ASUS P4SE User Manual

P4SE

User Guide

Motherboard

Checklist

E1 141
Second Edition

October 2002

Copyright © 2002 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

Contents ......................................................................................... iii

FCC/CDC statements......................................................................v

Federal Communications Commission Statement .................v

Canadian Department of Communications Statement ...........v

Safety information ..........................................................................vi

About this guide............................................................................. vii

Conventions used in this guide ............................................ vii

Where to find more information ............................................ vii

ASUS contact information ............................................................. vii

Specifications summary .................................................................ix

Chapter 1 - Motherboard Info ................................................... 1-1

1.1 Welcome ...................................................................... 1-2

1.2 Package contents ....................................................... 1-2

Features

1.3 Motherboard components .......................................... 1-3

1.4 Motherboard layout..................................................... 1-6

1.5 Before you proceed..................................................... 1-7

1.6 Central Processing Unit (CPU)................................... 1-7

1.7 System memory........................................................... 1-8

1.8 Expansion Slots........................................................... 1-9

1.8.1 Configuring an expansion card .................................. 1-9

1.8.2 Standard Interrupt Assignments ................................ 1-9

1.9 Switches and Jumpers ................................................ 1-10

1.10 Connectors ................................................................. 1-14

Chapter 2 - BIOS Information ..................................................... .2-1

2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS ............................ 2-2

2.1.1 Using ASUS AFLASH to update the BIOS................... 2-2

Updating BIOS procedures.................................... 2-3

2.2 BIOS Setup Program ................................................... 2-5

2.2.1 BIOS menu bar ........................................................... 2-5

2.2.2 Legend bar .................................................................. 2-6

iii

Safeguards

Contents

2.3 Main Menu .................................................................... 2-7

2.3.1 Primary and Secondary Master/Slave......................... 2-9

2.3.2 Keyboard Features ..................................................... 2-11

2.4 Advanced Menu ........................................................... 2-12

2.4.1 Chip Configuration ...................................................... 2-14

2.4.2 I/O Device Configuration ............................................. 2-16

2.4.3 PCI Configuration ........................................................ 2-17

2.4.3.1 Onboard PCI Devices Control .................................. 2-18

2.4.3.2 PCI IRQ Resource Exclusion ................................... 2-18

2.5 Power Menu .................................................................. 2-19

2.5.1 Power-up Control ........................................................ 2-21

2.5.2 Hardware Monitor ........................................................ 2-22

2.6 Boot Menu ..................................................................... 2-22

2.7 Exit Menu ................................................................. 2-24

Chapter 3 - Starting Up .............................................................. 3-1

3.1 Install an operating system......................................... 3-3

3.2 Support CD information.............................................. 3-3

3.2.1 Running the support CD ............................................ 3-3

3.2.2 Software drivers and installation menus .................... 3-4

3.3 Software Information................................................... 3-5

3.3.1 ASUS Update ............................................................. 3-5

3.3.2 ASUS PC Probe ......................................................... 3-6

Starting ASUS PC Probe ...................................... 3-6

Using ASUS PC Probe ......................................... 3-7

ASUS PC Probe Task Bar Icon ............................ 3-9

iv

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.

v

Safety 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.

vi

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/DANGER: 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 viii.

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.

vii

ASUS contact information

ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (Asia-Pacific)

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

Technical Support

MB/Others (Tel): [phone] (English)
Notebook (Tel): [phone] (English)
Desktop/Server (Tel): [phone] (English)
Support Fax: [phone]
Support Email: [e-mail]
Web Site: www.asus.com.tw
Newsgroup: cscnews.asus.com.tw

ASUS COMPUTER INTERNATIONAL (America)

Address: 6737 Mowry Avenue, Mowry Business Center,

Building 2, Newark, CA 94560, USA
General Fax: [phone]
General Email: [e-mail]

Technical Support

Support Fax: [phone]
General Support: [phone]
Web Site: www.asus.com
Support Email: [e-mail]

ASUS COMPUTER GmbH (Europe)

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

Technical Support

Support Hotline: MB/Others: [phone]
Notebook (Tel): [phone]
Support Fax: [phone]
Support (Email): www.asuscom.de/de/support (for online support)
Web Site: www.asuscom.de

viii

P4SE specifications summary

CPU

Chipset

Front Side Bus (FSB)
Memory

Expansion slots

IDE
Audio (optional)

Special Features

Socket 478 for Intel Pentium 4/Celeron Northwood/
Willamette processors with frequency up to 2.6+ GHz

Northbridge: SiS 645
Southbridge: SiS961B

400 MHz
3 x DDR DIMM Sockets supports a maximum of 3 GB

unbuffered PC2700/2100/1600 non-ECC DDR DIMMs
(Note: PC2700 max. to 4 banks only.)

1 x AGP 4X
6 x PCI

2 x UltraDMA 133/100/66
C-Media 4-channel CODEC

S/PDIF-out interface
ASUS EZPlug for flexible power connectivity

ASUS MyLogo for customized boot logos
ASUS Jumperfree
support S/PDIF out interface (on audio model only)
SFS (Stepless Frequency Selection)
Suspend-to-RAM

Back Panel I/O Ports

Internal I/O
Connectors

1 x Parallel
2 x Serial
1 x PS/2 Keyboard
1 x PS/2 Mouse
2 x USB 1.1
1 x Audio I/O, Game/MIDI (on audio models only)

CPU/power/Chassis FAN connector
20 pin ATX power connector
4-pin AUX power connector
Chassis intrusion
SM Bus
SIR
S/PDIF out connector (on audio model only)
CD/AUX/Modem audio in (on audio model only)
ASUS front panel audio connector (on audio model only)
2 x USB Headers support additional 4 USB 1.1 ports

(continued on the next page)

ix

P4SE specifications summary

BIOS features

Industry standard
Manageability
Form Factor
Support CD contents

Accessories

* Specifications are subject to change without notice.

2Mb Flash EEPROM, ASUS JumperFree, ASUS MyLogo,
Award BIOS with ACPI, DMI2.0, PnP, WfM2.0, Green, TCAV
(Trend Chip Away Virus)

PCI 2.2, USB 1.1
WfM2.0, DMI2.0, WOR, WOL, Chassis Intrusion, SM Bus
ATX form factor: 12 in x 8.6 in (30.5 cm x 21.9 cm)
Device drivers

ASUS PC Probe
Trend Micro
ASUS LiveUpdate Utility

User’s manual
Support CD
1 x UltraDMA 133/100/66 cable
FDD cable

tm

PC-cillin 2002 anti-virus software

x

Chapter 1

This chapter gives information about the
ASUS P4SE motherboard that came with
the system.This chapter includes the
motherboard layout, jumper settings, and
connector locations.

ASUS P4SE Motherboard

Motherboard Info

1-1

1.1 Welcome!

Thank you for buying the ASUS® P4SE motherboard!

The ASUS
technology making it another standout in the long line of ASUS quality
motherboards!

The P4SE incorporates the Intel
package/Northwood Processor coupled with the SiS 645 chipset to set a
new benchmark for an effective desktop platform solution.

P4SE motherboard delivers a host of new features and latest

®

Pentium® 4 Processor in 478-pin

~ Up to 3GB of system memory of PC 2700 / 2100 / 1600 DDR
(Note: PC2700 max. to 2GB only)

~ High-resolution graphics via an AGP 4X slot
~ Digital Audio Interface for 3D sound
~ Two USB ports plus headers for four more

1.2 Package contents

Check your ASUS P4SE package for the following items.

ASUS P4SE motherboard

ATX form factor: 12 in x 8.6 in
ASUS P4SE support CD
1 pc. 80-conductor ribbon cable for UltraDMA/66/100/133 IDE drives
1 pc. 40-conductor ribbon cable for Ultra 33 IDE drives
Ribbon cable for a 3.5-inch floppy drive
Bag of extra jumper caps
User Guide

1-2

1.3 Motherboard components

17 18 19

23 4

1

5

6

7
8

9

16

15

14 12

10

13

11

ASUS P4SE Motherboard

20212225 24 23

1-3

1

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

plug from the ATX 12V power supply.

2

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

®

socket for the Intel

Pentium® 4 478/Northwood Processor with 400
MHz system bus that allows 3.2 GB/s data transfer rates
respectively.

3

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

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

4

DDR DIMM Sockets. These three 184-pin DIMM sockets support

up to 3GB using non-ECC PC2700/2100/1600 DDR SDRAM
DIMMs. (Note: PC 2700 max. to 4 banks only.)

5

ASUS EZ Plug

TM

Auxillary +12V connector. This ASUS patented

auxillary power connector is used if you don’t have an ATX + 12V
power supply. Connect a 4-pin device connector from a standard
power supply to this connector to provide sufficient power to the
CPU.

6

Floppy Disk connector. This connector connects 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.

7

8

9

10

11

Northbridge Controller. This SiS 645 controller integrates a high

performance host interface for the Intel

®

Pentium® 4 processor, a

memory controller and an integrated graphics interface.
IDE Connectors. These dual-channel bus master IDE connectors

support up to four Ultra DMA133/100/66, 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.

AGP slot. This Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) slot supports
AGP4x mode graphic cards for 3D graphical applications.

