AI Audio

IEEE 1394 USB Rear panel
BIOS features Power Requirement Form Factor Support CD contents
*Specications are subject to change without notice.
This chapter describes the motherboard features and the new technologies it supports.

Product introduction

Chapter summary

1.1 1.2 1.3

Welcome!... 1-1 Package contents... 1-1 Special features... 1-2

ASUS A8N-SLI Premium

Welcome!
Thank you for buying an ASUS A8N-SLI Premium motherboard! The motherboard delivers a host of new features and latest technologies, making it another standout in the long line of ASUS quality motherboards! Before you start installing the motherboard, and hardware devices on it, check the items in your package with the list below.

Package contents

ASUS A8N-SLI Premium motherboard Serial ATA 2-port extension module IEEE1394 (1 port) module USB 2.0 2-port module USB 2.0 + GAME port module 8 x Serial ATA signal cables Serial ATA power cable with dual plugs Ultra DMA/133 cable 40-conductor IDE cable Floppy disk drive cable COM cable I/O shield SLI exible cable ASUS motherboard support CD InterVideo WinDVD Suite (retail box only) User guide
Check your motherboard package for the following items. Motherboard I/O modules

Cables

Accessories Application CDs Documentation
If any of the above items is damaged or missing, contact your retailer.

Product highlights

Latest processor technology
The AMD Athlon 64FX and Athlon 64 desktop processors are based on AMDs 64-bit and 32-bit architecture, which represents the landmark introduction of the industrys rst x86-64 technology. These processors provide a dramatic leap forward in compatibility, performance, investment protection, and reduced total cost of ownership and development. See page 2-6.
Scalable Link Interface (SLI) technology
The NVIDIA nForce4 Scalable Link Interface (SLI) technology allows two graphics processing units (GPUs) in a single system. This technology takes advantage of the PCI Express bus architecture and features intelligent hardware and software solutions that allows multiple GPUs to work together and achieve exceptional graphics performance. See Chapter 6 for details.

Remove the DIMM from the socket.
In the future, you may need to install expansion cards. The following sub-sections describe the slots and the expansion cards that they support.
Make sure to unplug the power cord before adding or removing expansion cards. Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Installing an expansion card
To install an expansion card: Before installing the expansion card, read the documentation that came with it and make the necessary hardware settings for the card. Remove the system unit cover (if your motherboard is already installed in a chassis). Remove the bracket opposite the slot that you intend to use. Keep the screw for later use. Align the card connector with the slot and press rmly until the card is completely seated on the slot. Secure the card to the chassis with the screw you removed earlier. Replace the system cover.
Configuring an expansion card
After installing the expansion card, congure the it by adjusting the software settings. 1. 2. 3. Turn on the system and change the necessary BIOS settings, if any. See Chapter 4 for information on BIOS setup. Assign an IRQ to the card. Refer to the tables on the next page. Install the software drivers for the expansion card.

IRQ 15

Interrupt assignments
Priority Standard Function System Timer Keyboard Controller Re-direct to IRQ#9 Communications Port (COM1)* IRQ holder for PCI steering* Floppy Disk Controller Printer Port (LPT1)* System CMOS/Real Time Clock IRQ holder for PCI steering* IRQ holder for PCI steering* IRQ holder for PCI steering* PS/2 Compatible Mouse Port* Numeric Data Processor Primary IDE Channel Secondary IDE Channel
Standard interrupt assignments
* These IRQs are usually available for ISA or PCI devices.
IRQ assignments for this motherboard
A PCI slot 1 PCI slot 2 PCI slot 3 Onboard USB 1.0 controller Onboard USB 2.0 controller Onboard LAN1 Onboard LAN2 Onboard PCI SATA RAID (SI) Onboard 1394a B C D E F G H shared shared shared shared shared shared shared shared shared
When using PCI cards on shared slots, ensure that the drivers support Share IRQ or that the cards do not need IRQ assignments. Otherwise, conicts will arise between the two PCI groups, making the system unstable and the card inoperable.

PCI slots

The PCI slots support cards such as a LAN card, SCSI card, USB card, and other cards that comply with PCI specications. The gure shows a LAN card installed on a PCI slot.
Two PCI Express x16 slots
This motherboard supports one PCI Express x16 graphics card or two SLI-ready PCI Express x16 graphic cards that comply with the PCI Express specications. The gure shows a graphics card installed on the PCI Express x16 slot. See Chapter 6 for details on the SLI technology feature.

Do not forget to connect the 4-pin ATX +12 V power plug; otherwise, the system will not boot. When using two graphics cards, do not forget to connect the 4-pin ATX +12 V power plug to the EZ Plug; otherwise, the system will be unstable. See page 6-5 for details. Use of a PSU with a higher power output is recommended when conguring a system with more power-consuming devices. The system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is inadequate. Make sure that your power supply unit (PSU) can provide at least the minimum power required by your system. See the table below for details.
Power supply requirements
Components/Peripherals AMD K8 939-pin CPU type PCIe x16 graphics cards DDR DIMMs HDD Optical drive (DVD/CD-RW) PCIe x 1 card PCI cards IEEE 1394 devices USB devices Required +12V current Required wattage Heavy Athlon 64 FX-Ultra x> 25A >= 500W Loading Normal Athlon 64 3800+ 6800GT x> 20A >= 400W Light Athlon 64 3400+ 6600GT x> 17A >= 350W

+12V DC GND

+3 Volts -12 Volts Ground PSON# Ground Ground Ground -5 Volts +5 Volts +5 Volts +5 Volts Ground +3 Volts +3 Volts Ground +5 Volts Ground +5 Volts Ground Power OK +5V Standby +12 Volts +12 Volts +3 Volts

+5V EZ_DET GND +12V

A8N-SLI PREMIUM ATX power connectors 2-26
Internal audio connectors (4-pin CD, AUX) These connectors allow you to receive stereo audio input from sound sources such as a CD-ROM, TV-tuner, or MPEG card.

CD (black)

Left Audio Channel Ground Ground Right Audio Channel

AUX (white)

Right Audio Channel Ground Ground Left Audio Channel
A8N-SLI PREMIUM Internal audio connectors The function of these connectors are disabled under 8-channel mode.
10. GAME/MIDI port connector (16-1 pin GAME) This connector is for a GAME/MIDI port. Connect the USB/GAME module cable to this connector, then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis. The GAME/MIDI port connects a joystick or game pad for playing games, and MIDI devices for playing or editing audio les.
+5V J1B1 J1CX GND GND J1CY J1B2 +5V
A8N-SLI PREMIUM Game connector
+5V J2B1 J2CX MIDI_OUT J2CY J2B2 MIDI_IN

This chapter describes the power up sequence, the vocal POST messages, and ways of shutting down the system.

