Asus NCCH-DLE User Manual

NCCH-DLE

Motherboard

E1975E1975

E1975

E1975E1975

First Edition V1First Edition V1

First Edition V1

First Edition V1First Edition V1
May 2005May 2005

May 2005

May 2005May 2005

Copyright © 2005 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. All Rights Reserved.Copyright © 2005 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. All Rights Reserved.

Copyright © 2005 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. All Rights Reserved.

Copyright © 2005 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. All Rights Reserved.Copyright © 2005 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.

iiii

ii

iiii

Contents

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

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

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

Typography .......................................................................................... x

NCCH-DLE specifications summary ..................................................... xi

Chapter 1: Product introductionChapter 1: Product introduction

Chapter 1: Product introduction

Chapter 1: Product introductionChapter 1: Product introduction

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

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

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

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

1.3.2 Innovative ASUS features ....................................... 1-4

Chapter 2: Hardware informationChapter 2: Hardware information

Chapter 2: Hardware information

Chapter 2: Hardware informationChapter 2: Hardware information

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

2.2 Motherboard installation ....................................................... 2-3

2.2.1 Placement direction ................................................ 2-3

2.2.2 Screw holes ............................................................ 2-3

2.2.3 Support plates for motherboard............................. 2-4

2.2.4 Motherboard layout ................................................ 2-8

2.2.5 Layout contents ..................................................... 2-9

2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ............................................ 2-11

2.3.1 Overview ............................................................... 2-11

2.3.2 Installing the CPU..................................................2-11

2.3.3 Installing the CPU heatsink and fan ...................... 2-13

2.4 System memory ................................................................. 2-15

2.4.1 Overview ............................................................... 2-15

2.4.2 Memory configurations ......................................... 2-15

2.4.3 Installing a DIMM ................................................... 2-17

2.4.4 Removing a DIMM ................................................. 2-17

2.5 Expansion slots ................................................................... 2-18

2.5.1 Installing an expansion card .................................. 2-18

2.5.2 Configuring an expansion card.............................. 2-18

2.5.3 PCI/PCI-X slots ...................................................... 2-20

2.5.4 AGP Pro slot ......................................................... 2-20

2.6 Jumpers .............................................................................. 2-21

2.7 Connectors ......................................................................... 2-25

2.7.1 Rear panel connectors .......................................... 2-25

2.7.2 Internal connectors............................................... 2-26

iiiiii

iii

iiiiii

Contents

Chapter 3: Powering upChapter 3: Powering up

Chapter 3: Powering up

Chapter 3: Powering upChapter 3: Powering up

3.1 Starting up for the first time................................................ 3-1

3.2 Vocal POST Messages .......................................................... 3-2

3.3 Powering off the computer .................................................. 3-4

3.3.1 Using the OS shut down function ........................... 3-4

3.3.2 Using the dual function power switch .................... 3-4

Chapter 4: BIOS setupChapter 4: BIOS setup

Chapter 4: BIOS setup

Chapter 4: BIOS setupChapter 4: BIOS setup

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

4.1.1 Creating a bootable floppy disk .............................. 4-1

4.1.2 AwardBIOS Flash Utility .......................................... 4-3

4.1.3 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 utility ................................ 4-6

