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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.
Table of contents Notices ......................vi Safety information ..................vii About this guide ..................viii System package contents ................x Chapter 1: System Introduction Welcome! ..................1-2 Front panel ................... 1-2 Rear panel ..................1-4 Internal components ..............1-6 Chapter 2: Basic Installation Preparation ...................
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Creating a bootable floppy disk ........5-5 5.1.3 ASUS EZ Flash utility ............. 5-6 5.1.4 AFUDOS utility ..............5-8 5.1.5 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility ........5-10 BIOS setup program ..............5-12 5.2.1 BIOS menu screen ............5-13 5.2.2 Menu bar ............... 5-13 5.2.3...
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Boot menu .................. 5-29 5.6.1 Boot Device Priority ............5-29 5.6.2 Boot Settings Configuration .......... 5-30 5.6.3 Security ................. 5-32 Tools menu ................. 5-33 5.7.1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 ............5-33 5.7.2 Spread Spectrum ............5-34 Exit menu ..................5-34...
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.
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. •...
How this guide is organized This guide contains the following parts: Chapter 1: System introduction This chapter gives a general description of ASUS P2-M2A690G. The chapter lists the system features, including introduction on the front and rear panel, and internal components.
ASUS Websites The ASUS websites worldwide provide updated information on ASUS hardware and software products. Refer to the ASUS contact information. 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...
Check your P2-M2A690G system package for the following items. If any of the items is damaged or missing, contact your retailer immediately. Item description ASUS P2-M2A690G barebone system with • ASUS motherboard • CPU fan and heatsink assembly • CompactFlash card reader •...
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Chapter 1 This chapter gives a general description of ASUS P2-M2A690G. The chapter lists the system features including introduction on the front and rear panel, and internal components. ASUS P2-M2A690G...
Thank you for choosing ASUS P2-M2A690G! ASUS P2-M2A690G is an all-in-one barebone system with a versatile home entertainment feature. The system comes in a stylish casing and powered by the ASUS motherboard that supports the AMD Athlon64, AMD Sempron, or AMD Athlon 64 X2 processor.
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10. USB 2.0 ports. These Universal Serial Bus 2.0 (USB 2.0) ports are available for connecting USB 2.0 devices such as a mouse, printer, scanner, camera, PDA, and others. 11. Microphone port (pink). This port connects a microphone. 12. Headphone port (lime). This port connects a headphone or a speaker. ASUS P2-M2A690G...
Rear panel The system rear panel includes the power connector and several I/O ports that allow convenient connection of devices. Setting the switch to 115V in a 230V environment or 230V in a 115 environment will seriously damage the system! Power connector Voltage selector.
Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out Pink Mic In Mic In Mic In Mic In Gray • Rear Speaker Out Rear Speaker Out Rear Speaker Out Black • • • Side Speaker Out Yellow Orange • • Center/Subwoofer Center/Subwoofer ASUS P2-M2A690G...
The installed components are labeled for your reference. Proceed to Chapter 2 for instructions on installing additional system components. 5.25-inch optical drive and ASUS motherboard 3.5 inch hard disk drive cage DIMM sockets Front panel cover...
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Chapter 2 This chapter provides step-by-step instructions on how to install components in the system.
Preparation Before you proceed, ensure that you have all the components you plan to install in the system. Basic components to install 1. Central Processing Unit (CPU) 2. DDR2 Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) 3. Expansion card(s) 4. Hard disk drive 5.
Removing the side cover Remove the cover screws. Keep the screws for later use. Pull the cover slightly toward the rear panel. Lift the cover, then set aside. ASUS P2-M2A690G...
Removing the front panel cover Lift the front panel cover hooks outward. Carefully remove the front panel cover, then set it aside. Removing the storage drive assembly Lay the system on its side, then locate and remove three storage drive assembly screws. Lift the storage drive assembly, then set aside.
Set the blower aside. Unhook and slide out the metal clips that secure the fan and heatsink assembly to the retention module. metal handles metal clips hook retention module Lift the CPU fan and heatsink assembly, then set aside. ASUS P2-M2A690G...
Central Processing Unit (CPU) 2.7.1 Overview The motherboard comes with a 940-pin AM2 socket designed for the AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 / Athlon™ 64 / Sempron™ processor. The AM2 socket has a different pinout from the 940-pin socket designed for the AMD Opteron™...
