility and update the BIOS without entering the OS. Update
your BIOS easily without preparing a bootable diskette or using an OS-based ash
utility. See pages 2-6 and 2-40 for details.
ASUS Q-Connector
The ASUS Q-Connector allows you to connect or disconnect chassis front panel
cables in one easy step with one complete module. This unique adapter eliminates
the trouble of plugging in one cable at a time, making connection quick and
accurate. See pages 1-30 and 1-37 for details.
ASUS M2A-VM HDMI 1-5
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. See page
1-22 for details.
ASUS O.C. Prole
The motherboard features the ASUS O.C. Prole that allows users to conveniently
store or load multiple BIOS settings. The BIOS settings can be stored in the
CMOS or a separate le, giving users freedom to share and distribute their favorite
overclocking settings. See page 2-38 for details.
ASUS Music Alarm
Wake up to the music of your choice instead of the irritating sound of an alarm
clock. The ASUS Music Alarm gives you a personal wake-up call with your favorite
CD music without having to enter the OS. See page 2-36 for details.
1-6 Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.4 Before you proceed
M2A-VM HDMI
®
M2A-VM HDMI Onboard LED
SB_PWR
ON
Standby
Power
OFF
Powered
Off
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.
ASUS M2A-VM HDMI 1-7
Bottom:Mic In
Center:Line Out
Top:Line In
PANEL
M2A-VM HDMI
®
CR2032 3V
Lithium Cell
CMOS Power
AAFP
CHASSIS
22.9cm (9in)
24.5cm (9.6in)
Socket AM2
DDR2 DIMM_A1 (64 bit,240-pin module)
DDR2 DIMM_B1 (64 bit, 240-pin module)
DDR2 DIMM_B2 (64 bit,240-pin module)
DDR2 DIMM_A2 (64 bit,240-pin module)
1394
F_USB34
IE1394_2
FLOPPY
Super
I/O
8Mb
BIOS
PS/2KBMS
T: Mouse
B: Keyboard
LAN1_USB12
CD
ALC883
PCIEX16
PCIEX1_1
PCI1
PCI2
CLRTC
USBPW5-8
USB56
CHA_FAN
ATX12V
SB_PWR
DVI
PARALLEL PORT
VGA
USBPW1-4
KBPWR
YUV
SPDIF_OUT
ATI
SB600
AMD
690G
EATXPWR
COM1
PWR_FAN
CPU_FAN
RTL8111B
USB78 USB910
USBPW910
VIA
VT6308P
PRI_IDE
SATA4
SATA2
SATA3
SATA1
1.5 Motherboard overview
1.5.1 Motherboard layout
1-8 Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.5.2 Placement direction
M2A-VM HDMI
®
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.
1.5.3 Screw holes
Place six (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.
Place this side towards
the rear of the chassis
ASUS M2A-VM HDMI 1-9
1.6 Central Processing Unit (CPU)
M2A-VM HDMI
®
M2A-VM HDMI CPU Socket AM2
The motherboard comes with a 940-pin AM2 socket designed for the AMD
Athlon™ 64 X2/Athlon™ 64/Athlon™ FX/Sempron™ processor.
The AM2 socket has a different pinout from the 940-pin socket designed for the
AMD Opteron™ processor. Make sure you use a CPU is designed for the AM2
socket. The CPU ts in only one correct orientation. DO NOT force the CPU into
the socket to prevent bending the connectors on the socket and damaging the
CPU!
1.6.1 Installing the CPU
To install a CPU.
1. Locate the CPU socket on the motherboard.
2. Unlock the socket by pressing the
lever sideways, then lift it up to a
90°-100° angle.
Socket lever
Make sure that the socket lever is lifted up to 90°-100° angle, otherwise the
CPU does not t in completely.
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3. Position the CPU above the socket
M2A-VM HDMI
®
M2A-VM HDMI CPU fan connector
CPU_FAN
GND
CPU FAN PWR
CPU FAN IN
CPU FAN PWM
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 ts in place.
Small triangle
Gold triangle
The CPU ts 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.
Do not forget to connect the CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring errors
can occur if you fail to plug this connector.
ASUS M2A-VM HDMI 1-11
1.6.2 Installing the heatsink and fan
The AMD Athlon™ 64 X2/Athlon™ 64/Athlon™ FX/Sempron™ processor requires
a specially designed heatsink and fan assembly to ensure optimum thermal
condition and performance.
Make sure that you use only qualied heatsink and fan assembly.
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
ts 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 Fan
CPU Heatsink
Retention Module Base
Retention bracket lockRetention bracket
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.
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2. Attach one end of the retention bracket to the retention module base.
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 ts
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.
