Electrical safety
To prevent electrical shock hazard, disconnect the power cable from the electrical outlet before relocating the system. When adding or removing devices to or from the system, ensure that the power cables for the devices are unplugged before the signal cables are connected. If possible, disconnect all power cables from the existing system before you add a device. Before connecting or removing signal cables from the motherboard, ensure that all power cables are unplugged. Seek professional assistance before using an adpater or extension cord. These devices could interrupt the grounding circuit. Make sure that your power supply is set to the correct voltage in your 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, make sure all cables are correctly connected and the power cables are not damaged. If you detect any damage, contact your dealer immediately. To avoid short circuits, keep paper clips, screws, and staples away from connectors, slots, sockets and circuitry. Avoid dust, humidity, and temperature extremes. Do not place the product in any area where it may become wet. Place the product on a stable surface. If you encounter technical problems with the product, contact a qualified service technician or your retailer.
Conventions used in this guide
To make sure that you perform certain tasks properly, take note of the following symbols used throughout this manual. WARNING/DANGER: 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. IMPORTANT: Information that you MUST follow to complete a task. NOTE: Tips and additional information to aid in completing a task.
Where to find more information
Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product and software updates. 1. ASUS Websites The ASUS websites worldwide provide updated information on ASUS hardware and software products. The ASUS websites are listed in the ASUS Contact Information on page viii. 2. Optional Documentation Your product package may include optional documentation, such as warranty flyers, that may have been added by your dealer. These documents are not part of the standard package.

ASUS contact information

ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (Asia-Pacific)
Address Telephone Web site Technical Support Telephone(MB/Component) (Notebook) (Server/PC) (Networking) Support fax 15 Li-Te Road, Peitou, Taipei, Taiwan 112 +886-2-2894-3447 www.asus.com.tw +886-2-2890-7121 (English) +886-2-2890-7122 (English) +886-2-2890-7123 (English) +886-2-2890-7902 (English) +886-2-2890-7698

Package contents

ASUS A7N8X-X motherboard ATX form factor: 12 in x 9.6 in ASUS A7N8X-X series support CD 40-pin 80-conductor ribbon cable for UltraDMA/66/100/133 IDE drives Ribbon cable for a 3.5-inch floppy drive Bag of extra jumper caps I/O shield Users Manual
Check your ASUS A7N8X-X package for the following items.

Motherboard components

CPU Sockets. Socket 462 (Socket A) Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) socket for the AMD Duron/Athlon/Athlon XP 3000+ processors. NorthBridge Controller. The NVIDIA nForceNorth Bridge controller chipset. The controller supports a 64-bit DDR memory controller and up to 3 GB of 400/333/266/200MHz DDR memory. DDR DIMM Sockets. Equipped with three Double Data Rate Dual Inline Memory Module (DDR DIMM) sockets to support up to 3GB of DDR DRAM, the newest memory standard with the highest bandwidth and lowest latency currently available. This memory technology supplies data transfer rates up to 3.2 GB/s for 400MHz DDR SDRAM and 2.7GB/s for 333MHz DDR SDRAM. ATX power connector. This standard 20-pin connector connects to an ATX 12V power supply. The power supply must have at least 1A on the +5V standby lead (+5VSB). Floppy Disk connector. This connector connects the provided ribbon cable for the floppy disk drive. One side of the connector is slotted to prevent incorrect insertion of the floppy disk cable. IDE Connectors. These dual-channel bus master IDE connectors support up to four Ultra DMA133/100/66, PIO Modes 3 & 4 IDE devices. Both the primary(blue) and secondary(black) connectors are slotted to prevent incorrect insertion of the IDE ribbon cable. Flash ROM. This 2Mb firmware contains the programmable BIOS program. (Refer to section 2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS on page 2-2 for more information) South bridge controller. Features the brand new nVidia nForce2 MCP integrated peripheral South Bridge controller operates at 800MB/sec to communicate with the North Bridge for maximum bandwith required for PCI, USB and support for Fast Ethernet devices. The controller supports standard UltraDMA133/100/66/33 and separate data paths for each IDE channel are built-in for up to two IDE devices. The controller supports six USB ports, one LAN port and is PCI rev2.2 compliant. Super I/O chipset. ITE IT8708 offers support for a variety of I/O functions. Provides two high-speed UART compatible serial ports and one parallel port with EPP and ECP capabilities. UART2 can also be directed from COM2 to the Infrared Module for wireless connections. The Super I/O controller supports a floppy disk drive, PS/2 keyboard, and PS/2 mouse. COM2 Header. This 9-pin connects to a COM2 port. GAME port header. This header connects to a GAME port module. ASUS ASIC. This chip performs multiple system functions that include hardware and system voltage monitoring among others.