Powering up

3.1 3.2 3.3
Starting up for the rst time.. 3-1 Powering off the computer... 3-2 ASUS POST Reporter... 3-3

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Starting up for the rst time
After making all the connections, replace the system case cover. Be sure that all switches are off. Connect the power cord to the power connector at the back of the system chassis. Connect the power cord to a power outlet that is equipped with a surge protector. Turn on the devices in the following order: a. c. Monitor System power b. External SCSI devices (starting with the last device on the chain)
After applying power, the system power LED on the system front panel case lights up. For systems with ATX power supplies, the system LED lights up when you press the ATX power button. If your monitor complies with green standards or if it has a power standby feature, the monitor LED may light up or switch between orange and green after the system LED turns on. The system then runs the power-on self tests or POST. While the tests are running, the BIOS beeps (see 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.
At power on, hold down the <Delete> key to enter the BIOS Setup. Follow the instructions in Chapter 4.

1. 2. 3.

Powering off the computer
Using the OS shut down function
If you are using Windows 2000: Click the Start button then click Shut Down. Make sure that the Shut Down option button is selected, then click the OK button to shut down the computer. The power supply should turn off after Windows shuts down.
If you are using Windows XP: 1. 2. 3. Click the Start button then select Turn Off Computer. Click the Turn Off button to shut down the computer. The power supply should turn off after Windows shuts down.

Main Advanced Power Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Exit 15 : 30 : 36 Wed, Nov [English] Select Menu Item Specic Help Species the capacity and physical size of diskette drive A.
System Tim System Date Language
Legacy Diskette A: [1.44M, 3.5 in.] Legacy Diskette A: Primary IDE Master [ST321122A] Primary IDE Slave [ASUS ] Disabled.. [ CDS520/A] Secondary IDE 360K , 5.25 in.. [ ] Master [None] Secondary IDE 1.2M , 5.25 in.. [ ] Slave [None] First SATA Master , 3.5 in. [None] 720K.. [ ] Second SATA Slave [None] 1.44M, 3.5 in.. [ ] Third SATA Master [None] 2.88M, 3.5 in.. [ ] Fourth SATA Slave [None] HDD SMART Monitoring [Disabled] :Move ENTER:Accept ESC:Abortv Installed Memory F1:Help ESC: Exit : Select Item : Select Menu 256MB -/+: Change Value Enter: Select Sub-menu
F5: Setup Defaults F10: Save and Exit

Pop-up menu

At the top right corner of the menu screen is a brief description of the selected item.

Main menu

When you enter the BIOS Setup program, the Main menu screen appears, giving you an overview of the basic system information.
Refer to section 4.2.1 BIOS menu screen for information on the menu screen items and how to navigate through them.

4.3.1 4.3.2 4.3.3

System Time [xx:xx:xxxx] System Date [Day xx/xx/xxxx] Language [English]
Allows you to set the system time.
Allows you to set the system date.
Allows you to choose the BIOS language version from the options. Conguration options: [Franais] [German] [English]
Legacy Diskette A [1.44M, 3.5 in.]
Sets the type of oppy drive installed. Conguration options: [Disabled] [360K, 5.25 in.] [1.2M , 5.25 in.] [720K , 3.5 in.] [1.44M, 3.5 in.] [2.88M, 3.5 in.]
Primary and Secondary IDE Master/Slave
While entering Setup, the BIOS automatically detects the presence of IDE devices. There is a separate sub-menu for each IDE device. Select a device item then press <Enter> to display the IDE device information.
Main Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Primary IDE Master Primary IDE Master Access Mode Capacity Cylinder Head Sector PIO Mode UDMA Mode Transfer Mode [Auto] [Auto] xxxxx MB xxxxx xx xx [Auto] [Auto] xxxxxxx Select Menu Item Specic Help Press [Enter] to select

DRAM Over 4G Remapping [Disabled] Enables or disables DRAM remapping when using 4G of system memory. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Max Memclock (MHz) [Auto] Sets the maximum operating memory clock. Conguration options: [Auto] [DDR200] [DDR266] [DDR333] [DDR400] [DDR400] [DDR433] [DDR466] [DDR500] [DDR533] [DDR550] [DDR600] 1T/2T Memory Timing [Auto] Sets the memory timing. Conguration options: [Auto] [1T] [2T] CAS# latency (Tcl) [Auto] Sets the CAS# latency. Conguration options: [Auto] [2.0] [2.5] [3.0] RAS# to CAS# delay (Trcd) [Auto] Sets the RAS# to CAS# delay to Rd/Wr command on the same bank. Conguration options: [Auto] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]
Row precharge Time (Trp) [Auto] Sets the Row precharge time. Precharge to Active or Auto-Refresh of the same bank. Conguration options: [Auto] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] Row Cycle Time (Trc) [Auto] Sets the row cycle time. Conguration options: [Auto] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] Row Refresh Cycle Time (Trfc) [Auto] Sets the row refresh cycle time. Conguration options: [Auto] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] Write Recovery Time (Twr) [Auto] Sets the write recovery time. Conguration options: [Auto] [2] [3] Read-to-Write Delay (Trwt) [Auto] Sets the read-to-write delay. Conguration options: [Auto] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] Master ECC Enable [Disabled] Enables or disables the master ECC function. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Hyper Transport Frequency [Auto]
Sets the Hyper Transport frequency. Conguration options: [Auto] [1x] [2x] [3x] [4x] [5x] [Auto]
AMD K8 CoolnQuiet control [Disabled]
Enables or disables the AMD Cool n Quiet! technology. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

PCIPnP

Advanced Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Frequency/Voltage control Select Menu Item Specic Help
Plug & Play O/S Init Display First x Resources Controlled By IRQ Resources PCI/VGA Palette Snoop
[No] [PCI Slot] [Auto] [Disabled]

Plug & Play O/S [No]

When set to [No], the BIOS congures all the devices in the system. When set to [Yes] and if you install a Plug and Play operating system, the operating system congures the Plug and Play devices not required for boot. Conguration options: [No] [Yes]
Resources Controlled By [Auto]
When set to [Auto], the BIOS automatically congures all the boot and Plug and Play compatible devices. Set to [Manual] if you want to assign the IRQ DMA and memory base address elds. Conguration options: [Auto] [Manual]
When the item Resources Controlled By is set to [Auto], the item IRQ Resources is grayed out and not user-congurable. Refer to the section IRQ Resources for information on how to enable this item.

Allows you to enable or disable the IDE DMA transfer access. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Serial Port 1, 2 [Enabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the SATA 1 and 2 ports. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
SATA DMA transfer [Enabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the SATA DMA transfer access. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Serial Port 3, 4 [Enabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the SATA 3 and 4 ports. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
SATA2 DMA transfer [Enabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the SATA2 DMA transfer access. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
IDE Prefetch Mode [Enabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the IDE prefetch mode. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

NVRAID Configuration

This sub-menu contains NVRAID function-related items. Select an item then press <Enter> to edit.
Advanced Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility NVRAID Conguration x x x x x x x x RAID Enabled IDE Primary Master RAID IDE Primary Slave RAID IDE Secondary Master RAID IDE Secondary Slave RAID First SATA Master RAID Second SATA Master RAID Third SATA Master RAID Fourth SATA Master RAID [Disabled] Disabled Disabled Disabled Disabled Disabled Disabled Disabled Disabled Select Menu Item Specic Help

RAID Enabled [Disabled]

