Asus P6T SE User Manual

P6T SE

Motherboard

E4481

First Edition January 2009

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 ......................................................................................................................vii

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

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

P6T SE specications summary ............................................................................... xi

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 ............................................................... 1-2

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 .......................................................................................2-10

2.4.1 Overview ................................................................................... 2-10

2.4.2 Memory congurations .............................................................. 2-11

2.4.3 Installing a DIMM ......................................................................2-16

2.4.4 Removing a DIMM ....................................................................2-16

2.5 Expansion slots........................................................................................2-17

2.5.1 Installing an expansion card......................................................2-17

2.5.2 Conguring an expansion card .................................................2-17

2.5.3 Interrupt assignments................................................................2-18

2.5.4 PCI slots ....................................................................................2-19

2.5.5 PCI Express x1 slot ...................................................................2-19

2.5.6 PCI Express 2.0 x16 slots ......................................................... 2-19

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

2.7 Connectors ...............................................................................................2-23

2.7.1 Rear panel connectors .............................................................. 2-23

iii

Contents

2.7.2 Audio I/O connections ............................................................... 2-24

2.7.3 Internal connectors....................................................................2-27

2.8 Starting up for the rst time .................................................................... 2-36

2.9 Turning off the computer ......................................................................... 2-36

Chapter 3: BIOS setup

3.1 Knowing BIOS ............................................................................................3-1

3.2 Updating BIOS ............................................................................................ 3-1

3.2.1 ASUS Update utility.....................................................................3-2

3.2.2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility ............................................................... 3-4

3.2.3 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility...................................................3-5

