ASUS TX97XE User Manual

R

TX97-XE

Pentium® A TX Motherboard

USER'S MANUAL

USER'S NOTICE

No part of this manual, including the products and softwares 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”).

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.

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.

• Intel, LANDesk, and Pentium are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation.

• IBM and OS/2 are registered trademarks of International Business Machines.

• Symbios is a registered trademark of Symbios Logic Corporation.

• Windows and MS-DOS are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

• Sound Blaster AWE32 and SB16 are trademarks of Creative Technology Ltd.

• Adobe and Acrobat are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated.
The product name and revision number are both printed on the board itself. Manual revisions

are released for each board design represented by the digit before and after the period of the
manual revision number. Manual updates are represented by the third digit in the manual
revision number.

For previous or updated manuals, BIOS, drivers, or product release information, contact ASUS
at http://www.asus.com.tw or through any of the means indicated on the following page.

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 RESPONSIBLITY OR LIABILITY FOR ANY
ERRORS OR INACCURACIES THAT MAY APPEAR IN THIS MANUAL, INCLUDING
THE PRODUCTS AND SOFTWARES DESCRIBED IN IT.

Copyright © 1998 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. All Rights Reserved.

Product Name: ASUS TX97-XE
Manual Revision: 3.03
Release Date: July 1998

2 ASUS TX97-XE User’s Manual

ASUS CONTACT INFORMATION

ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.

Marketing

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

Technical Support

Fax: [phone]
BBS: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
WWW: www.asus.com.tw
FTP: ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS

ASUS COMPUTER INTERNATIONAL

Marketing

Address: 6737 Mowry Avenue, Mowry Business Center, Building 2

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

Technical Support

Fax: [phone]
BBS: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
WWW: www.asus.com
FTP: ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS

ASUS COMPUTER GmbH

Marketing

Address: Harkort Str. 25, 40880 Ratingen, BRD, Germany
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Technical Support

Hotline: [phone]
BBS: 49-2102-448690
Email: [e-mail]
WWW: www.asuscom.de
FTP: ftp.asuscom.de/pub/ASUSCOM

ASUS TX97-XE User’s Manual 3

CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION........................................................................... 7

How this Manual is Organized ........................................................ 7

Item Checklist .................................................................................. 7

II. FEATURES .................................................................................... 8

Features of the ASUS TX97-XE Motherboard................................ 8

ASUS TX97 Smart Series Motherboards................................... 9

Parts of the ASUS TX97-XE Motherboard................................ 11

III. INSTALLATION .......................................................................... 12

ASUS TX97-XE Motherboard Layout ............................................ 12

Installation Steps.............................................................................. 14

1. Jumpers ........................................................................................ 14

Jumper Settings .................................................................... 15

Compatible Cyrix CPU Identification .................................. 18

2. System Memory (SIMM & DIMM) ........................................... 18

SIMM Memory Installation.................................................. 20

DIMM Memory Installation Procedures .............................. 21

3. Central Processing Unit (CPU)................................................... 22

4. Expansion Cards ......................................................................... 23

Expansion Card Installation Procedure: ............................... 23

Assigning IRQs for Expansion Cards................................... 23

Assigning DMA Channels for ISA Cards............................. 24

ISA Cards and Hardware Monitor ........................................ 24

5. External Connectors.................................................................... 25

Power Connection Procedures ................................................... 33

IV. BIOS SOFTWARE ........................................................................ 34

Support Software ............................................................................. 34

Flash Memory Writer Utility...................................................... 34

Main Menu ........................................................................... 34

Managing and Updating Your Motherboard’s BIOS.................. 36

6. BIOS Setup ................................................................................. 37

Load Defaults ....................................................................... 38

Standard CMOS Setup ............................................................... 38

Details of Standard CMOS Setup:........................................ 38

BIOS Features Setup .................................................................. 41

Details of BIOS Features Setup............................................ 41

Chipset Features Setup ............................................................... 44

Details of Chipset Features Setup......................................... 44

Power Management Setup.......................................................... 47

Details of Power Management Setup ................................... 47

4 ASUS TX97-XE User’s Manual

CONTENTS

PNP and PCI Setup .................................................................... 50

Details of PNP and PCI Setup .............................................. 50

Load BIOS Defaults ................................................................... 52

Load Setup Defaults ................................................................... 52

Supervisor Password and User Password .................................. 53

IDE HDD Auto Detection .......................................................... 54

Save & Exit Setup ...................................................................... 55

Exit Without Saving ................................................................... 55

Desktop Management Interface (DMI)............................................ 56

Introducing the ASUS DMI Configuration Utility ............... 56

System Requirements ........................................................... 56

Using the ASUS DMI Configuration Utility ........................ 57

16-bit Audio .......................................................................................... 59