SPDIF1

Super I/O
CR2032 3V Lithium Cell CMOS Power CLRTC1 COM2 USB56

PCI 3 PCI 4

MODEM1 PWR_LED1

USBPWR_56

with Hardware Monitor

IDELED1 PWRTMP1 CHASSIS1

ASUS ASIC

IR_CON1

CTRL_PANEL1

PRI_IDE1

30.5cm (12.0in)

USB1 RJ-45 USB2

nForceChipset

CPU_FSB

FLOPPY1

nVidia

ATX Power Connector

Before you proceed

1. Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any component. 2. Use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded object or to a metal object, such as the power supply case, before handling components to avoid damaging them due to static electricity. 3. Hold components by the edges to avoid touching the ICs on them. 4. Whenever you uninstall any component, place it on a grounded antistatic pad or in the bag that came with the component. 5. 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, and/or components.
Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard components or change any motherboard settings.
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
The motherboard provides a Socket A (462) for CPU installation. AMD processors offer gigahertz speeds to support all the latest computing platforms and applications. The A7N8X-X supports Athlon XP processors with QuantiSpeed data processing, large data caches, 3D enhancements and 400/333/266Mhz bus speeds. Do not use processors with core speeds of less than 1GHz on this motherboard.
CPU NOTCH TO INNER CORNER

LOCK LEVER

AMD CPU

CPU NOTCH

A7N8X-X Socket 462
Each AMD CPU has a marked corner. This corner is usually indicated with a notch, and/or a golden square or triangle. Refer to this indicator while orienting the CPU.

System memory

The motherboard has three Double Data Rate (DDR) DIMM sockets that supports up to 3GB non-ECC PC3200/2700/2100/1600 DDR.

104 Pins

80 Pins
A7N8X-X 184-Pin DDR DIMM Sockets
1. DIMMs with more than 8 devices on each side of the module are not supported. 2. Make sure the memory frequency and bus frequency setting in the BIOS are the same or set to [Auto] ensure system stability. 3. A DDR 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. 4. Visit ASUS website (www.asus.com) for latest DDR400 Qualified Vendor List.

A7N8X-X IDE Connectors

NOTE: Orient the red markings (usually zigzag) on the IDE ribbon cable to PIN 1.
Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY1)
This connector supports the provided floppy drive ribbon cable. After connecting one end to the motherboard, connect the other end to the floppy drive. (Pin 5 is removed to prevent incorrect insertion when using ribbon cables with pin 5 plug).
NOTE: Orient the red markings on the floppy ribbon cable to PIN 1
A7N8X-X Floppy Disk Drive Connector
ATX power connectors (20-pin ATXPWR1) These connectors connect to an ATX 12V power supply. The plugs from the power supply are designed to fit these connectors in only one orientation. Find the proper orientation and push down firmly until the connectors completely fit.

ATXPWR1

+3.3VDC -12.0VDC COM PS_ON# COM COM COM -5.0VDC +5.0VDC +5.0VDC +3.3VDC +3.3VDC COM +5.0VDC COM +5.0VDC COM PWR_OK +5VSB +12.0VDC
A7N8X-X ATX Power Connector
If you will need to replace the power supply in the future, make sure that your new ATX 12V power supply can provide 8A on the +12V lead and at least 1A on the +5-volt standby lead (+5VSB). The minimum recommended wattage is 230W, or 300W for a fully configured system. The system may become unstable and may experience difficulty powering up if the power supply is inadequate.
USB header (10-1 pin USB56) (optional) If the USB 2.0 port connectors on the back panel are inadequate, one USB header is available for four additional USB port connectors. Connect a 2-port USB connector set to a USB header and mount the USB bracket to an open slot in the chassis.
USB56 A7N8X-X USB 2.0 Header

USB+5V USB_P5USB_P5+ GND

MIDI_IN J2B2 J2CY MIDI_OUT J2CX J2B1 +5V +5V J1B2 J1CY GND GND J1CX J1B1 +5V
5. GAME/MIDI connector (16-1 pin GAME1) (optional) This connector supports a GAME/MIDI module. If your package came with the optional USB 2.0/GAME module, connect the GAME/MIDI cable to this connector. The GAME/MIDI port on the module connects a joystick or a game pad for playing games, and MIDI devices for playing or editing audio files.
GAME1 A7N8X-X Game Connector