3.3 BIOS setup program ..................................................................................3-6

3.3.1 BIOS menu screen ...................................................................... 3-6

3.3.2 Menu bar ..................................................................................... 3-6

3.3.3 Navigation keys ........................................................................... 3-7

3.3.4 Menu items..................................................................................3-7

3.3.5 Submenu items ........................................................................... 3-7

3.3.6 Conguration elds .....................................................................3-7

3.3.7 Pop-up window............................................................................3-7

3.3.8 Scroll bar ..................................................................................... 3-7

3.3.9 General help................................................................................3-7

3.4 Main menu ..................................................................................................3-8

3.4.1 SATA 1-6 .....................................................................................3-8

3.4.2 Storage Conguration ............................................................... 3-10

3.4.3 AHCI Conguration ................................................................... 3-10

3.4.4 System Information ................................................................... 3-11

3.5 Ai Tweaker menu ...................................................................................... 3-12

3.5.1 Ai Overclock Tuner ................................................................... 3-12

3.5.2 CPU Ratio Setting .................................................................... 3-13

3.5.3 Intel(R) SpeedStep(TM) Tech ................................................... 3-13

3.5.4 Intel(R) Turbo Mode Tech .......................................................... 3-13

3.5.5 DRAM Frequency .....................................................................3-14

3.5.6. DRAM Timing Control ..............................................................3-14

3.5.7 CPU Voltage ............................................................................3-16

3.5.8 CPU PLL Voltage .....................................................................3-16

3.5.9 QPI/DRAM Core Voltage ..........................................................3-16

3.5.10 IOH Voltage .............................................................................. 3-16

3.5.11 IOH PCIE Voltage ....................................................................3-16

3.5.12 ICH Voltage .............................................................................. 3-17

Contents

3.5.13 ICH PCIE Voltage .....................................................................3-17

3.5.14 DRAM Bus Voltage ..................................................................3-17

3.5.15 DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHA/B/C ................................... 3-17

3.5.16 DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHA/B/C ..................................3-18

3.5.17 Load-Line Calibration ............................................................... 3-18

3.5.18 CPU Differential Amplitude ....................................................... 3-18

3.5.19 CPU Clock Skew ...................................................................... 3-18

3.5.20 CPU Spread Spectrum ............................................................. 3-18

3.5.21 IOH Clock Skew ....................................................................... 3-18

3.5.22 PCIE Spread Spectrum ............................................................ 3-18

3.6 Advanced menu .......................................................................................3-19

3.6.1 CPU Conguration .................................................................... 3-19

3.6.2 Chipset ...................................................................................... 3-21

3.6.3 Onboard Device Conguration .................................................. 3-22

3.6.4 USB Conguration ....................................................................3-23

3.6.5 PCIPnP .....................................................................................3-24

3.7 Power menu .............................................................................................. 3-24

3.7.1 Suspend Mode ......................................................................... 3-24

3.7.2 Repost Video on S3 Resume .................................................... 3-24

3.7.3 ACPI 2.0 Support ...................................................................... 3-24

3.7.4 ACPI APIC Support ................................................................... 3-25

3.7.5 APM Conguration .................................................................... 3-25

3.7.6 Hardware Monitor......................................................................3-26

3.8 Boot menu ................................................................................................3-27

3.8.1 Boot Device Priority...................................................................3-27

3.8.2 Boot Settings Conguration ......................................................3-28

3.8.3 Security ..................................................................................... 3-28

3.9 Tools menu ............................................................................................... 3-30

3.9.1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 ...................................................................... 3-31

3.9.2 Express Gate ............................................................................3-31

3.9.3 ASUS O.C. Prole ..................................................................... 3-32

3.9.4 AI NET 2 .................................................................................... 3-33

3.10 Exit menu ..................................................................................................3-34

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 Obtaining the software manuals..................................................4-2

Contents

4.3 Software information .................................................................................4-3

4.3.1 ASUS PC Probe II ....................................................................... 4-3

4.3.2 ASUS AI Suite ............................................................................. 4-4

4.3.3 ASUS Fan Xpert..........................................................................4-5

4.3.4 ASUS EPU-6 Engine...................................................................4-6

4.3.5 ASUS TurboV .............................................................................. 4-7

4.3.6 ASUS Express Gate....................................................................4-8

4.3.7 Audio congurations....................................................................4-9

4.4 RAID congurations ................................................................................4-10

4.4.1 RAID denitions ........................................................................4-10

4.4.2 Installing Serial ATA hard disks .................................................4-10

4.4.3 Setting the RAID item in BIOS .................................................. 4-11

4.4.4 Intel® Matrix Storage Manager option ROM utility ..................... 4-11

4.5 Creating a RAID driver disk.....................................................................4-15

4.5.1 Creating a RAID driver disk without entering the OS ................ 4-15

4.5.2 Creating a RAID driver disk in Windows® .................................. 4-15

Chapter 5: ATI® CrossFireX™ technology support

5.1 ATI® CrossFireX™ technology ..................................................................5-1

5.1.1 Requirements .............................................................................. 5-1

5.1.2 Before you begin ......................................................................... 5-1

5.2 Installing CrossFireX™ graphics cards ................................................... 5-2

5.2.1 Dual CrossFireX installation ........................................................ 5-2

5.2.2 Triple CrossFireX installation ......................................................5-3

5.3 Software information .................................................................................5-4

5.3.1 Installing the device drivers ......................................................... 5-4

5.3.2 Enabling the ATI® CrossFireX™ technology ...............................5-4

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.

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 adapter or extension cord. These devices could interrupt the grounding circuit.

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

• If the power supply is broken, do not try to 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.

viii

DO NOT throw the motherboard in municipal waste. This product has been designed to enable proper reuse of parts and recycling. This symbol of the crossed out wheeled bin indicates that the product (electrical and electronic equipment) should not be placed in municipal waste. Check local regulations for disposal of electronic products.

DO NOT throw the mercury-containing button cell battery in municipal waste. This symbol of the crossed out wheeled bin indicates that the battery should not be placed in municipal waste.

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 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 DVD that comes with the motherboard package and the software.

• Chapter 5: ATI® CrossFireX™ support

This chapter describes the ATI® CrossFireX™ feature and shows the graphics card installation procedures.

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.

Italic

s 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.that you must press the enclosed key.

