ASUS M2N-SLI User Manual

Motherboard

M2N-SLI

Deluxe

ii

E2590

First Edition
May 2006

Copyright © 2006 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. All Rights Reserved.

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

Product warranty or service will not be extended if: (1) the product is repaired, modied or altered, unless
such repair, modication 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 identication or explanation and to the
owners’ benet, without intent to infringe.

iii

Contents

Notices ........................................................................................................ vii

Safety information .................................................................................... viii

About this guide ......................................................................................... ix

M2N-SLI Deluxe specications summary ................................................. xi

Chapter 1: Product introduction

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

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

1.3 Special features ............................................................................ 1-2

1.3.1 Product highlights ........................................................... 1-2

1.3.2 ASUS AI Lifestyle features ............................................. 1-4

1.3.3 ASUS Special features ................................................... 1-5

1.3.4 ASUS Intelligent Overclocking features .......................... 1-6

Chapter 2: Hardware information

2.1 Before you proceed ..................................................................... 2-1

2.2 Motherboard overview ................................................................. 2-2

2.2.1 Placement direction ........................................................ 2-2

2.2.2 Screw holes .................................................................... 2-2

2.2.3 Motherboard layout ......................................................... 2-3

2.2.4 Layout contents ............................................................... 2-4

2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ................................................... 2-6

2.3.1 Installing the CPU ........................................................... 2-6

2.3.2 Installing the heatsink and fan ........................................ 2-8

2.4 System memory ......................................................................... 2-11

2.4.1 Overview ........................................................................2-11

2.4.2 Memory congurations ...................................................2-11

2.4.3 Installing a DIMM .......................................................... 2-15

2.4.4 Removing a DIMM ........................................................ 2-15

2.5 Expansion slots .......................................................................... 2-16

2.5.1 Installing an expansion card ......................................... 2-16

2.5.2 Conguring an expansion card ..................................... 2-16

2.5.3 Interrupt assignments ................................................... 2-17

2.5.4 PCI slots ........................................................................ 2-17

2.5.5 PCI Express x1 slot ....................................................... 2-18

2.5.6 PCI Express x16 slots ................................................... 2-18

iv

Contents

2.6 Jumper ........................................................................................ 2-20

2.7 Connectors ................................................................................. 2-21

2.7.1 Rear panel connectors .................................................. 2-21

2.7.2 Internal connectors ....................................................... 2-24

Chapter 3: Powering up

3.1 Starting up for the rst time ........................................................ 3-1

3.2 Powering off the computer .......................................................... 3-2

3.2.1 Using the OS shut down function .................................... 3-2

3.2.2 Using the dual function power switch .............................. 3-2

Chapter 4: BIOS setup

4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS ............................................ 4-1

4.1.1 ASUS Update utility ........................................................ 4-1

4.1.2 Creating a bootable oppy disk ....................................... 4-4

4.1.3 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility ................................................... 4-5

4.1.4 Updating the BIOS .......................................................... 4-6

4.1.5 Saving the current BIOS le ............................................ 4-8

4.1.6 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility ...................................... 4-9

4.2 BIOS setup program .................................................................. 4-10

4.2.1 BIOS menu screen .........................................................4-11

4.2.2 Menu bar ........................................................................4-11

4.2.3 Legend bar .................................................................... 4-12

4.2.4 Menu items ................................................................... 4-12

4.2.5 Sub-menu items ............................................................ 4-12

4.2.6 Conguration elds ....................................................... 4-12

4.2.7 Pop-up window ............................................................. 4-13

4.2.8 General help ................................................................. 4-13

4.3 Main menu .................................................................................. 4-14

4.3.1 System Time ................................................................. 4-14

4.3.2 System Date ................................................................. 4-14

4.3.3 Legacy Diskette A ......................................................... 4-14

4.3.4 Primary IDE Master/Slave ............................................. 4-15

4.3.5 SATA 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 ...................................................... 4-17

