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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.
Welcome! ..................1-1 Package contents ................. 1-1 Special features ................1-1 1.3.1 Product highlights ............1-1 1.3.2 Innovative ASUS features ..........1-3 Before you proceed ..............1-5 Onboard LED ................. 1-5 Motherboard overview ..............1-6 1.5.1 Placement direction ............1-6 1.5.2...
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BIOS information Managing and updating your BIOS ..........2-1 2.1.1 ASUS Update utility ............2-1 2.1.2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility ........... 2-2 2.1.3 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility ........2-3 BIOS setup program ..............2-4 2.2.1 BIOS menu screen ............2-5 2.2.2...
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Boot Device Priority ............2-18 2.6.2 Boot Settings Configuration .......... 2-18 2.6.3 Security ................. 2-19 Tools menu ................. 2-20 2.7.1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 ............2-20 2.7.2 Express Gate ..............2-21 2.7.3 AI NET 2................ 2-21 Exit menu ..................2-22...
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. If possible, disconnect all power cables from the existing system before you add a device.
Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product and software updates. ASUS websites The ASUS website provides 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.
Due to AMD CPU limitation, DDR2 1066 is supported by AM2+/AM3 CPU for one DIMM per channel only. ** Refer to www.asus.com for the latest Memory QVL (Qualified Vendors List). *** Due to the memory address limitation on 32-bit Windows...
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ASUS MyLogo2 ASUS EZ Flash2 ASUS exclusive SFS (Stepless Frequency Selection) tuning from 200MHz up overclocking features to 550MHz at 1MHz increment ASUS C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall) Other features AI NET 2 AI NAP Turbo Key Back panel I/O ports...
® 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.
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HyperTransport™ 3.0 technology provides 2.6 times more bandwidth than HT1.0 that radically improves system efficiency for a smoother, faster computing environment. ASUS Express Gate Express Gate is a unique OS built into the motherboard. Five seconds after bootup, you can instantly surf the Internet without entering the Windows OS.
This enhances system performance in 3D graphics and other memory demanding applications. DDR2 1066 is supported by AM2+ /AM3 CPU only. Refer to the ASUS website at www.asus.com for the supported CPU models. Serial ATA 3Gb/s technology The motherboard supports the hard drives based on the SATA 3Gb/s storage specification.
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PC components in real-time-helping save power and money! Turbo Key ASUS Turbo Key allows you to turn the PC power button into an overclocking button. After the easy setup, Turbo Key boosts performances without interrupting ongoing work or games, simply through pressing the button.
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.
Screw holes Place six screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the motherboard to the chassis. Do not overtighten the screws! Doing so can damage the motherboard. Place this side towards the rear of the chassis. ASUS M4N78...
Press the lever sideways to unlock the socket, then lift it up to a 90°- Socket lever 100° angle. Ensure that the socket lever is lifted up to 90°-100° angle, otherwise the CPU will not fit in completely. ASUS M4N78...
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Position the CPU above the socket such that the CPU corner with the gold triangle matches the socket corner with a small triangle. Carefully insert the CPU into the socket until it fits in place. The CPU fits only in one correct orientation.
Your boxed CPU heatsink and fan assembly should come with installation instructions for the CPU, heatsink, and the retention mechanism. If the instructions in this section do not match the CPU documentation, follow the latter. Attach one end of the retention bracket to the retention module base. 1-10 ASUS M4N78...
Align the other end of the retention bracket to the retention module base. A clicking sound denotes that the retention bracket is in place. Ensure that the fan and heatsink assembly perfectly fits the retention mechanism module base, otherwise you cannot snap the retention bracket in place. Push down the retention bracket lock on the retention mechanism to secure the heatsink and fan to the module base.
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Dual-channel memory configuration • C*: Supports four modules inserted into both the yellow slots and the black slots as two pairs of Dual-channel memory configuration. Visit the ASUS website at www.asus.com for the latest DDR2-667/800/1066MHz QVL. Chapter 1: Product introduction 1-15...