Enables or disables the onboard RAID controller. When Enabled, the succeeding items becomes user-congurable. Conguration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]
IDE Primary, Secondary Master/Slave RAID [Disabled]
Enables or disables the RAID function of the primary or secondary master or slave IDE. Conguration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]
First, Second, Third, Fourth SATA Master RAID [Disabled]
Enables or disables the RAID function of the rst, second, third or fourth SATA master drive. Conguration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]

USB Configuration

The items in this menu allows you to change the USB-related features. Select an item then press <Enter> to display the conguration options.
Advanced Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility USB Conguration USB Controller USB2.0 Controller USB Legacy support [Enabled] [Enabled] [Enabled] Select Menu Item Specic Help

Q-Fan Controller [Disabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the Q-Fan controller. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
VCORE Voltage, +12V Voltage, 3.3V Voltage, 5VCC Voltage
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the voltage output through the onboard voltage regulators. These items are not user-congurable.
CPU Temperature, M/B Temperature
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the motherboard and CPU temperatures. These items are not user-congurable.
CPU Fan Speed CHA1 Fan Speed CHIP Fan Speed
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the Chassis, CPU, and Chip fan speeds in rotations per minute (RPM). If the fan is not connected to the motherboard, the eld shows 0. These items are not user-congurable.

CPU Target Temperature

Allows you to set the temperature threshold before the CPU fan stops. Conguration options: [51C] [54C] [57C] [60C] [63C] [66C] [69C] [72C] [75C] [78C] [81C]
CPU Fan Speed warning [1200 RPM]
Allows you to set the CPU fan warning speed. Conguration options: [Disabled] [800 RPM] [1200 RPM] [1600 RPM]
CHA1 Fan Speed warning [Disabled]
Allows you to set the chassis fan warning speed. Conguration options: [Disabled] [500 RPM] [800 RPM] [1200 RPM]
CHIP Fan Speed warning [Enabled]
Enables or disables the chip fan speed warning feature. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Boot menu

The Boot menu items allow you to change the system boot options. Select an item then press <Enter> to display the sub-menu.
Main Advanced Power Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Exit Select Menu Item Specic Help
Boot Device Priority Removable Drives Hard Disk Drives CDROM Drives Boot Settings Conguration Security

Boot Device Priority

Power Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Select Menu Item Specic Help Select your boot device priority
Boot Device Priority 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Boot Boot Boot Boot Device Device Device Device [Removable] [Hard Disk] [CDROM] [Disabled]
1st ~ xxth Boot Device [Removable]
These items specify the boot device priority sequence from the available devices. The number of device items that appears on the screen depends on the number of devices installed in the system. Conguration options: [Removable] [Hard Disk] [CDROM] [Legacy LAN] [Disabled]

Removable Drives

Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Removable Drives Select Menu Item Specic Help Use <> or <> to select a device, then press <+> to move it up, or <-> to move it down the list. Press <ESC> to exit this menu.

1. Floppy Disks

Allows you to assign a removable drive attached to the system.

Hard Disk Drives

Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Hard Disk Drives Select Menu Item Specic Help Use <> or <> to select a device, then press <+> to move it up, or <-> to move it down the list. Press <ESC> to exit this menu.
1. 1st Master: XXXXXXXXX 2. Bootable Add-in Cards

1. 1st Master: XXXXXXXXX

Allows you to assign hard disk drives attached to the system.

2. Bootable Add-in Cards

Allows you to select an add-in disk drive attached to the system.

CDROM Drives

Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot CDROM Drives Select Menu Item Specic Help Use <> or <> to select a device, then press <+> to move it up, or <-> to move it down the list. Press <ESC> to exit this menu.

1. 1st Slave: XXXXXXXXX

Allows you to assign optical drives attached to the system.
Boot Settings Configuration
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Boot Settings Conguration Select Menu Item Specic Help Press [Enter] to enable or disable.
Case Open Warning Quick Boot Boot Up Floppy Seek Bootup Num-Lock Typematic Rate Setting Typematic Rate (Chars/Sec) Typematic Delay (Msec) OS Select For DRAM > 64MB Full Screen LOGO Halt On
[Enabled] [Enabled] [Enabled] [On] [Disabled] [Non-OS2] [Enabled] [All Errors]
Case Open Warning [Enabled]
Enables or disables the chassis open status feature. Setting to Enabled, clears the chassis open status. Refer to section 2.7 Internal connectors for setting details. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Quick Boot [Enabled]

Allows you to enable or disable the system quick boot feature. When Enabled, the system skips certain tests while booting. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
4-42 Chapter 4: BIOS setup
Boot Up Floppy Seek [Enabled]
Enable this item to check for a boot oppy disk during POST. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Bootup Num-Lock [On]

Allows you to select the power-on state for the NumLock. Conguration options: [Off] [On]
Typematic Rate Setting [Disabled]
Allows you to set the keystroke rate. Enable this item to congure the Typematic Rate (Chars/Sec) and the Typematic Delay (Msec). Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

The items Typematic Rate (Chars/Sec) and Typematic Delay (Msec) becomes user-congurable only when the item Typematic Rate Setting is enabled.
Typematic Rate (Chars/Sec) [6]
Allows you to select the rate at which a character repeats when you hold a key. Conguration options: [6] [8] [10] [12] [15] [20] [24] [30]
Typematic Delay (Msec) [250]
Allows you to set the delay before keystrokes begin to repeat. Conguration options: [250] [500] [750] [1000]
OS Select for DRAM > 64MB [Non-OS2]
Set this item to OS2 only when you are running on an OS/2 operating system with an installed RAM of greater than 64 KB. Conguration options: [Non-OS2] [OS2]
Full Screen LOGO [Enabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the full screen logo display feature. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Make sure that the above item is set to [Enabled] if you want to use the ASUS MyLogo2 feature. See section 5.4.1 ASUS MyLogo2 for details.

Halt On [All Errors]

Allows you to error report type. Conguration options: [All Errors] [No Errors] [All, But Keyboard] [All, But Diskette] [All, But Disk/Key]
ASUS A8N-SLI Premium 4-43

Security

Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Boot Settings Conguration Select Menu Item Specic Help Supervisor password controls full access, <Enter> to change password.
Supervisor Password User Password Password Check

Clear Clear [Setup]

Supervisor Password User Password
These elds allow you to set passwords: To set a password: 1. 2. 3. Select an item then press <Enter>. Type in a password using a combination of a maximum of eight (8) alpha-numeric characters, then press <Enter>. When prompted, conrm the password by typing the exact characters again, then press <Enter>. The password eld setting is changed to Set.
To clear the password: 1. Select the password eld and press <Enter> twice. The following message appears:
PASSWORD DISABLED !!! Press any key to continue.
Press any key to continue. The password eld setting is changed to Clear.
A note about passwords The Supervisor password is required to enter the BIOS Setup program preventing unauthorized access. The User password is required to boot the system preventing unauthorized use. Forgot your password? If you forget your password, you can clear it by erasing the CMOS Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM. The RAM data containing the password information is powered by the onboard button cell battery. If you need to erase the CMOS RAM, refer to section 2.6 Jumpers for instructions.

