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ASUS A68HM Series

1-1

Product introduction

1

1.1 

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.

1.2 

Motherboard overview

Before you install the motherboard, study the configuration of your chassis to ensure that the 

motherboard fits into it. 

Ensure that you unplug the power cord before installing or removing the motherboard. 

Failure to do so can cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components.

1.2.1 

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.

1.2.2 

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.

E9808_A68HM Series_Manual.indb   1

2014/10/16   10:08:58

Summary of Contents for A68HM Series

Page 1: ...Motherboard A68HM Series E9808_A68HM Series_Manual indb 1 2014 10 16 10 08 57 ...

Page 2: ...used only for identification or explanation and to the owners benefit without intent to infringe Offer to Provide Source Code of Certain Software This product contains copyrighted software that is licensed under the General Public License GPL under the Lesser General Public License Version LGPL and or other Free Open Source Software Licenses Such software in this product is distributed without any...

Page 3: ... 1 6 1 5 Expansion slots 1 9 1 6 Headers 1 10 1 7 Connectors 1 11 1 8 Software support 1 19 BIOS information 2 1 Managing and updating your BIOS 2 1 2 2 BIOS setup program 2 6 2 3 My Favorites 2 9 2 4 Main menu 2 10 2 5 Ai Tweaker menu 2 11 2 6 Advanced menu 2 12 2 7 Monitor menu 2 12 2 8 Boot menu 2 13 2 9 Tools menu 2 14 2 10 Exit menu 2 14 Appendices Notices A 1 ASUS contact information A 4 E98...

Page 4: ...installing the motherboard and adding devices on it carefully read all the manuals that came with the package Before using the product ensure 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 ...

Page 5: ...ing 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 selec...

Page 6: ... Windows 32 bit operating system Graphics Integrated AMD Radeon R HD8000 7000 Series Graphics in the A Series APU Multi VGA output support DVI D and D Sub Supports Dual link DVI with max resolution 2560x1600 60Hz Supports D Sub with max resolution 1920x1600 60Hz AMD Dual Graphics technology support Maximum shared memory of 2G Supports AMD Dual Graphics technology Refer to http www amd com us produ...

Page 7: ...upport a 7 1 channel audio output USB AMD A68H FCH 2 x USB 3 0 ports 2 ports at back panel blue 6 x USB2 0 ports 2 ports at back panel 4 ports at mid board ASUS unique features ASUS 5X Protection ASUS DIGI VRM 3 2 Phase digital power design ASUS Enhanced DRAM Overcurrent Protection Short circuit damage prevention ASUS ESD Guards Enhanced ESD protection ASUS High Quality 5K Hour Solid Capacitors 2 ...

Page 8: ...1 x System panel connector 1 x Internal Speaker connector 1 x 4 pin CPU fan connector 1 x S PDIF output connector 1 x 4 pin Chassis fan connector 1 x High Definition Front panel audio connector 1 x 24 pin EATX power connector 1 x 4 pin ATX 12V power connector BIOS 64Mb Flash ROM NEW UEFI BIOS PnP DMI v2 0 WfM2 0 SM BIOS V2 7 ACPI V2 0a Support DVD Drivers ASUS Update ASUS utilities Anti Virus soft...

Page 9: ...ed 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 1 2 Motherboard overview Before you install the motherboard study the configuration of your chassis to ensure that the motherboard fits into it Ensure that you unplug the power cord before installing or removing the motherboard Failure to do so can cause ...

Page 10: ...R CPU_FAN CHA_FAN BATTERY Super I O ALC 887 8111 GR 22 6cm 8 9in AMD A68H DDR3 DIMM_A1 64bit 240 pin module DDR3 DIMM_B1 64bit 240 pin module SATA6G_1 SATA6G_2 SATA6G_3 SATA6G_4 AUDIO KBMS LAN_USB12 USB1112 18 0cm 7 0in SOCKET FM2 DIGI VRM 64Mb BIOS DVI VGA TPM 2 1 4 3 6 1 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 6 The layout illustrations in this user manual are for A68HM E only E9808_A68HM Series_Manual indb 2 2014 ...