DIMM. Support the DIMM lightly with your fingers when pressing the retaining clips. The DIMM might get damaged when it flips out with extra force. DDR2 DIMM notch Remove the DIMM from the socket. 1-16 ASUS M4N78...
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. Unplug the power cord before adding or removing expansion cards. Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components.
• You do not need to clear the RTC when the system hangs due to overclocking. For system failure due to overclocking, use the CPU Parameter Recall (C.P.R) feature. Shut down and reboot the system so the BIOS can automatically reset parameter settings to default values. 1-18 ASUS M4N78...
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Keyboard power (3-pin KBPW) This jumper allows you to enable or disable the keyboard wake-up feature. Set this jumper to pins 2-3 (+5VSB) if you wish to wake up the computer when you press a key on the keyboard (the default is the Space Bar). This feature requires an ATX power supply that can supply at least 1A on the +5VSB lead, and a corresponding setting in the BIOS.
Side Speaker Out port (gray). This port connects the side speaker in an 8-channel audio configuration. Refer to the audio configuration table on next page for the function of the audio ports in 2, 4, 6, or 8-channel configuration. 1-20 ASUS M4N78...
Audio 2, 4, 6, 8-channel configuration Port Headset 2-channel 4-channel 6-channel 8-channel Light Blue Line In Line in Line in Line in Lime Line Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out Pink Mic In Mic In Mic in Mic in Orange Center/Subwoofer...
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The system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is inadequate. • If you are uncertain about the minimum power supply requirement for your system, refer to the Recommended Power Supply Wattage Calculator at http://support.asus. com/PowerSupplyCalculator/PSCalculator.aspx?SLanguage=en-us for details. 1-22...
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Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA1, SATA2, SATA3, SATA5, SATA6) These connectors are for the Serial ATA signal cables for Serial ATA 3Gb/s hard disk and optical disk drives. The Serial ATA 3Gb/s is backward compatible with Serial ATA 1.5Gb/s specification. The data transfer rate of the Serial ATA 3Gb/s is faster than the standard parallel ATA with 133 MB/s (Ultra DMA133).
This 2-pin connector is for the chassis-mounted reset button for system reboot without turning off the system power. • System warning speaker (2-pin SPEAKER) This 4-pin connector is for the chassis-mounted system warning speaker. The speaker allows you to hear system beeps and warnings. 1-24 ASUS M4N78...
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USB connectors (10-1 pin USB78, USB910, USB1112) These connectors are for USB 2.0 ports. Connect the USB module cable to any of these 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.
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These are not jumpers! DO NOT place jumper caps on the fan connectors. Only the CPU FAN supports ASUS Q-Fan. Chassis intrusion connector (4-1 pin Chassis) This connector is for a chassis-mounted intrusion detection sensor or switch. Connect one end of the chassis intrusion sensor or switch cable to this connector.
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IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE) The onboard IDE connector is for Ultra DMA 133/100/66 signal cable. 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 devices: Drive jumper setting Mode of device(s)
The contents of the Support DVD are subject to change at any time without notice. Visit the ASUS website at www.asus.com for updates. To run the Support DVD Place the Support DVD to the optical drive.
BIOS information Managing and updating your BIOS 2.1.1 ASUS Update utility The ASUS Update is a utility that allows you to manage, save, and update the motherboard BIOS in Windows environment. ® • ASUS Update requires an Internet connection either through a network or an Internet Service Provider (ISP).
2.1.2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility The ASUS EZ Flash 2 feature allows you to update the BIOS without having to use a bootable floppy disk or a DOS-based utility. Before using this utility, download the latest BIOS file from the ASUS website at www.asus.
2.1.3 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility The 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 DVD or a USB flash disk that contains the updated BIOS file.
• 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 at www.asus.com to download the latest BIOS file for this motherboard.
• 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 at www.asus.com to download the latest BIOS information. Chapter 2: BIOS setup...
(C)Copyright 1985-2008, A m e r i c a n Megatrends, Inc. Pop-up window Press the Scroll bar <Up> / <Down> arrow keys or <Page Up> /<Page Down> keys to display the other items on the screen. ASUS M4N78...
