Asus M3A78 PRO User Manual Download Page 18

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1-6

Chapter 1: Product introduction

ASUS EZ DIY

ASUS EZ DIY feature collection provides you easy ways to install computer

components, update the BIOS or back up your favorite settings.

ASUS Express Gate

Just 5 seconds to boot up, the ASUS Express Gate allows you to instantly

surf the Internet without entering Windows. You can now enjoy Skype, IM,

YouTube, webmail and Internet file downloads and sharing whenever and

wherever you want! See page 2-39 and 3-10 for details .

• The bootup speed depends on system configurations.

• Due to chipset limitation, ASUS Express Gate supports USB devices or

Due to chipset limitation, ASUS Express Gate supports USB devices or

ASUS Express Gate supports USB devices or

SATA HDDs (IDE mode) connected to SATA port 1-4 only. Set the

SATA

Operation Mode

item in the BIOS to [IDE] before installing and using

ASUS Express Gate.

• Currently, ASUS Express Gate DOES NOT support PATA IDE HDDs. Visit

www.asus.com for future BIOS and Express Gate software updates.

ASUS Q-Shield

The specially designed ASUS Q-Shield does without the usual “fingers”—

making it convenient and easy to install. With better electric conductivity,

it ideally protects your motherboard against static electricity and shields it

against Electronic Magnetic Interference (EMI).

ASUS Q-Connector

ASUS Q-Connector allows you to easily connect or disconnect the chassis

front panel cables to the motherboard. This unique module eliminates the

trouble of connecting the system panel cables one at a time and avoiding

wrong cable connections. See page 1-40 for details.

ASUS O.C. Profile

The motherboard features the ASUS O.C. Profile that allows users to

conveniently store or load multiple BIOS settings. The BIOS settings can be

stored in the CMOS or a separate file, giving users freedom to share and

distribute their favorite settings. See page 2-40 for details.

Summary of Contents for M3A78 PRO

Page 1: ...Motherboard M3A78 PRO ...

Page 2: ...PARTICULAR PURPOSE IN NO EVENT SHALL ASUS ITS DIRECTORS OFFICERS EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT SPECIAL INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS LOSS OF BUSINESS LOSS OF USE OR DATA INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS AND THE LIKE EVEN IF ASUS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES ARISING FROM ANY DEFECT OR ERROR IN THIS MANUAL OR PRODUCT SPECIFI...

Page 3: ...yout 1 9 1 5 2 Placement direction 1 10 1 5 3 Screw holes 1 10 1 6 Central Processing Unit CPU 1 11 1 6 1 Installing the CPU 1 11 1 6 2 Installing the heatsink and fan 1 13 1 7 System memory 1 15 1 7 1 Overview 1 15 1 7 2 Memory configurations 1 15 1 7 3 Installing a DIMM 1 23 1 7 4 Removing a DIMM 1 23 1 8 Expansion slots 1 24 1 8 1 Installing an expansion card 1 24 1 8 2 Configuring an expansion...

Page 4: ...2 12 2 2 7 Pop up window 2 12 2 2 8 Scroll bar 2 12 2 2 9 General help 2 12 2 3 Main menu 2 13 2 3 1 System Time 2 13 2 3 2 System Date 2 13 2 3 3 Legacy Diskette A 2 13 2 3 4 Primary IDE Master Slave 2 14 2 3 5 SATA1 2 3 4 5 6 2 15 2 3 6 Storage Configuration 2 16 2 3 7 System Information 2 17 2 4 Advanced menu 2 18 2 4 1 Jumperfree Configuration 2 18 2 4 2 AI NET 2 2 22 2 4 3 CPU Configuration 2...

Page 5: ... 7 3 ASUS O C Profile 2 40 2 8 Exit menu 2 41 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 7 3 2 7 Other information 3 8 3 3 ASUS Express Gate 3 10 3 4 ATI Hybrid CrossFireX 3 18 3 4 1 ...

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: ...e 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 contact your dealer ...

Page 8: ...s 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 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 website...

Page 9: ...that you MUST 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 wi...

Page 10: ... a total installed memory of less than 3GB is recommended VGA Integrated ATI Radeon HD 3200 GPU Hybrid CrossFire support For Windows Vista only Supports HDMI Technology HDCP compliant with max resolution up to 1920 x 1200 1080P Supports DVI with max resolution up to 1600 x 1200 60Hz Supports D Sub with max resolution up to 2560 x 1440 75 Hz Supports Microsoft DirectX 10 OpenGL 2 0 Pixel Shader 4 0...

Page 11: ...tive Polymer Capacitors ASUS MyLogo 2 ASUS Exclusive Overclocking Features Intelligent overclocking tools AI Overclocking Intelligent CPU Frequency Tuner ASUS AI Booster Utility Precision Tweaker vCore Adjustable CPU voltage at 0 0125V increment vDIMM 8 step DRAM voltage control vChipset 4 step Chipset voltage control SFS Stepless Frequency Selection FSB tuning from 200MHz up to 600MHz at 1MHz inc...

