ASUS P5Q PRO ATX User Manual

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P5Q PRO

Motherboard

E4427

Third Edition V3

December 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, 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.

Contents

Contents.......................................................................................................	ii i
Notices........................................................................................................	vi i
Safety information.....................................................................................	vii i
About this guide..........................................................................................	ix
P5Q PRO specifications summary............................................................	x i

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 unique features ....................................................	1- 4
	1.3.3	ASUS Exclusive Overclocking Features..........................	1- 7

Chapter 2:		Hardware information
2.1	Before you proceed......................................................................		2- 1
2.2	Motherboard overview.................................................................		2- 2
	2.2.1	Motherboard layout..........................................................	2- 2
	2.2.2	Layout contents...............................................................	2- 3
	2.2.3	Placement direction.........................................................	2- 4
	2.2.4	Screw holes.....................................................................	2- 4
2.3	Central Processing Unit (CPU)....................................................		2- 5
	2.3.1	Installing the CPU............................................................	2- 5
	2.3.2	Installing the CPU heatsink and fan................................	2- 8
	2.3.3	Uninstalling the CPU heatsink and fan............................	2- 9
2.4	System memory..........................................................................		2-1 0
	2.4.1	Overview........................................................................	2-1 0
	2.4.2	Memory configurations...................................................	2-11
	2.4.3	Installing a DDR2 DIMM................................................	2-1 6
	2.4.4	Removing a DDR2 DIMM..............................................	2-1 6
2.5	Expansion slots..........................................................................		2-1 7
	2.5.1	Installing an expansion card..........................................	2-1 7
	2.5.2	Configuring an expansion card......................................	2-1 7
	2.5.3	Interrupt assignments....................................................	2-1 8
	2.5.4	PCI slots........................................................................	2-1 9
	2.5.5	PCI Express x1 slots.....................................................	2-1 9
	2.5.6	PCI Express 2.0 x16 slot...............................................	2-1 9
2.6	Jumper	.........................................................................................	2-2 0

iii

Contents

2.7	Connectors..................................................................................		2-2 3
	2.7.1	Rear panel connectors..................................................	2-2 3
	2.7.2	Internal connectors........................................................	2-2 5
2.8	Starting up for the first time......................................................		2-3 7
2.9	Turning off the computer...........................................................		2-3 8
	2.9.1	Using the OS shut down function..................................	2-3 8
	2.9.2	Using the dual function power switch............................	2-3 8

Chapter 3:		BIOS setup
3.1	Managing and updating your BIOS.............................................		3- 1
	3.1.1	ASUS Update utility.........................................................	3- 1
	3.1.2	ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility...................................................	3- 4
	3.1.3	AFUDOS utility................................................................	3- 5
	3.1.4	ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility.......................................	3- 7
3.2	BIOS setup program.....................................................................		3- 8
	3.2.1	BIOS menu screen..........................................................	3- 9
	3.2.2	Menu bar.........................................................................	3- 9
	3.2.3	Navigation keys...............................................................	3- 9
	3.2.4	Menu items....................................................................	3-1 0
	3.2.5	Sub-menu items............................................................	3-1 0
	3.2.6	Configuration fields........................................................	3-1 0
	3.2.7	Pop-up window..............................................................	3-1 0
	3.2.8	Scroll bar.......................................................................	3-1 0
	3.2.9	General help..................................................................	3-1 0
3.3	Main menu...................................................................................		3-11
	3.3.1	System Time [xx:xx:xx]...................................................	3-11
	3.3.2	System Date [Day xx/xx/xxxx]........................................	3-11
	3.3.3	Legacy Diskette A [1.44M, 3.5 in.] .................................	3-11
	3.3.4	Language [English].........................................................	3-11
	3.3.5	SATA 1-6........................................................................	3-1 2
	3.3.6	Storage Configuration....................................................	3-1 3
	3.3.7	AHCI Configuration........................................................	3-1 4
	3.3.8	System Information........................................................	3-1 5
3.4	Ai Tweaker menu........................................................................		3-1 6
	3.4.1	Ai Overclock Tuner [Auto]..............................................	3-1 6
	3.4.2	CPU Ratio Setting [Auto]...............................................	3-1 7
	3.4.3	FSB Strap to North Bridge [Auto]..................................	3-1 7
	3.4.4	DRAM Frequency [Auto]................................................	3-1 7