DIP Switches. This 5-switch Dual Inline Package (DIP) allows you
to set the CPU external frequency.

ASUS ASIC. This chip performs multile system functions that
include hardware and system voltage monitoring.

1-4

Chapter 1: Motherboard Information

12

South bridge controller. This SiS 961B controller integrates the

AC’97 Interface, four Universal Serial Bus Host controllers, two IDE
Master/Slave controllers.

13

14

15

16

17
18

Super I/O chipset. This interface provides the commonly used

Super I/O functionality. The chipset supports a high-performance
floppy disk controller for a 360K/720K/1.44M/2.88M floppy disk
drive, a PS/2 keyboard and mouse port, a multi-mode parallel port,
a game port and, a serial port.

Standby power LED. This green LED lights up if there is a standby
power on the motherboard. The LED acts as a reminder to turn off
the system power before plugging or unplugging devices.

Flash ROM. This 2Mb firmware contains the programmable BIOS
program.

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

PS/2 mouse port. This green 6-pin connector is for a PS/2 mouse.
Parallel port. This 25-pin port connects a parallel printer, a

scanner, or other devices.

19

20
21

22

23

24

25

GAME/MIDI port. This connector supports a joystick or a game

pad for playing games, and MIDI devices for playing or editing
audio files. (on audio models only)

Microphone jack. This Mic (pink) jack connects a microphone.
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.
Serial port. This port connects to your serial mouse and other

serial devices.
USB port. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus 1.1 (USB 1.1)

ports are available for connecting USB devices such as a mouse
and PDA.

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

ASUS P4SE Motherboard

1-5

1.4 Motherboard layout

21.9cm (8.6in)

®

PS/2KBMS
T: Mouse
B: Keyboard

USB1
USB2

COM1

PARALLEL PORT

COM2

Line

Out

Line

In

Mic

GAME_AUDIO

In

CD1

ALOUT1

IAPANEL1

C-Media

4CH

USBV1

KBPWR

CPUFAN1

AUX1

VEN1

ATX12V1

Accelerated Graphics Port

PCI1

PCI2

PCI3

P4SE

PCI4

LED1

PCI5

ATX Power Connector

SiS645

HOST/

Memory

Controller

AGP

Socket 478

DDRVOL1

SECONDARY IDE

CR2032 3V
Lithium Cell

CMOS Power

AUX12V1

FLOPPY1

PRIMARY IDE

CLRCMOS1

PWRFAN1

DDR DIMM1 (64/72 bit, 184-pin module)

0 1

DDR DIMM3 (64/72 bit, 184-pin module)

DDR DIMM2 (64/72 bit, 184-pin module)

4 5

2 3

SiS961B
MuTLOL

Media

I/O

SPDIF_OUT1

SMB1

SMARTCON1

CHASFAN1

ASUS

ASIC

Hardware

Monitor

PWRTMP1

with

DSW1

IR

30.5cm (12.0in)

JEN1

CHASSIS1

MODEM1

Hub

2Mbit

Firmware

PCI6

USB3

USBV2
USBV3

USB2

Super

I/O

IDELED1

PANEL1

The audio feature is optional.The components are grayed out in the
above motherboard layout.

1-6

Chapter 1: Motherboard Information

1.5 Before you proceed

®

d

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.

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 (LED1) indicates that the system is ON,
in sleep mode, or in soft-off mode, a reminder that you should shut
down the system before removing of plugging in any motherboard
component

P4SE

P4SE Onboard LED

ON

Standby

Power

LED1

OFF

Powere

Off

ASUS P4SE Motherboard

1-7

®

s

1.6 Central Processing Unit (CPU)

®

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.

®

P4SE

P4SE Socket 478

Gold Arrow

1.7 System memory

The motherboard has three Double Data Rate (DDR) DIMM sockets that
supports up to 3GB non-ECC PC2700/2100/1600 DDR.

A DDR DIMM has the same physical dimensions as an SDR DIMM, but it
has a 184-pin footprint compared to the 168-pin of the SDR DIMM. Also, a
DDR DIMM is single notched while an SDR DIMM is double notched.
(Note: PC2700 max. to 4 banks only.)

104 Pin

P4SE

P4SE 184-Pin DDR DIMM Sockets

80 Pins

1. A DDR DIMM is keyed with a notch so that it fits in only one
direction. DO NOT force a DIMM into a socket to avoid damaging
the DIMM.

1-8

Chapter 1: Motherboard Information

1.8 Expansion slots

The P4SE motherboard has six (6) expansion slots. The following sub­sections describe the slots and the expansion cards that they support.

1.8.1 Configuring an expansion card

After physically installing the expansion card, configure the card by
adjusting the software settings.

1. Turn on the system and change the necessary BIOS settings, if any.

2. Assign an IRQ to the card. Refer to the tables below.

3. Install the software drivers for the expansion card.

1.8.2 Standard Interrupt Assignments

IRQ Priority Standard Function

0 1 System Timer
1 2 Keyboard Controller
2 N/A Programmable Interrupt Controller
3* 11 Communications Port (COM2)
4* 12 Communications Port (COM1)
5* 13 Sound Card (sometimes LPT2)
6 14 Standard Floppy Disk Controller
7* 15 Printer Port (LPT1)
8 3 System CMOS/Real Time Clock
9* 4 ACPI Mode when used
10* 5 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
11* 6 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
12* 7 PS/2 Compatible Mouse Port
13 8 Numeric Data Processor
14* 9 Primary IDE Channel
15* 10 Secondary IDE Channel

*These IRQs are usually available for ISA or PCI devices.

IRQ assignments for this motherboard

ABCD

PCI slot 1 shared — — —
PCI slot 2 — shared — —
PCI slot 3 — — shared —
PCI slot 4 — — — shared
PCI slot 5 shared — — —
PCI slot 6 — shared — —
Onboard USB controller HC0 — — — shared
Onboard USB controller HC1 — — — shared
AGP shared — — —

When using PCI cards on shared slots, ensure that the drivers support
“Share IRQ” or that the cards do not need IRQ assignments.
Otherwise, conflicts will arise between two PCI groups.

ASUS P4SE Motherboard

1-9

1.9 Switches and jumpers

®

®

JEN1

e

The motherboard frequency is adjusted through the DIP switches. The
white block represents the switch position. The illustration below shows all
the switches in the OFF position.

ONOFF

ON

DSW1

12345

P4SE

1. Frequency Selection

2. Frequency Selection

3. Frequency Selection

4. Frequency Selection

5. Frequency Selection

P4SE DIP Switches

The JEN jumper (see below) must be set to pins 1-2 for Jumper Mode
if you wish to use the DIP switches. Otherwise, setting the switches
does not produce any effect.

1. JumperFree™ Mode (JEN1)

This jumper allows you to enable or disable the JumperFree™ mode.
The JumperFree mode allows you to change CPU settings through

the BIOS setup instead of using the DIP switches.

ONOFF

ON

DSW1

12345

P4SE

Jumper Mode

P4SE JumperFree™ Mode Setting

2
1

3
2

Jumper Fre

(Default)

The JEN jumper is set in conjunction with the DIP switches. In
JumperFree mode, set all the DIP switches to OFF.

1-10

Chapter 1: Motherboard Information

2. CPU Frequency Selection (DSW1 Switches 1-5)

®

z

z

z
z

®

t)

This option tells the clock generator what frequency to send the CPU.
This permits selection of the CPU’s external frequency (or Bus
Clock). The BUS Clock multiplied by the Frequency Multiple equals
the CPU’s internal frequency (the advertised CPU speed).

To select the CPU external frequency using the DIP switches, ensure
that the JEN jumper is set to jumper mode.

DSW1

CPU

DRAM

ON

12345

P4SE

CPU

105MHz
140MHz

DRAM

ON

12345

100MHz
100MHz

ON

12345

108MHz
144MHz

ON

12345

100MHz
133MHz

ON

12345

112MHz
149MHz

ON

12345

100MHz
150MHz

ON

12345

133MHz
133MHz

ON

12345

100MHz
160MHz

ON

12345

133MHz
166MHz

ON

12345

100MH
166MH

ON

12345

100MH
200MH

P4SE CPU
External Frequency Selection

Set the CPU frequency only to the recommended settings.
Frequencies other than the recommended CPU bus frequencies are
not guaranteed to be stable.

3. Keyboard Power (3-pin KBPWR1)

This jumper allows you to enable or disable the keyboard wake-up
feature. Set this jumper to pins 2-3 (+5VSB) if you wish to wake up
the computer when you press a key on the keyboard (the default is
the Space Bar). This feature requires an ATX power supply that can
supply at least 1A on the +5VSB lead, and a corresponding setting in
the BIOS (see section 4.5.1 Power Up Control).

KBPWR1

3

2
1

+5V

P4SE

2

+5VSB

(Defaul

P4SE Keyboard Power Setting

ASUS P4SE Motherboard

1-11

4. USB Device Wake-up (3-pin USBV1, USBV2, USBV3)

®

®

l

t)

Set these jumpers to +5V to wake up the computer from S1 sleep
mode using the connected USB devices. Set to +5VSB to wake up
from S3 sleep mode. Both jumpers are set to pins 1-2 (+5V) by
default because not all computers have the appropriate power supply
to support this feature.