If you want to boot the system from a hard disk drive included in a RAID set, copy rst the RAID driver from the support CD to a oppy disk before you install an operating system to a selected hard disk drive. Refer to section 5.6 Creating a RAID driver disk for details.

Installing hard disks

The motherboard supports Ultra DMA /133/100/66 and Serial ATA hard disk drives. For optimal performance, install identical drives of the same model and capacity when creating a disk array.
Installing Parallel ATA hard disks
To install IDE hard disks for a RAID conguration: 1. 2. 3. 4. Set the jumpers of each hard disk as Master/Master or Slave/Slave. Install the hard disks into the drive bays. Connect the HDD signal cables. Connect a 4-pin power cable to the power connector on each drive.
Installing Serial ATA (SATA) hard disks
To install the SATA hard disks for a RAID conguration: 1. 2. 3. Install the SATA hard disks into the drive bays. Connect the SATA signal cables. Connect a SATA power cable to the power connector on each drive.
Refer to the RAID controllers user manual in the motherboard support CD for detailed information on RAID congurations. See section 5.2.4 Manuals menu.
NVIDIA RAID configurations
The motherboard includes a high performance IDE RAID controller integrated in the NVIDIA SLI southbridge chipset. It supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, and JBOD with four independent Serial ATA channels.
Setting the BIOS RAID items
After installing the hard disk drives, make sure to set the necessary RAID items in the BIOS before setting your RAID conguration. To set the BIOS RAID items: 1. 2. 3. 4. Boot the system and press <Del> during the Power-On Self-Test (POST) to enter the BIOS Setup Utility. From the Advanced > Onboard Devices Conguration > NVRAID Conguration menu item in the BIOS set the RAID Enabled item to Enabled. The succeeding items become user-congurable. Select and enable the IDE or SATA drive(s) that you want to congure as RAID. See section 4.4.3 Onboard Devices Conguration for details. Save your changes and Exit Setup.
For detailed descriptions on the NVIDIA RAID conguration, refer to the NVIDIA RAID Users Manual found in your motherboard support CD.
Entering the NVIDIA RAID utility
To enter the NVIDIA RAID utility: 1. 2. Boot up your computer. During POST, press <F10> to display the main menu of the utility.

Creating a RAID 1 set (Mirrored)
To create a RAID 1 set: 1. From the Silicon Image conguration utility main menu, select Create RAID set then press <Enter>. The following sub-menu appears.
MAIN MENU Create RAID set Delete RAID set Rebuild Raid1 set Resolve Conicts Low Level Format Logical Drive Info RAID0 RAID1 RAID10 RAID5 SPARE DRIVE RAID10 SPARE DRIVE JBOD (Single)
Select RAID 1 then press <Enter> to display the following.
Select your desired method of conguration. Auto conguration a. Select Auto Conguration then press <Enter>. b. The utility prompts a message to input the RAID size, use the up or down arrow keys to set the RAID size then press <Enter>. c. Press <Y> to conrm or <N> to return to the Main Menu.
Auto-conguration creates a RAID 1 set without a backup copy of the current source disk data. When migrating a single hard disk drive to a RAID 1 set, use of the Manual conguration is recommended.
Manual conguration a. Select Manual conguration and press <Enter>. The selection bar moves to the Physical Drives menu. Using the up or down arrow keys, select the source drive and press <Enter>. Repeat step b to select the target drive. After selecting the source and target drives, the following pop-up menu appears.
MAIN MENU Auto conguration Manual conguration Create with data copy Create without data copy PHYSICAL DRIVE XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXMB XXXXXXMB XXXXXXMB XXXXXXMB
The Create with data copy option allows you to copy the current data from the source drive to the mirror drive. Select Create with data copy if you have important data in your source drive. The Create without data copy option disables the disk copy function of the Mirrored set. If you selected Create without data copy, the RAID 1 set must be repartitioned and reformatted to guarantee the consistency of its contents.
If you selected Create with data copy, the following pop-up menu appears.

online copy ofine copy

The online copy option automatically copies the data to the target drives on the background while writing to the source drives. The ofine copy option allows you to copy the contents of the source drive to the target drives now.
Use the up or down arrow keys to select desired copy method, then press <Enter>.
g. The utility prompts a message to input the RAID size, use the up or down arrow keys to set the RAID size then press <Enter>. h. Press <Y> to conrm or <N> to return to the Main Menu.
A copy progress appears if you previously selected ofine copy.
Creating a RAID 5 set (Parity)
To create a RAID 5 set: 1. From the Silicon Image conguration utility main menu, select Create RAID set then press <Enter>. The following sub-menu appears. Select RAID 5 then press <Enter> to display the following.

The utility prompts you to restart your system after setting the video card mode.
Click Yes to implement settings and restart your system or No to return to the AI Selector menu.

Using the SLI mode

To use SLI mode: Set the SLI Multi-GPU feature in Display Properties. See section 6.2.4 Enabling the multi-GPU feature in Windows on page 6-7 for details. Select Dual video card. When prompted, click Yes to restart your system.
When the SLI mode is disabled, the multi-monitor feature is automatically enabled. Use the NVIDIA nView utility to congure your multi-monitor setup. Refer to section 4.4.4 SLI Conguration on page 4-29 for BIOS details.
This chapter tells how to install SLI-ready PCI Express graphics cards.
NVIDIA SLI technology support

6.1 6.2

Overview... 6-1 Dual graphics cards setup... 6-3
The motherboard supports the NVIDIA SLI (Scalable Link Interface) technology that allows you to install two identical PCI Express x16 graphics cards. Follow the installation procedures in this section.

Requirements

You should have two identical SLI-ready graphics cards that are NVIDIA certied. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) for a list of qualied SLI-ready graphics cards for this motherboard. Make sure that your graphics card driver supports the NVIDIA SLI technology. Download the latest driver from the NVIDIA website (www.nvidia.com). Make sure that your power supply unit (PSU) can provide at least the minimum power required by your system. See 8. ATX power connectors on page 2-26 for details.
The NVIDIA SLI technology supports Windows XP operating system only. Visit the NVIDIA website for the supported 3D applications. Visit the NVIDIA zone website (http://www.nzone.com) for the latest certied graphics card list.
ASUS Certified SLI Graphics cards
Use only ASUS certied PCI Express x16 SLI graphics cards to ensure optimum peformance. GeForce 6800 Ultra models Vendor ASUS BFG eVGA Gainward Gigabyte Leadtek MSI XFX/Pine Model Number Extreme N6800Ultra (EN6800Ultra) BFGO68256UX 256-P2-N377-AX/BX PowerPack! Ultra/2600 PCX Golden Sample GV-NX68U256D-B WinFast PX6800 Ultra MS-8974 XFX GeForce 6800 Ultra
GeForce 6800 GT models Vendor ASUS BFG eVGA Gigabyte Leadtek XFX/Pine Model Number EN6800GT BFG BFGO68256GTOCX 256-P2-N376-AX/BX GV-NX68T256DH WinFast PX6800 GT XFX GeForce 6800GT PCI-E (PV-T45G-UD)
GeForce 6600 GT models Vendor Albatron AOpen Asus BFG Chaintech eVGA Gigabyte Leadtek MSI Palit Prolink Sparkle XFX/Pine Model Number GF6600GT Aeolus 6600GT-DV128 Extreme N6600GT BFGR6600GTOCX SE6600G 128-P2-N368-AX/BX NX66T128D WinFast PX6600GT MS-8983 NX6600GT-VTD128E/NX6600GT-TD128E GeForce 6600GT PV-NV43E(128LD) SPPX43 XFX GeForce 6600GT PCI-E ( PV-T43G-ND )
Chapter 6: NVIDIA SLI technology support

