ASUS MEL-C User Manual

R

MEL-C

Socket 370 Motherboard

USER’S MANUAL

USER'S NOTICE

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”).

ASUS PROVIDES THIS MANUAL “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND,
EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED T O THE IMPLIED
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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.

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.

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.

• Intel, LANDesk, and Pentium are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation.

• IBM and OS/2 are registered trademarks of International Business Machines.

• Symbios is a registered trademark of Symbios Logic Corporation.

• Windows and MS-DOS are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

• Adobe and Acrobat are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated.
The product name and revision number are both printed on the product itself. Manual revi-

sions are released for each product design represented by the digit before and after the period
of the manual revision number. Manual updates are represented by the third digit in the manual
revision number.

For previous or updated manuals, BIOS, drivers, or product release information, contact ASUS
at http://www.asus.com.tw or through any of the means indicated on the following page.

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 MA Y APPEAR IN THIS MANUAL, INCLUD­ING THE PRODUCTS AND SOFTWARE DESCRIBED IN IT.

Copyright © 1999 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. All Rights Reserved.

Product Name: ASUS MEL-C
Manual Revision: 1.02 E354
Release Date: March 1999

2 ASUS MEL-C User’s Manual

ASUS CONTACT INFORMATION

ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (Asia-Pacific)

Marketing

Address: 150 Li-Te Road, Peitou, Taipei, Taiwan 112
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Technical Support

Tel (English): [phone] ext. 706
Tel (Chinese): [phone] ext. 701
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Newsgroup: news2.asus.com.tw
WWW: www.asus.com.tw
FTP: ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS

ASUS COMPUTER INTERNATIONAL (America)

Marketing

Address: 6737 Mowry Avenue, Mowry Business Center, Building 2

Newark, CA 94560, USA
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Technical Support

Fax: [phone]
BBS: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
WWW: www.asus.com
FTP: ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS

ASUS COMPUTER GmbH (Europe)

Marketing

Address: Harkort Str. 25, 40880 Ratingen, BRD, Germany
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Technical Support

Hotline: [phone]
BBS: 49-2102-448690
Email: [e-mail]
WWW: www.asuscom.de
FTP: ftp.asuscom.de/pub/ASUSCOM

ASUS MEL-C User’s Manual 3

CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION.............................................................................. 7

How this manual is organized............................................................. 7

Item Checklist ..................................................................................... 7

II. FEATURES ....................................................................................... 8

The ASUS MEL-C Motherboard ........................................................ 8

Parts of the ASUS MEL-C Motherboard .......................................... 11

III. HARDWARE SETUP .................................................................... 12

ASUS MEL-C Motherboard Layout................................................. 12

Hardware Setup Steps ....................................................................... 14

1. Motherboard Settings.................................................................... 14

2. System Memory (DIMM) ............................................................. 17

DIMM Memory Installation .................................................. 18

3. Central Processing Unit (CPU).................................................... 19

4. Expansion Cards ........................................................................... 21

Expansion Card Installation Procedure ................................. 21

Assigning IRQs for Expansion Cards.................................... 21

Assigning DMA Channels for ISA Cards.............................. 22

Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) ......................................... 22

5. External Connectors..................................................................... 23

Power Connection Procedures .......................................................... 33

Flash Memory Writer Utility ............................................................ 34

IV. BIOS SETUP................................................................................... 34

Main Menu .................................................................................. 34

Managing and Updating Your Motherboard’s BIOS................... 36

6. BIOS Setup .................................................................................. 37

Load Defaults ........................................................................ 38

Standard CMOS Setup ................................................................ 38

Details of Standard CMOS Setup:......................................... 38

BIOS Features Setup ................................................................... 41

Details of BIOS Features Setup............................................. 41

Chipset Features Setup ................................................................ 44

Details of Chipset Features Setup.......................................... 44

Power Management Setup........................................................... 47

Details of Power Management Setup .................................... 47

PNP and PCI Setup ..................................................................... 50

Details of PNP and PCI Setup ............................................... 50

Load BIOS Defaults .................................................................... 52

Load Setup Defaults .................................................................... 52

4 ASUS MEL-C User’s Manual

CONTENTS

Supervisor Password and User Password ................................... 53

IDE HDD Auto Detection ........................................................... 54

Save & Exit Setup ....................................................................... 55

Exit Without Saving .................................................................... 55

V. SOFTWARE SETUP ...................................................................... 59

VI. SOFTWARE REFERENCE......................................................... 65

VII. APPENDIX.................................................................................... 78

ASUS MEL-C User’s Manual 5

FCC & DOC COMPLIANCE

Federal Communications Commission Statement

This device complies with FCC Rules Part 15. 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:

• Re-orient 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.