ASUS M2A-VM HDMI 1-13
1.7 System memory
M2A-VM HDMI
®
M2A-VM HDMI 240-pin DDR2 DIMM sockets
DIMM_A2
DIMM_A1
DIMM_B2
DIMM_B1
1.7.1 Overview
The motherboard comes with four Double Data Rate 2 (DDR2) Dual Inline Memory
Modules (DIMM) sockets.
A DDR2 module has the same physical dimensions as a DDR DIMM but has a
240-pin footprint compared to the 184-pin DDR DIMM. DDR2 DIMMs are notched
differently to prevent installation on a DDR DIMM socket.
The gure illustrates the location of the DDR2 DIMM sockets:
Channel Sockets
Channel 1 DIMM_A1 and DIMM_A2
Channel 2 DIMM_B1 and DIMM_B2
1.7.2 Memory congurations
You may install 256 MB, 512 MB, 1 GB, and 2 GB unbuffered ECC/non-ECC
DDR2 DIMMs into the DIMM sockets.
Recommended memory congurations
Sockets
Mode DIMM_A1 DIMM_B1 DIMM_A2 DIMM_B2
Single-Channel
Dual-channel (1) Populated Populated – –
Dual-channel (2) Populated Populated Populated Populated
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– Populated – –
Populated – – –
• When using only one memory module, start installing the DDR2 DIMM from
slot DIMM_A1 or DIMM_B1 for better overclocking capability.
• For dual-channel conguration (2), you may:
- install identical DIMMs in all four sockets OR
- install identical DIMM pair in DIMM_A1 and DIMM_B1 (yellow sockets)
and another identical DIMM pair in DIMM_A2 and DIMM_B2 (black
sockets)
• Always use identical DDR2 DIMM pairs for dual channel mode. For
optimum compatibility, we recommend that you obtain memory modules
from the same vendor.
Important notice on installing Windows® Vista / XP 32-bit version
If you install Windows® Vista/ XP 32-bit version Operating System (OS), the
limitation of this OS version is that it may reserve a certain amount of memory
space for system devices. We recommend that you install less than 3 GB
system memory if you would like to work under Windows® Vista/ XP 32-bit
version OS. The excess memory installation will not cause any usage problem,
but it will not give users the benet of manipulating this excess memory space.
The motherboard can support 8 GB physical memory on the operating system
listed below. You may install a maximum of 2 GB DIMMs on each slot.
64-bit
Windows® XP Professional x64 Edition
Windows® Vista x64 Edition
ASUS M2A-VM HDMI 1-15
Qualied Vendors Lists (QVL)
DDR2-800 MHz capability
Size Vendor Chip No. CL SS/DS Part No. DIMM
support
A* B* C*
512MB KINGSTON K4T51083QC N/A SS KVR800D2N5/512 • • •
1024MB KINGSTON Heat-Sink Package N/A SS KHX6400D2LLK2/1GN • •
256MB Qimonda HYB18T512160BF-25F N/A SS HYS64T32000HU-25F-B • • •
512MB Qimonda HYB18T512800BF25F N/A SS HYS64T64000HU-25F-B • •
1024MB Qimonda HYB18T512800BF25F N/A DS HYS64T128020HU-25F-B • • •
512MB SAMSUNG EDD339XX N/A SS M378T6553CZ3-CE7 • •
256MB SAMSUNG K4T51163QC-ZCE7 N/A SS M378T3354CZ3-CE7 • • •
512MB SAMSUNG ZCE7K4T51083QC N/A SS M378T6553CZ3-CE7 • • •
1024MB Hynix HY5PS12821CFP-S5 N/A DS HYMP512U64CP8-S5 • • •
512MB MICRON 5JAIIZ9DQQ N/A SS MT8HTF6464AY-80EA3 • • •
1024MB MICRON 5JAIIZ9DQQ N/A DS MT16HTF12864AY-80EA3 • • •
512MB MICRON 5ZD22D9GKX N/A SS MT8HTF6464AY-80ED4 • • •
1024MB MICRON 5ZD22D9GKX N/A DS MT16HTF12864AY-80ED4 • • •
512MB MICRON 6CD22D9GKX N/A SS MT8HTF6464AY-80ED4 • •
1024MB MICRON 6CD22D9GKX N/A DS MT16HTF12864AY-80ED4 • • •
1024MB CORSAIR Heat-Sink Package N/A DS CM2X1024-6400C4 • • •
1024MB ELPIDA E1108AB-8E-E(ECC) N/A SS EBE10EE8ABFA-8E-E • • •
