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ASUS Motherboard installation guide

1-11

1.2 

Installing the heatsink and fan

To install the CPU heatsink and fan:

1.  Select an Intel-certified or 

AMD-certified heatsink and fan assembly based on your 

motherboard. There are 3-pin (left) and 4-pin (right) fan connectors. Only CPU fans 

with 4-pin connectors supports the ASUS Q-Fan technology.

For Intel-certified heatsink:

2.  Some heatsinks will come with 

pre-applied thermal paste. If so, 

do not scrape it off and remove 

the protective film only before 

installation. If not, before installing 

the heatsink, apply several drops of 

thermal paste to the exposed area 

of the CPU that the heatsink will 

be in contact with. Ensure that it is 

spread in an even thin layer. 

To prevent contaminating the paste, DO NOT spread the paste with your finger 

directly.

3.  Orient each fastener with the 

narrow end of the groove pointing 

outward. 

Summary of Contents for P8H61

Page 1: ...Motherboard Motherboard installation guide ...

Page 2: ...ERCHANTABILITY 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 I...

Page 3: ...Installing disk drives 1 18 1 7 1 PATA optical disk drive 1 18 1 7 2 SATA optical disk drive 1 19 1 7 3 Floppy disk drive 1 20 1 7 4 PATA hard disk drive 1 21 1 7 5 SATA hard disk drive 1 23 1 8 Front panel cables 1 24 1 9 Connecting the ATX power 1 25 1 10 Peripheral devices and accessories 1 27 1 11 Starting up for the first time 1 28 Chapter 2 Manage update BIOS 2 1 AFUDOS utility 2 1 2 2 Award...

Page 4: ...ilure to boot up No screen display 3 5 3 2 3 Failure to enter the operating system 3 5 3 2 4 FAQs 3 6 Chapter 4 Computer care tips 4 1 Proper care of your PC 4 1 4 2 Basic knowledge 4 1 4 3 Usage knowledge 4 1 4 4 Tips 4 2 ...

Page 5: ...our area If you are not sure about the voltage of the electrical outlet you are using contact your local power company If the power supply is broken do not try to fix it by yourself Contact a qualified service technician or your retailer Operation safety Before installing the motherboard and adding devices on it carefully read all the manuals that came with the package Before using the product ens...

Page 6: ...vi ...

Page 7: ... Lift the load plate with your thumb and forefinger to a 100º angle 4A then push the PnP cap from the load plate window to remove 4B Load plate PnP cap 4A 4B 3 Chapter 1 Quick Start 5 Position the CPU over the socket making sure that the gold triangle is on the bottom left corner of the socket then fit the socket alignment key into the CPU notch The CPU fits in only one correct orientation DO NOT ...

Page 8: ...ead in an even thin layer Some heatsinks come with pre applied thermal paste If so skip this step 7 Close the load plate A then push the load lever B until it snaps into the retention tab A B The Thermal Interface Material is toxic and inedible DO NOT eat it If it gets into your eyes or touches your skin wash it off immediately and seek professional medical help ...

Page 9: ...the load lever in the direction of the arrow to a 135º angle 4 Lift the load plate with your thumb and forefinger to a 100º angle Load plate 4 3 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 6 Position the CPU over the socket ensuring that the gold triangle is on the bottom left corner of the s...

Page 10: ...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 your skin wash it off immediately and seek professional medical help ...

Page 11: ...PU 4 Remove the PnP cap from the CPU socket by lifting the tab only 3 Lift the load lever in the direction of the arrow until the load plate is completely lifted PnP cap Cap tab Load plate To prevent damage to the socket pins do not remove the PnP cap unless you are installing a CPU A B Load lever Retention tab 2 Press the load lever with your thumb A and then move it to the right B until it is re...

Page 12: ... come with pre applied thermal paste If so skip this step 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 7 Close the load plate A and then push down the load lever B ensuring that the front edge of the load plate slides under the retention lock C C B A 8 Insert the load lever under th...

Page 13: ...PU 4 Remove the PnP cap from the CPU socket by lifting the tab only 3 Lift the load lever in the direction of the arrow until the load plate is completely lifted PnP cap Cap tab Load plate To prevent damage to the socket pins do not remove the PnP cap unless you are installing a CPU A B Load lever Retention tab 2 Press the load lever with your thumb A and then move it to the right B until it is re...

Page 14: ... come with pre applied thermal paste If so skip this step 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 7 Close the load plate A and then push down the load lever B ensuring that the front edge of the load plate slides under the retention lock C C B A 8 Insert the load lever under th...

