ASUS P5N64 WS User Manual

P5N64 WS Professional

Motherboard

E3685

First Edition March 2008

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, modied or altered, unless such repair, modication 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 identication or explanation and to the owners’ benet, without intent to infringe.

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

Notices ....................................................................................................... viii

Safety information ...................................................................................... ix

About this guide .......................................................................................... x

P5N64 WS Professional specications .................................................. xii

Chapter 1: Product introduction

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

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

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

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

1.3.2 ASUS special features ................................................... 1-5

1.3.3 ASUS Intelligent Overclocking features .......................... 1-8

Chapter 2: Hardware information

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

2.2 Motherboard overview ................................................................. 2-2

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

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

2.2.3 Motherboard layout ......................................................... 2-3

2.2.4 Layout contents ............................................................... 2-4

2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ................................................... 2-6

2.3.1 Installing the CPU ........................................................... 2-7

2.3.2 Installing the CPU heatsink and fan ................................ 2-9

2.3.3 Uninstalling the CPU heatsink and fan ..........................2-11

2.4 System memory ......................................................................... 2-13

2.4.1 Overview ....................................................................... 2-13

2.4.2 Memory congurations .................................................. 2-14

2.4.3 Installing a DIMM .......................................................... 2-15

2.4.4 Removing a DIMM ........................................................ 2-15

2.5 Expansion slots .......................................................................... 2-16

2.5.1 Installing an expansion card ......................................... 2-16

2.5.2 Conguring an expansion card ..................................... 2-16

2.5.3 Interrupt assignments ................................................... 2-17

2.5.4 PCI slots ........................................................................ 2-18

2.5.5 PCI Express x1 slot ....................................................... 2-18

iii

Contents

2.5.6 PCI Express 2.0 x16 slots (blue) ................................... 2-18

2.5.7 Universal PCI Express x16 slots (black and white) ....... 2-18

2.6 Jumper ........................................................................................ 2-20

2.7 Connectors ................................................................................. 2-21

2.7.1 Rear panel connectors .................................................. 2-21

2.7.2 Internal connectors ....................................................... 2-24

2.8 G.P. Diagnosis card installation ................................................ 2-35

2.8.1 G.P. Diagnosis card layout ............................................ 2-35

2.8.2 Installing G.P. Diagnosis card ....................................... 2-35

2.8.3 G.P. Diagnosis card check codes.................................. 2-36

Chapter 3: Powering up

3.1 Starting up for the rst time ........................................................ 3-1

3.2 Turning off the computer ............................................................. 3-2

3.2.1 Using the OS shut down function .................................... 3-2

3.2.2 Using the dual function power switch .............................. 3-2

Chapter 4: BIOS setup

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

4.1.1 ASUS Update utility ........................................................ 4-1

4.1.2 Creating a bootable oppy disk ....................................... 4-4

4.1.3 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility ................................................... 4-5

4.1.4 AFUDOS utility ................................................................ 4-6

4.1.5 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility ...................................... 4-8