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

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 /iP6TSE.ROM

P6T SE specications summary

CPU LGA1366 socket for Intel® Core™ i7 Processor Extreme Edition /

Chipset Intel® X58 / ICH10R

System Bus Up to 6.4GT/s; Intel® QuickPath Interconnect

Memory 6 x DIMM, max. 24GB, DDR3 2000(O.C.) / 1866(O.C.) /

Expansion Slots 3 x PCI Express 2.0 x16 slots (at x16 / x16 / x4 mode)

Multi-GPU Support Supports ATI® Quad-GPU CrossFireX™ Technology

Storage Intel® ICH10R Southbridge:

LAN Realtek® 8111C PCIe Gigabit LAN controller featuring

USB 12 x USB 2.0 ports (6 ports at mid-board, 6 ports at back panel)

IEEE 1394 VIA® VT6315N controller supports 2 x IEEE 1394a ports

Audio Realtek® ALC1200 8-channel High Denition Audio CODEC

Core™ i7 Processor Supports Intel® Dynamic Speed Technology * Refer to www.asus.com for Intel CPU support list

1800(O.C.) / 1600(O.C.) / 1333 / 1066 MHz, non-ECC, un-buffered memory Triple channel memory architecture Supports Intel® Extreme Memory Prole (XMP) * Hyper DIMM support is subject to the physical characteristics of individual CPUs. ** Refer to www.asus.com or this user manual for the

Memory QVL (Qualied Vendors Lists)

1 x PCI Express x1 slot 2 x PCI slots

- 6 x SATA 3.0 Gb/s ports

- Intel® Matrix Storage supporting SATA RAID 0,1, 5, and 10

JMicron® JMB363 SATA & PATA controller

- 1 x Ultra DMA 133/100/66 for up to 2 PATA devices

- 1 x External SATA 3.0 Gb/s port (SATA On-the-Go)

AI NET2

(one at midboard; one at back panel)

- Supports Jack-Detection, Multi-streaming, and Front Panel Jack-Retasking technology

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

- ASUS Noise Filter

(continued on the next page)

P6T SE specications summary

ASUS Unique Features ASUS Exclusive Features:

ASUS Stylish Features ASUS MyLogo 2

ASUS Exclusive Overclocking Features

Back Panel I/O Ports 1 x PS/2 Keyboard port (Purple)

- ASUS TurboV

- ASUS 8+2 Phase Power Design

- Express Gate

ASUS Power Saving Solution:

- ASUS EPU-6 Engine

ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution:

- ASUS Fanless Design: Heat-pipe solution

- ASUS Fanless Design: Stack Cool 2

- ASUS Fan Xpert

ASUS EZ DIY:

- ASUS Q-Shield

- ASUS Q-Connector

- ASUS O.C. Prole

- ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3

- ASUS EZ Flash 2

Multi-language BIOS

ASUS TurboV utility Precision Tweaker 2:

- vCore: Adjustable CPU voltage at 0.00625V increment

- vCPU PLL: 36-step reference voltage control

- vDRAM Bus: 49-step DRAM bus voltage control

- vChipset(N.B.): 31-step chipset voltage control

- vNB-PCIe: 65-step chipset-PCIe bus voltage control

SFS (Stepless Frequency Selection):

- Internal Base Clock tuning from 100MHz up to 500 MHz at 1MHz increment

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

Overclocking Protection:

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

1 x PS/2 Mouse port (Green) 1 x S/PDIF Out (Coaxial + Optical) 1 x External SATA 1 x IEEE1394a 1 x RJ45 port 6 x USB 2.0/1.1 8-channel Audio I/O

(continued on the next page)

xii

P6T SE specications summary

Internal I/O Connectors 3 x USB connectors support additional 6 USB ports

BIOS Features 16 Mb AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI 2.0, WfM 2.0, SM BIOS 2.3,

Manageability WfM 2.0, DMI 2.0, WOL by PME, WOR by PME, PXE

Support DVD Contents Drivers

Form Factor ATX Form Factor, 12”x 9.6” (30.5cm x 24.4cm)

*Specications are subject to change without notice.

1 x IDE connector 6 x SATA connectors 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 8-pin EATX 12V Power connectors System Panel (Q-Connector) 1 x Power on switch

ACPI 2.0a

ASUS PC Probe II ASUS Update ASUS AI Suite Image-Editing Suite Anti-virus software (OEM version)

xiii

xiv

User Manual

Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.1 Welcome!

Thank you for buying an ASUS® P6T SE 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.