ASUS Audio CD ........................................................................ 61

ASUS Audio Driver CD Contents ........................................ 61

Audio Drivers Installation .................................................................. 61

Win95 Audio Drivers........................................................................... 62

Win3.x Audio Drivers.......................................................................... 63

Configuration Manager .............................................................. 63

Creative PnP Configuration Manager (CTCM) ......................... 63

Audio Software .......................................................................... 65

Environment Variables ............................................................... 69

SOUND Environment variable............................................. 69

BLASTER Environment Variable ........................................ 69

MIDI Environment Variable ................................................. 70

Maximum Recording Rates for the Audio Hardware........... 70

ASUS TX97-XE User’s Manual 5

FCC & DOC COMPLIANCE

Federal Communications Commission Statement

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

• This device may not cause harmful interference, and

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

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B
digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to
provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installa­tion. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if
not installed and used in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions, may cause
harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause
harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by
turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interfer­ence by one or more of the following measures:

• Re-orient 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.

WARNING! 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.

6 ASUS TX97-XE User’s Manual

I. INTRODUCTION

How this Manual is Organized

This manual is divided into the following sections:

I. Introduction Manual information and checklist
II. Features Information and specifications concerning this product
III. Installation Instructions on setting up the motherboard.
IV. BIOS Software Instructions on setting up the BIOS software
V. Support Software Information on the included support software

Audio Installation Audio driver installation (with onboard audio only)

Item Checklist

Please check that your package is complete. If you discover damaged or missing
items, please contact your retailer.

(1) ASUS Motherboard

Manual / Checklist

I. INTRODUCTION

(1) IDE ribbon cable for master and slave drives
(1) Floppy ribbon cable for (1) 5.25inch floppy and (2) 3.5inch floppies
(1) Bag of spare jumpers
(1) Support drivers and utilities
(1) User’s Manual

Infrared module (optional)
ASUS audio onboard and audio driver CD with online help (optional)

ASUS TX97-XE User’s Manual 7

II. FEATURES

Features

II. FEATURES

Features of the ASUS TX97-XE Motherboard

The ASUS TX97-XE is carefully designed for the demanding PC user who wants
many features in a small package. This motherboard:

• Intel Chipset: Features Intel’s 430TX PCIset with I/O subsystems.

®

• V ersatile Processor Support: Intel Pentium

P54CS), IBM®/Cyrix® 6x86-PR166+ (Rev 2.7 or later), IBM®/Cyrix® 6x86MX
(PR166 & faster), AMD-K5™ (PR75-PR133), AMD-K6™ (PR166 & faster).

• Versatile Memory Support: Is equipped with two DIMM sockets to support

8-128MB 168-pin 3.3Volt SDRAM/EDO memory modules up to 256MB. Is
also equipped with four SIMM sockets to support 4-64MB 72-pin Fast Page
Mode (FPM) or Extended Data Out (EDO) memory modules up to 256MB.
SIMMs and DIMMs cannot be used at the same time.

• Easy Installation: Is equipped with BIOS that supports auto detection of hard

drives, PS/2 mouse, and Plug and Play devices to make setup of hard drives,
expansion cards, and other devices virtually automatic.

75-233MHz (P55C-MMX™, P54C/

™

• ISA & PCI Expansion: Provides four 16-bit ISA and four 32-bit PCI slots.

• Super Multi-I/O: Provides two high-speed UART-compatible serial ports and

one parallel port with EPP and ECP capabilities.

• Desktop Management Interface (DMI): Supports DMI through BIOS which

allows hardware to communicate within a standard protocol creating a higher
level of compatibility. (Requires DMI-enabled components.) (See section V)

• PCI Bus Master IDE Controller: Comes with an onboard PCI Bus Master

IDE controller with two connectors that supports four IDE devices in two chan­nels, supports PIO Modes 3 and 4 and Bus Master IDE DMA Mode 2, and
supports Enhanced IDE devices such as Tape Backup and CD-ROM drives.
Supports two drives of either 5.25-inch (360KB or 1.2MB) or 3.5-inch (720KB,

1.44MB, or 2.88MB) disk drives. Supports Japanese “Floppy 3 mode” (3.5­inch disk drive: 1.2MB) and LS-120 floppy disk drives (3.5-inch disk drive: 120
MB, 1.44MB, 720K). BIOS supports IDE CD-ROM or SCSI device boot-up.

• Level 2 Cache: 512KB Pipelined Burst SRAM onboard.

• Optional IrDA: Supports and optional IrDA receiver/transmitter device.

®

• Optional Audio: Has optional onboard Creative Labs

Audio with 3D sound.

• Optional IrDA Connector: Supports an optional infrared port module for wire-

less interface.