WARNING! Be sure that there is sufficient air circulation across the processor’ s

heatsink by regularly checking that your CPU fan is working. W ithout sufficient
circulation, the processor could overheat and damage both the processor and the
motherboard. You may install an auxiliary fan, if necessary.

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.

6 ASUS MEL-C User’s Manual

I. INTRODUCTION

How this manual is organized

This manual is divided into the following sections:

I. Introduction Manual information and checklist
II. Features Information and specifications concerning this product
III. Hardware Setup Instructions on setting up the motherboard
IV. BIOS Setup Instructions on setting up the BIOS software
V. Software Setup Instructions on setting up the included support software
VI. Software Reference Reference material for the included support software
VII. Appendix Information on available optional hardware

Item Checklist

Check that your package is complete. If you discover damaged or missing items,
please contact your retailer.

(1) ASUS Motherboard

Sections/Checklist

I. INTRODUCTION

(1) IDE ribbon cable for master and slave drives
(1) Ribbon cable for (1) 5.25” and (2) 3.5” floppy disk drives
(1) Bag of spare jumper caps
(1) Support CD with drivers and utilities
(1) This Motherboard User’s Manual

ASUS IrDA-compliant infrared module (optional)
ASUS PCI-L101 Wake-On-LAN 10/100 Fast Ethernet Card (optional)

ASUS MEL-C User’s Manual 7

II. FEATURES

The ASUS MEL-C Motherboard

The ASUS MEL-C motherboard is carefully designed for the demanding PC user
who wants many intelligent features in a small package.

Specifications:

• Intel Processor Support: Supports Intel Celeron processors (300MHz and faster)

designed for the Socket 370 and packaged in a Plastic Pin Grid Array (PPGA).

II. FEATURES

Features

• Intel AGPset: Features Intel’s 440LX AGPset with a 66MHz Front Side Bus

and I/O subsystems.

• Enhanced ACPI & Anti-Boot Virus BIOS: Programmable BIOS (Flash

EEPROM), offering enhanced ACPI for W indows 98 compatibility , built-in firm­ware-based virus protection, and autodetection of most devices for virtually au­tomatic setup.

• Versatile Memory: Equipped with three DIMM sockets to support Intel PC66-

compliant SDRAMs (8, 16, 32, 64, 128, or 256MB) up to 768MB.

• AGP Slot: Supports an Accelerated Graphics Port card for high performance,

component level interconnect targeted at 3D graphical display applications sup­porting a 1X or 2X mode bus.

• Onboard Audio (optional): Features an ESS Solo-1 32-bit PCI audio onboard.

Includes a complete online help to guide you through the audio software.

• PCI & ISA Expansion: Provides four 32-bit PCI and two 16-bit ISA expansion

slots.

• Wake-On-LAN Connector: Supports Wake-On-LAN activity through an op-

tional ASUS PCI-L101 Fast Ethernet card or a similar ethernet card.

• SB-Link™: Features Creative’s SB-Link™, allowing SB16 compatibility, us-

ing Intel’ s PC-PCI and serialized IRQ protocols, to A WE64D or compatible PCI
audio cards.

• Super Multi-I/O: Provides two high-speed UART compatible serial ports and

one parallel port with EPP and ECP capabilities.

• Desktop Management Interface (DMI): Supports DMI through BIOS, which

allows hardware to communicate within a standard protocol creating a higher
level of compatibility. (Requires DMI-enabled components.)

