Asus M3A78 User Manual

M3A78

Motherboard

E4181

Second Edition V2 August 2008

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.

Contents

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

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

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

M3A78 specications 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 ASUS unique 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 congurations ..................................................

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 Conguring 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 .......................................................

1-2

1-5

1-7

1-8

1-9

1-10

1-12

1-14

1-18

1-19

1-22

1-23

1-24

1-26

iii

Contents

Chapter 2: BIOS setup

2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS ............................................ 2-2

2.1.1 Creating a bootable oppy disk .......................................

2.1.2 AFUDOS utility ................................................................

2.1.3 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility ......................................

2.1.4 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility ...................................................

2.1.5 ASUS Update 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 Sub-menu items ............................................................

2.2.6 Conguration elds .......................................................

2.2.7 General help .................................................................

2.2.8 Pop-up window .............................................................

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

2.3.6 SATA Conguration .......................................................

2.3.7 System Information .......................................................

2.4 Advanced menu .........................................................................

2.4.1 JumperFree Conguration ............................................

2.4.2 CPU Conguration ........................................................

2.4.3 Chipset ..........................................................................

2.4.4 Onboard Device Conguration ......................................

2.4.5 PCIPnP .........................................................................

2.4.6 USB Conguration ........................................................

2.5 Power menu ................................................................................

2.5.1 Suspend Mode ..............................................................

2.5.2 ACPI Support ................................................................

2.5.3 ACPI APIC Support .......................................................

2-2

2-3

2-6

2-8

2-9

2-12

2-13

2-14

2-15

2-16

2-17

2-18

2-19

2-20

2-21

2-23

2-24

2-26

2-27

2-28

2-29

Contents

2.5.4 APM Conguration ........................................................ 2-30

2.5.5 HW Monitor Conguration .............................................

2.6 Boot menu ..................................................................................

2.6.1 Boot Device Priority ......................................................

2.6.2 Boot Settings Conguration ..........................................

2.6.3 Security .........................................................................

2.7 Tools menu .................................................................................

2.7.1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 ..........................................................

2.7.2 Express Gate ................................................................

2.7.3 AI NET 2

2.8 Exit menu ....................................................................................

Chapter 3: Software support

3.1 Installing an operating system ................................................... 3-2

3.2 Support DVD information ............................................................

3.2.1 Running the support 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 ............................................................

3.3 ASUS Express Gate ...................................................................

........................................................................ 2-38

2-31

2-32

2-33

2-35

2-37

2-38

2-39

3-2

3-3

3-4

3-6

3-7

3-8

3-10

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 modications

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.

Safety information

Electrical safety

•

To prevent electric shock hazard, disconnect the power cable from the electric

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 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.

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 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. 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: afudos /i[lename]

afudos /iM3A78.ROM

M3A78 specications summary

CPU AMD® Socket AM2+ / AM2 for AMD Phenom™FX /

Chipset AMD 770 / SB700

System bus Up to 5200 MT/s HyperTransport™ 3.0 interface

Memory Dual-channel memory architecture

Expansion slots 1 x PCI Express™ x16 slot

Storage / RAID 1 x UltraDMA 133/100 connector

Audio VT1708B High Denition Audio 8-channel CODEC

USB Supports up to 12 USB 2.0/1.1 ports (6 ports

LAN Gigabit LAN

Phenom / Athlon™ / Sempron™ processor Supports up to 140W CPU AMD Live!™ Ready AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet™ Technology

for AM2+ CPU 2000 / 1600 MT/s for AM2 CPU

4 x 240-pin DIMM slots support unbuffered ECC and non-ECC DDR2 1066/800/667/533MHz

memory modules Supports up to 8GB system memory

* Due to AM2+ CPU limitation, only one DDR2 1066 DIMM is supported per channel. When four DDR2 1066 DIMMs are installed, all DIMMs run at 800MHz frequency by default for system stability.

** Refer to www.asus.com or user manual for

Memory QVL (Qualied Vendors List)

*** When you install a total memory of 4GB or more, Windows® 32-bit operation system may only recognize less than 3GB. Hence, a total installed memory of less than 3GB is recommended if you are using a Windows

32-bit operation system.