4.2 BIOS setup program .................................................................... 4-9

4.2.1 BIOS menu screen ........................................................ 4-10

4.2.2 Menu bar ....................................................................... 4-10

4.2.3 Navigation keys ............................................................. 4-10

4.2.4 Menu items ....................................................................4-11

4.2.5 Sub-menu items .............................................................4-11

4.2.6 Conguration elds ........................................................4-11

4.2.7 Pop-up window ..............................................................4-11

4.2.8 Scroll bar ........................................................................4-11

4.2.9 General help ..................................................................4-11

4.3 Main menu .................................................................................. 4-12

4.3.1 System Time ................................................................. 4-12

Contents

4.3.2 System Date ................................................................. 4-12

4.3.3 Legacy Diskette A ......................................................... 4-12

4.3.4 Language ...................................................................... 4-12

4.3.5 Primary IDE Master/Slave ............................................. 4-13

4.3.6 SATA 1~6 ...................................................................... 4-14

4.3.7 IDE Conguration .......................................................... 4-15

4.3.8 System Information ....................................................... 4-16

4.4 Ai Tweaker menu ........................................................................ 4-17

4.5 Advanced menu ......................................................................... 4-21

4.5.1 USB Conguration ........................................................ 4-21

4.5.2 CPU Conguration ........................................................ 4-22

4.5.3 Chipset .......................................................................... 4-23

4.5.4 Onboard Devices Conguration .................................... 4-24

4.5.5 PCI PnP ........................................................................ 4-25

4.6 Power menu ................................................................................ 4-26

4.6.1 Suspend Mode .............................................................. 4-26

4.6.2 Repost Video on S3 Resume ........................................ 4-26

4.6.3 ACPI 2.0 Support .......................................................... 4-26

4.6.4 ACPI APIC Support ....................................................... 4-26

4.6.5 APM Conguration ........................................................ 4-27

4.6.6 Hardware Monitor ......................................................... 4-28

4.7 Boot menu .................................................................................. 4-30

4.7.1 Boot Device Priority ...................................................... 4-30

4.7.2 Boot Settings Conguration .......................................... 4-31

4.7.3 Security ......................................................................... 4-32

4.8 Tools menu ................................................................................. 4-34

4.8.1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 .......................................................... 4-34

4.8.2 Express Gate ................................................................ 4-35

4.8.3 ASUS O.C. Prole ......................................................... 4-35

4.8.4 Ai Net 2 ......................................................................... 4-37

4.9 Exit menu .................................................................................... 4-38

Chapter 5: Software support

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

5.2 Support DVD information ............................................................ 5-1

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

Contents

5.2.2 Drivers menu ................................................................... 5-2

5.2.3 Utilities menu .................................................................. 5-3

5.2.4 Make Disk menu ............................................................. 5-5

5.2.5 Manual 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 MyLogo2™ ........................................................... 5-9

5.3.2 ASUS PC Probe II ..........................................................5-11

5.3.3 ASUS AI Suite ............................................................... 5-17

5.3.4 ASUS EPU Utility -- AI Gear 3+ ..................................... 5-19

5.3.5 ASUS AI Nap ................................................................ 5-21

5.3.6 ASUS Q-Fan 2 .............................................................. 5-22

5.3.7 ASUS AI Booster ........................................................... 5-23

5.3.8 AI Audio 2 (SoundMAX® High Denition Audio utility) ... 5-24

5.3.9 ASUS Express Gate ..................................................... 5-33

5.4 RAID congurations .................................................................. 5-40

5.4.1 RAID denitions ............................................................ 5-40

5.4.2 NVIDIA® RAID congurations........................................ 5-41

5.4.3 Marvell® eSATA RAID congurations ............................ 5-48

5.4.4 Marvell® SAS RAID congurations ................................ 5-54

5.5 Creating a RAID driver disk ....................................................... 5-63

5.5.1 Creating a RAID driver disk without entering the OS .... 5-63

5.5.2 Creating a SATA RAID driver disk in Windows® ............ 5-63

Chapter 6: NVIDIA® SLI™ technology support

6.1 Overview ....................................................................................... 6-1

Requirements ................................................................................. 6-1

6.2 Graphics card setup .................................................................... 6-2

6.2.1 Installing three SLI-ready graphics cards ........................ 6-2

6.2.2 Installing two SLI-ready graphics cards .......................... 6-5

6.2.3 Installing the device drivers ............................................. 6-6

6.2.4 Enabling the NVIDIA® SLI™ technology in Windows® .... 6-6

Appendix: CPU features

A.1 Intel® EM64T ..................................................................................A-1

Contents

Using the Intel® EM64T feature ......................................................A-1

A.2 Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology (EIST) ........................A-1

A.2.1 System requirements ......................................................A-1

A.2.2 Using the EIST ................................................................A-2

A.3 Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology ...........................................A-3

Using the Hyper-Threading Technology ........................................ A-3

vii

Notices

Federal Communications Commission Statement

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

•

This device may not cause harmful interference, and

•

This device must accept any interference received including interference that may cause undesired operation.

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio

frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with manufacturer’s

instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

•

Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

•

Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

•

Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.

•

Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

The use of shielded cables for connection of the monitor to the graphics card is

required to assure compliance with FCC regulations. Changes or modications

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.

viii

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 x it by yourself. Contact a qualied 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 qualied

service technician or your retailer.

This symbol of the crossed out wheeled bin indicates that the product (electrical, electronic equipment and mercury-containing button cell battery) should not be placed in municipal waste. Check local regulations for disposal of electronic products.

