Asus M2N68 User Manual
M2N68 PLUS
Motherboard
E4515
First Edition V1
February 2009
Copyright © 2009 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 ..................................................................................... vii
About this guide ........................................................................................ vii
M2N68 PLUS specications summary ...................................................... ix
Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.1 Welcome! ...................................................................................... 1-1
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 Placement direction ........................................................
1.5.2 Screw holes ....................................................................
1.5.3 Motherboard layout .........................................................
1.5.4 Layout contents ...............................................................
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 slots .....................................................
1.8.5 PCI Express x16 slot .....................................................
1.9 Jumpers ......................................................................................
1.10 Connectors .................................................................................
1.10.1 Rear panel connectors ..................................................
1.10.2 Internal connectors .......................................................
1-1
1-1
1-1
1-3
1-4
1-5
1-5
1-5
1-6
1-7
1-7
1-7
1-9
1-10
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1-13
1-13
1-14
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1-15
1-16
1-16
1-17
iii
Contents
1.11 Software support ........................................................................ 1-24
1.11.1 Installing an operating system ......................................
1.11.2 Support DVD information ..............................................
Chapter 2
BIOS information
2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS ............................................ 2-1
2.1.1 ASUS Update utility ........................................................
2.1.2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility ...................................................
2.1.3 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility ......................................
2.2 BIOS setup program ....................................................................
2.2.1 BIOS menu screen ..........................................................
2.2.2 Menu bar .........................................................................
2.2.3 Navigation keys ...............................................................
2.2.4 Menu items .....................................................................
2.2.5 Submenu items ...............................................................
2.2.6 Conguration elds .........................................................
2.2.7 General help ...................................................................
2.2.8 Pop-up window ...............................................................
2.2.9 Scroll bar .........................................................................
2.3 Main menu ....................................................................................
2.3.1 System Time [xx:xx:xx] ...................................................
2.3.2 System Date [Day xx/xx/xxxx] .........................................
2.3.3 Storage Conguration .....................................................
2.3.4 Primary IDE Master/Slave and SATA 1~4 .......................
2.3.5 System Information .........................................................
2.4 Advanced menu ...........................................................................
2.4.1 JumperFree Conguration ..............................................
2.4.2 CPU Conguration ........................................................
2.4.3 Chipset ..........................................................................
2.4.4 Onboard Devices Conguration ....................................
2.4.5 PCI PnP ........................................................................
2.4.6 USB Conguration ........................................................
2.5 Power menu ................................................................................
2.5.1 Suspend Mode [Auto] ...................................................
1-24
1-24
2-1
2-2
2-3
2-4
2-5
2-5
2-6
2-6
2-6
2-6
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2-12
2-12
2-13
2-14
2-14
2-15
2-15
iv
Contents
2.5.2 ACPI 2.0 Support [Disabled] ......................................... 2-15
2.5.3 ACPI APIC Support [Enabled] .......................................
2.5.4 APM Conguration ........................................................
2.5.5 Hardware Monitor .........................................................
2.6 Boot menu ..................................................................................
2.6.1 Boot Device Priority ......................................................
2.6.2 Boot Settings Conguration ..........................................
2.6.3 Security .........................................................................
2.7 Tools menu .................................................................................
2.7.1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 ..........................................................
2.7.2 AI NET 2
2.8 Exit menu ....................................................................................
........................................................................ 2-19
2-15
2-15
2-16
2-17
2-17
2-17
2-18
2-19
2-19
2-20
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.
DO NOT throw the motherboard in municipal waste. This product has been
designed to enable proper reuse of parts and recycling. This 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.
DO NOT throw the mercury-containing button cell battery in municipal waste.
This symbol of the crossed out wheeled bin indicates that the battery should not
be placed in municipal waste.
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.
•
Ensure 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, ensure that 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.
About this guide
This user guide contains the information you need when installing and conguring the
motherboard.
How this guide is organized
This guide contains the following parts:
•
Chapter 1: Product introduction
This chapter describes the features of the motherboard and the new technology it
supports.
• Chapter 2: BIOS information
This chapter tells how to change system settings through the BIOS Setup menus.
Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided.
vii
Conventions used in this guide
To ensure 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.
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.