Page 12: ...U Fan connector 1 x Chassis Fan connector 1 x Power Fan connector 1 x Front panel audio connector 1 x S PDIF Out Header 1 x Chassis Intrusion connector 1 x DVD audio in 1 x 24 pin ATX Power connector 1 x 4 pin ATX 12V Power connector 1 x System Panel Q Connector BIOS features 8 Mb Flash ROM AMI BIOS PnP DMI 2 0 WfM2 0 SM BIOS 2 3 ACPI 2 0a ASUS EZ Flash 2 Support DVD contents Drivers Express Gate ...

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

Page 14: ...d hardware devices on it check the items in your package with the list below If any of the above items is damaged or missing contact your retailer 1 2 Package contents Check your motherboard package for the following items Motherboard ASUS M3A78 PRO motherboard Cables Serial ATA signal and power cable Ultra DMA 133 100 cable Floppy disk drive cable Accessories 1 x Q shield 1 x HDMI to DVI Converto...

Page 15: ...ta transfer rate up to 5200MT s via HyperTransport 3 0 based system bus See page 1 11 for details HyperTransport 3 0 support HyperTransport 3 0 technology provides 2 6 times more bandwidth than HyperTransport 1 0 radically improving system efficiency to create a smoother faster computing environment AMD Socket AM2 Athlon Series Sempron CPU support This motherboard supports AMD Socket AM2 Athlon Se...

Page 16: ...compressed all digital audio and video interface via a single cable and is HDCP compliant aloowing playback of HD DVD Blu Ray Disc and other protected content See page 1 30 for details PCIe 2 0 support This motherboard supports the latest PCIe 2 0 devices for double speed and bandwidth which enhances system performance See page 1 26 for details Serial ATA 3 0 Gb s technology This motherboard suppo...

Page 17: ...imizing system noise and saving CPU power consumption at most You can real time chnage the mode under operating system to suit your needs AI Nap With AI Nap the system can continue running at minimum power and noise when you are temporarily away To wake the system and return to the OS environment simply click the mouse or press a key Q Fan 2 ASUS Q Fan 2 technology intelligently adjusts both CPU f...

Page 18: ...e DOES NOT support PATA IDE HDDs Visit www asus com for future BIOS and Express Gate software updates ASUS Q Shield The specially designed ASUS Q Shield does without the usual fingers making it convenient and easy to install With better electric conductivity it ideally protects your motherboard against static electricity and shields it against Electronic Magnetic Interference EMI ASUS Q Connector ...

Page 19: ...d image on your screen See page 2 35 for details 1 3 3 ASUS intelligent performance and overclocking features Precision Tweaker Precision Tweaker allows the user to adjust the northbridge voltage southbridge voltage and DRAM voltage in 0 02V steps to achieve the most precise settings for the ultimate customized overclocking configuration AI Booster The ASUS AI Booster allows you to overclock the C...

Page 20: ...y motherboard settings Unplug the power cord from the 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 groun...

Page 21: ...ASUS M3A78 PRO 1 9 1 5 1 Motherboard layout 1 5 Motherboard overview Refer to 1 10 Connectors for more information about rear panel connectors and internal connectors ...

Page 22: ... 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 Do not overtighten the screws Doing so can damage the motherboard Place this side towards the rear of the chassis ...

Page 23: ...teron processor Make sure you use a CPU is designed for the 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 Make sur...

Page 24: ...he lever clicks on the side tab to indicate that 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 for...

Page 25: ...ase 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 heatsink or CPU before you install the heatsink and fan assembly Retention Module Base CPU...

Page 26: ...bracket 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 Make sure that the fan and heatsink assembly perfectly fits the retention mechanism module base otherwise you cannot snap the retention bracket in place ...

Page 27: ... dimensions as a DDR DIMM but has a 240 pin footprint compared to the 184 pin DDR DIMM DDR2 DIMMs are notched differently to prevent installation on a DDR DIMM socket The figure illustrates the location of the DDR2 DIMM sockets Channel Sockets Channel A DIMM_A1 and DIMM_A2 Channel B DIMM_B1 and DIMM_B2 Recommended memory configurations Mode Sockets DIMM_A1 DIMM_A2 DIMM_B1 DIMM_B2 Single Channel Po...

Page 28: ...ith the same CAS latency For optimum compatibility it is recommended that you obtain memory modules from the same vendor If you install four 1 GB memory modules the system may only recognize less than 3GB because the address space is reserved for other critical functions This limitation appears on Windows XP Vista 32 bit operation system which does not support Physical Address Extension PAE If you...