8 ASUS TX97-XE User’s Manual

II. FEATURES

ASUS TX97 Smart Series Motherboards

Performance

• SDRAM Optimized Performance - ASUS TX97 smart series motherboards

support the new generation memory - Synchronous Dynamic Random Access
Memory (SDRAM) which increases the data transfer rate from 264MB/s max
using EDO memory to 528MB/s max using SDRAM.

• Double the IDE T ransfer Speed - ASUS TX97 smart series motherboards with

Intel 430TX PCIset improves IDE transfer rate using Bus Master UltraDMA/33
IDE which can handle data transfer up to 33MB/s. The best of all is that this
new technology is compatible with existing ATA-2 IDE specs so there is no
need to upgrade current hard drives or cables.

• Concurrent PCI - Concurrent PCI allows multiple PCI transfers from PCI master

busses to memory to CPU.

• ACPI Ready - ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) is also

implemented on all ASUS 430TX series of motherboards. ACPI provide more
Energy Saving Features for the future operating systems (OS) supporting OS
Direct Power Management (OSPM) functionality. With these features imple­mented in the OS, PCs can be ready around the clock everyday, yet satisfy all
the energy saving standards. To fully utilize the benefits of ACPI, an ACPI­supported OS such as in the next release of Windows 95 must be used.

TX97 Series

II. FEATURES

• PC ’97 Compliant - Both the BIOS and hardware levels of ASUS TX97 series

of motherboards meet PC ’97 compliancy. The new PC 97 requirements for
systems and components are based on the following high-level goals: Support
for Plug and Play compatibility and power management for configuring and
managing all system components, and 32-bit device drivers and installation pro­cedures for both Windows 95 and Windows NT.

Intelligence: (with optional LM78/75 Hardware Monitor only)

• Fan Status Monitoring and Alarm - To prevent system overheat and system

damage, the CPU fan and system fans are monitored for RPM and failure. Each
fan can be set for its normal RPM range and alarm thresholds.

• Temperature Monitoring and Alert - To prevent system overheat and system

damage, there is a heat sensor under the CPU and on the motherboard itself to
monitor CPU and system temperature to make sure the system is operating at a
safe heat level to avoid any failures triggered by extremely high temperature.

ASUS TX97-XE User’s Manual 9

II. FEATURES

TX97 Series

II. FEATURES

• Voltage Monitoring and Alert: System voltage levels are monitored to ensure

stable current to critical motherboard components. Voltage specifications are
more critical for future processors, so monitoring is necessary to ensure proper
system configuration and management.

• System Resources Alert: T oday’ s operating systems such as W indows 95, W in-

dows NT , and OS/2, require much more memory and hard drive space to present
enormous user interfaces and run large applications. The system resource moni­tor will warn the user before the system resources are used up to prevent pos­sible application crashes. Suggestions will give the user information on manag­ing their limited resources more efficiently.

• Virus Write Protection - Normally, viruses can destroy data on storage media

such as hard drivers, floppy diskettes, and MO. Some new-generation viruses
will not only destroy data on storage media, but also clear BIOS data which is
usually unprotected. ASUS TX97 series of motherboards were designed to co­operate with BIOS, chipset, and flash EPROM to disable write permission when
the system’s initialization stage is completed upon boot-up.

• CPU Slow Down - When CPU fans or system fans are malfunctioning, the

system will deactivate the CPU Clock line to decrease CPU utilization to the
speed upon detection of system overheat. This will prevent CPU damage from
system overheat. The CPU utilization will restore normal operations when tem­perature falls below a safe level.

• Auto Fan Off - The system fans will power off automatically even in sleep
mode. This function reduces both energy consumption and system noise, and

is a important feature to implement silent PC systems.

• Dual Function Power Button (requires ATX power supply): The system can
be in one of two states, one is Sleep mode and the other is the Soft-Off mode.
Pushing the power button for less than 4 seconds places the system into Sleep
mode. When the power button is pressed for more than 4 seconds, it enters the
Soft-Off mode.

• Remote Ring On (requires external modem and ATX power supply): This
allows a computer to be turned on remotely through an external modem. W ith this
benefit on-hand, any user can access vital information from their computer from
anywhere in the world!

• Message LED (requires ACPI OS support): Chassis LEDs now act as infor­mation providers. Through the way a particular LED illuminates, the user can
determine the stage the computer is in. A simple glimpse provides useful infor­mation to the user.

10 ASUS TX97-XE User’s Manual

II. FEATURES

Parts of the ASUS TX97-XE Motherboard

T: PS/2 Mouse
B: PS/2 Keyboard

T: USB Port 1
B: USB Port 2

COM 1

T: Parallel Conn.
B: Serial Conn.

