ASUS M4A88T-M USB3 User Manual

M4A88T-M/USB3

Motherboard

E5893

Second Edition V2

May 2010

Copyright © 2010 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, modified or altered, unless such repair, modification 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 identification or explanation and to the owners’ benefit, without intent to infringe.

Offer to Provide Source Code of Certain Software

This product may contain copyrighted software that is licensed under the General Public License (“GPL”) and under the Lesser General Public License Version (“LGPL”). The GPL and LGPL licensed code in this product is distributed without any warranty. Copies of these licenses are included in this product.

You may obtain the complete corresponding source code (as defined in the GPL) for the GPL Software, and/or the complete corresponding source code of the LGPL Software (with the complete machinereadable “work that uses the Library”) for a period of three years after our last shipment of the product including the GPL Software and/or LGPL Software, which will be no earlier than December 1, 2011, either

(1)for free by downloading it from http://support.asus.com/download;

or

(2)for the cost of reproduction and shipment, which is dependent on the preferred carrier and the location where you want to have it shipped to, by sending a request to:

ASUSTeK Computer Inc.

Legal Compliance Dept. 15 Li Te Rd.,

Beitou, Taipei 112

Taiwan

In your request please provide the name, model number and version, as stated in the About Box of the product for which you wish to obtain the corresponding source code and your contact details so that we can coordinate the terms and cost of shipment with you.

The source code will be distributed WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY and licensed under the same license as the corresponding binary/object code.

This offer is valid to anyone in receipt of this information.

ASUSTeK is eager to duly provide complete source code as required under various Free Open Source Software licenses. If however you encounter any problems in obtaining the full corresponding source code we would be much obliged if you give us a notification to the email address [e-mail], stating the product and describing the problem (please do NOT send large attachments such as source code archives etc to this email address).

ii

Contents

Notices.........................................................................................................	vi
Safety information......................................................................................	vii
About this guide.........................................................................................	vii
M4A88T-M/USB3 specifications 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 configurations . .................................................	1-12
	1.7.3	Installing a DIMM ...........................................................	1-16
	1.7.4	Removing a DIMM .........................................................	1-16
1.8	Expansion slots..........................................................................		1-17
	1.8.1	Installing an expansion card ..........................................	1-17
	1.8.2	Configuring an expansion card ......................................	1-17
	1.8.3	PCI slot ..........................................................................	1-17
	1.8.4	PCI Express x1 slots .....................................................	1-17
	1.8.5	PCI Express x16 slot . ....................................................	1-17
1.9	Jumpers	.......................................................................................	1-18
1.10	Connectors..................................................................................		1-19
	1.10.1 ............................................................	Rear panel ports	1-19
	1.10.2 ........................................................	Internal connectors	1-21

iii

Contents

1.11	Onboard switches.......................................................................		1-28
1.12	Onboard LEDs.............................................................................		1-29
1.13	Software support........................................................................		1-30
	1.13.1	Installing an operating system.......................................	1-30
	1.13.2	Support DVD information...............................................	1-30

Chapter 2		BIOS information
2.1	Managing and updating your BIOS.............................................		2-1
	2.1.1	ASUS Update..................................................................	2-1
	2.1.2	ASUS EZ Flash 2............................................................	2-2
	2.1.3	ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3................................................	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	Configuration fields..........................................................	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 1~6.............................	2-7
	2.3.4	SATA Configuration..........................................................	2-8
	2.3.5	System Information..........................................................	2-9
2.4	Advanced menu............................................................................		2-9
	2.4.1	JumperFree Configuration...............................................	2-9
	2.4.2	CPU Configuration.........................................................	2-12
	2.4.3	Chipset..........................................................................	2-14
	2.4.4	Onboard Device Configuration......................................	2-15
	2.4.5	PCIPnP..........................................................................	2-16
	2.4.6	USB Configuration.........................................................	2-16

