Page 1
M4A77
Motherboard
Page 2
E5121
First Edition V1
October 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.
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Contents
Notices ......................................................................................................... vi
Safety information ..................................................................................... vii
About this guide ........................................................................................ vii
M4A77 specications summary ................................................................ ix
Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.1 Welcome! ...................................................................................... 1-1
1.2 Package contents ......................................................................... 1-1
1.3 Special features ............................................................................ 1-1
1.3.1 Product highlights ........................................................... 1-1
1.3.2 Innovative ASUS features ............................................... 1-3
1.4 Before you proceed ..................................................................... 1-5
1.5 Motherboard overview ................................................................. 1-6
1.5.1 Placement direction ........................................................ 1-6
1.5.2 Screw holes .................................................................... 1-6
1.5.3 Motherboard layout ......................................................... 1-7
1.5.4 Layout contents ............................................................... 1-7
1.6 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ................................................... 1-8
1.6.1 Installing the CPU ........................................................... 1-8
1.6.2 Installing the heatsink and fan ...................................... 1-10
1.7 System memory ......................................................................... 1-11
1.7.1 Overview ........................................................................1-11
1.7.2 Memory congurations .................................................. 1-12
1.7.3 Installing a DIMM .......................................................... 1-17
1.7.4 Removing a DIMM ........................................................ 1-17
1.8 Expansion slots .......................................................................... 1-18
1.8.1 Installing an expansion card ......................................... 1-18
1.8.2 Conguring an expansion card ..................................... 1-18
1.8.3 PCI slots ........................................................................ 1-18
1.8.4 PCI Express x1 slots ..................................................... 1-18
1.8.5 PCI Express x16 slot ..................................................... 1-18
1.9 Jumpers ...................................................................................... 1-19
1.10 Connectors ................................................................................. 1-20
1.10.1 Rear panel ports ........................................................... 1-20
1.10.2 Internal connectors ....................................................... 1-22
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Contents
1.11 Software support ........................................................................ 1-29
1.11.1 Installing an operating system ...................................... 1-29
1.11.2 Support DVD information .............................................. 1-29
Chapter 2: BIOS information
2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS ............................................ 2-1
2.1.1 ASUS Update utility ........................................................ 2-1
2.1.2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 ............................................................ 2-2
2.1.3 ASUS CrashFree BIOS ................................................... 2-3
2.2 BIOS setup program .................................................................... 2-4
2.2.1 BIOS menu screen .......................................................... 2-5
2.2.2 Menu bar ......................................................................... 2-5
2.2.3 Navigation keys ............................................................... 2-5
2.2.4 Menu items ..................................................................... 2-6
2.2.5 Submenu items ............................................................... 2-6
2.2.6 Conguration elds ......................................................... 2-6
2.2.7 Pop-up window ............................................................... 2-6
2.2.8 Scroll bar ......................................................................... 2-6
2.2.9 General help ................................................................... 2-6
2.3 Main menu .................................................................................... 2-7
2.3.1 System Time ................................................................... 2-7
2.3.2 System Date ................................................................... 2-7
2.3.3 Primary IDE Master/Slave, SATA 1/2/3/4/5/6 .................. 2-7
2.3.4 SATA Conguration ......................................................... 2-8
2.3.5 System Information ......................................................... 2-9
2.4 Advanced menu ........................................................................... 2-9
2.4.1 JumperFree Conguration .............................................. 2-9
2.4.2 CPU Conguration ........................................................ 2-12
2.4.3 Chipset .......................................................................... 2-13
2.4.4 Onboard Device Conguration ...................................... 2-14
2.4.5 PCIPnP ......................................................................... 2-14
2.4.6 USB Conguration ........................................................ 2-15
2.5 Power menu ................................................................................ 2-16
2.5.1 Suspend Mode .............................................................. 2-16
2.5.2 ACPI 2.0 Support ......................................................... 2-16
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Contents
2.5.3 ACPI APIC Support ....................................................... 2-16
2.5.4 APM Conguration ........................................................ 2-16
2.5.5 HW Monitor Conguration ............................................. 2-17
2.6 Boot menu .................................................................................. 2-18
2.6.1 Boot Device Priority ...................................................... 2-18
2.6.2 Boot Settings Conguration .......................................... 2-18
2.6.3 Security ......................................................................... 2-19
2.7 Tools menu ................................................................................. 2-20
2.7.1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 .......................................................... 2-20
2.7.2 Express Gate ............................................................... 2-21
2.7.3 AI NET 2........................................................................ 2-21
2.8 Exit menu .................................................................................... 2-22
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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.
REACH
Complying with the REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of
Chemicals) regulatory framework, we published the chemical substances in our products at
ASUS REACH website at http://green.asus.com/english/REACH.htm.
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
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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 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.
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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>
viii
Page 9
M4A77 specications summary
CPU AMD® AM3/AM2+/AM2; Phenom™ II / Athlon™ II / Phenom™ /
Chipset AMD® 770 / SB710
Front Side Bus Up to 5200MT/s HyperTransport™ 3.0 interface for AM2+ /AM3 CPU
Memory Dual-channel memory architecture
Expansion slots 1 x PCI Express™ x16 slot
Storage 1 x Ultra DMA 133/100 connector
Audio VT1818S High Denition Audio 8-channel CODEC
USB Supports up to 12 USB 2.0/1.1 ports (6 ports at mid-board, 6 ports at
LAN Realtek® RTL8112L PCIe Gigabit LAN controller
ASUS unique
features
Athlon™ / Sempron™ Family processors
AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet™ Technology
* Refer to www.asus.com for the AMD® CPU support list.
2000 / 1600 MT/s for AM2 CPU
4 x 240-pin DIMM slots support maximum 16GB unbuffered ECC
and non-ECC DDR2 1200(O.C.)*/1066/800/667MHz memory
modules
* DDR2 1200(O.C.)/1066 is supported by AM3/AM2+ CPU for one
DIMM per channel 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
3 x PCI slots
6 x Serial ATA 3Gb/s connectors support RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1,
and JBOD congurations
– Blu-ray disc audio layer Content Protection
– Optical S/PDIF out port at back I/O
– Supports Jack-detection, Multi-streaming, and Front Panel
Jack-Retasking technologies
the back panel)
ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution:
- ASUS Q-Fan
ASUS EZ DIY:
- ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3
- ASUS EZ Flash 2
ASUS AI NET2
ASUS Turbo Key
ASUS MyLogo 2
ASUS EPU-4 Engine
ASUS Express Gate
(continued on the next page)
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M4A77 specications summary
Back panel I/O
ports
Internal I/O
connectors
BIOS 8Mb Flash ROM, AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI v2.0, WfM2.0,
Accessories 1 x Ultra DMA 133/100 cable
Support DVD Drivers
Form factor ATX form factor: 12 in x 8.4 in (30.6 cm x 21.4 cm)
* Specications are subject to change without notice.
1 x PS/2 Keyboard port
1 x LPT port
1 x COM port
1 x LAN (RJ-45) port
1 x Optical S/PDIF Out port
6 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports
8-channel audio I/O ports
3 x USB 2.0/1.1 connectors support additional 6 USB 2.0/1.1 ports
1 x IDE connector
6 x SATA connectors
1 x Front panel audio connector
1 x System panel connector
1 x CPU fan connector
1 x Chassis fan connector
1 x S/PDIF Out connector
1 x 24-pin EATX power connector
1 x 4-pin ATX 12V power connector
SM BIOS v2.5, ACPI v2.0a
2 x Serial ATA cables
1 x I/O shield
1 x User Manual
ASUS Update
ASUS PC Probe II
Anti-Virus software (OEM version)
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Chapter 1
Product introduction
1.1 Welcome!
Thank you for buying an ASUS® M4A77 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 M4A77 motherboard
Cables 2 x Serial ATA cables
1 x Ultra DMA 133/100 cable
Accessories 1 x I/O shield
Application DVD ASUS motherboard Support DVD
Documentations 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® Phenom™ II / Athlon™ II / Sempron™ 100 series (AM3
ASUS M4A77 1-1
CPU)
This motherboard supports AMD® AM3 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. This motherboard also supports AMD® CPUs in the
new 45nm manufacturing process.
Page 12
AMD® Phenom™ X4 / Phenom™ X3 / Athlon™ X2 / Athlon™ /
Sempron™ processors (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 AMD®
Cool ‘n’ Quiet™ Technology.
AMD® 770 Chipset
The AMD® 770 Chipset is designed to support up to 5200MT/s
HyperTransport™ 3.0 (HT 3.0) interface speed and PCI Express 2.0
x16 graphics. It is optimized with AMD’s latest AM3 multi-core CPUs to
provide excellent system performance and overclocking capabilities.
HyperTransport™ 3.0 support
HyperTransport™ 3.0 technology provides 2.6 times more bandwidth
than HT1.0 that radically improves system efciency for a smoother and
faster computing environment.
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.
DDR2 1200(O.C.) support
This motherboard supports DDR2 1200 (O.C.) that provides faster
data transfer rate and more bandwidth to increase memory computing
efciency, enhancing system performance in 3D graphics and other
memory demanding applications.
S/PDIF digital sound ready
This motherboard provides convenient connectivity to external home
theater audio systems via coaxial and optical S/PDIF_OUT (SONYPHILIPS Digital Interface) jacks. The S/PDIF transfers digital audio
without converting it to analog format and keeps the best signal quality.
64-bit CPU support
64-bit computing replaces the current 32-bit architecture, delivers
advanced system performance, faster memory access, and increased
productivity. This motherboard provides excellent compatibility and
exibility by supporting both 64-bit and 32-bit architecture.
Chapter 1: Product introduction1-2
Page 13
Serial ATA 3Gb/s technology
This motherboard supports hard drives based on the Serial ATA (SATA)
3Gb/s storage specications, delivering enhanced salability and doubling
the bus bandwidth for high-speed data saving and retrieval.
8-channel high denition audio
The onboard 8-channel HD audio (High Denition Audio, previously
codenamed Azalia) CODEC enables high-quality 192KHz/24-bit audio
output and jack-detect feature that automatically detects and identies
what types of peripherals are plugged into the audio I/O jacks and noties
users of inappropriate connection, which means there will be no more
confusion of Line-in, Line-out, and Mic jacks.
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.
PCI Express 2.0 support
This motherboard supports PCI Express 2.0 devices for double speed
and bandwidth which enhances system performance.
1.3.2 Innovative ASUS features
ASUS Express Gate
ASUS Express Gate is an instant-on environment that gives you quick
access to the Internet. Five seconds after powering on your computer,
you can instantly surf the Internet without entering the Windows® OS.
• ASUS Express Gate supports installation on SATA HDDs, USB HDDs and ash
drives with at least 1.2GB free disk space. When installing it on USB HDDs or
ash drives, connect the drives to the motherboard USB port before turning on the
computer.
• The actual boot time depends on the system conguration.
• ASUS Express Gate supports le uploading from SATA HDDs, ODDs and USB
drives. It supports le downloading to USB drives only.
• ASUS Express Gate complies with the OpenGL standard. Refer to support.asus.com
for Express Gate source codes.
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 a USB
ash disk that contains the BIOS le.