COM 2
Intel’s 430TX

PCIset
(Optional)

T:Joystick/Midi
B:Out/In/Mic

4 SIMM
Sockets

2 DIMM
Sockets

CPU ZIF
Socket 7

CPU Thermal
Sensor (optional)

512KB Pipelined
Burst L2 Cache

II. FEATURES

Motherboard Parts

4 PCI Slots

Creative Labs
Audio (optional)

4 ISA Slots

LM78 Hardware
Monitor (optional)

Programmable
Flash ROM

ASUS TX97-XE User’s Manual 11

III. INSTALLATION

ASUS TX97-XE Motherboard Layout

PS/2

USB

Parallel Port

Motherboard Layout

III. INSTALLATION

Game/Midi Port

T: Mouse
B: Keyboard

T: USB 1
B: USB 2

COM 1

COM 2

Line

Out

Sony CD audio in

Line

In

Mic

In

FANPWR3

Row

Creative® Modem
Blaster Connector

Board Power Input

SIMM Socket 1 (32-bit, 72-pin module)

SIMM Socket 2 (32-bit, 72-pin module)

SIMM Socket 3 (32-bit, 72-pin module)

SIMM Socket 4 (32-bit, 72-pin module)

DIMM Socket 2 (64-bit, 168-pin module)

DIMM Socket 1 (64-bit, 168-pin module)

for ATX Power Supply

CPU ZIF Socket 7

32

32 10 10

M/IO

Multi-I/O (En/Dis)

32

Row

10

BUS FREQ

PCI Slot 1

CPU Thermal Sensor
(Hardware Monitor)

LM75

Intel
430TX
PCIset

FS0
FS1
FS2

BUS Freq.

CPU Voltage

VID0
VID1
VID2
VID3

CPU Fan

BF0
BF1
BF2

256KB/512KB Onboard L2 Cache

Floppy Drives

Secondary IDE

Primary IDE

PCI Slot 2

Creative
Labs
Audio

®

Volume Control

VOLCTL

R

Intel PIIX4
PCIset

PCI Slot 3

AUDIO (Dis/En)

Wake on LAN (Reserved)

PCI Slot 4

ISA Slot 1

ISA Slot 2

Keyboard BIOS

ISA Slot 3

ISA Slot 4

IDE
LED

BBLKW

Flash ROM
for BIOS

Infrared Con. (IrDA)

Panel Connections

NOTE: The items in outline are optional and may not be present.

CR2032
3 Volt
Lithium Cell

BIOS Power

FANPWR1

Hardware Monitor

LM78

Chasis open
alarm lead

Block Program

RTCLR

RTC (Test/Clear)

12 ASUS TX97-XE User’s Manual

III. INSTALLATION

Jumpers

1) RTCLR p. 15 Real Time Clock RAM (Operation/Clear Data)

2) AUDIO (optional) p. 15 Onboard Audio (Disable/Enable)

3) M/IO p. 16 Multi-I/O Selection (Enable/Disable)

4) FS0, FS1, FS2 p. 16 CPU External Clock (BUS) Frequency Selection

5) BF0, BF1, BF2 p. 16 CPU:BUS Frequency Ratio

6) VID0, 1, 2, 3 p. 18 CPU Voltage Regulator Output Selection

Expansion Slots

1) System Memory p. 19 System Memory Upgrade

2) SIMM Sockets p. 20 72-Pin SIMM Memory Expansion Sockets

3) DIMM Sockets p. 21 168-Pin DIMM Memory Expansion Sockets

4) CPU ZIF Socket 7 p. 22 Central Processing Unit (CPU) Socket

5) SLOT 1, 2, 3, 4 p. 23 16-bit ISA Bus Expansion Slots

6) PCI 1 , 2, 3, 4 p. 23 32-bit PCI Bus Expansion Slots

Connectors

1) PS2KEYBOARD p. 25 PS/2 Keyboard Connector (6-pin Female)

2) PS2MOUSE p. 25 PS/2 Mouse Connector (6-pin Female)

3) PRINTER p. 26 Parallel (Printer) Port Connector (25-pin Female)

4) COM1, COM2 p. 26 Serial Port COM1 & COM2 (Two 9-pin Female)

5) FLOPPY p. 2 6 Floppy Drive Connector (34-pin Block)

6) AUDIO (optional) p. 27 Audio Port -Line Out, Line In, Mic (Three 1/8” Female)

7) GAME (optional) p. 27 Joystick/Midi Connector (15-pin Female)

8) USB p. 27 Universal Serial BUS Ports 1 & 2 (Two 4-pin Female)

9) Primary / Second IDE p. 28 Primary / Secondary IDE Connector (40-pin Blocks)