iv

Contents

2.5	Power menu................................................................................		2-17
	2.5.1	Suspend Mode..............................................................	2-17
	2.5.2	ACPI 2.0 Support...........................................................	2-17
	2.5.3	ACPI APIC Support.......................................................	2-17
	2.5.4	APM Configuration........................................................	2-17
	2.5.5	HW Monitor Configuration.............................................	2-18
	2.5.6	Anti Surge Support........................................................	2-18
2.6	Boot menu...................................................................................		2-19
	2.6.1	Boot Device Priority.......................................................	2-19
	2.6.2	Boot Settings Configuration...........................................	2-19
	2.6.3	Security..........................................................................	2-20
2.7	Tools menu..................................................................................		2-21
	2.7.1	ASUS EZ Flash 2..........................................................	2-21
	2.7.2	Express Gate.................................................................	2-22
	2.7.3	ASUS O.C. Profile.........................................................	2-22
	2.7.4	AI NET 2........................................................................	2-23
2.8	Exit menu.....................................................................................		2-24

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 modifications 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

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 fix it by yourself. Contact a qualified 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 qualified service technician or your retailer.

About this guide

This user guide contains the information you need when installing and configuring the motherboard.

How this guide is organized

This guide contains the following parts:

•Chapter 1: Product introduction

This chapter describes the features of the motherboard and the new technology it supports.

•Chapter 2: BIOS information

This chapter tells how to change system settings through the BIOS Setup menus. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided.

vii

Conventions used in this guide

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

DANGER/WARNING: Information to prevent injury to yourself when trying to complete a task.

CAUTION: Information to prevent damage to the components when trying to complete a task.

IMPORTANT: Instructions that you MUST follow to complete a task.

NOTE: Tips and additional information to help you complete a task.

Where to find 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 flyers, 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

M4A88T-M/USB3 specifications summary

CPU

Chipset

System bus

Memory

Graphics

Expansion slots

Storage / RAID

Audio

AMD® Socket AM3 for AMD® Phenom™ II / Athlon™ II /

Sempron™ 100 series processors

Supports 45nm CPU

Supports CPU up to 140W AMD® Cool ‘n’ Quiet™ Technology

* Refer to www.asus.com for the AMD® CPU support list

AMD® 880G / SB710

Up to 5200MT/s HyperTransport™ 3.0 interface

Dual-channel memory architecture

4 x 240-pin DIMM slots support maximum 16GB unbuffered ECC and non-ECC DDR3 1866(O.C.)/1333/1066MHz

memory modules

* AMD AM3 100 and 200 series CPUs support up to DDR3 1066MHz.

**Refer to www.asus.com for the latest Memory QVL

(Qualified Vendors List).

***When you install a total memory of 4GB or more, Windows®

32-bit operating system may only recognize less than 3GB.

Use a Windows® 64-bit operating system if you want to install a total memory of 4GB or more on this motherboard.

Integrated ATI Radeon™ HD 4250 GPU

Supports Dual-link DVI-D with maximum resolution up to

2560 x1600 @60Hz

Supports HDMI™ with maximum resolution up to 1920 x 1080

Supports D-Sub with maximum resolution up to

2048x1536 @85Hz

Supports dual independent displays

–D-Sub & HDMI

–D-Sub & DVI-D

Supports Microsoft® DirectX 10.1, OpenGL 2.0,

Shader Model 4.1, Universal Video Decoder (UVD) 2.0, Hardware Decode Acceleration for H.264, VC-1, and MPEG-2

Maximum shared memory up to 1GB Supports Hybrid CrossFireX™

* Refer to www.amd.com for the discrete GPUs which support Hybrid CrossFireX™.

