background image

ASUS M3A78

1-21

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

PCIEX1 Slot1

shared

PCIEX1 Slot2

shared

PCIEx16 Slot

shared –

Onboard USB1.1 Controller 1 shared

Onboard USB1.1 Controller 2

Onboard USB1.1 Controller 3

shared –

Onboard USB1.1 Controller 4

Onboard USB1.1 Controller 5

shared –

Onboard USB2.0 Controller 1

Onboard USB2.0 Controller 2

Onboard ATI RS780 AZALIA

Onboard IDE  PORT

shared

Onboard HD Audio

shared

Onboard LAN

shared –

Onchip SATA

shared

PCI Card1

– shared

PCI Card2

shared

PCI Card3

shared

When using PCI cards on shared slots, ensure that the drivers support “Share 

IRQ” or that the cards do not need IRQ assignments; otherwise, conflicts will 

arise between the two PCI groups, making the system unstable and the card 

inoperable.

IRQ assignments for this motherboard

Summary of Contents for M3A78 - Motherboard - ATX

Page 1: ...Motherboard M3A78 ...

Page 2: ...ICULAR 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 SPECIFICATI...

Page 3: ...ion 1 9 1 5 3 Screw holes 1 9 1 6 Central Processing Unit CPU 1 10 1 6 1 Installing the CPU 1 10 1 6 2 Installing the heatsink and fan 1 12 1 7 System memory 1 14 1 7 1 Overview 1 14 1 7 2 Memory configurations 1 14 1 7 3 Installing a DIMM 1 18 1 7 4 Removing a DIMM 1 18 1 8 Expansion slots 1 19 1 8 1 Installing an expansion card 1 19 1 8 2 Configuring an expansion card 1 19 1 8 3 PCI slots 1 22 1...

Page 4: ...ms 2 14 2 2 6 Configuration fields 2 14 2 2 7 General help 2 14 2 2 8 Pop up window 2 15 2 3 Main menu 2 16 2 3 1 System Time 2 16 2 3 2 System Date 2 16 2 3 3 Legacy Diskette A 2 16 2 3 4 Primary IDE Master Slave 2 17 2 3 5 SATA 1 6 2 18 2 3 6 SATA Configuration 2 19 2 3 7 System Information 2 20 2 4 Advanced menu 2 21 2 4 1 JumperFree Configuration 2 21 2 4 2 CPU Configuration 2 23 2 4 3 Chipset...

Page 5: ...2 7 1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 2 37 2 7 2 Express Gate 2 38 2 7 3 AI NET 2 2 38 2 8 Exit menu 2 39 Chapter 3 Software support 3 1 Installing an operating system 3 2 3 2 Support DVD information 3 2 3 2 1 Running the support DVD 3 2 3 2 2 Drivers menu 3 3 3 2 3 Utilities menu 3 4 3 2 4 Make Disk menu 3 6 3 2 5 Manual menu 3 7 3 2 6 ASUS Contact information 3 8 3 2 7 Other information 3 8 3 3 ASUS Express Gat...

Page 6: ...ause harmful interference to radio or television reception which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the...

Page 7: ...er company If the power supply is broken do not try to fix it by yourself Contact a qualified service technician or your retailer Operation safety Before installing the motherboard and adding devices on it carefully read all the manuals that came with the package Before using the product make sure all cables are correctly connected and the power cables are not damaged If you detect any damage cont...

Page 8: ...chapter tells how to change system settings through the BIOS Setup menus Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided Chapter 3 Software support This chapter describes the contents of the support CD DVD that comes with the motherboard package Where to find more information Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product and software updates 1 ASUS websit...

Page 9: ...T follow to complete a task Typography Bold text Indicates a menu or an item to select Italics Used to emphasize a word or a phrase Key Keys enclosed in the less than and greater than sign means that you must press the enclosed key Example Enter means that you must press the Enter or Return key Key1 Key2 Key3 If you must press two or more keys simultaneously the key names are linked with a plus si...

Page 10: ...or system stability Refer to www asus com or user manual for Memory QVL Qualified Vendors List When you install a total memory of 4GB or more Windows 32 bit operation system may only recognize less than 3GB Hence a total installed memory of less than 3GB is recommended if you are using a Windows 32 bit operation system Expansion slots 1 x PCI Express x16 slot 2 x PCI Express x1 slots 3 x PCI 2 2 s...

Page 11: ...port 6 x USB 2 0 1 1 ports 8 channel Audio I O ports BIOS 8Mb Flash ROM AMI BIOS PnP DMI2 0 WfM2 0 ACPI2 0a SMBIOS 2 5 ASUS overclocking features SFS Stepless Frequency Selection from 200MHz to 300MHz at 1MHz increment Adjustable CPU voltage at 0 025V increment ASUS CPR CPU Parameter Recall Internal I O connectors 3 x USB 2 0 connectors support additional 6 USB 2 0 1 1 ports 1 x Floppy disk drive ...