4.3.6 HDD SMART Monitoring ............................................... 4-18

4.3.7 Installed Memory ........................................................... 4-18

v

Contents

4.3.8 Usable Memory ............................................................. 4-18

4.4 Advanced menu ......................................................................... 4-19

4.4.1 JumperFree Conguration ............................................ 4-19

4.4.2 AI NET2 ........................................................................ 4-22

4.4.3 PEG Link Mode ............................................................. 4-22

4.4.4 CPU Conguration ........................................................ 4-23

4.4.5 Chipset .......................................................................... 4-27

4.4.6 PCIPnP ......................................................................... 4-28

4.4.7 Onboard Device Conguration ...................................... 4-29

4.5 Power menu ................................................................................ 4-32

4.5.1 ACPI Suspend Type ...................................................... 4-32

4.5.2 ACPI APIC Support ....................................................... 4-32

4.5.3 APM Conguration ........................................................ 4-33

2.5.4 Hardware Monitor ......................................................... 4-35

4.6 Boot menu .................................................................................. 4-37

4.6.1 Boot Device Priority ...................................................... 4-37

4.6.2 Removable Drives ......................................................... 4-38

4.6.3 Hard Disk Drives ........................................................... 4-38

4.6.4 CDROM Drives ............................................................. 4-38

4.6.5 Boot Settings Conguration ......................................... 4-39

4.6.6 Security ......................................................................... 4-40

4.7 Tools menu ................................................................................. 4-42

4.7.1 ASUS Music Alarm ........................................................ 4-42

4.7.2 ASUS O.C. Prole ......................................................... 4-44

4.7.4 ASUS EZ Flash 2 .......................................................... 4-46

4.8 Exit menu .................................................................................... 4-47

Chapter 5: Software support

5.1 Installing an operating system ................................................... 5-1

5.2 Support CD information .............................................................. 5-1

5.2.1 Running the support CD ................................................. 5-1

5.2.2 Drivers menu ................................................................... 5-2

5.2.3 Utilities menu .................................................................. 5-3

5.2.4 Make Disk menu ............................................................. 5-4

5.2.5 Manuals menu ................................................................ 5-5

5.2.6 ASUS Contact information .............................................. 5-6

vi

Contents

5.2.7 Other information ............................................................ 5-6

5.3 Software information ................................................................... 5-8

5.3.1 Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology ........................................... 5-8

5.3.2 ASUS PC Probe II ..........................................................5-11

5.3.3 ASUS Music Alarm ........................................................ 5-17

5.3.4 ASUS AI Nap ................................................................ 5-20

5.3.5 ASUS AI Gear ............................................................... 5-21

5.3.6 SoundMAX® High Denition Audio utility ....................... 5-23

Audio Setup Wizard ..................................................................... 5-24

5.4 RAID congurations .................................................................. 5-28

5.4.1 Installing hard disks ...................................................... 5-29

5.4.2 NVIDIA® MediaShield RAID congurations .................. 5-30

5.4.3 JMicron® RAID Conguration ........................................ 5-39

5.5 Creating a RAID driver disk ....................................................... 5-45

NVIDIA® SLI™ technology support

6.1 Overview ....................................................................................... 6-1

Requirements ................................................................................. 6-1

6.2 Dual graphics card setup ............................................................ 6-2

6.2.1 Installing SLI-ready graphics cards ................................. 6-2

6.2.2 Installing the device drivers ............................................. 6-5

6.2.3 Enabling the multi-GPU feature in Windows® ................. 6-5

vii

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.

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.

The use of shielded cables for connection of the monitor to the graphics card is

required to assure compliance with FCC regulations. Changes or modications

to this unit not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance
could void the user’s authority to operate this equipment.

viii

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 adpater 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
qualied 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 qualied

service technician or your retailer.

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.

ix

About this guide

This user guide contains the information you need when installing and conguring

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: Hardware information

This chapter lists the hardware setup procedures that you have to perform
when installing system components. It includes description of the switches,
jumpers, and connectors on the motherboard.

• Chapter 3: Powering up

This chapter describes the power up sequence and ways of shutting down
the system.

• Chapter 4: 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 5: Software support

This chapter describes the contents of the support CD that comes with the
motherboard package.

• Chapter 6: NVIDIA® SLI™ Technology support

This chapter tells how to install SLI-ready PCI Express graphics cards.

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.

x

Conventions used in this guide

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

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 connected with a plus sign (+).

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

Command Means that you must type the command exactly as

shown.

Example: At the DOS prompt, type the command line:

format a:

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.

NOTE: Tips and additional information to help you complete a

task.