2 x PCI Express™ x1 slots 3 x PCI 2.2 slots Support PCI Express™ 2.0 / 1.0 Architecture

6 x Serial ATA 3Gb/s connectors support RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, and JBOD conguration

Supports Jack-Detect and Multistreaming technologies

Supports S/PDIF Out interface S/PDIF Out port at the back panel

at mid-board, 6 ports at the back panel)

(continued on the next page)

M3A78 specications summary

ASUS special features ASUS Express Gate:

Back panel I/O ports 1 x PS/2 Keyboard port

BIOS 8Mb Flash ROM, AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0,

ASUS overclocking features

Internal I/O connectors 3 x USB 2.0 connectors support additional 6 USB 2.0/1.1

- Access the Internet in 5-second* boot time without entering Windows

- A built-in OS offers instant fun platform for Internet and Instant Messenger

- User-friendly Picture Manager Interface * The actual boot time is subject to hardware

congurations and product models. ASUS AI NET2

ASUS Q-Fan ASUS CrashFree BIOS3

ASUS EZ Flash2 ASUS MyLogo2

1 x Optical S/PDIF Out port

1 x COM port 1 x LPT port 1 x RJ45 port

6 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports 8-channel Audio I/O ports

ACPI2.0a, SMBIOS 2.5

SFS (Stepless Frequency Selection) from 200MHz to 300MHz at 1MHz increment Adjustable CPU voltage at 0.025V increment

ASUS CPR (CPU Parameter Recall)

ports 1 x Floppy disk drive connector 1 x IDE connector 6 x SATA connectors High denition front panel audio connector 1 x system panel connector 1 x CD audio-in connector 1 x S/PDIF Out header 1 x Chassis intrusion connector

Power/CPU/Chassis Fan connectors 24-pin EATX power connector 4-pin ATX 12V power connector

(continued on the next page)

M3A78 specications summary

Accessories User manual

Support DVD Drivers

Form Factor ATX Form factor: 12’’ x 9.6’’ (30.5cm x 24.4cm)

1 x Serial ATA cable 1 x Serial ATA power cable 1 x UltraDMA 133/100 cable 1 x FDD cable

1 x I/O shield

Express Gate ASUS PC Probe II ASUS LiveUpdate Utility Anti-Virus software (OEM version)

*Specications are subject to change without notice.

xii

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

Product

introduction

1.1 Welcome!

Thank you for buying an ASUS® M3A78 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 M3A78 motherboard

Cables 1 x Serial ATA signal cable 1 x Serial ATA power cable 1 x Ultra DMA 133/100 cable 1 x FDD cable

Accessories 1 x I/O shield

Application CD/DVD ASUS motherboard support DVD

Documentation User Manual

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

1.3 Special features

1.3.1 Product highlights

AMD® Socket AM2+ Phenom™ FX / Phenom / Athlon™ CPU support

This motherboard supports AMD® Socket AM2+ multi-core processors with

unique L3 cache and delivers better overclocking capabilities with less power consumption. It features dual-channel DDR2 1066 memory support and accelerates data transfer rate up to 5200MT/s via HyperTransport™ 3.0 based system bus. See page 1-10 for details.

1-2 Chapter 1: Product introduction

HyperTransport™ 3.0 support

MT/s

5200

HyperTransport 3.0 technology provides 2.6 times more bandwidth than HT1.0 that radically improves system efciency for a smoother, faster computing environment.

Native DDR2 1066 support

This motherboard supports native DDR2 1066. It provides faster data transfer rate and more bandwidth to increase memory computing efciency, enhancing system

performance in 3D graphics and other memory demanding applications. See page 1-15 for details.

Due to AM2+ CPU limitation, only one DDR2 1066 DIMM is supported per channel. When four DDR2 1066 DIMMs are installed, all DIMMs run at 800MHz frequency by default for system stability.

