ASUS P4B-MX User Manual

P4B-MX

®

User Guide

Motherboard

Checklist

E810
First Edition August 2001

Copyright © 2001 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.

ii

Contents

FCC/CDC statements .....................................................................vi

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

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

How this guide is organized.................................................. viii

Conventions used in this guide............................................... ix

Where to find more information .............................................. ix

ASUS contact information ................................................................x

Chapter 1: Product introduction .......................................... 1-1

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

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

1.3 Overview............................................................................. 1-2

1.3.1 Identifying the motherboard components ................ 1-2

1.3.2 Pre-installed accessory........................................... 1-5

1.4 Special features .................................................................. 1-6

Chapter 2: Hardware information ......................................... 2-1

2.1 Motherboard installation ...................................................... 2-1

2.1.1 Placement direction ................................................ 2-1

2.1.2 Screw holes............................................................ 2-1

Features

2.2 Motherboard layout ............................................................. 2-2

2.3 Before you proceed............................................................. 2-3

2.4 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ............................................ 2-4

2.4.1 Overview ................................................................ 2-4

2.4.2 Installing the CPU ................................................... 2-5

2.4.3 Installing the heatsink and fan................................. 2-7

2.4.4 Connecting the CPU fan cable................................ 2-9

2.5 System memory ................................................................ 2-10

2.5.1 Overview .............................................................. 2-10

2.5.2 Memory configurations ......................................... 2-10

2.5.3 Installing a DIMM ...................................................2-11

2.5.4 Removing a DIMM................................................ 2-12

2.6 Expansion slots ................................................................. 2-13

2.6.1 Installing an expansion card.................................. 2-13

2.6.2 Configuring an expansion card ............................. 2-14

2.6.3 PCI slots ............................................................... 2-15

2.6.4 AGP slot ............................................................... 2-15

iii

Safeguards

Contents

2.7 Switches and jumpers ....................................................... 2-16

2.7.1 Switch settings...................................................... 2-16

2.7.2 Jumper settings .................................................... 2-18

2.8 Connectors ....................................................................... 2-21

Chapter 3: Powering up ........................................................ 3-1

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

3.3 Powering off the computer................................................... 3-2

Chapter 4: BIOS setup .......................................................... 4-1

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

4.1.1 Using the computer system for the first time ........... 4-1

4.1.2 Updating BIOS procedures ..................................... 4-3

4.2 BIOS Setup program........................................................... 4-5

4.2.1 BIOS menu bar....................................................... 4-6

4.2.2 Legend bar ............................................................. 4-6

4.3 Main menu .......................................................................... 4-8

4.3.1 Primary & Secondary Master/Slave ........................ 4-9

4.3.2 Keyboard Features ............................................... 4-13

4.4 Advanced Menu ................................................................ 4-15

4.4.1 Chip Configuration ................................................ 4-17

4.4.2 I/O Device Configuration....................................... 4-19

4.4.3 PCI Configuration ................................................. 4-21

4.5 Power Menu...................................................................... 4-24

4.5.1 Power Up Control ................................................. 4-26

4.5.2 Hardware Monitor ................................................. 4-28

4.6 Boot Menu ........................................................................ 4-29

4.7 Exit Menu.......................................................................... 4-31

Chapter 5: Software support ................................................ 5-1

5.1 Install an operating system.................................................. 5-1

5.1.1 Windows 98 first time installation ............................ 5-1

5.2 Support CD information....................................................... 5-1

5.2.1 Running the support CD ......................................... 5-1

5.2.2 Main menu ............................................................. 5-2

5.2.3 Software menu ....................................................... 5-3

5.2.4 Drivers menu .......................................................... 5-5

iv

Contents

5.2.5 DOS Utilities menu ................................................. 5-6

5.2.6 ASUS Contact Information...................................... 5-6

5.2.7 Other information .................................................... 5-7

5.3 Software information ........................................................... 5-9

5.3.1 ASUS Update ......................................................... 5-9

Glossary ................................................................................ G-1

Index ........................................................................................ I-1

v

FCC/CDC statements

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:

• 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.

vi

Safet y information

Electrical 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 adpater 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 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.

vii

About this guide

This user guide contains the information you need when installing the
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard.