IMPORTANT: Instructions that you MUST follow to complete a

task.

xi

M2N-SLI Deluxe specications summary

(continued on the next page)

CPU Socket AM2 for AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 /AMD Athlon™ 64

/AMD Athlon™ 64 FX/AMD Sempron™ processors
Supports AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet™ Technology
AMD64 architecture enables simultaneous 32-bit and
64-bit computing
AMD Live!™ ready

Chipset NVIDIA® nForce® 570 SLI™ MCP

System bus 2000 / 1600 MT/s

Memory Dual-channel memory architecture

- 4 x 240-pin DIMM sockets support unbuffered
ECC/non-ECC DDR2 800/667/533 MHz memory
modules

- Supports up to 8 GB system memory

Expansion slots 2 x PCI Express™ x16 slots at x16, x8 speed

Supports NVIDIA® SLI™ Technology (both at x8 mode)
2 x PCI Express™ x1 slots
3 x PCI 2.2 slots

Scalable Link Interface
(SLI™)

Supports two identical NVIDIA® SLI™-ready graphics card
ASUS two-slot thermal design
ASUS PEG Link

Storage NVIDIA® nForce® 570 SLI™ MCP supports:

- 1 x IDE connector for up to two Ultra DMA
133/100/66/33 devices

- 6 x Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s connectors support six
Serial ATA devices

- RAID 0, RAID1, RAID 0+1, RAID 5, and JBOD
congurations spanning across Serial ATA drives
via the onboard NVIDIA® MediaShield™ RAID
controller

JMicron® JMB363 Serial ATA controller supports:

- 1 x Internal Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s

- 1 x External Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s on the rear panel
with Port Multiplier function (SATA-On-The-Go)

- RAID 0, RAID 1, and JBOD conguration

LAN Dual Gigabit LAN controllers

NVIDIA® nForce® 570 SLI™ MCP built-in dual Gigabit
MAC with external Marvell® PHY
Supports Teaming and Fail-Over functions

xii

M2N-SLI Deluxe specications summary

High Denition Audio SoundMAX® ADI AD1988B 8-channel CODEC

Supports Jack-Sensing, Enumeration, Multi-Streaming,
and Jack-Retasking Technology
Optical and Coaxial S/PDIF Out interfaces

IEEE 1394 T1 1394 controller supports:

- 2 x IEEE 1394a connectors (one at mid-board, one
at the rear panel)

USB Supports up to 10 USB 2.0/1.1 ports (six at mid-board,

- four on the rear panel)

ASUS AI Lifestyle
features

AI Nap
AI Gear
Advanced Thermal Design

- ASUS Fanless Design: Heat-pipe Thermal solution
ASUS Crystal Sound

- Noise lter

- ASUS Array Microphone

ASUS Exclusive
Overclocking features

Intelligent overclocking tools:

- AI NOS™ (Non-delay Overclocking System)

- AI Overclocking (intelligent CPU frequency tuner)

- ASUS PEG Link
ASUS O.C. Prole: overclocking conguration-sharing tool
Precision Tweaker:

- vDIMM: 15-step DRAM voltage control

- vCore: Adjustable CPU voltage at 0.0125 V
increment

- Stepless Frequency Selection(SFS) allows FSB
tuning from 200 MHz up to 400 MHz at 1 MHz
increment

- PCI Express frequency allows PCI Express x16

frequency tuning from 100 MHz to 200 MHz at 1
MHz increment

Overclocking protection:

- ASUS C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)
ASUS AI Booster Utility

Special features ASUS EZ DIY:

- Q-Connector

- ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3

- ASUS EZ Flash 2
ASUS Music Alarm

(continued on the next page)

xiii

M2N-SLI Deluxe specications summary

Rear panel 1 x PS/2 keyboard port (purple)

1 x PS/2 mouse port (green)
1 x Serial (COM1) port
1 x IEEE 1394a port
1 x External Serial ATA port
1 x Optical S/PDIF Out port
1 x Coaxial S/PDIF Out port
2 x LAN (RJ-45) ports
4 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports
8-channel audio ports

Internal connectors 3 x USB 2.0 connectors support six additional USB 2.0

ports
1 x Floppy disk drive connector
1 x IDE connector for two devices
7 x Serial ATA connectors
1 x CPU / 4 x Chassis / 1 x Power fan
connectors
1 x ADH connector
1 x IEEE 1394a connector
1 x Parallel connector
1 x S/PDIF Out connector
Chassis intrusion connector
Front panel audio connector
CD audio in connector
24-pin ATX power connector
4-pin ATX 12 V power connector
System panel connector

BIOS features 4 Mb AWARD BIOS, PnP, DMI 2.0, WfM2.0, SM BIOS 2.3

Manageability WOL by PME, WOR by PME, Chassis intrusion, PXE

Power requirements ATX power supply with 24-pin and 4-pin 12V plugs

ATX 12V 2.0 compliant

Support CD contents Device drivers

ASUS AI Booster
ASUS PC Probe II
ASUS Update
NVIDIA® MediaShield™ RAID
Anti-virus software (OEM version)

Form factor ATX form factor: 12 in x 9.6 in (30.5 cm x 24.5 cm)

*Specications are subject to change without notice.

xiv

1

Product

introduction

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

ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe

Chapter summary

1

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

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

1.3 Special features ............................................................................ 1-2

ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe 1-1

1.1 Welcome!

Thank you for buying an ASUS® M2N-SLI Deluxe 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.