The USBV1 jumper is for the rear USB ports. The USBV2 and
USBV3 jumpers are for the internal USB headers.

1. This feature requires a power supply that can provide at least
1A on the +5VSB lead when these jumpers are set to +5VSB.
Otherwise, the system does not power up.

2. The total current consumed must NOT exceed the power
supply capability (+5VSB) whether under normal condition or
in sleep mode.

USBV1

2
1

+5V

(Default)

3
2

+5VSB

USBV2
USBV3

P4SE

P4SE USB Device Wake Up

2

1

+5V

(Default)

2

+5VSB

3

5. CPU voltage selector (3-pin VEN1)

This jumper permits an increase of CPU voltage of 0.2 volts.

It is recommended that you keep the default setting (Normal) for
system stability. Raising the CPU voltage may cause system failure.

VEN1

12 23

CPU Rise 0.2V

Norma

(Defaul

P4SE

P4SE CPU Voltage Setting

1-12

Chapter 1: Motherboard Information

6. DDR Voltage Selector (4-pin DDRVOL1)

®

®

This jumper sets the voltage supplied to the system memory. Three
positions are available for adjusting the voltage.

It is recommended that you keep the default setting (2.5V) for system
stability. The other settings do not guarantee better system performance.

DDRVOL1

3

12

2

3

4

2.5V 2.7V

(Default)

P4SE

2.9V

P4SE DDRVOL Setting

7. Clear RTC RAM (CLRCMOS1)

This jumper clears the Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM in CMOS. The
RAM data in CMOS, that includes system setup information such as
system passwords, is powered by the onboard button cell battery.

To erase the RTC RAM:

1. Turn OFF the computer and unplug the power cord.

2. Remove the motherboard battery.

3. Remove the jumper cap from the CLRTC jumper, [1-2] and place
it on jumpers [2-3] for a few seconds.

4. Replace the jumper cap to the Normal postion, [1-2].

5. Replace the battery.

6. Plug the power cord and turn ON the computer.

7. Hold down the <Del> key during the boot process and enter
BIOS setup to re-enter data.

CLRCMOS1

3

2

P4SE

1

Normal Clear CMOS

(Default)

2

P4SE Clear RTC RAM

ASUS P4SE Motherboard

1-13

1.10 Connectors

®

s

This section describes and illustrates the connectors on the motherboard.

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.

1. IDE connectors (40-1 pin PRIMARY IDE/SECONDARY IDE)

This connector supports the provided UltraDMA133/100/66 IDE hard
disk ribbon cable. Connect the cable’s blue connector to the primary
(recommended) or secondary IDE connector, then connect the gray
connector to the UltraDMA133/100/66 slave device (hard disk drive)
and the black connector to the UltraDMA133/100/66 master device. It
is recommended that you connect non-UltraDMA133/100/66 devices
to the secondary IDE connector. If you install two hard disks, you
must configure the second drive as a slave device by setting its
jumper accordingly. Refer to the hard disk documentation for the
jumper settings. BIOS supports specific device bootup. If you have
more than two UltraDMA133/100/66 devices, purchase another
UltraDMA133/100/66 cable. You may configure two hard disks to be
both master devices with two ribbon cables – one for the primary IDE
connector and another for the secondary IDE connector.

1. Pin 20 on each IDE connector is removed to match the
covered hole on the UltraDMA cable connector. This prevents
incorrect orientation when you connect the cables.

2. The hole near the blue connector on the UltraDMA/100/66
cable is intentional.

P4SE

P4SE IDE Connectors

SECONDARY IDE

PIN 1

NOTE: Orient the red marking
(usually zigzag) on the IDE
ribbon cable to PIN 1.

PRIMARY IDE

1-14

Chapter 1: Motherboard Information

2. Hard disk activity LED (2-pin IDELED1)

®

t

®

n

This connector supplies power to the hard disk activity LED. The read
and write activities of devices connected to the primary or secondary
IDE connector cause this LED to light up.

TIP: If the case-mounted LED does no
light, try reversing the 2-pin plug.

P4SE

IDELED1

P4SE IDE Activity LED

3. Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY)

This connector supports the provided floppy drive ribbon cable. After
connecting one end to the motherboard, connect the other end to the
floppy drive. (Pin 5 is removed to prevent incorrect insertion when
using ribbon cables with pin 5 plug).

FLOPPY1

NOTE: Orient the red markings o
the floppy ribbon cable to PIN 1.

P4SE

PIN 1

P4SE Floppy Disk Drive Connector

ASUS P4SE Motherboard

1-15

4. Chassis open alarm lead (4-1 pin CHASSIS)

®

1

®

This lead is for a chassis designed with intrusion detection feature.
This requires an external detection mechanism such as a chassis
intrusion sensor or microswitch. When you remove any chassis
component, the sensor triggers and sends a high-level signal to this
lead to record a chassis intrusion event.

If you do not wish to use the chassis intrusion lead, place a jumper cap
over the pins labeled “Chassis Signal” and “Ground” to close the
circuit.

CHASSIS

Chassis Signal

GND

P4SE

+5VSB_MB

P4SE Chassis Alarm Lead

5. USB headers (two 10-1 pin USB2, USB3)

If the USB port connectors on the rear panel are inadequate, two USB
headers are available for additional USB port connectors. Connect the
bundled 2-port USB connector set to this header and mount the USB
bracket to an open slot in the chassis.

USB2USB3

USB Power

USBP2–

USBP2+

GND

P4SE

P4SE Front Panel USB Headers

15
610

OC1#

GND

USBP3–

USBP3+

USB Power

USB Power

USBP2–

USBP2+

GND

GND

USBP3–

USBP3+

OC1#

15
610

USB Power

The two-port USB connector is not included in the package.

1-16

Chapter 1: Motherboard Information

6. CPU, Chassis, and Power Fan Connectors

®

1

®

(3-pin CPUFAN1, CHASFAN1, PWRFAN1)

The three fan connectors support cooling fans of 350mA (4.2 Watts)
or a total of 1A (12W) at +12V. Orient the fans so that the heat sink
fins allow air flow to go across the onboard heat sinks instead of the
expansion slots. The fan wiring and plug may vary depending on the
fan manufacturer. Connect the fan cable to the connector matching
the black wire to the ground pin.

Do not forget to connect the fan cables to the fan connectors. Lack of
sufficient air flow within the system may damage the motherboard
components. These are not jumpers! DO NOT place jumper caps on
the fan connectors!

PWRFAN1

GND

Rotation

+12V

CPUFAN1

GND
+12V
Rotation

P4SE

CHASFAN

Rotation

+12V
GND

P4SE 12-Volt Fan Connectors

7. SMBus connector (6-1 pin SMB)

This connector allows you to connect SMBus (System Management
Bus) devices. Devices communicate with an SMBus host and/or other
SMBus devices using the SMBus interface. SMBus is a specific
implementation of an I

2

C bus, a multi-device bus that allows multiple
chips to connect to the same bus and enable each one to act as a
master by initiating data transfer.

SMB

1

P4SE

SMBCLK

FLOATING

+3V

Ground

SMBDATA

P4SE SMBus Connector

ASUS P4SE Motherboard

1-17

8. Power supply thermal connector (2-pin PWRTMP)

®

r

®

)

If your power supply has a thermal monitoring feature, connect its
thermal sensor cable to this connector.

PWRTMP1

P4SE

Power Supply Thermal Senso

P4SE Thermal Sensor Connector

9. Infrared module connector (two 5-1 pin IR)

This connector supports an optional wireless transmitting and
receiving infrared module. This module mounts to a small opening on
system chassis that support this feature. You must also configure the
UART2 Use As parameter in BIOS to set UART2 for use with IR. See
section “4.4.2 I/O Device Configuration” for details.

Use the five pins as shown in Back View and connect a ribbon cable
from the module to the motherboard SIR connector according to the
pin definitions.

IR

Front View Back View

+5V

GND

IRTX

IRRX

1

P4SE

IRTX
GND

+5V
(NC

IRRX

P4SE Infrared Module Connector

1-18

Chapter 1: Motherboard Information

10. ASUS EZ Plug™ and ATX power connectors

®

1

(20-pin ATXPWR, 4-pin ATX+12V, 4-pin AUX+12V)

These connectors connect to an ATX 12V power supply. The plugs
from the power supply are designed to fit these connectors in only one
orientation. Find the proper orientation and push down firmly until the
connectors completely fit.

In addition to the 20-pin ATXPWR connector, this motherboard
requires that you connect the 4-pin ATX +12V power plug to provide
sufficient power to the CPU.

If you are using a standard ATX power supply that does not have the
added ATX +12V plug, then simply connect one of the 4-pin device
power plugs into the ASUS EZ Plug™ connector labeled AUX12V.

Make sure that your ATX 12V power supply can provide 8A on the
+12V lead and at least 1A on the +5V standby lead (+5VSB). The
minimum recommended wattage is 230W, or 300W for a fully
configured system. The system may become unstable and may
experience difficulty powering up if the power supply is inadequate.