Page 15: ...in completely 3 Position the CPU above the socket such that the CPU corner with the gold triangle matches the socket corner with a small triangle 4 Carefully insert the CPU into the socket until it fits in place Gold triangle Small triangle 1 1 5 AMD AM2 AM2 AM3 Socket The AMD AM2 and AM2 sockets are compatible with AMD AM2 AM2 and AM3 processors The AMD AM3 socket is compatible with AMD AM3 proce...

Page 16: ...hermal Interface Material is toxic and inedible DO NOT eat it If it gets into your eyes or touches your skin wash it off immediately and seek professional medical help Some heatsinks come with pre applied thermal paste If so skip this step 5 When the CPU is in place push down the socket lever to secure the CPU The lever clicks on the side tab to indicate that it is locked ...

Page 17: ...ology For Intel certified heatsink 2 Some heatsinks will come with pre applied thermal paste If so do not scrape it off and remove the protective film only before installation If not before installing the heatsink apply several drops of thermal paste to the exposed area of the CPU that the heatsink will be in contact with Ensure that it is spread in an even thin layer To prevent contaminating the ...

Page 18: ...ble to the corresponding connector on the motherboard DO NOT forget to connect the CPU fan connector Hardware monitoring errors can occur if you fail to plug this connector and we suggest you use an omni directional heatsink to gain the maximum heat dissipation area 1 2 3 4 For AMD certified heatsink Follow the instructions below to install an AMD certified heatsink ...

Page 19: ... the DIMM matches the DIMM slot key on the socket 1 2 1 Unlocked retaining clip DIMM notch DIMM slot key 3 Hold the DIMM by both of its ends then insert the DIMM vertically into the socket Apply force to both ends of the DIMM simultaneously until the retaining clips snap back into place and the DIMM cannot be pushed in any further to ensure proper sitting of the DIMM Locked Retaining Clip 3 3 Remo...

Page 20: ...et Unlocked retaining clip DIMM notch 2 1 DIMM slot key 1 Press the retaining clip outward to unlock the DIMM 2 Remove the DIMM from the socket 1 2 Removing a DIMM from a single clip DIMM socket To install two or more DIMMs refer to the user guide bundled in the motherboard package Refer to the user guide for qualified vendor lists of the memory modules Support the DIMM lightly with your fingers w...

Page 21: ... the screws until they are finger tight You may remove the metal slot covers for the expansion cards at the back of the chassis before installing the motherboard For some chassis models it might be difficult to remove the expansion slot cover after the installation DO NOT over tighten the screws Doing so may damage the motherboard 1 4 Installing the motherboard 1 I O ports differ with motherboards...

Page 22: ...voltage Power supply with active PFC Active PFC automatically corrects the AC input voltage 2 If you are using a power supply with passive PFC adjust to the correct AC input voltage in your area Failure to adjust the power supply to the correct AC input voltage will seriously damage the system Use power supply units with safety certification only Using unstable power supply units can damage your m...

Page 23: ...t it is properly seated on the slot 3 Screw to secure the card on the slot 4 Repeat the previous steps to install another expansion card Refer to the card documentation for the card configuration details and to the motherboard user guide in case you need to configure any jumpers after installing the expansion card Refer to the motherboard user guide for the instructions of the expansion card signa...

Page 24: ...d secure the disk drive with screws 3 Orient and plug the IDE cable into the optical drive The red stripe on the IDE cable is the pin1 end and should match the dimple marking Pin1 on the optical drive 4 Connect the 4 pin power cable to the optical drive 5 Attach the audio cable to the connector on the optical drive IDE cables are dummy proof Never force the IDE cable into the connector ...

Page 25: ...e into the bay 2 Align with the screw holes and secure the disk drive with screws 3 Orient and plug the SATA cable into the optical drive SATA cables are dummy proof Never force a SATA cable into the connector 4 Connect the SATA power cable to the the optical drive 5 Attach the audio cable to the connector on the optical drive ...

Page 26: ...bay 2 Align with the screw holes and secure the disk drive with screws 3 Orient and plug the floppy interface cable into the floppy disk drive The red stripe on the cable is the pin1 end and should match pin1 on the floppy disk drive 4 Connect the floppy power cable to the connector at the back of the floppy disk drive ...

Page 27: ...rive with screws 3 Orient and connect the signal cable to the hard disk drive The red stripe on the cable is the pin1 end Match the dummy proof notch and do not force the cable into the connector 4 Connect the 4 pin power cable to the connector at the back of the hard disk drive 5 Attach the other end of the signal cable to the corresponding slot on the motherboard ...

Page 28: ...ormance The 40 wire cables are usually for the optical drives The cables are designed with pull tabs Just easily install the disk drives based on the cable labels To prevent damaging the pins pull the cable tabs to disconnect the cable If your operating system is installed to the hard disk drive controlled by the RAID or other controllers you have to install the controller driver to the hard disk ...