About this guide

This user guide contains the information you need when installing and conguring

the motherboard.

How this guide is organized

This guide contains the following parts:

• Chapter 1: Product introduction

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

• Chapter 2: Hardware information

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

• Chapter 3: Powering up

This chapter describes the power up sequence, the vocal POST messages, and ways of shutting down the system.

• 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 DVD that comes with the motherboard package.

• Chapter 6: NVIDIA SLI™ technology support

This chapter tells how to set up NVIDIA® SLI™ graphics cards to avail of

NVIDIA’s Multi-Video Processing technology.

• Appendix: CPU features

The Appendix describes the CPU features and technologies that the motherboard supports.

Where to nd more information

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

1. ASUS websites

The ASUS website provides updated information on ASUS hardware and software products. Refer to the ASUS contact information.

2. Optional documentation

Your product package may include optional documentation, such as warranty

yers, that may have been added by your dealer. These documents are not

part of the standard package.

Conventions used in this guide

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

DANGER/WARNING: Information to prevent injury to yourself

when trying to complete a task.

CAUTION: Information to prevent damage to the components

when trying to complete a task.

IMPORTANT: Instructions that you MUST follow to complete a

task.

NOTE: Tips and additional information to help you complete a

task.

Typography

Bold text Indicates a menu or an item to select.

Italics

Used to emphasize a word or a phrase.

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

means that you must press the enclosed key.

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

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

key names are connected with a plus sign (+).

Example: <Ctrl>+<Alt>+<D>

Command Means that you must type the command exactly as

shown.

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

afudos /iP5N64WP.ROM

P5N64 WS Professional specications

CPU LGA775 socket for Intel® Core™ 2 / Pentium® D /

Chipset NVIDIA® nForce® 790i Ultra SLI™

System bus 1600 / 1333 / 1066 / 800 MHz

Memory Dual-channel memory architecture

Expansion slots 2 x PCI Express™ 2.0 x16 slots (blue @ x16, 16 link)

Scalable Link Interface (SLI™)

Storage NVIDIA® nForce® 790i Ultra SLI™

LAN 2 x Marvell® 88E1116 Dual Gigabit LAN controllers

Wireless LAN ASUS WiFi-AP @n

High Denition audio ADI® 1988B 8-channel High-Denition Audio CODEC

Pentium® 4 / Celeron® processor Supports Intel® 45nm, Core™ 2 Extreme / Core™ 2 Quad / Core™ 2 Duo processor Intel® EM64T / EIST / Hyper-Threading Technology * Refer to www.asus.com for Intel® CPU support list

- 4 x 240-pin DIMM sockets support non-ECC unbuffered DDR3 2000 (O.C.) / 1800 (O.C.) / 1600 (O.C.) / 1333 / 1066 / 800 MHz memory modules

- Supports up to 8 GB system memory

2 x Universal PCI Express™ x16 slots (black @ x16 link, white @ x8 link) 1 x PCI Express™ x1 slot 2 x PCI 2.2 slots

Supports NVIDIA® 3-Way SLI graphics cards (Triple at x16 mode)

- 6 x Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s ports

- NVIDIA® MediaShield™ RAID supports RAID 0, 1, 10,™ RAID supports RAID 0, 1, 10, RAID supports RAID 0, 1, 10,RAID 0, 1, 10, 5 and JBOD conguration across SATA drives

- 1 x UltraDMA 133/100 for up to 2 PATA devices Marvell® 88SE6121 controller

- 2 x External SATA 3.0 Gb/s ports with RAID 0, 1, 102 x External SATA 3.0 Gb/s ports with RAID 0, 1, 10External SATA 3.0 Gb/s ports with RAID 0, 1, 10 and 5 conguration

Marvell® 88SE6320 controller

- 2 x SAS ports with RAID 0, 1, and 10 conguration2 x SAS ports with RAID 0, 1, and 10 congurationports with RAID 0, 1, and 10 conguration

- Supports teaming function

- 300 Mbps* IEEE 802.11n (Draft) and backwards compatible with IEEE 802.11b/g

- Software Access Point mode * The maximum wireless signal rate is IEEE 802.11n Draft specications. Actual throughput will vary depending on the wireless environment and other parameters.