ASUS M4A77 1-3
Page 14
ASUS EZ Flash 2
ASUS EZ Flash 2 allows you to update the BIOS from a USB ash disk
before entering the OS.
ASUS EPU
ASUS EPU is a unique power saving technology that detects the current
system loadings and adjusts the power consumption in real time.
ASUS Turbo Key
ASUS Turbo Key allows you to turn the PC power button into
an overclocking button. After the easy setup, Turbo Key boosts
performances without interrupting ongoing work or games, simply through
pressing the button.
ASUS MyLogo 2™
Turn your favorite photos into 256-color boot logos to personalize your
system.
ASUS Q-Fan
ASUS Q-Fan technology intelligently adjusts CPU fan speeds according
to system loading to ensure a quiet, cool, and efcient operation.
ASUS AI NET 2
ASUS AI NET 2 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.
C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)
The BIOS C.P.R. feature automatically restores the CPU default settings
when the system hangs due to overclocking failure. 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 parameters to their default settings.
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 introduction1-4
Page 15
1.4 Before you proceed
SB_PWR
ON
Standby Power Powered Off
OFF
M4A77
M4A77 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.
• Before handling components, use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded
object or a metal object, such as the power supply case, 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, switch off the ATX power supply and
detach its power cord. 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.
ASUS M4A77 1-5
Page 16
M4A77
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 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 introduction1-6
Page 17
1.5.3 Motherboard layout
M4A77
PCIEX16
PCIEX1_1
PCIEX1_2
PCI2
PCI3
PCI1
USB910USB78 USB1112
SPDIF_OUT
AAFP
ATX12V
EATXPWR
CPU_FAN
CHA_FAN
Lithium Cell
CMOS Power
Super
I/O
VIA
VT1818S
Realtek
RTL8112L
ICS
9LPRS482
KB_USB56
8Mb
BIOS
SB_PWR
PANEL
CLRTC
21.4cm(8.4in)
DDR2 DIMM_A1 (64bit, 240-pin module)
SOCKET AM2+
DDR2 DIMM_B1 (64bit, 240-pin module)
DDR2 DIMM_A2 (64bit, 240-pin module)
DDR2 DIMM_B2 (64bit, 240-pin module)
SATA1
SATA4
SATA2
SATA5
SATA3
SATA6
AUDIO
LPT
COM
SPDIF_O
LAN1_USB12
USB34
30.5cm(12.0in)
PRI_IDE
AMD
®
SB710
AMD
®
770
1 2
1
43
79 8101112
5
6
1.5.4 Layout contents
Connectors/Jumpers/Slots/LED Page Connectors/Jumpers/Slots/LED Page
1. ATX power connectors (24-pin EATXPWR, 4-pin
ATX12V)
2. AMD CPU socket 1-8 8. Clear RTC RAM (CLRTC) 1-19
3. CPU and chassis fan connectors (4-pin
CPU_FAN, 3-pin CHA_FAN)
4. DDR2 DIMM sockets 1-11 10. System panel connector (20-8 pin PANEL) 1-25
5. Onboard LED 1-5 11. Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin AAFP) 1-27
6. Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA1, SATA2,
SATA3, SATA4, SATA5, SATA6)
ASUS M4A77 1-7
1-22 7. IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE) 1-23
1-28 9. USB connectors (10-1 pin USB78, USB910,
1-24 12. Digital audio connector (4-1 pin
USB1112)
SPDIF_OUT)
1-26
1-27
Page 18
1.6 Central Processing Unit (CPU)
M4A77 CPU socket AM2+
M4A77
This motherboard supports AM3/AM2/AM2+ CPUs including AMD® Phenom™ II /
Athlon™ II/ Phenom™ / Athlon™ / Sempron™ processors.
The AM2/AM2+ socket has a different pinout from the 940-pin socket designed for the AMD
Opteron™ processor. Use a CPU that is designed for the AM2/AM2+ socket.
1.6.1 Installing the CPU
To install a CPU:
1. Locate the CPU socket on the motherboard.
2. Press the lever sideways to unlock the
socket, then lift it up to a 90°-100° angle.
3. Position the CPU above the socket 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.
Socket lever
Ensure that the socket lever is lifted up to a 90°-100° angle; otherwise, the CPU will not t
in completely.
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!
Small triangle
Gold triangle
Chapter 1: Product introduction1-8
Page 19
5. When the CPU is in place, push down the socket
M4A77
M4A77 CPU fan connector
CPU_FAN
GND
CPU FAN PWR
CPU FAN IN
CPU FAN PWM
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 comes with the heatsink package.
You can also refer to section 1.6.2 Installing
heatsink and fan for instructions.
7. Connect the CPU fan cable to the CPU_FAN connector on the motherboard.
DO NOT forget to connect the CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring errors can occur if
you fail to plug this connector.
ASUS M4A77 1-9
Page 20
1.6.2 Installing the heatsink and fan
1
3
4
5
2
Ensure that you use only AMD-certied heatsink and fan assembly.
To install the CPU heatsink and fan:
1. Place the heatsink on top of the installed CPU, ensuring 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, ensure 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 bracket
Retention Module Base
Retention bracket lock
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.
2. Attach one end of the retention bracket to the retention module base.
Chapter 1: Product introduction1-10
Page 21
3. Align the other end of the retention bracket to the retention module base. A clicking
M4A77
M4A77 240-pin DDR2 DIMM sockets
DIMM_A1
DIMM_B1
DIMM_A2
DIMM_B2
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.
5. When the fan and heatsink assembly is in place, connect the CPU fan cable to the
connector on the motherboard labeled CPU_FAN.
DO NOT forget to connect the CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring errors can occur if
you fail to plug this connector.
1.7 System memory
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 A DIMM_A1 and DIMM_A2
Channel B DIMM_B1 and DIMM_B2
ASUS M4A77 1-11
Page 22
1.7.2 Memory congurations
You may install 512MB, 1GB, 2GB, and 4GB unbuffered ECC and non-ECC DDR2 DIMMs
into the DIMM sockets.
• You may install varying memory sizes in Channel A and Channel B. The system maps
the total size of the lower-sized channel for the dual-channel conguration. Any excess
memory from the higher-sized channel is then mapped for single-channel operation.
• Always install DIMMs with the same CAS latency. For optimum compatibility, we
recommend that you obtain memory modules from the same vendor.
• Due to the memory address limitation on 32-bit Windows® OS, when you install 4GB
or more memory on the motherboard, the actual usable memory for the OS can be
about 3GB or less. For effective use of memory, we recommend that you do any of the
following:
- Install a maximum of 3GB system memory if you are using a 32-bit Windows
OS.
- Use a 64-bit Windows® OS if you want to install 4GB or more memory on the
motherboard.
• This motherboard does not support DIMMs made up of 256 megabits (Mb) chips or less.
M4A77 Motherboard Qualied Vendors Lists (QVL)
DDR2-533MHz capability
®
Size Vendor Part No.
512MB Kingston KVR533D2N4/512 SS N/A HYB18T512808AF3S Qimonda · · ·
1G Kingston KVR533D2N4/1G DS N/A HY5PS12821EFP-Y5 Hynix · · ·
1G HY HYMP512U64CP8-C4 AB DS 4 HY5PS12821CFP-C4 Hynix · · ·
512MB Elpida EBE51UD8ABFA-5C-E SS N/A E5108AB-5C-E Elpida · · ·
512MB Transcend 512MB DDR2 533 ECC SS N/A 6ND22D9GCT(ECC) Micron · · ·
512MB Kingmax KLBC28F-A8KB4 SS N/A KKEA88B4IAK-37 Kingmax · · ·
1G Elixir M2Y1G64TU8HBOB-37B DS 4 N2TU51280BE-37B61921300CP Elixir · · ·
SS/
DS
CL Chip No.
Chip
Brand
DIMM support
A* B* C*
Chapter 1: Product introduction1-12
Page 23
DDR2-667MHz capability
Size Vendor Part No.
2G Kingston KVR667D2N5/2G DS N/A 7RE22 D9HNL Micron · · ·
512MB Kingston KVR667D2N5/512 SS N/A SO1237650821 SBP D6408TR4
2G Kingston KVR667D2N5/2G DS N/A E1108ACBG-8E-E 0813A90CC Elpida · · ·
1G Kingston KVR667D2N5/1G DS N/A SO1280420822 SOP D6408TR4
512MB Qimonda HYS64T64000EU-3S-B2 SS 5 HYB18T512B00B2F3SFS
1G Qimonda HYS64T128020EU-3S-B2 DS 5 HYB18T512B00B2F3SFS
1G Corsair VS1GB667D2 DS N/A MID095D62864M8CEC Corsair · · ·
1G Corsair XMS2-5400 DS 4 Heat-Sink Package Corsair · · ·
512MB Kingmax KLCC28F-A8KB5 SS N/A KKEA88B4LAUG-29DX Kingmax · · ·
1G Kingmax KLCD48F-A8KB5 DS N/A KKEA88B4LAUG-29DX Kingmax · · ·
512MB Apacer AU512E667C5KBGC SS 5 AM4B5708MIJS7E0627B Apacer · · ·
512MB Apacer AU512E667C5KBGC SS 5 AM4B5708GQJS7E06332F Apacer · · ·
512MB Apacer 78.91G92.9K5 SS 5 AM4B5708JQJS7E0751C Apacer · · ·
1G Apacer 78.01G9O.9K5 SS 5 AM4B5808CQJS7E0751C Apacer · · ·
1G Apacer AU01GE667C5KBGC DS N/A AM4B5708GQJS7E0636B Apacer · · ·
1G Apacer AU01GE667C5KBGC DS 5 AM4B5708MIJS7E0627B Apacer · · ·
2G Apacer 78.A1G9O.9K4 DS 5 AM4B5808CQJS7E0749B Apacer · · ·
1G Transcend 506010-4894 DS 5 E5108AJBG-6E-E Elpida · · ·
512MB ADATA M2OAD5G3H3160Q1C52 SS N/A AD29608A8A-3EG20813 ADATA · · ·
1G ADATA M2OAD5G314170Q1C58 DS N/A AD29608A8A-3EG80814 ADATA · · ·
2G ADATA M2OAD5H3J4170I1C53 DS N/A AD20908A8A-3EG 30724 ADATA · · ·
512MB PSC AL6E8E63J-6E1 SS 5 A3R12E3JFF717B9A00 PSC · · ·
1G PSC AL7E8E63J-6E1 DS 5 A3R12E3JFF717B9A01 PSC · · ·
1G PSC AL7E8F73C-6E1 SS 5 A3R1GE3CFF734MAA0J PSC · · ·
512MB Nanya NT512T64U88A1BY-3C SS N/A NT5TU64M8AE-3C Nanya · · ·
1G Nanya NT1GT64U8HB0BY-3C DS 5 NT5TU64M8BE-3C72155700CP Nanya · · ·
1G GEIL GX21GB5300SX DS 3 Heat-Sink Package GEIL · · ·
2G GEIL GX24GB5300LDC DS 5 Heat-Sink Package GEIL · · ·
2G(kit of 2) G.SKILL F2-5400PHU2-2GBNT DS 5-5-5-15 D2 64M8CCF 0815 C7173S G.SKILL · · ·
4G(kit of 2) G.SKILL F2-5300CL5D-4GBMQ DS 5-5-5-15 Heat-Sink Package G.SKILL · · ·
512MB Twinmos 8D-A3JK5MPETP SS 5 A3R12E3GEF633ACAOY PSC · · ·
4G Samsung M378T5263AZ3-CE6 DS N/A K4T2G084QA-HCE6 Samsung · · ·
1G ELIXIR M2Y1G64TU8HA2B-3C DS 5 M2TU51280AE-3C717095R28F ELIXIR · · ·
1G ELIXIR M2Y1G64TU8HBOB-3C DS 5 N2TU51280BE-3C639009W1CF ELIXIR · · ·
1G Leadmax LRMP512U64A8-Y5 DS N/A HY5PS12821CFP-Y5 C 702AA Hynix · · ·
SS/
CL Chip No. Chip Brand
DS
CGL25USL074905PECNB
CGL25USL156304PECXA
S28171
S28171
Kingston · · ·
Kingston · · ·
Qimonda · · ·
Qimonda · · ·
DIMM support
A* B* C*
ASUS M4A77 1-13
Page 24
DDR2-800MHz capability
Size Vendor Part No.