AMD Socket AM2 Athlon™ / Sempron™ CPU support

This motherboard supports AMD Socket AM2 Athlon / Sempron processors. It features 2000/1600MT/s HyperTransport-based system bus, dual-channel un-buffered DDR2 800 memory support, and AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet™Technology. See page 1-10 for details.

64-bit CPU support

64-bit computing, the next generation technology to replace the current 32-bit

architecture, delivers advanced system performance, faster memory access, and increased productivity. This motherboard provides excellent compatibility and

exibility by supporting either 64-bit or 32-bit architecture.

ASUS M3A78 1-3

Dual-Core CPU

Enjoy the extraordinary CPU power from the latest dual-core CPU. The advanced processing technology contains two physical CPU cores with individually dedicated

L2 cache to satisfy the rising demand for more powerful processing capability.

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 2-23 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 1-22 for details.

PCI Express 2.0 support

This motherboard supports the latest PCIe 2.0 devices for double speed and

bandwidth which enhances system performance.

Serial ATA 3Gb/s technology and RAID support

This motherboard supports hard disk drives based on the Serial ATA (SATA)

3Gb/s storage specications, delivering enhanced scalability and doubling the bus bandwidth for high-speed data retrieval and save. It also supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, and JBOD congurations for Serial ATA drives. See pages 1-28 and 2-19 for details.

Gigabit LAN solution

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.

1-4 Chapter 1: Product introduction

USB 2.0 technology

USB 2.0 is the latest connectivity standard for next generation components and peripherals. Backwards compatible with current USB 1.1 peripherals, USB 2.0 delivers transfer speeds up to 40 times faster at 480Mb/s, for easy connectivity and

ultra-fast data transfers.

8-channel high denition audio

Enjoy high-quality sound system on your PC! The onboard 8-channel HD audio (High Denition Audio, previously codenamed Azalia) CODEC enables high-quality 192KHz/24-bit audio output, jack-detect feature, which automatically detects and identies what types of peripherals are plugged into the audio I/O jacks and noties

users of inappropriate connection, meaning there will be no more confusion of

Line-in, Line-out and Mic jacks. See pages 1-24, 1-32, and 2-26 for details.

1.3.2 ASUS unique 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 efcient operation. See page 2-32 for

details.

ASUS MyLogo2™

Turn your favorite photos into 256-color boot logos to personalize your system. 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 2-6 for details.

ASUS M3A78 1-5

Express Gate

Taking only 5 seconds to go online from bootup, Express Gate is the one-stop

gateway to instant fun! It’s a unique motherboard built-in OS. You can utilize the

most popular Instant Messengers (IM) like MSN, Skype, Google talk, QQ, and

Yahoo! Messenger to keep in touch with friends, or quickly check on the weather and e-mails just before leaving your house. What’s more, the user-friendly picture

manager lets you view your pictures without entering Windows at anytime!

• The actual boot time depends on the system conguration.

• ASUS Express Gate supports le uploading from SATA HDDs, ODDs and

USB drives and downloading to USB drives only.

AI NET2

Diagnose LAN connection before entering OS! Network problems are often caused

by bad cable connection. AI NET2 remotely detects cable connection the second you turn on the system, and any faulty connections are reported back up to 100

meters at 1 meter accuracy.

ASUS EZ Flash 2

EZ Flash 2 is a user-friendly BIOS update utility. Simply launch this tool and update BIOS from a USB ash disk before entering the OS. You can update your BIOS only in a few clicks without preparing an additional oppy diskette or using an OSbased ash utility. See pages 2-8 and 2-37 for details.

C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)

When the system hangs due to overclocking failure, there is no need to open the case to clear CMOS data. Just simply restart the system, the BIOS would show the

previous setting and then users can amend the CPU setting again. See page 1-23

for details.

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.