Page 29: ... Kit of 2 G SKILL Heat Sink Package 4 N A DS F2 6400CL4D 4GBPK 4GB Kit of 2 G SKILL Heat Sink Package 6 N A DS F2 6400CL6D 4GBMQ 4GB Kit of 2 G SKILL Heat Sink Package 5 N A DS F2 6400CL5D 4GBPQ 2GB GEIL GE24GB800C5DC 5 5 5 15 N A DS Heat Sink Package 2GB GEIL GE28GB800C5QC 5 5 5 15 N A DS Heat Sink Package 2GB GEIL GE28GB800C4QC 4 4 4 12 N A DS Heat Sink Package 2GB GEIL GE24GB800C4DC 4 4 4 12 N ...

Page 30: ...DS M391T5663QZ3 CF7 2GB SAMSUNG K4T1G084QQ ECC 6 SAMSUNG DS M378T5663QZ3 CF7 512MB Super Talent Heat Sink Package N A N A SS T800UA12C4 1GB Super Talent Heat Sink Package N A N A DS T800UB1GC4 1GB Aeneon AET93R25DB N A Aeneon DS AET760UD00 25DB97X 2GB Aeneon AET02R25DC N A Aeneon DS AET860UD00 25DC08S 2GB Aeneon AET03R25DC 5 Aeneon DS AET860UD00 25DC08X 1GB Asint DDRII1208 GE N A Asint SS SLY2128M...

Page 31: ...DS KLCD48F A8KB5 512MB KINGSTON D6408TEBGGL3U 5 KINGSTON SS KVR667D2N5 512 1GB KINGSTON E5108AGBG 6E E N A KINGSTON DS KVR667D2N5 1G 2GB KINGSTON E1108AB 6E E N A ELPIDA DS KVR667D2N5 2G 512MB NANYA NT5TU64M8BE 3C 5 NANYA SS NT512T64U88B0BY 3C 2GB NANYA NT5TU128M8BJ 3C 5 NANYA DS NT2GT64U8HB0JY 3C 1GB PSC A3R12E3JFF719A9T02 5 PSC DS AL7E8E63J 6E1 2GB Qimonda HYB18T1GB00C2F 3S 5 QIMONDA DS HYS64T25...

Page 32: ...6FD 1GB Crucial Heat Sink Package 4 N A DS BL12864AL804 16FD3 1GB Crucial Heat Sink Package 4 N A DS BL12864AA804 16FD3 512MB Apacer AM4B5708JQJS8E N A APACER SS 78 91G9I 9K5 1GB Apacer AM4B5808CQJS8E N A APACER SS 78 01GA0 9K5 2GB Apacer AM4B5808CQJS8E 5 APACER DS 78 A1GA0 9K4 512MB A DATA AD29608A8A 25EG N A N A SS M2OAD6G3H3160G1E53 1GB A DATA AD26908A8A 25EG N A N A DS M2OAD6G3I4170I1E58 512MB...

Page 33: ...0C2F 3S 5 QIMONDA DS HYS64T256020EU 3S C2 512MB SAMSUNG K4T51163QE ZCE6 5 SAMSUNG DS M378T3354EZ3 CE6 256MB SAMSUNG K4T51083QE 5 SAMSUNG SS M378T6553EZS CE6 1GB SAMSUNG K4T51083QE 5 SAMSUNG DS M378T2953EZ3 CE6 256MB Hynix HY5PS121621CFP Y5 5 Hynix SS HYMP532U64CP6 Y5 1GB Hynix HY5PS12821CFP Y5 5 Hynix DS HYMP512U64CP8 Y5 256MB CORSAIR MIII00605 N A N A SS VS256MB667D2 512MB CORSAIR 64M8CFEG N A N ...

Page 34: ...MB TwinMOS TMM6208G8M30C 5 TwinMOS SS 8D 23JK5M2ETP M3A78 PRO Motherboard Qualified Vendors Lists QVL DDR2 667 MHz capability for AM2 CPU continued Visit the ASUS website for the latest DDR2 QVL Side s SS Single sided DS Double sided DIMM support A Supports one module inserted into either slot as Single channel memory configuration B Supports two modules inserted into either the yellow slots or th...

Page 35: ...ocked retaining clip DDR2 DIMM notch 3 2 1 1 DDR2 DIMM notch 1 2 1 1 1 7 3 Installing a DIMM Make sure to unplug the power supply before adding or removing DIMMs or other system components Failure to do so may cause severe damage to both the motherboard and the components A DDR2 DIMM is keyed with a notch so that it fits in only one direction DO NOT force a DIMM into a socket to avoid damaging the...

Page 36: ...s for the card 2 Remove the system unit cover if your motherboard is already installed in a chassis 3 Remove the bracket opposite the slot that you intend to use Keep the 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 1 8 2 Co...