1G Kingston KHX6400D2LL/1G DS N/A Heat-Sink Package Kingston · · ·
512MB Kingston KHX6400D2LLK2/1GN SS N/A Heat-Sink Package Kingston · · ·
512MB Kingston KVR800D2N6/512 SS N/A E5108AJBG-8E-E Elpida · · ·
1G Kingston KVR800D2N5/1G DS N/A D6408TR4CGL25USL36240
2G Kingston KVR800D2N5/2G DS N/A E1108ACBG-8E-E Elpida · · ·
2G Kingston KHX6400D2/2G DS N/A Heat-Sink Package Kingston · · ·
4G Kingston KVR800D2N6/4G DS N/A E2108ABSE-8G-E Elpida · · ·
512MB Kingston KVR800D2N5/512 SS N/A E5108AJBG-8E-E 0803A9082 Kingston · · ·
512MB Samsung M378T6553GZS-CF7 SS 6 K4T51083QG-HCF7 Samsung · · ·
1G Samsung M378T2863QZS-CF7 SS 6 K4T1G084QQ-HCF7 Samsung · · ·
1G Samsung M391T2863QZ3-CF7 SS 6 K4T1G084QQ-HCF7(ECC) Samsung · · ·
1G Samsung M378T2953GZ3-CF7 DS 6 K4T51083QG-HCF7 Samsung · · ·
2G Samsung M37875663QZ3-CF7 DS 6 K4T1G084QQ-HCF7 Samsung · · ·
2G Samsung M391T5663QZ3-CF7 DS 6 K4T1G084QQ-HCF7(ECC) Samsung · · ·
4G Samsung M378T5263AZ3-CF7 DS N/A K4T2G084QA-HCF7 Samsung · · ·
512MB Qimonda HYS64T64000EU-2.5-B2 SS 6 HYB18T512800B2F25FSS28380 Qimonda · · ·
512MB Micron MT9HTF6472AY-80ED4 SS 5 6ED22D9GKX(ECC) Micron · · ·
1G Micron MT9HTF12872AY-800E1 SS 6 D9HNP 7YE22(ECC) Micron · · ·
1G Micron MT18HTF12872AY-80ED4 DS 5 6TD22D9GKX(ECC) Micron · · ·
1G Corsair XMS2-6400 DS 4 Heat-Sink Package Corsair · · ·
1G Corsair XMS2-6400 DS 5 Heat-Sink Package Corsair · · ·
4G(Kit of 2) Corsair CM2X2048-6400C5DHX DS 5 Heat-Sink Package Corsair · · ·
4G(Kit of 2) Corsair CM2X2048-6400C5 DS 5 Heat-Sink Package Corsair · · ·
2G(Kit of 2)
Crucial BL12864AA804.8FE5 SS N/A Heat-Sink Package N/A · · ·
(EPP)
512MB HY HYMP564U64CP8-S5 AB SS 5 HY5PS12821CFP-S5 Hynix · · ·
1G HY HYMP512U64CP8-S5 AB DS 5 HY5PS12821CFPS5 Hynix · · ·
512MB Kingmax KLDC28F-A8KI5 SS N/A KKA8FF1XF-JFS-25A Kingmax · · ·
1G Kingmax KLDD48F-B8KB5 SS N/A KKB8FFBXF-CFA-25U Kingmax · · ·
2G Kingmax KLDE88F-B8KB5 DS N/A KKB8FFBXF-CFA-25U Kingmax · · ·
1G Apacer 78.01GA0.9K5 SS 5 AM4B5808CQJS8E0749D Apacer · · ·
2G Apacer 78.A1GA0.9K4 DS 5 AM4B5808CQJS8E0740E Apacer · · ·
512MB Transcend TS64MLQ64V8J512MB SS 5 7HD22 D9GMH Micron · · ·
1G Transcend 505649-1993 DS 5 7HD22D9GMH Micron · · ·
1G Transcend TS128MLQ64V8J DS 5 TQ123PJF8F0801 Transcend · · ·
1G Transcend JM800QLU-1G SS 5 TQ1243PCF8 Transcend · · ·
1G Transcend TS128MLQ64V8U SS 5 E1108ACBG-8E-E Elpida · · ·
2G Transcend JM800QLU-2G DS 5 TQ243PCF8 Transcend · · ·
2G Transcend TS256MLQ64V8U DS 5 E1108ACBG-8E-E Elpida · · ·
1G ADATA M2OAD6G314170Q1E58 DS N/A AD29608A8A-25EG80810 ADATA · · ·
512MB VDATA M2GVD6G3H3160Q1E52 SS N/A VD29608A8A-25EG20813 VDATA · · ·
SS/
DS
CL Chip No.
6PECXA
Chip
Brand
Kingston · · ·
DIMM support
A* B* C*
(continued on the next page)
Chapter 1: Product introduction1-14
Page 25
DDR2-800MHz capability
Size Vendor Part No.
2G PSC AL8E8F73C-8E1 DS 5 A3R1GE3CFF734MAA0E PSC · · ·
2G PSC PL8E8F73C-8E1 DS 5 SHG772-AA3G PSC · · ·
2G PSC PL8E8G73E-8E1 DS 5 XCP271A3G-A PSC · · ·
2G PSC AL7E8E63H-10E1K DS 5 A3R1GE3CFF750RABBP(ECC) PSC · · ·
1G GEIL GB22GB6400C4DC DS 4 GL2L64M088BA30EB GEIL · · ·
1G GEIL GB24GB6400C4QC DS 4 GL2L64M088BA30EB GEIL · · ·
1G GEIL GB22GB6400C5DC DS 5 GL2L64M088BA30EB GEIL · · ·
1G GEIL GB24GB6400C5QC DS 5 GL2L64M088BA30EB GEIL · · ·
1G GEIL GX22GB6400DC DS 5 Heat-Sink Package GEIL · · ·
1G GEIL GE22GB800C4DC DS 4 Heat-Sink Package GEIL · · ·
1G GEIL GE24GB800C4QC DS 4 Heat-Sink Package GEIL · · ·
1G GEIL GX22GB6400UDC DS 4 Heat-Sink Package GEIL · · ·
1G GEIL GE22GB800C5DC DS 5 Heat-Sink Package GEIL · · ·
2G GEIL GB24GB6400C5DC DS 5 GL2L128M88BA25AB GEIL · · ·
2G GEIL GB28GB6400C5QC DS 5 GL2L128M88BA25AB GEIL · · ·
2G GEIL GX24GB6400DC DS 5 Heat-Sink Package GEIL · · ·
2G GEIL GE28GB800C5QC DS 5 Heat-Sink Package GEIL · · ·
2G GEIL GE28GB800C4QC DS 4 Heat-Sink Package GEIL · · ·
2G GEIL GE24GB800C4DC DS 4 Heat-Sink Package GEIL · · ·
2G GEIL GE24GB800C5DC DS 5 Heat-Sink Package GEIL · · ·
1G G.SKILL F2-6400CL4D-2GBPK DS 4 Heat-Sink Package G.SKILL · · ·
1G G.SKILL F2-6400CL4D-2GBHK DS 4 Heat-Sink Package G.SKILL · · ·
2G G.SKILL F2-6400CL5D-4GBPQ DS 5 Heat-Sink Package G.SKILL · · ·
2G G.SKILL F2-6400CL4D-4GBPK DS 4 Heat-Sink Package G.SKILL · · ·
4G G.SKILL F2-6400CL5Q-16GNQ DS 5 Heat-Sink Package G.SKILL · · ·
1G(Kit of 2) G.SKILL F2-6400CL5D-1GBNQ SS 5-5-5-15 Heat-Sink Package G.SKILL · · ·
1G OCZ OCZ2RPR8002GK DS 4 Heat-Sink Package OCZ · · ·
1G OCZ OCZ2G800R22GK DS 5 Heat-Sink Package OCZ · · ·
1G OCZ OCZ2P800R22GK DS 4 Heat-Sink Package OCZ · · ·
1G OCZ OCZ2VU8004GK DS 6 Heat-Sink Package OCZ · ·
2G OCZ OCZ2P8004GK DS 5 Heat-Sink Package OCZ · · ·
1G Elixir M2Y1G64TU8HB0B-25C DS 5 N2TU51280BE-25C802006Z1DV Elixir · · ·
1G Elixir M2Y1G64TU88D5B-AC
2G Elixir M2Y2G64TU8HD5B-AC
0828.GS
0826.SG
SS/
CL Chip No.
DS
SS 5 N2TU16800E-AC Elixir · · ·
DS 5 N2TUG80DE-AC Elixir ·
Chip
Brand
DIMM support
A* B* C*
ASUS M4A77 1-15
Page 26
DDR2-1066MHz capability
Size Vendor Part No.
512MB Kingston KHX8500D2/512 SS N/A Heat-Sink Package Kingston · ·
512MB Kingston KVR1066D2N7/512 SS N/A E5108AJBG-1J-E Elpida · ·
512MB Kingston KHX8500D2K2/1GN SS N/A Heat-Sink Package Kingston · ·
1G Kingston KHX8500D2K2/2GN DS N/A Heat-Sink Package Kingston · ·
1G Kingston KVR1066D2N7/1G DS N/A E5108AJBG-1J-E Elpida · ·
1G Kingston KHX8500D2/1G DS N/A Heat-Sink Package Kingston · ·
1G Qimonda HYS64T128020EU-19F-C DS 6 HYB18T512800CF19FFSS24313 Qimonda · ·
1G Kingmax KLED48F-A8K15 DS N/A KKA8FFIXF-JFS-18A Kingmax · ·
1G Crucial BL12864AA1065.8FE5 SS 5-5-5-15 Heat-Sink Package N/A · ·
1G Transcend TX1066QLJ-2GK1GB DS 5 Heat-Sink Package Transced · ·
2G(kit of 2) Transcend TX1066QLU-2GK SS 5 Heat-Sink Package Transced · ·
2G Transcend TX1066QLU-4GK DS 5 Heat-Sink Package Transced · ·
1G OCZ OCZ2N10662GK DS N/A Heat-Sink Package OCZ ·
1G GEIL GB22GB8500C5DC SS 5 GL2L128M88BA25AB GEIL · ·
1G GEIL GB24GB8500C5QC SS 5 GL2L128M88BA25AB GEIL · ·
1G GEIL GE22GB1066C5DC SS 5 Heat-Sink Package GEIL · ·
1G GEIL GE24GB1066C5QC SS 5 Heat-Sink Package GEIL · ·
2G(kit of 2) G.SKILL F2-8500CL5D-2GBPK DS 5-5-5-15 Heat-Sink Package N/A · ·
1G G.SKILL F2-8500CL5S-1GBPK DS 5-5-5-15 Heat-Sink Package G.SKILL · ·
SS/
CL Chip No.