How this guide is organized

This manual contains the following parts:

• Chapter 1: Product introduction

This chapter describes the features of the P4B-MX motherboard. It
includes brief descriptions of the special attributes of the motherboard
and the new technology it supports.

• Chapter 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 up

This chapter describes the power up sequence and gives information
on the BIOS beep codes.

• Chapter 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: Software support

This chapter describes the contents of the support CD that comes with
the motherboard package.

• Glossary

This part lists the technical terms that you may encounter when
reading this document.

• Index

This part contains an alphabetical list of the topics found in this
document.

viii

Conventions used in this guide

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

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: Information that you MUST follow to complete a
task.

NOTE: Tips and additional information to aid in completing 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 websites worldwide provide updated information on ASUS

hardware and software products. The ASUS websites are listed in the
ASUS Contact Information on page x.

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.

ix

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]
Tel (Chinese): [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Newsgroup: cscnews.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/pub/ASUS

ASUS COMPUTER GmbH (Europe)

Marketing

Address: Harkortstr. 25, 40880 Ratingen, BRD, Germany
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail] (for marketing requests only)

Technical Support

Hotline: MB/Others: [phone]

Notebook: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Support (Email): www.asuscom.de/de/support (for online support)
WWW: www.asuscom.de
FTP: ftp.asuscom.de/pub/ASUSCOM

x

Chapter 1

This chapter describes the features of the
P4B-MX motherboard. It includes brief
explanations of the special attributes of the
motherboard and the new technology it
supports.

Product introduction

ASUS P4B-MX motherboard

1.1 Welcome!

Thank you for buying the ASUS® P4B-MX motherboard!

The ASUS P4B-MX motherboard delivers a host of new features and latest
technology making it another standout in the long line of ASUS quality
motherboards!

The P4B-MX incorporates the Intel
package/Northwood Processor coupled with the Intel
chipset to set a new benchmark for an effective desktop platform solution.

Supporting up to 3GB of system memory with PC100/133 unbuffered
SDRAM, high-resolution graphics via an AGP 4X slot, high-speed data
transfers using the ATA100 protocol, and AC ‘97-compliant audio features,
the P4B-MX is your perfect vehicle to get ahead in the world of power
computing!

Before you start installing the motherboard, and hardware devices on it,
check the items in your package with the list below.

®

Pentium® 4 Processor in 478-pin

®

845 (Brookdale)

1.2 Package contents

Check your P4B-MX package for the following items.

ASUS P4B-MX motherboard (micro-ATX form factor: 9.6-in x 9.6-in)
ASUS P4B-MX support CD
ASUS 2-port USB module
80-conductor ribbon cable for UltraDMA/33/66/100 IDE drives
Ribbon cable for a 3.5-inch floppy drive
Bag of extra jumper caps
User Guide

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

ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide

1-1

1.3 Overview

Before you install the P4B-MX motherboard, take some time to familiarize
yourself with its physical configuration and available features. This will
facilitate the motherboard installation and future upgrades. A sufficient
knowledge of the motherboard specifications will also help you avoid
mistakes that may damage the board and its components.

This section presents the motherboard components and points out their
specific locations. A brief description of each component follows. Refer to
Chapter 2 for detailed information on these components.

1.3.1 Identifying the motherboard components

265

25

24

23

4

3

2

1

22

21

20

19

18

17

16

15

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

14

13

Figure 1-1 Motherboard Components

Proceed to the succeeding pages for a brief description of each
component.

1-2

Chapter 1: Product introduction

1

CPU socket. A 478-pin surface mount, Zero Insertion Force (ZIF)

socket called mPGA478 B. This socket accommodates the Intel

®

Pentium® 4 478/Northwood Processor with 400MHz system bus.

2

North bridge controller. This controller called the Intel Memory

Controller Hub (MCH) is one of the two major components of the
Intel 845 (Brookdale) chipset. The MCH along with the south bridge
Intel I/O Controller Hub 2 (ICH2) are interconnected through the
Intel proprietary Hub interface. The MCH provides the processor
interface, system memory interface, AGP interface, and Hub
Interface.

3

SDRAM DIMM sockets. These three 168-pin DIMM sockets

support up to 3GB using unbuffered ECC or non-ECC PC100/133
SDRAM DIMMs.

