User Guide

Motherboard

Checklist

Revised Edition V2 January 2005
Copyright 2005 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this manual, including the products and software described in it, may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form or by any means, except documentation kept by the purchaser for backup purposes, without the express written permission of ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (ASUS). Product warranty or service will not be extended if: (1) the product is repaired, modified or altered, unless such repair, modification of alteration is authorized in writing by ASUS; or (2) the serial number of the product is defaced or missing. ASUS PROVIDES THIS MANUAL AS IS WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL ASUS, ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF BUSINESS, LOSS OF USE OR DATA, INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS AND THE LIKE), EVEN IF ASUS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES ARISING FROM ANY DEFECT OR ERROR IN THIS MANUAL OR PRODUCT. SPECIFICATIONS AND INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL ARE FURNISHED FOR INFORMATIONAL USE ONLY, AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE, AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY ASUS. ASUS ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS OR INACCURACIES THAT MAY APPEAR IN THIS MANUAL, INCLUDING THE PRODUCTS AND SOFTWARE DESCRIBED IN IT. Products and corporate names appearing in this manual may or may not be registered trademarks or copyrights of their respective companies, and are used only for identification or explanation and to the owners benefit, without intent to infringe.

Contents

Notices... vi Safety information... vii About this guide... viii Conventions used in this guide.. viii Typography... viii K8N specifications summary... ix

Features

Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.1 1.2 1.3 Welcome!... 1-2 Package contents... 1-2 Special features... 1-3 1.3.1 Product Highlights.. 1-3 1.3.2 Unique ASUS features.. 1-4 1.4 Before you proceed.. 1-5 1.5 Motherboard overview... 1-6 1.5.1 Motherboard layout.. 1-6 1.5.2 Placement direction.. 1-7 1.5.3 Screw holes... 1-7 1.6 Central Processing Unit (CPU).. 1-8 1.6.1 Overview... 1-8 1.6.2 Installing the CPU.. 1-9 1.7 System memory... 1-10 1.7.1 DIMM sockets location... 1-10 1.7.2 Memory configurations.. 1-10 1.7.3 Installing a DIMM.. 1-12 1.8 Expansion slots... 1-12 1.8.1 Standard interrupt assignments.. 1-12 1.8.2 IRQ assignments for this motherboard. 1-13 1.8.3 PCI slots.. 1-13 1.8.4 AGP slot... 1-14 1.9 Jumpers... 1-15 1.10 Connectors... 1-17 1.10.1 Rear panel connectors... 1-17 1.10.2 Internal connectors... 1-19

Safeguards

Chapter 2: BIOS Information
2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS. 2-2 2.1.1 Creating a bootable floppy disk.. 2-2 2.1.2 Using AFUDOS to update the BIOS.. 2-3 2.1.3 Using AFUDOS to copy BIOS from PC.. 2-4 2.1.4 Using ASUS EZ Flash to update the BIOS. 2-5 2.1.5 Recovering the BIOS with CrashFree BIOS 2. 2-6 BIOS Setup program... 2-8 2.2.1 BIOS menu screen.. 2-9 2.2.2 Menu bar... 2-9 2.2.3 Navigation keys... 2-9 2.2.4 Menu items... 2-10 2.2.5 Sub-menu items... 2-10 2.2.6 Configuration fields... 2-10 2.2.7 Pop-up window.. 2-10 2.2.8 Scroll bar.. 2-10 2.2.9 General help... 2-10 Main menu... 2-11 2.3.1 System Time.. 2-11 2.3.2 System Date.. 2-11 2.3.3 Legacy Diskette A..2-11 2.3.4 Language.. 2-11 2.3.5 Primary and Secondary IDE Master/Slave.. 2-12 2.3.6 System Information... 2-13 Advanced menu... 2-14 2.4.1 Instant Music Configuration.. 2-14 2.4.2 JumperFree Configuration.. 2-15 2.4.3 CPU Configuration.. 2-16 2.4.4 Chipset... 2-17 2.4.5 Onboard Devices Configuration.. 2-21 2.4.6 PCI PnP... 2-22 Power menu... 2-24 2.5.1 ACPI Suspend Mode.. 2-24 2.5.2 Repost Video on S3 Resume. 2-24 2.5.3 ACPI 2.0 Support.. 2-24 2.5.4 ACPI APIC Support... 2-24 2.5.5 APM Configuration.. 2-25 2.5.6 Hardware Monitor.. 2-26

