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4-4

Chapter 4: Software support

Chapter 4

4.3.2 

Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology

The motherboard supports the AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology that dynamically and 

automatically change the CPU speed, voltage, and amount of power depending on the task 

the CPU performs.

Enabling Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology

1. 

Turn on the system and enter BIOS by pressing the <Del> key during the Power On 

Self-Tests (POST).

2. 

Go to 

Advanced > CPU Configuration > Cool‘n’Quiet 

and set it to [Enabled]. See 

section 

3.5 Advanced menu

.

3. 

Save your changes and exit BIOS Setup.

4. 

Reboot your computer and set your Power Option Properties depending on your 

operating system.

Launching the Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ software

1. 

Install Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ software from the motherboard support DVD.

2. 

Click 

Start

 

> Programs > ASUS > Cool & Quiet > Cool & Quiet

.

3. 

The Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ technology screen appears and displays the current CPU 

Frequency and CPU Voltage.

Refer to the software manual in the support DVD or visit the ASUS website  

at www.asus.com for detailed software configuration.

Summary of Contents for M4A79XTD EVO

Page 1: ...Motherboard M4A79XTD EVO ...

Page 2: ...RCHANTABILITY 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 IN...

Page 3: ...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 15 2 4 4 Removing a DIMM 2 15 2 5 Expansion slots 2 16 2 5 1 Installing an expansion card 2 16 2 5 2 Configuring ...

Page 4: ... 7 3 3 4 Menu items 3 7 3 3 5 Submenu items 3 7 3 3 6 Configuration fields 3 7 3 3 7 Pop up window 3 7 3 3 8 Scroll bar 3 7 3 3 9 General help 3 7 3 4 Main menu 3 8 3 4 1 Primary IDE Master Slave SATA 1 6 3 8 3 4 2 Storage Configuration 3 10 3 4 3 System Information 3 11 3 5 Advanced menu 3 11 3 5 1 JumperFree Configuration 3 12 3 5 2 CPU Configuration 3 16 3 5 3 Chipset 3 17 3 5 4 Onboard Devices...

Page 5: ...II 4 3 4 3 2 Cool n Quiet Technology 4 4 4 3 3 ASUS AI Suite 4 5 4 3 4 ASUS EPU 4 6 4 3 5 ASUS Q Fan 2 4 7 4 3 6 ASUS TurboV 4 8 4 3 7 ASUS Turbo Key 4 9 4 3 8 ASUS Express Gate 4 10 4 3 9 VIA High Definition Audio utility 4 11 4 4 RAID configurations 4 12 4 4 1 RAID definitions 4 12 4 4 2 Installing Serial ATA hard disks 4 13 4 4 3 Setting the RAID item in BIOS 4 13 4 4 4 AMD Option ROM Utility 4...

Page 6: ... 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 3 Software information 5 3 5 3 1 Installing the device drivers 5 3 5 3 2 Enabling the ATI CrossFireX technology 5 3 Contents ...

Page 7: ...that to which the receiver is connected Consult the dealer or an experienced radio TV technician for help Canadian Department of Communications Statement This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications This class B digital apparatus complies with Can...

Page 8: ...SS 1 LASER PRODUCT INVISIBLE LASER RADIATION AVOID EXPOSURE TO BEAM 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 ensure all cables are correctly connected and the power cables are not damaged If you detect any damage contact your dealer immediately To avoid short circuits keep paper cl...

Page 9: ...etup 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 technology support This chapter describes ATI CrossFireX feature and shows the graphics card installation procedures Where to find more information Refer to the f...

Page 10: ...must press the enclosed key Example Enter means that you must press the Enter or Return key Key1 Key2 Key3 If you must press two or more keys simultaneously the key names are linked with a plus sign Example Ctrl Alt Del DANGER WARNING Information to prevent injury to yourself when trying to complete a task CAUTION Information to prevent damage to the components when trying to complete a task IMPOR...

Page 11: ...re using a Windows 32 bit operating system Expansion slots 2 x PCIe 2 0 x16 slots with ATI CrossFireX support full x16 or dual x8 link 2 x PCIe x1 slots 2 x PCI 2 2 slots Storage AMD SB750 southbridge 1 x Ultra DMA 133 100 66 connector for up to 2 PATA devices 6 x Serial ATA 3Gb s connectors support RAID 0 RAID 1 RAID 5 RAID 10 and JBOD configurations Marvell 88SE6121 1 x SATA 3Gb s port black 1 x...