- Supports Jack-Sensing, Multi-Streaming, and Jack-Supports Jack-Sensing, Multi-Streaming, and Jack Retasking Technology

- Coaxial / Optical S/PDIF out ports at back I/O

- ASUS AI Audio 2

- ASUS Noise Filter

(continued on the next page)

xii

P5N64 WS Professional specications

IEEE 1394 VIA VT6308S 1394a controller supports 2 x IEEE

USB 8 x USB 2.0 ports (2 ports at mid-board, 6 ports at back

AI Lifestyle Unique Features

Other Features ASUS MyLogo 2

ASUS Exclusive Overclocking Features

1394a ports (one at midboard; one at back panel)

panel)

ASUS Power Saving solution:

- ASUS HE95

- ASUS 3rd Generation 8-Phase Power Design

- ASUS EPU (Energy Processing Unit) with AI Gear 3+ utility

- ASUS AI Nap

ASUS Workstation Features:

- G.P. Diagnosis card

- Onboard SAS interface

- ASUS SASsaby cards support

ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution:

- ASUS Fanless Design: Pure Copper Heat-pipe solution

- ASUS Q-Fan 2

- ASUS Stack Cool 2

ASUS EZ DIY:

- ASUS Q-Connector

- ASUS O.C. Prole

- ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3

- ASUS EZ Flash 2

Multi-language BIOS

Intelligent overclocking tools:

- ASUS AI Booster utility

Precision Tweaker 2:

- vCore: Adjustable CPU voltage at 0.00625V increment

- vDIMM: 40-step DRAM voltage control

- vChipset (N.B.): 25-step DRAM voltage control

- vFSB Termination: 15-step DRAM voltage control

- vCPU PLL: 64-step Chipset voltage control

SFS (Stepless Frequency Selection)

- FSB tuning from 200MHz up to 800MHz at 1MHz increment

- Memory tuning from 800MHz up to 3200MHz

- PCI Express frequency tuning from 100MHz up to 150MHz at 1MHz increment

Overclocking Protection:

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

(continued on the next page)

xiii

P5N64 WS Professional specications

Internal connectors 1 x USB connector supports two additional USB ports

Rear panel connectors 1 x PS/2 keyboard port

BIOS features 8 Mb Flash ROM, AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI 2.0, WfM2.0,

Manageability WOL by PME, WOR by PME, PXE, AI NET 2, Chassis

Support DVD contents Drivers

Form factor ATX form factor: 12 in x 9.6 in (30.5 cm x 24.5 cm)

*Specications are subject to change without notice.

1 x Floppy disk drive connector 1 x IDE connector 6 x Serial ATA connectors 2 x SAS ports 1 x CPU fan connector with PWM control 3 x Chassis fan connectors (CHA_FAN1/2 with Q-fan 2 control) 1 x Power fan connector 1 x IEEE1394a connector 1 x COM connector 1 x TPM connector 1 x Chassis intrusion connector 1 x Front panel audio connector 1 x CD audio in connector 1 x 24-pin ATX power connector 1 x 8-pin ATX +12 V power connector 1 x 20-pin panel connector

2 x External Serial ATA port 1 x Coaxial S/PDIF Out port 1 x Optical S/PDIF Out port 1 x IEEE1394a 2 x LAN (RJ-45) ports 6 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports 8-channel audio ports

SMBIOS 2.3, ACPI 2.0a, ASUS EZ Flash 2, ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3

Intrusion, BIOS ash utility under DOS

ASUS PC Probe II ASUS AI Suite Anti-virus software Adobe Acrobat Reader ver 7.0 Microsoft Direct X ver 9.0C

xiv

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

Chapter 1: Product

introduction

Chapter summary

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

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

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

ASUS P5N64 WS Professional

1.1 Welcome!

Thank you for buying an ASUS® P5N64 WS Professional motherboard!

The motherboard delivers a host of new features and latest technologies, making it another standout in the long line of ASUS quality motherboards!

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

1.2 Package contents

Check your motherboard package for the following items.