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

1.2 Package contents

Check your motherboard package for the following items.

Motherboard ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe

I/O modules IEEE 1394a module
1 x 2-port USB 2.0 module

Cables 6 x Serial ATA cables
3 x Serial ATA power cables for six devices
1 x Ultra DMA 133/100/66 cable
1 x Floppy disk drive cable

Accessories I/O shield
ASUS SLI™ Bridge
ASUS Array Mic
ASUS Q-Connector Kit for USB, IEEE1394, and
system panel connector (Retail version only)

Application CD ASUS motherboard support CD
InterVideo® Media Launcher (OEM version)

Documentation User guide

1-2 Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.3 Special features

1.3.1 Product highlights

Latest processor technology

The motherboard comes with a 940-pin AM2 socket that supports AMD Athlon™
64 X2/AMD Athlon™ 64/AMD Athlon™ 64 FX/AMD Sempron™ processors. With
an integrated low-latency high-bandwidth memory controller and a highly scalable
HyperTransport™ technology-based system bus, the motherboard provides a

powerful platform for your diverse computing needs, increased ofce productivity,

and enhanced digital media experience. See page 2-6 for details.

NVIDIA® Scalable Link Interface (SLI™)

The NVIDIA® Scalable Link Interface (SLI™) technology allows two graphics
processing units (GPUs) in a single system. This technology takes advantage of
the PCI Express™ bus architecture and features intelligent hardware and software
solutions that allows multiple GPUs to work together and achieve exceptional
graphics performance.

DDR2 memory support

The motherboard supports DDR2 memory that features data transfer rates of

800/667/533 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 pages 2-11 to 2-13 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

specications. See page 2-18 for details.

Dual RAID solution

Onboard RAID controllers provide the motherboard with dual-RAID functionality
that allows you to select the best RAID solution using IDE or Serial ATA devices.

The NVIDIA® nForce® 570 SLI™ chipset allows RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, RAID

5, and JBOD conguration for six SATA 3.0 Gb/s connectors. See pages 2-25.

The JMicron JMB363 controller supports two additional Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s
connectors (one at mid-board and one on the rear panel) and allows RAID 0,

RAID 1, and JBOD congurations on these ports. See pages 2-26 for details.

ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe 1-3

Serial ATA I/II technology and SATA-On-The-Go

The motherboard fully supports the Serial ATA II 3.0 Gb/s technology through the
Serial ATA interfaces and the NVIDIA® nForce® 570 SLI™ chipset. The Serial

ATA 3 Gb/s specication provides twice the bandwidth of the current Serial ATA

products with a host of new features, including Nativa Command Queueing (NCQ),
and Power Management (PM) Implementation Algorithm. Serial ATA allows for

thinner, more exible cables with lower pin count and reduced voltage required.

Leveraging these Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s features is the SATA-On-The-Go. Supported
by the JMicron Serial ATA RAID controller, two Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s connectors
(one at mid-board and one on the rear panel) provide smart setup, and hot-plug
function. See pages 2-21, 2-22, and 2-23 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 the IEEE 1394a standard.
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 2-21 and 2-27 for details.

S/PDIF digital sound ready

The motherboard supports the S/PDIF technology through the S/PDIF interfaces
on the rear panel. The S/PDIF technology turns your computer into a high-end
entertainment system with digital connectivity to powerful audio and speaker
systems. See pages 2-21 and 2-32 for details.

USB 2.0 technology

The motherboard implements the Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 specication,

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 2-22 and 2-27 for details.

Dual Gigabit LAN solution

The motherboard comes with dual Gigabit LAN controllers to provide the total
solution for your networking needs. These network controllers use the PCI Express
segment to provide faster data bandwidth for your wired or wireless Internet, LAN,

and le sharing requirements. See page 2-21 for details.

1-4 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 4-26 for details.