Contents

	3.4.5	DRAM Timing Control [Auto].........................................	3-1 8
	3.4.6	DRAM Static Read Control [Auto].................................	3-1 9
	3.4.7	DRAM Read Training [Auto]..........................................	3-2 0
	3.4.8	MEM. OC Charger.........................................................	3-2 0
	3.4.9	Ai Clock Twister [Auto]...................................................	3-2 0
	3.4.10	Ai Transaction Booster [Auto]........................................	3-2 0
	3.4.11	CPU Voltage [Auto] .......................................................	3-2 1
	3.4.12	CPU PLL Voltage [Auto]................................................	3-2 1
	3.4.13	FSB Termination Voltage [Auto].....................................	3-2 1
	3.4.14	DRAM Voltage [Auto].....................................................	3-2 1
	3.4.15	NB Voltage [Auto]..........................................................	3-2 1
	3.4.16	SB Voltage [Auto]..........................................................	3-2 2
	3.4.17	PCIE SATA Voltage [Auto].............................................	3-2 2
	3.4.18	Load-Line Calibration [Auto]..........................................	3-2 2
	3.4.19	CPU Spread Spectrum [Auto]........................................	3-2 2
	3.4.20	PCIE Spread Spectrum [Auto].......................................	3-2 2
3.5	Advanced menu..........................................................................		3-2 3
	3.5.1	TPM Configuration.........................................................	3-2 3
	3.5.2	CPU Configuration.........................................................	3-2 4
	3.5.3	Chipset..........................................................................	3-2 6
	3.5.4	Onboard Device Configuration......................................	3-2 7
	3.5.5	USB Configuration.........................................................	3-2 9
	3.5.6	PCIPnP..........................................................................	3-3 0
3.6	Power menu................................................................................		3-3 1
	3.6.1	Suspend Mode [Auto]....................................................	3-3 1
	3.6.2	Repost Video on S3 Resume [No].................................	3-3 1
	3.6.3	ACPI 2.0 Support [Disabled]..........................................	3-3 1
	3.6.4	ACPI APIC Support [Enabled].......................................	3-3 1
	3.6.5	APM Configuration........................................................	3-3 2
	3.6.6	Hardware Monitor..........................................................	3-3 3
3.7	Boot menu...................................................................................		3-3 5
	3.7.1	Boot Device Priority.......................................................	3-3 5
	3.7.2	Boot Settings Configuration...........................................	3-3 6
	3.7.3	Security..........................................................................	3-3 7
3.8	Tools menu..................................................................................		3-3 9
	3.8.1	ASUS EZ Flash 2..........................................................	3-3 9
	3.8.2	Drive Xpert.....................................................................	3-4 0

Contents

	3.8.3	Express Gate.................................................................	3-4 1
	3.8.4	ASUS O.C. Profile.........................................................	3-4 2
	3.8.5	AI NET 2........................................................................	3-4 3
3.9	Exit menu.....................................................................................		3-4 4
Chapter 4:		Software support
4.1	Installing an operating system....................................................		4- 1
4.2	Support DVD information.............................................................		4- 1
	4.2.1	Running the support DVD................................................	4- 1
	4.2.2	Drivers menu...................................................................	4- 2
	4.2.3	Utilities menu...................................................................	4- 3
	4.2.4	Make disk menu..............................................................	4- 5
	4.2.5	Manual menu...................................................................	4- 6
	4.2.6	ASUS Contact information...............................................	4- 6
	4.2.7	Other information.............................................................	4- 7
4.3	Software information....................................................................		4- 9
	4.3.1	ASUS MyLogo2™...........................................................	4- 9
	4.3.2	AI NET2..........................................................................	4-11
	4.3.3	ASUS PC Probe II.........................................................	4-1 2
	4.3.4	ASUS AI Suite...............................................................	4-1 8
	4.3.5	ASUS AI Nap.................................................................	4-2 0
	4.3.6	ASUS Fan Xpert............................................................	4-2 1
	4.3.7	ASUS AI Booster...........................................................	4-2 3
	4.3.8	ASUS EPU—6 Engine...................................................	4-2 4
	4.3.9	ASUS AI Direct Link.......................................................	4-2 8
	4.3.10	ASUS Drive Xpert..........................................................	4-3 0
	4.3.11	ASUS Express Gate......................................................	4-4 1
4.4	RAID configurations...................................................................		4-5 1
	4.4.1	RAID definitions.............................................................	4-5 1
	4.4.2	Installing Serial ATA hard disks......................................	4-5 2
	4.4.3	Intel® RAID configurations.............................................	4-5 2
4.5	Creating a RAID driver disk.......................................................		4-6 0
	4.5.1	Creating a RAID driver disk without entering the OS....	4-6 0
	4.5.2	Creating a RAID driver disk in Windows®.....................	4-6 0
Appendix:		CPU features
A.1	Intel® EM64T..................................................................................		A- 1
A.2	Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology (EIST).........................		A- 1
A.3	Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology............................................		A- 3