• Ultra DMA/33 BM IDE: Comes with an onboard PCI Bus Master IDE controller

with two connectors that support four IDE devices in two channels, supports Ultra
DMA/33, PIO Modes 3 and 4 and Bus Master IDE DMA Mode 2, and supports
Enhanced IDE devices, such as Tape Backup, CD-ROM, and LS-120 drives.

• Easy Installation: Equipped with BIOS that supports autodetection of hard

drives, PS/2 mouse, and Plug and Play devices to make setup of hard drives,
expansion cards, and other devices virtually automatic.

8 ASUS MEL-C User’s Manual

II. FEATURES

• IrDA: Supports an optional infrared port module for wireless interface.

• Quick Adjustments: Changing CPU and onboard features settings is a snap

with easy-to-access DIP switches.

Performance:

• ACPI Ready: ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) is also imple-

mented on all ASUS smart series motherboards. ACPI provides more Energy
Saving Features for future operating systems (OS) supporting OS Direct Power
Management (OSPM) functionality . W ith these features implemented in the OS,
PCs can be ready around the clock, yet satisfy all the energy saving standards.
T o fully utilize the benefits of ACPI, an ACPI-supported OS such as the succes­sor of Windows 95 must be used.

• Double the IDE Transfer Speed: IDE transfers using UltraDMA/33 Bus Mas-

ter IDE can handle rates up to 33MB/sec. The best of all is that this new technol­ogy is compatible with existing AT A-2 IDE specifications so there is no need to
upgrade current hard drives or cables.

Features

II. FEATURES

• Concurrent PCI: Concurrent PCI allows multiple PCI transfers from PCI mas-

ter buses to memory to CPU.

• PC’98 Compliant: Both the BIOS and hardware levels of the motherboard meets

PC’98 compliancy . The new PC’98 requirements for systems and components are
based on the following high-level goals: Support for Plug and Play compatibility
and power management for configuring and managing all system components,
and 32-bit device drivers and installation procedures for Windows 95/98/NT.

• SDRAM Optimized Performance: ASUS smart series motherboards support

the new generation memory, Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory
(SDRAM), which increases the data transfer rate to 528MB/s max using SDRAM.

ASUS MEL-C User’s Manual 9

II. FEATURES

Features

II. FEATURES

Intelligent Features:

• Dual Function Power Button: The system can be in one of two states, one is

Sleep mode and the other is the Soft-Off mode. Pushing the power button for
less than 4 seconds places the system into Sleep mode. When the power button
is pressed for more than 4 seconds, it enters the Soft-Off mode.

• Remote Ring On (requires modem): This allows a computer to be turned on

remotely through an internal or external modem. With this benefit on-hand, any
user can access vital information from their computer from anywhere in the world!

• Message LED (requires ACPI OS support): Chassis LEDs now act as infor-

mation providers. Through the way a particular LED illuminates, the user can
determine the stage the computer is in. A simple glimpse provides useful infor­mation to the user.

• Keyboard Power Up: Keyboard Power Up can be enabled or disabled to allow

the computer to be powered on by pressing the space bar on the keyboard.

10 ASUS MEL-C User’s Manual

II. FEATURES

Parts of the ASUS MEL-C Motherboard

T: PS/2 Mouse
B: PS/2 Keyboard

T: USB 1
B: USB 2

B: COM 1

T: Parallel/Printer
B: Serial Ports

B: COM 2

T: Joystick/Midi
B: Out/In/Mic
(Optional)

ESS Solo-1 Audio
(Optional)

ATX Power

Connector

Socket 370

Intel 440LX

AGPset

3 DIMM Sockets

IDE1 & 2

II. FEATURES

Motherboard Parts

AGP Port

Multi-I/O Chip

Programmable
Flash EEPROM

4 PCI Slots

2 ISA Slots

TM

SB-Link

Connector

Wake-On-LAN

Connector

Intel PIIX4 PCIset

Wake-On-Ring

Connector

DIP

Switches

ASUS MEL-C User’s Manual 11

III. HARDWARE SETUP

ASUS MEL-C Motherboard Layout

PS/2

T: Mouse
B: Keyboard

USB

T: Port 1
B: Port 2

COM1

PARALLEL PORT

Motherboard Layout

III. H/W SETUP

COM2

GAME/AUDIO

Line

Line

Mic

Out

In

In

KBPWR

ATX Power Conenctor

AUX

CD1

CD2

MODEM

ESS

Audio

Chipset

Socket 370

Intel

440LX

AGPset

Accelerated Graphics Port

CPU_FAN

Row

PWR_FAN

SECONDARY IDE

CLRTC

DIMM Socket 1 (64/72 bit, 168 pin module)