Motherboard ASUS P5N64 WS Professional

I/O modules 1 x 2-port USB + 1-port IEEE 1394a module2-port USB + 1-port IEEE 1394a module1-port IEEE 1394a module 1 x COM port module

Cables Serial ATA signal cable for 6 devices Serial ATA power cable for 2 devices 2 x SAS + PWR cable 1 x Ultra DMA 133/100 cable 1 x Floppy disk drive cable

Accessories I/O shield ASUS SLI bridge 3-Way SLI bridge 1 x ASUS Q-Connector Kit (USB, 1394, system panel; Retail version only) G.P. Diagnosis card (Retail version only) 2 x WiFi-AP @n omni-directional antennae

Application DVD ASUS motherboard support DVD

Documentation User guide ASUS WiFi-AP @n manual

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

ASUS P5N64 WS Professional 1-1

1.3 Special features

1.3.1 Product highlights

Green ASUS

This motherboard and its packaging comply with the European Union’s Restriction on the use of Hazardous Substances (RoHS). This is in line with the ASUS vision

of creating environment-friendly and recyclable products/packaging to safeguard

consumers’ health while minimizing the impact on the environment.

Intel® Core™2 Extreme / Core™ 2 Quad / Core™2 Duo Processor Support

This motherboard supports the latest Intel® Core™ 2 Extreme / Core™ 2 Quad / Core™ 2 Duo processors in the LGA775 package. It is excellent for multi-tasking,

multi-media and enthusiastic gamers with 1600 / 1333 / 1066 / 800 MHz FSB. The

Intel® Core™ 2 series processor is one of the most powerful CPUs in the world. This motherboard also supports Intel® CPUs in the new 45nm manufacturing process.

NVIDIA® nForce® 790i Ultra SLI chipset

The NVIDIA® nForce 790i Ultra SLI chipset supports the NVIDIA® Scalable Link Interface (SLI™) technology that allows three graphics processing units (GPUs)

in a single system. It’s designed for enthusiast, extreme overclocking capability, ultimate gaming performance with SLI technology support. It’s denitely one of

the fastest platform in the world. The NVIDIA® nForce 790i Ultra SLI chipset also supports six (6) Serial ATA 3 Gb/s devices, three PCI Express™ x16 slots with NVIDIA® SLI™ support at full x16, x16, x16 mode, and up to 8 USB 2.0 ports.

NVIDIA® Scalable Link Interface (SLI™)

NVIDIA SLI™ (Scalable Link Interface) takes advantage of the increased bandwidth of the PCI Express bus architecture and features intelligent hardware

and software that allows two GPUs to efciently work together to deliver earth-

shattering, scalable performance.

NVIDIA® 3-Way SLI™ (Scalable Link Interface)

NVIDIA 3-Way SLI™ (Scalable Link Interface) takes advantage of the increased bandwidth of the PCI Express 2.0 bus architecture and features intelligent

hardware and software that allows three GPUs to efciently work together to

deliver earth-shattering, scalable performance. For some applications nearly triple performance! See Chapter 6 for details.

1-2 Chapter 1: Product Introduction

ASUS Express Gate

With only 5 seconds boot-up time, the ASUS Express Gate allows you to instantly surf the Internet without entering Windows or the Hard Disk. You can now enjoy

Skype, IM, YouTube, webmail and internet le downloads and sharing whenever

and wherever you want! See page 5-33 for details.See page 5-33 for details.

WiFi-AP @n

With spec 300 Mbps transfer rates, WiFi-AP @n supports the latest WiFi

specications, 802.11n (draft), for better signal coverage, stronger signals and

faster data transmissions in comparison to previous 802.11b/g standards. With two antennas, you will not suffer from signal loss like before. You can also enjoy the choice to set the device in AP-Mode or Client Mode. Refer to the bundled ASUS WiFi-AP @n manual for more details.

PCIe 2.0

This motherboard supports the latest PCIe 2.0 device for twice the current speed and bandwidth. This enhances system performance while still providing backward compatibility to PCIe 1.0 devices. See page page 2-18 for details.

Dual-channel DDR3 memory support

The motherboard supports DDR3 memory that features data transfer rates of

1333/1066/800 MHz to meet the higher bandwidth requirements of the latest

3D graphics, multimedia, and Internet applications. The dual-channel DDR3 architecture doubles the bandwidth of your system memory to boost system performance. See page 2-13 for details.

Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s technology and SATA-On-The-Go

This motherboard supports the next-generation hard drives based on the Serial

ATA (SATA) 3Gb/s storage specication, delivering enhanced scalability and

doubling the bus bandwidth for high-speed data retrieval and saves. The external SATA port located at the back I/O provides smart setup and hot-plug functions. Easily backup photos, videos and other entertainment contents to external devices. See page 2-22 and 2-26 for details.

ASUS P5N64 WS Professional 1-3

Triple RAID solution

The NVIDIA® nForce 790i Ultra SLI chipset incorporates six Serial ATA connectors with high performance RAID 0, 1, 10 and 5 functions, the Marvell controller provides two external Serial ATA connectors for RAID 0, 1, 10 and 5 functions, and the Marvell® 88SE6320 controller provides two internal SAS connectors for RAID 0 and 1 functions, making this motherboard an ideal solution to enhance hard disk performance and data back up protection without the cost of add-on cards. See page 2-22, 2-26 and 2-27 for details

88SE6121

IEEE 1394a support

The IEEE 1394a interface provides high speed digital interface for audio/video appliances such as digital television, digital video camcorders, storage peripherals & other PC portable devices. See page 2-21 and 2-28 for details.

S/PDIF digital sound ready

This motherboard provides convenient connectivity to external home theater audio systems via coaxial and optical S/PDIF-out (SONY-PHILIPS Digital Interface) jacks. It allows to transfer digital audio without converting to analog format and keeps the best signal quality. See page 2-21 and 2-23 for details.

Dual Gigabit LAN solution

The integrated dual Gigabit LAN design allows a PC to serve as a network

gateway for managing trafc between two separate networks. This capability

ensures rapid transfer of data from WAN to LAN without any added arbitration or latency. See page 2-21 for details.

High Denition Audio

Enjoy high-end sound quality on your PC! The onboard 8-channel HD audio (High

Denition Audio, previously codenamed Azalia) CODEC enables high-quality 192KHz/24-bit audio output, jack-sensing feature, retasking functions and multi-

streaming technology that simultaneously sends different audio streams to different destinations. You can now talk to your partners on the headphone while playing multi-channel network games. See page 2-21 to 2-22 for details.

1-4 Chapter 1: Product Introduction

1.3.2 ASUS special features

ASUS Power Saving Solution

ASUS Power Saving solution intelligently and automatically provides balanced computing power and energy consumption.

HE 95

With the whole new high power efciency design – HE 95, this motherboard is able to achieve 95%+ power efciency in light loading mode and 90%+ in

full/heavy loading mode. No software or driver required, the hardware-based HE 95 automatically saves power for users.

3rd Generation 8-Phase Power Design

Longer Life & Higher Efciency!

With power efciency so important to operating temperatures, ASUS’ 3rd

generation 8-phase VRm design leads the industry with its 95% power

efciency. High quality power components such as low RDS (on) MOSFETs

for minimum switching loss & lower temperatures, Ferrite core chokes with lower hysteresis loss, and high quality Japanese-made conductive polymer capacitors all add up to ensure longer component life and lower power loss

- creating more energy efciency.

ASUS EPU

The ASUS EPU utilizes innovative technology to digitally monitor and

tune the CPU power supply with improved VR responses in heavy or light loadings. It automatically provides power for higher performance or improve

efciency by 7% when the PC is running low intensity applications. Working

together with AI Gear 3+, this can help you attain the best possible power

efciency and energy savings up to 58.6% to help save the environment. See

page 5-19 for details.

AI Nap

With AI Nap, the system can continue running at minimum power and noise when you are temporarily away. To wake the system and return to the OS environment, simply click the mouse or press a key. See page 5-21 for details.

ASUS P5N64 WS Professional 1-5

ASUS Workstation Features

ASUS Workstation features provide complete support to system maintenance and storage technology.

Onboard SAS interface

P5N64 WS Professional provides users with two onboard SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) ports with RAID 0 and RAID 1 support, providing more

exibility for storage expansion and upgrade needs. See page 2-27 for

details.

G.P. Diagnosis card

Bundled with P5N64 WS Professional motherboard (retail version), the G.P. Diagnosis card assists users in system checking by effortlessly and quickly providing precise system checks right after they switch on their PCs. See page 2-35 for details.