Page 12: ...cking 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 50 step DRAM voltage control SFS Stepless Frequency Selection FSB tuning from 200MHz up to 600MHz at ...

Page 13: ...rusion connector 1 x CD audio in connector 1 x 24 pin EATX power connector 1 x 4 pin ATX 12V power connector BIOS 8Mb Flash ROM AMI BIOS PnP DMI2 0 WfM2 0 SM BIOS 2 3 ACPI2 0a ASUS EZ Flash 2 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 Manageability WOL by PME WOR by PME WOR by Ring PXE Chassis intrusion Accessories 1 x Ultra DMA 133 100 66 cable 4 x Serial ATA cables 1 x Q Shield 1 x User Manual 2 in 1 Q connector USB...

Page 14: ...xiv ...

Page 15: ...kage with the list below 1 2 Package contents Check your motherboard package for the following items Chapter 1 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 Chapter 1 Product introduction ASUS M4A79XTD EVO Motherboard 4 x Serial ATA signal cables 1 x Ultra DMA 133...

Page 16: ...y configurations experiment with the advanced 3D settings and check the effects with a real time 3D rendered previews within ATI Catalyst Control Center Dual Channel DDR3 1800 O C The motherboard supports DDR3 memory that features data transfer rates of 1800 O C 1600 1333 1066 MHz to meet the higher bandwidth requirements of the latest operation system 3D graphics multimedia and Internet applicati...

Page 17: ...y HT controller ASUS Anti Surge Protection This special design prevents expensive devices and the motherboard from damage caused by power surges from switching power supply PSU ASUS Green Design This motherboard and its packaging comply with the European Union s Restriction on the use of Hazardous Substances RoHS to safeguard consumers health while minimizing the impact of the environment ASUS EPU...

Page 18: ...conference and recording Noise Filtering This feature detects repetitive and stationary noises non voice signals like computer fans air conditioners and other background noises then eliminates it in the incoming audio stream while recording 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 Q Shiel...

Page 19: ... TurboV provides the best O C settings in different scenarios Turbo Key ASUS Turbo Key allows you to turn the PC power button into a physical overclocking button After the easy setup Turbo Key can boost performances without interrupting ongoing work or games with just one touch Precision Tweaker 2 Allows you to adjust the CPU voltage in 0 0125v steps and NB DRAM voltage in 0 02v steps to fine tune...

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

Page 21: ...ny component place it on a grounded antistatic pad or in the bag that came with the component Before you install or remove any component ensure that the ATX power supply is switched off or the power cord is detached from the power supply Failure to do so may cause severe damage to the motherboard peripherals or components Chapter 2 Hardware information Chapter 2 Onboard LED The motherboard comes w...

Page 22: ...2 2 Chapter 2 Hardware information Chapter 2 2 2 1 Motherboard layout Refer to 2 7 Connectors for more information about rear panel connectors and internal connectors 2 2 Motherboard overview ...

Page 23: ...DE connector 40 1 pin PRI_IDE 2 25 7 Serial ATA connectors 7 pin SATA1 6 SATA_E1 2 26 8 Clear RTC RAM 3 pin CLRTC 2 19 9 USB connectors 10 1 pin USB910 USB1112 2 28 10 IEEE 1394a port connector 10 1 pin IE1394_2 2 29 11 System panel connector 20 8 pin PANEL 2 32 12 Chassis intrusion connector 4 1 pin CHASSIS 2 29 13 CPU overvoltage setting 3 pin OV_CPU 2 20 14 Optical drive audio connector 4 pin C...

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: ... AM3 socket has a different pinout from the AM2 AM2 socket Make sure you use a CPU designed for the AM3 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 Make sure that the socket lever is lifted up to a 90 angle Otherwise the CPU will not fit in completely 2 Press the lever sideways to unlo...

Page 26: ...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 DO NOT eat it If it gets into your eyes or touches...

Page 27: ... section do not match the CPU documentation follow the latter Retention module base CPU heatsink CPU fan Retention bracket lock Retention bracket 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 Ensure that you use only AMD certified heatsink and fan...