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Insert the CPU into the socket until it fits in place. Push down the socket lever to secure the CPU Ensure to install the CPU fan, blower and heatsink assembly on top of the installed CPU. ASUS P2-M2A690G...
2.7.3 ReInstalling the CPU fan and heatsink assembly The AMD Athlon™ 64 / AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 / AMD Sempron™ processor requires a specially designed heatsink and fan assembly to ensure optimum thermal condition and performance. Follow these steps to reinstall the CPU fan and heatsink assembly: Position the CPU fan and heatsink assembly on top of the installed metal handles...
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Secure the blower to the CPU fan and heatsink assembly with the screws you removed earlier. Do not forget to connect the CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring errors can occur if you fail to plug this connector. ASUS P2-M2A690G...
• • Install only ASUS-certified memory modules. Refer to the DDR2 Qualified Vendors List (QVL) on the next page for details. Visit the ASUS website for the latest DDR2 QVL. • Always install DIMMs with the same CAS latency. For optimum compatibility, we recommend that you obtain memory modules from the same vendor.
DIMM. DDR2 DIMM notch Support the DIMM lightly with your fingers when pressing the retaining clips. The DIMM might get damaged when it flips out with extra force. Remove the DIMM from the socket. ASUS P2-M2A690G 2-15...
Expansion slots In the future, you may need to install expansion cards. The following sub-sections describe the slots and the expansion cards that they support. Ensure to unplug the power cord before adding or removing expansion cards. Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and damage to the motherboard components.
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Insert the card connector to the slot, then press the card firmly until it fits in place. Secure the card with a screw. Reinstall the PCI riser card assembly. Ensure that the riser card connector sits properly on the motherboard PCI slot. ASUS P2-M2A690G 2-17...
2.10 Installing an optical drive Follow these steps to install an optical drive: Turn the storage drive assembly upside down with the 3.5-inch bay on top of the 5.25-inch bay. Insert the optical drive upside down to the 5.25-inch bay, then secure it with two screws on both sides.
If you have the SATA HDD, connect the SATA cable to the SATA HD. Connect the 4-pin power plugs to the power connectors at the back of the drives. Install the storage drive assembly to the chassis. Secure the storage drive assembly with three screws. ASUS P2-M2A690G 2-19...
2.12 Installing the foot stand Match the foot stand hooks to the holes on the chassis. Pull the foot stand to the direction of the arrow until the lock clicks in place. To remove the foot stand, lift the lock, then slightly push the foot stand to the direction of the rear panel until it disengages from the chassis.
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Chapter 3 This chapter helps you power up the system and install drivers and utilities from the support CD. ASUS P2-M2A690G...
Screen display and driver options may not be the same for different operating system versions. • The contents of the support CD are subject to change at any time without notice. Visit the ASUS website for updates. Chapter 3: Starting up...
If Autorun is NOT enabled in your computer, browse the contents of the support CD to locate the file ASSETUP.EXE from the BIN folder. Double-click the ASSETUP.EXE to run the CD. ASUS InstALL - Installation Wizard for Drivers Automatically installs all the necessary drivers for this motherboard. Attansic L1 Gigabit Ethernet Driver Installs the Attansic L1 Gigabit Ethernet driver.
ASUS InstAll - Installation Wizard for Utilities Installs the ASUS InstAll - Installation Wizard Utilities. ASUS Update The ASUS Update utility allows you to update the motherboard BIOS in a Windows ® environment. This utility requires an Internet connection either through a network or an Internet Service Provider (ISP).
Make ATI RAID/AHCI Vista64 Driver Allows you to make ATI RAID/AHCI Vista64 driver. 3.3.4 ASUS Contact information Click the Contact tab to display the ASUS contact information. You can also find this information on the inside front cover of this user guide. ASUS P2-M2A690G...
Autorun feature. If Autorun is not enabled in your computer, browse the contents of the support CD to locate the setup.exe file from the ASUS PC Probe II folder. Double-click the setup.exe file to start installation.
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When displayed, the monitor panel for that sensor also turns red. Refer to the Monitor panels section for details. Preferences You can customize the application using the Preference section in the main window. Click the box before each preference to activate or deactivate. ASUS P2-M2A690G...