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 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.

vii

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.

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.

viii

About this guide

This user guide contains the information you need when installing and configuring 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 switches, jumpers, and connectors on the motherboard.

•Chapter 3: 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 4: Software support

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

•Appendix: CPU features

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

Where to find 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 flyers, 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 linked with a plus sign (+).
	Example: <Ctrl+Alt+D>
Command	Means that you must type the command exactly
	as shown, then supply the required item or value
	enclosed in brackets.
	Example: At the DOS prompt, type the command line:
	afudos /i[filename]
	afudos	/iP5QPRO.ROM

P5Q PRO specifications summary

CPU	LGA775 socket for Intel® Core™2 Extreme/Core™2
	Quad/ Core™2 Duo/Pentium® dual-core/Celeron® dual-
	core /Celeron® Processors
	Compatible with Intel® 05B/05A/06 processors
	Support Intel® 45nm Multi-Core CPU
	* Refer to www.asus.com for Intel CPU support list
Chipset	Intel® P45 / ICH10R
System Bus	1600 / 1333 / 1066 / 800 MHz
Memory	4 x DIMM, max. 16GB, DDR2 1200 / 1066 /
	800 / 667 MHz, non-ECC, un-buffered memory
	Dual channel memory architecture
	* Refer to www.asus.com for the Memory QVL (Qualified
	Vendors Lists).
	** Due to OS limitation, when installing total memory
	of 4GB capacity or more, Windows® 32-bit operation
	system may only recognize less than 3GB. Hence, a
	total installed memory of less than 3GB is
	recommended.
Expansion Slots	2 x PCIe 2.0 x16, support ATI CrossFireX™ technology
	dual at x 8 link(blue) (PCIe x16_1 blue, PCIe x16_2
	black*)
	3 x PCIe x1
	2 x PCI
	* PCIE x16 slot (black at max. x8 link)
Storage	Intel® ICH10R Southbridge
	- 6 x SATA 3Gb/s ports
	- Intel® Matrix Storage, supporting SATA RAID 0,1, 5
	and 10
	Marvell® 88SE6111 PATA controller
	- 1 x UltraDMA 133/100/66 for up to 2 PATA devices
	Silicon Image® Sil5723 (Drive Xpert Technology)
	- 2 x SATA 3 Gb/s ports
	- Supports EZ Backup and SuperSpeed functions
LAN	PCIe Gb LAN controller, featuring AI NET2
Audio	RealtekI® ALC1200 8-channel High Definition Audio
	CODEC
	- Supports Jack-detection, Multi-streaming, Front
	Panel Jack-Retasking technology
	- Coaxial S/PDIF out ports at back I/O
	- ASUS Noise Filter
IEEE 1394	LSI3227 controller supports 2 x 1394a ports
USB	Max. 12 USB2.0/1.1 ports(6 ports at mid-board, 6 ports
	at back panel)
	(continued on the next page)

P5Q PRO specifications summary

ASUS Unique Features	ASUS Power Saving Solution:
	- ASUS EPU-6 Engine
	- ASUS 8-phase Power Design
	-	ASUS AI Nap
	ASUS Unique Features:
	-	ASUS Express Gate
	- ASUS AI Direct Llink
	ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution:
	- ASUS Fanless Design: Heat-pipe solution
	-	ASUS Fan Xpert
	ASUS EZ DIY:
	-	ASUS Q-Shield
	-	ASUS Drive Xpert
	-	ASUS Q-Connector
	-	ASUS O.C. Profile
	- ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3
	- ASUS EZ Flash 2
ASUS Stylish Features	ASUS MyLogo2™