+5.0VDC

+5.0VDC

ATXPWR1

Pin 1

+5VSB

P4SE

+12.0VDC

ATX12V1

P4SE ATX & Auxiliary Power Connectors

COM

COM

-5.0VDC

COM

+5.0VDC

PWR_OK

+3.3VDC

-12.0VDC

COM

PS_ON#

COM

COM

COM

+3.3VDC

+3.3VDC

+5.0VDC

+12V DC COM

+12V DC COM

AUX12V

+12V

Pin 1

GND

GND

+5V

ASUS P4SE Motherboard

1-19

11. Internal audio connectors (4-pin CD1, AUX, MODEM) (on audio

®

)

®

1

models only)

These connectors allow you to receive stereo audio input from sound
sources such as a CD-ROM, TV tuner, or MPEG card. The MODEM
connector allows the onboard audio to interface with a voice modem
card with a similar connector. It also allows the sharing of mono_in
(such as a phone) and a mono_out (such as a speaker) between the
audio and a voice modem card.

CD1 (Black

Ground

Ground

Left Audio Channel

Right Audio Channel

P4SE

P4SE Internal Audio Connectors

AUX1 (White)

Left Audio Channel

Right Audio Channel

Ground
Ground

MODEM

Modem-In

Ground
Ground

Modem-Out

12. Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin IAPANEL1) (on audio
models only)

This is an interface for the Intel front panel audio cable that allow
convenient connection and control of audio devices.

Make sure to place jumper caps over pins 1-2 and 5-6 if you do not
connect the Intel front panel audio cable. By default, these pins are
shorted. Before using this connector, make sure that your audio cable
and the front panel audio module (if available) comply with the Intel
Front Panel I/O specification.

IAPANEL

LineOut_FL

LineOut_FR

NC

MICPWRNC

MIC

P4SE

1

LineOut_RL

LineOut_RR

AGND

P4SE Audio Panel Connector

1-20

Chapter 1: Motherboard Information

13. Digital audio connector (6-1 pin SPDIF_OUT1)

®

1

®

1

(on audio models only)

This connector connects an S/PDIF audio module that allows digital
instead of analog sound output. Connect one end of the audio cable
to the S/PDIF Out connector on the motherboard, and the other end
to the S/PDIF module.

The S/PDIF Out module is not included in the motherboard package.

SPDIF_OUT

+5V

SPDIFOUT

GND

P4SE

P4SE Digital Audio Connector

14. Line out connector (5-pin ALOUT1) (on audio models only)

This connector supplies a front panel Line out jack for stereo output.

ALOUT

1

P4SE

BLOUT1_LOUT_L

ALOUT1_LOUT_R

P4SE ALOUT Connector

BLOUT1_LOUT_L

ALOUT1_LOUT_R

ASUS P4SE Motherboard

1-21

®

.

15. Smart card reader connector (14-1 pin SMARTCON1) (optional)

®

1

This connector accommodates a Smart Card Reader that allows you
to conveniently make transactions such as financial, health care,
telephony, or traveling services through a Smart Card user interface
software.

SMARTCON

NC

GND

SCRCLK

NC

NC

SCIO

SCRRES#

SCPWR

VCC

NC

NC

SCRREST

1

NC2

P4SE

P4SE Smartcard

16. System panel connector (20-pin PANEL1)

This connector accommodates several system front panel functions.

P4SE

P4SE System Panel Connectors

Keyboard Lock
Power LED

+5 V

+5 V

Message LED

SMI Lead

* Requires an ATX power supply

PLED

MLED

Keylock

Ground

Ground

ExtSMI#

Speaker
Connector

Speaker

Ground

+5V

Ground

PWR

Reset

Ground

Ground

Reset SW

ATX Power
Switch*

• System Power LED Lead (3-1 pin PLED)

This 3-1 pin connector connects to the system power LED. The LED
lights up when you turn on the system power, and blinks when the
system is in sleep mode.

• System Warning Speaker Lead (4-pin SPEAKER)

This 4-pin connector connects to the case-mounted speaker and
allows you to hear system beeps and warnings.

1-22

Chapter 1: Motherboard Information

• System Management Interrupt Lead (2-pin SMI)

This 2-pin connector allows you to manually place the system into a
suspend mode, or “green” mode, where system activity is instantly
decreased to save power and to expand the life of certain system
components. Attach the case-mounted suspend switch to this 2-pin
connector.

• ATX Power Switch / Soft-Off Switch Lead (2-pin PWRBTN)

This connector connects a switch that controls the system power.
Pressing the power switch turns the system between ON and SLEEP,
or ON and SOFT OFF, depending on the BIOS or OS settings.
Pressing the power switch while in the ON mode for more than 4
seconds turns the system OFF.

• Reset Switch Lead (2-pin RESET)

This 2-pin connector connects to the case-mounted reset switch for
rebooting the system without turning off the system power.

ASUS P4SE Motherboard

1-23

1-24

Chapter 1: Motherboard Information

Chapter 2

This chapter gives information about the
ASUS P4SE Binary Input/Output System
(BIOS).This chapter includes updating the
BIOS using the ASUS AFLASH BIOS that is
bundled with the support CD.

ASUS P4SE Motherboard

BIOS Information

2-1

2.1 Managing and Updating your BIOS

The BIOS information in the above screen is for reference only. What
you see on your screen may not be exactly the same as shown.

2.1.1 Using AFLASH to update the BIOS

Creating a bootable disk

AFLASH.EXE is a Flash Memory Writer utility that updates the BIOS by
uploading a new BIOS file to the programmable flash ROM on the
motherboard. This file works only in DOS mode. To determine the BIOS
version of your motherboard, check the last four numbers of the code
displayed on the upper left-hand corner of your screen during bootup.
Larger numbers represent a newer BIOS file.

1. Type FORMAT A:/S at the DOS prompt to create a bootable system

disk. DO NOT copy AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS to the disk.

2. Type COPY D:\AFLASH\AFLASH.EXE A:\ (assuming D is your

CD-ROM drive) to copy AFLASH.EXE to the boot disk you created.

AFLASH works only in DOS mode. It does not work with certain
memory drivers that may be loaded when you boot from the hard drive.
It is recommended that you reboot using a floppy disk.

3. Reboot the computer from the floppy disk.

BIOS setup must specify “Floppy” as the first item in the boot
sequence.

4. In DOS mode, type A:\AFLASH <Enter> to run AFLASH.

2-2

If the word “unknown” appears after Flash Memory:, the memory chip
is either not programmable or is not supported by the ACPI BIOS and
therefore, cannot be programmed by the Flash Memory Writer utility.

Chapter 2: BIOS Information

5. Select 1. Save Current BIOS to File from the Main menu and press
<Enter>. The Save Current BIOS To File screen appears.

6. Type a filename and the path, for example, A:\XXX-XX.XXX, then
press <Enter>.

Updating the BIOS

Update the BIOS only if you are sure that the new BIOS revision will
solve your problems. Careless updating may result to more problems
with the motherboard!

1. Download an updated ASUS BIOS file from the Internet (WWW or
FTP) (see ASUS CONTACT INFORMATION on page x for details) and
save to the boot floppy disk you created earlier.

2. Boot from the floppy disk.

3. At the “A:\” prompt, type AFLASH and then press <Enter>.

4. At the Main Menu, type 2 then press <Enter>. The Update BIOS
Including Boot Block and ESCD screen appears.

5. Type the filename of your new BIOS and the path, for example,
A:\XXX-XX.XXX, then press <Enter>.

To cancel this operation, press <Enter>.

ASUS P4SE Motherboard

2-3

6. When prompted to confirm the BIOS update, press Y to start the
update.

7. The utility starts to program the new BIOS information into the Flash
ROM. The boot block is updated automatically only when necessary.
When the programming is done, the message “Flashed Successfully”
appears.

8. Follow the onscreen instructions to continue.

DO NOT turn off the system while updating the BIOS. This may cause
boot problems. Just repeat the process, and if the problem persists,
load the original BIOS file you saved to the boot disk. If the Flash
Memory Writer utility is not able to successfully update a complete
BIOS file, call the ASUS service center for support.

2-4

Chapter 2: BIOS Information

2.2 BIOS Setup program

Use the BIOS Setup program when you are installing a motherboard,
reconfiguring your system, or prompted to “Run Setup”. This section explains
how to configure your system using this utility.

Even if you are not prompted to use the Setup program, you may want to
change the configuration of your computer in the future. For example, you
may want to enable the security password feature or make changes to the
power management settings. This requires you to reconfigure your system
using the BIOS Setup program so that the computer can recognize these
changes and record them in the CMOS RAM of the EEPROM.

The EEPROM on the motherboard stores the Setup utility. When you start
up the computer, the system provides you with the opportunity to run this
program. Press <Delete> during the Power-On Self Test (POST) to enter the
Setup utility, otherwise, POST continues with its test routines.

The Setup program is designed to make it as easy to use as possible. It is a
menu-driven program, which means you can scroll through the various sub­menus and make your selections among the predetermined choices.

Because the BIOS software is constantly being updated, the following
BIOS setup screens and descriptions are for reference purposes only,
and may not exactly match what you see on your screen.