10) IDELED p. 28 IDE LED Activity Light

11) FANPWR1, 2, 3 p. 29 1 Chassis, 2 CPU, 3 Power Supply Fan Power Lead (3-pin Block)

12) CHASSIS p. 29 Chassis Open Alarm Lead (4-1pin Block)

13) IR p. 30 Infrared Port Module Connector

14) A TXPWR p. 30 A TX Motherboard Power Connector (20-pin Block)

15) VOLCTL (optional) p. 31 Digital Volume Level Control (5-pin Block)

16) WOL p. 31 Wake on LAN (3 pins)

17) MSG LED (PANEL) p. 32 System Message LED (2 pins)

18) SMI (PANEL) p. 32 SMI Switch Lead (2 pins)

19) PWR SW (PANEL) p. 32 ATX Power & Soft-Off Switch Lead (2 pins)

20) RESET (PANEL) p. 32 Reset Switch Lead (2 pins)

21)

PWR LED (

22)

KEYLOCK (

23) SPEAKER (PANEL) p. 32 Speaker Output Connector (4 pins)

PANEL)p. 32 System Power LED Lead (3 pins)

PANEL)p. 32 Keyboard Lock Switch Lead (2 pins)

*

Map of Board

III. INSTALLATION

*

The onboard hardware monitor uses the address 290H-297H so legacy ISA cards must not

use this address or else conflicts will occur.

ASUS TX97-XE User’s Manual 13

III. INSTALLATION

III. INSTALLATION

Installation Steps

Before using your computer, you must complete the following steps:

1. Set Jumpers on the Motherboard

2. Install System Memory Modules

3. Install the Central Processing Unit (CPU)

4. Install Expansion Cards

5. Connect Ribbon Cables, Cabinet Wires, and Power Supply

6. Setup the BIOS Software

1. Jumpers

Several hardware settings are made through the use of jumper caps to connect jumper
pins (JP) on the motherboard. See motherboard layout for locations of jumpers. The
jumper settings will be described numerically, such as [----], [1-2], [2-3] for no con-

Jumpers

nection, connect pins 1&2, and connect pins 2&3 respectively. Pin 1 for our mother­boards is always on top
the keyboard connector away from yourself. A “1” is written besides pin 1 on jumpers
with three pins. The jumpers will also be shown graphically such as to connect
pins 1&2 and to connect pins 2&3. Jumpers with two pins will be shown as

for Short (On) and for Open (Off). For manufacturing simplicity , the jump­ers may be sharing pins from other groups. Use the diagrams in this manual instead of
following the pin layout on the board. Settings with two jumper numbers require that
both jumpers be moved together. To connect the pins, simply place a plastic jumper
cap over the two pins as diagramed.

WARNING! Computer motherboards, baseboards and components, such as SCSI

cards, contain very delicate Integrated Circuit (IC) chips. To protect them against
damage from static electricity , you should follow some precautions whenever you
work on your computer.

1. Unplug your computer when working on the inside.

PIN 1

or on the left

PIN 1

when holding the motherboard with

2. Use a grounded wrist strap before handling computer components. If you do
not have one, touch both of your hands to a safely grounded object or to a
metal object, such as the power supply case.

3. Hold components by the edges and try not to touch the IC chips, leads or
connectors, or other components.

4. Place components on a grounded antistatic pad or on the bag that came with
the component whenever the components are separated from the system.

14 ASUS TX97-XE User’s Manual

III. INSTALLATION

Jumper Settings

1. Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM (RTCLR)

The CMOS RAM is powered by the onboard button cell battery. To clear the
R TC data: (1) T urn of f your computer and remove the AC power , (2) Move this
jumper to “Clear Data,” (3) Move the jumper back to “Operation,” (4) T urn on
your computer, (5) Hold down <Delete> during bootup and enter BIOS setup to
re-enter user preferences.

Battery Test Jumper (RTCLR)

You can test the battery’s current by removing this jumper and attaching a cur­rent meter to pins 1&2. WARNING: You must unplug the power cord to

your power supply to ensure that there is no power to your motherboard.
The CMOS RAM containing BIOS setup information may be cleared by
this action. You should enter BIOS to “Load Setup Defaults” and re-enter
any user information after removing and reapplying this jumper.

RTC RAM RTCLR

Operation [1-2] (Default)
Clear Data [2-3] (momentarily)

RTCLR
Battery Test

R

Operation (Default)

RTC RAM (Operation / Clear Data)

RTCLR

Clear Data

2. Onboard Audio Selection (AUDIO) (with optional onboard Audio)

This jumper allows you to Disable the onboard audio chipset inorder to use your
own audio card. Otherwise, leave on default of Enabled.