4

Super I/O chipset. This Low Pin Count (LPC) chipset combines

the commonly used Super I/O functionality and system hardware
monitoring capability. The chipset incorporates Fan Speed Control
Monitor (FSCM), event wake-up feature, floppy disk controller,
keyboard/mouse controller, a parallel port, two enhanced serial
ports (one with infrared support), watchdog timer, and a MIDI
interface compatible with MPU-401 UART mode.

5

ATX power connector. This 20-pin connector connects to an ATX

12V power supply. The power supply must have at least 1A on the
+5V standby lead (+5VSB).

6

IDE connectors. These dual-channel bus master IDE connectors

support up to four Ultra DMA/100/66, PIO Modes 3 & 4 IDE
devices. Both the primary (blue) and secondary (black) connectors
are slotted to prevent incorrect insertion of the IDE ribbon cable.

7

Floppy disk connector. This connector accommodates the

provided ribbon cable for the floppy disk drive. One side of the
connector is slotted to prevent incorrect insertion of the floppy disk
cable.

8

Flash EEPROM. This 2Mb firmware contains the programmable

BIOS program.

9

DIP switches. This 10-switch Dual Inline Package (DIP) allows you

to set the CPU external frequency.

ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide

1-3

10

South bridge controller. Referred to as the Intel I/O Controller

Hub 2 (ICH2) of the Intel 845 chipset, this controller provides the
I/O subsystem that allows access to the rest of the system. The
ICH2 integrates I/O functions such as system bus interface, Ultra
ATA/100, Low Pin Count (LPC) interface, Universal Serial Bus
(USB) 1.1 interface, PCI interface, and CNR interface.

11

12

13

14

15

AGP slot. This Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) slot supports 1.5V

AGP4X mode graphics cards for 3D graphical applications.
Onboard LED. This onboard LED lights up if there is a standby

power on the motherboard. This LED acts as a reminder to turn off
the system power before plugging or unplugging devices.

Audio CODEC. This AC ‘97 audio codec provides stereo analog
I/O on the motherboard and peripheral devices to deliver high
quality audio to PC-connected speakers, headphones, and
microphones. The codec includes analog-to-digital and digital-to­analog sample rate converters, as power amplifiers and
programmable gain blocks.

PCI slots. These three 32-bit PCI 2.2 expansion slots support bus
master PCI cards like SCSI or LAN cards with 133MB/s maximum
throughput.

LAN controller. This Intel 82562ET is a highly integrated Platform
LAN Connect (PLC) device that allows 10BASE-T and
100BASE-TX networking capabilities, and provides the LAN
solution to perform high-speed data transfers over the PCI bus.

1-4

16

17

18

19

20

21

ATX 12V connector. This power connector connects the 4-pin 12V

plug from the ATX 12V power supply.
USB ports. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports are

available for connecting USB devices such as a mouse and PDA.
RJ-45 port. This port allows connection to a Local Area Network

(LAN) through a network hub.
Microphone jack. This Mic (pink) jack connects a microphone. In

6-channel mode, the function of this jack becomes Bass/Center.
Line In jack. This Line In (light blue) jack connects a tape player or

other audio sources.
Line Out jack. This Line Out (lime) jack connects a headphone or

a speaker.

Chapter 1: Product introduction

22

Game/MIDI connector. This connector supports a joystick or a

game pad for playing games, and MIDI devices for playing or
editing audio files.

23

Serial ports. These two 9-pin COM1/COM2 ports are for pointing

devices or other serial devices.

24

Parallel port. This 25-pin port connects a parallel printer, a

scanner, or other devices.

25

PS/2 keyboard port. This purple 6-pin connector is for a PS/2

keyboard.

26

PS/2 mouse port. This green 6-pin connector is for a PS/2 mouse.

1.3.2 Pre-installed accessory

This motherboard is shipped with the heatsink retention module base
already installed. This module should fit the retention mechanism that
comes with a boxed CPU.

You do not have to remove the retention module base when installing
the CPU or installing other motherboard components.