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: ...sions as a DDR2 DIMM but is notched differently to prevent installation on a DDR2 DIMM socket DDR3 modules are developed for better performance with less power consumption The figure illustrates the location of the DDR3 DIMM sockets Recommended memory configurations One DIMM You may install one memory module in any slot as a single channel operation Two DIMMs dual channel operation Four DIMMs dual...

Page 31: ...B 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 more on the motherboard For more details refer to the Microsoft support site at http support microsoft com kb 929605 en us This motherboard does not support DIMMs made up of 256 Mb 32M...

Page 32: ...1600X002GMU 4096MB Kit of 2 DS N A Heat Sink Package 7 7 7 20 1 75 1 85V Corsair CM3X1G1600C9DHX 2048MB Kit of 2 SS N A Heat Sink Package 9 9 9 24 1 8V Corsair CM3X2G1600C9DHX 2048MB DS N A Heat Sink Package Crucial BL12864BA1608 8SFB XMP 3072MB Kit of 3 SS N A Heat Sink Package 8 8 8 24 1 8V Crucial BL12864BE2009 8SFB3 EPP 3072MB Kit of 3 SS N A Heat Sink Package 9 9 9 28 2 0V Crucial BL25664TB16...

Page 33: ...S G SKILL Heat Sink Package G SKILL F3 10600CL9D 2GBNQ 1024MB DS G SKILL Heat Sink Package G SkiLL F3 10666CL8D 4GBHK 4096MB Kit of 2 DS N A Heat Sink Package 8 8 8 21 1 5 1 6V G SKILL F3 10666CL7T 6GBPK 6144MB Kit of 3 DS N A Heat Sink Package 7 7 7 18 1 5 1 6V G SKILL F3 10666CL9T 6GBNQ 6144MB Kit of 3 DS N A Heat Sink Package 9 9 9 24 1 5V 1 6V GEIL DDR3 1333 CL9 9 9 24 1024MB SS N A Heat Sink ...

Page 34: ... 1024MB SS elpida J1108BABG DJ E 7 1 5V 0 075V Kingston KVR1066D3N7 1G 1024MB SS elpida J5308BASE AE E S 7 1 5V Kingston KVR1066D3N7 2G 2048MB DS elpida J1108BABG DJ E 7 1 5V Micron MT8JTF12864AY 1G1D1 1024MB SS Micron 8ED22D9JNL Micron MT16JTF25664AY 1G1D1 2048MB DS Micron 8LD22D9JNL Micron MT16JTF25664AZ 1G1F1 2048MB DS Micron 9HF22D9KPT 7 OCZ OCZ3SOE10662GK 2048MB Kit of 2 DS N A Heat Sink Pack...

Page 35: ...lips 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 To...

Page 36: ... 5 Secure 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 Refer to Chapter 3 for information on BIOS setup 2 Assign an IRQ to the card Refer to the tables on the next page 3 I...

Page 37: ... System 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 15 10 Secondary 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 x1_1 shared shared shared shared PCIE x1_2 shared shared shared shared PCI_1 shared shared shar...

Page 38: ...efer to the figure below for the location of the slots Primary PCI Express x16 slot The primary PCI Express x16 slot supports PCI Express x16 graphics cards that comply with the PCI Express specifications Universal PCI Express x16 slot max x8 mode This motherboard also supports a universal PCI Express x16 slot with a maximum speed of 8 GB s The operating frequency of this slot changes depending on...

Page 39: ... 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 40: ...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 Advanced 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 setting...

Page 41: ...de and then reboot the system Refer to section 3 4 2 Storage Configuration for details and Refer to the tables on the next page for LAN port and audio port definitions Rear panel connectors 1 PS 2 mouse port green 7 USB 2 0 ports 5 and 6 2 Optical S PDIF Out port 8 IEEE 1394a port 3 USB 2 0 ports 3 and 4 9 External SATA port 4 LAN RJ 45 port 10 USB 2 0 ports 1 and 2 5 PS 2 keyboard port purple 11 ...

Page 42: ... 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 Rear Speaker Out Gray Side Speaker Out SPEED LED ACT LINK LED LAN port Activity Link LED Speed LED Status Description Status Description OFF No link OFF 10 Mbps connection ORANGE Linked ORANGE 100 M...

Page 43: ...ASUS M4A79XTD EVO 2 23 Chapter 2 Connect to Stereo Speakers Connect to 2 1 channel Speakers Connect to 4 1 channel Speakers ...