DIMM Socket 2 (64/72 bit, 168 pin module)

DIMM Socket 3 (64/72 bit, 168 pin module)

PRIMARY IDE

3 2

5 4

1 0

PCI Slot 1

Multi-

I/O

Chip

WOL_CON

PCI Slot 2

PCI Slot 3

PCI Slot 4

2Mbit Flash EEPROM

(Programmable BIOS)

SBLINK

CR2032 3V
Lithium Cell

CMOS Power

ISA Slot 1

SMB

ISA Slot 2

(Grayed items are optional at the time of purchase.)

FLOPPY

Intel

PIIX4

Chipset

WOR

CHA_FAN

DIP

Switches

IR

IDELED

PANEL

12 ASUS MEL-C User’s Manual

III. HARDWARE SETUP

Motherboard Settings

1) KBPWR p. 14 Keyboard Power Up (Enable/Disable)

2) DIP5 p. 15 Onboard Audio Setting

3) DIP6 p. 15 VIO Setting

4) DIP1,2,3 p. 16 CPU Bus Frequency

5) DIP7,8,9,10 p. 16 CPU Core:Bus Frequency Multiple

Expansion Slots

1) DIMM1,2,3 p. 17 168-Pin DIMM Memory Support

2) Socket 370 p. 19 Central Processing Unit (CPU) Socket

3) SLOT1, SLOT2 p. 21 16-bit ISA Bus Expansion Slots

4) PC I 1,2,3,4 p. 22 32-bit PCI Bus Expansion Slots

5) AGP p. 22 Accelerated Graphics Port

Connectors

1) PS2KBMS p. 23 PS/2 Mouse Connector (6-pin female)

2) PS2KBMS p. 23 PS/2 Keyboard Connector (6-pin female)

3) USB p. 24 Universal Serial BUS Ports 1 & 2 (T wo 4-pin female)

4) PRINTER p. 24 Parallel Port Connector (25-pin female)

5) COM1, COM2 p. 24 Serial Port COM1 and COM2 Connectors (9-pi n male)

6) GAME_AUDIO p. 25 Joystick/Midi Connector (15-pin female) (optional)

7) GAME_AUDIO p. 25 Audio Port Connectors (Three 1/8” female) (optional)

8) ATXPWR p. 25 ATX Power Supply Connector (20 pins)

9) PRIMARY/SECONDAR Y IDEp. 26 Primary/Secondary IDE Connectors (Two 40-1pins)

10) FLOPPY p. 26 Floppy Disk Drive Connector (34-1pins)

11) CHA_, CPU_, PWR_FAN p. 27 Chassis, CPU, Power Supply Fan Connectors (Three 3-pin)

12) WOL_CON p. 27 Wake-On-LAN Connector (3 pins)

13) WOR p. 28 Wake-On-Ring Connector (2 pins)

14) IR p. 28 IrDA-Compliant Infrared Module Connector (5 pins)

15) IDELED p. 29 IDE LED Activity Light (2 pins)

16) SBLINK p. 29 SB-Link

17) MODEM p. 29 Modem Card Voice In Connector (4 pins)

18) SMB p. 30 SMBus Connector (5-1 pins)

19) AUX/CD1/CD2 p. 30 Stereo Audio In Connectors (Three 4-pin)

20) MSG.LED (PANEL) p. 31 System Message LED (2 pins)

21) SMI (PANEL) p. 31 SMI Switch Lead (2 pins)

22) PWR.SW (PANEL) p. 31 ATX Power & Soft-Off Switch Lead (2 pins)

23) RESET (PANEL) p. 31 Reset Switch Lead (2 pins)

24)

PWR.LED (

25)