Special features

Internal connectors
LAN NVIDIA nForce 4 built-in Gigabit MAC with external Marvell PHY supports: - NV ActiveArmor - NV Firewall - AI NET2 Marvell 88E81001 PCI Gigabit LAN controller supports: - Marvell Virtual Cable Tester technology - AI NET2 Realtek ALC850 8-channel CODEC 1 x Coaxial S/PDIF out port 1 x Optical S/PDIF out port Supports Universal Audio Jack (UAJ) Technology Supports Audio Sensing and Enumeration Technology T1 1394a controller supports: - 2 x IEEE 1394 connector Supports up to 10 USB 2.0 ports 1 x Parallel port 1 x IEEE 1394 port 2 x LAN (RJ-45) port 4 x USB 2.0 ports 1 x Optical S/PDIF out port 1 x Coaxial S/PDIF out port 1 x PS/2 keyboard port 1 x PS/2 mouse port 8-channel audio ports 4 Mb Flash ROM, Phoenix-Award BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0, SM BIOS 2.3 ATX power supply (with 24-pin and 4-pin 12 V plugs) ATX 12 V 2.0 compliant ATX form factor: 12 in x 9.6 in (30.5 cm x 24.4 cm) Device drivers ASUS PC Probe ASUS Live Update utility ASUS CoolnQuiet! utility Anti-virus utility (OEM version) NVIDIA nTune utility

AI Audio

IEEE 1394 USB Rear panel
BIOS features Power Requirement Form Factor Support CD contents
*Specifications are subject to change without notice.
This chapter describes the motherboard features and the new technologies it supports.

Product introduction

Chapter summary

1.1 1.2 1.3

Welcome!... 1-1 Package contents... 1-1 Special features... 1-2

ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe

Welcome!
T h a n k y o u f o r b u y i n g a n A S U S A 8 N - S L I D e l u x e m o t h e r b o a r d ! The motherboard delivers a host of new features and latest technologies, making it another standout in the long line of ASUS quality motherboards! Before you start installing the motherboard, and hardware devices on it, check the items in your package with the list below.

Package contents

ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe motherboard with SLI selector card Serial ATA 2-port extension module IEEE1394 (1 port) module USB 2.0 2-port module USB 2.0 + GAME port module 8 x Serial ATA signal cables 4 x Serial ATA power cables (dual plugs) Serial ATA extension module Ultra DMA/133 cable 40-conductor IDE cable Floppy disk drive cable COM cable I/O shield SLI connector Retention bracket ASUS motherboard support CD InterVideo WinDVD Suite (retail box only) User guide Instant Music sticker Setting sticker

Dual RAID solution

Onboard RAID controllers provide the motherboard with dual-RAID functionality that allows you to select the best RAID solution using IDE or Serial ATA devices. The NVIDIA nForce4 SLI allows RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 1+0 and JBOD configuration for four SATA and two PATA connectors. See page 5-18 for details. The Sil3114R controller supports four additional SATA connectors and allows RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 10, and a software patch to support RAID 5. See pages 2-21, 2-22 and 5-18 for details.

PCI Express interface

The motherboard fully supports PCI Express, the latest I/O interconnect technology that speeds up the PCI bus. PCI Express features point-to-point serial interconnections between devices and allows higher clockspeeds by carrying data in packets. This high speed interface is software compatible with existing PCI specifications. See page 2-16 for details.
S/PDIF digital sound ready
The motherboard supports the S/PDIF Out function through the S/PDIF interfaces on the rear panel. The S/PDIF technology turns your computer into a high-end entertainment system with digital connectivity to powerful audio and speaker systems. See page 2-19 for details.

IEEE 1394a support

The IEEE 1394a interface provides high-speed and flexible PC connectivity to a wide range of peripherals and devices compliant to the IEEE 1394a standard. The IEEE 1394a interface allows up to 400 Mbps transfer rates through simple, low-cost, high-bandwidth asynchronous (real-time) data interfacing between computers, peripherals, and consumer electronic devices such as camcorders, VCRs, printers, TVs, and digital cameras. See pages 2-19 and 2-27 for details.

USB 2.0 technology

The motherboard implements the Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 specification, dramatically increasing the connection speed from the 12 Mbps bandwidth on USB 1.1 to a fast 480 Mbps on USB 2.0. USB 2.0 is backward compatible with USB 1.1. See page 2-19 and 2-24 for details.
Temperature, fan, and voltage monitoring
The CPU temperature is monitored by the ASIC (integrated in the Winbond Super I/O) to prevent overheating and damage. The system fan rotations per minute (RPM) is monitored for timely failure detection. The ASIC monitors the voltage levels to ensure stable supply of current for critical components. See section 4.5.4 Hardware Monitor on page 4-8.

Unlock the socket by pressing the lever sideways, then lift it up to a 90-100 angle.

Socket Lever

Make sure that the socket lever is lifted up to 90-100 angle, otherwise the CPU does not fit in completely.
Position the CPU above the socket such that the CPU corner with the gold triangle matches the socket corner with a small triangle. Carefully insert the CPU into the socket until it fits in place.
Gold triangle Small triangle
The CPU fits only in one correct orientation. DO NOT force the CPU into the socket to prevent bending the pins and damaging the CPU!
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.
Installing the heatsink and fan
The AMD Athlon 64FX or AMD Athlon 64 processor require a specially designed heatsink and fan assembly to ensure optimum thermal condition and performance.
Make sure that you use only qualified heatsink and fan assembly.
Follow these steps to install the CPU heatsink and fan. 1. Place the heatsink on top of the installed CPU, making sure that the heatsink fits properly on the retention module base.
The retention module base is already installed on the motherboard upon purchase. You do not have to remove the retention module base when installing the CPU or installing other motherboard components. If you purchased a separate CPU heatsink and fan assembly, make sure that a Thermal Interface Material is properly applied to the CPU heatsink or CPU before you install the heatsink and fan assembly.

CPU Fan

CPU Heatsink

Retention Module Base

Retention bracket Retention bracket lock
Your boxed CPU heatsink and fan assembly should come with installation instructions for the CPU, heatsink, and the retention mechanism. If the instructions in this section do not match the CPU documentation, follow the latter.
Attach one end of the retention bracket to the retention module base.
Align the other end of the retention bracket (near the retention bracket lock) to the retention module base. A clicking sound denotes that the retention bracket is in place.
Make sure that the fan and heatsink assembly perfectly fits the retention mechanism module base, otherwise you cannot snap the retention bracket in place.