Page 29: ... cable to the connector at the back of the hard disk drive Notes for installing SATA hard disk drive Serial ATA SATA interface provides higher data transmission speed and better voltage tolerance The narrow design of the SATA cable also solves cabling issues and allows better airflow in the chassis The SATA power cable connector is different from the traditional 4 pin power connector ASUS motherbo...

Page 30: ...your chassis may differ with models or designs Connect these connectors to the motherboard according to the label If the LEDs do not light up and the pin location is correct you might have mistaken the ground pins with the signal pins Usually the white wire stands for the ground pins and the color coded wire for the signal pins The SPEAKER RESET and PWRSW front panel cables have no specific orient...

Page 31: ...onnectors to the motherboard DO NOT force the male power connectors into the female counterparts on the motherboard Usually there will be two connectors on the motherboard 24 pin and 4 pin power connectors Some older power supply units may only have 20 pin power connector which also fits the 24 pin power connector on the motherboard 24 pin power connector 20 pin power connector on the 24 pin femal...

Page 32: ... the power connectors are firmly secured to the motherboard If your power supply supports 20 pin 4 pin you are able to combine these two connectors and install to the 24 pin connectors on the motherboard Power connectors 20 4 24 pin ATX connector 4 pin ATX connector peripheral power connector left floppy power connector right ...

Page 33: ...ne in port 11 LAN RJ45 port 10 IEEE1394 port 9 Parallel port 1 AC Power plug power extension cord 2 PS 2 keyboard port keyboard 3 S PDIF out port digital 5 1 speaker system 4 Serial port PDA dock 5 USB port USB devices 6 Microphone port microphone 7 Line out port speaker 8 PS 2 mouse port mouse 9 Parallel port printer 10 IEEE1394 port external hard disk drive 11 LAN RJ45 port modem 12 Line in port...

Page 34: ...s black Ensure the monitor power is on and the VGA cable is connected correctly Adjust the monitor brightness and contrast Shut down the computer and remove the power cord Check whether the VGA card is installed firmly No memory detected Ensure the memory module is correct Ensure the DIMMS are firmly seated on the DIMM socket Ensure the memory module is from the qualified vedor list Refer to the u...

Page 35: ... not more than eight alphanumeric characters for the main filename and three alphanumeric characters for the extension name A afudos oOLDBIOS1 rom Ensure that the floppy disk is not write protected and has at least 1024KB free space to save the file The succeeding BIOS screens are for reference only The actual BIOS screen displays may not be same as shown The utility returns to the DOS prompt afte...

Page 36: ...iP5K3D ROM AMI Firmware Update Utility Version 1 19 ASUS V2 07 03 11 24BB Copyright C 2002 American Megatrends Inc All rights reserved WARNING Do not turn off power during flash BIOS Reading file done Reading flash done Advance Check Erasing flash done Writing flash done Verifying flash done Please restart your computer A A afudos iP5K3D ROM AMI Firmware Update Utility Version 1 19 ASUS V2 07 03 1...

Page 37: ...flash exe from the Software folder of the support CD to the floppy disk CD ROM or a USB flash disk with the latest BIOS file 3 Boot the system in DOS mode using the bootable floppy disk CD ROM or a USB flash disk you created earlier 4 Under the DOS mode use X X stands for the name of the disk assignment to switch to the folder of floppy disk CD ROM or USB flash disk you saved the BIOS file and Awa...

Page 38: ...estart the system AwardBIOS Flash Utility for ASUS V1 14 C Phoenix Technologies Ltd All Rights Reserved F1 Reset For NF590 SLI M2N32 SLI DELUXE DATE 03 30 2006 Flash Type PMC Pm49FL004T LPC FWH File Name to Program M2N32SLI bin Flashing Complete Press F1 to Continue Write OK No Update Write Fail For NF590 SLI M2N32 SLI DELUXE DATE 03 30 2006 Flash Type PMC Pm49FL004T LPC FWH File Name to Program M...

Page 39: ...ess AwardBIOS Flash Utility for ASUS V1 14 C Phoenix Technologies Ltd All Rights Reserved Message For NF590 SLI M2N32 SLI DELUXE DATE 03 30 2006 Flash Type PMC Pm49FL004T LPC FWH File Name to Program 0112 bin Save current BIOS as AwardBIOS Flash Utility for ASUS V1 14 C Phoenix Technologies Ltd All Rights Reserved Message Please Wait For NF590 SLI M2N32 SLI DELUXE DATE 03 30 2006 Flash Type PMC Pm...

Page 40: ... DVD that comes with the motherboard 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 Install ASUS Update VX XX XX 3 The ASUS Update utility is copied to your system Updating the BIOS t...