Onboard Audio AUDIO

Enabled [2-3] (Default)
Disabled [1-2]

AUDIO

1
2
3

Disable

R

AUDIO

1
2
3

Enable
(Default)

Jumpers

III. INSTALLATION

Onboard Audio (Disable / Enable)

ASUS TX97-XE User’s Manual 15

III. INSTALLATION

3. Onboard Multi-I/O Selection (M/IO)

You can selectively disable each onboard Multi-I/O item (floppy, serial, paral­lel, and IrDA) through Chipset Features Setup of BIOS SOFTWARE or dis­able all Multi-I/O items at once with the following jumper in order to use your
own Multi-I/O card.

Multi-I/O M/IO

Enable [1-2] (Default)
Disable [2-3]

III. INSTALLATION

Jumpers

M/IO

1
2
3

Disabled

R

Multi I/O Setting (Enable / Disable)

M/IO

1
2
3

Enable (Default)

4. CPU External (BUS) Frequency Selection (FS0, FS1, FS2)

These jumpers tell the clock generator what frequency to send to the CPU. These
allow the selection of the CPU’ s External frequency (or BUS Clock). The BUS Clock
times the BUS Ratio equals the CPU’ s Internal frequency (the advertised CPU speed).

5. CPU to BUS Frequency Ratio (BF0, BF1, BF2)

These jumpers set the frequency ratio between the Internal frequency of the CPU
and the External frequency (called the BUS Clock) within the CPU. These must
be set together with the above jumpers CPU External (BUS) Frequency Selection.

FS1

FS2

R

Complete Names:

Intel Pentium P54C
Pentium P55C-MMX
AMD K5, K6
IBM/Cyrix 6x86(L) (M1)
IBM/Cyrix 6x86MX(M2)

P54C/K5
P55C/K6/MX
IBM/Cyrix 6x86
IBM/Cyrix 6x86L
AMD-K6 (.25µ)

55MHz

BF2

1
2

3

2.0x(2/1)

2.0x(2/1)

2.0x(2/1)

2.0x(2/1)

FS0

BF1

----

FS1

FS0

FS2

1
2

3

50MHz

CPU External Clock (BUS) Frequency Selection

BF0

BF2

BF1

1.5x(3/2)

3.5x(7/2)

3.0x(3/1)

3.0x(3/1)

----

CPU : BUS Frequency Ratio

BF0

FS2

1
2

3

60MHz

BF2

1
2

3

2.5x(5/2)

2.5x(5/2)

1.0x(1/1)

2.0x(2/1)

FS1

----

BF1

FS0

BF0

1
2

3

1
2

3

3.0x(3/1)

3.0x(3/1)

FS2

66MHz

BF2

16 ASUS TX97-XE User’s Manual

FS1

BF1

----

----

----

FS0

BF0

FS2

1
2

3

75MHz

1
2

3

4.0x(4/1)

BF2

FS1

BF1

----

----

----

----

FS0

BF0

1
2

3

1
2

3

4.5x(9/2)

BF2

BF1

----

----

----

----

BF0

1
2

3

III. INSTALLATION

Set the jumpers by the Internal speed of the Intel, AMD, IBM, or Cyrix CPU as follows:

(BUS Freq.) (Freq. Ratio)

CPU Model Freq. Ratio BUS Freq. FS2 FS1 FS0 BF1 BF0

Intel Pentium 233MHz 3.5x 66MHz [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2]
Intel Pentium 200MHz 3.0x 66MHz [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2]
Intel Pentium 166MHz 2.5x 66MHz [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [2-3] [2-3]
Intel Pentium 150MHz 2.5x 60MHz [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [2-3]
Intel Pentium 133MHz 2.0x 66MHz [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [1-2] [2-3]
Intel Pentium 120MHz 2.0x 60MHz [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [2-3]
Intel Pentium 100MHz 1.5x 66MHz [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2]
Intel Pentium 90MHz 1.5x 60MHz [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [1-2]
Intel Pentium 75MHz 1.5x 50MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2]

AMD-K6-PR233 233MHz 3.5x 66MHz [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2]
AMD-K6-PR200 200MHz 3.0x 66MHz [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2]
AMD-K6-PR166 166MHz 2.5x 66MHz [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [2-3] [2-3]

AMD-K5-PR133 100MHz 1.5x 66MHz [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2]
AMD-K5-PR120 90MHz 1.5x 60MHz [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [1-2]
AMD-K5-PR100 100MHz 1.5x 66MHz [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2]
AMD-K5-PR90 90MHz 1.5x 60MHz [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [1-2]
AMD-K5-PR75 75MHz 1.5x 50MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2]

IBM/Cyrix 6x86MX-PR233 200MHz 3.0x 66MHz [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2]
IBM/Cyrix 6x86MX-PR200 166MHz 2.5x 66MHz [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [2-3] [2-3]

IBM/Cyrix 6x86MX-PR166 150MHz 2.5x 60MHz [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [2-3]

Jumpers

III. INSTALLATION

*IBM/Cyrix -PR166+ 133MHz 2.0x 66MHz [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [1-2] [2-3]
*NOTE: Only IBM or Cyrix Rev 2.7 or later is supported on this motherboard (see next page). Bootup

screen will show 6x86-P166+ with the Cyrix PR166+ installed on this motherboard.