ASUS Exclusive	ASUS AI Booster utility
Overclocking Features	Precision Tweaker 2:
	- vCore: Adjustable CPU voltage at 6.25mV
		increment
	- vDIMM: 64-step DRAM voltage control
	- vChipset (N.B.): 55-step chipset voltage control
	- vFSB Termination: 15-step reference voltage control
	- vCPU PLL: 64-step CPU PLL voltage control

SFS (Stepless Frequency Selection)

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

-PCI Express frequency tuning from 100MHz up to 180MHz at 1MHz increment

Overclocking Protection:

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

(continued on the next page)

xii

P5Q PRO specifications summary

Back Panel I/O Ports	1 x PS/2 Keyboard port
	1 x PS/2 Mouse port
	1 x S/PDIF Out (Coaxial)
	1 x IEEE1394a
	1 x RJ45 ports
	6 x USB 2.0/1.1
	8-channel Audio I/O
Internal I/O Connectors	3 x USB connectors support additional 6 USB ports
	1 x Floppy disk drive connector
	1 x COM connector
	1 x IDE connector
	1 x TPM connector
	6 x SATA connectors (Red)
	2 x Drive Xpert SATA connectors (Orange and white)
	1 x CPU Fan connector
	2 x Chassis Fan connectors
	1 x Power Fan connector
	1 x IEEE1394a connector
	Front panel audio connector
	1 x S/PDIF Out Header
	Chassis Intrusion connector
	CD audio in
	24-pin ATX Power connector
	1 x 8-pin ATX 12V Power connectors
	System Panel (Q-Connector)
BIOS Features	8 Mb Flash ROM, AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI 2.0, WfM 2.0,
	SM BIOS 2.4, ACPI 2.0a
Manageability	WOL by PME, WOR by PME, PXE, WOR by Ring,
	Chassis Intrusion
Support CD Contents	Drivers
	Express Gate
	ASUS PC Probe II
	ASUS Update
	ASUS AI Suite
	Anti-virus software (OEM version)
	Image-Editing Suite
Form Factor	ATX Form Factor, 12”x 9.6” (30.5cm x 24.4cm)

*Specifications are subject to change without notice.

xiii

xiv

This chapter describes the motherboard features and the new technologies

it supports.

Product1 introduction

		1
Chapter summary
1.1	Welcome!.......................................................................................	1-1
1.2	Package contents.........................................................................	1-1
1.3	Special features............................................................................	1-2

ASUS P5Q PRO

1.1Welcome!

Thank you for buying an ASUS® P5Q PRO 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.

1.2Package contents

Check your motherboard package for the following items.

Motherboard		ASUS P5Q PRO
I/O modules		1 x eSATA+4-pin 1394 bracket
Cables		1 x 2-port Serial ATA power cable for 2 devices
		4 x Serial ATA signal cables
		1 x Ultra DMA 133/100/66 cable
		1 x Floppy disk drive cable
Accessories		1 x ASUS Q-Shield (I/O shield)
		1 x ASUS Q-Connector Kit (USB, 1394, system
		panel; Retail version only)
Application CD		ASUS motherboard Support DVD
Documentation		User guide

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

ASUS P5Q PRO

1-1

1.3Special features

1.3.1Product highlights

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.

Intel® P45 Chipset

The Intel® P45 Chipset is the latest chipset designed to support 16GB of dualchannel DDR2 800/667 MHz memory architecture, 1333/1066/800 MHz FSB

(Front Side Bus) and multi-core CPUs. It especially includes Intel® Fast Memory

Access technology that significantly optimizes the use of available memory bandwidth and reduces the latency of the memory accesses.

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.