DS
Chip
Brand
DIMM support
A* B*
DDR2-1200(O.C.)MHz capability
Size Vendor Part No.
2G(Kit of 2) Kingston KHX96002K2/2G DS 5-5-5-15 Heat-Sink Package N/A • •
2G(Kit of 2) OCZ OCZ2FX12002GK DS 5-5-5-18 Heat-Sink Package N/A • •
2G(Kit of 2) Team TXDD1024M1300HC6 DS 6-6-6-18 Heat-Sink Package Heat-Sink Package •
SS/
CL Chip NO. Chip Brand
DS
DIMM support
A* B*
• Due to AM2+/AM3 CPU limitation, only one DDR2 1200(O.C.)/1066 DIMM is supported
per channel. When four DDR2 1200(O.C.)/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.
SS: Single-sided / DS: Double-sided
DIMM support:
• A*: Supports one module inserted into any slot as single-channel memory conguration.
• B*: Supports one pair of modules inserted into either the blue slots or the black slots
as one pair of dual-channel memory conguration.
• C*: Supports two pairs of modules inserted into both the blue slots and the black slots
as two pairs of dual-channel memory conguration.
Visit the ASUS website at www.asus.com for the latest QVL.
Chapter 1: Product introduction1-16
Page 27
1.7.3 Installing a DIMM
Unplug the power supply before adding or removing DIMMs or other system components.
Failure to do so can cause severe damage to both the motherboard and the components.
1. Press the retaining clips outward to
unlock a DIMM socket.
2. Align a DIMM on the socket such that
the notch on the DIMM matches the
break on the socket.
1
Unlocked retaining clip
A 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.
3. Firmly insert the DIMM into the socket
until the retaining clips snap back in place
and the DIMM is properly seated.
Locked Retaining Clip
1.7.4 Removing a DIMM
To remove a DIMM:
1. Simultaneously press the retaining clips
outward to unlock the DIMM.
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.
2
DIMM notch
1
3
2
1
1
DIMM notch
ASUS M4A77 1-17
Page 28
1.8 Expansion slots
In the future, you may need to install expansion cards. The following sub-sections describe
the slots and the expansion cards that they support.
Unplug the power cord before adding or removing expansion cards. Failure to do so may
cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components.
1.8.1 Installing an expansion card
To install an expansion card:
1. Before installing the expansion card, read the documentation that came with it and
make the necessary hardware settings for the card.
2. Remove the system unit cover (if your motherboard is already installed in a chassis).
3. Remove the bracket opposite the slot that you intend to use. Keep the screw for later
use.
4. Align the card connector with the slot and press rmly until the card is completely
seated on the slot.
5. Secure the card to the chassis with the screw you removed earlier.
6. Replace the system cover.
1.8.2 Conguring an expansion card
After installing the expansion card, congure it by adjusting the software settings.
1. Turn on the system and change the necessary BIOS settings, if any. See Chapter 2 for
information on BIOS setup.
2. Assign an IRQ to the card.
3. Install the software drivers for the expansion card.
When using PCI cards on shared slots, ensure that the drivers support “Share IRQ” or that
the cards do not need IRQ assignments. Otherwise, conicts will arise between the two PCI
groups, making the system unstable and the card inoperable.
1.8.3 PCI slots
The PCI slots support cards such as a LAN card, SCSI card, USB card, and other cards that
comply with PCI specications.
1.8.4 PCI Express x1 slots
This motherboard supports PCI Express x1 network cards, SCSI cards, and other cards that
comply with the PCI Express specications.
1.8.5 PCI Express x16 slot
This motherboard supports a PCI Express x16 graphics card that complies with the PCI
Express specications.
Chapter 1: Product introduction1-18
Page 29
1.9 Jumpers
M4A77
M4A77 Clear RTC RAM
1 2 2 3
Normal
(Default)
Clear RTC
CLRTC
1. Clear RTC RAM (CLRTC)
This jumper allows you to clear the Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM in CMOS. You can
clear the CMOS memory of date, time, and system setup parameters by erasing
the CMOS RTC RAM data. The onboard button cell battery powers the RAM data in
CMOS, which include system setup information such as system passwords.
To erase the RTC RAM:
1. Turn OFF the computer and unplug the power cord.
2. Move the jumper cap from pins 1-2 (default) to pins 2-3. Keep the cap on pins 2-3
for about 5~10 seconds, then move the cap back to pins 1-2.
3. Plug the power cord and turn ON the computer.
4. Hold down the <Del> key during the boot process and enter BIOS setup to reenter
data.
ASUS M4A77 1-19
Except when clearing the RTC RAM, never remove the cap on CLRTC jumper default
position. Removing the cap will cause system boot failure!
• If the steps above do not help, remove the onboard battery and move the jumper again
to clear the CMOS RTC RAM data. After clearing the CMOS, reinstall the battery.
• You do not need to clear the RTC when the system hangs due to overclocking. For
system failure due to overclocking, use the CPU Parameter Recall (C.P.R) feature. Shut
down and reboot the system so the BIOS can automatically reset parameter settings to
default values.
Page 30
1.10 Connectors
3
10
2
12
1
14
4 5 6 7
89
13
11
1.10.1 Rear panel ports
1. PS/2 Keyboard port (purple). This port is for a PS/2 keyboard.
2. Parallel port. This 25-pin port connects a parallel printer, a scanner, or other devices.
3. LAN (RJ-45) port. This port allows Gigabit connection to a Local Area Network (LAN)
through a network hub.
LAN port LED indications
Activity/Link LED Speed LED
Status Description Status Description
OFF No link OFF 10Mbps connection
ORANGE Linked ORANGE 100Mbps connection
BLINKING Data activity GREEN 1Gbps connection
ACT/LINK
LED
LAN port
SPEED
LED
4. Center/Subwoofer port (orange). This port connects to the center/subwoofer
speakers.
5. Rear Speaker Out port (black). This port connects to the rear speakers in the
4, 6, and 8-channel audio congurations.
6. Line In port (light blue). This port connects to the tape, CD, DVD player, or other
audio sources.
7. Line Out port (lime). This port connects to a headphone or a speaker. In the 4, 6 and
8-channel congurations, the function of this port becomes Front Speaker Out.
8. Microphone port (pink). This port connects to a microphone.
9. Side Speaker Out port (gray). This port connects to the side speakers in the
8-channel audio conguration.
Chapter 1: Product introduction1-20
Page 31
Refer to the audio conguration table below for the function of the audio ports in the 2, 4, 6,
or 8-channel conguration.
Audio 2, 4, 6, or 8-channel conguration
Port
Light Blue Line In Line In Line In Line In
Lime Line Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out
Pink Mic In Mic In Mic In Mic In
Orange – – Center/Subwoofer Center/Subwoofer
Black – Rear Speaker Out Rear Speaker Out Rear Speaker Out
Gray – – – Side Speaker Out
Headset
2-channel
Ensure the audio device of sound playback is VIA High Denition Audio (the name may
be different based on the OS). Go to Start > Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices
> Sound Playback to congure the settings.
4-channel 6-channel 8-channel
10. USB 2.0 ports 1 and 2. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports are for
USB 2.0 devices.
11. USB 2.0 ports 3 and 4. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports are for USB
2.0 devices.
12. Serial port. This 9-pin COM1 port is for pointing devices or other serial devices.
13. Optical S/PDIF_OUT port. This port connects to an external audio output device via
an optical S/PDIF cable.
14. USB 2.0 ports 5 and 6. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports are
available for connecting USB 2.0 devices.
ASUS M4A77 1-21
Page 32
1.10.2 Internal connectors
M4A77
M4A77 ATX power connectors
EATXPWR
PIN 1
GND
+5 Volts
+5 Volts
+5 Volts
-5 Volts
GND
GND
GND
PSON#
GND
-12 Volts
+3 Volts
+3 Volts
+12 Volts
+12 Volts
+5V Standby
Power OK
GND
+5 Volts
GND
+5 Volts
GND
+3 Volts
+3 Volts
ATX12V
PIN 1
+12V DC
+12V DC
GND
GND
1. ATX power connectors (24-pin EATXPWR, 4-pin ATX12V)
These connectors are for an ATX power supply. The plugs from the power supply are
designed to t these connectors in only one orientation. Find the proper orientation and
push down rmly until the connectors completely t.
•
We recommend that you use an ATX 12V Specication 2.0-compliant power supply unit
(PSU) with a minimum of 300W power rating. This PSU type has 24-pin and 4-pin power
plugs.
•
If you intend to use a PSU with 20-pin and 4-pin power plugs, ensure that the 20-pin
power plug can provide at least 15 A on +12 V and that the PSU has a minimum power
rating of 300W. The system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is
inadequate.
•
DO NOT forget to connect the 4-pin ATX +12V power plug. Otherwise, the system will
not boot up.
• We recommend that you use a PSU with higher power output when conguring a
system with more power-consuming devices or when you intend to install additional
devices. The system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is
inadequate.
•
If you are uncertain about the minimum power supply requirement for your system,
refer to the Recommended Power Supply Wattage Calculator at http://support.asus.
com/PowerSupplyCalculator/PSCalculator.aspx?SLanguage=en-us for details.
Chapter 1: Product introduction1-22
Page 33
2. IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE)
PRI_IDE
NOTE:Orient the red markings
on the IDE ribbon cable to PIN 1.
PIN1
M4A77
M4A77 IDE connector
The onboard IDE connector is for Ultra DMA 133/100 signal cable. There are three
connectors on each Ultra DMA 133/100 signal cable: blue, black, and gray. Connect
the blue connector to the motherboard’s IDE connector, then select one of the following
modes to congure your devices:
Drive jumper setting Mode of device(s) Cable connector
Single device Cable-Select or Master - Black
Cable-Select
Two devices
Master Master
Slave Slave
• Pin 20 on the IDE connector is removed to match the covered hole on the Ultra DMA
cable connector. This prevents incorrect insertion when you connect the IDE cable.
• Use the 80-conductor IDE cable for Ultra DMA 133/100 IDE devices.
If any device jumper is set as “Cable-Select”, ensure that all other device jumpers have the
same setting.