1 x PCIe 2.0 x16 slot

2 x PCIe 2.0 x1 slots

1 x PCI slot

1 x Ultra DMA 133/100 connector

6 x Serial ATA 3Gb/s connectors support RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 10, and JBOD configurations

VIA® VT1708S 8-channel High Definition Audio CODEC

Supports Jack-detection, Multi-streaming, and Front Panel Jack-Retasking technologies (HD mode only)

Optical S/PDIF_OUT port at the back panel

(continued on the next page)

ix

M4A88T-M/USB3 specifications summary

USB

LAN

ASUS unique features

ASUS overclocking features

Other features

2 x USB 3.0 / 2.0 ports (blue, at the back panel)

10 x USB 2.0 / 1.1 ports (6 ports at mid-board, 4 ports at the back panel)

Realtek® RTL8111E Gigabit LAN controller featuring AI NET 2

ASUS Green Design

ASUS EPU-4 Engine

ASUS Hybrid OS

ASUS Express Gate

ASUS Exclusive Features

ASUS MemOK!

ASUS Core Unlocker

ASUS Anti-Surge Protection

ASUS Quiet Thermal Solutions

ASUS Fanless Design: Heatsink Solution

ASUS Q-Fan

ASUS EZ DIY

ASUS O.C. Profile

ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3

ASUS EZ Flash 2

ASUS MyLogo 2

Intelligent overclocking tools

ASUS GPU NOS (not working in Hybrid CrossFireX mode) ASUS TurboV

ASUS Turbo Key

ASUS Auto Tuning (Fast Mode only)

Precision Tweaker 2

vCore: Adjustable CPU voltage at 0.003125V increment vChipset (N.B.): Adjustable chipset voltage at 0.01V increment vDIMM: Adjustable DRAM voltage at 0.0150V increment

SFS (Stepless Frequency Selection)

HT frequency tuning from 200MHz to 550MHz at 1MHz increment

PCIe frequency tuning from 100MHz to 150MHz at 1MHz increment

Overclocking Protection:

ASUS C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)

100% All High Quality Conductive Polymer Capacitors

(continued on the next page)

M4A88T-M/USB3 specifications summary

Back panel I/O ports

Internal I/O connectors

BIOS

Manageability

Accessories

Support DVD

Form factor

1 x PS/2 keyboard / mouse combo port

1 x Optical S/PDIF_OUT port

1 x HDMI port

1 x DVI-D port

1 x D-Sub port

1 x LAN (RJ-45) port

2 x USB 3.0 / 2.0 ports (blue)

4 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

1 x COM connector

1 x LPT connector

6 x SATA 3Gb/s connectors

1 x Front panel audio connector

1 x System panel connector

1 x S/PDIF_OUT connector

1 x CPU fan connector

1 x Chassis fan connector

1 x 24-pin EATX power connector

1 x 4-pin ATX 12V power connector

1 x MemOK! button

16Mb Flash ROM, AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI 2.0, WfM 2.0, SM BIOS 2.5, ACPI 2.0a, ASUS EZ Flash 2,

ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3

WOL by PME, WOR by PME, WOR by Ring, PXE

1 x Ultra DMA 133/100 cable

2 x Serial ATA cables

1 x I/O shield

1 x User Manual

Drivers

ASUS Utilities

Anti-Virus software (OEM version)

MicroATX form factor: 9.6 in x 9.6 in (24.4 cm x 24.4 cm)

* Specifications are subject to change without notice.

xi

xii

Chapter 1

Product introduction

1.1Welcome!

Thank you for buying an ASUS® M4A88T-M/USB3 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.

1.2Package contents

Check your motherboard package for the following items.

Motherboard	ASUS M4A88T-M/USB3 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
Documentation	User Manual

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

1.3Special features

1.3.1Product highlights

AMD® AM3 Phenom™ II / Athlon™ II / Sempron™ 100 series CPU support

This motherboard supports AMD® Socket AM3 multi-core processors with unique L3 cache and delivers better overclocking capabilities with less power consumption. It features dual-channel DDR3 1333 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 45nm manufacturing process.

ASUS M4A88T-M/USB3

1-1

AMD® 880G Chipset

The AMD® 880G 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 efficiency 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.

DDR3 1866 (O.C.) support

The motherboard supports DDR3 memory that features data transfer rates of 1866 (O.C.)/1333/1066 MHz to meet the higher bandwidth requirements of the latest operation system, 3D graphics, multimedia, and Internet applications.