Hardware monitor panels The hardware monitor panels display the current value of a system sensor such as fan rotation, CPU temperature, and voltages. The hardware monitor panels come in two display modes: hexagonal (large) and rectangular (small). When you check the Enable Monitoring Panel option from the Preference section, the monitor panels appear on your computer’s desktop.
You can enlarge or reduce the browser size by dragging the bottom right corner of the browser. DMI browser Click to display the Desktop Management Interface (DMI) browser. This browser displays various desktop and system information. Click the plus sign (+) before DMI Information to display the available information. ASUS P2-M2A690G...
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PCI browser Click to display the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI ) browser. This browser provides information on the PCI devices installed on your system. Click the plus sign (+) before the PCI Information item to display available information. Usage The Usage browser displays real-time information on the CPU, hard disk drive space, and memory usage.
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The Preference tab allows you to customize sensor alerts, change temperature scale, or enable the Q-Fan feature.* Loads the default threshold values for Cancels or Loads your saved each sensor ignores your configuration changes Applies your Saves your changes configuration *Available on some motherboards only. ASUS P2-M2A690G 3-11...
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Chapter 4 This chapter gives information about the motherboard that comes with the system. This chapter includes the motherboard layout, jumper settings, and connector locations. ASUS P2-M2A690G...
Introduction The P2-M2A690G barebone system comes with an ASUS motherboard. This chapter provides technical information about the motherboard for future upgrades or system reconfiguration. Motherboard layout Chapter 4: Motherboard info...
6. Hold down the <Del> key during the boot process and enter BIOS setup to reenter data. Except when clearing the RTC RAM, never remove the cap on CLRTC jumper default position. Removing the cap will cause system boot failure. ASUS P2-M2A690G...
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USB device wake-up (3-pin USBPW12, USBPW34, USBPW56, USBPW78) Set these jumpers to +5V to wake up the computer from S1 sleep mode (CPU stopped, DRAM refreshed, system running in low power mode) using the connected USB devices. Set to +5VSB to wake up from S3 and S4 sleep modes (no power to CPU, DRAM in slow refresh, power supply in reduced power mode).
SATA1 or SATA2 connector. COM port connector (10-1pin COM1) This connector is for a serial (COM) port. Connect the serial port module cable to this connector, then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis. ASUS P2-M2A690G...
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IDE connectors (40-1 pin PRI_IDE) The onboard IDE connectors are for Ultra DMA 133/100/66 signal cable(s). There are three connectors on each Ultra DMA 133/100/66 signal cable: blue, black, and gray. Connect the blue connector to the motherboard’s IDE connector, then select one of the following modes to configure your device(s). Drive jumper setting Mode Cable of Cable connector...
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These connectors are for USB 2.0 ports. You can connect a USB/GAME module cable to the connectors, then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis. These USB connectors comply with USB 2.0 specification that supports up to 480 Mbps connection speed. ASUS P2-M2A690G...
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ATX power connectors (24-pin EATXPWR, 4-pin ATX12V) These connectors are for ATX power supply plugs. The plugs from the power supply are designed to fit these connectors in only one orientation. Find the proper orientation and push down firmly until the connectors completely fit. •...
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This connector is for an additional Sony/Philips Digital Interface (S/PDIF) port(s). Connect the S/PDIF module cable to this connector, then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis. The S/PDIF module is purchased separately. ASUS P2-M2A690G...
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10. Power button with LED (5-pin LED_CON) This connector supports the Power and HDD activity LEDs in the system front panel. 4-10 Chapter 4: Motherboard info...
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Chapter 5 This chapter tells how to change system settings through the BIOS Setup menus and describes the BIOS parameters. ASUS P2-M2A690G...
ASUS Update: Updates the BIOS in Windows environment. ® ASUS EZ Flash 2: Updates the BIOS using a floppy disk or USB flash disk. ASUS AFUDOS: Updates the BIOS in DOS mode using a bootable floppy disk. ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3: Updates the BIOS using a bootable floppy disk, USB flash disk or the motherboard support CD when the BIOS file fails or gets corrupted.
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To update the BIOS through the Internet: desktop by clicking Start Launch the ASUS Update utility from the Windows ® > Programs > ASUS > ASUSUpdate > ASUSUpdate. The ASUS Update main window appears. Select Update BIOS from the Select the ASUS FTP site nearest...
