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Asus M4A79 DELUXE - Motherboard - ATX, User Manual, Page: 12 / 122

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Asus M4A79 DELUXE - Motherboard - ATX User Manual Download Page 12

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(continued on the next page)

M4A79 Deluxe specifications summary

ASUS unique features

ASUS Power Solutions: 

 

-  8+2 Phase Power Design 

  -  ASUS Anti-Surge Protection

ASUS Green Design:

 

 

-  EPU 

  -  ASUS AI Nap

Express Gate
ASUS Quiet Thermal Solutions: 

  -  ASUS Fanless Design: Heat pipe solution  

  -  ASUS Fanless Design: Stack Cool 2 

  -  ASUS Q-Fan 2

ASUS EZ DIY 

  -  ASUS Q-Shield 

  -  ASUS Q-Connector 

  -  ASUS O.C. Profile

 

  -  ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 

  -  ASUS EZ Flash 2 

  -  Onboard Switch

Special features

100% High-quality Japan-made conductive polymer capacitors 

  (5000hrs VRM, over 57 years operation lifespan at 65ºC) 

ASUS MyLogo 2™ 

AMD

®

 OverDrive (AOD) support* 

*  Advanced cooling system is required when advanced 

overclocking functions of AMD

®

 OverDrive are enabled.

ASUS exclusive 

overclocking features

Intelligent overclocking tools: 

  -  AI Overclocking (intelligent CPU frequency tuner) 

  -  TurboV 

  -  Turbo Key

Precision Tweaker 2: 

  -  vCore: Adjustable CPU voltage at 0.0125V increment 

  -  vChipset (N.B.): 16-step chipset voltage control 

  -  vDIMM: 36-step DRAM voltage control

SFS (Stepless Frequency Selection): 

  -  FSB tuning from 200 MHz up to 600 MHz at 1 MHz increment

 

  -  PCI Express frequency tuning from 100 MHz to 

 

    150 MHz at 1 MHz increment

Overclocking protection: 

  -  ASUS C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)

Summary of Contents for M4A79 DELUXE - Motherboard - ATX

Page 1: ...Motherboard M4A79 Deluxe ...

Page 2: ...MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A 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 ...

Page 3: ...therboard layout 2 2 2 2 2 Layout contents 2 3 2 2 3 Placement direction 2 4 2 2 4 Screw holes 2 4 2 3 Central Processing Unit CPU 2 5 2 3 1 Installing the CPU 2 5 2 3 2 Installing the CPU heatsink and fan 2 7 2 4 System memory 2 10 2 4 1 Overview 2 10 2 4 2 Memory configurations 2 11 2 4 3 Installing a DIMM 2 16 2 4 4 Removing a DIMM 2 16 2 5 Expansion slots 2 17 2 5 1 Installing an expansion car...

Page 4: ...ems 3 8 3 3 5 Submenu items 3 8 3 3 6 Configuration fields 3 8 3 3 7 Pop up window 3 8 3 3 8 Scroll bar 3 8 3 3 9 General help 3 8 3 4 Main menu 3 9 3 4 1 Primary IDE Master Slave SATA 1 5 ESATA 3 9 3 4 2 Storage Configuration 3 11 3 4 3 System Information 3 12 3 5 Ai Tweaker menu 3 12 3 5 1 AI Overclocking Tuner Auto 3 12 3 5 2 CPU Ratio Auto 3 13 3 5 3 FSB Frequency XXX 3 13 3 5 4 PCIE Frequency...

Page 5: ... Auto 3 25 3 7 2 Repost Video on S3 Resume No 3 25 3 7 3 ACPI 2 0 Support Disabled 3 25 3 7 4 ACPI APIC Support Enabled 3 25 3 7 5 APM Configuration 3 26 3 7 6 Hardware Monitor 3 27 3 8 Boot menu 3 28 3 8 1 Boot Device Priority 3 28 3 8 2 Boot Settings Configuration 3 29 3 8 3 Security 3 30 3 9 Tools menu 3 32 3 9 1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 3 32 3 9 2 Express Gate 3 33 3 9 3 ASUS O C Profile 3 34 3 9 4 AI ...

Page 6: ...s 4 14 4 5 Creating a RAID driver disk 4 20 4 5 1 Creating a RAID driver disk without entering the OS 4 20 4 5 2 Creating a RAID SATA driver disk in Windows 4 20 Chapter 5 ATI CrossFireX technology support 5 1 ATI CrossFireX technology 5 1 5 1 1 Requirements 5 1 5 1 2 Before you begin 5 1 5 2 Installing CrossFireX graphics cards 5 2 5 2 1 Dual CrossFireX installation 5 2 5 2 2 Triple CrossFireX in...

Page 7: ...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 8: ...efore 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 immediately To avoid short circuits keep paper clips screws and staples away from connectors slots sockets and circuitry Avoid dust ...

Page 9: ...OS Setup menus Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided Chapter 4 Software support This chapter describes the contents of the support DVD that comes with the motherboard package and the software Chapter 5 ATI CrossFireX support This chapter describes the ATI CrossFireX feature and shows the graphics card installation procedures Where to find more information Refer to the foll...

Page 10: ...ey1 Key2 Key3 If you must press two or more keys simultaneously the key names are linked with a plus sign Example Ctrl Alt Del Command Means that you must type the command exactly as shown then supply the required item or value enclosed in brackets Example At the DOS prompt type the command line afudos iM4A79D ROM DANGER WARNING Information to prevent injury to yourself when trying to complete a t...