PCI Express 2.0 support

This motherboard supports PCI Express 2.0 devices for double speed and bandwidth which enhances system performance.

S/PDIF digital sound ready

This motherboard provides convenient connectivity to external home theater audio systems via S/PDIF_OUT (SONY-PHILIPS Digital Interface) jacks. The S/PDIF transfers digital audio without converting it to analog format and keeps the best signal quality.

USB 3.0 support

Experience ultra-fast data transfer at 4.8Gbps with USB 3.0 - the latest connectivity standard. Built to connect easily with next-generation components and peripherals, USB 3.0 transfers data 10x faster and is also backward compatible with USB 2.0 devices.

Hybrid CrossFireX™ support

ATI Hybrid CrossFireX™ technology greatly boosts graphics performance with an onboard GPU and a discrete GPU.

• Hybrid CrossFireX™ is supported by Windows® Vista / 7 OS only.

• Refer to www.amd.com for the discrete GPUs which support Hybrid CrossFireX™.

1-2	Chapter 1: Product introduction

Serial ATA 3Gb/s technology and RAID support

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

3Gb/s storage specifications, delivering enhanced salability and doubling the bus bandwidth for high-speed data saving and retrieval. It also supports RAID 0, RAID 1, and RAID 0+1 configurations for Serial ATA hard drives.

8-channel high definition audio

The onboard 8-channel HD audio (High Definition Audio, previously codenamed Azalia) CODEC enables high-quality 192KHz/24-bit audio output and jack-detect feature that automatically detects and identifies what types of peripherals are plugged into the audio I/O jacks and notifies users of inappropriate connection, which means there will be no more confusion of Line-in, Line-out, and Mic jacks.

HDMI support

HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is a set of digital video standards that deliver multi-channel digital audio and uncompressed digital video for full HD 1080p visuals through a single cable. Supporting

HDCP copy protection such as HD DVD and Blu-ray discs, HDMI provides you with the highest-quality home theater experience.

HDMI/DVI/RGB support

This motherboard supports multiple digital and analog display output interfaces - HDMI, DVI, and D-Sub. With such diversity of display outputs, you are able to choose and upgrade display devices freely.

100% All High-quality Conductive Polymer Capacitors

This motherboard uses high-quality conductive polymer capacitors for durability, improved lifespan, and enhanced thermal capacity.

1.3.2Innovative 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 flash drives with at least 1.2GB free disk space. When installing it on USB HDDs or flash drives, connect the drives to the motherboard USB port before turning on the computer.

•The actual boot time depends on the system configuration.

•ASUS Express Gate supports file uploading from SATA HDDs, ODDs and USB drives. It supports file downloading to USB drives only.

ASUS M4A88T-M/USB3

1-3

ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3

ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 is an auto-recovery tool that allows you to restore a corrupted BIOS file using the bundled support DVD or a USB flash disk that contains the BIOS file.

ASUS EZ Flash 2

ASUS EZ Flash 2 allows you to update the BIOS from a USB flash 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 Core Unlocker

1 2

ASUS Core Unlocker simplifies the activation of a latent AMD CPU with just a simple click.

ASUS TurboV

Feel the adrenalin rush of real-time OC --- now a reality with the ASUS TurboV. This easy OC tool allows you to overclock without exiting or rebooting the OS, and its user-friendly interface makes overclocking easy with just a few clicks away. The ASUS OC profiles in TurboV provides the best O.C. settings in different scenarios.

ASUS Auto Tuning

ASUS Auto Tuning is an intelligent tool that automates overclocking to achieve a total system level up.

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 Anti-Surge Protection

This special design prevents expensive devices and the motherboard from damage caused by power surges from switching power supply (PSU).

ASUS GPU NOS

ASUS GPU NOS technology intelligently detects graphics loading and automatically boosts performance for the most demanding tasks. It provides you with a faster reaction time for an excellent graphics performance.

ASUS GPU NOS does not work in Hybrid CrossFireX mode.