KEYLOCK (

26) SPEAKER (PANEL) p. 31 System Warning Speaker Connector (4 pins)

PANEL

PANEL

)

)

p. 31 System Power LED Lead (3-1 pins)
p. 31 Keyboard Lock Switch Lead (2 pins)

TM

Connector (6-1 pins)

*

III. H/W SETUP

Layout Contents

ASUS MEL-C User’s Manual 13

Hardware Setup Steps

Before using your computer, you must complete the following steps:

1. Check Motherboard Settings

2. Install Memory Modules

3. Install the Central Processing Unit (CPU)

4. Install Expansion Cards

5. Connect Ribbon Cables, Panel Wires, and Power Supply

6. Setup the BIOS Software

1. Motherboard Settings

WARNING! Computer motherboards, baseboards and components, such as SCSI

cards, contain very delicate Integrated Circuit (IC) chips. To protect them against

Motherboard Settings

III. H/W SETUP

damage from static electricity , you should follow some precautions whenever you
work on your computer .

1. Unplug your computer when working on the inside.

2. Use a grounded wrist strap before handling computer components. If you do
not have one, touch both of your hands to a safely grounded object or to a
metal object, such as the power supply case.

3. Hold components by the edges and try not to touch the IC chips, leads o r
connectors, or other components.

4. Place components on a grounded antistatic pad or on the bag that came with
the component whenever the components are separated from the system.

III. HARDWARE SETUP

1. Keyboard Power Up (3-pin KBPWR)

This allows you to disable or enable the keyboard power up function. Set this
jumper to Enable if you wish to use your keyboard (by pressing the spacebar) to
power up your computer. This feature requires an ATX power supply that can
supply at least 300mA on the +5VSB lead. The default is set to Disable because
not all computers have the appropriate ATX power supply. Your computer will
not power on if you set this to Enable and if you do not have the right ATX
power supply.

KBPWR

3
2
1

Disable

(Default)

MEL-C Keyboard Power Up

KBPWR

3
2
1

Enable

14 ASUS MEL-C User’s Manual

III. HARDWARE SETUP

Motherboard Feature Settings (DIP Switches)

The motherboard’ s onboard features can be adjusted through the DIP switches. The
white block represents the switch’s position. The example below shows all the
switches in the OFF position.

OFF

12345678910

ON

ON

<Frequency Selector
<Frequency Selector
<Frequency Selector
<Reserved
<Onboard Audio Setting
<VIO Setting
<Frequency Multiple Selector
<Frequency Multiple Selector
<Frequency Multiple Selector
<Frequency Multiple Selector

MEL-C DIP Switch

2. Onboard Audio Setting (DIP5)

The onboard audio can be turned ON or OFF using DIP5.

III. H/W SETUP

Motherboard Settings

Enable

ON

12345 678910

MEL-C Audio Setting

Disable

ON

12345 678910

3. VIO Setting (DIP6)

The onboard voltage regulator allows you to select the voltage supplied to the
DRAM, chipset, AGP, and the CPU’s I/O buffer. IMPORTANT! Setting this
jumper to Add 0.1 Volt may cause your system to become unstable. It is strongly
recommended that you leave this jumper on its default setting of Normal (3.5V).

Normal Add 0.1Volt

ON

123456 78910

ON

123456 78910

MEL-C VIO Setting

ASUS MEL-C User’s Manual 15

III. HARDWARE SETUP

4. CPU External (BUS) Frequency Selection (DIP1, 2, 3)

These DIP switches tell the clock generator what frequency to send to the CPU.
These allow the selection of the CPU’ s External frequency (or BUS Clock). The
BUS Clock times the BUS Ratio equals the CPU's Internal frequency (the ad-

vertised CPU speed).

CPU/AGP
PCI BUS

MEL-C CPU BUS Frequency Selection

Motherboard Settings

III. H/W SETUP

5. CPU to BUS Frequency Multiple (DIP7, 8, 9, 10)

These DIP switches set the frequency multiple between the Internal frequency
of the CPU and the External frequency (called the BUS Clock) within the CPU.