2.2.1 BIOS menu bar

The top of the screen has a menu bar with the following selections:
MAIN Use this menu to make changes to the basic system

configuration.

ADVANCED Use this menu to enable and make changes to the

advanced features.

POWER Use this menu to configure and enable Power

Management features.

BOOT Use this menu to configure the default system device

used to locate and load the Operating System.

EXIT Use this menu to exit the current menu or to exit the

Setup program.

To access the menu bar items, press the right or left arrow key on the
keyboard until the desired item is highlighted.

ASUS P4SE Motherboard

2-5

2.2.2 Legend bar

At the bottom of the Setup screen is a legend bar . The keys in the legend bar
allow you to navigate through the various setup menus. The following table
lists the keys found in the legend bar with their corresponding functions.

Navigation Key(s) Function Description

<F1> or <Alt + H> Displays the General Help screen from any-

where in the BIOS Setup

<Esc> Jumps to the Exit menu or returns to the main

menu from a sub-menu

Left or Right arrow Selects the menu item to the left or right
Up or Down arrow Moves the highlight up or down between fields

- (minus key) Scrolls backward through the values for the

highlighted field

+ (plus key) or spacebar Scrolls forward through the values for the high-

lighted field

<Enter> Brings up a selection menu for the highlighted

field

<Home> or <PgUp> Moves the cursor to the first field
<End> or <PgDn> Moves the cursor to the last field
<F5> Resets the current screen to its Setup Defaults
<F10> Saves changes and exits Setup

General help

In addition to the Item Specific Help window, the BIOS setup program also
provides a General Help screen. Y ou may launch this screen from any menu
by simply pressing <F1> or the <Alt> + <H> combination. The General Help
screen lists the legend keys and their corresponding functions.

Saving changes and exiting the Setup program

See “2.7 Exit Menu” for detailed information on saving changes and exiting
the setup program.

When a scroll bar appears to the right of a help window, it indicates that
there is more information to be displayed that will not fit in the window. Use
<PgUp> and <PgDn> or the up and down arrow keys to scroll through the
entire help document. Press <Home> to display the first page, press <End>
to go to the last page. To exit the help window, press <Enter> or <Esc>.

2-6

Chapter 2: BIOS Information

Sub-menu

Note that a right pointer symbol (as shown on

the left) appears to the left of certain fields. This
pointer indicates that you can display a sub-menu
from this field. A sub-menu contains additional
options for a field parameter. To display a sub­menu, move the highlight to the field and press
<Enter>. The sub-menu appears. Use the legend
keys to enter values and move from field to field
within a sub-menu as you would within a menu.
Use the <Esc> key to return to the main menu.

Take some time to familiarize yourself with the
legend keys and their corresponding functions. Practice navigating through
the various menus and sub-menus. If you accidentally make unwanted
changes to any of the fields, use the set default hot key <F5> to load the
Setup default values. While moving around through the Setup program, note
that explanations appear in the Item Specific Help window located to the
right of each menu. This window displays the help text for the currently
highlighted field.

2.3 Main Menu

When you enter the Setup program, the following screen appears.

System Time [XX:XX:XX]

Sets the system to the time that you specify (usually the current time). The
format is hour, minute, second. Valid values for hour, minute and second
are Hour: (00 to 23), Minute: (00 to 59), Second: (00 to 59). Use the <Tab>
or <Shift> + <Tab> keys to move between the hour, minute, and second
fields.

ASUS P4SE Motherboard

2-7

System Date [XX/XX/XXXX]

Sets the system to the date that you specify (usually the current date). The
format is month, day, year. Valid values for month, day, and year are
Month: (1 to 12), Day: (1 to 31), Year: (up to 2099). Use the <Tab> or
<Shift> + <Tab> keys to move between the month, day, and year fields.

Legacy Diskette A [1.44M, 3.5 in.]

Sets the type of floppy drive installed. Configuration options: [None] [360K,

5.25 in.] [1.2M , 5.25 in.] [720K , 3.5 in.] [1.44M, 3.5 in.] [2.88M, 3.5 in.]

Floppy 3 Mode Support [Disabled]

This is required to support older Japanese floppy drives. The Floppy 3 Mode
feature allows reading and writing of 1.2MB (as opposed to 1.44MB) on a

3.5-inch diskette. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Language [English]

This field displays the BIOS language version.

Supervisor Password [Disabled] / User Password [Disabled]

These fields allow you to set passwords. To set a password, highlight the
appropriate field and press <Enter>. Type in a password then press
<Enter>. You can type up to eight alphanumeric characters. Symbols and
other characters are ignored. To confirm the password, type the password
again and press <Enter>. The password is now set to [Enabled]. This
password allows full access to the BIOS Setup menus. To clear the
password, highlight this field and press <Enter>. The same dialog box as
above appears. Press <Enter>. The password is set to [Disabled].

Make a copy of the original BIOS on a bootable floppy disk before
setting passwords. Label it as CMOS Backup copy.

A note about passwords

The BIOS Setup program allows you to specify passwords in the Main menu. The passwords
control access to the BIOS during system startup. Passwords are not case sensitive, meaning,
passwords typed in either uppercase or lowercase letters are accepted. The BIOS Setup program
allows you to specify two different passwords: a Supervisor password and a User password. If
you did not set a Supervisor password, anyone can access the BIOS Setup program. If you
did, the Supervisor password is required to enter the BIOS Setup program and to gain full

access to the configuration fields.

Forgot the password?

If you forget your password, you can clear it by erasing the CMOS Real Time Clock (RTC)
RAM. The RAM data containing the password information is powered by the onboard button
cell battery . If you need to erase the CMOS RAM, unplug the all the power cables and remove
the button cell battery . Re-install the battery after about 2 seconds, then power up the system.
Refer to section “2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS” on how to update the BIOS.

2-8

Chapter 2: BIOS Information

Halt On [All Errors]

This field specifies the types of errors that will cause the system to halt.
Configuration options: [All Errors] [No Error] [All but Keyboard] [All but
Disk] [All but Disk/Keyboard]

Installed Memory [XXX MB]

This field automatically displays the amount of conventional memory
detected by the system during the boot process.

2.3.1 Primary and Secondary Master/Slave

Type [Auto]

Select [Auto] to automatically detect an IDE hard disk drive. If automatic
detection is successful, Setup automatically fills in the correct values for
the remaining fields on this sub-menu. If automatic detection fails, select
[User Type HDD] to manually enter the IDE hard disk drive parameters.
Refer to the next section for details.

Before attempting to configure a hard disk drive, make sure you have the
correct configuration information supplied by the drive manufacturer.

[User Type HDD]

Manually enter the number of cylinders, heads and sectors per track for
the drive. Refer to the drive documentation or label for this information.

ASUS P4SE Motherboard

2-9

If no drive is installed or if you are removing a drive and not replacing it,
select [None].

Other options for the Type field are:

[CD-ROM] - for IDE CD-ROM drives
[LS-120] - for LS-120 compatible floppy disk drives
[ZIP] - for ZIP-compatible disk drives
[MO] - for IDE magneto optical disk drives
[Other A TAPI Device] - for IDE devices not listed here

After making your selections on this sub-menu, press the <Esc> key to
return to the Main menu. When the Main menu appears, the hard disk
drive field displays the size for the hard disk drive that you configured.

Translation Method [LBA]

Select the hard disk drive type in this field. When Logical Block Addressing
(LBA) is enabled, the 28-bit addressing of the hard drive is used without
regard for cylinders, heads, or sectors. Note that LBA Mode is necessary
for drives with more than 504MB storage capacity. Configuration options:
[LBA] [LARGE] [Normal] [Match Partition Table] [Manual]

Cylinders

This field configures the number of cylinders. Refer to the drive
documentation to determine the correct value. To make changes to this
field, set the Type field to [User Type HDD] and the Translation Method
field to [Manual].

Head

This field configures the number of read/write heads. Refer to the drive
documentation to determine the correct value. To make changes to this
field, set the Type field to [User Type HDD] and the Translation Method
field to [Manual].

Sector

This field configures the number of sectors per track. Refer to the drive
documentation to determine the correct value. To make changes to this
field, set the Type field to [User Type HDD] and the Translation Method
field to [Manual].

CHS Capacity

This field shows the drive’s maximum CHS capacity as calculated by the
BIOS based on the drive information you entered.

2-10

Chapter 2: BIOS Information

Maximum LBA Capacity

This field shows the drive’s maximum LBA capacity as calculated by the
BIOS based on the drive information you entered.