Page 11: ...al memory of 4 GB capacity or more Windows 32 bit operation system may only recognize less than 3 GB Hence a total installed memory of less than 3 GB is recommended Expansion slots 4 x PCI Express 2 0 x16 slots support ATI CrossFireX technology dual x16 triple x16 x8 x8 or quad x8 link 2 x PCI 2 2 slots Storage SB750 chipset 1 x Ultra DMA 133 100 66 for up to 2 PATA devices 5 x SATA 3 0 Gb s ports...

Page 12: ...citors 5000hrs VRM over 57 years operation lifespan at 65ºC ASUS MyLogo 2 AMD OverDrive AOD support Advanced cooling system is required when advanced overclocking functions of AMD OverDrive are enabled ASUS exclusive overclocking features Intelligent overclocking tools AI Overclocking intelligent CPU frequency tuner TurboV Turbo Key Precision Tweaker 2 vCore Adjustable CPU voltage at 0 0125V incre...

Page 13: ...tors 1 x CPU Fan connector 2 x Chassis Fan connectors 1 x Power Fan connector 1 x IEEE1394a connector Front panel audio connector 1 x S PDIF Out header Chassis Intrusion connector CD audio in 24 pin ATX Power connector System Panel Q Connector 8 pin ATX 12V Power connector 1 x Power on switch 1 x Reset switch BIOS features 8 Mb Flash ROM AMI BIOS PnP DMI 2 0 SM BIOS 2 5 ACPI 2 0a ASUS EZ Flash 2 A...

Page 14: ...xiv ...

Page 15: ...list below 1 2 Package contents Check your motherboard package for the following items If any of the above items is damaged or missing contact your retailer The illustrated items above are for reference only Actual product specifications may vary with different models UserManual ASUS M4A79 Deluxe motherboard User guide Support DVD 2 x ASUS CrossFire bridge cables 5 x Serial ATA signal cables 1 x U...

Page 16: ...xpress 2 0 x16 graphics It is optimized with AMD s latest AM3 and multi core CPUs to provide excellent system performance and overclocking capabilities ATI CrossFireX Technology ATI s CrossFireX boosts image quality along with rendering speed eliminating the need to scale down screen resolution to get high quality images CrossFireX allows higher antialiasing anisotropic filtering shading and textu...

Page 17: ...estriction on the use of Hazardous Substances RoHS to safeguard consumers health while minimizing the impact of the environment ASUS EPU The ASUS EPU Energy Processing Unit provides total system power management by detecting current PC loadings and intelligently moderating power usage for critical PC components in real time helping save power and money AI Nap With AI Nap the system can continue ru...

Page 18: ...al design on the printed circuit board PCB to dissipate heat generated by these critical components ASUS Q Fan 2 ASUS Q Fan 2 technology intelligently adjusts both CPU fan and chassis fan speeds according to system loading to ensure quiet cool and efficient operation ASUS EZ DIY ASUS EZ DIY feature collection provides you with easy ways to install computer components update the BIOS or back up you...

Page 19: ...l allows you to overclock without exiting or rebooting the OS and its user friendly interface makes overclock with just a few clicks away Moreover the ASUS OC profiles in TurboV provides the best O C settings in different scenarios Turbo Key ASUS Turbo Key allows the user to turn the PC power button into a physical overclocking button After the easy setup Turbo Key can boost performances without i...

Page 20: ...1 6 Chapter 1 Product Introduction Chapter 1 ...

Page 21: ...tal 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 th...

Page 22: ...2 2 Chapter 2 Hardware information Chapter 2 2 2 1 Motherboard layout Refer to 2 8 Connectors for more information about rear panel connectors and internal connectors 2 2 Motherboard overview ...

Page 23: ...B750 Serial ATA connectors 7 pin SATA1 5 2 30 8 Clear RTC RAM 3 pin CLRTC 2 21 9 System panel connector 20 8 pin PANEL 2 37 10 Chassis intrusion connector 4 1 pin CHASSIS 2 34 11 Reset switch 2 23 12 Power on switch 2 23 13 USB connectors 10 1 pin USB78 USB910 USB1112 2 31 14 Serial port connector 10 1 pin COM1 2 32 15 Floppy disk drive connector 34 1 pin FLOPPY 2 28 16 IEEE 1394a port connector 1...

Page 24: ... the correct orientation The edge with external ports goes to the rear part of the chassis as indicated in the image below 2 2 4 Screw holes Place nine 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 25: ...on X3 Athlon X2 AM3 CPU The AM2 AM2 socket has a different pinout from the 940 pin socket designed for the AMD Opteron processor Ensure that you use a CPU 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 Ensure that the socket lever is lifted up to a 90º angle other...

Page 26: ...e side tab to indicate that it is locked Gold triangle Small triangle 6 Apply some Thermal Interface Material to the exposed area of the CPU that the heatsink will be in contact with ensuring that it is spread in an even thin layer Some heatsinks come with pre applied thermal paste If so skip this step The Thermal Interface Material is toxic and inedible If it gets into your eyes or touches your s...

Page 27: ...atsink and the retention mechanism If the instructions in this section do not match the CPU documentation follow the latter 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 ensure that a Therm...

Page 28: ...ntion 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 Ensure that the fan and heatsink assembly perfectly fits the retention mechanism module base otherwise you cannot snap the retention bracket in place ...

Page 29: ... is in place connect the CPU fan cable to the connector on the motherboard labeled CPU_FAN Do not forget to connect the CPU fan connector Hardware monitoring errors can occur if you fail to plug this connector This connector is backward compatible with old 3 pin CPU fan ...