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To update the BIOS through a BIOS file: desktop by clicking Start Launch the ASUS Update utility from the Windows ® > Programs > ASUS > ASUSUpdate > ASUSUpdate. The ASUS Update main window appears. Select Update BIOS from a file option from the drop-down menu, then click Next.
Right-click Floppy Disk Drive then click Format to display the Format 3 1/2 Floppy dialog box. d. Select the Create an MS-DOS startup disk check box. e. Click Start. Copy the original or the latest motherboard BIOS file to the bootable floppy disk. ASUS P2-M2A690G...
5.1.3 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility ASUS EZ Flash 2 allows you to update the BIOS without having to go through the long process of booting from a floppy disk and using a DOS-based utility. The EZ Flash 2 utility is built-in the BIOS chip so it is accessible by pressing <Alt> + <F2>...
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<Enter> on your keyboard, and the EZ Flash 2 utility will perform BIOS update process. The process may take a few minutes to complete. Do not shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS to prevent system boot failure! ASUS P2-M2A690G...
Extension name Press <Enter>. The utility copies the current BIOS file to the USB Flash. A:\>afudos /oOLDBIOS1.rom AMI Firmware Update Utility - Version 1.19(ASUS V2.07(03.11.24BB)) Copyright (C) 2002 American Megatrends, Inc. All rights reserved. Reading flash ..done Write to file..ok A:\>...
Updating the BIOS file To update the BIOS file using the AFUDOS utility: Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) and download the latest BIOS file for the motherboard. Save the BIOS file to a bootable floppy disk. Write the BIOS filename on a piece of paper. You need to type the exact BIOS filename at the DOS prompt.
5.1.5 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 is an auto recovery tool that allows you to restore the BIOS file when it fails or gets corrupted during the updating process. You can update a corrupted BIOS file using the motherboard support CD, the floppy disk or the USB flash disk that contains the updated BIOS file.
Restart the system after the utility completes the updating process. • Only the USB flash disk with FAT 32/16 format and single partition can support ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3. The device size should be smaller than 8GB. • DO NOT shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS! Doing so...
The BIOS setup screens shown in this section are for reference purposes only, and may not exactly match what you see on your screen. • Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS file for this motherboard. 5-12...
At the bottom right corner of a menu screen are the navigation keys for that particular menu. Use the navigation keys to select items in the menu and change the settings. Some of the navigation keys differ from one screen to another. ASUS P2-M2A690G 5-13...
For example, selecting Main shows the Main Language [English] Use [+] or [-] to Primary IDE Master :[ST320413A] configure system time. Primary IDE Slave :[ASUS CD-S340] menu items. Secondary IDE Master :[Not Detected] Secondary IDE Slave :[Not Detected] Third IDE Master :[Not Detected]...
Primary IDE Slave :[Not Detected] SATA1 :[Not Detected] SATA2 :[Not Detected] SATA Configuration System Information 5.3.1 System Time [xx:xx:xxxx] Allows you to set the system time. 5.3.2 System Date [Day xx/xx/xxxx] Allows you to set the system date. ASUS P2-M2A690G 5-15...
5.3.3 Primary IDE Master/Slave, SATA1/SATA2 While entering Setup, the BIOS automatically detects the presence of IDE devices. There is a separate sub-menu for each IDE device. Select a device item then press <Enter> to display the IDE device information. Select the type Primary IDE Master of device connected to the system...
[SATA] Disabled Enabled OnChip SATA Channel [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable OnChip SATA channel. Configuration options: [Enable] [Disable] OnChip SATA Type [SATA] Allows you to select OnChip SATA type. Configuration options: [SATA] [Legacy IDE] [AHCI] ASUS P2-M2A690G 5-17...
5.3.5 System Information This menu gives you an overview of the general system specifications. The BIOS automatically detects the items in this menu. AMIBIOS Version : 0401 Build Date : 06/04/07 Processor Type : AMD Sempron (tm) Processor 3200+ Speed : 1800 MHz Count System Memory...
AMD Live! [Disabled] GART Error Reporting [Disabled] Allows you to enable or disable the GART error reporting. But this option should remain disabled for the normal operation. You may enable it for testing purpose. Configuration options: [Enable] [Disable] ASUS P2-M2A690G 5-19...