Multi-Sector Transfers [Maximum]

This option automatically sets the number of sectors per block to the
highest number that the drive supports. Note that when this field is
automatically configured, the set value may not always be the fastest
value for the drive. You may also manually configure this field. Refer to the
documentation that came with the hard drive to determine the optimum
value and set it manually. To make changes to this field, set the Type field
to [User Type HDD]. Configuration options: [Disabled] [2 Sectors] [4
Sectors] [8 Sectors] [16 Sectors] [32 Sectors] [Maximum]

SMART Monitoring [Disabled]

This field allows you to enable or disable the S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring,
Analysis and Reporting Technology) system that utilizes internal hard disk
drive monitoring technology. This parameter is normally disabled because
the resources used in the SMART monitoring feature may decrease
system performance. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

PIO Mode [4]

This option lets you set a PIO (Programmed Input/Output) mode for the
IDE device. Modes 0 through 4 provide successive increase in
performance. Configuration options: [0] [1] [2] [3] [4]

Ultra DMA Mode [Disabled]

Ultra DMA capability allows improved transfer speeds and data integrity for
compatible IDE devices. Set to [Disabled] to suppress Ultra DMA
capability. To make changes to this field, set the Type field to [User Type
HDD]. Configuration options: [0] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [Disabled]

2.3.2 Keyboard Features

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2-11

Boot Up NumLock Status [On]

This field enables users to activate the Number Lock function upon system
boot. Configuration options: [Off] [On]

Keyboard Auto-Repeat Rate [6/Sec]

This controls the speed at which the system registers repeated keystrokes.
Options range from 6 to 30 characters per second. Configuration options:
[6/Sec] [8/Sec] [10/Sec] [12/Sec] [15/Sec] [20/Sec] [24/Sec] [30/Sec]

Keyboard Auto-Repeat Delay [1/4 Sec]

This field sets the time interval for displaying the first and second
characters. Configuration options: [1/4 Sec] [1/2 Sec] [3/4 Sec] [1 Sec]

2.4 Advanced Menu

CPU Speed

This displays the current speed of the CPU installed.

CPU Frequency Multiple (when CPU Speed is set to [Manual])

This field displays frequency multiple value between the CPU’s internal
frequency (CPU speed) and external frequency.

CPU/PCI Frequency (MHz) (when CPU Speed is set to [Manual])

This feature tells the clock generator what frequency to send to the system
bus and PCI bus. The bus frequency (external frequency) multiplied by the
bus multiple equals the CPU speed.

CPU/Memory Frequency Ratio [Auto]

This field determines whether the memory clock frequency is set to be in
synchronous or asynchronous mode with respect to the system frequency.
The options that appear in the popup menu vary according to the CPU
Frequency (MHz). Configuration options: [Auto] [1:1] [3:4] [3:5]

2-12

Chapter 2: BIOS Information

CPU VCore Setting [Auto]

The [Manual] setting allows you to manually select the core voltage
supplied to the CPU(see next item). However, it is recommended that you
keep the default setting [Auto] to allow the system to automatically
determine the appropriate CPU core voltage.

CPU VCore [1.750V] (for Willamette), [1.500V] (for Northwood)

When the CPU VCore Setting parameter above is set to [Manual], the
CPU VCore item allows you to select a specific CPU core voltage.
Configuration options:

Pentium 4 (Willamette) [1.850V] [1.825V] [1.800V] [1.775V] [1.750V]
Pentium 4 (Northwood) [1.700V] [1.675V] [1.650V] [1.625V] [1.600V] [1.575V]

[1.550V] [1.525V] [1.500V]

CPU Level 2 Cache [Enabled]

These fields allow you to choose from the default [Enabled] or choose
[Disabled] to turn on or off the CPU Level 1 and Level 2 built-in cache.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

BIOS Update [Enabled]

This field functions as an update loader integrated into the BIOS to supply
the processor with the required data. When [Enabled], the BIOS loads the
update during system bootup. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

PS/2 Mouse Function Control [Auto]

The default setting [Auto] allows the system to detect a PS/2 mouse at
startup. If a mouse is detected, the BIOS assigns IRQ12 to the PS/2
mouse. Otherwise, IRQ12 can be used for expansion cards. When you set
this field to [Enabled], BIOS reserves IRQ12, whether or not a PS/2 mouse
is detected at startup. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Auto]

USB Legacy Support [Auto]

This motherboard supports Universal Serial Bus (USB) devices. The
default of [Auto] allows the system to detect a USB device at startup. If
detected, the USB controller legacy mode is enabled. If not detected, the
USB controller legacy mode is disabled. When you set this field to
[Disabled], the USB controller legacy mode is disabled whether or not you
are using a USB device. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] [Auto]

OS/2 Onboard Memory > 64M [Disabled]

When using OS/2 operating systems with installed DRAM of greater than
64MB, you need to set this option to [Enabled]. Otherwise, leave to the
default setting [Disabled]. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

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2-13

2.4.1 Chip Configuration

SDRAM Configuration [By SPD]

This parameter allows you to set the optimal timings for items 2–5,
depending on the memory modules that you are using. The default setting
is [By SPD], which configures items 2–5 by reading the contents in the
SPD (Serial Presence Detect) device. The EEPROM on the memory
module stores critical information about the module, such as memory type,
size, speed, voltage interface, and module banks.
Configuration options: [User Defined] [By SPD]

The SDRAM parameters (items 2~5) become configurable only when
you set the SDRAM Configuration to [User Defined].

SDRAM CAS Latency [2.5T]

This item controls the latency between the SDRAM read command and
the time the data actually becomes available.

SDRAM RAS to CAS Delay [3T]

This item controls the latency between the DDR SDRAM active command
and the read/write command.

SDRAM RAS Precharge Time [3T]

This item controls the idle clocks after issuing a precharge command to
the DDR SDRAM.

SDRAM RAS Active Time [6T]

This item controls the number of DDR SDRAM clocks used for DDR
SDRAM parameters.

SDRAM Command Lead-off Time [Auto]

When set to [2T], memory read/write commands are issued 1 clock cycle
behind the memory address (MA). When set to [1T], read/write commands
and MA are issued simultaneously. Configuration options: [Auto] [2T] [1T]

2-14

Chapter 2: BIOS Information

Graphics Aperture Size [64MB]

This feature allows you to select the size of mapped memory for AGP
graphic data. Configuration options: [4MB] [8MB] [16MB] [32MB] [64MB]
[128MB] [256MB]

AGP Capability [4X Mode]

This motherboard supports the AGP 4X interface that transfers video data
at 1066MB/s. AGP 4X is backward-compatible, so you may keep the
default [4X Mode] even if you are using an AGP 1X video card. When set
to [1X Mode], the AGP interface only provides a peak data throughput of
266MB/s even if you are using an AGP 4x card.
Configuration options: [1X Mode] [2X Mode] [4X Mode]

AGP Fast Write Capability [Disabled]

Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Video Memory Cache Mode [UC]

USWC (uncacheable, speculative write combining) is a new cache
technology for the video memory of the processor. It can greatly improve
the display speed by caching the display data. You must set this to UC
(uncacheable) if your display card does not support this feature, otherwise
the system may not boot. Configuration options: [UC] [USWC]

Memory Hole At 15M-16M [Disabled]

This field allows you to reserve an address space for ISA expansion cards.
Setting the address space to a particular setting makes that memory
space unavailable to other system components. Expansion cards can only
access memory up to 16MB. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

PCI 2.1 Support [Enabled]

This field allows you to enable or disable the PCI 2.1 features. Keep the
default setting [Enabled] if you installed PCI 2.1 compliant cards. Set to
[Disabled] if you installed any card that is not PCI 2.1 compliant.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Onboard PCI IDE Enable [Both]

This field allows you to enable either the primary IDE channel or
secondary IDE channel, or both. You can also set both channels to
[Disabled]. Configuration options: [Both] [Primary] [Secondary] [Disabled]

IDE Bus Master Support [Enable]

This field enables or disables the IDE Bus Master Capability under the
DOS environment. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

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2-15

2.4.2 I/O Device Configuration

Floppy Disk Access Control [R/W]

When set to [Read Only], this parameter protects files from being copied to
floppy disks by allowing reads from, but not writes to, the floppy disk drive.
The default setting [R/W] allows both reads and writes. Configuration
options: [R/W] [Read Only]

Onboard Serial Port 1 [3F8H/IRQ4], Port 2 [2F8H/IRQ3]

These fields allow you to set the addresses for the onboard serial
connectors. Serial Port 1 and Serial Port 2 must have different addresses.

UART2 Use As [COM Port]

This field allows you to select the device on which to assign UART2.
Configuration options: [COM Port] [IR] [Smart Card Reader]

Onboard Parallel Port [378H/IRQ7]

This field allows you to set the address of the onboard parallel port
connector . If you disable this field, the Parallel Port Mode and ECP DMA
Select configurations are not available. Configuration options: [Disabled]
[378H/IRQ7] [278H/IRQ5]

Parallel Port Mode [ECP+EPP]

This field allows you to set the operation mode of the parallel port.
[Normal] allows normal-speed operation but in one direction only; [EPP]
allows bidirectional parallel port operation; [ECP] allows the parallel port to
operate in bidirectional DMA mode; [ECP+EPP] allows normal speed
operation in a two-way mode. Configuration options: [Normal] [EPP] [ECP]
[ECP+EPP]

ECP DMA Select [3]

This field allows you to configure the parallel port DMA channel for the
selected ECP mode. This selection is available only if you select [ECP] or
[ECP+EPP] in Parallel Port Mode above. Configuration options: [1] [3]

2-16

Chapter 2: BIOS Information

Onboard Game Port [200H-207H]

This field allows you to select the I/O address for the game port.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [200H-207H] [208H-20FH]

Onboard MIDI I/O [Disabled]

This field allows you to select the I/O address for the MIDI port.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [330H-331H] [300H-301H]

2.4.3 PCI Configuration

Slot 1/5, Slot 2/6, Slot 3, Slot 4 IRQ [Auto]

These fields assign the IRQ for each PCI slot. The default setting for each
field is [Auto], which utilizes auto-routing to determine IRQ assignments.
Configuration options: [Auto] [NA] [3] [4] [5] [7] [9] [10] [11] [12] [14] [15]

PCI/VGA Palette Snoop [Disabled]

Some non-standard VGA cards, like graphics accelerators or MPEG video
cards, may not show colors properly. Setting this field to [Enabled] corrects
this problem. If you are using standard VGA cards, leave this field to the
default setting [Disabled]. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

PCI Latency Timer [32]

Leave this field to the default setting [32] for best performance and
stability.