Page 41: ...e FTP site select the BIOS version that you wish to download Click Next 5 Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the update process The ASUS Update utility is capable of updating itself through the Internet Always update the utility to avail all its features 2 Select Update BIOS from the Internet from the drop down menu and then click Next ...

Page 42: ... ASUS Update main window appears 2 Select Update BIOS from a file from the dropdown menu then click Next P6TSE P6TSE ROM 3 Locate the BIOS file from the Open window then click Open 4 Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the update process Ensure to load the BIOS default settings to ensure system compatibility and stability Select the Load Setup Defaults item under the Exit menu ...

Page 43: ...rive or USB flash drive in NTFS format Do not save the BIOS file to a floppy disk due to low disk capacity 3 Turn off the computer and disconnect all SATA hard disk drives optional Booting the system in DOS environment 1 Insert the USB flash drive with the latest BIOS file and BIOS Updater to the USB port 2 Boot your computer When the ASUS Logo appears press F8 to show the BIOS Boot Device Select ...

Page 44: ...BOARD Unknown VER Unknown DATE Unknown BIOS backup is done Press any key to continue D bupdater oOLDBIOS1 rom Filename Extension Backing up the current BIOS To backup the current BIOS file using the BIOS Updater Ensure that the USB flash drive is not write protected and has enough free space to save the file 1 At the FreeDOS prompt type bupdater o filename and press Enter The filename is any user ...

Page 45: ...drives after updating the BIOS file if you have disconnected them Updating the BIOS file To update the BIOS file using BIOS Updater 1 At the FreeDOS prompt type bupdater pc g and press Enter ASUSTek BIOS Updater for DOS V1 00b 09 06 22 Current ROM Update ROM A Note Enter Select or Load Tab Switch V Drive Info Up Down Home End Move B Backup Esc Exit P7P55D ROM 2097152 2009 08 06 17 30 48 FLASH TYPE...

Page 46: ...2 12 Chapter 2 Manage update BIOS ...

Page 47: ...It saves time and hassles for you on contacting ASUS technical support team or returning the product for warranty service 3 1 1 Basic troubleshooting A Bad connection 1 Ensure there is no contaminants on the gold contact or the pins 2 Use a cotton bud or an eraser and gently rub the gold contact Remember to brush away the eraser crumbs VGA card gold contact DIMM gold contact LGA775 processor gold ...

Page 48: ...s the broken or bended pins are NOT REPAIRABLE Connector pins B CPU overheated 1 Wipe clean the CPU surface with the clean cloth Apply several drops of thermal paste to the exposed area of the CPU that the heatsink will be in contact with Ensure that it is spread in an even thin layer CPU surface Top view of heatsink and fan Side view of heatsink and fan 2 Ensure there is no contaminants on the he...

Page 49: ... below for further check Check Items Reference page Power LED Screen display Heatsink and fan BIOS beeps Error messages No power Off No Stop No N A 3 4 No screen display On No Stop No N A 3 5 On No Running No N A 3 5 On No Running Yes N A 3 5 Failure to enter OS On Yes Running Yes Yes 3 5 On Yes Running No Yes 3 5 On Yes Running No No 3 5 If the problem has been fixed but a new problem emerges go ...

Page 50: ...to do so will seriously damage the power supply unit Failure to adjust the power supply to the correct AC input voltage will seriously damage the system 2 Ensure you have attached the power cord to the wall outlet Connect the power plug directly to the wall outlet DO NOT connect it to the power extension uninterruptible power supply UPS or other devices Exchange the power plugs of the system and t...

Page 51: ...ices in turn to find out the defective device in the order of memory module CPU motherboard hard optical disk drive keyboard mouse When you find out the defective device contact your device retailer for service 3 2 3 Failure to enter the operating system 1 If the problem emerges after you add a hardware remove the newly added hardware and reboot the system If the system is working normally without...

Page 52: ...e for details If you install 4 0 GB memory and it reports 3 X GB it is normal Q2 The system cannot detect the floppy disk drive but the floopy disk stays lit A2 The floopy disk cables are not properly installed Ensure the red stripe on the cable pin1 end should match pin1 on the floppy disk drive Q3 Fail to enter the operating system after the USB flash disk or external hard disk drives A3 When th...

Page 53: ...4 Place the computer on a stable surface 5 Keep the computer away from areas of extreme temperature 5 C to 30 C is the best surroundings temperature Use an air conditioner or a electric fan to gain a better heat dissipation 6 Arrange the ribbon cables neatly to avoid insufficient airflow 4 3 Usage knowledge 1 Turn on and shut down your computer regularly If your computer needs to be on for a long ...

Page 54: ...puter will not be used for a long time put some desiccant moisture absorbers in the chassis to prevent humidity damage 2 In some hot and humid climatic areas you had better turn on your computer every other week Doing so also helps prevent humidity damage ...

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