Page 12: ...DMA 133 100 cable 1 x FDD cable 1 x I O shield Support DVD Drivers Express Gate ASUS PC Probe II ASUS LiveUpdate Utility Anti Virus software OEM version Form Factor ATX Form factor 12 x 9 6 30 5cm x 24 4cm M3A78 specifications summary Specifications are subject to change without notice ...

Page 13: ...1 Product introduction This chapter describes the motherboard features and the new technologies it supports ...

Page 14: ...cket AM2 Phenom FX Phenom Athlon CPU support This motherboard supports AMD Socket AM2 multi core processors with unique L3 cache and delivers better overclocking capabilities with less power consumption It features dual channel DDR2 1066 memory support and accelerates data transfer rate up to 5200MT s via HyperTransport 3 0 based system bus See page 1 10 for details 1 2 Package contents Check your...

Page 15: ...rt This motherboard supports AMD Socket AM2 Athlon Sempron processors It features 2000 1600MT s HyperTransport based system bus dual channel un buffered DDR2 800 memory support and AMD Cool n Quiet Technology See page 1 10 for details 64 bit CPU support 64 bit computing the next generation technology to replace the current 32 bit architecture delivers advanced system performance faster memory acce...

Page 16: ... point serial interconnections between devices and allows higher clockspeeds by carrying data in packets This high speed interface is software compatible with existing PCI specifications See page 1 22 for details PCI Express 2 0 support This motherboard supports the latest PCIe 2 0 devices for double speed and bandwidth which enhances system performance Serial ATA 3Gb s technology and RAID support...

Page 17: ...peripherals are plugged into the audio I O jacks and notifies users of inappropriate connection meaning there will be no more confusion of Line in Line out and Mic jacks See pages 1 24 1 32 and 2 26 for details 1 3 2 ASUS unique features ASUS Q Fan technology The ASUS Q Fan technology smartly adjusts the CPU fan speeds according to the system loading to ensure quiet cool and efficient operation Se...

Page 18: ...d then users can amend the CPU setting again See page 1 23 for details Green ASUS This motherboard and its packaging comply with the European Union s Restriction on the use of Hazardous Substances RoHS This is in line with the ASUS vision of creating environment friendly and recyclable products packaging to safeguard consumers health while minimizing the impact on the environment Express Gate Taki...

Page 19: ...he wall socket before touching any component Use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded object or a metal object such as the power supply case before handling components 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...

Page 20: ... BIOS AMD 770 SB700 DDR2 DIMM_A1 64 bit 240 pin module DDR2 DIMM_B1 64 bit 240 pin module DDR2 DIMM_A2 64 bit 240 pin module DDR2 DIMM_B2 64 bit 240 pin module CR2032 3V Lithium Cell CMOS Power PCI2 PCI3 PCI1 PCIEX16 PCIEX1_2 PCIEX1_1 CLRTC ATX12V R SPDIF_OUT M3A78 FLOPPY CD 30 5cm 12in VIA VT1708B PRI_IDE 24 4cm 9 6in KB_USB56 PWR_FAN CHA_FAN RTL 8111C RTM 880T 792 AUDIO LAN1_USB12 USB34 SPDOF_O ...

Page 21: ...ake sure 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 5 3 Screw holes Place nine 9 screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the motherboard to the chassis R M3A78 Place this side towards the rear of the chassis ...

Page 22: ...U designed for the AM2 AM2 socket The CPU fits in only one correct orientation DO NOT force the CPU into the socket to prevent bending the connectors on the socket and damaging the CPU 1 6 1 Installing the CPU To install a CPU 1 Locate the CPU socket on the motherboard 2 Unlock the socket by pressing the lever sideways then lift it up to a 90 100 angle Ensure that the socket lever is lifted up to ...

Page 23: ...it is locked 6 Install a CPU heatsink and fan following the instructions that came with the heatsink package Gold triangle Small triangle The CPU fits only in one correct orientation DO NOT force the CPU into the socket to prevent bending the pins and damaging the CPU 7 Connect the CPU fan cable to the CPU_FAN connector on the motherboard Do not forget to connect the CPU fan connector Hardware mon...

Page 24: ...bracket Ensure that you use only qualified heatsink and fan assembly The retention module base is already installed on the motherboard upon purchase You do not have to remove the retention module base when installing the CPU or installing other motherboard components If you purchased a separate CPU heatsink and fan assembly make sure that a Thermal Interface Material is properly applied to the CPU...