Page 37: ...USB 2 0 controller 2 shared SATA controller shared Azalia shared IRQ Priority Standard function 0 1 System timer 1 2 Keyboard controller 2 Re direct to IRQ 9 3 11 IRQ holder for PCI steering 4 12 Communications port COM1 5 13 IRQ holder for PCI steering 6 14 Floppy disk controller 7 15 IRQ holder for PCI steering 8 3 System CMOS Real Time Clock 9 4 IRQ holder for PCI steering 10 5 IRQ holder for P...

Page 38: ...Refer to the figure below for the location of the slot 1 8 5 PCI Express 2 0 x16 slot This motherboard supports PCI Express x16 graphic cards that comply with PCI Express specifications Refer to the figure below for the location of the slot PCI_1 slot PCIe x1_1 slot PCI_2 slot PCIe 2 0 x16 slot PCIe x1_2 slot PCI_3 slot Currently only Windows Vista operation system supports Hybird CrossFireX mode ...

Page 39: ...wn 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 If the steps above do not help remove the onboard battery and move the jumper again to clear the CMOS RTC RAM data After the CMOS clearance reinstall the battery You do not need to clear t...

Page 40: ...tional USB ports The USB device wake up feature requires a power supply that can provide 500mA on the 5VSB lead for each USB port otherwise the system will not power up The total current consumed must NOT exceed the power supply capability 5VSB whether under normal condition or in sleep mode 3 Keyboard power 3 pin KBPWR This jumper allows you to enable or disable the keyboard wake up feature Set t...

Page 41: ...NG Data activity GREEN 1 Gbps connection 4 Center Subwoofer port orange This port connects the center subwoofer speakers 5 Rear Speaker Out port black This port connects the rear speakers in a 4 channel 6 channel or 8 channel audio configuration 6 Line In port light blue This port connects the tape DVD DVD player or other audio sources 7 Line Out port lime This port connects a headphone or a speak...

Page 42: ...idth with the higher version DVD player and drivers will upgrade the playback quality CPU AMD Athlon64 ADH3200IAA4DE 512KB single core DIMM Kingston DDR2 800 1G x1 BIOS share memory 256MB HDD Seagate ST3160023A ATA100 ODD Sony BWU100A To play HD DVD or Blu Ray Disc make sure to use an HDCP compliant monitor 12 Coaxial S PDIF Out port This port connects an external audio output device via a coaxial...

Page 43: ...Graphics Settings tree expand DTV HDMI 1 4 Click Scaling Options 5 Move the Underscan Overscan slider to adjust the overall size of the display on the HDMI DTV Using this slider increases or decreases any black borders that may be visible around the outside of the display The Scaling Options function of the DTV HDMI 1 item in the ATI CATALYST Control Center is adjustable only when you are using an...

Page 44: ... FDD cable with a covered Pin 5 2 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 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 ...

Page 45: ...our device s Pin 20 on the IDE connector is removed to match 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 S...

Page 46: ...a RAID 0 RAID 1 and RAID 10 configuration through the onboard controller Important note on Serial ATA Install the Windows XP Service Pack 1 before using Serial ATA For detailed instructions on how to configure RAID 0 RAID 1 and RAID 10 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 S...

Page 47: ...orget 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 6 Digital audio connector 4 1 pin SPDIF_OUT 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 ...

Page 48: ...upports up to 480 Mbps connection speed Never connect a 1394 cable to the USB connectors Doing so will damage the motherboard 8 Optical drive audio in connector 4 pin DVD These connectors allow you to receive stereo audio input from sound sources such as a DVD ROM TV tuner or MPEG card The USB 2 0 module is purchased separately You can connect the front panel USB cable to the ASUS Q Connector USB ...

Page 49: ... AC 97 audio standard Connect one end of the front panel audio I O module cable to this connector We recommend that you connect a high definition front panel audio module to this connector to avail of the motherboard high definition audio capability If you want to connect a high definition front panel audio module to this connector make sure that the Front Panel Support Type item in the BIOS is se...

Page 50: ...plies with ATX 12 V Specification 2 0 or later version and provides a minimum power of 400 W Do not forget to connect the 4 pin EATX12V power plug otherwise the system will not boot Use of a PSU with a higher power output is recommended 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...

Page 51: ...this connector The IDE LED lights up or flashes when data is read from 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 ...

Page 52: ... Connect the front panel cables to the ASUS Q Connector Refer to the labels on the Q Connector to know the detailed pin definitions then match them to the respective front panel cable labels 2 Install the ASUS Q Connector to the system panel connector making sure the orientation matches the labels on the motherboard 3 The front panel functions are now enabled The figure shows the Q Connector prope...

Page 53: ...2 This chapter tells how to change the system settings through the BIOS Setup menus Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided Chapter 2 BIOS setup ...