12. Power Supply Thermal Sensor (2-pin PWRTMP1) This header supports a thermal sensor for the power supply.

PWRTMP1

PWRTMP
A7N8X-X Power Supply Thermal Connector
13. Serial Port 2 connector (10-1 pin COM2) (optional) This connector accomodates a second serial port using an optional serial port bracket. Connect the bracket cable to this connector then install the bracket into a slot opening at the back of the system chassis.
A7N8X-X Serial COM2 Bracket
14. Digital Audio Connector (6 pin SPDIF1) (optional) This connector is for optional S/PDIF audio module that allows digital instead of analog sound input and output.
A7N8X-X Digital Audio Connector
When you input sound for S/PDIF IN, the LINE_OUT will output the sound. Mute LINE_OUT to impede sound output from S/PDIF IN.
15. Infrared Module connector (10-1 or 10-2 pin IR_CON1) (optional) These connectors support an optional wireless transmitting and receiving infrared module. The module mounts to a small opening on the system chassis that support this feature. You must also configure the UART2 Use As parameter in BIOS to set UART2 for use with IR. Use the ten pins as shown in Back View and connect a ribbon cable from the module to the motherboard SIR connector according to the pin definitions.

+5 V IRRX GND IRTX

SPDIF_OUT

SPDIF_IN

Standard Infrared (SIR) Front View Back View

SIR CIR

NC GND NC CIRRX +5VSB

IRTX GND IRRX

+5V (NC)
A7N8X-X Infrared Connector
16. System panel connector (20-pin PANEL1) This connector accommodates several system front panel functions.

Keyboard Lock Power LED

PLEDKeylock Ground PLED+

Speaker Connector

+5V Ground Ground Speaker

ExtSMI# Ground PWR GND

Reset SW SMI Lead ATX Power Switch*
A7N8X-X System Panel Connectors
* Requires an ATX power supply.
System Power LED Lead (3-1 pin PLED) This 3-1 pin connector connects to the system power LED. The LED lights up when you turn on the system power.

If you encounter problems while updating the new BIOS, DO NOT turn off the system because this may cause boot problems. Just repeat the process, and if the problem persists, load the original BIOS file you saved to the boot disk, or try to clear the CMOS memory (see section 1.7, Jumpers). If the Flash Memory Writer utility is not able to successfully update a complete BIOS file, the system may not boot. If this happens, call the ASUS service center for support.

Chapter 2: BIOS Setup

2.1.2 Updating BIOS procedures
Update the BIOS only if you have problems with the motherboard and you are sure that the new BIOS revision will solve your problems. Careless updating may create more problems !
The Binary Input/Output System (BIOS) can be updated using the built-in Flash Memory Writer utility or using a bootable floppy disk with the executable Flash Memory Writer Utility (AWDFLASH.EXE). The following sub-sections explain the steps in flashing your BIOS.
Updating BIOS via Built-in AwardBIOS Flash Utility
1. Download the latest BIOS file from the ASUS website (see ASUS contact info on Page viii). Save the copy to a floppy disk.
Write down the BIOS file name on a piece of paper. You need to type the exact BIOS file name at the Award BIOS Flash Utility.
Reboot the computer. To use AwardBIOS Flash Utility, press <Alt> + <F2> during POST to display the following screen.
The BIOS information in the above screen is for reference only. what you see on your screen may not be exactly the same as shown.
Insert the disk that contains the new BIOS file into the floppy drive. You will receive the error message, WARNING! Device not ready! if you proceed to step 5 without the disk in the drive.
5. Type the name of the new BIOS file, for example: AW0702.BIN then press <Enter>. The program asks if you want to save the previous BIOS. Select <Y> since it is advisable to back-up the original BIOS in case you need to reprogram it.
The program asks to save the previous BIOS to a separate file. Type a file name for the old bios and then press <Y>. The AWDFLASH program backsup the file.
AWDFLASH proceeds to check the new BIOS file and asks the user to program (flash) the new BIOS file to the motherboard.
Type <Y> and Press <Enter> to flash the new Bios file. NOTE: Do not shut off system power or unplug the supply during the flash process.
9. The BIOS flashes and displays the results. Press <F1> to restart.
Updating BIOS via Bootable Floppy Disk
1. Boot from the floppy disk. 2. 3. At the A:\ prompt, type C:\ and then press <Enter>. At the C:\ prompt, type AWDFLASH /e BIOSFILE and then <Enter>. For example: AWDFLASH /e aw0702.bin The AWDFLASH screen appears, and the BIOS file appears in the space, File Name to Program.