1.3.2 ASUS AI Lifestyle features

AI Gear

AI Gear provides four modes that adjust the CPU frequency and Vcore voltage

minimizing system noise and power consumption. You can choose the mode that

best suits your computing needs. See page 5-21 for details

AI Nap

With AI Nap, the system can continue running at minimum power and noise
when the user is temporarily away. To wake the system and return to the OS
environment, simply click the mouse or press a key. See page 5-20 for details.

ASUS Crystal Sound

This feature enhances speech-centric applications like Skype, online games, video
conference and recording.

ASUS Array Mic

The bundled Superbeam Array Microphone receives only the sound
coming from the reception cone and ignores the sound coming from other
directions. This mechanism eliminates a large number of interferences,
including neighboring speakers and reverberation. It also uses advanced

de-reverberation techniques to reduce echo and minimize its effect on the

speech engine.

Noise Filter

This feature detects repetitive and stationary noises (non-voice signals) like
computer fans, air conditioners, and other background noises then eliminates
it in the incoming audio stream while recording.

ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe 1-5

Advanced Thermal Design

Fanless Design and Heat-pipe

The ASUS fanless design allows multi-directional heat ow from major

thermal sources in the motherboard to lower overall system temperature,
resulting in quieter operation and longer system life. ASUS has devoted
special efforts to address the thermal issues across the motherboard, and
most notably in the following areas: CPU, power, VGA, and chipset. The heat
pipe, heatsink, and strategic board layout were tailor made to dissipate heat

in the most efcient manner.

1.3.3 ASUS Special features

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 pages 4-42 and 5-17 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 4-9 for details.

ASUS EZ Flash 2

EZ Flash 2 is a user-friendly BIOS update utility. Simply press the predened

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 page 4-5 for details.

ASUS Q-Connector

ASUS Q-Connector allows you to easily connect the chassis front panel cables to
the motherboard.

PEG Link Mode

This feature enhances your PCI Express graphics card performance. It allows the
motherboard to automatically adjust the PCI Express graphics link mode to the

correct frequency based on the system conguration. Four additional settings are

available for overclocking the PEG Link Mode.

1-6 Chapter 1: Product introduction

Precision Tweaker

This feature allows you to ne tune the CPU/memory voltage and gradually
increase the memory Front Side Bus (FSB) and PCI Express frequency at 1MHz

increment to achieve maximum system performance.

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.

1.3.4 ASUS Intelligent Overclocking features

ASUS BIOS Prole

The motherboard features the ASUS BIOS Prole 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

settings.

AI NOS™ (Non-Delay Overclocking System)

ASUS Non-delay Overclocking System™ (NOS) is a technology that auto-detects
the CPU loading and dynamically overclocks the CPU speed only when needed.
See page 4-20 for details.

2

Hardware

information

This chapter 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.

ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe

Chapter summary

2

2.1 Before you proceed ..................................................................... 2-1

2.2 Motherboard overview ................................................................. 2-2

2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ................................................... 2-6

2.4 System memory ......................................................................... 2-11

2.5 Expansion slots .......................................................................... 2-16

2.6 Jumper ........................................................................................ 2-20

2.7 Connectors ................................................................................. 2-21

ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe 2-1

Onboard LED

The motherboard comes with a standby power LED. The green LED 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.

2.1 Before you proceed

Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard components
or change any motherboard settings.

• Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any
component.

• Use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded object or to
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.

M2N-SLI DELUXE Onboard LED

SB_PWR

ON

Standby

Power

OFF

Powered

Off

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M2N-SLI DELUXE

2-2 Chapter 2: Hardware information

2.2 Motherboard overview

Before you install the motherboard, study the conguration of your chassis to
ensure that the motherboard ts into it.

2.2.1 Placement direction

When installing the motherboard, make sure that you place it into the chassis in
the correct orientation. The edge with external ports goes to the rear part of the
chassis as indicated in the image below.

2.2.2 Screw holes

Place nine (9) screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the motherboard
to the chassis.

Place this side towards

the rear of the chassis

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

Do not overtighten the screws! Doing so can damage the motherboard.