Page 11: ...9 Clear RTC RAM 2 pin CLRTC 1 10 10 TPM connector 20 1 pin TPM 1 13 11 Digital audio connector 4 1 pin SPDIF_OUT 1 15 12 Serial port connector 10 1 pin COM 1 18 13 Front panel audio connector 10 1 pin AAFP 1 17 Ensure that you use an APU designed for the FM2 socket The APU fits in only one correct orientation DO NOT force the APU into the socket to prevent bending the pins and damaging the APU 1 3...

Page 12: ...stalling the APU 1 2 4 3 1 3 2 APU heatsink and fan assembly installation Apply the Thermal Interface Material to the APU heatsink and APU before you install the heatsink and fan if necessary E9808_A68HM Series_Manual indb 4 2014 10 16 10 09 00 ...

Page 13: ...ASUS A68HM Series 1 5 1 2 To install the APU heatsink and fan assembly 5 3 4 To uninstall the APU heatsink and fan assembly 1 2 3 E9808_A68HM Series_Manual indb 5 2014 10 16 10 09 01 ...

Page 14: ...l 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 figure illustrates the location of the DDR3 DIMM sockets Channel Sockets Channel A DIMM_A1 Channel B DIMM_B1 A68HM E A68HM E 240 pin DDR3 DIMM sockets DIMM_A1 DIMM_B1 E9808_A68HM Series_Manual indb 6 2014 10 16 10 09 ...

Page 15: ...ollowing Install a maximum of 3GB system memory if you are using a 32 bit Windows OS Use a 64 bit Windows OS if you want to install 4GB or more memory on the motherboard This motherboard does not support DIMMs made up of 512Mb 64MB chips or less The maximum 32GB memory capacity can be supported with 16GB or above DIMMs ASUS will update the memory QVL once the DIMMs are available in the market The ...

Page 16: ...1 8 Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 4 3 Installing a DIMM 1 2 3 To remove a DIMM B A E9808_A68HM Series_Manual indb 8 2014 10 16 10 09 02 ...

Page 17: ...rd connector with the slot and press firmly until the card is completely seated on the slot 5 Secure the card to the chassis with the screw you removed earlier 6 Replace the system cover 1 5 2 Configuring an expansion card After installing the expansion card configure it by adjusting the software settings 1 Turn on the system and change the necessary BIOS settings if any See Chapter 2 for informat...

Page 18: ...hared PCI1 slot shared Realtek LAN controller shared HD audio shared SATA controller shared OnChip USB EHCI 1 2 3 shared OnChip USB OHCI 1 2 3 4 shared OnChip XHCI controller shared 1 6 Headers Clear RTC RAM 2 pin CLRTC This header allows you to clear the Real Time Clock RTC RAM in CMOS You can clear the CMOS memory of date time and system setup parameters by erasing the CMOS RTC RAM data The onbo...

Page 19: ... due to overclocking use the CPU Parameter Recall C P R feature Shut down and reboot the system then the BIOS automatically resets parameter settings to default values 1 7 Connectors 1 7 1 Rear panel connectors 1 PS 2 Mouse port green This port is for a PS 2 mouse 2 LAN RJ 45 port This port allows Gigabit connection to a Local Area Network LAN through a network hub 3 4 2 5 7 6 1 10 8 9 LAN port SP...

Page 20: ...Use a chassis with HD audio module in the front panel to support a 7 1 channel audio output 6 USB 2 0 ports 1 and 2 These two 4 pin Universal Serial Bus USB ports are for USB 2 0 1 1 devices 7 USB 3 0 ports 1 and 2 These two 9 pin Universal Serial Bus USB ports connect to USB 3 0 2 0 devices Due to USB 3 0 controller limitations USB 3 0 devices can only be used under a Windows OS environment and a...

Page 21: ...e motherboard ensuring that the black wire of each cable matches the ground pin of the connector A68HM E A68HM E Fan connectors CPU_FAN CPU FAN PWM CPU FAN IN CPU FAN PWR GND CHA_FAN CHA FAN PWM CHA FAN IN CHA FAN PWR GND 2 TPM connector 20 1 pin TPM This connector supports a Trusted Platform Module TPM system which can securely store keys digital certificates passwords and data A TPM system also ...

Page 22: ...boot up if the power is inadequate DO NOT forget to connect the 4 pin ATX 12V power plug Otherwise the system will not boot up We recommend that you use a PSU with higher power output when configuring a system with more power consuming devices or when you intend to install additional devices The system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is inadequate If you are uncertain about the...