Page 54: ... the motherboard support DVD during POST 2 ASUS AFUDOS Updates the BIOS in DOS mode using a bootable floppy disk 3 ASUS Update Updates the BIOS in Windows environment Refer to the corresponding sections for details on these utilities Save a copy of the original motherboard BIOS file to a bootable floppy disk in case you need to restore the BIOS in the future Copy the original motherboard BIOS usin...

Page 55: ...Drive icon d Click File from the menu then select Format A Format 3 1 2 Floppy Disk window appears e Windows XP users Select Create an MS DOS startup disk from the format options field then click Start Windows Vista environment a Insert a formatted high density 1 44 MB floppy disk to the floppy disk drive b Click from the Windows desktop then select Computer c Right click Floppy Disk Drive then cl...

Page 56: ...ile to the floppy disk drive or the USB port Press Alt F2 during POST to display the following 2 Enter BIOS setup program Go to the Tools menu to select EZ Flash 2 and press Enter to enable it You can switch between drives by pressing Tab before the correct file is found Then press Enter 4 When the correct BIOS file is found EZ Flash 2 performs the BIOS update process and automatically reboots the...

Page 57: ...en at the prompt type afudos o filename where the filename is any user assigned filename not more than eight alphanumeric characters for the main filename and three alphanumeric characters for the extension name A afudos oOLDBIOS1 rom Make sure that the floppy disk is not write protected and has at least 1024KB free space to save the file The succeeding BIOS screens are for reference only The actu...

Page 58: ...se restart your computer A 2 Copy the AFUDOS utility afudos exe from the motherboard support DVD to the bootable floppy disk you created earlier 3 Boot the system in DOS mode then at the prompt type afudos i filename where filename is the latest or the original BIOS file on the bootable floppy disk A afudos iM3A78PRO ROM Write the BIOS filename on a piece of paper You need to type the exact BIOS f...

Page 59: ...age save and update the motherboard BIOS in Windows environment The ASUS Update utility allows you to Save the current BIOS file Download the latest BIOS file from the Internet Update 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 req...

Page 60: ...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 61: ...a file option from the drop down menu then click Next 3 Locate the BIOS file from the Open window then click Open 4 Follow the screen instructions to complete the update process 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 Al...

Page 62: ... Press Del during the Power On Self Test POST to enter the Setup utility otherwise POST continues with its test routines If you wish to enter Setup after POST restart the system by pressing Ctrl Alt Delete or by pressing the reset button on the system chassis You can also restart by turning the system off and then back on Do this last option only if the first two failed The Setup program is design...

Page 63: ... left arrow key on the keyboard until the desired item is highlighted 2 2 3 Navigation keys 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 v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 American Megatrends Inc Select Screen Select Item Change Option F1 General Help F10Save and Exit ESCExit Use E...

Page 64: ...ed To change the value of a field select it then press Enter to display a list of options Refer to 2 2 7 Pop up window 2 2 7 Pop up window Select a menu item then press Enter to display a pop up window with the configuration options for that item 2 2 8 Scroll bar A scroll bar appears on the right side of a menu screen when there are items that do not fit on the screen Press the Up Down arrow keys ...

Page 65: ...or information on the menu screen items and how to navigate through them v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 American Megatrends Inc Select Screen Select Item Change Option Tab Select Field F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit Use ENTER TAB or SHIFT TAB to select a field Use or to configure system time System Time 17 41 19 System Date Thu 05 15 2008 Legacy Diskette A 1 44M 3 5 in Primary IDE Master...

Page 66: ...MD 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 sectors at...

Page 67: ...ETUP UTILITY Main Third IDE Master Device Hard Disk Vendor HDT722516DLA380 Size 164 7GB LBA Mode Supported Block Mode 16Sectors PIO Mode 4 Async DMA MultiWord DMA 2 Ultra DMA Ultra DMA 6 SMART Monitoring Supported LBA Large Mode Auto Block Multi sector Transfer M Auto PIO Mode Auto DMA Mode Auto SMART Monitoring Auto 32Bit Data Transfer Enabled Disabled Disables LBA Mode Ayto Enables LBA Mode if t...

Page 68: ... UDMA5 UDMA6 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 Storage Configuration The Storage Configuration menu allows you to configure your storage device s Select an item then press Enter to display the s...

Page 69: ...ant to use the Serial ATA hard disk drives as Parallel ATA physical storage devices keep the default setting IDE If you want the Serial ATA hard disk drives to use the Advanced Host Controller Interface AHCI set this item to AHCI The AHCI allows the onboard storage driver to enable advanced Serial ATA features that increases storage performance on random workloads by allowing the drive to internal...