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:
afudos /i[lename]
afudos /iM2NPLUS.ROM
viii
M2N68 PLUS specications summary
CPU AMD® Phenom™ X4 / Phenom™ X3 / Athlon™ X2 /
Chipset Nvidia® nForce630a
System bus 2000 / 1600 MT/s
Memory Dual-channel memory architecture
Expansion slots 1 x PCI Express™ x16 slot
Storage 1 x UltraDMA 133/100/66 connector
Audio ALC662 High Denition Audio 6-channel CODEC
USB Supports up to 10 USB 2.0/1.1 ports (6 ports
LAN Nvidia® nForce built-in Gigabit MAC with external Realtek
ASUS special features ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution
Athlon™ / Sempron™ processors (socket AM2+/AM2)
Compatible with Phenom™ II / Athlon™ X4 / Athlon™ X3 /
Athlon™ X2 processors (AM3 CPU)
AMD® Cool ‘n’ Quiet™ Technology
* Due to the chipset limitation, the AM3/AM2+ CPU runs at
HT1 (1000MHz).
2 x 240-pin DIMM slots support unbuffered
ECC and non-ECC DDR2 1066*/800/667MHz memory
modules
Supports up to 8GB system memory
* DDR2 1066 is supported by AM3/AM2+ CPU only.
** Refer to www.asus.com for the latest Memory QVL
(Qualied Vendors List).
*** When you install a total memory of 4GB or more,
Windows® 32-bit operating system may only
recognize less than 3GB. We recommend a maximum
of 3GB system memory if you are using a Windows 32-bit
operating system.
2 x PCI Express™ x1 slots
4 x PCI 2.2 slots
4 x Serial ATA 3Gb/s connectors
Nvidia® MediaShield™ RAID supports RAID 0, RAID 1,
RAID 0+1, RAID 5, and JBOD congurations
at mid-board, 4 ports at back panel)
8211CL-GR PHY
- ASUS Q-Fan
ASUS EZ DIY
- ASUS CrashFree BIOS3
- ASUS EZ Flash2
ASUS AI NET 2
ASUS MyLogo2
(continued on the next page)
ix
M2N68 PLUS specications summary
Back panel I/O ports 1 x PS/2 Keyboard port
Internal I/O connectors 3 x USB 2.0/1.1 connectors support additional
BIOS 8Mb Flash ROM, AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0,
Accessories 1 x Serial ATA cable
Form Factor ATX form factor: 12’’ x 8’’ (30.5cm x 20.3cm)
Support DVD Drivers
1 x PS/2 Mouse port
1 x LAN (RJ45) port
4 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports
6-channel Audio ports
1 x LPT port
1 x COM port
6 USB 2.0/1.1 ports
1 x IDE connector
1 x High Denition Front panel audio connector
4 x SATA connectors
1 x CD audio-in connector
1 x Speaker connector
1 x S/PDIF Out connector
1 x CPU Fan connector
1 x 24-pin EATX power connector
1 x 4-pin ATX 12V power connector
1 x system panel connector
ACPI2.0a, SM BIOS2.5
1 x UltraDMA 133/100/66 cable
1x I/O Shield
User manual
ASUS LiveUpdateUtility
ASUS PC Probe II
Anti-Virus software (OEM version)
*Specications are subject to change without notice.
x
Chapter 1
Product introduction
1.1 Welcome!
Thank you for buying an ASUS® M2N68 PLUS 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 M2N68 PLUS motherboard
Cables 1 x Serial ATA cable
1 x Ultra DMA 133/100/66 cable
Accessories 1 x I/O shield
Application DVD ASUS motherboard support 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
AMD® Phenom™ II / Athlon™ x4 / Athlon™ x3 / Athlon™ x2
Chapter 1: Product introduction 1-1
(AM3 CPU)
This motherboard supports AMD® AM3 multi-core processors with unique
L3 cache and delivers better overclocking capabilities with less power
consumption. This motherboard also supports AMD® CPUs in the new
45nm manufacturing process.
AMD® Phenom™ x4 / Phenom™ x3 / Athlon™ x2 / Athlon™ /
Sempron™ (socket AM2+/AM2)
This motherboard supports AMD® Socket AM2+ multi-core processors. It
features dual-channel DDR2 1066 memory support, data transfer rate up
to 5200MT/s via HyperTransport™ 3.0-based system bus, and supports
AMD® Cool ‘n’ Quiet Technology.
Dual channel DDR2 1066 support
This motherboard supports DDR2 1066, which provides faster data
transfer rate and more bandwidth to increase memory data transfer rate
and computing efciency. This enhances system performance in 3D
graphics and other memory demanding applications.
DDR2 1066 is supported by AM3 / AM2+ CPU only. Refer to www.asus.com for the AM3
/ AM2+ CPU models.
AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet Technology
This 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.
Gigabit LAN solution
The onboard LAN controller is a highly integrated Gb LAN controller. It is
enhanced with an ACPI management function to provide efcient power
management for advanced operating systems.