ASUS P6T SE motherboard User guide Support DVD

Chapter 1

4 x Serial ATA signal cables

ASUS P6T SE 1-1

1 x Ultra DMA 133/

100/66 cable

1 x ASUS Q-Connector kit

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

• The illustrated items above are for reference only. Actual product specications may

vary with different models.

1 x ASUS Q-Shield

1.3 Special features

1.3.1 Product highlights

Chapter 1

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.

Intel® Core™ i7 Processor Extreme Edition / Core™ i7 Processor support

This motherboard supports the latest Intel® Core™ i7 processors in LGA1366 package with integrated memory controller to support 3-channel (6 DIMMs) DDR3 memory. Supports Intel® QuickPath Interconnect (QPI) with a system bus of up to 6.4GT/s and a max bandwidth of up to 25.6GB/s. Intel® Core™ i7 processor is one of the most powerful and energy efcient CPUs in the world. See page 2-5 for details.

Intel® X58 Chipset

The Intel® X58 Express Chipset is the latest chipset designed to support latest Intel i7 Processors and Intel’s next generation system interconnect interface, Intel

Interconnect (QPI), providing improved performance by utilizing serial point-to-point links,

allowing increased bandwidth and stability. It also supports up to 36 PCI Express 2.0 lanes providing better graphics performance.

Triple-Channel DDR3 2000(O.C.) / 1866(O.C.) / 1800(O.C.) / 1600(O.C.) / 1333 / 1066 support

The motherboard supports DDR3 memory that features data transfer rates of 2000(O.C.)

/ 1866(O.C.) / 1800(O.C.) / 1600(O.C.) /1333 / 1066 MHz to meet the higher bandwidth

requirements of the latest 3D graphics, multimedia, and Internet applications. The triplechannel DDR3 architecture enlarges the bandwidth of your system memory to boost system performance. See page 2-10 for details.

ATI® Quad-GPU CrossFireX™ Technology

ATI’s CrossFireX™ boosts image quality along with rendering speed, eliminating the need to scale down screen resolution to get high quality images. CrossFireX™ allows

higher antialiasing, anisotropic ltering, shading, and texture settings. Adjust your display congurations, experiment with the advanced 3D settings, and check the effects with a real-

time 3D-rendered previews within ATI Catalyst™ Control Center. See Chapter 5 for details.

Core™

QuickPath

1.3.2 ASUS Unique features

ASUS TurboV

Feel the adrenaline rush of real-time OC—now a reality with the ASUS TurboV. This extreme OC tool lets you set new ambitions on the OC stage with an advanced and easy-to-use interface—allowing you to overclock without exiting or rebooting the OS. With micro adjustments of the CPU PLL, NB, NB-PCIe, and DRAM voltages in 0.02v intervals, there are no limits—only extreme results to break new OC records! See page 4-7 for details.

1-2 Chapter 1: Product Introduction

ASUS 8+2 Phase Power Design

With power efciency so important to operating temperatures, ASUS 8+2 phase VRM design (8-phase to vCore; 2-phase to vDRAM/QPI controller inside CPU) leads the industry with its 96% 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 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! See page 3-31 and 4-8 for details.

The actual boot time depends on the system conguration.

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 rst power saving engine, has been upgraded to a

new 6 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, hard drives and CPU cooler / system fans), the EPU automatically provides the most appropriate power usage via intelligent acceleration and overclocking—helping save power and money. See page 4-6 for details.

ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution

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

Fanless Design—Heat-pipe solution

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.

Chapter 1

ASUS P6T SE 1-3

Fanless Design - Stack Cool 2

ASUS Stack Cool 2 is a fan-less and zero-noise cooling solution that lowers the

Chapter 1

temperature of critical heat generating components. The motherboard uses a special design on the printed circuit board (PCB) to dissipate heat these critical components generate.

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

proles offer exible controls of fan speed to achieve a quiet and cool environment.

See page 4-5 for details.

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.

ASUS Q-Shield

The specially designed ASUS Q-Shield provides conductivity to best protect your motherboard against static electricity damage and shields it against Electronic

Magnetic Interference (EMI). Without the usual "ngers" present, this new design is

convenient and safe to install.