Main menu When you enter the BIOS Setup program, the Main menu screen appears, giving you an overview of the basic system information. Refer to section “2.2.1 BIOS menu screen” for information on the menu screen items and how to navigate through them. BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main Advanced...
Allows you to enable or disable the onboard PCI IDE controller. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] OnChip SATA Controller [Enabled] Allows you to disable or enable the OnChip SATA Controller. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] SATA Mode select [SATA Mode] Configuration options: [SATA Mode] [RAID Mode] [AHCI Mode] ASUS M4N78...
2.3.6 System Information This menu gives you an overview of the general system specifications. The BIOS automatically detects the items in this menu. BIOS Information Displays the auto-detected BIOS information. Processor Displays the auto-detected CPU specification. System Memory Displays the auto-detected system memory. Advanced menu The Advanced menu items allow you to change the settings for the CPU and other system devices.
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The following item appears only when the Memory clock mode item is set to [Manual]. Memclock Value [333 MHz] Allows you to set the Memclock value. Configuration options: [333 MHz] [400 MHz] [533 MHz] DRAM Timing Mode [Auto] Allows you to set the DRAM timing mode. Configuration options: [Auto] [DCT 0] 2-10 ASUS M4N78...
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The following item appears only when the DRAM Timing Mode item is set to [DCT0]. CAS Latency (CL) [Auto] Allows you to set CAS# latency. Configuration options: [Auto] [3 CLK] [4 CLK] [5 CLK] [6 CLK] [7 CLK DH_Only] TRCD [Auto] Allows you to set TRCD.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] CPU Prefetching [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the CPU Prefetching. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] C1E Configuration [Disabled] Allows you to enable or disable C1E Dual-Core related CPU power State. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] 2-12 ASUS M4N78...
2.4.3 Chipset The Chipset menu allows you to change the advanced chipset settings. Select an item then press <Enter> to display the submenu. NorthBridge Configuration Memory Configuration Bank Interleaving [Auto] Allows you to enable the bank memory interleaving. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Auto] Channel Interleaving [Disabled] Allows you to enable the channel memory interleaving.
When set to [No], BIOS configures all the devices in the system. When set to [Yes] and if you install a Plug and Play operating system, the operating system configures the Plug and Play devices not required for boot. Configuration options: [No] [Yes] 2-14 ASUS M4N78...
2.4.6 USB Configuration The items in this menu allows you to change the USB-related features. Select an item then press <Enter> to display the configuration options. The Module Version and USB Devices Enabled items show the auto-detected values. If no USB device is detected, the item shows None. USB Functions [Enabled] Enables or disables the USB functions.
When set to [Enabled], this parameter allows you to turn on the system through a PCI/PCIE card. This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides at least 1A on the +5VSB lead. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] 2-16 ASUS M4N78...
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the voltage output through the onboard voltage regulators. Smart Q-Fan Function [Disabled] Allows you to enable or disable the ASUS Q-Fan feature that smartly adjusts the fan speeds for more efficient system operation. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Chapter 2: BIOS setup...
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 2™ feature. AddOn ROM Display Mode [Force BIOS] Sets the display mode for option ROM. Configuration options: [Force BIOS]...
Wait for ‘F1’ If Error [Enabled] When set to Enabled, the system waits for the F1 key to be pressed when error occurs. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Hit ‘DEL’ Message Display [Enabled] When set to Enabled, the system displays the message Press DEL to run Setup during POST.
(C)Copyright 1985-2007, American Megatrends, Inc. 2.7.1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 Allows you to run ASUS EZ Flash 2. When you press <OK>, a confirmation message appears. Use the left/right arrow key to select between [Yes] or [No], then press <OK> to confirm your choice.
2.7.2 Express Gate [Auto] Allows you to enable or disable the ASUS Express Gate feature. The ASUS Express Gate feature is a unique instant-on environment that provides quick access to the Internet browser and Skype. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] [Auto] Enter OS Timer [10 Seconds] Sets countdown duration that the system waits at the Express Gate’s first screen...
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. 2-22 ASUS M4N78...