Main Menu

When you enter the Setup program, the following screen appears.

System Date [mm/dd/yy]

Sets the system to the date that you specify (usually the current date). The format is month, day, year. Valid values for month, day, and year are Month: (1 to 12), Day: (1 to 31), Year: (up to 2084). Use the <Tab> or <Shift> + <Tab> keys to move between the month, day, and year fields.

System Time [hh:mm:ss]

Sets the system to the time that you specify (usually the current time). The format is hour, minute, second. Valid values for hour, minute and second are Hour: (00 to 23), Minute: (00 to 59), Second: (00 to 59). Use the <Tab> or <Shift> + <Tab> keys to move between the hour, minute, and second fields.
Legacy Diskette A [1.44M, 3.5 in.]
Sets the type of floppy drive installed. Configuration options: [None] [360K, 5.25 in.] [1.2M , 5.25 in.] [720K , 3.5 in.] [1.44M, 3.5 in.] [2.88M, 3.5 in.]

Halt On [All Errors]

This field sets the system to halt on errors according to the system functions specified in each option. Configuration options: [All Errors] [No Errors] [All, But Keyboard] [All , But Diskette] [All, But Disk/Key]
2.3.1 Primary Master/Slave
IDE HDD Auto-Detection [Press Enter]
Press enter to automatically detect an IDE hard disk drive, if the hard drive is not already detected. In cases of undetected HDDs, pressing enter will detect the HDD and then open access to both the IDE Primary Master and Access Mode fields.
IDE Primary Master/Slave [Auto]
Select [Auto] to automatically detect an IDE hard disk drive. If automatic detection is successful, the setup BIOS automatically fills in the correct values for the remaining fields on this sub-menu. If automatic detection fails, this may be because the hard disk drive is too old or too new. If the hard disk was already formatted on a previous system, the setup BIOS may detect incorrect parameters. In these cases, select [Manual] to manually enter the IDE hard disk drive parameters. See Access Mode below and refer to the next page for more details. If no drive is installed or if you are removing a drive and not replacing it, select [None]. Configuration options: [None] [Auto [Manual]

Access Mode [Auto]

The default [Auto] automatically detects an IDE hard disk drive. Select [CHS] in coordination with the [Manual] setting of the IDE Primary Master in order to enter the Hard Disk Drive values manually.
Before attempting to configure a hard disk drive, make sure you have the correct configuration information supplied by the drive manufacturer. Incorrect settings may cause the system to fail to recognize the installed hard disk.

Power Management Setup

These fields set the functional properties of the ACPI, system power management, HDD power, network wake-up and power-on options.

PnP/PCI Configuration

These fields set the capacity of the BIOS to reset data configurations and to automatically configure the system along with PCI/VGA properties. IRQ resources are accessed from this menu. To access the menu bar items, press the up and down arrow keys and then press <enter> to view the desired menu.
2.4.1 Advanced BIOS Features
Boot Virus Detection [Disabled]
This field disables boot virus protection by default. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]
CPU Level 1, Level 2 Cache [Enabled]
These fields enables the CPU levels 1 and 2 cache by default. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]
Quick Power On Self Test [Enabled]
This field enables the power on test. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]
First Boot Device [Floppy]
This field sets the priority of the first boot device; by default, the system boots up on the floppy diskette drive. Configuration options: [Floppy] [LS120] [HDD-0] [HDD-1] [HDD-2] [HDD-3] [SCSI] [CDROM] [ZIP100] [LAN] [Disabled]
Second Boot Device [HDD-0]
This field sets the priority of the second boot device; by default, the system boots up on the hard disk driver if the floppy drive is not present. Configuration options: [Floppy] [LS120] [HDD-0] [HDD-1] [HDD-2] [HDD-3] [SCSI] [CDROM] [ZIP100] [LAN] [Disabled]
Third Boot Device [LS120]
This field sets the priority of the third boot device; by default, the system boots up on the LS120 if the flopyy and hard disk drive are not present. Configuration options: [Floppy] [LS120] [HDD-0] [HDD-1] [HDD-2] [HDD-3] [SCSI] [CDROM] [ZIP100] [LAN] [Disabled]
Boot Other Device [Enabled]
By default, this field enables the detection of other devices, aside from the first three priority devices. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]
Boot-up Floppy Seek [Enabled]
If enabled, this field speeds up the Power On Self Test (POST) routine by skipping and retesting several times. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] 2-14
Boot-up NumLock Status [On]
This field sets the capability of the NumLock light/key to display/activate the system. Configuration options: [On] [Off]