2.6 Boot menu.. 2-28 2.6.1 Boot Device Priority.. 2-28 2.6.2 Hard Disk Drives.. 2-29 2.6.3 Boot Settings Configuration.. 2-29 2.6.4 Security... 2-30 Exit menu... 2-33
Chapter 3: Software support
3.1 3.2 Install an operating system.. 3-2 Support CD information.. 3-2 3.2.1 Running the support CD.. 3-2 3.2.2 Drivers menu.. 3-3 3.2.3 Utilities menu.. 3-4 3.2.4 Manual menu.. 3-5 3.2.5 ASUS Contact Information.. 3-6 ASUS Instant Music Lite... 3-7 Cool n Quiet! Technology... 3-9

3.3 3.4

Notices
Federal Communications Commission Statement
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
This device may not cause harmful interference, and This device must accept any interference received including interference that may cause undesired operation.
The use of shielded cables for connection of the monitor to the graphics card is required to assure compliance with FCC regulations. Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the users authority to operate this equipment.
Canadian Department of Communications Statement
This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications. This class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.
Where to find more information
Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product and software updates. 1. ASUS Websites The ASUS website provides updated information on ASUS hardware and software products. The ASUS websites are listed in the ASUS Contact Information on the inside front cover. 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.

Safety information

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.

Special features

1.3.1 Product Highlights
Latest processor technology
The motherboard supports the AMD Athlon 64 and AMD Sempron desktop processors. The AMD Athlon 64 is based on AMDs 64-bit architecture, which represents the landmark introduction of the industrys first x86-64 technology. This processor provides a dramatic leap forward in compatibility, performance, investment protection, and reduced total cost of ownership and development. The AMD Sempron is a 32-bit processor that provides the performance needs of value-conscious buyers. This processor is designed to deliver best-in-class performance for everyday computing.
HyperTransport Technology
HyperTransport Technology is a high-speed, low latency, point-to-point link designed to increase the communication speed between integrated circuits in computers, networking and telecommunicatons equipment up to 48 times faster than other existing technologies.

Cool n Quiet! Technology

The motherboard supports the AMD Cool n Quiet! Technology that dynamically and automatically changes the CPU speed, voltage and amount of power depending on the task the CPU performs.

Serial ATA solution

The motherboard supports two interfaces compliant to the Serial ATA (SATA) specification, an evolutionary replacement of the Parallel ATA storage interface. The Serial ATA specification allows for thinner, more flexible cables with lower pin count, reduced voltage requirement, up to 150 MB/s data transfer rate.

Serial ATA RAID solution

The motherboard provides an onboard high-performance Serial ATA RAID controller that enhance hard disk performance and data backup protection without the cost of additional RAID cards.

AI Audio technology

The motherboard supports 8-channel audio through the onboard ALC850 CODEC with 16-bit DAC, a stereo 16-bit ADC, and an AC97 2.3 compatible multi-channel audio designed for PC multimedia systems. It also features intelligent detection of plugged peripherals into the audio ports and identifies any incompatible devices.

AGP 8X support

AGP 8X (AGP 3.0) is the VGA interface specification that enables enhanced graphics performance with maximum bandwidth speeds of up to 2.12 GB/s.

ASUS K8N motherboard

S/PDIF out
The motherboards S/PDIF out function turns your computer into a high-end entertainment system with digital connectivity to powerful speaker systems.