Recovering the BIOS from a floppy disk
To recover the BIOS from the support CD: 1. 2. 3. Remove any CD from the optical drive, then turn on the system. Insert the floppy disk with the original or updated BIOS file to the floppy disk drive. The utility displays the following message and automatically checks the floppy disk for the original or updated BIOS file.
When no CD is found, the utility automatically checks the optical drive for the original or updated BIOS file. The utility then updates the corrupted BIOS file.
Award BootBlock BIOS v1.0 Copyright (c) 2000, Award Software, Inc. BIOS ROM checksum error Detecting IDE ATAPI device. Found CDROM, try to Boot from it. Fail Detecting floppy drive A media.
The recovered BIOS may not be the latest BIOS version for this motherboard. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS file.

ASUS EZ Flash utility

The ASUS EZ Flash feature allows you to update the BIOS without having to go through the long process of booting from a floppy disk and using a DOS-based utility. The EZ Flash utility is built-in the BIOS chip so it is accessible by pressing <Alt> + <F2> during the Power-On Self Tests (POST). To update the BIOS using EZ Flash: 1. 2. 3. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS file for the motherboard. Save the BIOS file to a floppy disk, then restart the system. Press <Alt> + <F2> during POST to display the following.
Insert Disk then press Enter or ESC to continue POST
Insert the floppy disk that contains the BIOS file to the floppy disk drive then press <Enter>. The following screen appears.

Message: Please wait.

When the correct BIOS file is found, EZ Flash performs the BIOS update process and automatically reboots the system when done.
Do not shutdown or reset the system while updating the BIOS to prevent system boot failure!

ASUS Update utility

The ASUS Update is a utility that allows you to manage, save, and update the motherboard BIOS in Windows environment. The ASUS Update utility allows you to: Save the current BIOS file Download the latest BIOS file from the Internet Update the BIOS from an updated BIOS file Update the BIOS directly from the Internet, and View the BIOS version information. This utility is available in the support CD 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. 2. 3. Place the support CD in the optical drive. The D r i v e r s menu appears. Click the U t i l i t i e s tab, then click I n s t a l l A S U S U p d a t e X. V X. X X. X X See page 5-3 for the U t i l i t i e s screen menu. The ASUS Update utility is copied to your system.

Quit all Windows applications before you update the BIOS using this utility.
Updating the BIOS through the Internet
To update the BIOS through the Internet: 1. Launch the ASUS Update utility from the Windows desktop by clicking e. S t a r t > P r o g r a m s > A S U S > A S U S U p d a t e > A S U S U p d a t e The ASUS Update main window appears.
Select U p d a t e B I O S f r o m t h e I n t e r n e t option from the drop-down menu, then click t. Next
Select the ASUS FTP site nearest you to avoid network traffic, or click A u t o S e l e c t t. Click N e x t t.
From the FTP site, select the BIOS version that you wish to download. Click Next. Follow the screen instructions to complete the update process.
The ASUS Update utility is capable of updating itself through the Internet. Always update the utility to avail all its features.
Updating the BIOS through a BIOS file
To update the BIOS through a BIOS file: 1. Launch the ASUS Update utility from the Windows desktop by clicking S t a r t > P r o g r a m s > A S U S > A S U S U p d a t e > e. A S U S U p d a t e The ASUS Update main window appears. Select U p d a t e B I O S f r o m a f i l e option from the drop-down menu, then click N e x t t.
Locate the BIOS file from the e. O p e n window, then click S a v e Follow the screen instructions to complete the update process.

BIOS setup program

This motherboard supports a programmable Low-Pin Count (LPC) chip that you can update using the provided utility described in section 4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS. Use the BIOS Setup program when you are installing a motherboard, reconfiguring your system, or prompted to Run Setup. This section explains how to configure your system using this utility. Even if you are not prompted to use the Setup program, you can change the configuration of your computer in the future. For example, you can enable the security password feature or change the power management settings. This requires you to reconfigure your system using the BIOS Setup program so that the computer can recognize these changes and record them in the CMOS RAM of the LPC chip. The LPC chip on the motherboard stores the Setup utility. When you start up the computer, the system provides you with the opportunity to run this program. Press <Del> during the Power-On Self-Test (POST) to enter the Setup utility; otherwise, POST continues with its test routines. If you wish to enter Setup after POST, restart the system by pressing <Ctrl+Alt+Delete>, or by pressing the reset button on the system chassis. You can also restart by turning the system off and then back on. Do this last option only if the first two failed. The Setup program is designed to make it as easy to use as possible. Being a menu-driven program, it lets you scroll through the various sub-menus and make your selections from the available options using the navigation keys.

The default BIOS settings for this motherboard apply for most conditions to ensure optimum performance. If the system becomes unstable after changing any BIOS settings, load the default settings to ensure system compatibility and stability. Select the L o a d D e f a u l t S e t t i n g s item under the Exit Menu. See section 4.7 Exit Menu. The BIOS setup screens shown in this section are for reference purposes only, and may not exactly match what you see on your screen. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS file for this motherboard and.

BIOS menu screen

Configuration fields General help

Menu items Menu bar

Advanced
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Power Boot Exit 15 : 30 : 36 Wed, Nov [English] [1.44M, 3.5 in.] [ST321122A] [ASUS CDS520/A] [None] [None] [None] [None] [None] [None] [Disabled] 256MB -/+: Change Value Enter: Select Sub-menu F5: Setup Defaults F10: Save and Exit Select Menu Item Specific Help Change the day, month, year and century.
System Time System Date Language Legacy Diskette A: Primary IDE Master Primary IDE Slave Secondary IDE Master Secondary IDE Slave First SATA Master Second SATA Slave Third SATA Master Fourth SATA Slave HDD SMART Monitoring Installed Memory F1:Help ESC: Exit : Select Item : Select Menu

Sub-menu items

Legend bar

Menu bar

For changing the basic system configuration For changing the advanced system settings For changing the advanced power management (APM) configuration For changing the system boot configuration For selecting the exit options and loading default settings
The menu bar on top of the screen has the following main items: Main Advanced Power Boot Exit
To select an item on the menu bar, press the right or left arrow key on the keyboard until the desired item is highlighted.
The BIOS setup screens shown in this chapter are for reference purposes only, and may not exactly match what you see on your screen. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS information.

At the bottom of the Setup screen is a legend bar. The keys in the legend bar allow you to navigate through the various setup menus. The following table lists the keys found in the legend bar with their corresponding functions.
Navigation Key <F1> <F5> <Esc> Left or Right arrow Up or Down arrow Function Displays the General Help screen Loads setup default values Exits the BIOS setup or returns to the main menu from a sub-menu Selects the menu item to the left or right Moves the highlight up or down between fields
P a g e D o w n o r ( m i n u s ) Scrolls backward through the values for the highlighted field Page Up or + (plus) <Enter> <F10> Scrolls forward through the values for the highlighted field Brings up a selection menu for the highlighted field Saves changes and exit

Menu items

The highlighted item on the menu bar displays the specific items for that menu. For example, selecting M a i n shows the Main menu items. The other items (Advanced, Power, Boot, and Exit) on the menu bar have their respective menu items.
A solid triangle before each item on any menu screen means that the iteam has a sub-menu. To display the sub-menu, select the item and press <Enter>.