Gate A20 Option [Fast]

This field sets the gate A20 rate. The default is [Fast]. Configuration options: [Normal] [Fast]
Typematic Rate Setting [Disabled]
This field enables or disable permission to change the rate of keystroke registration and display. By default, the rate cannot be changed. Change to [Enabled] to make settings in the nextt field. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]

APIC Mode [Enabled]

This field enables or disables the APIC mode. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]
OS/2 Onboard Memory > 64MB [Disabled]
This field enables or disables the 64MB onboard memory set for OS/2. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
2.4.2 Advanced Chipset Features
(Scroll down to view all items on the menu.)
CPU External Frequency (MHz) [100MHz]
This field sets the external frequency ratio of the CPU. The system normally autodetects the frequency capability based on the type of CPU installed.The Front Side Bus (FSB) is equal to 2 times this field value. Frequency ranges are adjustable in increments of 1, 2, 3 and/or 5 MHz. Configuration options: [100 MHz]. [200 MHz] [204
MHz] [207 MHz] [211 MHz] [300 MHz]
CPU Frequency Multiple Setting [Auto]
This field sets the frequency multiple between the CPUs internal frequency (CPU speed) and external frequency. Set this field in conjunction with CPU Frequency (MHz) to match the speed of the CPU.
CPU Frequency Multiple [5.0x]
This field is available to unlocked processors only. For unlocked processors, this field sets the frequency multiple between the CPUs internal frequency (CPU speed) and the external frequency. Configuration options: [5.0x] [5.5x]..[11.5] [12.0] [12.5x/13.0x]
System Performance [Optimal]
This field permits change of mode for system performance. When set to [Optimal], the system uses the most stable settings. When you want to use overclocked settings for higher performance but with higher risk of instability, set to [Aggressive] and to allow full customization of performance options set to [User Defined]. Configuration options: [Optimal] [Aggressive] [User Defined]

CPU Interface [Optimal]

This field sets the mode for CPU/FSB parameters usage. Select [Aggressive] if you want to use overclocked CPU/FSB parameters. Otherwise, the default value is [Optimal] where it uses the most stable CPU/FSB parameters. Configuration options: [Optimal] [Aggressive]
Memory Frequency [By SPD]
This field sets the type of memory frequency based on the type of DDR (Double Date Rate) memory module installed. Resulting frequency can vary depending on percentage setting which is multiplied by the FSB frqequency. Normally, the default, by SPD, permits autodetection. Configuration options: [By SPD] [50%] [60%] [66%] [75%] [80%] [83%] [Sync] [120%] [125%] [133% [150%] [166%] [200%]

Resulting Frequency

This field displays the resulting memory frequency.

Memory Timing [Optimal]

This field permits change of memory timing mode for system performance. When set to [User Defined], the next four fields can be set manually. Set to [Aggressive] for higher performance. Use default [Optimal] to use most stable settings. Configuration options: [Optimal] [Aggressive] [User Defined]

Power On By PS/2 Mouse [Disabled]
When set to [Enabled], this parameter allows you to use the PS/2 mouse to turn on the system. This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides at least 1A on the +5VSB lead. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Power On By PS/2 Keyboard [Disabled]
This parameter allows you to use specific keys on the keyboard to turn on the system. This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides at least 1A on the +5VSB lead. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Any KEY] [Power Key]
2.4.5 PnP / PCI Configurations
Resources Controlled By [Auto(ESCD)]
This field sets control over the IRQ resources by the automatic (ESCD) system or manual assignment of IRQ channels. The default enables automatic (ESCD) control. Configuration options: [Auto(ESCD)] [Manual].
PCI/VGA Palette Snoop [Disabled]
This field enables the PCI/VGA palette snoop. This feature is disabled by default. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]

Security Menu

The BIOS Setup program permits two different passwords to control access to the BIOS during system startup: a Supervisor password and a User password. Passwords are not case sensitive, meaning, passwords can be typed in either uppercase or lowercase letters. The table below describes the authority level when setting Supervisor or User Password. TABLE 2.5.1 Supervisor/User Set Password
Security Option System Supervisor Password A password is required for booting and entering into the CMOS setup and all items can be modified. User Password A password is required for booting and entering into the CMOS setup and only Date and Time could be modified. All other items in the CMOS are displayed only. A password is required to enter into the CMOS and only Date and Time could be modified. All other items in the CMOS are displayed only.
A password is required to enter into the CMOS and items can be modified.
TABLE 4.5.2 User Set Password only
Security Option System Supervisor Password None User Password A password is required for booting and entering into the CMOS setup and all items can be modified. A password is required to enter into the CMOS setup and all items can be modified.