Retention Module Base

Figure 1-2 Pre-installed Heatsink Retention Module Base

ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide

1-5

1.4 Special features

Latest processor technology

The P4B-MX motherboard supports the latest Intel Pentium 4 478/
Northwood Processor, also known as P4, via a 478-pin surface mount ZIF
socket. The Pentium 4 processor utilizes the advanced 0.18 micron
processor core in FC-PGA2 package for a 2.0GHz frequency, while the
Northwood processor uses the 0.13 micron processor core with 512KB L2
cache for up to a speedy 2.4GHz frequency. The P4 offers optimized
performance for audio, video, and Internet applications.

Onboard LAN

The motherboard incorporates the Intel 82562ET, a highly integrated
Platform LAN Connect (PLC) device that combines 10BASE-T/
100BASE-TX capabilities. This controller also provides the LAN enabling
solution for the integrated networking connectivity in Intel I/O Controller
Hub 2 (ICH2) based platforms, allowing enhanced bus mastering
capabilities for high-speed data transfers over the PCI bus. The bus
mastering capabilities permit processing of high-level commands and
performing multiple operations, thereby offloading communications tasks
from the CPU.

1-6

Chapter 1: Product introduction

Chapter 2

This chapter describes the hardware setup
procedures that you have to perform when
installing system components. It includes
details on the switches, jumpers, and
connectors on the motherboard.

Hardware information

ASUS P4B-MX motherboard

2.1 Motherboard installation

Before you install the motherboard, study the configuration of your chassis
to ensure that the motherboard fits into it. The P4B-MX uses the micro­ATX form factor that measures 9.6 inches x 9.6 inches, a standard fit for
most chassis.

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.

2.1.1 Placement 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. Refer to the image below.

2.1.2 Screw holes

Place eight (8) screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the
motherboard to the chassis.

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

Place this side towards
the rear of the chassis

Figure 2-1 Motherboard placement and screw holes

ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide

2-1

2.2 Motherboard layout

24.4cm (9.60in)

PS/2KBMS

T: Mouse
B: Keyboard

COM1

COM2

Line
Out

Line

In

Mic

In

GAME_AUDIO

Bottom:

Top:

USB1

RJ-45

USB2

CD_IN

USBPWR

PARALLEL PORT

AUX

Audio
Codec

KBPWR

SYSTEM_FAN

ATX12V

LAN Controller

Socket 478

Intel 845

Memory

Controller

Hub (MCH)

Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP)

PCI1

SMB

PCI2

LED1

P4B-MX

PCI3

CPU_FAN

®

CR2032 3V
Lithium Cell

CMOS Power

Multi

I/O

ATX Power Connector

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)

0 1

2 3

Intel I/O

Controller

Hub

(ICH2)

USB

4 5

R272

BUZZER

PANEL

FLOPPY

IR

SECONDARY IDE

2Mbit

Firmware

Hub

PRIMARY IDE

24.4cm (9.6in)

HDDLED

PCI_FAN

SW1801

Figure 2-2 Motherboard Layout

The audio codec, external and internal audio connectors, and LAN
features are optional components. The components are grayed out in
the above motherboard layout.

2-2

Chapter 2: Hardware information

2.3 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 and do not to touch 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.

5. Before you install or remove any component, ensure that the

ATX power supply is switched off or the power cord is
detached from the power supply. Failure to do so may cause

severe damage to the motherboard, peripherals, and/or
components.

When lit, the onboard LED indicates that the system is in suspend or
soft-off mode, not powered OFF. See the illustration below.

®

P4B-MX

P4B-MX Onboard LED

Figure 2-3 Onboard Power LED

ON

Standby

Power

OFF

Powered

Off

ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide

2-3

2.4 Central Processing Unit (CPU)

2.4.1 Overview

The motherboard comes with a surface mount 478-pin Zero Insertion
Force (ZIF) socket. This socket is specifically designed for the Intel
Pentium® 4 478/Northwood Processor.

The Intel Pentium 4 Processor in the 478-pin package uses the Flip-Chip
Pin Grid Array 2 (FC-PGA2) package technology, and includes the Intel
NetBurst™ micro-architecture. The Intel NetBurst micro-architecture
features the hyper-pipelined technology, rapid execution engine, 400MHz
system bus, and execution trace cache. Together, these attributes improve
system performance by allowing higher processor frequencies, faster
execution of integer instructions, and a data transfer rate of 3.2GB/s.