1-4	Chapter 1: Product introduction

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 efficient 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.

1.4Before you proceed

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

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

•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.

ASUS M4A88T-M/USB3

1-5

1.5Motherboard overview

1.5.1Placement 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.

1.5.2Screw holes

Place eight 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.

M4A88T-M/USB3

1-6

Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.5.3Motherboard layout

1

2

3

1

4

5

24.4cm(9.6in)

KB_USB56

ATX12V

CPU_FAN

COM1

Super

SPDIFO_

I/O

HDMI

SOCKET AM3

A2(64bit, 240-pin module)

B2(64bit, 240-pin module)

A1(64bit, 240-pin module)

B1(64bit, 240-pin module)

LPT

VGA

6

DVI

7

MemOK!

_

_

_

_

USB34

DIMM

DIMM

DIMM

DIMM

DRAM_LED

8

24.4cm(9.6in)

LAN1_USB12

NEC

CHA_FAN

DDR3

DDR3

DDR3

DDR3

USB 3.0

AUDIO

ICS

482A

AMD®

IDE

2

880G

PRI

PCIEX1_1

EATXPWR

9

RTL

8111E

PCIEX16

M4A88T-M/USB3

AMD®

10

16Mb

PCIEX1_2

Lithium Cell

SB710

BIOS

CMOS Power

SATA4

SATA5

SATA6

VIA

PCI1

SB_PWR

11

VT1708S

CLRTC

USB78

USB910

USB1112 PANEL

SATA1

SATA2

SATA3

SPDIF_OUT

AAFP

16

15

14

13

12

1.5.4Layout contents

Connectors/Jumpers/Slots/LED		Page	Connectors/Jumpers/Slots/LED		Page
1.	CPU and chassis fan connectors	1-27	9.	IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE)	1-23
	(4-pin CPU_FAN and 3-pin CHA_FAN)
2.	ATX power connectors (24-pin EATXPWR,	1-22	10.	Onboard power LED (SB_PWR)	1-29
	4-pin ATX12V)
3.	AM3 CPU Socket	1-8	11.	SATA connectors (7-pin SATA1-6)	1-24
4.	DDR3 DIMM slots	1-11	12.	System panel connector (20-8 pin PANEL)	1-25
5.	Serial port connector (10-1 pin COM1)	1-26	13.	Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC)	1-18
6.	LPT connector (26-1 pin LPT)	1-27	14.	USB connectors (10-1 pin USB78, USB910,	1-26
				USB1112)
7.	MemOK! button	1-28	15.	Digital audio connector (4-1 pin SPDIF_OUT)	1-24
8.	DRAM LED	1-29	16.	Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin AAFP)	1-21

ASUS M4A88T-M/USB3

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1.6Central Processing Unit (CPU)

This motherboard comes with an AM3 socket designed for Phenom™ II / Athlon™ II /

Sempron™ 100 series processors.

The AM3 socket has a different pinout from the AM2+/AM2 socket. Ensure that you use a CPU designed for the AM3 socket. The CPU fits in only one correct orientation. DO NOT force the CPU into the socket to prevent bending the pins and damaging the CPU!

1.6.1Installing the CPU

To install a CPU:

1.Locate the CPU socket on the motherboard.

M4A88T-M/USB3

M4A88T-M/USB3 CPU Socket AM3

2. Press the lever sideways to unlock the

Socket lever

socket, then lift it up to a 90°-100° angle.

Ensure that the socket lever is lifted up to a 90°-100° angle; otherwise, the CPU will not fit in completely.

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 fits in place.

The CPU fits 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

1-8	Chapter 1: Product introduction

5.When the CPU is in place, push down the socket lever to secure the CPU. The lever clicks on the side tab to indicate that it is locked.

6. Install a CPU heatsink and fan following the instructions that 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.

CPU_FAN

CPU FAN PWM

CPU FAN IN

CPU FAN PWR

GND

M4A88T-M/USB3

M4A88T-M/USB3 CPU fan connector

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

ASUS M4A88T-M/USB3

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