Page 25: ...lock to the retention module base A clicking sound denotes that the retention bracket is in place 4 Push down the retention bracket lock on the retention mechanism to secure the heatsink and fan to the module base Ensure that the fan and heatsink assembly perfectly fits the retention mechanism module base otherwise you cannot snap the retention bracket in place ...

Page 26: ...socket The figure illustrates the location of the DDR2 DIMM sockets Channel Sockets Channel 1 DIMM_A1 and DIMM_A2 Channel 2 DIMM_B1 and DIMM_B2 1 7 2 Memory configurations You may install 256MB 512MB 1GB and 2GB unbuffered ECC non ECC DDR2 DIMMs into the DIMM sockets Recommended memory configurations Sockets Mode DIMM_A1 DIMM_B1 DIMM_A2 DIMM_B2 Single Channel Populated Populated Dual channel 1 Pop...

Page 27: ...is recommended if you are using a Windows 32 bit operation system 64 bit Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Windows Vista x64 Edition The motherboard can support 8GB physical memory on the operating system listed below You may install a maximum of 2GB DIMMs on each slot M3A78 Motherboard Qualified Vendors Lists QVL DDR2 1066MHz capability Size Vendor Part No CL Chip Brand SS DS Chip No DIMM suppo...

Page 28: ... AM4B5808CQJS8E0740E 512MB Transcend TS128MLQ64V8J512MB N A Micron SS 7HD22 D9GMH 1G Transcend 505485 1034 5 Transcend DS TQ123PJF8F0801 512MB VDATA M2GVD6G3H3160Q1E52 N A VDATA SS VD29608A8A 25EG20813 1G ADATA M2OAD6G314170Q1E58 N A ADATA DS AD29608A8A 25EG80810 2G PSC AL8E8F73C 8E1 5 PSC DS A3R1GE3CFF734MAA0E 2G PSC AL7E8E63H 10E1K 5 PSC DS A3R1GE3CFF750RABBP ECC 1G GEIL GX22GB6400DC 5 GEIL DS H...

Page 29: ...Nanya NT512T64U88A1BY 3C N A Nanya SS NT5TU64M8AE 3C 1G GEIL GX21GB5300SX 3 GEIL DS Heat Sink Package 2G GEIL GX24GB5300LDC 5 GEIL DS Heat Sink Package 512MB Twinmos 8D A3JK5MPETP 5 PSC SS A3R12E3GEF633ACAOY 1G Leadmax LRMP512U64A8 Y5 N A Hynix DS HY5PS12821CFP Y5 C 702AA DDR2 533MHz capability Size Vendor Part No CL Chip Brand SS DS Chip No DIMM support Optional A B C 512MB Kingston KVR533D2N4 51...

Page 30: ... may cause severe damage to both the motherboard and the components 1 7 4 Removing a DIMM To remove a DIMM 1 Simultaneously press the retaining clips outward to unlock the DIMM 2 Remove the DIMM from the socket Support the DIMM lightly with your fingers when pressing the retaining clips The DIMM might get damaged when it flips out with extra force A DDR2 DIMM is keyed with a notch so that it fits ...

Page 31: ... screw for later use 4 Align the card 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 Ensure that you unplug the power cord before adding or removing expansion cards Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components 1 8 2 Configuring...

Page 32: ...OpenHCI USB Host Controller 4 Communications Port COM 1 5 ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering 6 free 7 free 8 System CMOS Real Time Clock 9 SCI IRQ used by ACPI bus 10 Standard PCI Graphics Adapter VGA 11 free 12 Microsoft PS 2 Port Mouse 13 Numeric data processor 14 Primary IDE controller single fifo 15 Secondary IDE controller single fifo This IRQ is usually available for ISA or PCI devices ...

Page 33: ...ntroller 1 Onboard USB2 0 Controller 2 Onboard ATI RS780 AZALIA Onboard IDE PORT shared Onboard HD Audio shared Onboard LAN shared Onchip SATA shared PCI Card1 shared PCI Card2 shared PCI Card3 shared When using PCI cards on shared slots ensure that the drivers support Share IRQ or that the cards do not need IRQ assignments otherwise conflicts will arise between the two PCI groups making the syste...

Page 34: ... 1 8 4 PCI Express x1 slot This motherboard supports PCI Express x1 network cards SCSI cards and other cards that comply with the PCI Express specifications The photo shows a network card installed on the PCI Express x1 slot 1 8 5 PCI Express x16 slot This motherboard supports PCI Express x16 graphics cards that comply with PCI Express specifications The photo shows a graphics card installed on th...