Page 23: ...A hard disk drives The Serial ATA RAID feature is available only if you are using Windows XP SP3 or later version When using hot plug and NCQ set the type of the SATA connectors in the BIOS to AHCI SATA6G_2 GND RSATA_TXP1 RSATA_TXN1 GND RSATA_RXN1 RSATA_RXP1 GND SATA6G_1 GND RSATA_TXP2 RSATA_TXN2 GND RSATA_RXN2 RSATA_RXP2 GND SATA6G_3 GND RSATA_TXP3 RSATA_TXN3 GND RSATA_RXN3 RSATA_RXP3 GND GND RSA...

Page 24: ..._LED This 2 pin connector is for the HDD Activity LED Connect the HDD Activity LED cable to this connector The HDD LED lights up or flashes when data is read from or written to the HDD ATX power button soft off button 2 pin PWR_BTN This 2 pin connector is for the system power button Reset button 2 pin RESET This 2 pin connector is for the chassis mounted reset button for system reboot without turn...

Page 25: ...l audio module to this connector set the Front Panel Type item in the BIOS to HD The front panel audio I O module is purchased separately A68HM E A68HM E Speaker Out connector 5V GND GND Speaker Out SPEAKER PIN 1 A68HM E A68HM E Front panel audio connector AAFP PIN 1 AGND NC SENSE1_RETUR SENSE2_RETUR PORT1 L PORT1 R PORT2 R SENSE_SEND PORT2 L HD audio compliant pin definition PIN 1 AGND NC NC NC M...

Page 26: ...amage the motherboard The USB 2 0 module is purchased separately 10 Serial port connector 10 1 pin COM 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 The COM module is purchased separately A68HM E A68HM E USB2 0 connectors PIN 1 USB 5V USB_P5 USB_P5 GND NC USB 5V USB_P6 USB_P...

Page 27: ...cations and utilities that you can install to avail all motherboard features 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 into the optical drive If Autorun is enabled in your computer the DVD automatically displays the Specials screen which contains the unique feature...

Page 28: ...1 20 Chapter 1 Product introduction E9808_A68HM Series_Manual indb 20 2014 10 16 10 09 05 ...

Page 29: ...date the saved BIOS and select a boot logo when the system goes into POST To launch EZ Update click EZ Update on the AI Suite 3 main menu bar C Users test Downloads A68HM E ASUS 02 Model Name A68HM E Version 0203 Release Date 09 08 2014 File A68HM E ASUS 0205 CAP Model Name A68HM E Version 0205 Release Date 09 28 2014 Click to automatically update your motherboard s driver software and firmware Cl...

Page 30: ...d the BIOS file and then press Enter to perform the BIOS update process Reboot the system when the update process is done This function supports USB flash disks with FAT 32 16 format and single partition only DO NOT shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS to prevent system boot failure 2 1 3 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility The ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 is an auto recovery tool that allows ...

Page 31: ...tures used in this section are for reference only and may not be exactly the same as actually shown on your computer screen Before updating BIOS Prepare the motherboard support DVD and a USB flash drive Download the latest BIOS file and BIOS Updater from http support asus com and save them in your USB flash drive NTFS is not supported under FreeDOS environment Ensure that your USB flash drive is i...

Page 32: ...e bupdater pc g and press Enter 2 On the BIOS Updater screen press Tab to switch from Files panel to Drives panel then select D Welcome to FreeDOS http www freedos org C d D D bupdater pc g 5 On the FreeDOS prompt type d then press Enter to switch the disk from Drive C optical drive to Drive D USB flash drive ISOLINUX 3 20 2006 08 26 Copyright C 1994 2005 H Peter Anvin A Bootable DVD CD is detecte...

Page 33: ...ct the BIOS file and press Enter 5 Select Yes then press Enter When BIOS update is done press ESC to exit BIOS Updater 6 Restart your computer DO NOT shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS to prevent system boot failure Ensure to load the BIOS default settings to ensure system compatibility and stability Select the Load Optimized Defaults item under the Exit BIOS menu 4 After the BI...