Page 44: ...2 24 Chapter 2 Hardware information Chapter 2 Connect to 5 1 channel Speakers Connect to 7 1 channel Speakers ...

Page 45: ... There are three connectors on each Ultra DMA 133 100 66 signal cable blue black and gray Connect the blue connector to the motherboard s IDE connector then select one of the following modes to configure your device 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 ...

Page 46: ... you intend to create a Serial ATA RAID set using these connectors set the OnChip SATA Type item in the BIOS to RAID Refer to section 3 4 2 Storage Configuration for details Before creating a RAID set refer to section 4 4 RAID configurations or the manual bundled in the motherboard support DVD Due to chipset limitation when you set any of the SATA ports to RAID mode all SATA ports run at RAID mode...

Page 47: ...k 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 4 pin CPU_FAN and 4 pin CHA_FAN 1 connectors support the ASUS Q FAN 2 feature If you install two VGA cards we recommend t...

Page 48: ... the system chassis These USB connectors comply with USB 2 0 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...

Page 49: ...separately 6 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 a chassis intrusion e...

Page 50: ...io I O module that supports either HD Audio or legacy 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 s high definition audio capability If you want to connect a high definition front panel audio module to this connector set the Fro...

Page 51: ...a minimum power of 600 W Do not forget to connect the 4 pin ATX 12 V power plug Otherwise the system will not boot We recommend that you use a PSU with higher power output when configuring a system with more power consuming devices The system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is inadequate If you want to use two high end PCI Express x16 cards use a PSU with 1000W power or above t...

Page 52: ...stem warning 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 switc...

Page 53: ...t the serial port module cable to this connector then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis The COM module is purchased separately 11 Optical drive audio connector 4 pin CD These connectors allow you to receive stereo audio input from sound sources such as a CD ROM TV tuner or MPEG card ...

Page 54: ...tailed pin definitions and then match them to their respective front panel cable labels 2 Install the ASUS Q Connector to the system panel connector ensuring the orientation matches the labels on the motherboard 3 The front panel functions are now enabled The figure shows the Q Connector is properly installed on the motherboard The labels on the front panel cables may vary depending on the chassis...

Page 55: ...ts are running the BIOS beeps refer to 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 instru...

Page 56: ...2 36 Chapter 2 Hardware information Chapter 2 ...

Page 57: ...rsion of BIOS DO 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 Update...

Page 58: ... package 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 and then click ASUS Update VX XX XX 3 The ASUS Update utility is copied to your system Updating the BIOS through the Internet Quit all Windows applica...

Page 59: ...lect Update BIOS from a file from the dropdown menu then click Next M4A79XTD EVO M4A79XTD EVO ROM Ensure to load the BIOS default settings to ensure system compatibility and stability Select the Load Setup Defaults item under the Exit menu Refer to section 3 9 Exit Menu for details 5 Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the update process The ASUS Update utility is capable of updating itse...

Page 60: ... 2 BIOS ROM Utility V3 36 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 M4A79XTD EVO VER 0202 H 00 B 01 DATE 06 22 2009 BOARD Unknown VER Unknown DATE Unknown 2 Press Tab to switch between drives until the correct BIOS file is found When found EZ Flash 2 performs the BIOS update process and au...

Page 61: ... com and save it to a USB flash drive Recovering the BIOS To recover the BIOS 1 Turn on the system 2 Insert the motherboard support DVD to the optical drive or the USB flash drive containing the BIOS file to the USB port 3 The utility automatically checks the devices for the BIOS file When found the utility reads the BIOS file and starts flashing the corrupted BIOS file 4 Turn off the system after...

Page 62: ...der the Exit menu Refer to section 3 9 Exit Menu for details If the system fails to boot after changing any BIOS setting try to clear the CMOS and reset the motherboard to the default value Refer to section 2 6 Jumpers for details 3 3 1 BIOS menu screen 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 Advanced For changi...

Page 63: ...er configurable A configurable field is enclosed in brackets and is highlighted when selected To change the value of a field select it and press Enter to display a list of options Refer to 3 3 7 Pop up window 3 3 7 Pop up window Select a menu item and press Enter to display a pop up window with the configuration options for that item 3 3 8 Scroll bar A scroll bar appears on the right side of a men...