Gold Mark

®

®

Figure 2-4 Intel Pentium 4 478/Northwood Processor

Note in the illustration that the CPU has a gold triangular mark on one
corner. This mark indicates the processor Pin 1 that should match a
specific corner of the CPU socket.

Incorrect installation of the CPU into the socket may bend the pins and
severely damage the CPU!

2-4

Chapter 2: Hardware information

2.4.2 Installing the CPU

Follow these steps to install a CPU.

1. Locate the 478-pin ZIF socket on the motherboard.

Figure 2-5 Intel 478-pin ZIF Socket

2. Unlock the socket by pressing the lever sideways, then lift it up to a
90°-100° angle.

Socket Lever

90 -100

Figure 2-6 CPU Socket Lever at 90° -100° Angle

Make sure that the socket lever is lifted up to 90°-100° angle,
otherwise the CPU does not fit in completely.

ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide

2-5

3. Position the CPU above the socket such that its marked corner
matches the base of the socket lever.

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!

Gold Mark

Figure 2-7 Installing the CPU

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

Figure 2-8 Installed CPU

2-6

Chapter 2: Hardware information

2.4.3 Installing the heatsink and fan

The Intel® Pentium® 4 478/Northwood Processor requires a specially
designed heatsink and fan assembly to ensure optimum thermal condition
and performance.

When you buy a boxed Intel Pentium 4 478/Northwood Processor, the
package includes the heatsink, fan, and retention mechanism.

In case you buy a CPU separately, make sure that you use only Intel
certified heatsink and fan.

Follow these steps to install the CPU heatsink and fan.

1. Place the heatsink on top of the installed CPU, making sure that the
heatsink fits properly on the retention module base.

The retention module base is already installed on the motherboard.

CPU Heatsink

Retention Module Base

Figure 2-9 Installing the CPU Heatsink

Your boxed Intel Pentium 4 478/Northwood Processor package should
come with installation instructions for the CPU, heatsink, and the
retention mechanism. If the instructions in this section do not match the
CPU documentation, follow the latter.

ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide

2-7

2. Position the fan with the retention mechanism on top of the heatsink.
Align and snap the four hooks of the retention mechanism to the holes
on each corner of the module base.

Make sure that the fan and retention mechanism assembly perfectly
fits the heatsink and module base, otherwise you cannot snap the
hooks into the holes.

Retention Hole

Retention Lock

Retention Hook Snapped
to the Retention Hole

Figure 2-10 Installing the Fan and Retention Mechanism

Keep the retention locks lifted upward while fitting the retention
mechanism to the module base.

2-8

Chapter 2: Hardware information

3. Push down the locks on the retention mechanism to secure the
heatsink and fan to the module base.

When secure, the retention locks should point to opposite directions.

Figure 2-11 Fan and Retention Mechanism Installed and Locked

2.4.4 Connecting the CPU fan cable

When the fan, heatsink, and the retention mechanism are in place,
connect the CPU fan cable to the connector on the motherboard labeled
CPU_FAN.

CPU Fan Connector
(CPU_FAN)

Figure 2-12 CPU Fan Connector

ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide

2-9

2.5 System memor y

2.5.1 Overview

The motherboard comes with three Single Data Rate (SDR) Dual Inline
Memory Module (DIMM) sockets. These sockets support up to 3GB
system memory using unbuffered ECC or non-ECC PC100/133 DIMMs.

88 Pins

®

P4B-MX

P4B-MX 168-Pin DIMM Sockets

60 Pins

20 Pins

Figure 2-13 DIMM Sockets Location and SDR DIMMs

DIMMs are keyed with notches so that they fit in only one direction. DO
NOT force a DIMM into a socket to avoid damaging the DIMM.

2.5.2 Memory configurations

Install DIMMs in any of the following combinations.

DIMM Location 168-pin DIMM (SDR) Total Memory

2-10

Socket 1 (Rows 0&1) 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB x1
Socket 2 (Rows 2&3) 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB x1
Socket 3 (Rows 4&5) 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB x1

Total system memory (Max. 3GB) =

Chapter 2: Hardware information