4.1.4 ASUS EZ Flash utility .............................................. 4-9

4.1.5 ASUS Update utility ..............................................4-10

4.2 BIOS setup program ........................................................... 4-13

4.2.1 BIOS menu screen ................................................. 4-14

4.2.2 Menu bar ............................................................... 4-14

4.2.3 Navigation keys .................................................... 4-14

4.2.4 General help .......................................................... 4-15

4.2.5 Sub-menu ............................................................. 4-15

4.2.6 Scroll bar .............................................................. 4-15

4.2.7 Pop-up window ..................................................... 4-15

4.3 Main menu .......................................................................... 4-16

4.3.1 Primary IDE Master ............................................... 4-17

4.3.2 Primary IDE Slave .................................................. 4-19

4.3.3 Secondary IDE Master ........................................... 4-19

4.3.4 Secondary IDE Slave ............................................. 4-19

4.4 Advanced menu .................................................................. 4-20

4.4.1 Advanced BIOS Features ...................................... 4-20

4.4.2 CPU Configuration ................................................. 4-21

4.4.3 Memory Configuration .......................................... 4-23

4.4.4 Chipset ................................................................. 4-24

iviv

iv

iviv

4.4.5 Onboard Device .................................................... 4-27

4.4.6 PCIPnP ................................................................... 4-32

4.4.7 USB Configuration................................................. 4-34

4.5 Power menu ........................................................................ 4-35

4.5.1 APM Configuration ................................................ 4-36

4.5.2 Hardware Monitor ................................................. 4-39

Contents

4.6 Boot menu .......................................................................... 4-41

4.6.1 Boot Device Priority .............................................. 4-41

4.6.2 Hard Disk Boot Priority ......................................... 4-42

4.6.3 Removable Device Priority .................................... 4-42

4.6.4 Boot Settings Configuration ................................. 4-43

4.6.5 Security ................................................................ 4-45

4.7 Exit menu ........................................................................... 4-47

Chapter 5: Driver installationChapter 5: Driver installation

Chapter 5: Driver installation

Chapter 5: Driver installationChapter 5: Driver installation

5.1 RAID ...................................................................................... 5-1

5.1.1 RAID configurations ................................................ 5-1

5.1.2 Installing hard disk drives ....................................... 5-2

5.1.3 Setting the RAID item in BIOS ................................ 5-2

®

5.1.4 Adaptec

5.1.4.1 Creating a RAID 0 set (Striped) ............. 5-4

5.1.4.2 Creating a RAID 1 set (Mirrored) .......... 5-10

5.1.5 Creating an Intel

5.1.5.1 Windows

5.1.5.2 Red Hat

5.1.6 Installing the Intel

driver .................................................................... 5-22

5.1.6.1 Windows

5.1.6.2 Red Hat

RAID configuration utility ....................... 5-3

®

6300ESB RAID driver disk ....... 5-21

®

2000/2003 Server .............. 5-21

®

Linux 9.0 ............................... 5-21

®

6300ESB RAID controller

®

2000/2003 Server .............. 5-22

®

Linux 9.0 ............................... 5-26

5.1.7 FastBuild™ Utility .................................................. 5-29

5.1.7.1 Creating a RAID 0 set (Performance) ... 5-30

5.1.7.2 Creating a RAID 1 set (Security) .......... 5-32

5.1.7.3 Creating a RAID 0+1 set

(Security and Performance) ................. 5-38

5.1.7.4 Manually creating a RAID set ................ 5-40

5.1.7.5 Deleting a RAID set .............................. 5-43

5.1.7.6 Rebuilding a RAID 1 set ........................ 5-45

®

5.1.8 Installing the Promise

PDC20319 RAID

controller driver .................................................... 5-47

®

5.1.8.1 Windows

5.1.8.2 Windows

5.1.8.3 Red Hat

2000 Server ........................ 5-47

®

2003 Server ........................ 5-51

®

Linux 9.0 ............................... 5-56

5.2 LAN .................................................................................... 5-57

®

5.2.1 Windows

5.2.2 Windows

5.2.3 Red Hat

2000 Server ........................................ 5-57

®

2003 Server ........................................ 5-59

®

Linux 9.0 ............................................... 5-61

vv

v

vv

Contents

5.3 VGA .................................................................................... 5-62

5.3.1 Windows

5.3.2 Windows

Verifying the VGA driver installation .................... 5-63

5.3.3 Red Hat

Appendix: Reference informationAppendix: Reference information

Appendix: Reference information

Appendix: Reference informationAppendix: Reference information

A.1 NCCH-DLE block diagram ...................................................... A-1

®

2000 Server ........................................ 5-62

®

2003 Server ........................................ 5-63

®

Linux 9.0 ............................................... 5-63

vivi

vi

vivi

Notices

Federal Communications Commission StatementFederal Communications Commission Statement

Federal Communications Commission Statement

Federal Communications Commission StatementFederal 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 StatementCanadian Department of Communications Statement

Canadian Department of Communications Statement

Canadian Department of Communications StatementCanadian 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 CanadianThis class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian

This class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian

This class B digital apparatus complies with CanadianThis class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian
ICES-003.ICES-003.

ICES-003.

ICES-003.ICES-003.

viivii

vii

viivii

Safety information

Electrical safetyElectrical safety

Electrical safety

Electrical safetyElectrical safety

•

To prevent electrical shock hazard, disconnect the power cable from
the electrical outlet before relocating the system.

•

When adding or removing devices to or from the system, ensure that
the power cables for the devices are unplugged before the signal cables
are connected. If possible, disconnect all power cables from the existing
system before you add a device.

•

Before connecting or removing signal cables from the motherboard,
ensure that all power cables are unplugged.

•

Seek professional assistance before using an adapter or extension cord.
These devices could interrupt the grounding circuit.

•

Make sure that your power supply is set to the correct voltage in your
area. If you are not sure about the voltage of the electrical outlet you
are using, contact your local power company.

•

If the power supply is broken, do not try to fix it by yourself. Contact a
qualified service technician or your retailer.

Operation safetyOperation safety

Operation safety

Operation safetyOperation safety

•

Before installing the motherboard and adding devices on it, carefully read
all the manuals that came with the package.

•

Before using the product, make sure all cables are correctly connected
and the power cables are not damaged. If you detect any damage,
contact your dealer immediately.

•

To avoid short circuits, keep paper clips, screws, and staples away from
connectors, slots, sockets and circuitry.

•

Avoid dust, humidity, and temperature extremes. Do not place the
product in any area where it may become wet.

•

Place the product on a stable surface.

•

If you encounter technical problems with the product, contact a qualified
service technician or your retailer.

viiiviii

viii

viiiviii

About this guide

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

How this guide is organizedHow this guide is organized

How this guide is organized

How this guide is organizedHow this guide is organized

This manual contains the following parts:

••

Chapter 1: Product introductionChapter 1: Product introduction

•

Chapter 1: Product introduction

••

Chapter 1: Product introductionChapter 1: Product introduction
This chapter describes the features of the motherboard and the new

technologies it supports.