1-6 Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.4 Before you proceed

M3A78

M3A78 Onboard LED

M3A78

SB_PWR

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 M3A78 1-7

1.5 Motherboard overview

Super I/O

SATA4

SATA5

SATA6

SATA1

SATA2

SATA3

SocketAM2+

CPU_FAN

TXPWR

PANEL

USB78USB910USB1112

AAFP

SB_PWR

8Mb

BIOS

AMD 770

SB700

DDR2 DIMM_A1 (64 bit,240-pin module)

DDR2 DIMM_B1 (64 bit,240-pin module)

DDR2 DIMM_A2 (64 bit,240-pin module)

DDR2 DIMM_B2 (64 bit,240-pin module)

CR2032 3V Lithium Cell

CMOS Power

PCI2

PCI3

PCI1

PCIEX16

PCIEX1_2

PCIEX1_1

CLRTC

ATX12V

SPDIF_OUT

M3A78

FLOPP

30.5cm (12in)

VIA

VT1708B

PRI_IDE

24.4cm(9.6in)

KB_USB56

PWR_FAN

CHA_FAN

RTL

8111C

RTM

880T-792

AUDIO

LAN1_USB12

USB34

SPDOF_O

1.5.1 Motherboard layout

1-8 Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.5.2 Placement direction

M3A78

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 nine (9) 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 M3A78 1-9

1.6 Central Processing Unit (CPU)

M3A78

M3A78 CPU Socket AM2+

The motherboard comes with an AM2+ / AM2 socket designed for AMD® Phenom™ FX / Phenom / Athlon™ / Sempron™ processors.

The AM2+/AM2 socket has a different pinout from the 940-pin socket designed

for the AMD Opteron processor. Ensure you use a CPU designed for the

AM2+/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

Ensure that the socket lever is lifted up to 90°-100° angle, otherwise the CPU does not t in completely.

1-10 Chapter 1: Product introduction

3. Position the CPU above the socket

M3A78

M3A78 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.

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.

Small triangle

Gold triangle

7. Connect the CPU fan cable to the CPU_FAN connector on the motherboard.

ASUS M3A78 1-11

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

1.6.2 Installing the heatsink and fan

The AMD Phenom™ FX / Phenom / Athlon™ / Sempron™ processors require a

specially designed heatsink and fan assembly to ensure optimum thermal condition and performance.

Ensure that you use only qualied 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

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.

1-12 Chapter 1: Product introduction

Retention bracket lock

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.

Ensure 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 M3A78 1-13

1.7 System memory

M3A78 240-pin DDR2 DIMM Sockets

M3A78

DIMM_B1

DIMM_A2

DIMM_B2

DIMM_A1

128 Pins

112 Pins

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 congurations

You may install 256MB, 512MB, 1GB, and 2GB unbuffered ECC/non-ECC DDR2

DIMMs into the DIMM sockets.

Recommended memory congurations

Sockets

Mode DIMM_A1 DIMM_B1 DIMM_A2 DIMM_B2

Single-Channel

Populated – – –

Dual-channel (1) Populated Populated – –

Dual-channel (2) Populated Populated Populated Populated

1-14 Chapter 1: Product introduction

– 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 conguration (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.

When you install a total memory of 4GB or more, Windows® 32-bit operation

system may only recognize less than 3GB. Hence, a total installed memory of less than 3GB is recommended if you are using a Windows 32-bit operation

system.

The motherboard can support 8GB physical memory on the operating system

listed below. You may install a maximum of 2GB DIMMs on each slot.

64-bit

Windows® XP Professional x64 Edition

Windows® Vista x64 Edition

M3A78 Motherboard Qualied Vendors Lists (QVL) DDR2-1066MHz capability

Size Vendor Part No. CL Chip Brand

512MB Kingston KVR1066D2N7/512 N/A Elpida SS E5108AJBG-1J-E • •

1G Kingston KHX8500D2/1G N/A Kingston DS Heat-Sink Package • •

1G Qimonda HYS64T128020EU-19F-C 6 Qimonda DS HYB18T512800CF19FFSS24313 • •

1G Kingmax KLED48F-A8K15 N/A Kingmax DS KKA8FFIXF-JFS-18A • •

1G Transcend TX1066QLJ-2GK1GB 5 Transced DS Heat-Sink Package • •

1G OCZ OCZ2N1066SR2DK N/A OCZ DS Heat-Sink Package • •

1G GEIL GE22GB1066C5DC 5 GEIL DS Heat-Sink Package • •

1G GEIL GE24GB1066C5QC 5 GEIL DS Heat-Sink Package • •

SS/ DS

Chip No.