Page 35: ...Keep the cap on pins 2 3 for about 5 10 seconds then move the cap back to pins 1 2 4 Reinstall the battery 5 Plug the power cord and turn ON the computer 6 Hold down the Del key during the boot process and enter BIOS setup to re enter data Except when clearing the RTC RAM never remove the cap on CLRTC jumper default position Removing the cap will cause system boot failure You do not need to clear ...

Page 36: ...Center Subwoofer port orange This port connects the center subwoofer speakers 6 Line In port light blue This port connects the tape CD CD player or other audio sources 7 Line Out port lime This port connects a headphone or a speaker In 4 channel 6 channel and 8 channel configuration the function of this port becomes Front Speaker Out 8 Microphone port pink This port connects a microphone 9 Side Sp...

Page 37: ...onnects an external audio output device via an optical S PDIF cable 14 USB 2 0 ports 5 and 6 These two 4 pin Universal Serial Bus USB ports are available for connecting USB 2 0 devices Ensure that the audio device of Sound playback is VIA High Definition Audio the name may be different based on the OS Go to Start Control Panel Sounds and Audio Devices Sound Playback to configure the setting Port H...

Page 38: ...isk drive Pin 5 on the connector is removed to prevent incorrect cable connection when using an FDD cable with a covered Pin 5 M3A78 Floppy Disk Drive Connector R M3A78 NOTE Orient the red markings on the floppy ribbon cable to PIN 1 PIN1 FLOPPY 2 Optical drive audio in connector 4 pin CD This connector allows you to receive stereo audio input from sound sources such as a CD ROM TV tuner or MPEG c...

Page 39: ...the covered hole on the Ultra DMA cable connector This prevents incorrect insertion when you connect the IDE cable Use the 80 conductor IDE cable for Ultra DMA 133 100 66 IDE devices If any device jumper is set as Cable Select make sure all other device jumpers have the same setting Drive jumper setting Mode of device s Cable connector Single device Cable Select or Master Black Two devices Cable S...

Page 40: ...efore using Serial ATA For detailed instructions on how to configure RAID 0 RAID 1 RAID 0 1 and JBOD refer to the RAID manual in the support DVD If you intend to create a Serial ATA RAID set using these connectors set the OnChip SATA Type item in the BIOS to RAID See page 2 20 for details If you want to do the task as GHOST we suggest you connect the original disk to the SATA5 or SATA6 M3A78 SATA ...

Page 41: ...e motherboard ensuring that the black wire of each cable matches the ground pin of the connector Do not forget to connect the fan cables to the fan connectors Insufficient air flow inside the system may damage the motherboard components These are not jumpers DO NOT place jumper caps on the fan connectors Only CPU Fan supports Q Fan M3A78 Fan Connectors R M3A78 CPU_FAN GND CPU FAN PWR CPU FAN IN CP...

Page 42: ...able to the USB connectors Doing so will damage the motherboard The USB 2 0 module is purchased separately R M3A78 M3A78 USB 2 0 Connectors USB78 USB 5V USB_P8 USB_P8 GND NC USB 5V USB_P7 USB_P7 GND 1 USB910 USB 5V USB_P10 USB_P10 GND NC USB 5V USB_P9 USB_P9 GND 1 USB1112 USB 5V USB_P12 USB_P12 GND NC USB 5V USB_P11 USB_P11 GND 1 7 Digital audio connector 4 1 pin SPDIF_OUT This connector is for an...

Page 43: ...unted intrusion detection sensor or switch Connect one end of the chassis intrusion sensor or switch cable to this connector The chassis intrusion sensor or switch sends a high level signal to this connector when a chassis component is removed or replaced The signal is then generated as a chassis intrusion event By default the pins labeled Chassis Signal and GND are shorted with a jumper cap Remov...

Page 44: ... front panel audio module to this connector ensure that the Front Panel Select item in the BIOS is set to HD Audio if you want to connect an AC 97 front panel audio module to this connector set the item to AC97 See page 2 26 for details Ensure that the audio device of Sound playback is VIA High Definition Audio the name may be different based on the OS Go to Start Control Panel Sounds and Audio De...

Page 45: ...p if the power is inadequate Do not forget to connect the 4 pin ATX 12 V 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 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 refe...

Page 46: ...rom or written to the HDD System warning speaker This 4 pin connector is for the chassis mounted system warning speaker The speaker allows you to hear system beeps and warnings Power Soft off button This 2 pin connector is for the system power button Pressing the power button turns the system ON or puts the system in SLEEP or SOFT OFF mode depending on the BIOS settings Pressing the power switch f...

Page 47: ...2 This chapter tells how to change the system settings through the BIOS Setup menus Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided BIOS setup ...