ASUS TX97-XE User’s Manual 17

III. INSTALLATION

III. INSTALLATION

Compatible Cyrix CPU Identification

The only Cyrix CPU that is supported on this motherboard is
labeled Cyrix 6x86 PR166+ but must be Revision 2.7 or later .
Look on the underside of the CPU for the serial number . The
number should read G8DC6620A or later.

6. Voltage Regulator Output Selection (VID0, 1, 2, 3)

These jumpers set the voltage supplied to the CPU. VID1 for 3.4V(STD) is
ignored, therefore, the jumper setting for 2.8V(Dual) may work for both

3.4V(STD) and 2.8V(Dual).

Jumpers

Pentium MMX (P55C)
(150MHz-233MHz)

Intel Pentium (P54C)
(75MHz-200MHz)

AMD-K6
(PR166 and faster)

AMD-K5
(PR75-PR133)

IBM/Cyrix 6x86(MX)
(PR166 and faster)

IBM/Cyrix 6x86(M1)
(PR166 and faster)

WARNING! Because CPU designs change rapidly, the following chart is only

intended as a simple quideline and is not intended to be true for your CPU. Look
for the CPU voltage included with your CPU and follow the Voltage setting
diagramed below the chart.

Manufacturer CPU Type Single Plane Dual Plane VID3 VID2 VID1 VID0

Intel/AMD/IBM/Cyrix P54C/CS/K5/M1 3.5V(VRE) ---- [----] [2-3] [----] [1-2]
AMD/IBM/Cyrix K6-166,200/MX ---- 2.9V(Dual) [----] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2]
Intel/AMD P54C/CS/K5 3.4V(STD) ---- [----] [2-3] [2-3] [2-3]
Intel P55C ---- 2.8V(Dual) [----] [2-3] [2-3] [2-3]
AMD K6-PR233 ---- 3.2V(Dual) [----] [1-2] [2-3] [2-3]
AMD (.25micron) K6-233,266,300 ---- 2.1V(Dual) [----] [----] [2-3] [1-2]

VID1

VID2

R

Voltage Regulator Output Selection

VID3

1.8 Volts

Setting these two jumpers’ VID1 to [2-3] or [----] (removed)

*

will result in the same voltages respectively.

VID0

1
2
3

1
2
3

1
2
3

VID1

VID2

VID3

VID0

1.9 Volts 2.1 Volts

*

VID2

VID3

1
2
3

1
2
3

2.9 Volts2.8 Volts2.7 Volts

1
2
3

3.5 V3.4 V3.2 Volts

VID1

*

VID0

1
2
3

1
2
3

1
2
3

VID2

VID3

2.5 Volts

VID1

VID0

1
2
3

18 ASUS TX97-XE User’s Manual

III. INSTALLATION

2. System Memory (SIMM & DIMM)

This motherboard supports four 72-pin, 32-bit SIMMs (Single Inline Memory Mod­ules) of 4, 8, 16, 32, or 64MB to form a memory size between 8MB to 256MB. The
SIMMs can be either 60ns or 70ns Fast Page Mode (FPM) (Asymmetric or Sym­metric), or Enhanced Data Out (EDO) (BEDO & Parity are not supported). SIMMs
must be installed in pairs so that each Row (see Map of Motherboar d for Row loca­tions) contains 64-bits of the same size and type of memory chips. One side (with
memory chips) of the SIMM module takes up half a Row on the motherboard.

Dual Inline Memory Modules (DIMMs) can be used when the SIMM sockets are
not used. Two sockets are available for 3.3Volt (power level) Unbuffered Synchro-
nous DRAMs (SDRAM) or EDO DRAM of either 8, 16, 32, 64, or 128MB to form
a memory size between 8MB to 256MB. One side (with memory chips) of the
DIMM module takes up one row on the motherboard.

IMPORTANT: Memory speed setup is r equired thr ough “Auto Configuration”
in BIOS Chipset Setup of the BIOS SOFTWARE. If both 60ns and 70ns memory
are used, set “Auto Configuration” to 70ns. Do not use memory modules with
more than 24 chips per module. Modules with more than 24 chips exceed the
design specifications of the memory subsystem and will be unstable.