Page 70: ...1 Jumperfree Configuration Advanced Configure System Frequency Voltage AI Overclocking Auto Processor Voltage Auto CPU NB HT Link Speed Auto CPU Tweak Enabled PLL1 Spread Spectrum Disabled PLL2 Spread Spectrum Disabled SB Clock Spread Spectrum Enabled Select the target CPU frequency and the relevant parameters will be auto adjusted Frequencies higher than CPU manufacturer recommends are not guaran...

Page 71: ...IE frequency using the numeric keypad The values range from 100 to 150 The following item appears only when you set the Ai Overclocking item to Manual Standard or Overclock Profile Processor Frequency Multiplier Auto Allows selection of the processor frequency multiplier Configuration options Auto x4 0 800 MHz x5 0 1000 MHz x6 0 1200 MHz x7 0 1400 MHz x8 0 1600 MHz x9 0 1800 MHz x10 0 2000 MHz x11...

Page 72: ...nabled Allows you to enable or disable the CPU Tweak feature Configuration options Enabled Disabled DRAM Timing Configuration This sub menu allows selection of the DRAM Timing Configuration BIOS SETUP UTILITY Advanced DRAM Timing Configuration Memory Clock Mode Auto 2T Mode Auto DRAM Timing Mode Auto Options Auto Limit Manual The configuration options for some of the following items vary depending...

Page 73: ... 17 CLK 18 CLK tWR Auto Configuration options Auto 3 CLK 4 CLK 5 CLK 6 CLK tRFC0 Auto Configuration options Auto 75ns 105ns 127 5ns 195ns 327 5ns tRFC1 Auto Configuration options Auto 75ns 105ns 127 5ns 195ns 327 5ns tRFC2 Auto Configuration options Auto 75ns 105ns 127 5ns 195ns 327 5ns tRFC3 Auto Configuration options Auto 75ns 105ns 127 5ns 195ns 327 5ns TRC Auto Configuration options Auto 11 CL...

Page 74: ...uth Bridge Clock Spread Spectrum settings for EMI control It is recommended to leave this item to the default setting for system stability Configuration options Disabled Enabled 2 4 2 AI NET 2 This menu displays the status of the Local Area Network LAN cable connected to the LAN RJ 45 port Realtek POST Check LAN cable Disabled Allows you to enable or disable LAN cable check during POST When enable...

Page 75: ... settings Select an item then press Enter to display the sub menu Enable Disable Secure Virtual Machine Mode SVM CPU Configuration Module Version 13 28 AGESA Version 3 1 7 0 Physical Count 1 Logical Count 1 AMD Athlon tm 64 Processor 3200 Revision F2 Cache L1 128KB Cache L2 512KB Cache L3 N A Speed 2000MHz NB Clk N A Current FSB Multiplier 10x Maximum FSB Multiplier 10x Able to Change Freq Yes uCo...

Page 76: ...peed Mode Disabled Configuration options Auto Disabled Software Initiated Advertised RC Link ASPM Disabled Configuration options Disabled L0s L1 L0s L1 Link Width Auto Configuration options Auto x1 x2 x4 x8 x16 Slot Power Limit W 75 Use the and keys to change the value or type the desired value using the numeric keypad The values range from 0 to 255 Port 04 05 06 07 09 10 Features Gen2 High Speed ...

Page 77: ... the PCI Express device as the primary display and enable this item you may use the internal graphics as the secondary display Configuration options Disabled Enable NB Azalia Enable Enables or disables the Northbridge Azalia support Configuration options Disabled Enable Advanced Internal Graphics Configuration UMA Frame Buffer Size Auto GFX Engine Clock Override Disable Surround View Disabled NB A...

Page 78: ...t ECC Mode Disabled Enables or disables the ECC chip kill feature Configuration options Disabled Enabled DRAM BG SCRUB Disabled Disables or sets the DRAM BG Scrub Configuration options Disabled 40ns 80ns 160ns 320ns 640ns 1 28us 2 56us 5 12us 10 2us 20 5us 41 0us 81 9us 163 8us 327 7us 655 4us 1 31ms 2 62ms 5 24ms 10 49ms 20 97ms 42 00ms 84 00ms Data Cache BG Scrub Disabled Disables or sets the Da...

Page 79: ...or disable the High Definition Audio The following item appears only when you set this item to Auto Configuration options Auto Disabled Front Panel Support Type HD Audio Allows you to set the front panel audio connector AAFP mode to legacy AC 97 or high definition audio depending on the audio standard that the front panel audio module supports Configuration options AC97 HD Audio Onboard LAN Contro...

Page 80: ... PCI VGA card if the card requests for an IRQ When set to No BIOS does not assign an IRQ to the PCI VGA card even if requested Configuration options No Yes Palette Snooping Disabled When set to Enabled the palete snooping feature informs the PCI devices that an ISA graphics device is installed in the system so that the latter can function correctly Configuration options Disabled Enabled Advanced P...