Page 48: ...s on these utilities 2 1 1 Creating a bootable floppy disk 1 Do any of the following to create a bootable floppy disk DOS environment a Insert a 1 44MB floppy disk into the drive b At the DOS prompt type format A S then press Enter Windows XP environment a Insert a 1 44 MB floppy disk to the floppy disk drive b Click Start from the Windows desktop then select My Computer c Select the 3 1 2 Floppy ...

Page 49: ...ppy disk drive b Click from the Windows desktop then select Computer c 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 2 Copy the original or the latest motherboard BIOS file to the bootable floppy disk Ensure that the floppy disk is not write protected and has at least 1 2MB free space...

Page 50: ... more than eight alphanumeric characters for the main filename and three alphanumeric characters for the extension name Main filename Extension name A afudos oOLDBIOS1 rom 2 Copy the AFUDOS utility afudos exe from the motherboard Support DVD to the bootable floppy disk you created earlier or a USB flash disk 3 Boot the system in DOS mode then at the prompt type afudos i filename where filename is ...

Page 51: ... flash done Advance Check Erasing flash done Writing flash 0x0008CC00 9 4 The utility verifies the file and starts updating the BIOS Do not shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS to prevent system boot failure A afudos iM3A78 rom AMI Firmware Update Utility Version 1 19 ASUS V2 07 03 11 24BB Copyright C 2002 American Megatrends Inc All rights reserved WARNING Do not turn off power d...

Page 52: ...oppy disk drive 3 The utility displays the following message and automatically checks the floppy disk for the original or updated BIOS file 4 Restart the system after the utility completes the updating process When found the utility reads the BIOS file and starts flashing the corrupted BIOS file Prepare the motherboard Support DVD the floppy disk or the USB flash disk containing the updated mother...

Page 53: ...download the latest BIOS file Bad BIOS checksum Starting BIOS recovery Checking for floppy Bad BIOS checksum Starting BIOS recovery Checking for floppy Floppy not found Checking for CD ROM CD ROM found Reading file M3A78 ROM Completed Start flashing Recovering the BIOS from the USB flash disk To recover the BIOS from the USB flash disk 1 Insert the USB flash disk that contains BIOS file to the USB...

Page 54: ...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 during the Power On Self Tests POST ASUSTek EZ Flash 2 BIOS ROM Utility V3 21 Current ROM Update ROM A Note Enter Select or Load Tab Switch V Drive Info Up Down Home End Move B Backup...

Page 55: ...ate the BIOS from an updated BIOS file Update the BIOS directly from the Internet and View the BIOS version information This utility is available in the support DVD that comes with the motherboard package ASUS Update requires an Internet connection either through a network or an Internet Service Provider ISP Quit all Windows applications before you update the BIOS using this utility This function ...

Page 56: ... Next Updating the BIOS through the Internet To update the BIOS through the Internet 1 Launch the ASUS Update utility from the Windows desktop by clicking Start Programs ASUS ASUSUpdate ASUSUpdate The ASUS Update main window appears 2 Select Update BIOS from the Internet option from the drop down menu then click Next ...

Page 57: ...m a file option from the drop down menu then click Next 4 From the FTP site select the BIOS version that you wish to download Click Next 5 Follow the screen instructions to complete the update process The ASUS Update utility is capable of updating itself through the Internet Always update the utility to avail all its features 3 Locate the BIOS file from the Open window then click Open 4 Follow the...

Page 58: ... you wish to enter Setup after POST reboot the system by doing any of the following procedures Restart using the OS standard shut down procedure Press Ctrl Alt Del simultaneously Press the reset button on the system chassis Press the power button to turn the system off then back on The default BIOS settings for this motherboard apply for most conditions to ensure optimum performance If the system ...

Page 59: ...ence 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 Select Screen Select Item Change Field Tab Select Field F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 American Megatrends Inc BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit Use ENTER TAB or SHIFT TAB to select a fi...

Page 60: ... one screen to another 2 2 5 Sub menu items A solid triangle before each item on any menu screen means that the iteam has a sub menu To display the sub menu select the item and press Enter 2 2 6 Configuration fields These fields show the values for the menu items If an item is user configurable you can change the value of the field opposite the item You cannot select an item that is not user confi...

Page 61: ... Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit Use ENTER TAB or SHIFT TAB to select a field Use or to configure system Time System Time 19 34 30 System Date Mon 11 19 2007 Legacy Diskette A 1 44M 3 5 in Primary IDE Master Not Detected Primary IDE Slave Not Detected SATA1 Not Detected SATA2 Not Detected SATA3 Not Detected SATA4 Not Detected SATA5 Not Detected SATA6 Not Detected SATA Configuration System Info...