Master Black
Slave Gray
Black or gray
ASUS M4A77 1-23
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3. Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA1, SATA2, SATA3, SATA4, SATA5, SATA6)
SATA1
SATA4
GND
RSATA_RXN1
RSATA_RXP1
GND
RSATA_TXN1
RSATA_TXP1
GND
GND
RSATA_TXP4
RSATA_TXN4
GND
RSATA_RXP4
RSATA_RXN4
GND
SATA2
SATA5
GND
RSATA_RXN2
RSATA_RXP2
GND
RSATA_TXN2
RSATA_TXP2
GND
GND
RSATA_TXP5
RSATA_TXN5
GND
RSATA_RXP5
RSATA_RXN5
GND
SATA3
SATA6
GND
RSATA_RXN3
RSATA_RXP3
GND
RSATA_TXN3
RSATA_TXP3
GND
GND
RSATA_TXP6
RSATA_TXN6
GND
RSATA_RXP6
RSATA_RXN6
GND
M4A77
M4A77 SATA connectors
These connectors are for the Serial ATA signal cables for Serial ATA 3Gb/s hard disk
and optical disk drives. The Serial ATA 3Gb/s is backward compatible with Serial ATA
1.5Gb/s specication. The data transfer rate of the Serial ATA 3Gb/s is faster than the
standard parallel ATA with 133 MB/s (Ultra DMA133). If you install Serial ATA hard
disk drives, you can create RAID 0, RAID 1, and RAID 0+1 congurations through the
onboard SB710 chipset.
• Install the Windows® XP Service Pack 2 or later versions before using Serial ATA.
• If you intend to create a Serial ATA RAID set using these connectors, set the type of
the SATA connectors in the BIOS to [RAID]. See section 2.3.4 SATA Conguration for
details.
• The motherboard does not provide a oppy disk drive connector. You could use a USB
oppy disk drive when installing Windows® XP operating system on a hard disk drive
that includes a RAID/AHCI set.
• Due to Windows® XP limitation, Windows® XP may not recognize the USB oppy disk
drive.
• For more details on RAID/AHCI, refer to the RAID/AHCI Supplementary Guide included
in the folder named Manual in the support DVD.
Chapter 1: Product introduction1-24
Page 35
4. System panel connector (20-8 pin PANEL)
M4A77
M4A77 System panel connector
PIN 1
* Requires an ATX power supply
PLED SPEAKER
PLED+
PLED-
+5V
Ground
Ground
Speaker
IDE_LED+
IDE_LED-
PWR
Ground
Reset
Ground
PANEL
IDE_LED PWRSW RESET
This connector supports several chassis-mounted functions.
• System power LED (2-pin PLED)
This 2-pin connector is for the system power LED. Connect the chassis power LED
cable to this connector. The system power LED lights up when you turn on the system
power, and blinks when the system is in sleep mode.
• Hard disk drive activity LED (2-pin IDE_LED)
This 2-pin connector is for the HDD Activity LED. Connect the HDD Activity LED cable
to this connector. The IDE LED lights up or ashes when data is read from or written to
the HDD.
• System warning speaker (4-pin SPEAKER)
This 4-pin connector is for the chassis-mounted system warning speaker. The speaker
allows you to hear system beeps and warnings.
• ATX power button/soft-off button (2-pin PWRSW)
This connector is for the system power button. Pressing the power button turns
the system on or puts the system in sleep or soft-off mode depending on the BIOS
settings. Pressing the power switch for more than four seconds while the system is ON
turns the system OFF.
• Reset button (2-pin RESET)
This 2-pin connector is for the chassis-mounted reset button for system reboot without
turning off the system power.
ASUS M4A77 1-25
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5. USB connectors (10-1 pin USB78, USB910, USB1112)
M4A77
M4A77 USB2.0 connectors
PIN 1
USB+5V
USB_P10-
USB_P10+
GND
NC
USB+5V
USB_P9-
USB_P9+
GND
USB910USB78
PIN 1
USB+5V
USB_P8-
USB_P8+
GND
NC
USB+5V
USB_P7-
USB_P7+
GND
USB1112
PIN 1
USB+5V
USB_P12-
USB_P12+
GND
NC
USB+5V
USB_P11-
USB_P11+
GND
These connectors are for USB 2.0 ports. Connect the USB module cable to any of
these connectors, then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system
chassis. These USB connectors comply with USB 2.0 specication that supports up to
480Mbps connection speed.
Never connect a 1394 cable to the USB connectors. Doing so will damage the
motherboard!
The USB 2.0 module is purchased separately.
Chapter 1: Product introduction1-26
Page 37
6. Digital audio connector (4-1 pin SPDIF_OUT)
SPDIF_OUT
+5V
SPDIFOUT
GND
M4A77
M4A77 Digital audio connector
M4A77
M4A77 Analog front panel connector
AAFP
PIN 1
GND
PRESENCE#
SENSE1_RETUR
SENSE2_RETUR
PORT1 L
PORT1 R
PORT2 R
SENSE_SEND
PORT2 L
HD-audio-compliant
pin definition
PIN 1
AGNDNCNC
NC
MIC2
MICPWR
Line out_R
NC
Line out_L
Legacy AC’97
compliant definition
This connector is for an additional Sony/Philips Digital Interface (S/PDIF) port.
Ensure that the audio device of Sound playback is VIA High Denition Audio (the name
may be different based on the OS). Go to Start > Control Panel > Sounds and Audio
Devices > Sound Playback to congure the setting.
The S/PDIF module is purchased separately.
7. Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin AAFP)
This connector is for a chassis-mounted front panel audio I/O module that supports
either High Denition Audio or AC`97 audio standard. Connect one end of the front
panel audio I/O module cable to this connector.
• We recommend that you connect a high-denition front panel audio module to this
connector to avail of the motherboard high-denition audio capability.
• If you want to connect a high denition front panel audio module to this connector, set
the Front Panel Select item in the BIOS to [HD Audio]. See section 2.4.4 Onboard
Device Conguration for details.
• The front panel audio I/O module is purchased separately.
ASUS M4A77 1-27
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CPU_FAN
GND
CPU FAN PWR
CPU FAN IN
CPU FAN PWM
M4A77
M4A77 fan connectors
GND
+12V
Rotation
CHA_FAN
8. CPU and chassis fan connectors (4-pin CPU_FAN and 3-pin CHA_FAN)
Connect the fan cables to the fan connectors on the motherboard, ensuring that the
black wire of each cable matches the ground pin of the connector.
DO NOT forget to connect the fan cables to the fan connectors. Insufcient air ow inside
the system may damage the motherboard components. These are not jumpers! DO NOT
place jumper caps on the fan connectors.
Only the 4-pin CPU fan supports the ASUS Q-Fan feature.
Chapter 1: Product introduction1-28
Page 39
1.11 Software support
1.11.1 Installing an operating system
This motherboard supports Windows® XP / Vista / 7 Operating Systems (OS). Always install
the latest OS version and corresponding updates to maximize the features of your hardware.
• Motherboard settings and hardware options vary. Refer to your OS documentation for
detailed information.
• Ensure that you install Windows® XP Service Pack 3 or later versions / Windows® Vista
Service Pack 1 or later versions before installing the drivers for better compatibility and
system stability.
1.11.2 Support DVD information
The Support DVD that comes with the motherboard package contains the drivers, software
applications, and utilities that you can install to avail all motherboard features.
The contents of the Support DVD are subject to change at any time without notice. Visit the
ASUS website at www.asus.com for updates.
To run the Support DVD
Place the Support DVD into the optical drive. The DVD automatically displays the Drivers
menu if Autorun is enabled on your computer.
The following screen is for reference only.
Click an icon to
display Support
DVD/motherboard
information
Click an item to install
If Autorun is NOT enabled on your computer, browse the contents of the Support DVD to
locate the le ASSETUP.EXE from the BIN folder. Double-click the ASSETUP.EXE to run
the DVD.
ASUS M4A77 1-29
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Chapter 1: Product introduction1-30
Page 41
Chapter 2
BIOS information
2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS
Save a copy of the original motherboard BIOS le to a USB ash disk in case you need to
restore the BIOS in the future. Copy the original motherboard BIOS using the ASUS Update
utility.
2.1.1 ASUS Update utility
The ASUS Update is a utility that allows you to manage, save, and update the motherboard
BIOS in Windows® environment.
• ASUS Update requires an Internet connection either through a network or an Internet
Service Provider (ISP).
• This utility is available in the support DVD that comes with the motherboard package.
Installing ASUS Update
To install ASUS Update:
1. Place the support DVD into the optical drive. The Drivers menu appears.
2. Click the Utilities tab, then click ASUS Update.
3. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the installation.
Quit all Windows® applications before you update the BIOS using this utility.
Updating the BIOS
To update the BIOS:
1. From the Windows® desktop, click Start > Programs > ASUS > ASUS Update >
ASUS Update to launch the ASUS Update utility.
2. From the dropdown list, select either of the following methods:
Updating from the Internet
a. Select Update BIOS from the Internet, then click Next.
b. Select the ASUS FTP site nearest you to avoid network trafc, or click Auto
Select then click Next.
c. From the FTP site, select the BIOS version that you want to download then click
Next.
ASUS M4A77 2-1
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The ASUS Update utility is capable of updating itself through the Internet. Always update
the utility to avail all its features.
Updating from a BIOS file
a. Select Update BIOS from a le, then click Next.
b. Locate the BIOS le from the Open window, then click Open.
3. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the updating process.
2.1.2 ASUS EZ Flash 2
The ASUS EZ Flash 2 feature allows you to update the BIOS without using an OS-based
utility.
Before you start using this utility, download the latest BIOS le from the ASUS website at
www.asus.com.
To update the BIOS using EZ Flash 2:
1. Insert the USB ash disk that contains the latest BIOS le to the USB port, then launch
EZ Flash 2 in either of these two ways:
• Press <Alt> + <F2> during POST.
• Enter the BIOS setup program. Go to the Tools menu to select EZ Flash 2 and
press <Enter> to enable it.
Press <Tab> to switch between drives until the correct BIOS le is found.
ASUSTek EZ Flash 2 BIOS ROM Utility V3.36
FLASH TYPE: WINBOND W25X80
Current ROM
BOARD: M4A77
VER: 0201 (H:00 B:02)
DATE: 09/30/2009
PATH: C:\
C:
Update ROM
BOARD: Unknown
VER: Unknown
DATE: Unknown
Note
[ Ente r] Sel ect o r Lo ad [ Tab ] Sw itc h [V ] Dr ive In fo
[Up/Down/Home/End] Move [B] Backup [ESC] Exit
2. When the correct BIOS le is found, EZ Flash 2 performs the BIOS update process
and automatically reboots the system when done.
2-2 Chapter 2: BIOS information
Page 43
• This function supports USB ash disks with FAT 32/16 format and single partition only.
• DO NOT shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS to prevent system boot
failure!
2.1.3 ASUS CrashFree BIOS
The ASUS CrashFree BIOS is an auto recovery tool that allows you to restore the BIOS le
when it fails or gets corrupted during the updating process. You can restore a corrupted BIOS
le using the motherboard support DVD or a removable device that contains the updated
BIOS le.
• Before using this utility, rename the BIOS le in the removable device into
M4A77.ROM.
• The BIOS le in the support DVD may not be the latest version. Download the latest
BIOS le from the ASUS website at www.asus.com.
• The removable devices that ASUS CrashFree BIOS support vary with motherboard
models. For motherboards without the oppy connector, prepare a USB ash disk before
using this utility.
Recovering the BIOS
To recover the BIOS:
1. Turn on the system.
2. Insert the support DVD to the optical drive or the removable device that contains the
BIOS le to the USB port or to the oppy disk drive, if supported.