Page 30: ...Data Rate 2 DDR2 Dual Inline Memory Modules DIMM sockets A DDR2 module has the same physical 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 ...

Page 31: ...om the same vendor Due to the memory address limitation on 32 bit Windows OS when you install 4GB or more memory on the motherboard the actual usable memory for the OS can be about 3GB or less For effective use of memory we recommend that you do any of the following Use a maximum of 3GB system memory if you are using a 32 bit Windows OS Install a 64 bit Windows OS when you want to install 4GB or m...

Page 32: ...512MB SS Heat Sink Package V V V KINGSTON KVR1066D2N7 512 512MB SS ELPIDA E5108AJBG 1J E 1 8 V V V KINGSTON KHX8500D2K2 1G 1024MB Kit of 2 SS N A Heat Sink Package 2 2 V V V KINGSTON KHX8500D2 1G 1024MB DS N A Heat Sink Package 2 2 V V KINGSTON KVR1066D2N7 1G 1024MB DS ELPIDA E5108AJBG 1J E 1 8 V V V KINGSTON KHX8500D2K2 2G 2048MB Kit of 2 DS N A Heat Sink Package 2 2 V V KINGSTON KHX8500D2K2 2GN ...

Page 33: ...0EB 4 4 4 12 2 0 V V GEIL GB22GB6400C5DC 2048MB Kit of 2 DS GEIL GL2L64M088BA30EB 5 5 5 15 1 8 V GEIL GE22GB800C4DC 2048MB Kit of 2 DS N A Heat Sink Package 4 4 4 12 2 0 V V V GEIL GE22GB800C5DC 2048MB Kit of 2 DS N A Heat Sink Package 5 5 5 15 1 8 V V GEIL GX22GB6400DC 2048MB Kit of 2 DS N A Heat Sink Package 5 5 5 15 1 8 V GEIL GX22GB6400UDC 2048MB Kit of 2 DS N A Heat Sink Package 4 4 4 12 2 1 ...

Page 34: ...B DS SAMSUNG K4T1G084QQ ECC 6 V V SAMSUNG M391T5663QZ3 CF7 2048MB DS SAMSUNG K4T1G084QQ 6 V V V SAMSUNG M378T5263AZ3 CF7 4096MB DS SAMSUNG K4T2G084QA HCF7 6 V V Super Talent T800UA12C4 512MB SS Heat Sink Package V V V Super Talent T800UB1GC4 1024MB DS Heat Sink Package V V V Transcend JM800QLU 1G 1024MB SS Transcend TQ243ECF8 5 V Transcend TS128MLQ64V8U 1024MB SS ELPIDA E1108ACBG 8E E 5 V V V Tran...

Page 35: ...ACER AM4B5808CQJS7E 5 V CORSAIR VS 512MB667D2 512MB SS N A 64M8CFEG N A N A V V CORSAIR VS1GB667D2 1024MB DS N A 64M8CFEG N A N A V Crucial BL12864AA663 16FD 1024MB DS N A Heat Sink Package 3 2 2 V V Crucial BL12864AL664 16FD 1024MB DS N A Heat Sink Package 3 2 2 V ELPIDA EBE51UD8AEFA 6E E 512MB SS ELPIDA E5108AE 6E E 5 1 7 1 9 V V G SKILL F2 5400PHU2 2GBNT 2048MB Kit of 2 DS G Skill D264M8GCF 5 5...

Page 36: ...clips snap back in place and the DIMM is properly seated Ensure 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 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 DIMM Unlocked retaining clip 1 DIMM notch T...

Page 37: ...ecure the card to the chassis with the screw you removed earlier 6 Replace the system cover 2 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 3 for information on BIOS setup 2 Assign an IRQ to the card Refer to the tables on the next page 3 Install th...

Page 38: ...3 System CMOS Real Time Clock 9 4 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering 10 5 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering 11 6 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering 12 7 Reserved 13 8 Numeric Data Processor 14 9 Primary IDE Channel IRQ assignments for this motherboard A B C D E F G H PCIE x16_1 shared shared shared shared PCIE x16_2 shared shared shared shared PCIE x16_3 shared shared shared shared PCIE x16_4 shared shared shared sha...

Page 39: ...at comply with the PCI Express specifications With four graphics cards installed the motherboard can enable quad display Refer to the figure below for the location of the slots Before installing a graphics card on PCI Express x 16_4 slot we recommend that you connect the necessary cables to the connectors beside the slot first PCI slot PCI Express x 16_2 slot black at max x8 link Primary PCI Expre...

Page 40: ...to the motherboard connector labeled CHA_FAN1 2 for better thermal environment See page 2 33 for the connector location When using one graphics card and a x4 PCIe card at the same time install them to the blue slots When using two graphics card install them to the blue slots If you install two graphics cards to the blue slots and use other x4 PCIe cards simultaneously the x4 PCIe cards will downgr...

Page 41: ... 4 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 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 ...

Page 42: ...rmance Ensure that your system functions well under the highest BIOS voltage setting before you change the setting of this jumper Refer to 3 5 Ai Tweaker menu for more information about the CPU overvoltage setting DO NOT set the OV_CPU jumper to pins 1 2 when you install a new CPU and have not booted for the first time Doing so may cause the system to halt For system failure due to the wrong setti...