ASUS SASsaby cards support

This motherboard is fully compatible with ASUS SASsaby cards (optional). Faster, safer and more stable, SAS will provide users with a better choice for storage expansion and upgrade needs. See page 2-19 for details.

ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution

ASUS Quiet Thermal solution makes system more stable and enhances the overclocking capability.

Q-Fan 2

ASUS Q-Fan 2 technology intelligently adjusts both CPU fan and chassis

fan speeds according to system loading to ensure quiet, cool and efcient

operation. See page 4-29 and 5-22 for details.

ASUS Stack Cool 2

Stack Cool 2 is a fan-less and zero-noise cooling solution offered exclusively

by ASUS. It effectively transfers heat generated by the critical components to the other side of the specially designed PCB (printed circuit board) for effective heat dissipation.

1-6 Chapter 1: Product Introduction

Fanless Design - Heat-pipe

The Heat Pipe design effectively directs the heat generated by the chipsets to the heatsink near the back IO ports, where it can be carried away by existing

airow from CPU fan or bundled optional fan. The purpose of the innovative

heat pipe design on this motherboard is that the groundbreaking fanless design does not have lifetime problems as a chipset fan does. Furthermore, it

provides options for users to install side-ow fan or passive cooler. The Heat

Pipe design is the most reliable fanless thermal solution to date.

DO NOT uninstall the heat-pipe by yourself. Doing so may bend the tubing and affect the heat dissipation performance.

ASUS Crystal Sound

This feature can enhance speech-centric applications like Skype, online game, video conference and recording.

AI Audio 2

AI Audio 2 creates a virtual center channel that expands the overall sound

eld without introducing a picket fencing effect. Preserving the dialogue or

solo performances with downmixing from multichannels will allow you to experience true-to-life high quality audio. See page 5-24 to 5-32 for details.

Noise Filter

This feature detects repetitive and stationary noises (non-voice signals) like computer fans, air conditioners, and other background noises then eliminates it in the incoming audio stream while recording. See page 5-27 and 5-32 for details.

ASUS EZ DIY

ASUS EZ DIY feature collection provides you easy ways to install computer components, update the BIOS or back up your favorite settings.

ASUS Q-Connector

ASUS Q-Connector allows you to easily connect or disconnect the chassis front panel cables to the motherboard. This unique module eliminates the trouble of connecting the system panel cables one at a time and avoiding wrong cable connections. See page 2-34 for details.

ASUS P5N64 WS Professional 1-7

ASUS O.C. Prole

The motherboard features the ASUS O.C. Prole that allows users to

conveniently store or load multiple BIOS settings. The BIOS settings can be

stored in the CMOS or a separate le, giving users freedom to share and

distribute their favorite settings. See page 4-35 for details.

ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3

The ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 allows users to restore corrupted BIOS data

from a USB ash disk containing the BIOS le. See page 4-8 for details.

ASUS EZ Flash 2

EZ Flash 2 is a user-friendly BIOS update utility. Simply press the predened

hotkey to launch the utility and update the BIOS without entering the OS. Update your BIOS easily without preparing a bootable diskette or using an

OS-based ash utility. See page 4-5 and 4-34 for details.

ASUS MyLogo2™

This feature allows you to convert your favorite photo into a 256-color boot logo for a more colorful and vivid image on your screen. See page 4-31 for details.

1.3.3 ASUS Intelligent Overclocking features

Precision Tweaker 2

Allows the user to adjust the North Bridge Voltage, FSB Termination Voltage, and

the DRAM Voltage in 0.02v steps to netune voltages to achieve the most precise setting for the ultimate customized overclocking conguration. See page 4-19 to

4-20 for details.

C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)

The C.P.R. feature of the motherboard BIOS allows automatic re-setting to the BIOS default settings in case the system hangs due to overclocking. When the system hangs due to overclocking, C.P.R. eliminates the need to open the system chassis and clear the RTC data. Simply shut down and reboot the system, and the BIOS automatically restores the CPU default setting for each parameter.

Due to the chipset behavior, AC power off is required before using C.P.R. function.

1-8 Chapter 1: Product Introduction

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

Chapter 2: Hardware

information