••

Chapter 2: Hardware informationChapter 2: Hardware information

•

Chapter 2: Hardware information

••

Chapter 2: Hardware informationChapter 2: Hardware information
This chapter lists the hardware setup procedures that you have to

perform when installing system components. It includes description of
the switches, jumpers, and connectors on the motherboard.

••

Chapter 3: Powering upChapter 3: Powering up

•

Chapter 3: Powering up

••

Chapter 3: Powering upChapter 3: Powering up
This chapter describes the power up sequence and ways of shutting

down the system.

••

Chapter 4: BIOS setupChapter 4: BIOS setup

•

Chapter 4: BIOS setup

••

Chapter 4: BIOS setupChapter 4: BIOS setup
This chapter tells how to change system settings through the BIOS

Setup menus. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also
provided.

••

Chapter 5: Driver installationChapter 5: Driver installation

•

Chapter 5: Driver installation

••

Chapter 5: Driver installationChapter 5: Driver installation
This chapter provides instructions for creating and configuring RAID,

and installing the necessary drivers for different system components.

••

Appendix: Reference informationAppendix: Reference information

•

Appendix: Reference information

••

Appendix: Reference informationAppendix: Reference information
This appendix includes additional information that you may refer to

when configuring the motherboard.

Where to find more informationWhere to find more information

Where to find more information

Where to find more informationWhere to find more information

Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product
and software updates.

1.1.

ASUS websitesASUS websites

1.

ASUS websites

1.1.

ASUS websitesASUS websites
The ASUS website provides updated information on ASUS hardware

and software products. Refer to the ASUS contact information.

2.2.

Optional documentationOptional documentation

2.

Optional documentation

2.2.

Optional documentationOptional 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.

ixix

ix

ixix

Conventions used in this guideConventions used in this guide

Conventions used in this guide

Conventions used in this guideConventions used in this guide

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

DANGER/WARNING: DANGER/WARNING:

DANGER/WARNING: Information to prevent injury to yourself

DANGER/WARNING: DANGER/WARNING:
when trying to complete a task.

CAUTION:CAUTION:

CAUTION: Information to prevent damage to the components

CAUTION:CAUTION:
when trying to complete a task.

IMPORTANT: IMPORTANT:

IMPORTANT: Instructions that you MUST follow to complete a

IMPORTANT: IMPORTANT:
task.

NOTE: NOTE:

NOTE: Tips and additional information to help you complete a

NOTE: NOTE:
task.

TypographyTypography

Typography

TypographyTypography

Bold textBold text

Bold text Indicates a menu or an item to select.

Bold textBold text

Italics

<Key> Keys enclosed in the less-than and greater-

<Key1+Key2+Key3> If you must press two or more keys

Command Means that you must type the command

Used to emphasize a word or a phrase.

than sign means that you must press the
enclosed key.

Example: <Enter> means that you must press
the Enter or Return key.

simultaneously, the key names are linked with
a plus sign (+).

Example: <Ctrl+Alt+D>

exactly as shown, then supply the required
item or value enclosed in brackets.

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

format A:/S

xx

x

xx

NCCH-DLE specifications summary

CPUCPU

CPU

CPUCPU

ChipsetChipset

Chipset

ChipsetChipset

Front Side BusFront Side Bus

Front Side Bus

Front Side BusFront Side Bus

MemoryMemory

Memory

MemoryMemory

Support for dual Intel® Xeon™ Processors up to 3.6 GHz
with Hyper-Threading Technology
1 MB or 2 MB L2 cache (for 800 MHz)
512 KB L2 chache (for 533 MHz)

Northbridge: Intel® E82875P Memory Controller Hub (MCH)
Southbridge: Intel® 6300ESB I/O Controller Hub (ICH)

800/533 MHz

Dual-channel memory architecture
4 x 184-pin DDR DIMM sockets for up to 4GB memory
Supports PC3200/PC2700/PC2100 unbuffered ECC or
non-ECC DDR DIMMs

Expansion slotsExpansion slots

Expansion slots

Expansion slotsExpansion slots

StorageStorage

Storage

StorageStorage

GraphicsGraphics

Graphics

GraphicsGraphics

LANLAN

LAN

LANLAN

USBUSB

USB

USBUSB

IEEE 1394IEEE 1394

IEEE 1394

IEEE 1394IEEE 1394

1 x AGP Pro 8X/4X
2 x 3.3V/64-bit/66MHz PCI-X
2 x 5V/32-bit/33MHz PCI

Supported by Southbridge (6300ESB ICH)

- 2 x Ultra DMA/100 connectors

- 2 x Serial ATA connectors

- RAID 0, RAID 1, or JBOD configurations
Supported by Promise® PDC20319 controller

- 4 x Serial ATA connectors

- RAID0, RAID1, or RAID0+1 configurations

ATI® RAGE-XL PCI-based VGA controller

Intel® 82547GI Gigabit LAN controller (CSA)

®

6300ESB SouthBridge supports:

Intel

- 4 USB 2.0/1.1 ports

VIA VT6212L USB controller supports:

- 4 USB 2.0/1.1 ports

TI TSB43AB22A IEEE 1394 controller

Special featuresSpecial features

Special features

Special featuresSpecial features

BIOS featuresBIOS features

BIOS features

BIOS featuresBIOS features

ASUS POST Reporter
ASUS Q-Fan technology
ASUS CrashFree BIOS
ASUS EZ Flash BIOS
ASUS MyLogo2

8Mb Flash ROM, Phoenix-Award BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0,
WfM2.0, SM BIOS2.3

(continued on the next page)

xixi

xi

xixi

NCCH-DLE specifications summary

Rear panelRear panel

Rear panel

Rear panelRear panel

InternalInternal

Internal

InternalInternal
connectorsconnectors

connectors

connectorsconnectors

1 x PS/2 keyboard port
1 x PS/2 mouse port
1 x Parallel port
2 x Serial ports
4 x USB 2.0 ports
1 x 1394 port
1 x LAN port (RJ-45)
Line In/Line Out/Microphone ports

Floppy disk drive connector
Serial ATA connectors
IDE connectors
GAME/MIDI connector
USB 2.0 connectors
IEEE 1394 connector
Chassis intrusion connector
Serial ATA RAID connectors
Backplane SMBus connector
Power connectors
Hard disk activity LED connector
Front panel audio connector
Internal audio connectors
CPU and system fan connectors
System panel connector

PowerPower

Power

PowerPower
RequirementRequirement

Requirement

RequirementRequirement

Form FactorForm Factor

Form Factor

Form FactorForm Factor

Support CDSupport CD

Support CD

Support CDSupport CD
contentscontents

contents

contentscontents

SSI power supply (with 24-pin and 8-pin 12V plugs)
ATX 12V 2.0 compliant

ATX form factor: 12 in x 10.5 in (30.5 cm x 26.7 cm)

Device drivers
ASUS Live Update Utility
Anti-virus software

*Specifications are subject to change without notice.

xiixii

xii

xiixii

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

introduction

Product

1

Chapter summary

1

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

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

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

ASUS NCCH-DLEASUS NCCH-DLE

ASUS NCCH-DLE

ASUS NCCH-DLEASUS NCCH-DLE

1.1 Welcome!

®®

®

Thank you for buying the ASUSThank you for buying the ASUS

Thank you for buying the ASUS

Thank you for buying the ASUSThank you for buying the ASUS

The ASUS

NCCH-DLE motherboard delivers a host of new features and

®®

NCCH-DLE motherboard! NCCH-DLE motherboard!

NCCH-DLE motherboard!

NCCH-DLE motherboard! NCCH-DLE motherboard!

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 NCCH-DLE package for the following items.

MotherboardMotherboard

Motherboard ASUS NCCH-DLE motherboard

MotherboardMotherboard

I/O modulesI/O modules

I/O modules USB 2.0 + GAME port module

I/O modulesI/O modules

S/PDIF Out module with cable
1-port 1394 module

CablesCables

Cables 3-in-1 floppy/Ultra ATA cable

CablesCables

6 x SATA cables
3 x SATA power cables

AccessoriesAccessories

Accessories I/O shield

AccessoriesAccessories

CPU heatsink support kit

Application CDsApplication CDs

Application CDs ASUS motherboard support CD

Application CDsApplication CDs

DocumentationDocumentation

Documentation User guide

DocumentationDocumentation

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

ASUS NCCH-DLEASUS NCCH-DLE

ASUS NCCH-DLE

ASUS NCCH-DLEASUS NCCH-DLE

1-11-1

1-1

1-11-1

1.3 Special features

1.3.11.3.1

1.3.1

1.3.11.3.1

Latest processor technology Latest processor technology

Latest processor technology

Latest processor technology Latest processor technology

The motherboard supports dual Intel® Xeon™ Processors via 604-pin
surface mount ZIF sockets. The processor has 1 MB or 2 MB L2 cache,
includes an 800/533 MHz system bus, and features the Intel Hyper­Threading Technology that allows up to 3.6 GHz core frequencies.

Dual-channel DDR400 memory support Dual-channel DDR400 memory support

Dual-channel DDR400 memory support

Dual-channel DDR400 memory support Dual-channel DDR400 memory support

Employing the dual-channel DDR memory architecture, the motherboard
provides a solution that doubles the system memory bandwidth to boost
system performance. The motherboard supports up to 4 GB of system
memory using PC3200/PC2700/PC2100 ECC or non-ECC DDR DIMMs to
deliver up to 6.4 GB/s data transfer rate for the latest 3D graphics,
multimedia, and Internet applications.

Serial ATA technology Serial ATA technology

Serial ATA technology

Serial ATA technology Serial ATA technology

Product highlightsProduct highlights

Product highlights

Product highlightsProduct highlights

The motherboard supports the new Serial ATA technology through the
SATA interfaces and the Intel® 6300ESB ICH and Promise® PDC20319
controllers onboard. The SATA specification allows for thinner, more
flexible cables with lower pin count, reduced voltage requirement, and up
to 150MB/s data transfer rate.