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. 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 3-32 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 3-5 for details.

1-4 Chapter 1: Product Introduction

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 3-4 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.

ASUS Multi-language BIOS

The multi-language BIOS allows you to select the language of your choice from the available

options. The localized BIOS setup menu helps you congure your system easier and faster.

Chapter 1

ASUS P6T SE 1-5

Chapter 1

1-6 Chapter 1: Product Introduction

Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Hardware information

2.1 Before 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.

• Before handling components, use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded object or a metal object, such as the power supply case, 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, 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, or components.

Power-on switch

The motherboard comes with a power-on switch that allows you to wake/power up the system and 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 power-on switch.

Chapter 2

ASUS P6T SE 2-1

2.2 Motherboard overview

2.2.1 Motherboard layout

Chapter 2

Refer to

2.8 Connectors

connectors.

2-2 Chapter 2: Hardware information

for more information about rear panel connectors and internal

2.2.2 Layout contents

Connectors/Jumpers/Slots Page

1. ATX power connectors (24-pin EATXPWR, 8-pin EATX12V) 2-33

2. LGA1366 CPU Socket 2-5

3. DDR3 DIMM slots 2-10

4. CPU / DRAM Bus / QPI DRAM overvoltage settings (3-pin

OV_CPU; 3-pin OV_DRAM_BUS; 3-pin OV_QPI_DRAM)

5. Onboard Power-on switch 2-1

6. CPU, chassis, and power fan connectors (4-pin CPU_FAN, 3-pin CHA_FAN1–2, 3-pin PWR_FAN)

7. ICH10R Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA1-6) 2-29

8. IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_EIDE) 2-28

9. Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC) 2-21

10. System panel connector (20-8 pin PANEL) 2-34

11. Chassis intrusion connector (4-1 pin CHASSIS) 2-31

12. USB connectors (10-1 pin USB78, USB910, USB1112) 2-30

13. IEEE 1394a port connector (10-1 pin IE1394_2) 2-31

14. Optical drive audio connector (4-pin CD) 2-30

15. Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin AAFP) 2-27

16. Digital audio connector (4-1 pin SPDIF_OUT) 2-27

2-22

2-32

Chapter 2

ASUS P6T SE 2-3

2.2.3 Placement direction

When installing the motherboard, ensure 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.

2.2.4 Screw holes

Place nine screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the motherboard to the chassis.

Chapter 2

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

Place this side towards

the rear of the chassis

2-4 Chapter 2: Hardware information

2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The motherboard comes with a surface mount LGA1366 socket designed for the Intel® Core™ i7 Processor Extreme Edition / Core™ i7 Processor.

• Ensure that all power cables are unplugged before installing the CPU.

• Connect the chassis fan cable to the CHA_FAN1 connector to ensure system stability.

• Upon purchase of the motherboard, ensure that the PnP cap is on the socket and the socket contacts are not bent. Contact your retailer immediately if the PnP cap is missing, or if you see any damage to the PnP cap/socket contacts/motherboard components. ASUS will shoulder the cost of repair only if the damage is shipment/ transit-related.

• Keep the cap after installing the motherboard. ASUS will process Return Merchandise

Authorization (RMA) requests only if the motherboard comes with the cap on the

LGA1366 socket.

• The product warranty does not cover damage to the socket contacts resulting from incorrect CPU installation/removal, or misplacement/loss/incorrect removal of the PnP cap.

2.3.1 Installing the CPU

To install a CPU:

1. Locate the CPU socket on the motherboard.

Chapter 2

Before installing the CPU, ensure that the cam box is facing towards you and the load lever is on your left.

ASUS P6T SE 2-5

2. Press the load lever with your thumb (A), then move it to the left (B) until it is released from the retention tab.

Retention tab

3. Lift the load lever in the direction of the arrow to a 135º angle.

4. Lift the load plate with your thumb and

Chapter 2

forenger to a 100º angle.

5. Remove the PnP cap from the CPU socket.

To prevent damage to the socket pins, do not remove the PnP cap unless you are installing a CPU.