Dual-channel DDR2 1200 memory support

The motherboard supports DDR2 memory that features data transfer rates of
1200/1066/800/667 MHz to meet the higher bandwidth requirements of the latest
3D graphics, multimedia, and Internet applications. The dual-channel DDR2
architecture doubles the bandwidth of your system memory to boost system
performance, eliminating bottlenecks with peak bandwidths of up to 19.2 GB/s.
Furthermore, this motherboard does not restrict the memory size across two
channels. Users may install different memory size DIMMs into the two channels
and enjoy dual-channel and single-channel functions at the same time. This new
feature optimizes the use of available memory size. See page	2 10 for details

1-2

Chapter 1:

Product Introduction

ASUS Express Gate

Taking only 5 seconds to go online from bootup, Express Gate is the one-stop gateway to instant fun! It's a unique motherboard built-in OS. You can utilize the most popular Instant Messengers (IM) like MSN, Skype, Google talk, QQ, and Yahoo! Messenger to keep in touch with friends, or quickly check on the weather and e-mails just before leaving your house. What's more, the user-friendly picture manager lets you view your pictures without entering Windows at anytime!

The actual boot time depends on the system configuration.

Serial ATA 3Gb/s technology

This motherboard supports the hard drives based on the Serial ATA (SATA)

3Gb/s storage specification, delivering enhanced scalability and doubling the bus bandwidth for high-speed data retrieval and saves. See page 2-27 for details.

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 2-30 for details.

S/PDIF digital sound ready

This motherboard provides convenient connectivity to external home theater audio systems via coaxial 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 2-32 for details.

High Definition Audio

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

Definition Audio, previously codenamed Azalia) CODEC enables high-quality 192KHz/24-bit audio output 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 pages 2-22 and 2-23 for details.

ASUS P5Q PRO

1-3

100% Japan-made conductive polymer capacitors

This motherboard uses all Japan-made conductive polymer capacitors for durability, improved lifespan and enhanced thermal capacity.

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/packagings to safeguard consumers’ health while minimizing the impact on the environment.

1.3.2ASUS unique features

ASUS Power Saving Solution

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

ASUS EPU-6 Engine

The new ASUS EPU - the world's first power saving engine, has been upgraded to a new six engine version, which provides total system power savings by detecting current PC loadings and intelligently moderating power in real-time. With auto phase switching for components (which includes the CPU, VGA card, memory, chipset, drives and system fan), the EPU automatically provides the most appropriate power usage via intelligent acceleration and overclocking - helping save power and money.

AI Nap

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

ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution

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

1-4	Chapter 1: Product Introduction

ASUS 8-Phase Power Design

Longer Life, & Higher Efficiency!

With power efficiency so important to operating temperatures, ASUS 8-phase VRM design leads the industry with its 96% power efficiency. 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 efficiency.

Fan Xpert

“ASUS Fan Xpert intelligently allows users to adjust both the CPU and chassis fan speed according to different ambient temperature , which is caused by different climate conditions in different geographic regions and system loading.Built-in variety of useful profiles offer flexible controls of fan speed to achieve a quiet and cool environment.”

Fanless Design and Heat-pipe

The ASUS fanless design allows multi-directional heat flow from major thermal sources in the motherboard to lower overall system temperature, resulting in quieter operation and longer system life. ASUS has devoted special efforts to address the thermal issues across the motherboard, and most notably in the following areas: CPU, power, VGA, Northbridge and Southbridge. The heat pipe, heatsink, and strategic board layout were tailor made to dissipate heat in the most efficient manner.

ASUS Crystal Sound

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

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.

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.

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Drive Xpert

Without drivers or BIOS setups, the ASUS exclusive Drive Xpert is ideal for anyone who needs to secure data on their hard drives or enhance hard drive performances without the hassles of complicated configurations. With Drive Xpert's user-friendly graphical user interface, users can easily arrange hard drive backups or enhance their hard drive transfer rates - making sure that data is looked after every moment, every day.

ASUS AI Direct Link

AI Direct Link can easily and efficiently transfer large amounts of data via the network cable - saving up to 70% of the total time taken. With AI Direct Link, it becomes easy to backup or share large data files like movies or other media content.

ASUS Q-Shield

Easy and Comfortable Installations

The specially designed ASUS Q-Shield does without the usual "fingers" - making it convenient and easy to install. With better electric conductivity, it ideally protects your motherboard against static electricity and shields it against Electronic Magnetic Interference (EMI).