Page 43: ...ches Onboard switches allow you to power on or reboot the system quickly and conveniently on a bare or open case system 1 Power on switch Press the power on switch to wake power up the system 2 Reset switch Press the reset switch to reboot the system ...

Page 44: ... S PDIF Out port 2 Coaxial S PDIF Out port 8 External SATA port 3 IEEE 1394a port 9 USB 2 0 ports 3 and 4 4 LAN RJ 45 port 10 USB 2 0 ports 1 and 2 5 PS 2 keyboard port purple 11 Audio I O ports 6 USB 2 0 ports 5 and 6 To use hot plug set the OnChip SATA Type in the BIOS settings to AHCI mode See section 3 4 2 Storage Configuration for details ...

Page 45: ... activity 2 8 2 Audio I O connections Audio I O ports Connect to Headphone and Mic Audio 2 4 6 or 8 channel configuration Port Headset 2 channel 4 channel 6 channel 8 channel Light Blue Line In Line In Line In Line In Lime Line Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out Pink Mic In Mic In Mic In Mic In Orange Center Subwoofer Center Subwoofer Black Rear Speaker Out Rear Speaker Out ...

Page 46: ...2 26 Chapter 2 Hardware information Chapter 2 Connect to Stereo Speakers Connect to 2 1 channel Speakers Connect to 4 1 channel Speakers ...

Page 47: ...ASUS M4A79 Deluxe 2 27 Chapter 2 Connect to 5 1 channel Speakers Connect to 7 1 channel Speakers ...

Page 48: ...ack of the floppy disk drive Pin 5 on the connector is removed to prevent incorrect cable connection when using an FDD cable with a covered Pin 5 The floppy disk drive cable is purchased separately 2 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 Out module cable to this connector then install the module...

Page 49: ...rrect 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 ensure that all other device jumpers have the same setting 3 IDE connector 40 1 pin PRI_IDE The onboard IDE connector is for the Ultra DMA 133 100 66 signal cable There are three connectors on each Ultra DMA 133 100 66 signal cable blue blac...

Page 50: ...on through the onboard AMD SB750 controller These connectors are set to IDE by default If you intend to create a Serial ATA RAID set using these connectors set the Onchip SATA Type item in the BIOS to RAID 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 RAID 5 and RAID 10 refer to the RAID manual...

Page 51: ...specification that supports up to 480 Mbps connection speed Never connect a 1394 cable to the USB connectors Doing so will damage the motherboard You can connect the front panel USB cable to the ASUS Q Connector USB blue first and then install the Q Connector USB to the USB connector onboard if your chassis supports front panel USB ports 6 Optical drive audio connector 4 pin CD These connectors al...

Page 52: ...the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis Never connect a USB cable to the IEEE 1394a connector Doing so will damage the motherboard 8 Serial port connector 10 1 pin COM1 This connector is for a serial COM port Connect the serial port module cable to this connector then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis The COM module is purchased separatel...

Page 53: ...ck 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 the CPU_FAN CHA_FAN 1 and CHA_FAN 2 connectors support the ASUS Q FAN 2 feature If you install two VGA cards we recommend th...

Page 54: ...sion 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 pin labeled Chassis Signal and Ground are shorted with a jumper cap Remove the jumper caps only when you intend to use the chassis intrusion detection...

Page 55: ... requirement for your system refer to the Recommended Power Supply Wattage Calculator at http support asus com PowerSupplyCalculator PSCalculator aspx SLanguage en us for details The ATX 12 V Specification 2 0 compliant 1000W PSU has been tested to support the motherboard power requirements with the following configuration CPU AMD Phenom 9950 Memory 1024 MB DDR2 x4 Graphics card PCI Express x16 Ra...

Page 56: ... 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 s high definition audio capability If you want to connect a high definition front panel audio module to this connector set the Front Panel Type item in the BIOS setup to HD if you want to connect an AC 97 front panel audio module to this connect...

Page 57: ...arning speaker 4 pin SPEAKER This 4 pin connector is for the chassis mounted system warning speaker The speaker allows you to hear system beeps and warnings ATX power button soft off button 2 pin PWRSW This 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 for ...

Page 58: ... the Q Connector to know the detailed pin definitions and then match them to their respective front panel cable labels The labels on the front panel cables may vary depending on the chassis model 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 ...

Page 59: ...e running the BIOS beeps see the BIOS beep codes table below or additional messages appear on the screen If you do not see anything within 30 seconds from the time you turned on the power the system may have failed a power on test Check the jumper settings and connections or call your retailer for assistance 7 At power on hold down the Delete key to enter the BIOS Setup Follow the instructions in ...

Page 60: ...2 40 Chapter 2 Hardware information Chapter 2 ...

Page 61: ...O NOT manually update the BIOS Inappropriate BIOS updating may result in the system s failure to boot Carefully follow the instructions of this chapter to update your BIOS if necessary Visit the ASUS website www asus com to download the latest BIOS file for this motherboard The following utilities allow you to manage and update the motherboard BIOS setup program 1 ASUS Update Updates the BIOS in W...

Page 62: ...ackage ASUS Update requires an Internet connection either through a network or an Internet Service Provider ISP Installing ASUS Update To install ASUS Update 1 Place the support DVD in the optical drive 2 From the Main menu click the Utilities tab then click Install ASUS Update VX XX XX 3 The ASUS Update utility is copied to your system Quit all Windows applications before you update the BIOS usin...