Load lever

Load plate

PnP cap

2-6 Chapter 2: Hardware information

6. Position the CPU over the socket, ensuring that the gold triangle is on the bottom-left corner of the socket, and then

t the socket alignment key into the CPU

notch.

The CPU ts in only one correct

orientation. DO NOT force the CPU into the socket to prevent bending the connectors on the socket and damaging the CPU!

7. Apply some Thermal Interface Material to the exposed area of the CPU that the heatsink will be in contact with, ensuring that it is spread in an even thin layer.

Some heatsinks come with preapplied thermal paste. If so, skip this step.

The Thermal Interface Material is toxic. DO NOT eat is. If it gets into your eyes or touches your skin, ensure to wash it off immediately and seek professional medical help.

Gold triangle mark

CPU notch

Alignment key

Chapter 2

8. Close the load plate (A), and then push the load lever (B) until it snaps into the retention tab.

ASUS P6T SE 2-7

2.3.2 Installing the CPU heatsink and fan

The Intel® LGA1366 processor requires a specially designed heatsink and fan assembly to ensure optimum thermal condition and performance.

• When you buy a boxed Intel® processor, the package includes the CPU fan and heatsink assembly. If you buy a CPU separately, ensure that you use only Intel®-certied multi-directional heatsink and fan.

• Your Intel® LGA1366 heatsink and fan assembly comes in a push-pin design and requires no tool to install.

• If you purchased a separate CPU heatsink and fan assembly, ensure that you have properly applied Thermal Interface Material to the CPU heatsink or CPU before you install the heatsink and fan assembly.

• Your P6T SE motherboard is compatible with LGA1366 and LGA775 CPU fan and

heatsink assemblies, providing more exibility for CPU cooling options.

Chapter 2

To install the CPU heatsink and fan:

1. Place the heatsink on top of the installed CPU, making sure that the four fasteners match the holes on the motherboard.

2. Push down two fasteners at a time in a diagonal sequence to secure the heatsink and fan assembly in place.

Ensure that you have installed the motherboard to the chassis before you install the CPU fan and heatsink assembly.

If you purchased a separate CPU heatsink and fan assembly, ensure that the Thermal Interface Material is properly applied to the CPU heatsink or CPU before you install the heatsink and fan assembly.

Orient the heatsink and fan assembly such that the CPU fan cable is closest to the CPU fan connector.

2-8 Chapter 2: Hardware information

3. Connect the CPU fan cable to the connector on the motherboard labeled CPU_FAN.

DO NOT forget to connect the CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring errors can occur if you fail to plug this connector.

2.3.3 Uninstalling the CPU heatsink and fan

To uninstall the CPU heatsink and fan:

Chapter 2

1. Disconnect the CPU fan cable from the connector on the motherboard.

2. Rotate each fastener counterclockwise.

3. Pull up two fasteners at a time in a

diagonal sequence to disengage the heatsink and fan assembly from the motherboard.

4. Carefully remove the heatsink and fan assembly from the motherboard.

ASUS P6T SE 2-9

2.4 System memory

2.4.1 Overview

The motherboard comes with six Double Data Rate 3 (DDR3) Dual Inline Memory Modules (DIMM) sockets.

A DDR3 module has the same physical dimensions as a DDR2 DIMM but is notched differently to prevent installation on a DDR2 DIMM socket. DDR3 modules are developed for better performance with less power consumption.

The gure illustrates the location of the DDR3 DIMM sockets:

Chapter 2

Channel Sockets

Channel A DIMM_A1 and DIMM_A2

Channel B DIMM_B1 and DIMM_B2

Channel C DIMM_C1 and DIMM_C2

Recommended memory conguration for better performance

Mode

2 DIMMs

3 DIMMs

4 DIMMs

6 DIMMs

2-10 Chapter 2: Hardware information

Sockets

DIMM_A2 DIMM_A1 DIMM_B2 DIMM_B1 DIMM_C2 DIMM_C1

- Populated - Populated - -

- Populated - Populated - Populated

Populated Populated - Populated - Populated

Populated Populated Populated Populated Populated Populated

Due to Intel CPU spec denition, the system will not boot if only one DIMM is installed in DIMM slot A2, B2, or C2. Follow the table above for recommended memory conguration.

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