3.0x(3/1) 5.5x(11/2)

12345678910

ON

→
→

3.5x(7/2)

ON

12345678910

83MHz
41MHz

12345678910

4.0x(4/1)

12345678910

ON

ON

68MHz
34MHz

12345678910

4.5x(9/2)

ON

12345678910

ON

12345678910

75MHz
37MHz

12345678910

ON

12345678910

ON

66MHz
33MHz

12345678910

6.0x(6/1)5.0x(5/1)

ON

12345678910

ON

6.5x(13/2)

ON

12345678910

ON

7.0x(7/1)

ON

12345678910

7.5x(15/2)

ON

12345678910

8.0x(8/1)

12345678910

ON

MEL-C CPU : BUS Frequency Multiple

Set the DIP switches by the Internal speed of your processor as follows:

(BUS Frequency) (Frequency Multiple)

Intel CPU Model Speed Mult Freq. DIP1 DIP2 DIP3 DIP7 DIP8 DIP9 DIP10

Celeron (PPGA) 466MHz 7.0x 66MHz [OFF] [OFF] [OFF] [ON] [OFF] [ON] [OFF]
Celeron (PPGA) 433MHz 6.5x 66MHz [OFF] [OFF] [OFF] [OFF] [ON] [ON] [OFF]
Celeron (PPGA) 400MHz 6.0x 66MHz [OFF] [OFF] [OFF] [ON] [ON] [ON] [OFF]
Celeron (PPGA) 366MHz 5.5x 66MHz [OFF] [OFF] [OFF] [OFF] [OFF] [OFF] [ON]
Celeron (PPGA) 333MHz 5.0x 66MHz [OFF] [OFF] [OFF] [ON] [OFF] [OFF] [ON]
Celeron (PPGA) 300MHz 4.5x 66MHz [OFF] [OFF] [OFF] [OFF] [ON] [OFF] [ON]

16 ASUS MEL-C User’s Manual

III. HARDWARE SETUP

2. System Memory (DIMM)

NOTE: No hardware or BIOS setup is required after adding or removing memory.
This motherboard uses only Dual Inline Memory Modules (DIMMs). Sockets are

available for 3.3Volt (power level) unbuffered Synchronous Dynamic Random Ac-
cess Memory (SDRAM) of either 8, 16, 32, 64, 128MB, or 256MB. One side (with
memory chips) of the DIMM takes up one row on the motherboard.

To utilize the chipset’s Error Checking and Correction (ECC) feature, you must use a
DIMM module with 9 chips per side (standard 8 chips/side + 1 parity chip) and make
the proper settings in BIOS Chipset Features Setup of BIOS SETUP.

Memory speed setup is recommended through SDRAM Configuration under “Chipset
Features Setup” in BIOS SETUP.

W ARNING! Memory modules must have 18 chips or less. Memory modules with

more than 18 chips exceed specifications and may cause unstable operation.

Install memory in any combination as follows:

DIMM Location 168-pin DIMM Total Memory

Socket 1 (Rows 0&1) SDRAM 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256MB x1
Socket 2 (Rows 2&3) SDRAM 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256MB x1
Socket 3 (Rows 4&5) SDRAM 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256MB x1

Total System Memory (Max 768MB) =

General DIMM Notes

• Two possible memory chips are supported: SDRAM with and without ECC.

• SDRAM chips are generally thinner with higher pin density than EDO (Ex­tended Data Output) chips.

• BIOS shows SDRAM memory on bootup screen.

• 8 chips/side modules do not support ECC, only 9 chips/side modules support ECC.

• Single-sided DIMMs come in 16, 32, 64,128MB; double-sided come in 32, 64,
128, 256MB.

III. H/W SETUP

System Memory

ASUS MEL-C User’s Manual 17

DIMM Memory Installation

Insert the module(s) as shown. Because the number of pins are different on either
side of the breaks, the module will only fit in the orientation as shown. DIMM
modules are longer and have different pin contact on each side and therefore have a
higher pin density. SIMM modules have the same pin contact on both sides.

System Memory

III. H/W SETUP

III. HARDWARE SETUP

Lock

FRONT

20 Pins 60 Pins 88 Pins

MEL-C 168-Pin DIMM Sockets

The DIMMs must be 3.3V Unbuffered for this motherboard. T o determine the DIMM
type, check the notches on the DIMMs (see figure below).