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 2-35 for details.

ASUS O.C. Profile

The motherboard features the ASUS O.C. Profile that allows users to conveniently store or load multiple BIOS settings. The BIOS settings can be stored in the

CMOS or a separate file, 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 flash disk containing the BIOS file.

1-6	Chapter 1: Product Introduction

ASUS EZ Flash 2

EZ Flash 2 is a user-friendly BIOS update utility. Simply press the predefined 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 flash utility.

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.

1.3.3ASUS Exclusive Overclocking Features

AI Booster

The ASUS AI Booster allows you to overclock the CPU speed in Windows environment without the hassle of booting the BIOS.

Precision Tweaker 2

Allows the user to adjust the NB Voltage, FSB termination Voltage, CPU PLL

Voltage and the DRAM Voltage in 0.02v steps to finetune voltages to achieve the most precise setting for the ultimate customized overclocking configuration.

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.

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1-8	Chapter 1: Product Introduction

This chapter lists the hardware setup	2
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

Chapter summary		2
		2


2.1	Before you proceed......................................................................	2- 1
2.2	Motherboard layout......................................................................	2 -2
2.3	Motherboard overview.................................................................	2 -4
2.4	System memory..........................................................................	2-	1 0
2.5	Expansion slots..........................................................................	2 -	16
2.6	Jumper.........................................................................................	2 -	19
2.7	Connectors..................................................................................	2 -	22
2.8	Starting up for the first time......................................................	2 -	36
2.7	Turning off the computer...........................................................	2 -	37

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2.1Before you proceed

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

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

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

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

•Whenever you uninstall any component, place it on a grounded antistatic pad or in the bag that came with the component.

•Before you install or remove any component, ensurethat 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.

Onboard LED

The motherboard comes with a standby power LED. The green LED lights up

to indicate that the system is ON, in sleep mode, or in soft off mode. This is a reminder that you should shut down the system and unplug the power cable before

removing or plugging in any motherboard component. The illustration below shows the location of the onboard LED.

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2.2Motherboard overview

2.2.1Motherboard layout

Refer to 2.7 Connectors for more information about rear panel connectors and internal connectors.

2-	Chapter 2: Hardware information

2.2.2Layout contents

	Connectors/Jumpers/Slots		Page
1		PS2 keyboard/mouse wake-up (3-pin PS2_USBPW56)	2-22
2.		USB device wake-up (3-pin USBPW1-4, PS2_USBPW56,	2-22
		USBPW7-10, USBPW1112)

3.		ATX power connectors (24-pin EATXPWR, 8-pin EATX12V)	2-34
4.		LGA775 CPU socket	2-5
5.		CPU, chassis, and power fan connectors	2-31
		(4-pin CPU_FAN, 3-pin CHA_FAN1-2, 3-pin PWR_FAN)

6.		DDR2 DIMM slots	2-10
7.		CPU / Northbridge overvoltage setting	2-21
		(3-pin OV_CPU, 3-pin OV_NB)

8.		IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_EIDE)	2-26
9.		Standby power LED (SB_PWR)	2-1
10.		ICH10R Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA1-6)	2-27
11.		Silicon Image® Serial ATA RAID connectors	2-28
		(7-pin SATA_E1, 7-pin SATA_E2)

12.		System panel connector (20-8 pin PANEL)	2-35
13.		TPM connector (20-1 pin TPM)	2-33
14.		USB connectors (10-1 pin USB78, USB910, USB1112)	2-28
15.		IEEE 1394a port connector (10-1 pin IE1394_2)	2-30
16.		Chassis intrusion connector (4-1 pin CHASSIS)	2-32
17.		Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC)	2-30
18.		Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY)	2-25
19.		Optical drive audio connector (4-pin CD)	2-31
20.		Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin AAFP)	2-33
21.		Digital audio connector (4-1 pin SPDIF_OUT for	2-32
		ASUS HDMI VGA card)

	22.	Serial port connector (10-1 pin COM1)	2-29

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2.2.3Placement direction

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

2.2.4Screw holes

Place six (9) screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the motherboard to the chassis.

DO NOT overtighten the screws! Doing so can damage the motherboard.

Place this side towards the rear of the chassis

Chapter 2: Hardware information

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