Memory Socket SIMM Memory Module Total Memory
SIMM Sockets 1&2 4MB, 8MB, 16MB, 32MB, 64MB x2

(Rows 0 & 1) 72-pin FPM or EDO SIMM

(DIMM Sockets must be empty)

SIMM Sockets 3&4 4MB, 8MB, 16MB, 32MB, 64MB x2
(Rows 2 & 3) 72-pin FPM or EDO SIMM

(DIMM Sockets must be empty)
Total System Memory (Max 256MB) =

WARNING! Do not install both SIMMs and DIMMs at the same time or else

you will burn your memory. Mixing SIMMs and DIMMs require 5.0Volt
(signal level) tolerant memory chips which are currently unavailable.

Memory Socket DIMM Memory Module Total Memory
DIMM Socket 1 8MB, 16MB, 32MB, 64MB, 128MB x1

(Rows 0 & 1) 168-pin SDRAM or EDO DIMM

(SIMM Sockets must be empty)

System Memory

III. INSTALLATION

DIMM Socket 2 8MB, 16MB, 32MB, 64MB, 128MB x1
(Rows 2 & 3) 168-pin SDRAM or EDO DIMM

(SIMM Sockets must be empty)
Total System Memory (Max 256MB) =

ASUS TX97-XE User’s Manual 19

III. INSTALLATION

SIMM Memory Installation

1. The SIMM memory modules will only fit in one orientation as shown because
of a safety tab on one end of the SIMM sockets, which requires the notched end
of the SIMM memory modules.

III. INSTALLATION

System Memory

2. Press the memory module firmly into place starting from a 45 degree angle

3. With your finger tips, rock the memory module into a vertical position so that it

R

4

3
2

1

72 Pin SIMM Sockets

making sure that all the contacts are aligned with the socket.

clicks into place.

Clip

Plastic Safety Tab (This Side Only)

72 Pin DRAM in SIMM Socket

Mounting Hole

4. The plastic guides should go through the two mounting holes on the sides and
the support clips should snap on the other side.

5. To release the memory module, push both support clips outward and rock the
module out of the support clips.

20 ASUS TX97-XE User’s Manual

III. INSTALLATION

DIMM Memory Installation Procedures

Insert the module as shown. Because the number of pins are different on either side
of the breaks, the module will only fit in the orientation as shown. DRAM SIMM
modules have the same pin contact on both sides. SDRAM DIMM modules have
different pin contacts on each side and therefore have a higher pin density.

R

88 Pins 60 Pins 20 Pins

Lock

168 Pin DIMM Memory Sockets

The Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) memory module must be a 3.3Volt Un­buffered Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) for this motherboard. You can identify
the type of DIMM module by the illustration below:

168-Pin DIMM Notch Key Definitions (3.3V)

DRAM Key Position

Voltage Key Position

System Memory

III. INSTALLATION

RFU

Buffered

Unbuffered

5.0V

Reserved

3.3V

The notch on the DIMM module will shift between left, center, or right to identify
the type and also to prevent the wrong type to be inserted into the DIMM slot on the
motherboard. You must ask your retailer for the specifications before purchasing.
Four clock signals are supported on this motherboard.

ASUS TX97-XE User’s Manual 21

3. Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The motherboard provides a 321-pin ZIF Socket 7 that is backwards compatible
with ZIF Socket 5 processors. The CPU that came with the motherboard should
have a fan attached to it to prevent overheating. If this is not the case then purchase
a fan before you turn on your system. Apply thermal jelly to the CPU top and then
install the fan onto the CPU.

WARNING! Without a fan circulating air on the CPU and heat sinks, the CPU

and/or heat sinks can overheat and cause damage to both the CPU and the moth­erboard. (See “CPU Cooling Fan Connector” at the end of this section.)

To install a CPU, first turn off your system and remove its cover. Locate the ZIF

III. INSTALLATION

System Processor

socket and open it by first pulling the lever sideways away from the socket then
upwards to a 90-degree right angle. Insert the CPU with the correct orientation as
shown. Use the notched corner of the CPU as your guide. The white dot should
point towards the end the of the lever. Notice that there is a blank area where one
hole is missing from that corner of the square array of pin holes and a “1” printed on
the motherboard next to that corner . Because the CPU has a corner pin for three of
the four corners, the CPU will only fit in the one orientation as shown. The picture
is for reference only; you should have a CPU fan that will cover the face of the CPU.
With the added weight of the CPU fan, no force is required to insert the CPU. Once
completely inserted, hold down on the fan and close the socket’s lever.

III. INSTALLATION

IMPORTANT: You must set jumpers for “CPU to BUS Frequency Ratio” and
jumpers for “BUS Frequency Selection” depending on the CPU that you install.

BlankLever Lock

1

R

ZIF Socket 7 with Pentium MMX Processor

Notch

1

22 ASUS TX97-XE User’s Manual