ASUS M3A78 1-15

DIMM support

(Optional)

A* B* C*

• Due to AM2+ CPU limitation, only one DDR2 1066 DIMM is supported per channel. When four DDR2 1066 DIMMs are installed, all DIMMs run at 800MHz frequency by default for system stability.

• The default DIMM frequency depends on its Serial Presence Detect (SPD),

which is the standard way of accessing information from a memory module. Under the default state, some memory modules for overclocking may

operate at a lower frequency than the vendor-marked value.

DDR2-800MHz capability

Size Vendor Part No. CL Chip Brand

1G Kingston KHX6400D2LL/1G N/A Kingston DS Heat-Sink Package • •

512MB Kingston KVR800D2N5/512 N/A Promos SS V59C1512804QCF25SY032406PECPA • •

2G Kingston KHX6400D2/2G N/A Kingston DS Heat-Sink Package • •

4G Kingston KVR800D2N6/4G N/A Elpida DS E2108ABSE-8G-E • •

512MB Samsung M378T6553GZS-CF7 6 Samsung SS K4T51083QG-HCF7 • •

2G Samsung M37875663QZ3-CF7 6 Samsung DS K4T1G084QQ-HCF7 • •

2G Samsung M391T5663QZ3-CF7 6 Samsung DS K4T1G084QQ-HCF7(ECC) • •

512MB Qimonda HYS64T64000EU-2.5-B2 6 Qimonda SS HYB18T512800B2F25FSS28380 • •

1G Micron MT9HTF12872AY-800E1 6 Micron SS D9HNP 7YE22(ECC) • •

1G Corsair XMS2-6400 4 Corsair DS Heat-Sink Package • •

512MB HY HYMP564U64CP8-S5 AB 5 Hynix SS HY5PS12821CFP-S5 • •

1G HY HYMP512U64CP8-S5 AB 5 Hynix DS HY5PS12821CFPS5 • •

512MB Kingmax KLDC28F-A8KI5 N/A Kingmax SS KKA8FF1XF-JFS-25A • •

1G Kingmax KLDD48F-A8K15 N/A Kingmax DS KKA8FFIXF-HFS-25A • •

512MB Apacer 78.91G91.9K5 5 Apacer SS AM4B5708JQJS8E0751C • •

2G Apacer 78.A1GA0.9K4 5 Apacer DS AM4B5808CQJS8E0740E • •

512MB Transcend TS128MLQ64V8J512MB N/A Micron SS 7HD22 D9GMH • •

1G Transcend 505485-1034 5 Transcend DS TQ123PJF8F0801 • •

512MB VDATA M2GVD6G3H3160Q1E52 N/A VDATA SS VD29608A8A-25EG20813 • •

1G ADATA M2OAD6G314170Q1E58 N/A ADATA DS AD29608A8A-25EG80810 • •

2G PSC AL8E8F73C-8E1 5 PSC DS A3R1GE3CFF734MAA0E • •

2G PSC AL7E8E63H-10E1K 5 PSC DS A3R1GE3CFF750RABBP(ECC) • •

1G GEIL GX22GB6400DC 5 GEIL DS Heat-Sink Package • •

2G GEIL GE28GB800C5QC 5 GEIL DS Heat-Sink Package • •

1G Super Talent T800UB1GC4 4 Super Talent DS Heat-Sink Package • •

1G G.SKILL F2-6400CL4D-2GBPK 4 G.SKILL DS Heat-Sink Package • •

2G G.SKILL F2-6400CL5D-4GBPQ 5 G.SKILL DS Heat-Sink Package • •

4G G.SKILL F2-6400CL5Q-16GNQ 5 G.SKILL DS Heat-Sink Package •

1G OCZ OCZ2VU8004GK 6 OCZ DS Heat-Sink Package • •

1G Elixir M2Y1G64TU8HB0B-25C 5 Elixir DS N2TU51280BE-25C802006Z1DV • •

SS/ DS

Chip No.