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 4.2.7 Pop-up window.

Pop-up window

Select a menu item then press <Enter> to display a pop-up window with the configuration options for that item.
Main Advanced Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Power Boot Exit 15 : 30 : 36 Wed, Nov [English] Select Menu Item Specific Help Specifies the capacity and physical size of diskette drive A.
System Time System Date Language Legacy Diskette A:
[1.44M, 3.5 in.] Legacy Diskette A: Primary IDE Master [ST321122A] Disabled.. [ ] Primary IDE Slave [ASUS CDS520/A] Secondary IDE Master 360K , 5.25 in. [None].. [ ] Secondary IDE Slave 1.2M , 5.25 in. [None].. [ ] 720K , 3.5 in. First SATA Master [None].. [ ] 1.44M, 3.5 in. Second SATA Slave [None].. [ ] 2.88M, 3.5 in. Third SATA Master [None].. [ ] Fourth SATA Slave [None] HDD SMART Monitoring [Disabled] :Move ENTER:Accept ESC:Abort Installed Memory 256MB F1:Help ESC: Exit : Select Item : Select Menu -/+: Change Value Enter: Select Sub-menu
F5: Setup Defaults F10: Save and Exit

Pop-up menu

General help
At the top right corner of the menu screen is a brief description of the selected item.

Take caution when changing the settings of the Advanced menu items. Incorrect field values can cause the system to malfunction.
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Power Boot Exit Select Menu Item Specific Help Press Enter to Set
CPU Configuration PCIPnP Onboard Device Configuration JumperFree Configuration LAN Cable Status PEG Link Mode Speech Configuration Instant Music SLI mode

[Auto]

CPU Configuration
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Advanced CPU Configuration Select Menu Item Specific Help DRAM timing and control
CPU Type AMD Athlon(tm) 64 FX-55 Processor CPU Speed 3400MHz Cache RAM 512K DRAM Configuration Hyper Transport Frequency [Auto] AMD K8 CoolnQuiet control [Auto]

DRAM Configuration

The items in this sub-menu show the DRAM-related information auto-detected by the BIOS.
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Advanced DRAM Configuration Max Memclock (MHz) 1T/2T Memory Timing CAS# latency (Tcl) RAS# to CAS# delay (Trcd) Min RAS# active time (Tras) Row precharge Time (Trp) Master ECC Enabled [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Disabled] Select Menu Item Specific Help Place an artificial memory clock limit on the system. Memory is prevented from running faster than this frequency.
Max Memclock (MHz) [Auto]
Sets the maximum operating memory clock. Configuration options: [Auto] [DDR200] [DDR266] [DDR333] [DDR400] [DDR400] [DDR433] [DDR466] [DDR500] [DDR533] [DDR550] [DDR600]
1T/2T Memory Timing [Auto]
Sets the memory timing. Configuration options: [Auto] [1T] [2T]
CAS# latency (Tcl) [Auto]
Sets the CAS# latency. Configuration options: [Auto] [2.0] [2.5] [3.0]
RAS# to CAS# delay (Trcd) [Auto]
Sets the RAS# to CAS# delay to Rd/Wr command on the same bank. Configuration options: [Auto] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]
Min RAS# active time (Tras) [Auto]
Sets the minimum RAS# active time. Configuration options: [Auto] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15]
Row precharge Time (Trp) [Auto]
Sets the Row precharge time. Precharge to Active or Auto-Refresh of the same bank. Configuration options: [Auto] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
Master ECC Enable [Disabled]
Enables or disables the master ECC function. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Hyper Transport Frequency [Auto]
Sets the Hyper Transport frequency. Configuration options: [Auto] [1x] [2x] [3x] [4x] [5x] [Auto]
AMD K8 CoolnQuiet control [Auto]
Enables or disables the AMD Cool n Quiet! technology. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

PCIPnP

Onboard Devices Configuration
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Advanced Onboard Device Configuration Select Menu Item Specific Help [Enabled] [Disabled] [Enabled] [Disabled] [Enabled] [Enabled] [Enabled] [3F8/IRQ4] [378/IRQ7] [ECP+EPP] [3] [201] [Disabled] 10 -/+: Change Value Enter: Select Sub-menu F5: Setup Defaults F10: Save and Exit
IDE Function Setup NVRAID Configuration USB Configuration Onboard NV LAN Onboard LAN Boot ROM Onboard Marvell LAN Onboard LAN2 Boot ROM AC97 Audio PCI IEEE 1394a Silicon SATA Controller Serial Port1 Address Parallel Port Address Parallel Port Mode ECP MOde Use DMA Game Port Address Midi Port Address x Midi Port IRQ F1:Help ESC: Exit : Select Item : Select Menu

IDE Function Setup

This sub-menu contains IDE function-related items. Select an item then press <Enter> to edit.
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Advanced Onboard Device Configuration OnChip IDE Channel0 OnChip IDE Channel1 IDE DMA transfer access Serial Port 1, 2 SATA DMA transfer Serial Port 3, 4 SATA2 DMA transfer IDE Prefetch Mode [Enabled] [Enabled] [Enabled] [Enabled] [Enabled] [Enabled] [Enabled] [Enabled] Select Menu Item Specific Help
OnChip IDE Channel0 [Enabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the onchip IDE channel 0 controller. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
OnChip IDE Channel1 [Enabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the onchip IDE channel 1 controller. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
IDE DMA transfer access [Enabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the IDE DMA transfer access. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Serial Port 1, 2 [Enabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the SATA 1 and 2 ports. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
SATA DMA access [Enabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the SATA DMA transfer access. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Serial Port 3, 4 [Enabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the SATA 3 and 4 ports. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
SATA2 DMA transfer [Enabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the SATA2 DMA transfer access. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
IDE Prefetch Mode [Enabled]

Allows you to enable or disable the IDE prefetch mode. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

NVRAID Configuration

This sub-menu contains NVRAID function-related items. Select an item then press <Enter> to edit.
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Advanced NVRAID Configuration x x x x x x x x RAID Enabled IDE Primary Master RAID IDE Primary Slave RAID IDE Secondary Master RAID IDE Secondary Slave RAID First SATA Master RAID Second SATA Master RAID Third SATA Master RAID Fourth SATA Master RAID [Disabled] Disabled Disabled Disabled Disabled Disabled Disabled Disabled Disabled Select Menu Item Specific Help

RAID Enabled [Disabled]

Enables or disables the onboard RAID controller. When Enabled, the succeeding items becomes user-configurable. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]
IDE Primary, Secondary Master/Slave RAID [Disabled]
Enables or disables the RAID function of the primary or secondary master or slave IDE. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]
First, Second, Third, Fourth SATA Master RAID [Disabled]
Enables or disables the RAID function of the first, second, third or fourth SATA master drive. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]

USB Configuration

The items in this menu allows you to change the USB-related features. Select an item then press <Enter> to display the configuration options.
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Advanced USB Configuration USB Controller USB2.0 Controller USB Legacy support [Enabled] [Enabled] [Enabled] Select Menu Item Specific Help

USB Controller [Enabled]

Allows you to enable or disable the onchip USB controller. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
USB 2.0 Controller [Enabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the USB 2.0 controller. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
USB Legacy Support [Enabled]
Allows you to enable or disable support for USB devices on legacy operating systems (OS). Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Onboard NV LAN [Enabled]

Enables or disables the onboard NVIDIA Gigabit LAN controller. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]
OnBoard LAN Boot ROM [Disabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the onboard LAN boot ROM. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Onboard Marvell LAN [Disabled]
Enables or disables the onboard Marvell Gigabit LAN controller. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]

Support CD information

The support CD that came with the motherboard package contains the drivers, software applications, and utilities that you can install to avail all motherboard features.
The contents of the support CD are subject to change at any time without notice. Visit the ASUS website(www.asus.com) for updates.