Page 63: ...s 2 Select Update BIOS from a file from the dropdown menu then click Next M4a79dlx M4a79dlx ROM Ensure to load the BIOS default settings to ensure system compatibility and stability Select the Load Setup Defaults item under the Exit menu See section 3 10 Exit Menu for details 5 Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the update process The ASUS Update utility is capable of updating itself thr...

Page 64: ...he 3 1 2 Floppy Drive icon d Click File from the menu then select Format A Format 3 1 2 Floppy Disk window appears e 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 cli...

Page 65: ...lect EZ Flash 2 and press Enter to enable it Press Tab to switch between drives until the correct BIOS file is found ASUSTek EZ Flash 2 BIOS ROM Utility V3 34 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 M4A79 Deluxe VER 0302 DATE 12 19 2008 BOARD Unknown VER Unknown DATE Unknown 2 When the c...

Page 66: ...tes the updating process When found the utility reads the BIOS file and starts flashing the corrupted BIOS file Bad BIOS checksum Starting BIOS recovery Checking for floppy Bad BIOS checksum Starting BIOS recovery Checking for floppy Floppy found Reading file M4A79DLX ROM Completed Start flashing Recovering the BIOS from a floppy disk To recover the BIOS from a floppy disk 1 Insert the floppy disk...

Page 67: ...s If the system fails to boot after changing any BIOS setting try to clear the CMOS and reset the motherboard to the default value See section 2 6 Jumpers for details 3 3 1 BIOS menu screen Navigation keys General help Menu bar Submenu items Configuration fields Menu items 3 3 2 Menu bar The menu bar on top of the screen has the following main items Main For changing the basic system configuration...

Page 68: ...3 3 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 configurable A configurable field is enclosed in brackets and is highlighted when selected To change the value of a field select it then press Enter to display a list of options Refer to 3 3 7 P...

Page 69: ... to select a field Use or to configure System Time 3 4 1 Primary IDE Master Slave SATA 1 5 ESATA While entering Setup the BIOS automatically detects the presence of IDE SATA devices There is a separate submenu for each IDE SATA device Select a device item then press Enter to display the SATA device information Select Screen Select Item Change Option F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit v02 6...

Page 70: ...o Enables or disables data multi sectors transfers Auto When set to Auto the data transfer from and to the device occurs in multiple sectors at a time if the device supports multi sector transfer feature Disabled When set to Disabled the data transfer from and to the device occurs one sector at a time PIO Mode Auto Auto Allows automatic selection of the PIO Programmed input output modes which corr...

Page 71: ...d disk drives to use the AHCI Advanced Host Controller Interface 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 internally optimize the order of commands When this item is set to AHCI only SATA connectors 1 4 can be detected Ensure that you ve installed the AHCI driver so that you cou...

Page 72: ...ner Auto DRAM Frequency Control Auto HT Link Speed Auto Please key in numbers directly CPU Voltage Auto CPU NB Voltage Auto CPU VDDA Voltage Auto DRAM Voltage Auto HT Voltage Auto NB Voltage Auto NB 1 8V Voltage Auto SB Voltage Auto CPU Spread Spectrum Enabled PCIE Spread Spectrum Enabled 3 5 1 AI Overclocking Tuner Auto Allows you to select the CPU overclocking options to achieve the desired CPU ...

Page 73: ...ad The values range from 100 to 150 3 5 5 DRAM Frequency Control Auto Allows you to select the DRAM frequency programming method Auto Allows the BIOS to set DRAM frequency automatically Manual Allows you to select the DRAM frequency from any of the standard values The following item appears only when you set the DRAM Frequncy Control item to Manual DRAM Frequency 667MHz Allows you to set the DDR2 ...

Page 74: ...tate C3 ATLVID Disabled Configuration options Disabled Enabled Memory Hole Remapping Enabled Configuration options Disabled Enabled DRAM Unganged Mode Auto Configuration options Auto Enabled Disabled Power Down Enable Disabled Enables or disables the DDR power down mode Configuration options Disabled Enabled Power Down Mode Channel Allows you to set the DDR power down mode This item appears only w...

Page 75: ...LK TRC Auto Configuration options Auto TWR Auto Configuration options Auto 3 CLK 4 CLK 5 CLK 6 CLK TRRD Auto Configuration options Auto 2 CLK 3 CLK 4 CLK 5 CLK TWTR Auto Specifies the write to read delay when accessing the same DIMM Configuration options Auto 1 CLK 2 CLK 3 CLK TRFC0 TRFC1 Auto Configuration options Auto 75ns 105ns 127 5ns 195ns 327 5ns DCT0 DCT1 Strength Config Auto Configuration ...

Page 76: ...Auto Allows you to select the DDR2 reference voltage The values range from 1 80V to 2 50V with a 0 02V interval 3 5 14 HT Voltage Auto Allows you to select the HyperTransport voltage The values range from 1 20V to 1 50V with a 0 02V interval 3 5 15 NB Voltage Auto Allows you to select the Northbridge voltage The values range from 1 10V to 1 40V with a 0 02V interval 3 5 16 NB 1 8V Voltage Auto All...

Page 77: ... Enabled Sets to Enabled for EMI control The following item appears only when you set the Ai Overclocking item to Manual 3 5 20 AI Clock Skew for Channel A B Auto Configuration options Auto Advance 900ps Advance 750ps Advance 600ps Advance 450ps Advance 300ps Advance 150ps Normal Delay 150ps Delay 300ps Delay 450ps Delay 600ps Delay 750ps Delay 900ps Current Clock Skew Advance300ps This item shows...