Page 62: ...s Inc BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit Use ENTER TAB or SHIFT TAB to select a field Use or to configure system Time System Time 19 34 30 System Date Mon 11 19 2007 Legacy Diskette A 1 44M 3 5 in Primary IDE Master Not Detected Primary IDE Slave Not Detected SATA1 Not Detected SATA2 Not Detected SATA3 Not Detected SATA4 Not Detected SATA5 Not Detected SATA6 Not Detected SATA C...

Page 63: ...o CDROM ARMD LBA Large Mode Auto Enables or disables the LBA mode Setting to Auto enables the LBA mode if the device supports this mode and if the device was not previously formatted with LBA mode disabled Configuration options Disabled Auto Block Multi Sector Transfer M Auto Enables or disables data multi sectors transfers When set to Auto the data transfer from and to the device occurs multiple ...

Page 64: ...lock Mode PIO Mode Async DMA Ultra DMA and SMART monitoring These values are not user configurable These items show N A if no IDE device is installed in the system LBA Large Mode Auto Enables or disables the LBA mode Setting to Auto enables the LBA mode if the device supports this mode and if the device was not previously formatted with LBA mode disabled Configuration options Disabled Auto Select ...

Page 65: ...Selects the DMA mode Configuration options Auto SMART Monitoring Auto Sets the Smart Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology Configuration options Auto Disabled Enabled 32Bit Data Transfer Enabled Enables or disables 32 bit data transfer Configuration options Disabled Enabled 2 3 6 SATA Configuration The SATA Configuration menu allows you to configure your SATA device s Select an item then pr...

Page 66: ...ally detects the items in this menu AMI BIOS Displays the auto detected BIOS information Processor Displays the auto detected CPU specification System Memory Displays the auto detected system memory Select Screen Select Item F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 American Megatrends Inc BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main BIOS Information Version 0401 Build Date 07 07 08 Proce...

Page 67: ...Select Item Change Field F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 American Megatrends Inc BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit Configure System Frequency Voltage CPU Overclocking Auto PCIE Overclocking Auto CPU Ratio and Voltage Processor Frequency Multiplier Auto Processor OverVoltage Auto Processor NB OverVoltage Auto Hyper Transport Configuration...

Page 68: ...v 150mv Processor NB OverVoltage Auto Allows you to set the processor NB voltage Configuration options Auto 50mv 100mv 150mv Hyper Transport Speed Auto Allows you to set the HyperTransport link speed Configuration options 200MHz 400MHz 600MHz 800MHZ 1GHz Auto Hyper Transport Width Auto Allows you to set the HyperTransport link width Configuration options Auto 4 Bit 8 Bit 16 Bit Memory Clock Mode A...

Page 69: ... the AMD Cool n Quiet technology Configuration options Enabled Disabled Select Screen Select Item Change Option F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 American Megatrends Inc CPU Configuration Module Version 13 29 AGESA Version 3 1 8 0 Physical Count 1 Logical Count 1 AMD Sempron tm Processor 3200 Revision F2 Cache L1 128 KB Cache L2 128 KB Cache L3 N A Speed 1800M...

Page 70: ...ernate VID Auto Memory CLK 333MHz CAS Latency Tc1 5 0 RAS CAS Delay Trcd 5 CLK Row Precharge Time Trp 5 CLK Min Active RAS Tras 15 CLK RAS RAS Delay Trrd 3 CLK Row Cycle Trc 21 CLK Memory Configuration Advanced Memory Configuration Bank Interleaving Auto Channel Interleaving Disabled MemClk Tristate C3 ATLVID Disabled Memory Hole Remapping Enabled DCT Unganged Mode Auto Power Down Enable Enabled E...

Page 71: ...ptions Auto Always Power Down Enable Enabled Allows you to enable or disable DDR power down mode Configuration options Disabled Enabled ECC Configuration Advanced ECC Configuration ECC Mode Disabled DRAM ECC Enable Disabled DRAM SCRUB REDIRECT Disabled 4 Bit ECC Mode Disabled DRAM BG Scrub Disabled Data Cache BG Scrub Disabled L2 Cache BG Scrub Disabled L3 Cache BG Scrub Disabled Set the level of ...

Page 72: ...ition audio controller Configuration options Enabled Disabled Front Panel Select HD Audio Configuration options HD Audio AC97 Select Screen Select Item Change Option F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 American Megatrends Inc Onboard Devices configuration Serial Port1 Address 3F8 IRQ4 Parallel Port Address 378 Parallel Port Mode Normal Parallel Port IRQ IRQ7 HDA...

Page 73: ...nd Play O S No 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 Select Screen Select Item Change Option F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 American Megatrends Inc BIOS SETUP ...

Page 74: ...to USB 2 0 Controller Mode HiSpeed Allows you to configure the USB 2 0 controller in HiSpeed 480Mbps or FullSpeed 12Mbps Configuration options FullSpeed HiSpeed The Module Version and USB Devices Enabled items show the auto detected values If no USB device is detected the item shows None 2 4 6 USB Configuration The items in this menu allows you to change the USB related features Select an item the...