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M2N-SLI DELUXE

ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe 2-3

2.2.3 Motherboard layout

Socket AM2

DDR2 DIMM_B1 (128 bit,240-pin module)

DDR2 DIMM_B2 (128 bit,240-pin module)

DDR2 DIMM_A1 (128 bit,240-pin module)

DDR2 DIMM_A2 (128 bit,240-pin module)

PCI1

PCI2

PCI3

PCIEX16_1

PCIEX16_2

PRI_IDE

PANEL

4Mb

BIOS

CR2032 3V
Lithium Cell

CMOS Power

AAFP

PCIEX1_2

PCIEX1_1

PS/2KBMS

T: Mouse
B: Keyboard

LAN1_USB12

LAN2_USB34

EATXPWR

FLOPPY

ADH

CD

IE1394_2

USB78

USB56

CLRTC

CHASSIS

SATA2

SATA1

SATA3

SATA4

SATA5 SATA6

SATA_RAID1

CHA_FAN3

CHA_FAN4

PWR_FAN

CHA_FAN1

CHA_FAN2

USB910

CPU_FAN

Super I/O

SPDIF_OUT

SPDIF_O1

SPDIF_O2

COM1

ESATA_1394

AUDIO

LPT

ATX12V

24.5cm (9.6in)

30.5cm (12.0in)

NF570-SLI

ADI

1988B

Marvell
88E1116

Marvell
88E1116

JMicron
JMB363

TSB43AB22A

SB_PWR

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M2N-SLI DELUXE

nVIDIA

2-4 Chapter 2: Hardware information

2.2.4 Layout contents

Slots Page

1. DDR2 DIMM slots 2-11

2. PCI slots 2-17

3. PCI Express x1 slots 2-18

4. PCI Express x16 slots 2-18

Jumper Page

1. Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC) 2-20

Rear panel connectors Page

1. PS/2 mouse port (green) 2-21

2. Serial (COM) port 2-21

3. IEEE 1394a port 2-21

4. LAN 1 (RJ-45) port. 2-21

5. LAN 2 (RJ-45) port. 2-21

6. Rear Speaker Out port (black) 2-21

7. Center/Subwoofer port (orange) 2-21

8. Line In port (light blue) 2-21

9. Line Out port (lime) 2-22

10. Microphone port (pink) 2-22

11. Side Speaker Out port (gray) 2-22

12. USB 2.0 ports 1 and 2, 3 and 4 2-22

13. External SATA port 2-22

14. Optical S/PDIF Out port 2-23

15. Coaxial S/PDIF Out port 2-23

16. PS/2 keyboard port (purple) 2-23

ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe 2-5

Internal connectors Page

1. Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY) 2-24

2. IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE) 2-24

3. NVIDIA® nForce 570 SLI Serial ATA connectors
(7-pin SATA1 [red], SATA2 [red], SATA3 [red],
SATA4 [red], SATA5 [red], SATA6 [red])

2-25

4. JMicron® Serial ATA RAID connector (7-pin SATA_RAID1) 2-26

5. USB connectors (10-1 pin USB56, USB78, USB910) 2-27

6. IEEE 1394a port connector (10-1 pin IE1394_2) 2-27

7. CPU, chassis, and power fan connectors
(4-pin CPU_FAN, 3-pin CHA_FAN1, 3-pin CHA_FAN2,
3-pin CHA_FAN3, 3-pin CHA_FAN4, 3-pin PWR_FAN1)

2-28

8. Chassis intrusion connector (4-1 pin CHASSIS) 2-29

9. ATX power connectors (24-pin EATXPWR, 4-pin EATX12V) 2-29

10. Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin AAFP) 2-30

11. Optical drive audio connector (4-pin CD) 2-31

12. Parallel port connector (26-1 pin LPT) 2-31

13. Digital audio connector (4-1 pin SPDIF_OUT) 2-32

14. System panel connector (20-8 pin PANEL)

•

System power LED (2-pin LED)

•

Hard disk drive activity LED (2-pin IDE_LED)

•

System warning speaker (4-pin SPEAKER)

•

ATX power button/soft-off button (2-pin PWR)

•

Reset button (2-pin RESET)

2-33

2-6 Chapter 2: Hardware information

2.3.1 Installing the CPU

To install a CPU:

1. Locate the CPU socket on the motherboard.

Make sure that the socket lever is lifted up to a 90º angle; otherwise, the CPU
will not t in completely.

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

2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The motherboard comes with a 940-pin AM2 socket designed for the AMD Athlon™
64/AMD Athlon™ 64 FX/AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 and AMD Sempron™ processors.

Socket lever

The AM2 socket has a different pin layout from the 940-pin socket designed for
the AMD AM2 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!

M2N-SLI DELUXE CPU Socket AM2

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M2N-SLI DELUXE