Page 78: ...nter Go to Sub Screen F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 American Megatrends Inc BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main Ai Tweaker Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit Configure CPU CPU Configuration Chipset Onboard Devices Configuration USB Configuration PCIPnP 3 6 Advanced menu The Advanced menu items allow you to change the settings for the CPU and other system devices ...

Page 79: ...y be different due to the CPU you installed GART Error Reporting Disabled Disabled Disables the GART Error Reporting function Enabled Enables the GART Error Reporting function Microcode Updation Enabled Disabled Disables the Microcode Updation function Enabled Allows the system to update the Microcode automatically enhancing system performance Secure Virtual Machine Mode Enabled Disabled Disables ...

Page 80: ...AM 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 ECC protection Note The Super ECC mode dynamically sets the DRAM scrub rate so all of memory is scrubbed in 8 hours BIOS SETUP UTILITY Advanced ECC Mode Disabled Disables or sets the DRAM ECC mode that allows the hardware to r...

Page 81: ... the PCIEX16_1 and PCIEX16_2 slots to x8 x8 links Disabled Sets the PCIe lane of the PCIEX16_1 and PCIEX16_2 slots to x16 x1 links GFX2 Dual Slot Configuration Auto Auto Switches the PCIe lane of the PCIEX16_3 and PCIEX16_4 slots automatically Enable Sets the PCIe lane of the PCIEX16_3 and PCIEX16_4 slots to x8 x8 links Disabled Sets the PCIe lane of the PCIEX16_3 and PCIEX16_4 slots to x16 x1 lin...

Page 82: ...I Output Sets to HDMI Output for HDMI audio output Onboard LAN Enabled Enabled Enables the onboard LAN controller Disabled Disables the onboard controller The following item appears only when you set the Onboard LAN item to Enabled Onboard LAN Boot ROM Disabled Enabled Enables the onboard LAN Boot ROM Disabled Disables the onboard LAN Boot ROM Firewire 1394 Enabled Enabled Enables the onboard 1394...

Page 83: ...nabled Enables the support for USB devices on legacy operating systems OS Disabled Disables the function USB 2 0 Controller Enabled Enabled Enables the USB 2 0 controller Disabled Disables the controller The following two items appear only when you set the USB 2 0 Controller item to Enabled USB 2 0 Controller Mode HiSpeed FullSpeed Sets the USB 2 0 controller mode to FullSpeed 12 Mbps HiSpeed Sets...

Page 84: ...NO lets the BIOS configure all the devices in the system YES lets the operating system configure Plug and Play PnP devices not required for boot if your system has a Plug and Play operating system BIOS SETUP UTILITY Advanced Plug And Play O S No Yes 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 No...

Page 85: ...nvokes VGA BIOS POST on S3 STR resume 3 7 3 ACPI 2 0 Support Disabled Disabled When set to Disabled the system will not add additional tables as per ACPI 2 0 specifications Enabled When set to Enabled the system adds additional tables as per ACPI 2 0 specifications 3 7 4 ACPI APIC Support Enabled Disabled When set to Disabled the system disable the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface ACPI s...

Page 86: ...S 2 mouse This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides at least 1A on the 5VSB lead Power On By Ring Disabled Disabled The computer could not be powered up when the external modem receives a call while the computer is in Soft off mode Enabled The computer could be powered up when the external modem receives a call while the computer is in Soft off mode The computer cannot receive or tra...

Page 87: ...elect Ignored if you do not want to detect this item CPU Q Fan Function Disabled Disabled Disables the CPU Q Fan control feature Enabled Enables the CPU Q Fan control feature The following two items appear only when you set CPU Q Fan Function to Enabled Select Fan Type PWR Fan PWR Fan Sets to PWR Fan when using a 4 pin CPU fan DC Fan Sets to DC Fan when using a 3 pin CPU fan Quiet CPU Fan Mode Sil...

Page 88: ... Item Enter Go to Sub Screen F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 American Megatrends Inc BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main Ai Tweaker Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit Boot Settings Boot Device Priority Boot Settings Configuration Security Specifies the Boot Device Boot Priority sequence A virtual floppy disk drive Floppy Drive B may appear when you set the CD ROM drive as t...

Page 89: ...hird party ROM messages will be displayed only if the third party manufacturer had set the add on device to do so Bootup Num Lock On Off Sets the power on state of the NumLock to Off On Sets the power on state of the NumLock to On Wait For F1 If Error Enabled Disabled Disables this function Enabled The system waits for the F1 key to be pressed when error occurs Hit DEL Message Display Enabled Disa...

Page 90: ...sor Password 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 super...

Page 91: ...ord item 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 passwor...

Page 92: ...a No ASUS O C Profile AI NET 2 Press ENTER to run the utility to select and update BIOS This utility supports 1 FAT 12 16 32 r w 2 NTFS read only 3 CD DISC read only 3 9 1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 Allows you to run ASUS EZ Flash 2 When you press Enter a confirmation message appears Use the left right arrow key to select between Yes or No then press Enter to confirm your choice Check page 3 5 section 3 2 3 ...

Page 93: ...nd 3 seconds 5 seconds 10 seconds 15 seconds 20 seconds 30 seconds Reset User Data No Allows you to clear Express Gate s user data 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 browse...

Page 94: ...s BIOS settings saved in the BIOS Flash Press Enter and choose a profile to load Start O C Profile Allows you to run the utility to save and load CMOS Press Enter to run the utility 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 2008 American Megatrends Inc BIOS SETUP UTILITY Tools O C PROFILE Configuration O C Profi...