Page 75: ...ght 1985 2008 American Megatrends Inc Suspend Mode Auto ACPI Support Disabled ACPI APIC support Enabled APM Configuration HW Monitor Configuration Select the ACPI state used for System Suspend BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit Power Settings 2 5 2 ACPI Support Disabled Allows you to enable or disable the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface ACPI 2 0 support Configuration...

Page 76: ... options Disabled Enabled Power on From S5 By PS 2 KB MS Disabled Enables or disables PS 2 Keyboard Mouse to generate a wake event Configuration options Disabled Enabled Power on From S5 By RTC Alarm Disabled Enables or disables RTC to generate a wake event Configuration options Disabled Enabled Select Screen Select Item Change Option F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit v02 61 C Copyright 1...

Page 77: ...hassis the specific field shows N A Select Ignored if you do not wish to display the detected speed Power Fan Speed N A or Ignored The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the power fan speed in rotations per minute RPM If the fan is not connected to the motherboard the specific field shows N A Select Ignored if you do not wish to display the detected speed v02 58 C Copyrigh...

Page 78: ...V or Ignored The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the voltage output through the onboard voltage regulators Smart Q Fan Function Enabled Allows you to enable or disable the ASUS Q Fan feature that smartly adjusts the CPU fan speeds for more efficient system operation Configuration options Disabled Enabled Fan Auto Mode Start Voltage 5 0V Allows you to set the fan auto mode start volt...

Page 79: ...Boot Device 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 1st FLOPPY DRIVE Hard Drive ATAPI CD ROM Disabled 2 6 1 Boot Device Priority Select Screen Select Item Change Option F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit v02 61 C Copyr...

Page 80: ... Hit DEL Message Display Enabled When set to Enabled the system displays the message Press DEL to run Setup during POST Configuration options Disabled Enabled Quick Boot Enabled Enabling this item allows the BIOS to skip some power on self tests POST while booting to decrease the time needed to boot the system When set to Disabled BIOS performs all the POST items Configuration options Disabled Ena...

Page 81: ...lect the Change Supervisor Password then press Enter The message Password Uninstalled appears 2 6 3 Security The Security menu items allow you to change the system security settings Select an item then press Enter to display the configuration options Select Screen Select Item Enter Change F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 American Megatrends Inc Security Setti...

Page 82: ...ted fields such as Date and Time Full Access allows viewing and changing all the fields in the Setup utility Change User Password Select this item to set or change the user password The User Password item on top of the screen shows the default Not Installed After you set a password this item shows Installed To set a User Password 1 Select the Change User Password item and press Enter 2 On the pass...

Page 83: ... V3 21 Current ROM Update ROM A Note Enter Select or Load Tab Switch V Drive Info Up Down Home End Move B Backup ESC Exit FLASH TYPE MXIC 25L8005 PATH A BOARD M3A78 VER 0209 H 00 B 04 DATE 07 01 2008 BOARD Unknown VER Unknown DATE Unknown Select Screen Select Item Change Field Enter Go to Sub Screen F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2007 American Megatrends Inc ASU...

Page 84: ... options No Reset When setting this item to Reset ensure that you save the setting to the BIOS so that the user data will be cleared the next time you enter the Express Gate User data includes the Express Gate s settings as well as any personal information stored by the web browser bookmarks cookies browsing history etc This is useful in the rare case where corrupt settings prevent the Express Gat...

Page 85: ...tem Date System Time and Password the BIOS asks for a confirmation before exiting Discard Changes This option allows you to discard the selections you made and restore the previously saved values After selecting this option a confirmation window appears Select OK to discard any changes and load the previously saved values Load Setup Defaults This option allows you to load the default values for ea...

Page 86: ...2 40 Chapter 2 BIOS setup ...

Page 87: ...3 Software support This chapter describes the contents of the support DVD that comes with the motherboard package ...

Page 88: ...ications and utilities that you can install to avail all motherboard features 3 2 1 Running the support DVD Place the support DVD into the optical drive The DVD automatically displays the Drivers menu if Autorun is enabled in your computer Motherboard settings and hardware options vary Use the setup procedures presented in this chapter for reference only Refer to your OS documentation for detailed...

Page 89: ...tallation wizard for anti virus and drivers Norton Internet Security 2008 Installs the Norton Internet Security 2008 AMD Chipset Driver Installs the AMD chipset driver VIA Audio Driver Installs the VIA audio driver Realtek RTL8111B C 10 100 1000M LAN Driver Installs the Realtek RTL8111B C 10 100 1000M LAN driver AMD Cool n Quiet Driver Installs the AMD Cool n Quiet driver The screen display and dr...