USB 2.0 technology

The motherboard implements the new Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 specification, extending the connection speed from 12 Mbps on USB 1.1 to a fast 480 Mbps on USB 2.0 - supporting up to eight USB 2.0 ports. The higher bandwidth of USB 2.0 allows connection of devices such as high resolution video conferencing cameras, next generation scanners and printers, and fast storage units. USB 2.0 is backward compatible with USB 1.1.

SB_PWR

ON Standby Power

OFF Powered Off

K8N Onboard LED

Motherboard overview

24.5cm (9.6in)

1.5.1 Motherboard layout

PS/2KBMS T: Mouse B: Keyboard

CPU_FAN ATX12V

SPDIF_O1

PARALLEL PORT

DDR DIMM2 (64 bit,184-pin module)

SPDIF_O2

DDR DIMM1 (64 bit,184-pin module)
DDR DIMM3 (64 bit,184-pin module)
USB1 USB2 USBPW12 USBPW34
USB2.0 Top: T: USB3 RJ-45 B: USB4
Top: Rear Surround L/R Middle: Side surround L/R Bottom: Center/Subwoofer

ATX Power Connector

Socket 754

FP_AUDIO

Audio Codec

10/100 LAN PHY

CD AUX
Top:Line In Center:Line Out Below:Mic In
Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP)

PCI1 PCI2

nVIDIA nForce3 250

Super I/O

4Mbit BIOS

CHA_FAN

USBPW56 USBPW78

FLOPPY

CR2032 3V SB_PWR Lithium Cell CMOS Power

GAME USB56 USB78

CLRTC CHASSIS

USBPW12 USBPW34

Normal (Default) Clear CMOS

Power LED

PLED+ PLED-

Speaker Connector

+5V Ground Ground Speaker

+5V (Default)

IDE_LED+ IDE_LED-

PWR Ground

Reset SW ATX Power Switch*

IDE_LED

* Requires an ATX power supply.

Reset Ground

SEC_IDE

PRI_IDE

PWR_FAN

30.5cm (12.0in)

1.5.2 Placement direction
When installing the motherboard, make sure that you place it into the chassis in the correct orientation. The edge with external ports goes to the rear part of the chassis as indicated in the image below.

1.5.3 Screw holes

Place nine (9) screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the motherboard to the chassis.
Do not overtighten the screws! Doing so may damage the motherboard.
Place this side towards the rear of the chassis
Central Processing Unit (CPU)

1.6.1 Overview

The motherboard comes with a surface mount 754-pin Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) socket designed for the AMD Athlon 64 and AMD Sempron processors. The 128-bit-wide data paths of these processors can run applications faster than processors with only 32-bit or 64-bit wide data paths.

Gold Arrow

K8N CPU Socket 754
Incorrect installation of the CPU into the socket may bend the pins and severely damage the CPU!

1.6.2 Installing the CPU

Follow these steps to install a CPU. 1. Locate the 754-pin ZIF socket on the motherboard. 2. 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.
3. Position the CPU above the socket such that the CPU corner with the gold triangle matches the socket corner with a small triangle. 4. Carefully insert the CPU into the socket until it fits in place.

1.8.2 IRQ assignments for this motherboard
PCI slot 1 PCI slot 2 PCI slot 3 PCI slot 4 PCI slot 5 Serial ATA AGP slot INT A shared shared INT B shared INT C shared shared INT D used INT E used
When using PCI cards on shared slots, ensure that the drivers support Share IRQ or that the cards do not need IRQ assignments. Otherwise, conflicts will arise between the two PCI groups, making the system unstable and the card inoperable.

1.8.3 PCI slots

The PCI slots support PCI cards such as a LAN card, SCSI card, USB card, and other cards that comply with PCI specifications.

1.8.4 AGP slot

The Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) slot supports AGP 8X/4X (+1.5V) cards. When you buy an AGP card, make sure that you ask for one with +1.5V specification. Note the notches on the card golden fingers to ensure that they fit the AGP slot on the motherboard.
Install only +1.5V AGP cards.