Page 95: ...S file only coming from the same memory CPU configuration and BIOS version Only the CMO file can be loaded 3 9 4 AI NET 2 Check Realtek LAN Cable Disabled Disabled BIOS will not check the Realtek LAN cable during the Power On Self Test POST Enabled BIOS checks the Realtek LAN cable during the Power On Self Test POST AI NET 2 Pair Status Length Check Realtek LAN cable Disabled Check Realtek LAN cab...

Page 96: ... the PC is turned off When you select this option a confirmation window appears Select Ok to save changes and exit If you attempt to exit the Setup program without saving your changes the program prompts you with a message asking if you want to save your changes before exiting Press Enter to save the changes while exiting Exit Discard Changes Select this option only if you do not want to save the ...

Page 97: ...erboard settings and hardware options vary Use the setup procedures presented in this chapter for reference only Refer to your OS documentation for detailed information Ensure that you install the Windows XP Service Pack 2 or later versions before installing the drivers for better compatibility and system stability The contents of the support DVD are subject to change at any time without notice Vi...

Page 98: ...iles are in Portable Document Format PDF Install the Adobe Acrobat Reader from the Utilities menu before opening the files 1 Click the support DVD icon 2 The support DVD contents are displayed in graphical format Double click the Manual folder 3 Double click the folder of your selected manual The screenshots in this section are for reference only The actual software manuals containing in the suppo...

Page 99: ...4 Reboot your computer and set your Power Option Properties depending on your operating system 4 3 Software information Most of the applications in the support DVD have wizards that will conveniently guide you through the installation View the online help or readme file that came with the software application for more information Launching the Cool n Quiet software 1 Install Cool n Quiet software ...

Page 100: ... users plug and play convenience Follow the installation wizard to install the Realtek Audio Driver from the support CD DVD that came with the motherboard package If the Realtek audio software is correctly installed you will find the Realtek HD Audio Manager icon on the taskbar Double click on the icon to display the Realtek HD Audio Manager Realtek HD Audio Manager A Realtek HD Audio Manager for ...

Page 101: ...D 2 Launch PC Probe II by clicking Start All Programs ASUS PC Probe II PC Probe II v1 xx xx The PC Probe II main window appears 3 The PC Probe II icon appears in the Windows notification area Click this icon to close or restore the application PC Probe II main window Refer to the software manual in the support DVD or visit the ASUS website at www asus com for detailed software configuration Button...

Page 102: ... ports are NOT supported See chapter 2 for the exact location of the onboard SATA ports Ensure to install ASUS Express Gate from the motherboard support DVD before you start using the utility ASUS Express Gate SSD requires no installation ASUS Express Gate supports installation on SATA HDDs USB HDDs and Flash drives When installed on USB HDDs and Flash drives connect the drives to the motherboard ...

Page 103: ... main window click this icon to restore the window Using AI Suite Click each utility button to launch the utility or click the Normal button to restore system default settings Click to launch each utility Click to restore default settings Click to open the monitor window that displays system information such as CPU temperature CPU voltage fan speed and CPU FSB frequency The screenshots in this sec...

Page 104: ...t acceleration and overclocking ASUS EPU provides you with these modes to choose from Turbo Mode High Performance Mode When you select Auto Mode the system shifts modes automatically according to the current system status You can also configure advanced settings for each mode Launching EPU After installing EPU from the motherboard support DVD double click the EPU tray icon to launch the program EP...

Page 105: ...on the Windows OS taskbar and click the Q Fan 2 button on the AI Suite maIn window Click the drop down menu button and display the fan names Select CPU Q Fan 2 or CHASSIS Q Fan 2 Click the box of Enable Q Fan 2 to activate this function drop down list button Enable Q Fan 2 box Profile list appears after clicking the Enable Q Fan 2 box Click the drop down list button and select a profile Optimal mo...

Page 106: ...er consumption and a more quiet system operation Using ASUS AI Nap 1 After installing ASUS AI Suite from the motherboard support DVD double click the ASUS Q Button icon in the Windows notification area to launch the Q Button user interface 2 Select AI Nap then click Apply to enable AI Nap function 3 Press the power button to enter AI Nap mode Press the power button again to exit AI Nap mode ...

Page 107: ...ing ASUS TurboV Launching ASUS TurboV 1 Install the ASUS TurboV utility from the motherboard support DVD 2 Click Start All Programs ASUS TurboV TurboV For advanced overclock ability adjust first the BIOS items and then proceed more detailed adjustments using TurboV Refer to the software manual in the support DVD or visit the ASUS website at www asus com for detailed software configuration Only AMD...

Page 108: ...ower button Select Turbo Key to boost system performance after pressing the power button 2 You can choose whether to show Q Button OSD and status by clicking the check boxes in the Setting section 3 You can decide the performance boost level by selecting Turbo Key Profile You can also load personal profiles saved in the ASUS TurboV utility The default is Rocket Mode See your motherboard manual for...

Page 109: ...to the entire system Use two new drives or use an existing drive and a new drive for this setup The new drive must be of the same size or larger than the existing drive RAID 5 stripes both data and parity information across three or more hard disk drives Among the advantages of RAID 5 configuration include better HDD performance fault tolerance and higher storage capacity The RAID 5 configuration ...

Page 110: ...nter the BIOS setup 3 In the Main Menu go to Storage Configuration and set the OnChip SATA Type item to RAID 3 Press F10 to save the changes and exit The RAID BIOS setup screens shown in this section are for reference only and may not exactly match the items on your screen 4 4 2 Installing Serial ATA hard disks The motherboard supports Serial ATA hard disk drives For optimal performance install id...