Page 64: ...ETUP UTILITY Main Select the type of device connected to the system The BIOS automatically detects the values opposite the dimmed items Device Vendor Size LBA Mode Block Mode PIO Mode Async DMA Ultra DMA and SMART monitoring These values are not user configurable These items show Not Detected if no IDE SATA device is installed in the system v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2009 American Megatrends Inc BIOS...

Page 65: ...fer M Auto 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 w...

Page 66: ...nt the SATA hard 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 ...

Page 67: ...24MB Usable Size 1023MB Be cautious when changing the settings of the Advanced menu items Incorrect field values can cause the system to malfunction v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2009 American Megatrends Inc BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit Adjust system frequency voltage JumperFree Configuration CPU Configuration Chipset Onboard Devices Configuration USB Configuration PCIPnP 3 5 A...

Page 68: ...gatrends Inc Chipset Voltage NB Voltage Auto NB 1 8V Voltage Auto SB Voltage Auto Ai Overclock Tuner Auto Allows you to select the CPU overclocking options to achieve the desired CPU internal frequency Select any of these preset overclocking configuration options Manual Allows you to individually set overclocking parameters Auto Loads the optimal settings for the system Overclock Profile Loads ove...

Page 69: ...MHz 600MHz 800MHz 1000MHz 1200MHz 1400MHz 1600MHz 1800MHz 2000MHz HT Link Width Auto Allows you to select the HyperTransport link width Configuration options Auto 4 Bit 8 Bit 16 Bit HT Voltage Auto Allows you to set the HyperTransport voltage The values range from 1 20V to 1 50V with a 0 02V interval Use the and keys to adjust the value DRAM Frequency Auto Allows you to set the DDR3 operating freq...

Page 70: ...0 CLK 12 CLK TRRD Auto Configuration options Auto 4 CLK 5 CLK 6 CLK 7 CLK TRWTTO Auto Configuration options Auto 3 CLK 4 CLK 5 CLK 17 CLK TWRRD Auto Configuration options Auto 2 CLK 3 CLK 4 CLK 10 CLK TWTR Auto Configuration options Auto 4 CLK 5 CLK 6 CLK 7 CLK TWRWR Auto Configuration options Auto 3 CLK 4 CLK 5 CLK 10 CLK TRDRD Auto Configuration options Auto 3 CLK 4 CLK 5 CLK 10 CLK DRAM Timing ...

Page 71: ... 5x DCT0 DQS drive strength Auto DCT1 DQS drive strength Auto Configuration options Auto 0 75x 1x 1 25x 1 5x DCT0 Processor ODT Auto DCT1 Processor on die terminat Auto Configuration options Auto 240 ohms 20 120 ohms 20 60 ohms 20 NB Voltage Auto Allows you to set the Northbridge voltage The values range from 1 10V to 1 40V with a 0 02V interval Use the and keys to adjust the value NB 1 8V Voltage...

Page 72: ...ay enable it for testing purpose BIOS SETUP UTILITY Advanced Select Screen Select Item Change Field F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit 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 Microcod...

Page 73: ...he and dram scrubbing BIOS SETUP UTILITY Advanced ECC Mode Disabled Disables or sets the DRAM ECC mode that allows the hardware to report and correct memory errors Disabled Disables the DRAM ECC mode Basic Set to Basic to adjust ECC mode automatically Good Set to Good to adjust ECC mode automatically Super Set to Super to adjust the DRAM BG Scrub sub item manually Max Set to Max to adjust ECC mode...

Page 74: ...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 L2 L3 Cache BG Scrub Disabled Disables or sets the L2 L3 Cache BG Scrub This item allows the L2 L3 Data Cache RAM to be corrected when idle 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 7u...

Page 75: ...d 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 Onboard 1394 Enabled Enabled Enables the onboard 1394 device support Disabled Disables the onboard 1394 device support Serial Port1 Address 3F8 IRQ4 Allows you to select the Serial Port1 base addr...

Page 76: ...er The following item appears 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 the USB 2 0 controller mode to HiSpeed 480 Mbps 3 5 6 PCIPnP The PCIPnP menu items allow you to change the advanced settings for PCI PnP devices Advanced PCI PnP Settings WARNING Setting wrong values in b...

Page 77: ...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 6 3 ACPI APIC Support Enabled Disabled When set to Disabled the system disable the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface ACPI support in the Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller APIC Enabled When set to Enabled the ACPI A...

Page 78: ... use a PS 2 mouse to turn on the system 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 ...