Multi-RAID solution Multi-RAID solution

Multi-RAID solution

Multi-RAID solution Multi-RAID solution

The motherboard has the Promise® PDC20319 controller to support
multi-RAID solution using Serial ATA/150 hard disks. The RAID0 (striping),
RAID1 (mirroring), and RAID 0+1 provide a cost-effective high-performance
solution for added system performance and reliability.

USB 2.0 technology USB 2.0 technology

USB 2.0 technology

USB 2.0 technology USB 2.0 technology

The motherboard implements the Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0
specification, dramatically increasing the connection speed from the 12
Mbps bandwidth on USB 1.1 to a fast 480 Mbps on USB 2.0. USB 2.0 is
backward compatible with USB 1.1.

1-21-2

1-2

1-21-2

Chapter 1: Product introductionChapter 1: Product introduction

Chapter 1: Product introduction

Chapter 1: Product introductionChapter 1: Product introduction

Gigabit LAN solution Gigabit LAN solution

Gigabit LAN solution

Gigabit LAN solution Gigabit LAN solution

The Intel® 82547GI Gigabit Ethernet controller allows full-duplex Gigabit
performance on LAN on Motherboard (LOM) applications through the
Communication Streaming Architecture (CSA). Instead of connecting to the
PCI bus, the controller connects to the dedicated CSA bus on the Memory
Controller Hub (MCH) thus reducing the PCI bottlenecks by freeing the PCI
bus for other I/O operations.

AGP 8X support AGP 8X support

AGP 8X support

AGP 8X support AGP 8X support

The motherboard supports the latest graphic architecture, the AGP Pro/8X
interface (a.k.a. AGP 3.0), offering 2.1GB/s bandwidth which is twice that
of its predecessor AGP 4X.

IEEE 1394 support IEEE 1394 support

IEEE 1394 support

IEEE 1394 support IEEE 1394 support

The IEEE 1394 interfaces and the TI TSB43AB22A controller onboard
provide high-speed and flexible PC connectivity to a wide range of
peripherals and devices compliant to IEEE 1394a standards. The IEEE 1394
allows up to 400Mbps transfer rates through simple, low-cost, high­bandwidth asynchronous (real-time) data interfacing between computers,
peripherals, and consumer electronic devices such as camcorders, VCRs,
printers,TVs, and digital cameras.

6-channel audio feature 6-channel audio feature

6-channel audio feature

6-channel audio feature 6-channel audio feature

The SoundMAX-class ADI AD1980 AC ‘97 audio CODEC supports 6-channel

5.1 surround sound output, stereo microphone input, variable Sample Rate
Conversion (SRC), professional quality 103-dB out put with 94-dB Signal
Noise Ratio (SNR), and analog enumeration capability. The SoundMAX 4 XL
software features the AudioESP™ (Audio Enumeration and Sensing Process)
that allows intelligent detection of the peripherals plugged into the audio
ports and identifies the incompatible devices, if any.

ASUS POST Reporter™ ASUS POST Reporter™

ASUS POST Reporter™

ASUS POST Reporter™ ASUS POST Reporter™

The motherboard offers a new exciting feature called the ASUS POST
Reporter™ to provide friendly voice messages and alerts during the Power­On Self-Tests (POST) informing you of the system boot status and causes
of boot errors, if any. The bundled Winbond Voice Editor software lets you
customize the voice messages in the supported languages.

ASUS NCCH-DLEASUS NCCH-DLE

ASUS NCCH-DLE

ASUS NCCH-DLEASUS NCCH-DLE

1-31-3

1-3

1-31-3

ASUS Q-Fan technology ASUS Q-Fan technology

ASUS Q-Fan technology

ASUS Q-Fan technology ASUS Q-Fan technology

The ASUS Q-Fan technology smartly adjusts the fan speeds according to
the system loading to ensure quiet, cool, and efficient operation.

ASUS EZ Flash BIOS ASUS EZ Flash BIOS

ASUS EZ Flash BIOS

ASUS EZ Flash BIOS ASUS EZ Flash BIOS

With the ASUS EZ Flash, you can easily update the system BIOS even
before loading the operating system. No need to use a DOS-based utility or
boot from a floppy disk.

ASUS MyLogo2™ ASUS MyLogo2™

ASUS MyLogo2™

ASUS MyLogo2™ ASUS MyLogo2™

This new feature present in the motherboard allows you to personalize and
add style to your system with customizable boot logos. The ASUS
MyLogo2 is automatically installed when you install ASUS Update from the
support CD.

1.3.21.3.2

1.3.2

1.3.21.3.2

Temperature, fan, and voltage monitoringTemperature, fan, and voltage monitoring

Temperature, fan, and voltage monitoring

Temperature, fan, and voltage monitoringTemperature, fan, and voltage monitoring

The CPU temperature is monitored by the Hardware monitor (Winbond H/W
monitoring IC W83792D) to prevent overheating and damage. The system
fan rotations per minute (RPM) is monitored for timely failure detection.
The system voltage levels are monitored to ensure stable supply of current
for critical components.