Page 111: ...et and partition Controller Configuration Shows the system resources configuration Press 1 2 3 or 4 to enter the option you need press ESC to exit the utility FastBuild tm Utility c 2004 2005 ATI Technology Inc View Drive Assignments 1 Define LD 2 Delete LD 3 Controller Configuration 4 Main Menu Press 1 4 to Select Option ESC Exit Keys Available AMD FastBuild Utility To enter the AMD FastBuild uti...

Page 112: ... Define LD Menu Up Down ESC Exit Enter Select Keys Available LD No RAID Mode Total Drv Capacity MB Status LD 1 RAID 0 2 xxxxxx Functional LD 2 LD 3 LD 4 LD 5 LD 6 LD 7 LD 8 FastBuild tm Utility c 2004 2005 ATI Technology Inc Up Down ESC Exit Space Change Option Ctrl Y Save Keys Available Define LD Menu Define LD Menu Channel ID Drive Model Capacity MB Assignment 1 Mas xxxxxxxxx xxxxxx Y 2 Mas xxxx...

Page 113: ...ne LD Menu Up Down ESC Exit Enter Select Keys Available LD No RAID Mode Total Drv Capacity MB Status LD 1 RAID 1 2 xxxxxx Functional LD 2 LD 3 LD 4 LD 5 LD 6 LD 7 LD 8 FastBuild tm Utility c 2004 2005 ATI Technology Inc Up Down ESC Exit Space Change Option Ctrl Y Save Keys Available Define LD Menu Define LD Menu Channel ID Drive Model Capacity MB Assignment 1 Mas xxxxxxxxx xxxxxx Y 2 Mas xxxxxxxxx...

Page 114: ...c Define LD Menu Up Down ESC Exit Enter Select Keys Available LD No RAID Mode Total Drv Capacity MB Status LD 1 RAID 10 4 xxxxxx Functional LD 2 LD 3 LD 4 LD 5 LD 6 LD 7 LD 8 FastBuild tm Utility c 2004 2005 ATI Technology Inc Up Down ESC Exit Space Change Option Ctrl Y Save Keys Available Define LD Menu Define LD Menu Channel ID Drive Model Capacity MB Assignment 1 Mas xxxxxxxxx xxxxxx Y 2 Mas xx...

Page 115: ... the Delete LD function 2 Select the RAID item you want to delete and press Del or Alt D FastBuild tm Utility c 2004 2005 ATI Technology Inc Delete LD Menu Up Down ESC Exit Del or Alt D Delete Keys Available LD No RAID Mode Total Drv Capacity MB Status LD 1 RAID 10 4 xxxxxx Functional LD 2 LD 3 LD 4 LD 5 LD 6 LD 7 LD 8 ...

Page 116: ...rocess 4 5 2 Creating a RAID SATA driver disk in Windows To create a RAID driver disk in Windows 1 Start Windows 2 Place the motherboard support DVD into the optical drive 3 Go to the Make Disk menu then click ATI RAID AHCI 32 64bit WinXP Vista Driver to create a RAID driver disk 4 Insert a floppy disk USB device into the floppy disk drive USB port 5 Follow the succeeding screen instructions to co...

Page 117: ...om the AMD website at www amd com Ensure that your power supply unit PSU can provide at least the minimum power required by your system See page 2 35 for details 5 1 2 Before you begin For ATI CrossFireX to work properly you have to uninstall all existing graphics card drivers before installing ATI CrossFireX graphics cards to your system To uninstall all existing graphics card drivers 1 Close all...

Page 118: ...the identical CrossFireX ready graphics cards that are ATI certified Different types of graphics cards will not work together properly The motherboard layout of this chapter is for reference purpose only and may not exactly match your motherboard 5 2 1 Dual CrossFireX installation 1 Prepare two CrossFireX ready graphics cards 2 Insert the two graphics card into the PCIEX16 slots If your motherboar...

Page 119: ... your motherboard has more than three PCIEX16 slots refer to its user manual for the locations of the PCIEX16 slots recommended for multi graphics card installation 3 Ensure that the cards are properly seated on the slots 4 Align and firmly insert the two CrossFireX bridge connectors to the goldfingers on each graphics card Ensure that the connectors are firmly in place 5 Connect three independent...

Page 120: ...IEX16 slots 3 Ensure that the cards are properly seated on the slots 4 Align and firmly insert the three CrossFireX bridge connectors to the goldfingers on each graphics card Ensure that the connectors are firmly in place 5 Connect four independent auxiliary power sources from the power supply to the four graphics cards separately 6 Connect a VGA or a DVI cable to the graphics card ...

Page 121: ...ology is currently supported by Windows Vista only 5 3 2 Enabling the ATI CrossFireX technology After installing your graphics cards and the device drivers enable the CrossFireX feature through the ATI Catalyst Control Center in Windows environment Launching the ATI Catalyst Control Center To launch the ATI Catalyst Control Center 1 Right click on the Windows desktop and select Catalyst TM Control...

Page 122: ...t Enable CrossFireX 4 Click Apply and then click OK to exit the window Enabling Triple or Quad CrossFireX technology 1 In the Catalyst Control Center window click Graphics Settings CrossFireX Configure 2 From the Graphics Adapter list select the graphics card to act as the display GPU 3 Select Enable CrossFireX 4 From the list select the appropriate GPU combination to apply the CrossFireX technolo...

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