3. The utility automatically checks the devices for the BIOS le. When found, the utility
reads the BIOS le and starts ashing the corrupted BIOS le.
4. Turn off the system after the utility completes the updating process and turn on again.
DO NOT shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS! Doing so can cause
system boot failure!
Ensure to load the BIOS default settings to ensure system compatibility and stability. Select
the Load Setup Defaults item under the Exit menu. Refer to section 2.8 Exit menu for
details.
ASUS M4A77 2-3
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2.2 BIOS setup program
Use the BIOS Setup program to update the BIOS or congure its parameters. The BIOS
screens include navigation keys and brief online help to guide you in using the BIOS Setup
program.
Entering BIOS Setup at startup
To enter BIOS Setup at startup:
• Press <Delete> during the Power-On Self Test (POST). If you do not press <Delete>,
POST continues with its routines.
Entering BIOS Setup after POST
To enter BIOS Setup after POST:
• Press <Ctrl>+<Alt>+<Del> simultaneously.
• Press the reset button on the system chassis.
• Press the power button to turn the system off then back on. Do this option only if you
failed to enter BIOS Setup using the rst two options.
Using the power button, reset button, or the <Ctrl>+<Alt>+<Del> keys to force
reset from a running operating system can cause damage to your data or system. We
recommend that you always shut down the system properly from the operating system.
• The default BIOS settings for this motherboard apply to most conditions to ensure
optimum performance. If the system becomes unstable after changing any BIOS
settings, load the default settings to ensure system compatibility and stability. Select the
Load Setup Defaults item under the Exit menu. See section 2.8 Exit Menu.
• The BIOS setup screens in this chapter are for reference only. They may not exactly
match what you see on your screen.
• Visit the ASUS website at www.asus.com to download the latest BIOS le for this
motherboard.
2-4 Chapter 2: BIOS information
Page 45
2.2.1 BIOS menu screen
Menu items
Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit
Main Settings
System Time [19:34:30]
System Date [Mon 01/07/2002]
Primary IDE Master :[Not Detected]
Primary IDE Slave :[Not Detected]
SATA1 :[Not Detected]
SATA2 :[Not Detected]
SATA3 :[Not Detected]
SATA4 :[Not Detected]
SATA5 :[Not Detected]
SATA6 :[Not Detected]
SATA Conguration
System Information
Submenu items
Menu bar
v02.61 (C)Copyright 1985-2009, American Megatrends, Inc.
Conguration elds
BIOS SETUP UTILITY
General help
Use [ENTER], [TAB]
or [SHIFT-TAB] to
select a eld.
Use [+] or [-] to
congure system
Time.
Select Screen
Select Item
Change Field
+-
Tab Select Field
F1 General Help
F10 Save and Exit
ESC Exit
Navigation keys
2.2.2 Menu bar
The menu bar on top of the screen has the following main items:
Main For changing the basic system conguration
Advanced For changing the advanced system settings
Power For changing the advanced power management (APM) conguration
Boot For changing the system boot conguration
Tools For conguring options for special functions
Exit For selecting the exit options and loading default settings.
To select an item on the menu bar, press the right or left arrow key on the keyboard until the
desired item is highlighted.
2.2.3 Navigation keys
At the bottom right corner of a menu screen are the navigation keys for that particular menu.
Use the navigation keys to select items in the menu and change the settings.
Some of the navigation keys differ from one screen to another.
ASUS M4A77 2-5
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2.2.4 Menu items
The highlighted item on the menu bar displays the specic items for that menu. For example,
selecting Main shows the Main menu items.
The other items (Advanced, Power, Boot, Tools, and Exit) on the menu bar have their
respective menu items.
2.2.5 Submenu items
A solid triangle before each item on a menu screen means that the item has a submenu. To
display the submenu, select the item and press <Enter>.
2.2.6 Conguration elds
These elds show the values for the menu items. If an item is user- congurable, you can
change the value of the eld opposite the item. You cannot select an item that is not
user-congurable.
A congurable eld is enclosed in brackets, and is highlighted when selected. To change the
value of a eld, select it then press <Enter> to display a list of options. Refer to 2.2.7 Pop-up
window.
2.2.7 Pop-up window
Select a menu item then press <Enter>
to display a pop-up window with the
conguration options for that item.
2.2.8 Scroll bar
A scroll bar appears on the right side of
a menu screen when there are items that
do not t on the screen. Press the <Up> /
<Down> arrow keys or <Page Up> /<Page
Down> keys to display the other items on
the screen.
Advanced
CPU Conguration
Module Version: 13.55
AGESA Version: 3.5.2.0
AMD Phenom(tm) II X4 945 Processor
Revision: C2
Cache L1: 512KB
Cache L2: 2048KB
Cache L3: 6MB
Speed : 3000MHz, NB Cl
Able to Change Freq.: Yes
uCode Patch Level: 0x1
GART Error Reporting [Disabled]
Microcode Updation [Enabled]
Secure Virtual Machine Mode [Disabled]
Cool ‘n‘ Quiet [Enalbed]
C1E Conguration [Disabled]
Advanced Clock Calibration [Disabled]
v02.61 (C)Copyright 1985-2009, American Megatrends, Inc.
BIOS SETUP UTILITY
Options
Disabled
Enabled
Pop-up window
This option should
remain disabled for
the normal operation.
The driver developer
may enable it for
testing purpose.
Select Item
F1 General Help
F10 Save and Exit
ESC Exit
Scroll bar
2.2.9 General help
At the top right corner of the menu screen is a brief description of the selected item.
Select Screen
2-6 Chapter 2: BIOS information
Page 47
2.3 Main menu
When you enter the BIOS Setup program, the Main menu screen appears, giving you an
overview of the basic system information.
Refer to section 2.2.1 BIOS menu screen for information on the menu screen items and
how to navigate through them.
Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit
Main Settings
System Time [19:34:30]
System Date [Mon 01/07/2002]
Primary IDE Master :[Not Detected]
Primary IDE Slave :[Not Detected]
SATA1 :[Not Detected]
SATA2 :[Not Detected]
SATA3 :[Not Detected]
SATA4 :[Not Detected]
SATA5 :[Not Detected]
SATA6 :[Not Detected]
SATA Conguration
System Information
v02.61 (C)Copyright 1985-2009, American Megatrends, Inc.
BIOS SETUP UTILITY
Use [ENTER], [TAB]
or [SHIFT-TAB] to
select a eld.
Use [+] or [-] to
congure system
Time.
Select Screen
Select Item
Change Field
+-
Tab Select Field
F1 General Help
F10 Save and Exit
ESC Exit
2.3.1 System Time [xx:xx:xx]
Allows you to set the system time.
2.3.2 System Date [Day xx/xx/xxxx]
Allows you to set the system date.
2.3.3 Primary IDE Master/Slave, SATA 1/2/3/4/5/6
While entering Setup, the BIOS automatically detects the presence of IDE/SATA devices.
There is a separate submenu for each IDE/SATA device. Select a device item then press
<Enter> to display the IDE/SATA device information.
The BIOS automatically detects the values opposite the dimmed items (Device, Vendor, Size,
LBA Mode, Block Mode, PIO Mode, Async DMA, Ultra DMA, and SMART monitoring). These
values are not user-congurable. These items show Not Detected if no IDE/SATA device is
installed in the system.
Type [Auto]
Selects the type of IDE/SATA drive. Setting this item to [Auto] allows automatic selection of
the appropriate IDE/SATA device type. Select [CDROM] if you are specically conguring a
CD-ROM drive. Select [ARMD] (ATAPI Removable Media Device) if your device is either a
ZIP, LS-120, or MO drive. Conguration options: [Not Installed] [Auto] [CDROM] [ARMD]
This item only appears in the Primary IDE Master/Slave and SATA5/6 menus.
ASUS M4A77 2-7
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LBA/Large Mode [Auto]
Enables or disables the LBA mode. Setting this item to [Auto] enables the LBA mode if the
device supports this mode, and if the device was not previously formatted with LBA mode
disabled. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Auto]
Block (Multi-Sector Transfer) M [Auto]
Enables or disables data multi-sectors transfers. When this item is set to [Auto], the data
transfer from and to the device occurs multiple sectors at a time if the device supports multisector transfer feature. When this item is set to [Disabled], the data transfer from and to the
device occurs one sector at a time. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Auto]
PIO Mode [Auto]
Selects the PIO mode. Conguration options: [Auto] [0] [1] [2] [3] [4]
DMA Mode [Auto]
Selects the DMA mode. Conguration options: [Auto]
SMART Monitoring [Auto]
Sets the Smart Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology.
Conguration options: [Auto] [Disabled] [Enabled]
32Bit Data Transfer [Enabled]
Enables or disables 32-bit data transfer. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
2.3.4 SATA Conguration
The SATA Conguration menu allows you to congure your storage devices. Select an item
then press <Enter> to display the submenu.
OnChip SATA Channel [Enabled]
Enables or disables OnChip SATA Channel. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
The following two items only appear when you set OnChip SATA Channel to [Enabled].
SATA Port1-Port4 [IDE]
Sets the SATA 1~4 type. Conguration options: [IDE] [RAID] [AHCI]
When this item is set to [IDE], SATA 5~6 can only be set to [IDE].
SATA Port5-Port6 [IDE]
Sets the SATA 5~6 type. Conguration options: [IDE] [RAID] [AHCI]
When this item is set to [AHCI], SATA 5~6 can only be used under OS with AHCI driver
installed. Sets this item to [IDE] to use SATA 5~6 before entering OS.
2-8 Chapter 2: BIOS information
Page 49
2.3.5 System Information
This menu gives you an overview of the general system specications. The BIOS
automatically detects the items in this menu.
BIOS Information
Displays the auto-detected BIOS information.
Processor
Displays the auto-detected CPU specication.
System Memory
Displays the auto-detected system memory.
2.4 Advanced menu
The Advanced menu items allow you to change the settings for the CPU and other system
devices.
Take caution when changing the settings of the Advanced menu items. Incorrect eld
values can cause the system to malfunction.
BIOS SETUP UTILITY
Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit
Advanced Settings
JumperFree Conguration
CPU Conguration
Chipset
Onboard Devices Conguration
PCIPnP
USB Conguration
Adjust System
Frequency/Voltage etc.
Select Screen
Select Item
+- Change Field
Tab Select Field
F1 General Help
F10 Save and Exit
ESC Exit
v02.61 (C)Copyright 1985-2009, American Megatrends, Inc.
2.4.1 JumperFree Conguration
The items and conguration options in this menu may vary depending on the AMD CPU
type.
CPU Overclocking [Auto]
Selects the CPU overclocking options to achieve desired CPU internal frequency.
Conguration options: [Manual] [Auto] [Overclock Prole] [Test Mode]
ASUS M4A77 2-9
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The following item only appears when you set CPU Overclocking to [Manual].
CPU/HT Reference Clock (MHz) [200]
Sets the CPU/HT Reference Clock. Conguration options: [Min.=200] [Max.=550]
The following item only appears when you set CPU Overclocking to [Overclock Prole].
Overclock Options [Auto]
Selects the overclocking prole. Conguration options: [Auto] [Overclock 2%]
[Overclock 5%] [Overclock 8%] [Overclock 10%]
PCIE Overclocking [Auto]
Sets the PCIE overclocking. Conguration options: [Auto] [Manual]
The following item only appears when you set PCIE Overclocking to [Manual].