Page 79: ...U 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 CPU Q Fan Mode Silent Performance Sets to Performance to achieve maximum CPU ...

Page 80: ...feature The following item appears only when you set Chassis Q Fan Function to Enabled Chassis Q Fan Mode Silent Performance Sets to Performance to achieve maximum chassis fan speed Optimal Sets to Optimal to make the chassis fan automatically adjust depending on the chassis temperature Silent Sets to Silent to minimize fan speed for quiet chassis fan operation ...

Page 81: ...en ASUS Logo appears To access Windows OS in Safe Mode do any of the following Press F5 when ASUS Logo appears Press F8 after POST 3 7 1 Boot Device Priority Boot Device Priority 1st Boot Device Removable Dev 2nd Boot Device Hard Drive 3rd Boot Device ATAPI DVD ROM BIOS SETUP UTILITY Boot v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2009 American Megatrends Inc BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit Bo...

Page 82: ... third 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 Di...

Page 83: ...appears If you forget your BIOS password you can clear clear it by erasing the CMOS Real Time Clock RTC RAM See section 2 6 Jumpers for information on how to erase the RTC RAM After you have set a supervisor password the other items appear to allow you to change other security settings Security Settings Supervisor Password Not Installed User Password Not Installed Change Supervisor Password Change...

Page 84: ... box that appears type a password composed of up to 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 Password Check Setup Setup BIOS checks for ...

Page 85: ...XIC 25L8005 PATH A BOARD M4A79XTD EVO VER 0202 H 00 B 01 DATE 06 22 2009 BOARD Unknown VER Unknown DATE Unknown 3 8 2 Express Gate Auto Allows you to enable or disable the ASUS Express Gate feature The ASUS Express Gate feature is a unique instant on environment that provides quick access to the Internet browser and Skype Configuration options Auto Enabled Disabled v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2009 Ame...

Page 86: ...ave the setting to the BIOS so that the user data will be cleared the next time you enter the Express Gate User data includes the Express Gate s settings as well as any personal information stored by the web browser such as bookmarks cookies browsing history This is useful in the rare case where corrupt settings prevent the Express Gate environment from launching properly No Set to No to disable t...

Page 87: ...ing the Power On Self Test POST Enabled BIOS checks the Realtek LAN cable during the Power On Self Test POST ASUSTek O C Profile Utility V1 06 AI NET 2 Pair Status Length Check Realtek LAN cable Disabled Check Realtek LAN cable during POST BIOS SETUP UTILITY Tools 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 shut...

Page 88: ...o 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 changes that you made to the Setup program If you made changes to fields other than System ...

Page 89: ...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 Visit the ...

Page 90: ...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 91: ...er is always at a healthy operating condition Launching PC Probe II 1 Install PC Probe II from the motherboard support DVD 2 Launch PC Probe II by clicking Start 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 so...

Page 92: ...d CPU Configuration Cool n Quiet and set it to Enabled See section 3 5 Advanced menu 3 Save your changes and exit BIOS Setup 4 Reboot your computer and set your Power Option Properties depending on your operating system Launching the Cool n Quiet software 1 Install Cool n Quiet software from the motherboard support DVD 2 Click Start Programs ASUS Cool Quiet Cool Quiet 3 The Cool n Quiet technology...

Page 93: ...ain 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 secti...

Page 94: ...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 95: ...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 96: ...en 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 4 3 6 ASUS TurboV ASUS TurboV allows you to easily overclock without exiting or rebooting the OS and set up the best O C settings for different scenarios Refer to the CPU documentation before adjusting CPU voltage settings S...

Page 97: ...t system performance after pressing the power button 2 You can choose whether to show Turbo Key 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 For detailed ASUS TurboV configurations refer to the software manu...

Page 98: ... Flash drives with at least 1 2GB of available disk space When installed on USB HDDs and Flash drives connect the drives to the motherboard USB port before turning on the computer Your monitor must support the screen resolution of 1024 x 768 or ASUS Express Gate will be skipped during the booting process and the existing OS will be launched directly Installation of at least 1GB system memory is re...

Page 99: ...stallation wizard to install the VIA Audio Driver from the support CD DVD that came with the motherboard package If the VIA audio software is correctly installed you will find the VIA HD Audio Deck icon on the taskbar Double click on the icon to display the VIA HD Audio Deck VIA HD Audio Deck A VIA HD Audio Deck for Windows Vista Minimize button Advanced Options Analog and digital connector status...