Page 81: ...ullSpeed 12 Mbps Configuration options FullSpeed HiSpeed BIOS EHCI Hand off Enabled Allows you to enable the support for operating systems without an EHCI hand off feature Configuration options Disabled Enabled Legacy USB Support Enabled Allows you to enable or disable the support for legacy USB devices Setting to Auto allows the system to detect the presence of USB devices at startup If detected ...

Page 82: ...s you to enable or disable the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface ACPI 2 0 support Configuration options Disabled Enabled 2 5 4 ACPI APIC Support Enabled Allows you to enable or disable the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface ACPI support in the Application Specific Integrated Circuit ASIC When set to Enabled the ACPI APIC table pointer is included in the RSDT pointer list Configura...

Page 83: ...n external modem off and then back on while the computer is off causes an initialization string that turns the system power on Power On By RTC Alarm Disabled 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 RTC Alarm Second will become user configurable with set values Configuration options Disabl...

Page 84: ...ast 1A on the 5VSB lead Configuration options Disabled Enabled Restore On AC Power Loss Power Off When set to Power Off the system goes into off state after an AC power loss When set to Power On the system goes on after an AC power loss When set to Last State the system goes into either off or on state whatever the system state was before the AC power loss Configuration options Power Off Power On ...

Page 85: ...you do not want to detect this item 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 The following items appear only if you set the Smart Q Fan Function to Enabled Smart Q Fan Profile Optimal Allows you to set the appropriate performance level of the CP...

Page 86: ...ber 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 DVD ROM Disabled BIOS SETUP UTILITY Boot Select Screen Select Item Enter Go to Sub Screen F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 American Megatrends Inc Specifies the Boot Device Priority sequence A virtual ...

Page 87: ... Configuration options Off On PS 2 Mouse Support Auto Allows you to enable or disable support for PS 2 mouse Configuration options Disabled Enabled Auto 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 t...

Page 88: ...assword 1 Select the Change Supervisor Password item and press Enter 2 From the password box type a password composed of at least six letters and or numbers then press Enter 3 Confirm the password when prompted The message Password Installed appears after you successfully set your password To change the supervisor password follow the same steps as in setting a user password To clear the supervisor...

Page 89: ...tem and press Enter 2 On the password box that appears type a password composed of at least six letters and or numbers then press Enter 3 Confirm the password when prompted The message Password Installed appears after you set your password successfully To change the user password follow the same steps as in setting a user password Clear User Password Select this item to clear the user password Pas...

Page 90: ...ity V3 06 Current ROM Update ROM A Note FLASH TYPE MXIC 25L8005 PATH A BOARD M3A78 PRO VER 0103 DATE 05 15 08 BOARD Unknown VER Unknown DATE Unknown Enter Select or Load B Backup Esc Exit Tab Switch Up Down Home End Move ASUS EZ Flash 2 Express Gate ASUS O C Profile Press ENTER to run the utility to select and update BIOS This utility doesn t support 1 NTFS format v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 Amer...

Page 91: ...r installed OS Choose Disabled to stay at the first screen of Express Gate for user action Configuration options Disabled 1 second 30 seconds The time length is adjusted by typing the desired values using the numeric keypad and press the Enter key Reset User Data No Allows you to clear Express Gate s user data Configuration options No Reset When setting this item to Reset make sure to save the set...

Page 92: ... to the BIOS Flash Press Enter to save the file Load from Profile 1 2 Allows you to load the previous BIOS settings saved in the BIOS Flash Press Enter to load the file Start O C Profile Allows you to run the utility to save and load CMOS Press Enter to run the utility This function can support devices such as a USB flash disk or a floppy disk with FAT 32 16 format and single partition only DO NOT...

Page 93: ...ave Changes Once you are finished making your selections choose this option from the Exit menu to ensure the values you selected are saved to the CMOS RAM An onboard backup battery sustains the CMOS RAM so it stays on even when the PC is turned off When you select this option a confirmation window appears Select OK to save changes and exit 2 8 Exit menu The Exit menu items allow you to load the op...

Page 94: ...2 42 Chapter 2 BIOS setup ...

Page 95: ...3 Chapter 3 Software support This chapter describes the contents of the support DVD that comes with the motherboard package ...

Page 96: ...the support DVD to the optical drive The DVD automatically displays the Drivers menu if Autorun is enabled in your computer The contents of the support DVD are subject to change at any time without notice Visit the ASUS website www asus com for updates Motherboard settings and hardware options vary Use the setup procedures presented in this chapter for reference only Refer to your OS documentation...

Page 97: ... only Installs the AMD Cool n Quiet driver AMD Chipset Driver Installs the AMD chipset driver Realtek Audio Driver Installs the Realtek ALC1200 audio driver and application Realtek RTL8111C 10 100 1000M LAN Driver Installs the Realtek RTL8111C Gigabit LAN driver USB 2 0 Driver For Windows XP only Installs the USB 2 0 driver The screen display and drivers option may not be the same for different op...