Serial ATA 3Gb/s technology
This motherboard supports hard drives based on the Serial ATA (SATA)
3Gb/s storage specications. It also supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1,
RAID 5, and JBOD congurations for Serial ATA drives.
6-channel High Denition Audio
1-2 ASUS M2N68 PLUS
The onboard 6-channel ALC662 High Denition Audio CODEC enables
high-quality audio that automatically detects peripherals plugged into the
audio I/O jacks. ALC662 also supports the Windows® Vista Premium OS.
1.3.2 Innovative ASUS features
ASUS MyLogo2™
Turn your favorite photos into 256-color boot logos to personalize your
system.
ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3
ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 is an auto-recovery tool that allows you to
restore a corrupted BIOS le using the bundled support DVD, or USB
disk that contains the BIOS le.
ASUS EZ Flash 2
ASUS EZ Flash 2 is a utility that allows you to update the BIOS without
using a bootable oppy disk or an OS-based utility.
ASUS AI NET2
ASUS AI NET2 remotely detects the cable connection immediately after
you turn on the system and any faulty cable connections are reported
back up to 100 meters at 1 meter accuracy.
ASUS Q-Fan
ASUS Q-Fan technology intelligently adjusts CPU fan speeds according
to system loading to ensure quiet, cool, and efcient operation.
Green ASUS
This motherboard and its packaging comply with the European Union’s
Restriction on the use of Hazardous Substances (RoHS). This is in line
with the ASUS vision of creating environment-friendly and recyclable
products/packaging to safeguard consumers’ health while minimizing the
impact on the environment.
Chapter 1: Product introduction 1-3
1.4 Before you proceed
SB_PWR
ON
Standby Power Powered Off
OFF
M2N68 PLUS
M2N68 PLUS Onboard LED
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, 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.
1-4 ASUS M2N68 PLUS
1.5 Motherboard overview
1.5.1 Placement direction
When installing the motherboard, ensure 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 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.
Chapter 1: Product introduction 1-5
M2N68 PLUS
SATA RAID
1000M LAN
5000HRS VRM
4PHASE
POWER
DDR2-1066
PCIEX16
PCIEX1_1
PCIEX1_2
PCI2
PCI3
PCI4
PCI1
USB56 USB78 USB910
F_PANEL
SPDIF_OUT
AAFP
CD
ATX12V
EATXPWR
CPU_FAN
Lithium Cell
CMOS Power
Super
I/O
ALC
662
Realtek
8211CL
KBMS
8Mb
BIOS
SB_PWR
CLRTC
SPEAKER
20.3cm(8.0in)
NVIDIA
®
MCP68 SE
DDR2 DIMM_A1 (64bit, 240-pin module)
CPU Socket
DDR2 DIMM_B1 (64bit, 240-pin module)
SATA4
SATA3
SATA2
SATA1
AUDIO
LPT
COM
LAN1_USB12
USB34
30.5cm(12.0in)
PRI_IDE
1
4
2
3
5
6
7
8
91011121314
1.5.3 Motherboard layout
1-6 ASUS M2N68 PLUS
1.5.4 Layout contents
Connectors/Jumpers/Slots Page Connectors/Jumpers/Slots Page
1. ATX power connectors (24-pin EATXPWR,
4-pin ATX12V)
2. DDR2 DIMM slots 1-10 9. USB connectors (10-1 pin USB56, USB78,
3. CPU Socket 1-7 10. Speaker connector (4-pin SPEAKER) 1-17
4. CPU fan connector (4-pin CPU_FAN) 1-22 11. Digital audio connector (4-1 pin SPDIF_OUT) 1-22
5. SATA connectors (7-pin SATA1, SATA2,
SATA3, SATA4)
6. Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC) 1-15 13. Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin AAFP) 1-20
7. IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE) 1-18 14. Onboard LED (SB_PWR) 1-4
1-21 8. System panel connector (10-1 pin F_PANEL) 1-23
USB910)
1-19 12. Optical drive audio connector (4-pin CD) 1-17
1.6 Central Processing Unit (CPU)
The motherboard comes with a CPU socket designed for AMD® AM3 Phenom™ II /
Athlon™ X4 / Athlon™ X3 / Athlon™ X2 processors and AM2+ / AM2 Phenom™ X4 /
Phenom™ X3 / Athlon™ X2 / Athlon™ / Sempron™ processors.
The CPU socket is not compatible with AMD® Opteron™ processors. Do not install an
Opteron™ processor on this motherboard.
1.6.1 Installing the CPU
To install a CPU:
1. Locate the CPU socket on the motherboard.
1-20
Chapter 1: Product introduction 1-7
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