Security Option [Setup]

This field sets the security options. The default enables the setup option for security. Configuration options: [Setup] [System]
Set Supervisor Password / Set User Password
To set a password, highlight the appropriate field and press <Enter>. Type in a password then press <Enter>. You can type up to eight alphanumeric characters; symbols and other characters are not useable. To confirm the password, type the password again and press <Enter>. The password is now set to [Enabled]. This password permits full access to the BIOS Setup menus. To clear the password, highlight this field and press <Enter>. The same dialog box as above appears. Press <Enter>. The password is set to [Disabled].

Forgot the password? If you forget a 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. NOTE: See section 1.9 Jumpers for more information about how to erase the R RAM. TC

Hardware Monitor Menu

The Harware Monitor menu displays all vital system statistics.
MB, CPU Temperature [xx C / xx F]
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the MB (motherboard) and CPU temperatures.
VCORE Voltage, +3.3V Voltage, +5V Voltage, +12V Voltage
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the voltage output through the voltage regulators.
CPU Fan Speed xxxx RPM or 0 RPM CHASSIS Fan Speed xxxx RPM or 0 RPM POWER Fan Speed xxxx RPM or 0 RPM
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the CPU, power and chassis fan speeds and displays the fan speeds in revolutions per minute (RPM). If any of the fans is not connected to the fan connectors on the motherboard, the specific field will show N/A.

Q-Fan Control [Disabled]

This field allows you to enable or disable the ASUS Q-Fan feature that smartly adjusts the fan speeds for more efficient system operation. When this field is set to [Enabled], set the appropriate Fan Speed Ratio and Speed Up/Down Response Time. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Fan Speed Ratio [10/15]

This item allows you to select the appropriate fan speed ratio for the system. The default [10/15] is the minimum fan speed ratio. Select a higher ratio if you installed additional devices and the system requires more ventilation. This item is required to be set when the Q-Fan Control field is [Enabled]. Configuration options: [10/15] [11/15] [12/15] [13/15] [14/15] [Full Speed].
Speed Up/Down Response Time [4 Sec/8 Sec]
This item indicates the time period before the fan speeds adjust to the vale set in the Fan Speed Ratio field. This item is required to be set when the Q-Fan Control field is [Enabled]. Configuration options: [1 Sec/2 Sec] [2 Sec/4 Sec] [3 Sec/6 Sec] [4 Sec/8 Sec]

Exit Menu

Exit & Save Changes
Choose this option from the Exit menu to ensure the selected values are saved to the CMOS RAM. When selecting this option, a confirmation window appears. Select [Yes] to save changes and exit. The CMOS RAM is sustained by an onboard backup battery and stays on even when the PC is turned off.

The contents of the support CD are subject to change at any time without notice. Visit the ASUS website for updates.
3.2.1 Running the support CD
To begin using the support CD, simply insert the CD into your CD-ROM drive. The CD automatically displays the Drivers menu if Autorun is enabled in your computer.

Click an item to install

Click an icon to display more information
If Autorun 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 ASSETUP.EXE to run the CD.

Chapter 3: Starting-Up

3.2.2 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 nForce Driver

This item installs the NVIDIA nForce set of drivers.

QFE Drivers

Click this item to load the installation wizard and install the Win98 QFE drivers.

USB 2.0 Driver

This item installs the Universal Serial Bus 2.0 (USB 2.0) driver.
Some menu items appear only to specific operating system versions.

3.2.3 Utilities menu

The Utilities menu shows the applications and other software that the motherboard supports.

ASUS PC Probe

Install utility that can monitor Fan, Speed, Voltage, and CPU temperature.

ASUS Update

Installs utility to download and update motherboard BIOS & drivers.

Microsoft DirectX Driver

This item installs the Microsoft DirectX driver.

Anti-virus Utility

The anti-virus application scans, identifies, and removes computer viruses. View the online help for detailed information.
ADOBE Acrobat Reader V5.0
This installs software for viewing files in Portable Document Format (PDF).

ASUS Screen Saver

This item installs the ASUS screen saver.
3.2.4 ASUS Contact Information
Clicking the ASUS Contact Information tab displays as stated. You may also find this information on page viii of this user guide.