Primary VGA BIOS [PCI VGA Card]

This field allows you to select the primary graphics card or the onboard
VGA. The option [Onboard VGA] appears only if you installed a PCI or
AGP card. Configuration options: [PCI VGA Card] [AGP VGA Card]

USB Function [Enabled]

This field allows you to select the number of USB 1.1 controllers that you
wish to activate. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

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4.4.3.1 Onboard PCI Devices Control

Onboard AC97 Audio Controller [Auto]

[Auto] allows the BIOS to detect whether you are using any modem/audio
device. If a modem/audio device is detected, the onboard modem/audio
controller is enabled; if no modem/audio device is detected, the controller
is disabled. If there are conflicts with the onboard modem/audio controller,
set the appropriate field to [Disabled]. Configuration options: [Disabled]
[Auto]

2.4.3.2 PCI IRQ Resource Exclusion

IRQ XX Reserved [No/ICU]

These fields indicate whether or not the displayed IRQ for each field is
being used by a legacy (non-PnP) ISA card. The setting [No/ICU] for an
IRQ field indicates that you are using the ISA Configuration Utility (ICU),
and that this particular IRQ is NOT required by a legacy ISA card. Set the
IRQ field to [Yes] if you install a legacy ISA card that requires a unique IRQ
and you are NOT using ICU. Configuration options: [No/ICU] [Yes]

2-18

Chapter 2: BIOS Information

2.5 Power Menu

The Power menu allows you to reduce power consumption. This feature
turns off the video display and shuts down the hard disk after a period of
inactivity.

Power Management [User Defined]

This field allows you to activate or deactivate the automatic power saving
features. When set to [Disabled], the power management features do not
function regardless of the other settings on this menu. The [User Defined]
option allows you to set the period of inactivity before the system enters
suspend mode. Refer to “Suspend Mode” later in this section.

When set to [Max Saving], system power is conserved to its greatest
amount. This setting automatically puts the system into suspend mode
after a brief period of system inactivity. [Min Saving] allows the least power
saving as the system enters suspend mode only after a long period of
inactivity. Configuration options: [User Defined] [Disabled] [Min Saving]
[Max Saving]

You should install the Advanced Power Management (APM) utility to
keep the system time updated even when the computer enters
suspend mode. In Windows 3.x and Windows 95, you need to install
Windows with the APM feature. In Windows 98 or later, APM is
automatically installed as indicated by a battery and power cord icon
labeled “Power Management” in the Control Panel. Select the item
“Advanced” in the Power Management Properties dialog box.

Video Off Option [Suspend -> Off ]

This field determines when to activate the video off feature for monitor
power management. Configuration options: [Always On] [Suspend -> Off]

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2-19

Video Off Method [DPMS OFF]

This field defines the video off features. The Display Power Management
System (DPMS) feature allows the BIOS to control the video display card if
it supports the DPMS feature. [Blank Screen] only blanks the screen. Use
this for monitors without power management or “green” features.

Even if installed, your screen saver does not display when you select
[Blank Screen] for the above field.

[V/H SYNC+Blank] blanks the screen and turns off vertical and horizontal
scanning. Configuration options: [Blank Screen] [V/H SYNC+Blank]
[DPMS Standby] [DPMS Suspend] [DPMS OFF] [DPMS Reduce ON]

HDD Power Down [Disabled]

Shuts down any IDE hard disk drives in the system after a period of
inactivity as set in this user-configurable field. This feature does not affect
SCSI hard drives. Configuration options: [Disabled] [1 Min] [2 Min] [3
Min]...[15 Min]

ACPI Suspend To RAM [Disabled]

This field allows you to enable or disable the ACPI Suspend-to-RAM
feature. To support this feature, the +5VSB of the power supply should
have the capacity to provide more than 720mA current. Configuration
options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Suspend Mode [Disabled]

Sets the time period before the system goes into suspend mode.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [1~2 Min] [2~3 Min] [4~5 min] [8~9 Min]
[20 Min] [30 Min] [40 Min] [1 hour]

PWR Button < 4 Secs [Soft Off]

When set to [Soft off], the ATX switch can be used as a normal system
power-off button when pressed for less than 4 seconds. [Suspend] allows
the button to have a dual function where pressing less than 4 seconds
puts the system in sleep mode. Regardless of the setting, holding the ATX
switch for more than 4 seconds powers off the system. Configuration
options: [Soft off] [Suspend]

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Chapter 2: BIOS Information

2.5.1 Power Up Control

AC PWR Loss Restart [Disabled]

This allows you to set whether or not to reboot the system after power
interruptions. [Disabled] leaves your system off while [Enabled] reboots the
system. [Previous State] sets the system back to the state it was before
the power interruption. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
[Previous State]

Wake/Power Up On Ext. Modem [Disabled]

This allows either settings of [Enabled] or [Disabled] for powering up the
computer when the external modem receives a call while the computer is
in Soft-off mode. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Power Up on USB [Disabled]

When set to [Enabled], this parameter allows you to turn on the system
through a USB device activity. This feature requires an ATX power supply
that provides at least 1A on the +5VSB lead.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Power On By PS/2 Keyboard [Space Bar]

This parameter allows you to use specific keys on the keyboard to turn on
the system. This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides at
least 1A on the +5VSB lead. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Space Bar]
[Ctrl-Esc] [Power Key]

Automatic Power Up [Disabled]

This allows an unattended or automatic system power up. You may
configure your system to power up at a certain time of the day by selecting
[Everyday] or at a certain time and day by selecting [By Date].
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Everyday] [By Date]

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2-21

2.5.2 Hardware Monitor

MB Temperature [xxxC/xxxF], CPU Temperature [xxxC/xxxF],
Power Temperature [N/A]

The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the
motherboard, CPU and Power supply temperatures.

CPU Fan Speed [xxxxRPM], Chassis Fan Speed [xxxxRPM],
Power Fan Speed[xxxxRPM]

The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the
CPU, chassis, and power fan speeds in rotations per minute (RPM). If any
of the fans is not connected to the motherboard, that field shows N/A.

VCORE Voltage, +3.3V Voltage, +5V Voltage, +12V Voltage

The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the voltage output
through the onboard voltage regulators.

If any of the monitored items is out of range, the following error
message appears: “Hardware Monitor found an error. Enter Power
setup menu for details”. You will then be prompted to “Press F1 to
continue or DEL to enter SETUP”.

2.6 Boot Menu

2-22

Chapter 2: BIOS Information

Boot Sequence

The Boot menu allows you to select four types of boot devices using the up
and down arrow keys. By using the <+> or <Space> key, you can promote
devices and by using the <-> key, you can demote devices. Promotion or
demotion of devices alters the priority which the system uses to boot device
on system power up. Configuration fields include Removable Devices, IDE
Hard Drive, ATAPI CD-ROM, and Other Boot Device.

Removable Device [Legacy Floppy]

Configuration options: [Disabled] [Legacy Floppy] [LS-120] [ZIP]
[ATAPIMO] [USB FDD] [USB ZIP]

IDE Hard Drive

This field allows you to select which IDE hard disk drive to use in the boot
sequence. Pressing [Enter] will show the product IDs of all connected IDE
hard disk drives.

ATAPI CD-ROM

This field allows you to select which ATAPI CD-ROM drive to use in the
boot sequence. Pressing [Enter] will show the product IDs of all your
connected ATAPI CD-ROM drives.

Other Boot Device Select [INT18 Device (Network)]

Configuration options: [Disabled] [SCSI Boot Device] [INT18 Device
(Network)]

Plug & Play O/S [No]

This field allows you to use a Plug-and-Play (PnP) operating system to
configure the PCI bus slots instead of using the BIOS. When [Yes] is
selected, interrupts may be reassigned by the OS. If you installed a non­PnP OS or if you want to prevent reassigning of interrupt settings, keep
the default setting [No]. Configuration options: [No] [Yes]

Boot Virus Detection [Enabled]

This field allows you to set boot virus detection, ensuring a virus-free boot
sector. The system halts and displays a warning message when it detects
a virus. If this occurs, you can either allow the operation to continue or use
a virus-free bootable floppy disk to restart and investigate your system.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

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2-23

Quick Power On Self Test [Enabled]

This field speeds up the Power-On-Self Test (POST) routine by skipping
retesting a second, third, and fourth time. Configuration options: [Disabled]
[Enabled]

Boot Up Floppy Seek [Enabled]

When enabled, the BIOS will seek the floppy disk drive to determine
whether the drive has 40 or 80 tracks. Configuration options: [Disabled]
[Enabled]

Full Screen Logo [Enabled]

This allows you to enable or disable the full screen logo display feature.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Interrupt Mode [APIC]

The Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller (APIC) setting allows
you to distribute interrupt routings other than the 16 IRQs. The
Programmable Interrupt Controller (PIC) setting allows you to use the 16
IRQs only. Configuration options: [PIC] [APIC]

2.7 Exit Menu

When you have made all of your selections from the various menus in the
Setup program, save your changes and exit Setup. Select Exit from the
menu bar to display the following menu.