ACPI readyACPI ready

ACPI ready

ACPI readyACPI ready

The Advanced Configuration power Interface (ACPI) provides more energy
saving features for operating systems that support OS Directed Power
Management (OSPM).

Chassis intrusion detectionChassis intrusion detection

Chassis intrusion detection

Chassis intrusion detectionChassis intrusion detection

The motherboard supports chassis intrusion monitoring through the
Winbond ASIC.

Value-added solutionsValue-added solutions

Value-added solutions

Value-added solutionsValue-added solutions

ASUS UpdateASUS Update

ASUS Update

ASUS UpdateASUS Update

This utility allows you to update the motherboard BIOS through a user­friendly interface. Connect to the Internet then to the ASUS FTP site
nearest you to obtain the latest BIOS version for your motherboard.

1-41-4

1-4

1-41-4

Chapter 1: Product introductionChapter 1: Product introduction

Chapter 1: Product introduction

Chapter 1: Product introductionChapter 1: Product introduction

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

information

Hardware

2

Chapter summary

2

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

2.2 Motherboard installation....................................................... 2-3

2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ............................................ 2-11

2.4 System memory ................................................................. 2-15

2.5 Expansion slots ................................................................... 2-18

2.6 Jumpers .............................................................................. 2-21

2.7 Connectors ......................................................................... 2-25

ASUS NCCH-DLEASUS NCCH-DLE

ASUS NCCH-DLE

ASUS NCCH-DLEASUS NCCH-DLE

2.1 Before you proceed

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

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

2. Use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded object or to
a metal object, such as the power supply case, before handling
components to avoid damaging them due to static electricity.

3. Hold components by the edges to avoid touching the ICs on them.

4. 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, ensureBefore you install or remove any component, ensure

5.

Before you install or remove any component, ensure

Before you install or remove any component, ensureBefore you install or remove any component, ensure
that the ATX power supply is switched off or thethat the ATX power supply is switched off or the

that the ATX power supply is switched off or the

that the ATX power supply is switched off or thethat the ATX power supply is switched off or the
power cord is detached from the power supply. power cord is detached from the power supply.

power cord is detached from the power supply. Failure

power cord is detached from the power supply. power cord is detached from the power supply.
to do so may cause severe damage to the motherboard, peripherals,
and/or components!

6. Pay careful attention to the warning LEDs on the motherboard to
protect the motherboard and to ensure correct installation of
components.

Standby power LEDStandby power LED

Standby power LED

Standby power LEDStandby power LED

The motherboard comes with a standby power LED. This green LED
(SB_PWR1) 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.

SB_PWR1

NCCH-DLE

®

ON

Standby

Power

OFF

Powered

Off

NCCH-DLE Standby power LED

ASUS NCCH-DLEASUS NCCH-DLE

ASUS NCCH-DLE

ASUS NCCH-DLEASUS NCCH-DLE

2-12-1

2-1

2-12-1

AGP warning LEDAGP warning LED

AGP warning LED

AGP warning LEDAGP warning LED

This LED (WARN1) is a smart protection from motherboard burn out
caused by an incorrect AGP card. If you plug in any 3.3V AGP card into the

1.5V AGP slot, this LED lights up thus preventing the system to power up.
This LED remains off if you plug in a 1.5V AGP card.

CPU warning LEDCPU warning LED

CPU warning LED

CPU warning LEDCPU warning LED

This red LED (WARN_CPU1) lights up if:

• there is no installed CPU on either one of the sockets

• you installed a CPU on socket CPU2, but not on socket CPU1

(if installing only one CPU, you must install on socket(if installing only one CPU, you must install on socket

(if installing only one CPU, you must install on socket

(if installing only one CPU, you must install on socket(if installing only one CPU, you must install on socket
CPU1)CPU1)

CPU1)

CPU1)CPU1)

• you installed CPUs of different types, e.g. an Intel

®

Xeon™ processor

with 800 MHz FSB and an Intel® Xeon™ processor with 533 MHz FSB

®®

®

(install identical CPUs, either two Intel(install identical CPUs, either two Intel

(install identical CPUs, either two Intel

(install identical CPUs, either two Intel(install identical CPUs, either two Intel
processors with 800 MHz FSB, or two Intelprocessors with 800 MHz FSB, or two Intel

processors with 800 MHz FSB, or two Intel

processors with 800 MHz FSB, or two Intelprocessors with 800 MHz FSB, or two Intel
processors with 533 MHz FSB)processors with 533 MHz FSB)

processors with 533 MHz FSB)

processors with 533 MHz FSB)processors with 533 MHz FSB)

®®

Xeon™ Xeon™

Xeon™

Xeon™ Xeon™

®®

®

®®

Xeon™ Xeon™

Xeon™

Xeon™ Xeon™

NCCH-DLE

®

NCCH-DLE Warning LEDs

WARN1

ON

Incorrect AGP Card

WARN_CPU1

No CPU installed
No CPU on socket CPU1
CPU types mismatched

ON OFF

OFF

Correct AGP Card

No detected CPU problem

2-22-2

2-2

2-22-2

Chapter 2: Hardware informationChapter 2: Hardware information

Chapter 2: Hardware information

Chapter 2: Hardware informationChapter 2: Hardware information

2.2 Motherboard installation

Before you install the motherboard, study the configuration of your chassis
to ensure that the motherboard fits into it.