168-Pin DIMM Notch Key Definitions (3.3V)

DRAM Key Position

RFU

Buffered

Unbuffered

The notches on the DIMM module will shift between left, center, or right to identify
the type and also to prevent the wrong type from being inserted into the DIMM slot on
the motherboard. You must ask your retailer the correct DIMM type before purchas­ing. This motherboard supports four clock signals.

Voltage Key Position

5.0V

Reserved

3.3V

18 ASUS MEL-C User’s Manual

III. HARDWARE SETUP

3. Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The motherboard provides a ZIF Socket 370. The CPU that came with the mother­board should have a fan attached to it to prevent overheating. If this is not the case
then purchase a fan before you turn on your system.

WARNING! Be sure that there is sufficient air circulation across the processor’s

heatsink by regularly checking that your CPU fan is working. W ithout suf ficient
circulation, the processor could overheat and damage both the processor and the
motherboard. You may install an auxiliary fan, if necessary.

To install a CPU, first turn off your system and remove its cover. Locate the ZIF
socket and open it by first pulling the lever sideways away from the socket then
upwards to a 90-degree right angle. Insert the CPU with the correct orientation as
shown. The notched corner should point towards the end the of the lever. Because
the CPU has a corner pin for two of the four corners, the CPU will only fit in the one
orientation as shown. The picture is for reference only; you should have a CPU fan
that will cover the face of the CPU. W ith the added weight of the CPU fan, no force
is required to insert the CPU. Once completely inserted, close the socket’s lever
while holding down the CPU.

CPU

III. H/W SETUP

NOTE: Set the bus frequency and multiple for your Socket 370 processor.

Socket 370 CPU (Top) Socket 370 CPU (Bottom)

Notch

MEL-C Socket 370

ASUS MEL-C User’s Manual 19

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III. H/W SETUP

III. HARDWARE SETUP

CPU

20 ASUS MEL-C User’s Manual

III. HARDWARE SETUP

4. Expansion Cards

WARNING! Make sure that you unplug your power supply when adding or

removing expansion cards or other system components. Failure to do so may
cause severe damage to both your motherboard and expansion cards.

Expansion Card Installation Procedure

1. Read the documentation for your expansion card and make any necessary hard­ware or software settings for your expansion card, such as jumpers.

2. Remove your computer system’s cover and the bracket plate on the slot you
intend to use. Keep the bracket for possible future use.

3. Carefully align the card’s connectors and press firmly.

4. Secure the card on the slot with the screw you removed above.

5. Replace the computer system’s cover.

6. Set up the BIOS if necessary
(such as IRQ xx Used By ISA: Yes in PNP AND PCI SETUP)

7. Install the necessary software drivers for your expansion card.

Assigning IRQs for Expansion Cards

Some expansion cards need to use an IRQ to operate. Generally, an IRQ must be
exclusively assigned to one use. In a standard design, there are 16 IRQs available
but most of them are already in use, leaving 6 IRQs free for expansion cards. If your
motherboard has PCI audio onboard, an extra IRQ will be used, leaving 5 IRQs
free. If your motherboard has ISA audio onboard, an extra 3 IRQs will be used,
leaving 3 IRQs free.

Both ISA and PCI expansion cards may require to use IRQs. System IRQs are avail­able to cards installed in the ISA expansion bus first, then any remaining IRQs are
available to PCI cards. Currently , there are two types of ISA cards. The original ISA
expansion card design, now referred to as legacy ISA cards, requires that you con­figure the card’ s jumpers manually and then install it in any available slot on the ISA
bus. You may use the Microsoft Diagnostics (MSD.EXE) utility located in the W in­dows directory to see a map of your used and free IRQs. If you use W indows 95, the
Resources tab under Device Manager displays the resource settings being used by
a particular device (to gain access, double-click the System icon under the Control
Panel program). Ensure that no two devices share the same IRQs or your computer
will experience problems when those two devices are in use at the same time.