Pressing <Esc> does not immediately exit this menu. Select one of the
options from this menu or <F10> from the legend bar to exit.

2-24

Chapter 2: BIOS Information

Exit Saving Changes

Once you are finished making your selections, choose this option from the
Exit menu to ensure the values you selected are saved to the CMOS RAM.
The CMOS RAM is sustained by an onboard backup battery and stays on
even when the PC is turned off. When you select this option, a
confirmation window appears. Select [Yes] to save changes and exit.

If you attempt to exit the Setup program without saving your changes,
the program prompts you with a message asking if you want to save
your changes before exiting. Pressing <Enter> saves the changes
while exiting.

Exit Discarding Changes

Select this option only if you do not want to save the changes that you
made to the Setup program. If you made changes to fields other than
system date, system time, and password, the BIOS asks for a confirmation
before exiting.

Load Setup Defaults

This option allows you to load the default values for each of the
parameters on the Setup menus. When you select this option or if you
press <F5>, a confirmation window appears. Select [Yes] to load default
values. Select Exit Saving Changes or make other changes before saving
the values to the non-volatile RAM.

Discard Changes

This option allows you to discard the selections you made and restore the
previously saved values. After selecting this option, a confirmation
appears. Select [Yes] to discard any changes and load the previously
saved values.

Save Changes

This option saves your selections without exiting the Setup program. You
can then return to other menus and make further changes. After you select
this option, a confirmation window appears. Select [Yes] to save any
changes to the non-volatile RAM.

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2-25

2-26

Chapter 2: BIOS Information

Chapter 3

This chapter helps you power up your
system and install drivers and utilities that
came with the support CD.

ASUS P4SE Motherboard

Starting Up

3-1

3.1 Install an operating system

The P4SE motherboard supports Windows 98/ME/NT/2000/XP operating
systems (OS). Always install the latest OS version and corresponding
updates so you can maximize the features of your hardware.

Because motherboard settings and hardware options vary, use the
setup procedures presented in this chapter for general reference only.
Refer to your OS documentation for more information.

3.2 Support CD information

The support CD that came with the motherboard contains useful software
and several utility drivers that enhance the motherboard features.

The contents of the support CD are subject to change at any time
without notice. Visit the ASUS website for updates.

3.2.1 Running the support CD

To begin using the support CD, simply insert the CD into your CD-ROM
drive. If Autorun is enabled in your computer, the software and drivers
menu automatically appears on your screen.

If the installation menu did not appear automatically, locate and double­click on the file ASSETUP.EXE from the BIN folder in the support CD to
display the menu.

3-2

Chapter 3: Starting-Up

3.2.2 Software and drivers installation menus

The support CD menu is composed of two screens. Click on the Right

Arrow

menu screen. To return to the first menu screen, click on the Left Arrow on
the lower right corner of the second screen.

on the lower right corner of the first screen to display the second

5.2.3 Software and drivers description

The menu lists the drivers and applications that are available for this
motherboard. Simply click on a specific item then follow the installation
wizard to install it.

SiS Mini IDE Driver

Click this item to install the mini driver for the SiS chipset.

SiS AGP Driver

Click this item to load the installation wizard and install the SiS AGP V1.07
driver for your AGP card.

C-Media Audio Driver and Applications

This item is for installing the C-Media audio driver and software
applications.

ASUS PC Probe

This smart utility monitors the fan speed, CPU temperature, and system
voltages, and alerts you on any detected problems. This utility helps you
keep your computer at a healthy operating condition.

ASUS Update

This item installs the ASUS Update. This program allows you to download
the latest version of the BIOS from the ASUS website.

Microsoft Direct X 8.0a Driver

This item installs the Microsoft V8.0a driver.

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3-3

PC-CILLIN 2002

This item installs the PC-cillin 2002 anti-virus software. View the
PC-CILLIN online help for detailed information.

ADOBE Acrobat Reader

This item installs the Adobe Acrobat Reader V5.0. The Acrobat Reader
software is for viewing files saved in Portable Document Format (PDF).

ASUS Screen Saver

This item installs the ASUS screen saver.

E-Color 3Deep

This item installs the 3Deep software. 3Deep is the first application that
gives online gamers the competitive edge in multi-player skirmishes. This
application removes dark washed-out graphics to deliver true vibrant
colors.

CLICK THE RIGHT ARROW TO SEE THE NEXT MENU

Show Motherboard Information

Click this item to display the general specifications for the P4SE
motherboard.

Browse Support CD

Click this item to display the support CD contents in graphical format.

Readme

This item displays the contents of the support CD and a brief description of
each in text format.

Exit

Click this item to exit the P4SE support CD.

CLICK THE LEFT ARROW TO RETURN TO THE MAIN MENU

3-4

Chapter 3: Starting-Up

3.3 Software information

3.3.1 ASUS Update

The ASUS Update utility allows you to update the motherboard BIOS and
drivers. This utility requires an Internet connection either through a
network or an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

Follow these steps to use the ASUS Update.

1. Launch the utility from your

Windows Start menu:

Programs/AsusUpdate Vx.xx.xx/
AsusUpdate

The ASUS Update initial screen
appears.

2. Select desired update method.

Click Next.

3. If you selected Updating or

Downloading from the Internet,
select the ASUS FTP site nearest
you to avoid network traffic,
or choose Auto Select.
Click Next.

4. From the FTP site, select the

BIOS version that you wish to
download.
Click Next.

5. Follow the instructions on the

succeeding screens to complete
the update process.

If you selected the option to update the BIOS from a file, a window
pops up prompting you to locate the file. Select the file, click Save,
then follow the screen instructions to complete the update process.

ASUS P4SE Motherboard

3-5

3.3.2 ASUS PC Probe

ASUS PC Probe is a convenient utility to continuously monitor your
computer system’s vital components, such as fan rotations, voltages, and
temperatures. It also has a utility that lets you review useful information
about your computer, such as hard disk space, memory usage, and CPU
type, CPU speed, and internal/external frequencies through the DMI
Explorer.

Starting ASUS PC Probe

When ASUS PC Probe starts, a splash screen appears allowing you to
select whether to show the screen again when you open PC Probe or not.
To bypass this startup screen, clear the Show up in next execution
check box.

To launch ASUS PC Probe, click the Windows Start button, point to
Programs, and then ASUS Utility, and then click Probe Vx.xx.

The PC Probe icon
that ASUS PC Probe is running. Clicking the icon allows you to see the
status of your PC.

3-6

appears on the taskbar system tray indicating

Chapter 3: Starting-Up

Using ASUS PC Probe

Monitoring

Temperature Warning

Threshold Adjustment

(Move the slider up to increase the

threshold level or down to decrease the

threshold level)

Monitor Summary

Shows a summary of the items
being monitored.

Fan Warning

Threshold Adjustment

(Move the slider up to increase the

threshold level or down to decrease the

threshold level)

Temperature Monitor

Shows the PC temperature (for
supported processors only).

Fan Monitor

Shows the PC fan rotation.

ASUS P4SE Motherboard

Voltage Monitor

Shows the PC voltages.

3-7

Settings

Lets you set threshold levels and
polling intervals or refresh times of
the PC’s temperature, fan rotation,
and voltages.

Lets you select when to enable software CPU

cooling. When When CPU Overheated is selected,

the CPU cooling system is enabled whenever the

CPU temperature reaches the threshold value.

CPU Cooling System Setup

History

Lets you record the monitoring
activity of a certain component of
your PC for future reference.

Fan Control

Lets you enable/disable Smart Fan
Control. Smart Fan Control adjusts
the fan speed automatically based
on the current CPU temperature
and predefined threshold.

Hard Drives

Shows the used and free space of
the PC’s hard disk drives and the
file allocation table or file system
used.

3-8

Memory

Shows the PC memory load,
memory usage, and paging file
usage.

Chapter 3: Starting-Up

Device Summary

Shows a summary of devices
present in your PC.

Utility

NOTE: This feature is currently unavailable.

DMI Explorer

Shows information pertinent to the
PC, such as CPU type, CPU
speed, and internal/external
frequencies, and memory size.

ASUS PC Probe Task Bar Icon

Right clicking the PC Probe icon
brings up a menu to open or exit
ASUS PC Probe and pause or
resume all system monitoring.

When the ASUS PC Probe
senses a problem with your PC,
portions of the ASUS PC Probe
icon change to red, the PC
speaker beeps, and the ASUS
PC Probe monitor appears.

ASUS P4SE Motherboard

3-9

3-10

Chapter 3: Starting-Up