Keyed for 1.5v

K8N Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP)
If installing the ATi 9500 or 9700 Pro Series VGA cards, use only the card version PN xxx-xxxxx-30 or later, for optimum performance and overclocking stability.

Jumpers

1. Clear RTC RAM (CLRTC) This jumper allows you to clear the Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM in CMOS. You can clear the CMOS memory of date, time, and system setup parameters by erasing the CMOS RTC RAM data. The RAM data in CMOS, that include system setup information such as system passwords, is powered by the onboard button cell battery. To erase the RTC RAM: 1. Turn OFF the computer and unplug the power cord. 2. Move the jumper cap from pins 1-2 (default) to pins 2-3. Keep the cap on pins 2-3 for about 5~10 seconds, then move the cap back to pins 1-2. 3. Plug the power cord and turn ON the computer. 4. Hold down the <Del> key during the boot process and enter BIOS setup to re-enter data.
Except when clearing the RTC RAM, never remove the cap on the jumper default position. Removing the cap will cause system boot failure!

Normal (Default)

Clear CMOS

K8N Clear RTC RAM jumper

You do not need to clear the RTC when the system hangs due to overclocking. For system failure due to overclocking, use the C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall) feature. Shut down and reboot the system so BIOS can automatically reset parameter settings to its previous values.
2. USB device wake-up (3-pin USBPW12, USBPW34, USBPW56, USBPW78) Set these jumpers to +5V to wake up the computer from S1 sleep mode (CPU stopped, DRAM refreshed, system running in low power mode) using the connected USB devices. Set to +5VSB to wake up from S3 and S4 sleep modes (no power to CPU, DRAM in slow refresh, power supply in reduced power mode).

K8N USB sevice wake up

The USB device wake-up feature requires a power supply that can provide 500mA on the +5VSB lead for each USB port. Otherwise, the system would not power up. The total current consumed must NOT exceed the power supply capability (+5VSB) whether under normal condition or in sleep mode.

1.10 Connectors

This section describes and illustrates the motherboard rear panel and internal connectors.
1.10.1 Rear panel connectors
1. PS/2 mouse port. This green 6-pin connector is for a PS/2 mouse. 2. Parallel port. This 25-pin port connects a parallel printer, a scanner, or other devices. 3. RJ-45 port. This port allows 10/100 connection to a Local Area Network (LAN) through a network hub.

LAN port LED indications

100M LED Status Yellow Blinking Description Linked Data activity Status Orange Blinking 10M LED Description Linked Data activity

100M LED 10M LED

LAN port
4. Rear Speaker out port. This Rear Speaker (gray) port connects to the rear speakers on a 4-channel, 6-channel or 8-channel audio configuration. 5. Side Speaker out port. This Side Speaker out (black) port connects to the side speakers in an 8-channel audio configuration. 6. Line In port. This Line In (light blue) port connects a tape player or other audio sources. 7. Line Out port. This Line Out (lime) port connects a headphone or a speaker. In 4-channel, 6-channel and 8-channel mode, the function of this jack becomes Front Speaker Out. 8. Microphone port. This Mic (pink) port connects a microphone.
9. Center/Subwoofer port. This Center/Subwoofer (yellow orange) port connects to the center/subwoofer speakers on a 6-channel or 8-channel audio configuration. Audio 2, 4, 6, or 8-channel configuration
Headset/ 2-channel Light Blue Lime Pink Gray Black Orange Line In Line Out Mic In 4-channel Line In Front Speaker Out Mic In Rear Speaker Out 6-channel Line In Front Speaker Out Mic In Rear Speaker Out Center/Subwoofer 8-channel Line In Front Speaker Out Mic In Rear Speaker Out Side Speaker Out Center/Subwoofer
10. USB 2.0 ports 3 and 4. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports are available for connecting USB 2.0 devices. 11. USB 2.0 ports 1 and 2. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports are available for connecting USB 2.0 devices. 12. Serial connector. This 9-pin COM1 port is for serial devices. 13. S/PDIF optical out port. This port connects to external audio output devices with optical cable connectors. 14. S/PDIF coaxial out port. This port connects to external audio output devices with coaxial cable connectors. 15. PS/2 keyboard port. This purple connector is for a PS/2 keyboard.