Microcode Updation [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable microcode updation. Configuration options: [Enable] [Disable] Secure Virtual Machine [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable AMD secure virtual machine. Configuration options: [Enable] [Disable] Cool ‘n’ Quiet [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the generation of ACPI_PPC, _PSS, AND _PCT objects.
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AUTO, the memory will be checked which executes 64 or 128-bits mode. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Auto] Enable Clock to All DIMMs [Disabled] Allows you to enable or disable unused clocks to all DIMMs even memory slots are not populated. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] ASUS P2-M2A690G 5-21...
MemClk Tristate c3/ATLVID [Disabled] Allows you to enable or disable MemClk Tri-Stating during C3 and Alt VID. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] DQS SignalTraining Control [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable DQS signaltraining control. Turning this off requires custom memory timings programming. Training is automatically disabled if CS Sparing is enabled.Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Memory Hole Remapping [Enabled]...
[Enabled] OnBoard LAN Controller [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the onboard LAN. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] OnBoard LAN Boot ROM [Disabled] Allows you to enable or disable the onboard LAN boot rom. Configuration options:[Disabled] [Enabled] ASUS P2-M2A690G 5-23...
5.4.4 PCI PnP The PCI PnP menu items allow you to change the advanced settings for PCI/PnP devices. The menu includes setting IRQ and DMA channel resources for either PCI/PnP or legacy ISA devices, and setting the memory size block for legacy ISA devices.
Allows you to enable support for operating systems without an EHCI hand-off feature. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] Do not disable the BIOS EHCI Hand-Off option if you are running a Windows ® operating system with USB device. ASUS P2-M2A690G 5-25...
Power menu The Power menu items allow you to change the settings for the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) and the Advanced Power Management (APM). Select an item then press <Enter> to display the configuration options. Select the ACPI state Suspend Mode [Auto] used for System...
Allows you to enable or disable RTC to generate a wake event. When this item is set to Enabled, the items RTC Alarm Date, RTC Alarm Hour, RTC Alarm Minute, and RTC Alarm Second appear with set values. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] ASUS P2-M2A690G 5-27...
5.5.5 Hardware Monitor Hardware Monitor CPU Temperature CPU Temperature [40ºC/104ºF] MB Temperature [59ºC/138ºF] CPU Fan Speed [2177RPM] VCORE Voltage [ 1.408V] 3.3V Voltage [ 3.328V] 5V Voltage [ 4.899V] Select Screen 12V Voltage [11.985V] Select Item Change Option Smart Q-FAN Function [Enabled] General Help Save and Exit...
These items specify the boot device priority sequence from the available devices. The number of device items that appears on the screen depends on the number of devices installed in the system. Configuration options: [Removable Dev.] [ATAPI CD-ROM] [Hard Drive] [Disable] ASUS P2-M2A690G 5-29...
This allows you to enable or disable the full screen logo display feature. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Set this item to [Enabled] to use the ASUS MyLogo™ feature. Add On ROM Display Mode [Force BIOS] Sets the display mode for option ROM. Configuration options: [Force BIOS]...
<Enter>. The message “Password Uninstalled” appears. If you forgot your BIOS password, you can clear it by erasing the CMOS Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM. See section “4.3 Jumpers” for information on how to erase the RTC RAM. ASUS P2-M2A690G 5-31...
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After you have set a supervisor password, the other items appear to allow you to change other security settings. Security Settings Supervisor Password : Not Installed User Password : Not Installed Change Supervisor Password User Access Level [Full Access] Change User Password Clear User Password Password Check [Setup]...
5.7.1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 Allows you to run ASUS EZ Flash 2. When you press <Enter>, a confirmation message appears. Use the left/right arrow key to select between [Yes] or [No], then press <Enter> to confirm your choice. See page 5-6, section 5.1.3 for details.
• This function cannot support IDE CD-ROM, IDE DVD-ROM, or External SATA devices. • This function only supports FAT 32/16 format. 5.7.2 Spread Spectrum Allows you to enable or disable the spread spectrum. Configuration options: [Enable] [Disabled] Exit menu The Exit menu items allow you to load the optimal or failsafe default values for the BIOS items, and save or discard your changes to the BIOS items.
Setup menus. When you select this option or if you press <F5>, a confirmation window appears. Select Ok to load default values. Select Exit & Save Changes or make other changes before saving the values to the non-volatile RAM. ASUS P2-M2A690G 5-35...