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

2.2.12.2.1

2.2.1

2.2.12.2.1

Placement directionPlacement direction

Placement direction

Placement directionPlacement direction

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

2.2.22.2.2

2.2.2

2.2.22.2.2

Screw holesScrew holes

Screw holes

Screw holesScrew holes

Place ten (10) screws into the holes indicated by solid black circles to
secure the motherboard to the chassis.

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

Place this side towardsPlace this side towards

Place this side towards

Place this side towardsPlace this side towards
the rear of the chassisthe rear of the chassis

the rear of the chassis

the rear of the chassisthe rear of the chassis

NCCH-DLE

®

ASUS NCCH-DLEASUS NCCH-DLE

ASUS NCCH-DLE

ASUS NCCH-DLEASUS NCCH-DLE

2-32-3

2-3

2-32-3

2.2.32.2.3

2.2.3

2.2.32.2.3

Support plates for motherboardSupport plates for motherboard

Support plates for motherboard

Support plates for motherboardSupport plates for motherboard

For additional protection from motherboard breakage due to the weight of
the CPU heatsinks, your motherboard package comes with a CPU heatsink
support kit that consists of:

• 2 x metal support plates

• 1 x contour sheet

• 3 different sets of metal nuts and rubber pads for varied chassis
standoffs (each set contains 8 metal nuts and 2 rubber pads)

To install the support plates:

1. Open and lay your system
chassis flat on a stable surface,
then place the motherboard
standoffs on the holes as shown.

Standoff

2. Align the holes of the contour
sheet with the standoffs on the
base of the chassis. Press the
sheet flat making sure that it is
completely affixed to the
chassis.

The contour sheet fits in only
one orientation. Make sure
that the hole located about
1 cm from the corner
matches the standoff beside
the power supply cage.

Standoff beside
power supply cage

3. Determine the height of the standoffs on your chassis, and select the
appropriate set of metal nuts and rubber pads from your package.

Use a nut size that is slightly lower than the standoffs on your chassis.

2-42-4

2-4

2-42-4

Chapter 2: Hardware informationChapter 2: Hardware information

Chapter 2: Hardware information

Chapter 2: Hardware informationChapter 2: Hardware information

4. Use a plier to attach four nuts to
the bolts on the metal support
plate.

5. Align a rubber pad to the
rectagular mark on the center of
the plate, then press to attach.

6. Remove the adhesive label
underneath a plate.

ASUS NCCH-DLEASUS NCCH-DLE

ASUS NCCH-DLE

ASUS NCCH-DLEASUS NCCH-DLE

2-52-5

2-5

2-52-5

7. Carefully align and place the
plate on a rectangular cut on the
contour sheet.

Make sure that the metal support plates fit perfectly to the rectangular
cuts on the contour sheet; otherwise, the CPU heatsink screws would
not align to the metal nuts.

8. Repeat steps 4 and 7 to prepare
and install the second plate.

9. Remove the contour sheet from
the chassis.

2-62-6

2-6

2-62-6

Chapter 2: Hardware informationChapter 2: Hardware information

Chapter 2: Hardware information

Chapter 2: Hardware informationChapter 2: Hardware information

The support plates appear as
shown when installed.

10. Install the motherboard with the
external I/O ports toward the
chassis rear panel. The CPU
sockets should be right on top
of the support plates.

Heatsink hole matched toHeatsink hole matched to

Heatsink hole matched to

Heatsink hole matched toHeatsink hole matched to
a nut on the support platea nut on the support plate

a nut on the support plate

a nut on the support platea nut on the support plate

Make sure that the CPU heatsink holes on the motherboard perfectly
match the metal nuts on the support plates; otherwise, you can not
install the CPU heatsinks properly.

11. Secure the motherboard with 10 screws. Refer to section
“2.2.2 Screw holes” for illustration.

ASUS NCCH-DLEASUS NCCH-DLE

ASUS NCCH-DLE

ASUS NCCH-DLEASUS NCCH-DLE

2-72-7

2-7

2-72-7

2.2.42.2.4

2.2.4

2.2.42.2.4

Motherboard layoutMotherboard layout

Motherboard layout

Motherboard layoutMotherboard layout

26.7 cm (10.5 in)

PS/2KBMS
T: Mouse
B: Keyboard

COM1

COM2

Bottom:

Top:

T:USB4

1394

B:USB3

USB2.0
T: USB1
B: USB2

Top:Line In

Center:Line Out

Below:Mic In

MODEM1

AD1980

SPDIF_OUT1

GAME1

1394_EN1

CPU_FAN1

PARALLEL PORT

Top:

RJ-45

FP_AUDIO1

AUX1
CD1

82547GI

Super

TI

TSB43AB22A

KBPWR1

FM_CPU1

USBPW12

USBPW34

Intel

Gigabit
Ethernet

I/O

mPGA 604

mPGA 604

CPU1

CPU2

Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP8X1)