Running the support CD

Place the support CD to the optical drive. The CD automatically displays the D r i v e r s menu if Autorun is enabled in your computer.
Click an icon to display support CD/motherboard information

Click an item to install

If A u t o r u n is NOT enabled in your computer, browse the contents of the support CD to locate the file ASSETUP.EXE from the BIN folder. Double-click the A S S E T U P. E X E to run the CD. ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe 5-1

Drivers menu

The drivers menu shows the available device drivers if the system detects installed devices. Install the necessary drivers to activate the devices.
Nvidia Chipset Driver Program
Installs the NVIDIA Chipset drivers for the NVIDIA nForce 4 SLI chipset.
Make NVIDIA RAID Driver Disk
Creates the NVIDIA driver disk for Serial ATA and RAID features.
Marvell Yukon Gigabit Ethernet Driver
Installs the Marvell Yukon Gigabit Ethernet driver.

Realtek ALC850 Driver

Installs the Realtek ALC850 audio controller and application.
Silicon Image RAID Driver
Displays the README file of the Silicon Image SATA Link Sil 3114 driver driver installation.
Make Silicon SATA RAID Driver Disk
Creates the Silicon Image SATA Link Sil 3114 driver disk for Serial ATA RAID.

USB 2.0 Driver

Installs the Universal Serial Bus 2.0 (USB 2.0) driver.
The screen display and drivers option may not be the same for different operating system versions.

Utilities menu

The Utilities menu shows the applications and other software that the motherboard supports.
NVIDIA Chipset nTune Utility
Installs the NVIDIA nTune utility that allows easy and safe system tuning for optimum performance.

Other information

The icons on the top right corner of the screen give additional information on the motherboard and the contents of the support CD. Click an icon to display the specified information.

Motherboard Info

Displays the general specifications of the motherboard.

Browse this CD

Displays the support CD contents in graphical format.

Technical support Form

Displays the ASUS Technical Support Request Form that you have to fill out when requesting technical support.

Filelist

Displays the contents of the support CD and a brief description of each in text format.

Software information

Most of the applications in the support CD 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.
The ASUS MyLogo2 utility lets you customize the boot logo. The boot logo is the image that appears on screen during the Power-On Self-Tests (POST). The ASUS MyLogo2 is automatically installed when you install the A S U S U p d a t e utility from the support CD. See section 5.2.3 Utilities menu for details.
Before using the ASUS MyLogo2, use the Award BIOS Flash utility to make a copy of your original BIOS file, or obtain the latest BIOS version from the ASUS website. See section 4.1.2 Updating the BIOS. Make sure that the BIOS item F u l l S c r e e n L o g o is set to [Enabled] if you wish to use ASUS MyLogo2. See section 4.6.2 Boot Settings Configuration. You can create your own boot logo image in GIF, JPG, or BMP file formats.
To launch the ASUS MyLogo2: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Launch the ASUS Update utility. Refer to section 4.1.5 ASUS Update utility for details. t. Select O p t i o n s from the drop down menu, then click N e x t Check the option L a u n c h M y L o g o t o r e p l a c e s y s t e m b o o t S, t. l o g o b e f o r e f l a s h i n g B I O S then click N e x t Select U p d a t e B I O S f r o m a f i l e from the drop down menu, then click N e x t t. When prompted, locate the new BIOS file, then click N e x t The t. ASUS MyLogo2 window appears. From the left window pane, select the folder that contains the image you intend to use as your boot logo.
When the logo images appear on the right window pane, select an image to enlarge by clicking on it.
Adjust the boot image to your desired size by selecting a value on the R a t i o box.
When the screen returns to the ASUS Update utility, flash the original BIOS to load the new boot logo.
10. After flashing the BIOS, restart the computer to display the new boot logo during POST.
The Marvell Virtual Cable Tester (VCT) is a cable diagnostic utility that reports LAN cable faults and shorts using the Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) technology. The VCT detects and reports open and shorted cables, impedance mismatches, pair swaps, pair polarity problems, and pair skew problems of up to 100 meters at one meter accuracy. The VCT feature reduces networking and support costs through a highly manageable and controlled network system. This utility can be incorporated in the network systems sofware for ideal field support as well as development diagnostics.

NVIDIA Settings icon

From the pop-up menu, select nView Desktop Manager then click n V i e w P r o p e r t i e s s.
From the nView Desktop Manager window, select the D e s k t o p M a n a g e m e n t tab. Click P r o p e r t i e s to display the Display Properties dialog box.
From the Display Properties dialog box, select the S e t t i n g s tab then click A d v a n c e d d.
Select the N V I D I A G e F o r c e tab.
Click the slider to display the following screen, then select the S L I m u l t i - G P U item.

Slider

Click the E n a b l e S L I m u l t i - G P U check box. Click O K when done.
Using the SATA extension module.. A-1
Using the SATA extension module
Your motherboard package comes with a 2-port Serial ATA extension module that allows you to externally connect two Serial ATA hard drives.
Installing the 2-port SATA extension module
To install your 2-port Serial ATA extension module: Select an available expansion card slot on the rear panel of your chassis. Place the 2-port Serial ATA extension module on the available slot and secure it with a screw. Locate the Serial ATA connectors on your motherboard.
A8N-SLI DELUXE SATA connectors SATA2

4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Select any two (2) SATA connectors on your motherboard. Connect one end of the first SATA signal cable to one of the selected SATA connectors. Connect the other end of the SATA signal cable to the SATA connector on the extension module labeled S A T A _ C O N 3 3. Connect one end of the second Serial ATA signal cable to the other SATA connector. Connect the other end of the second SATA signal cable to the SATA connector on the extension module labeled S A T A _ C O N 4 4. Connect a 4-pin ATX power plug to the SATA extension module power connector labeled P W R _ C O N 1 1.
10. You can now connect two SATA hard disks to the rear panel of your chassis.
Installing SATA hard drives
To install Serial ATA hard drives: A. Prepare the following items: - 2 x SATA hard disk drives - 2 x SATA signal cables - 1 x SATA power cable with dual plugs B.Connect one end of the first SATA signal cable to the SATA connector labeled SATA 1. C.Connect the other end of the SATA signal cable to the SATA connector on the first drive. D.Connect one end of the second SATA signal cable to the other SATA connector labeled SATA 2. E. Connect the other end of the second SATA signal cable to the SATA connector on the second drive. F. Connect the 4-pin ATX SATA power plug to the SATA extension module.