III. H/W SETUP

Expansion Cards

21ASUS MEL-C User’s Manual

T o simplify this process this motherboard has complied with the Plug and Play (PNP)
specification which was developed to allow automatic system configuration when­ever a PNP-compliant card is added to the system. For PNP cards, IRQs are as­signed automatically from those available.

If the system has both Legacy and PNP ISA cards installed, IRQs are
assigned to PNP cards from those not used by Legacy cards. The PCI and PNP
configuration of the BIOS setup utility can be used to indicate which IRQs are being
used by Legacy cards. For older Legacy cards that does not work with the BIOS,
you can contact your vendor for an ISA Configuration Utility.

An IRQ number is automatically assigned to PCI expansion cards after those used
by Legacy and PNP ISA cards. In the PCI bus design, the BIOS automatically
assigns an IRQ to a PCI slot that has a card in it that requires an IRQ. To install a
PCI card, you need to set something called the INT (interrupt) assignment. Since all
the PCI slots on this motherboard use an INTA #, be sure that the jumpers on your
PCI cards are set to INT A.

Expansion Cards

III. H/W SETUP

Assigning DMA Channels for ISA Cards

III. HARDWARE SETUP

Some ISA cards, both legacy and PnP, may also need to use a DMA (Direct Memory
Access) channel. DMA assignments for this motherboard are handled the same way
as the IRQ assignment process described earlier. You can select a DMA channel in
the PCI and PnP configuration section of the BIOS Setup utility.

NOTE: The onboard audio by default uses DMA1.

IMPORTANT: To avoid conflicts, reserve the necessary IRQs and DMAs for legacy

ISA cards (under PNP AND PCI SETUP of BIOS SETUP, choose Yes in IRQ xx Used
By ISA and DMA x Used By ISA for those IRQs and DMAs you want to reserve).

Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP)

This motherboard provides an accelerated graphics port (AGP) slot to support a new
generation of graphics cards with ultra-high memory bandwidth, such as an ASUS
3D hardware accelerator.

MEL-C Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP)

22 ASUS MEL-C User’s Manual

III. HARDWARE SETUP

5. External Connectors

WARNING! Some pins are used for connectors or power sources. These are

clearly distinguished from jumpers in the Motherboard Layout. Placing jumper
caps over these connector pins will cause damage to your motherboard.

IMPORTANT: Ribbon cables should always be connected with the red stripe on the

Pin 1 side of the connector. The four corners of the connectors are labeled on the
motherboard. Pin 1 is the side closest to the power connector on hard drives and
floppy drives. IDE ribbon cable must be less than 46 cm(18 in.), with the second drive
connector no more than 15 cm (6 in.) from the first connector.

1. PS/2 Mouse Connector (6-pin PS2KBMS)

The system will direct IRQ12 to the PS/2 mouse if one is detected. If not de­tected, expansion cards can use IRQ12. See “PS/2 Mouse Control” in BIOS
Features Setup of the BIOS SETUP.

PS/2 Mouse (6-pin Female)

2. PS/2 Keyboard Connector (6-pin PS2KBMS)
This connection is for a standard keyboard using an PS/2 plug (mini DIN). This
connector will not allow standard AT size (large DIN) keyboard plugs. You
may use a DIN to mini DIN adapter on standard AT keyboards.

Connectors

III. H/W SETUP

PS/2 Keyboard (6-pin Female)

23ASUS MEL-C User’s Manual

3. Universal Serial BUS Ports 1 & 2 (Two 4-pin USB)

4. Parallel Port Connector (25-pin PRINTER)

III. H/W SETUP

Connectors

III. HARDWARE SETUP

Two USB ports are available for connecting USB devices.

USB 1

Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2

You can enable the parallel port and choose the IRQ through “Onboard Parallel
Port” in Chipset Features Setup of BIOS SETUP.
NOTE: Serial printers must be connected to the serial port.

Parallel (Printer) Port (25-pin Female)

5. Serial Port Connectors (Two 9-pin COM1/COM2)

The two serial ports can be used for pointing devices or other serial devices. See
“Onboard Serial Port” in Chipset Features Setup of BIOS SETUP.

COM 1 COM 2

Serial Ports (9-pin Male)

24 ASUS MEL-C User’s Manual