Page 98: ...iguration of system and overclocking settings in Windows environment ASUS Cool n Quiet Utility This item installs the ASUS Cool n Quiet utility 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 Click to display the next screen Click to displ...

Page 99: ...ter graphics and sound DirectX improves the multimedia features of you computer so you can enjoy watching TV and movies capturing videos or playing games in your computer Visit the Microsoft website www microsoft com for updates Ulead Burn Now Installs the Ulead Burn Now application for Audio DVD CD and data disc creation Corel MediaOne Starter Installs the Corel MediaOne Starter application to ea...

Page 100: ...I 32 64bit WinXP Driver Allows you to create an ATI RAID AHCI driver disk for 32 64bit Windows XP operating system ATI RAID AHCI 32 64bit Vista Driver Allows you to create an ATI RAID AHCI driver disk for 32 64bit Windows Vista operating system Anti Virus Utility Download Installs to update your anti virus utility version ...

Page 101: ...nformation on the inside front cover of this user guide 3 2 5 Manual menu The Manual menu 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 102: ... 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 Browse this DVD Displays the support DVD contents in graphical format ...

Page 103: ...nical support Form Displays the ASUS Technical 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 ...

Page 104: ...A Operation Mode item in the BIOS to IDE before installing and using ASUS Express Gate Currently ASUS Express Gate DOES NOT support PATA IDE HDDs Visit www asus com for future BIOS and Express Gate software updates 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 Pl...

Page 105: ... 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 and time and screen resolution Once inside the Express Gate environment click on the icons on the LaunchBar by default at bottom of the screen to la...

Page 106: ...r where it docks whether it auto hides etc Network Specify how your computer connects to the Internet Enable all the network ports that you may use LAN1 LAN2 and or wireless optional LAN1 and LAN2 refer to the two RJ 45 network ports on your computer Knowing the Express Gate hot keys Here is a list of common used hot keys for Express Gate In the First Screen Key Function PAUSE BREAK Power off ESC ...

Page 107: ...o useful in the rare case where settings might become corrupted The first time Wizard will run again when you enter the Express Gate environment after clearing its settings Screen Settings Choose the most optimal screen resolution for your display Volume Control Control the volume for your speaker output microphone input etc Using the LaunchBar The LaunchBar has several system icons that show you ...

Page 108: ...xpress Gate supports file uploading and downloading on USB drives in FAT16 32 format only Shows network status click to configure network Shows mute status click to change volume Click to choose input language and method as well as keyboard shortcuts Ctrl Space by default Click to change LaunchBar options auto hide docking position etc Click to show About Express Gate Click to open Express Gate He...

Page 109: ...tions Each network interface is enabled immediately when you check the box next to it 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 Configuration Panel Open Configuration Panel Network ...

Page 110: ... use wireless click Setup for the WiFi option In the WiFi tab of the Advanced Network Settings box enter the name of your wireless access point in the SSID field If your wireless access point has security enabled select the corresponding security algorithm from the drop down list e g WEPAUTO in the Encryption Type field and enter the password Click OK to enable WiFi and establish the wireless conn...

Page 111: ...pplications You can find original version of the software on the support DVD or download new versions from the ASUS support website To update Express Gate 1 Double click the Express Gate setup 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 instruct...

Page 112: ...3470 We recommend that you use a graphics card with an HD2400 PRO GPU 3 4 2 Before you proceed Configure the BIOS settings for the graphics card to support ATI Hybrid CrossFireX To set Internal Graphics 1 Press Del during the Power On Self Test POST to enter the BIOS Setup utility 2 Select Advanced Chipset Internal Graphics Configuration set UMA Frame Buffer Size to 256M and set Surround View to E...

Page 113: ...uctions to finish the installation 3 Restart your computer after the installation is completed 4 When the system restarts wait for a few seconds for the driver to load automatically 3 4 4 Using the ATI CATALYST Control Center Using an add on graphics card 1 Install a graphics card onto your motherboard Refer to the User Guide that comes with your graphics card for details 2 Right click on the Wind...

Page 114: ...ow the instructions on the next page 4 Right click on the Windows desktop then click Personalize from the shortcut menu 5 Click Display Settings Select Default Monitor on ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics then select the check boxes of This is my main monitor and Extend the desktop onto this monitor Click OK and then Yes from the confirmation window 6 Restart the system Right click on the Windows deskto...

Page 115: ...ontrol Center screen click Display Manager Graphics Adapter Select ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics Gabbs G HW173 Click OK and then Yes from the confirmation window 3 Follow steps 6 to step 8 on Using the onboard graphics card to complete the process of setting up the onboard graphics card as your main monitor ...

Page 116: ...3 22 Chapter 3 Software support ...

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