Page 90: ...his smart utility monitors the fan speed CPU temperature and system voltages and alerts you of any detected problems This utility helps you keep your computer in healthy operating condition 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 A...

Page 91: ...to easily manage edit share and protect your multimedia data CyberLink PowerBackup Installs CyberLink PowerBackup to back up and restore your data easily Adobe Acrobat Reader 8 Installs the Adobe Acrobat Reader that allows you to open view and print documents in Portable Document Format PDF Click to return to the previous page Winzip 11 Installs the Winzip utility for easy file compression and pro...

Page 92: ...te an ATI Serial ATA SATA RAID AHCI driver disk for 32bit Vista operation system Make ATI RAID AHCI Vista64 Driver Allows you to create an ATI Serial ATA SATA RAID AHCI driver disk for 64bit Vista operation system Make ATI RAID AHCI Driver for XP XP 64bit Driver Allows you to create an ATI Serial ATA SATA RAID AHCI driver disk for 32 64bit XP operation system ...

Page 93: ... contains a list of supplementary user manuals Click an item to open the folder of the user manual Most user manual files are in Portable Document Format PDF Install the Adobe Acrobat Reader from the Utilities menu before opening a user manual file ...

Page 94: ... this information on the inside front cover of this user guide 3 2 7 Other information The icons on the top right corner of the screen give additional information on the motherboard and the contents of the support DVD Click an icon to display the specified information Motherboard Info Displays the general specifications of the motherboard ...

Page 95: ...echnical Support Request Form that you have to fill out when requesting technical support Filelist Displays the contents of the support DVD and a brief description of each in text format Browse this DVD Displays the support DVD contents in graphical format ...

Page 96: ...controlled onboard SATA ports only All onboard extended SATA ports and external SATA ports are NOT supported See chapter 2 for the exact location of onboard SATA ports ASUS Express Gate supports installation on USB HDDs and Flash drives but the software performance may be slower than installed on SATA HDDs To install Express Gate on your computer 1 Place the support CD DVD into the optical drive T...

Page 97: ... button As you move the mouse or type a key the countdown stops and the timer disappears so you can take your time to make a selection The Express Gate Environment The very first time you enter the Express Gate environment by launching either web or Skype from the first screen a first time wizard will guide you through basic Express Gate configurations Basic configurations include language date an...

Page 98: ...ottom of the screen to launch or switch between softwares You can re arrange re size and move windows Bring a window to the foreground by clicking within it or by clicking on its corresponding software icon Re size a window by dragging any of its four corners Move a window by dragging its title bar Besides using the LaunchBar you can also switch between softwares by pressing Alt Tab on the keyboar...

Page 99: ...ffer from motherboards You can connect the LAN cable to either port and Express Gate will automatically use the connected port Also specify whether each port uses DHCP most common or static IP For PPPoE and wireless optional set the login credentials user name password SSID etc as well Environment Settings This function allows you to clear the Express Gate settings as well as any personal informat...

Page 100: ...ssaging tool Start the Skype software which lets you call other people on Skype for free as well as offering affordable high quality voice communications to phones all over the world Opens Configuration Panel which lets you specify network settings and other preferences In the rare case that one of the above softwares stops responding you can right click on its icon and then select Close to force ...

Page 101: ...e Click to open Express Gate Help Click to bring up power options window to boot to OS restart or power down This window is also shown when you press Ctrl Alt Del on the keyboard Power off Enter OS Cancel and return to Express Gate Restart Check to save user profile How Do I Get on to the Internet If Internet doesn t seem to be working in the Express Gate environment check the following 1 Open the...

Page 102: ...2 Express Gate will automatically use whichever port LAN1 or LAN2 is connected If you plug the network cable into a different port while Express Gate is running e g move the cable from LAN1 to LAN2 you may need to press the Refresh button to detect the change The most common scenario is for your computer to automatically obtain network settings i e DHCP If this is the case you don t need to click ...

Page 103: ...SL cable dial up and establish the PPPoE connection When PPPoE is enabled the port it uses will automatically be unchecked and grayed out Using the Photo Manager Express Gate provides a easy to use Photo Manager that allows you to view pictures stored in your hard drive or external storage devices such as USB dongles card readers or optical disks You can view pictures in thumbnail view in an enlar...

Page 104: ...up file to start software update 2 A software update confirmation dialog box appears Click Yes to continue 3 The InstallShield Wizard for Express Gate appears Click Next to continue 4 Follow the screen instructions to complete installation Repairing Express Gate In case Express Gate cannot start normally you can repair Express Gate by reinstalling the software or using the repairing utility To rep...

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