Page 34: ...down the system properly from the operating system 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 Ensure that a USB mouse is connected to your motherboard if you want to use the mouse to control the BIOS setup program If th...

Page 35: ...dvanced Mode click Exit Advanced Mode or press F7 for the advanced BIOS settings The default screen for entering the BIOS setup program can be changed Loads optimized default Save changes and exit the BIOS setup program Displays the system information CPU voltage and CPU motherboard temperature Displays the A M P status Displays the CPU chassis fan speed Selects the display language of the BIOS se...

Page 36: ...m settings and configuration Main For changing the basic system configuration Ai Tweaker For changing the overclocking settings Advanced For changing the advanced system settings Monitor For displaying the system temperature power status and changing the fan settings Boot For changing the system boot configuration Tool For configuring options for special functions Exit For selecting the exit optio...

Page 37: ...right click on your mouse to add the item to My Favorites page You cannot add the following items to My Favorites Items with submenu options User configurable items such as language and boot device order Configuration items such as Memory SPD Information system time and date 2 3 My Favorites MyFavorites is your personal space where you can easily save and access your favorite BIOS items E9808_A68H...

Page 38: ... the system date time language and security settings If you have forgotten your BIOS password erase the CMOS Real Time Clock RTC RAM to clear the BIOS password See section 1 6 Headers for information on how to erase the RTC RAM The Administrator or User Password items on top of the screen show the default Not Installed After you set a password these items show Installed E9808_A68HM Series_Manual i...

Page 39: ...ous when changing the settings of the Ai Tweaker menu items Incorrect field values can cause the system to malfunction The configuration options for this section vary depending on the CPU and DIMM model you installed on the motherboard Scroll down to display the other items E9808_A68HM Series_Manual indb 11 2014 10 16 10 09 09 ...

Page 40: ...es Be cautious when changing the settings of the Advanced menu items Incorrect field values can cause the system to malfunction 2 7 Monitor menu The Monitor menu displays the system temperature power status and allows you to change the fan settings Scroll down to display the other items E9808_A68HM Series_Manual indb 12 2014 10 16 10 09 10 ...

Page 41: ...ASUS A68HM Series 2 13 2 8 Boot menu The Boot menu items allow you to change the system boot options Scroll down to display the other items E9808_A68HM Series_Manual indb 13 2014 10 16 10 09 10 ...

Page 42: ...unctions Select an item then press Enter to display the submenu 2 10 Exit menu The Exit menu items allow you to load the optimal default values for the BIOS items and save or discard your changes to the BIOS items You can access the EZ Mode from the Exit menu E9808_A68HM Series_Manual indb 14 2014 10 16 10 09 11 ...

Page 43: ... 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 antenn...

Page 44: ...es CNR exemptes de licence d Industrie Canada Le fonctionnement est soumis aux deux conditions suivantes 1 cet appareil ne doit pas provoquer d interférences et 2 cet appareil doit accepter toute interférence y compris celles susceptibles de provoquer un fonctionnement non souhaité de l appareil Canadian Department of Communications Statement This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limi...

Page 45: ...pal 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 ASUS Recycling Takeback Services ASUS recycling and takeback programs come from our commitment to the highest standards for protecting our enviro...

Page 46: ...rporate Way Fremont CA 94539 USA Telephone 1 510 739 3777 Fax 1 510 608 4555 Web site http www asus com us Technical Support General support 1 812 282 2787 Support fax 1 812 284 0883 Online support http www service asus com ASUS COMPUTER GmbH Germany and Austria Address Harkort Str 21 23 D 40880 Ratingen Germany Fax 49 2102 959931 Web site http www asus com de Online contact http eu rma asus com s...

Page 47: ... E conform with the essential requirements of the following directives 2004 108 EC EMC Directive EN 55022 2010 AC 2011 EN 61000 3 2 2006 A2 2009 EN 55013 2001 A1 2003 A2 2006 EN 55024 2010 EN 61000 3 3 2008 EN 55020 2007 A11 2011 1999 5 EC R TTE Directive EN 300 328 V1 7 1 2006 10 EN 300 440 1 V1 6 1 2010 08 EN 300 440 2 V1 4 1 2010 08 EN 301 511 V9 0 2 2003 03 EN 301 908 1 V5 2 1 2011 05 EN 301 9...

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