Page 100: ...hus improving data access and storage Use of two new identical hard disk drives is required for this setup RAID 1 Data mirroring copies and maintains an identical image of data from one drive to a second drive If one drive fails the disk array management software directs all applications to the surviving drive as it contains a complete copy of the data in the other drive This RAID configuration pr...

Page 101: ...n entering and navigating through the BIOS Setup Due to chipset limitation when set any of SATA ports to RAID mode all SATA ports run at RAID mode together 4 4 2 Installing Serial ATA hard disks The motherboard supports Serial ATA hard disk drives For optimal performance install identical drives of the same model and capacity when creating a disk array To install the SATA hard disks for a RAID con...

Page 102: ...creen appears Option ROM Utility c 2008 Advanced Micro Devices Inc Define LD Menu LD No RAID Mode Total Drv LD 1 RAID 0 0 Strip Block 64 KB Fast Init ON Gigabyte Boundary ON Cache Mode WriteThru Drives Assignments Channel ID Drive Model Capabilities Capacity GB Assigment 1 Mas ST3160812AS SATA 3G 160 04 N 2 Mas ST3160812AS SATA 3G 160 04 N 3 Mas ST3160812AS SATA 3G 160 04 N 4 Mas ST3160812AS SATA ...

Page 103: ...y or press any other key to use maximum capacity Press Ctrl Y to key in the desired capacity or press any other key to use the maximum capacity 6 The utility displays the following screen on the next page Option ROM Utility c 2008 Advanced Micro Devices Inc Define LD Menu LD No RAID Mode Total Drv Capacity GB Status LD 1 RAID 0 2 317 99 Functional LD 2 LD 3 LD 4 LD 5 LD 6 LD 7 LD 8 LD 9 LD 10 Up D...

Page 104: ...ion 2 Select the RAID item you want to delete and press Del or Alt D Option ROM Utility c 2008 Advanced Micro Devices Inc Delete LD Menu LD No RAID Mode Total Drv Capacity GB Status LD 1 RAID 0 2 317 99 Functional LD 2 LD 3 LD 4 LD 5 LD 6 LD 7 LD 8 LD 9 LD 10 Up Down ESC Exit Del or Alt D Delete Keys Available 3 The utility prompts the following messages Press Ctrl Y to delete the data in the disk...

Page 105: ...or Windows XP Vista 7 Insert a formatted floppy disk into the floppy drive then press Enter 8 Follow the succeeding screen instructions to complete the process 4 5 2 Creating a RAID driver disk in Windows To create a RAID driver disk in Windows 1 Start Windows 2 Plug the USB floppy disk drive and insert a floppy disk 3 Place the motherboard support DVD into the optical drive 4 Go to the Make Disk ...

Page 106: ... To solve this issue add the USB floppy disk drive s Vendor ID VID and Product ID PID to the floppy disk containing the RAID driver Refer to the steps below 1 Using another computer plug the USB floppy disk drive and insert the floppy disk containing the RAID driver 2 Right click My Computer on the Windows desktop or start menu and then select Manage from the pop up window 3 Select Device Manager ...

Page 107: ...ogram for opening the oem file 8 Find the HardwareIds scsi iaAHCI_ICH10R and HardwareIds scsi iastor_ICH8RICH9RICH10RDO sections in the txtsetup oem file 9 Type the following line to the bottom of the two sections id USB VID_xxxx PID_xxxx usbstor 7 Use Notepad to open the file 10 Save and exit the file Add the same line to both sections The VID and PID vary with different vendors ...

Page 108: ...4 20 Chapter 4 Software support Chapter 4 ...

Page 109: ...ur system See page 2 31 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 existing graphics card drivers 1 Close all current applications 2 For Windows XP go to Control Panel Add Remove Programs For Windows Vista go to Control Panel Programs and ...

Page 110: ... but the installation steps remain the same 1 Prepare two CrossFireX ready graphics cards 2 Insert the two graphics card into the PCIEX16 slots If your motherboard has more than two 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 Goldfingers CrossFireX bridge 5 Co...

Page 111: ...talling 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 Center You can also right click the ATI icon in the Windows notification area and select Cayalist Contro...

Page 112: ...sFireX 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 Click Apply and then click OK to exit the window 1 2 3 4 ...

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