DIMM support

(Optional)

A* B* C*

1-16 Chapter 1: Product introduction

DDR2-667MHz capability

Size Vendor Part No. CL Chip Brand

512MB Kingston KVR667D2N5/512 N/A Hynix SS HY5PS12821EFP-Y5 • •

1G Kingston KVR667D2N5/1G N/A Hynix DS HY5PS12821EFP-Y5 • •

512MB Qimonda HYS64T64000EU-3S-B2 5 Qimonda SS HYB18T512B00B2F3SFSS28171 • •

1G Qimonda HYS64T128020EU-3S-B2 5 Qimonda DS HYB18T512B00B2F3SFSS28171 • •

1G Corsair XMS2-5400 4 Corsair DS Heat-Sink Package • •

512MB Kingmax KLCC28F-A8KB5 N/A Kingmax SS KKEA88B4LAUG-29DX • •

1G Kingmax KLCD48F-A8KB5 N/A Kingmax DS KKEA88B4LAUG-29DX • •

512MB Apacer 78.91G92.9K5 5 Apacer SS AM4B5708JQJS7E0751C • •

1G Apacer AU01GE667C5KBGC N/A Apacer DS AM4B5708GQJS7E0636B • •

2G Apacer 78.A1G9O.9K4 5 Apacer DS AM4B5808CQJS7E0749B • •

1G Transcend 506010-4894 5 Elpida DS E5108AJBG-6E-E • •

1G ADATA M2OAD5G314170Q1C58 N/A ADATA DS AD29608A8A-3EG80814 • •

2G ADATA M2OAD5H3J4170I1C53 N/A ADATA DS AD20908A8A-3EG 30724 • •

512MB PSC AL6E8E63J-6E1 5 PSC SS A3R12E3JFF717B9A00 • •

1G PSC AL7E8F73C-6E1 5 PSC SS A3R1GE3CFF734MAA0J • •

512MB Nanya NT512T64U88A1BY-3C N/A Nanya SS NT5TU64M8AE-3C • •

1G GEIL GX21GB5300SX 3 GEIL DS Heat-Sink Package • •

2G GEIL GX24GB5300LDC 5 GEIL DS Heat-Sink Package • •

512MB Twinmos 8D-A3JK5MPETP 5 PSC SS A3R12E3GEF633ACAOY • •

1G Leadmax LRMP512U64A8-Y5 N/A Hynix DS HY5PS12821CFP-Y5 C 702AA • •

SS/ DS

Chip No.

DIMM support

(Optional)

A* B* C*

DDR2-533MHz capability

Chip

Size Vendor Part No. CL

512MB Kingston KVR533D2N4/512 N/A Inneon SS HYB18T512800AF3733336550 • •

1G Kingston KVR533D2N4/1G N/A Hynix DS HY5PS12821EFP-Y5 • •

1G HY HYMP512U64CP8-C4 AB 4 Hynix DS HY5PS12821CFP-C4 • •

512MB Elpida EBE51UD8ABFA-5C-E N/A Elpida SS E5108AB-5C-E • •

512MB Transcend 512MB DDR2 533 ECC N/A Micron SS 6ND22D9GCT(ECC) • •

512MB Kingmax KLBC28F-A8KB4 N/A Kingmax SS KKEA88B4IAK-37 • •

Brand

SS/

Chip No.

DIMM support (Optional)

A* B* C*

SS - Single-sided / DS - Double-sided

DIMM support:

• A*: Supports one module inserted in any slot as Single-channel memory

conguration

• B*: Supports one pair of modules inserted into either the yellow slots or the

black slots as one pair of Dual-channel memory conguration

• C*: Supports four modules inserted into both the yellow slots and the black

slots as two pairs of Dual-channel memory conguration

Visit the ASUS website for the latest DDR2 DIMM modules for this motherboard.

ASUS M3A78 1-17

1.7.3 Installing a DIMM

Ensure that you 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.

DDR2 DIMM notch

Unlocked retaining clip

DDR2 DIMM notch

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.

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