2048MB ELPIDA E1108AB-8E-E(ECC) N/A DS EBE21EE8ABFA-8E-E • •
512MB Crucial Heat-Sink Package N/A SS BL6464AA804.8FD3 • • •
1024MB Crucial Heat-Sink Package N/A DS BL12864AL804.16FD3 • • •
1024MB Crucial Heat-Sink Package N/A DS BL12864AA804.16FD3 • • •
1024MB Apacer Heat-Sink Package N/A DS AHU01GE800C5K1C • • •
512MB Transcend K4T51083QC N/A SS TS64MLQ64V8J • • •
1024MB Transcend K4T51083QC N/A DS TS128MLQ64V8J • • •
1024MB KINGMAX KKEA88B4LZUG-25DF N/A DS KLDD48F-A8KB5 • • •
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Qualied Vendors Lists (QVL)
DDR2-667 MHz capability
Size Vendor Chip No. CL SS/
512MB KINGSTON D6408TEBGGL3U N/A SS KVR667D2N5/512 • • •
1024MB KINGSTON D6408TEBGGL3U N/A DS KVR667D2N5/1G • • •
256MB KINGSTON HYB18T256800AF3S N/A SS KVR667D2N5/256 • •
1024MB Qimonda HYB18T512800BF3S(ECC) N/A DS HYS72T128020HU-3S-B • • •
256MB Qimonda HYB18T512160BF-3S N/A SS HYS64T32000HU-3S-B • • •
512MB Qimonda HYB18T512800BF3S N/A SS HYS64T64000HU-3S-B • • •
1024MB Qimonda HYB18T512800BF3S N/A DS HYS64T128020HU-3S-B • • •
512MB SAMSUNG ZCE6K4T51083QC N/A SS M378T6553CZ0-CE6 • • •
256MB SAMSUNG K4T51163QC-ZCE6 N/A SS M378T3354CZ3-CE6 • • •
512MB SAMSUNG K4T51083QC N/A SS M378T6553CZ3-CE6 • • •
1024MB SAMSUNG ZCE6K4T51083QC N/A DS M378T2953CZ3-CE6 • • •
512MB CORSAIR 64M8CFEG N/A SS VS512MB667D2 • • •
256MB ELPIDA E2508AB-6E-E N/A SS EBE25UC8ABFA-6E-E • • •
512MB ELPIDA E5108AE-6E-E N/A SS EBE51UD8AEFA-6E-E • • •
512MB A-DATA AD29608A8A-3EG N/A SS M2OAD5G3H3166I1C52 • • •
1024MB A-DATA AD29608A8A-3EG N/A DS M2OAD5G3I4176I1C52 • •
1024MB crucial Heat-Sink Package N/A DS BL12864AL664.16FD • • •
256MB Kingmax N2TU51216AG-3C N/A SS KLCB68F-36KH5 • • •
512MB Kingmax KKEA88B4LAUG-29DX N/A SS KLCC28F-A8KB5 • •
512MB Transcend E5108AE-6E-E N/A SS TS64MLQ64V6J • •
512MB Transcend J12Q3AB-6 N/A SS JM367Q643A-6 • • •
1024MB Super Talent Heat-Sink Package N/A DS T6UB1GC5 • •
512MB SMART G64M8XB3ITIX4TUE N/A SS TB3D2667C58S • •
512MB SMART G64M8XB3ITIX4TUE N/A DS TB4D2667C58D • • •
Part No. DIMM
DS
support
A* B* C*
Side(s): SS - Single-sided DS - Double-sided
DIMM support:
A - Supports one module inserted in any slot as Single-channel memory conguration
B - Supports one pair of modules inserted into either the yellow slots or the black slots as
one pair of Dual-channel memory conguration
C - Supports 4 modules inserted into both the yellow slots and the black slots as two pairs
of Dual-channel memory conguration
Visit the ASUS website for the latest DDR2 DIMM modules for this motherboard.
ASUS M2A-VM HDMI 1-17
1.7.3 Installing 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.
3. Firmly insert the DIMM into the
socket until the retaining clips snap
back in place and the DIMM is
properly seated.
• A DDR2 DIMM is keyed with a notch so that it ts in only one
direction. DO NOT force a DIMM into a socket to avoid damaging the
DIMM.
• The DDR2 DIMM sockets do not support DDR DIMMs. Do not install
DDR DIMMs to the DDR2 DIMM sockets.
1.7.4 Removing a DIMM
To remove a DIMM:
1. Simultaneously press the retaining
clips outward to unlock the DIMM.
2
3
1
1
DDR2 DIMM notch
Unlocked retaining clip
2
DDR2 DIMM notch
1
1
1
Support the DIMM lightly with your ngers when pressing the retaining clips.
The DIMM might get damaged when it ips out with extra force.
2. Remove the DIMM from the socket.
1-18 Chapter 1: Product introduction
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