PCIE Clock [100]
Sets the PCIE Clock. Conguration options: [Min.=100] [Max.=150]
Processor Frequency Multiplier [Auto]
Sets the processor frequency multiplier. Conguration options: [Auto] [x8.0 1600MHz]
[x8.5 1700MHz] ~ [x34.5 6900MHz] [x35.0 7000MHz]
CPU/NB Frequency [Auto]
Sets the CPU/NorthBridge frequency. Conguration options: [Auto] [x4.0 800MHz]
[x5.0 1000MHz] [x6.0 1200MHz] [x7.0 1400MHz] [x8.0 1600MHz] [x9.0 1800MHz]
[x10.0 2000MHz]
CPU Over Voltage [Auto]
Sets the CPU over voltage. The valid value ranges vary depending on your CPU model. Use
<+> / <-> keys to adjust the value. Conguration options: [Auto]
VDDNB Over Voltage [Auto]
Sets the VDDNB over voltage. The valid value ranges vary depending on your CPU model.
Use <+> / <-> keys to adjust the value. Conguration options: [Auto]
CPU VDDA Voltage [Auto]
Sets the CPU VDDA voltage. Use <+> / <-> keys to adjust the value. Conguration options:
[Auto] [Min.=2.5V] [Max.=2.8V]
LoadLine Calibration [Auto]
Sets the LoadLine. The values range from 0% to 100% with a 3.225% increment. Use the
<+> / <-> keys to adjust the value. Conguration options: [Auto] [Max. = 100%] [Min. = 0%]
HT Link Frequency [Auto]
Sets the HyperTransport link speed. Conguration options: [Auto] [200MHz] [400MHz]
[600MHz] [800MHZ] [1000MHz] [1200MHz] [1400MHz] [1600MHz] [1800MHz] [2000MHz]
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HT Link Width [Auto]
Sets the HyperTransport link width. Conguration options: [Auto] [8 Bit] [16 Bit]
HT Over Voltage [Auto]
Sets the HyperTransport over voltage. Use <+> / <-> keys to adjust the value.
Conguration options: [Auto] [Min.=1.20000V] [Max.=1.390000V]
Memory Clock Mode [Auto]
Sets the memory clock mode. Conguration options: [Auto] [Manual]
The following item only appears when you set Memory Clock Mode to [Manual].
Memclock Value [200MHz]
Selects the DRAM frequency programming method. Conguration options: [200MHz]
[266MHz] [333MHz] [400MHz] [533MHz]
DRAM Timing Mode [Auto]
Sets the DRAM timing mode. Conguration options: [Auto] [DCT 0] [DCT 1] [Both]
The following sub-items appear only when you set the DRAM Timing Mode item to
[DCT 0], [DCT 1] or [Both].
TCL [Auto]
Conguration options: [Auto] [3 CLK] [4 CLK] [5 CLK] [6 CLK] [7 CLK DH_Only]
TRCD [Auto]
Conguration options: [Auto] [3 CLK] [4 CLK] [5 CLK] [6 CLK]
TRP [Auto]
Conguration options: [Auto] [3 CLK] [4 CLK] [5 CLK] [6 CLK]
tRTP [Auto]
Conguration options: [Auto] [2-4 CLK] [3-5 CLK]
TRAS [Auto]
Conguration options: [Auto] [5 CLK] ~ [18 CLK]
TRC [Auto]
Conguration options: [Auto] [11 CLK] ~ [26 CLK]
tWR [Auto]
Conguration options: [Auto] [3 CLK] [4 CLK] [5 CLK] [6 CLK]
TRRD [Auto]
Conguration options: [Auto] [2 CLK] [3 CLK] [4 CLK] [5 CLK]
tRWTTO [Auto]
Conguration options: [Auto] [3 CLK] ~ [17 CLK]
tWRRD [Auto]
Conguration options: [Auto] [1 CLK] [2 CLK] [3 CLK] [4 CLK]
tWTR [Auto]
Conguration options: [Auto] [1 CLK] [2 CLK] [3 CLK]
ASUS M4A77 2-11
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tWRWR [Auto]
Conguration options: [Auto] [1 CLK] [2 CLK] [3 CLK] [4 CLK]
tRDRD [Auto]
Conguration options: [Auto] [3 CLK] [4 CLK] [5 CLK]
tRFC0/1/2/3 [Auto]
Conguration options: [Auto] [75ns] [105ns] [127.5ns] [195ns] [327.5ns]
Memory Over Voltage [Auto]
Sets the memory over voltage. The values range from 1.5000V to 2.4450V with a 0.0150V
increment. Use the <+> / <-> keys to adjust the value. Conguration options: [Auto]
[Max. = 2.4450V] [Min. = 1.5000V]
Chipset Over Voltage [Auto]
Sets the chipset over voltage. Use the <+> / <-> keys to adjust the value. CongurationUse the <+> / <-> keys to adjust the value. Conguration
options: [Auto] [Max. = 1.61000V] [Min. = 1.10000V]
2.4.2 CPU Conguration
The items in this menu show the CPU-related information that the BIOS automatically
detects.
GART Error Reporting [Disabled]
This option should remain disabled for the normal operation. The driver developer may
enable it for testing purpose. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Microcode Updation [Enabled]
Enables or disables Microcode Updation. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Secure Virtual Machine Mode [Disabled]
Enables or disables Secure Virtual Machine Mode (SVM) Conguration options: [Disabled]
[Enabled]
Cool ‘n’ Quiet [Enabled]
Enables or disables the AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet technology. Conguration options: [Enabled]
[Disabled]
CPU Prefetching [Enabled]
Enables or disables the CPU prefetching. Conguration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]
C1E Conguration [Disabled]
Enables or disables the CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E) function, a CPU power-saving function
in system halt state. When this item is enabled, the CPU core frequency and voltage will be
reduced during the system halt state to decrease power consumption.
Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Advanced Clock Calibration [Disabled]
Adjusts the processor’s overclocking capability. When this item is set to [Auto], the BIOS
automatically adjusts this function. When this item is set to [All Cores], the processor has
the best overclocking performance. When this item is set to [Per Core], the processor’s
overclocking capability is enhanced.
Conguration options: [Disabled] [Auto] [All Cores] [Per Core]
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2.4.3 Chipset
NorthBridge Conguration
Memory Conguration
Bank Interleaving [Auto]
Allows you to enable the bank memory interleaving. Conguration options: [Disabled]
[Auto]
Channel Interleaving [XOR of Address bit]
Allows you to enable the channel memory interleaving.
Conguration options: [Disabled] [Address bits 6] [Address bits 12]
[XOR of Address bits [20:16, 6]] [XOR of Address bits [20:16, 9]]
Enable Clock to All DIMMs [Disabled]
Enables unused Clocks to DIMMs even though memory slots are not populated.
Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
MemClk Tristate C3/ATLVID [Disabled]
Enables or disables MemClk Tri-Stating during C3 and Alt VID.
Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Memory Hole Remapping [Enabled]
Enables or disables memory remapping around memory hole.
Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
DCT Unganged Mode [Always]
Enables or disables the unganged DRAM mode (64-bit width).
Conguration options: [Auto] [Always]
Power Down Enable [Disabled]
Enables or disables the DDR power down mode. Conguration options: [Disabled]
[Enabled]
ECC Conguration
ECC Mode [Disabled]
Enables or disables the DRAM ECC that allows the hardware to report and correct
memory errors automatically. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Basic] [Good] [Super]
[Max] [User]
Primary Display Adapter [GFX-GPP-PCI]
Allows you to set the primary display adapter. Conguration options: [GFX-GPP-PCI] [GPPGFX-PCI] [PCI-GFX-GPP]
GFX: primary display adapter on the PCIe x16_1 slot
GPP: primary display adapter on the PCIe x16_2 or PCIe x1 slot
PCI: primary display adapter on the PCI slot
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2.4.4 Onboard Device Conguration
Serial Port1 Address [3F8/IRQ4]
Selects the Serial Port1 base address. Conguration options: [Disabled] [3F8/IRQ4]
[2F8/IRQ3] [3E8/IRQ4] [2E8/IRQ3]
Parallel Port Address [378]
Selects the Parallel Port base addresses. Conguration options: [Disabled] [378] [278] [3BC]
Parallel Port Mode [Normal]
Selects the Parallel Port mode. Conguration options: [Normal] [EPP] [ECP] [EPP + ECP]
Parallel Port IRQ [IRQ7]
Allows BIOS to select the Parallel Port IRQ. Conguration options: [IRQ5] [IRQ7]
HDAudio Controller [Enabled]
Enables or disables the high denition audio controller. Conguration options: [Disabled]
[Enabled]
Front Panel Select [HD Audio]
Selects the front panel type. Conguration options: [AC97] [HD Audio]
OnBoard LAN Controller [Enabled]
Enables or disables the onboard LAN controller. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
OnBoard LAN Boot ROM [Disabled]
Enables or disables the Onboard LAN Boot ROM. Conguration options: [Disabled]
[Enabled]
2.4.5 PCIPnP
The PCI PnP menu items allow you to change the advanced settings for PCI/PnP devices.
The menu includes setting IRQ and DMA channel resources for either PCI/PnP or legacy ISA
devices and setting the memory size block for legacy ISA devices.
Take caution when changing the settings of the PCI PnP menu items. Incorrect eld values
can cause the system to malfunction.
Plug And Play O/S [No]
When this item is set to [No], BIOS congures all the devices in the system. When this item
is set to [Yes] and if you install a Plug and Play operating system, the operating system
congures the Plug and Play devices not required for boot. Conguration options: [No] [Yes]
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2.4.6 USB Conguration
The items in this menu allows you to change the USB-related features. Select an item then
press <Enter> to display the conguration options.
The Module Version and USB Devices Enabled items show the auto-detected values. If no
USB device is detected, the item shows None.
USB Functions [Enabled]
Enables or disables the USB functions. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
USB 2.0 Controller [Enabled]
Enables or disables the USB 2.0 controller. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Legacy USB Support [Auto]
Enables or disables support for Legacy USB storage devices including USB ash drives and
USB hard drives. Setting this item to [Auto] allows the system to detect the presence of USB
devices at startup. If detected, the USB controller legacy mode is enabled. If no USB device
is detected, the legacy USB support is disabled. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
[Auto]
USB 2.0 Controller Mode [HiSpeed]
Congures the USB 2.0 controller in HiSpeed (480Mbps) mode or FullSpeed (12Mbps)
mode. Conguration options: [FullSpeed] [HiSpeed]
The following items only appear when a USB storage device is plugged in.
USB Mass Storage Device Conguration
USB Mass Storage Reset Delay [20 Sec]
Sets the maximum time that the BIOS waits for the USB storage device to initialize.
Conguration options: [10 Sec] [20 Sec] [30 Sec] [40 Sec]
Emulation Type [Auto]
Allows you to set the emulation type. Conguration options: [Auto] [Floppy]
[Forced FDD] [Hard Disk] [CDROM]
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2.5 Power menu
The Power menu items allow you to change the settings for the Advanced Conguration and
Power Interface (ACPI) and the Advanced Power Management (APM). Select an item then
press <Enter> to display the conguration options.
Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit
Power Settings
Suspend Mode [Auto]
ACPI 2.0 Support [Enabled]
ACPI APIC support [Enabled]
APM Conguration
HW Monitor Conguration
v02.61 (C)Copyright 1985-2009, American Megatrends, Inc.
2.5.1 Suspend Mode [Auto]
Selecta the Advanced Conguration and Power Interface (ACPI) state to be used for system
suspend. Conguration options: [S1 (POS) Only] [S3 Only] [Auto]
2.5.2 ACPI 2.0 Support [Enabled]
Enables or disables the Advanced Conguration and Power Interface (ACPI) 2.0 support.
Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
BIOS SETUP UTILITY
Select the ACPI state
used for System
Suspend.
Select Screen
Select Item
+- Change Option
F1 General Help
F10 Save and Exit
ESC Exit
2.5.3 ACPI APIC Support [Enabled]
Enables or disables the Advanced Conguration and Power Interface (ACPI) support in the
Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller (APIC). When this item is set to [Enabled], the
ACPI APIC table pointer is included in the RSDT pointer list. Conguration options: [Disabled]
[Enabled]
2.5.4 APM Conguration
Restore on AC Power Loss [Power Off]
When this item set to [Power Off], the system goes into off state after an AC power loss.
When this item set to [Power On], the system goes on after an AC power loss.
Conguration options: [Power Off] [Power On] [Last State]
Power on From S5 By PME# [Disabled]
Enables or disables PME wake from sleep states. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Power on From S5 By Ring [Disabled]
Enables or disables ring to generate a wake event. Conguration options: [Disabled]
[Enabled]
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Power on By PS/2 Keyboard [Disabled]
Enables or disables PS/2 Keyboard to generate a wake event.
Conguration options: [Disabled] [Space Bar] [Power Key] [Ctrl - Esc]
Power on From S5 By RTC Alarm [Disabled]
Enables or disables RTC to generate a wake event. Conguration options: [Disabled]
[Enabled]
2.5.5 HW Monitor Conguration
CPU / MB Temperature [xxxºC/xxxºF] or [Ignored]
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the motherboard and CPU
temperatures. Select [Ignored] if you do not want the detected temperatures to be displayed.
CPU / Chassis Fan Speed [xxxxRPM] or [Ignored]
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the CPU / Chassis fan
speeds in rotations per minute (RPM). If the fan is not connected to the motherboard, the eld
shows N/A. Select [Ignored] if you do not wish to display the detected speed.
VCORE Voltage, 3.3V Voltage, 5V Voltage, 12V Voltage [xx.xxxV] or [Ignored]
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the voltage output through the onboard
voltage regulators. Select [Ignored] if you do not want the detected voltage to be displayed.
Smart Q-Fan Function [Disabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the ASUS Q-Fan feature that smartly adjusts the fan speeds
for more efcient system operation. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Fan Auto Mode Start Voltage [5.0V]
Allows you to select the fan auto mode start voltage. Conguration options: [4.0V] [4.5V]
[5.0V] [5.5V] [6.0V]
Fan Auto Mode Start Speed Temp [25ºC]
Allows you to set the smart Q-Fan start working temperature. Conguration options: [25ºC] ~
[48ºC]
Fan Auto Mode Full Speed Temp [55ºC]
Allows you to set the smart Q-Fan full speed temperature. Conguration options: [51ºC] ~
[75ºC]
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2.6 Boot menu
The Boot menu items allow you to change the system boot options. Select an item then
press <Enter> to display the sub-menu.
Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit
Boot Settings
Boot Device Priority
Boot Settings Conguration
Security
v02.61 (C)Copyright 1985-2009, American Megatrends, Inc.
2.6.1 Boot Device Priority
1st ~ xxth Boot Device [xxx Drive]
These items specify the boot device priority sequence from the available devices. The
number of device items that appears on the screen depends on the number of devices
installed in the system. Conguration options: [Removable Dev.] [Hard Drive]
[ATAPI CD-ROM] [Disabled]
• To select the boot device during system startup, press <F8> when ASUS Logo appears.
• To access Windows® OS in Safe Mode, do any of the following:
• Press <F5> when ASUS Logo appears.
• Press <F8> after POST.
BIOS SETUP UTILITY
Species the Boot
Device Priority
sequence.
A virtual oppy disk
drive (Floppy Drive B:)
may appear when you set
the CD-ROM drive as the
rst boot device.
Select Screen
Select Item
Enter Go to Sub Screen
F1 General Help
F10 Save and Exit
ESC Exit
2.6.2 Boot Settings Conguration
Quick Boot [Enabled]
Enabling this item allows the BIOS to skip some power on self tests (POST) while booting
to decrease the time needed to boot the system. When this item is set to [Disabled], BIOS
performs all the POST items. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Full Screen Logo [Enabled]
Enables or disables the full screen logo display feature. Conguration options: [Disabled]
[Enabled]
Set this item to [Enabled] to use the ASUS MyLogo2™ feature.
AddOn ROM Display Mode [Force BIOS]
Sets the display mode for option ROM. Conguration options: [Force BIOS] [Keep Current]
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Bootup Num-Lock [On]
Selects the power-on state for the NumLock. Conguration options: [Off] [On]
Wait for ‘F1’ If Error [Enabled]
When this item is set to [Enabled], the system waits for the F1 key to be pressed when error
occurs. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Hit ‘DEL’ Message Display [Enabled]
When this item is set to [Enabled], the system displays the message Press DEL to run
Setup during POST. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
2.6.3 Security
The Security menu items allow you to change the system security settings. Select an item
then press <Enter> to display the conguration options.
Change Supervisor Password
Select this item to set or change the supervisor password. The Supervisor Password item
on top of the screen shows the default Not Installed. After you set a password, this item
shows Installed.
To set a Supervisor Password:
1. Select the Change Supervisor Password item and press <Enter>.
2. On the password box, key in a password containing up to six letters or numbers, or
both, then press <Enter>.
3. Conrm the password when prompted.
The message Password Installed appears after you successfully set your password.
To change the supervisor password, follow the same steps as in setting a supervisor
password.
To clear the supervisor password, select the Change Supervisor Password then press
<Enter> twice. The message Password uninstalled appears.
If you forget your BIOS password, you can clear it by erasing the CMOS Real Time Clock
(RTC) RAM. See section 1.9 Jumpers for information on how to erase the RTC RAM.
After you have set a supervisor password, the other items appear to allow you to change
other security settings.
User Access Level [Full Access]
This item allows you to select the access restriction to the Setup items. Conguration options:
[No Access] [View Only] [Limited] [Full Access]
No Access prevents user access to the Setup utility.
View Only allows access but does not allow change to any eld.
Limited allows changes only to selected elds, such as Date and Time.
Full Access allows viewing and changing all the elds in the Setup utility.
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Change User Password
Select this item to set or change the user password. The User Password item on top of the
screen shows the default Not Installed. After you set a password, this item shows Installed.
To set a User Password:
1. Select the Change User Password item and press <Enter>.
2. On the password box, key in a password containing up to six letters or numbers, or
both, then press <Enter>.
3. Conrm the password when prompted.
The message “Password Installed” appears after you set your password successfully.
To change the user password, follow the same steps as in setting a user password.
Clear User Password
Select this item to clear the user password.
Password Check [Setup]
When this item is set to [Setup], BIOS checks for user password when accessing the
Setup utility. When this item is set to [Always], BIOS checks for user password both when
accessing Setup and booting the system. Conguration options: [Setup] [Always]
2.7 Tools menu
The Tools menu items allow you to congure options for special functions. Select an item
then press <Enter> to display the submenu.
Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit
Tools Settings
ASUS EZ Flash 2
Express Gate [Auto]
Enter OS Timer [10 Seconds]
Reset User Data [No]
BIOS SETUP UTILITY
Press ENTER to run the
utility to select and
update BIOS.
This utility supports:
1.FAT 12/16/32 (r/w)
2.NTFS (read only)
3.CD-DISC (read only)
AI NET2
v02.61 (C)Copyright 1985-2009, American Megatrends, Inc.
Select Screen
Select Item
Enter Go to Sub Screen
F1 General Help
F10 Save and Exit
ESC Exit
2.7.1 ASUS EZ Flash 2
Allows you to run ASUS EZ Flash 2. When you press <Enter>, a conrmation message
appears. Use the left/right arrow key to select between [Yes] or [No], then press <Enter> to
conrm your choice.
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2.7.2 Express Gate [Auto]
Enables or disables the ASUS Express Gate feature. ASUS Express Gate is a unique
instant-on environment that provides quick access to the Internet and Skype.
Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] [Auto]
Enter OS Timer [10 Seconds]
Sets countdown duration that the system waits at the Express Gate’s rst screen
before starting Windows or other installed OS. Choose [Prompt User] to stay at the rst
screen of Express Gate for user action. Conguration options: [Prompt User]
[1 second] [3 seconds] [5 seconds] [10 seconds] [15 seconds] [20 seconds]
[30 seconds]
Reset User Data [No]
Allows you to clear Express Gate’s user data. Conguration options: [No] [Reset]
When setting this item to [Reset], ensure to save the setting to the BIOS so that the
user data will be cleared the next time you enter the Express Gate. User data includes
the Express Gate’s settings as well as any personal information stored by the web
browser (bookmarks, cookies, browsing history, etc.). This is useful in the rare case
where corrupt settings prevent the Express Gate environment from launching properly.
The rst time wizard will run again when you enter the Express Gate environment after
clearing its settings.
2.7.3 AI NET 2
Check Realtek LAN cable [Disabled]
Enables or disables checking of the Realtek LAN cable during the Power-On Self-Test
(POST). Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
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2.8 Exit menu
Exit system setup
after saving the
changes.
F10 key can be used
for this operation.
The Exit menu items allow you to load the optimal or failsafe default values for the BIOS
items, and save or discard your changes to the BIOS items.
Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit
Exit Options
Exit & Save Changes
Exit & Discard Changes
Discard Changes
Load Setup Defaults
Pressing <Esc> does not immediately exit this menu. Select one of the options from this
menu or <F10> from the legend bar to exit.
BIOS SETUP UTILITY
Exit system setup
after saving the
changes.
F10 key can be used
for this operation.
Exit & Save Changes
Once you are nished making your selections, choose this option from the Exit menu to
ensure the values you selected are saved to the CMOS RAM. An onboard backup battery
sustains the CMOS RAM so it stays on even when the PC is turned off. When you select this
option, a conrmation window appears. Select OK to save changes and exit.
Exit & Discard Changes
Select this option only if you do not want to save the changes that you made to the Setup
program. If you made changes to elds other than System Date, System Time, and
Password, the BIOS asks for a conrmation before exiting.
Discard Changes
This option allows you to discard the selections you made and restore the previously saved
values. After selecting this option, a conrmation appears. Select OK to discard any changes
and load the previously saved values.
Load Setup Defaults
This option allows you to load the default values for each of the parameters on the Setup
menus. When you select this option or if you press <F5>, a conrmation window appears.
Select OK to load default values. Select Exit & Save Changes or make other changes before
saving the values to the non-volatile RAM.
2-22 Chapter 2: BIOS information
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