WARN1

PCI1 (32-bit, 33MHz 5V)

REAR_FAN2

PCIX2

(64-bit, 66MHz 3V)

PCIX1

(64-bit, 66MHz 3V)

PCI2 (32-bit, 33MHz 5V)

IEEE1394_1

SATA_RAID1SATA_RAID2

FM_CPU2

NCCH-DLE

8Mbit
BIOS

BPSMB1

Promise

PDC20319

SATA_RAID3SATA_RAID4

CPU_FAN2

Intel

82875P

MCH

®

RAID_EN1

ATX12V1

REAR_FAN1

J1

6300ESB

FLOPPY

SB_PWR1

IDE_LED1

Intel

ICH

VIA

VT6202

USB controller

DDR DIMM_A1 (72 bit, 184-pin module)

DDR DIMM_B1 (72 bit, 184-pin module)

DDR DIMM_B2 (72 bit, 184-pin module)

DDR DIMM_A2 (72 bit, 184-pin module)

30.5 cm (12 in)

ATXPWR1

CLRTC1

CR2032 3V

Lithium Cell

CMOS Power

SEC_IDEPRI_IDE

SATA2

P1

CHASSIS1

WARN_CPU1

PANEL1

SATA1

P2

FRNT_FAN2

FRNT_FAN1

2-82-8

2-8

2-82-8

Chapter 2: Hardware informationChapter 2: Hardware information

Chapter 2: Hardware information

Chapter 2: Hardware informationChapter 2: Hardware information

2.2.52.2.5

2.2.5

2.2.52.2.5

Layout contentsLayout contents

Layout contents

Layout contentsLayout contents

Sockets/SlotsSockets/Slots

Sockets/Slots

Sockets/SlotsSockets/Slots

1. CPU sockets 2-11

2. DDR DIMM sockets 2-15

3. PCI/PCI-X slots 2-20

4. AGP Pro/8X slot 2-20

JumpersJumpers

Jumpers

JumpersJumpers

1. Keyboard power (3-pin KBPWR1) 2-21

2. RAID controller setting (3-pin RAID_EN1) 2-21

3. USB device wake-up (3-pin USBPW12, USBPW34) 2-22

4. CPU external frequency selection (3-pin J1) 2-22

5. IEEE 1394 setting (3-pin 1394_EN) 2-23

6. CPU fan pin selection (3-pin FM_CPU1, FM_CPU2) 2-24

7. Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC1) 2-24

Rear panel connectorsRear panel connectors

Rear panel connectors

Rear panel connectorsRear panel connectors

1. PS/2 mouse port 2-25

2. Parallel port 2-25

PagePage

Page

PagePage

3. IEEE 1394 port 2-25

4. LAN port (RJ-45) 2-25

5. Line In port 2-25

6. Line Out port 2-25

7. Microphone port 2-25

8. USB 2.0 ports 3 and 4 2-26

9. USB 2.0 ports 1 and 2 2-26

10.Serial ports 2-26

11.PS/2 keyboard port 2-26

Internal connectorsInternal connectors

Internal connectors

Internal connectorsInternal connectors

1. Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY1) 2-26

2. Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA1, SATA2) 2-27

3. USB connector (10-1 pin P1, P2) 2-27

4. IDE connectors (40-1 pin PRI_IDE[blue], SEC_IDE [black) 2-28

5. GAME/MIDI connector (16-1 pin GAME1) 2-28

6. IEEE 1394 connector (10-1 pin IE1394_1) 2-29

7. Chassis intrusion connector (4-1 pin CHASSIS1) 2-29

8. Serial ATA RAID connectors (7-pin SATA_RAID1/2) 2-30

9. Backplane SMBus connector (6-1 pin BPSMB1) 2-30

10.Power connectors (24-pin ATXPWR1, 8-pin ATX12V1) 2-31

ASUS NCCH-DLEASUS NCCH-DLE

ASUS NCCH-DLE

ASUS NCCH-DLEASUS NCCH-DLE

2-92-9

2-9

2-92-9

Internal connectors Internal connectors

Internal connectors

Internal connectors Internal connectors

(continued)(continued)

(continued)

(continued)(continued)

11.Hard disk activity LED connector (2-pin IDELED1) 2-31

12.Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin FP_AUDIO1) 2-32

13.Internal audio connectors (4-pin CD1, AUX1, MODEM1) 2-32

14.CPU and system fan connectors
(3-pin CPU_FAN1/2, REAR_FAN1/2, FRNT_FAN1/2) 2-33

15.System panel connector (20-pin PANEL) 2-33

- System Power LED (3-pin PLED) 2-34

- Message LED (2-pin MLED) 2-34

- System warning speaker (4-pin SPKR) 2-34

- Hard disk activity (2-pin HD_LED) 2-34

- Power switch / Soft-off switch (2-pin PWR_SW) 2-34

- Reset switch (2-pin RESET) 2-34

- System Management Interrupt (2-pin SMI) 2-34

2-102-10

2-10

2-102-10

Chapter 2: Hardware informationChapter 2: Hardware information

Chapter 2: Hardware information

Chapter 2: Hardware informationChapter 2: Hardware information