GND RSATA_RXP2 RSATA_RXN2 GND RSATA_TXN2 RSATA_TXP2 GND

K8N SATA connector

GND RSATA_RXP1 RSATA_RXN1 GND RSATA_TXN1 RSATA_TXP1 GND
+5V J2B1 J2CX MIDI_OUT J2CY J2B2 MIDI_IN
12. System panel connector (10-1 pin PANEL) This connector accommodates several system front panel functions.
+5V Ground Ground Speaker PWR Ground
K8N System panel connector
System Power LED Lead (Green 3-pin PLED) This 3-pin connector connects to the system power LED. The LED lights up when you turn on the system power, and blinks when the system is in sleep mode.
System Warning Speaker Lead (Orange 4-pin SPEAKER) This 4-pin connector connects to the case-mounted speaker and allows you to hear system beeps and warnings.
Reset Switch Lead (Blue 2-pin RESET) This 2-pin connector connects to the case-mounted reset switch for rebooting the system without turning off the system power.
ATX Power Switch / Soft-Off Switch Lead (Yellow 2-pin PWRSW ) This connector connects a switch that controls the system power. Pressing the power switch turns the system between ON and SLEEP, or ON and SOFT OFF, depending on the BIOS or OS settings. Pressing the power switch while in the ON mode for more than 4 seconds turns the system OFF.
Hard disk activity LED (Red 2-pin IDE_LED) This connector supplies power to the hard disk activity LED. Any read or write activity of an IDE device cause this LED to light up.
The System Panel connector is color-coded for easy and foolproof connection. Take note of the specific connector colors as described.

Chapter 2

This chapter tells how to change system settings through the BIOS Setup menus. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided.

BIOS information

ASUS K8N motherboard 2-1
Managing and updating your BIOS
The following utilities allow you to manage and update the motherboard Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) setup. 1. ASUS AFUDOS - Updates the BIOS using a bootable floppy disk in DOS mode. 2. ASUS EZ Flash - Updates the BIOS using a floppy disk during POST. 3. ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 - Updates the BIOS using a bootable floppy disk or the motherboard support CD. Refer to the corresponding sections for details on these utilities.
It is recommended that you save a copy of the original motherboard BIOS file to a bootable floppy disk in case you need to restore the BIOS in the future. Copy the original motherboard BIOS using AFUDOS (refer to section 2.1.3 Using AFUDOS to copy BIOS from PC) Visit the ASUS website and download the latest BIOS file for this motherboard using the ASUS Update utility.
2.1.1 Creating a bootable floppy disk
1. Do either one of the following to create a bootable floppy disk. DOS environment Insert a 1.44 MB floppy disk into the drive. At the DOS prompt, type: format A:/S a. b. c. d. then press <Enter>. Windows 98SE/ME/XP environment Insert a 1.44 MB floppy disk into the floppy disk drive. From your Windows desktop, click on Start, then select My Computer. Select the 3 1/2 Floppy Drive icon. Click File from the menu, then select Format. A Format 3 1/2 Floppy Disk window appears. e. If you are using Windows XP, select Create an MS-DOS startup disk from the format options field, then click Start. OR If you are using Windows 98SE/ME, select Full option button from the format type, then click Start. Windows 2000 environment To create a set of boot disks for Windows 2000, run the Makeboot.exe tool from the Windows 2000 CD: a. Insert a 1.44 MB floppy disk into the floppy disk drive. b. Insert the Windows 2000 CD into the CD-ROM drive.

System Time System Date Legacy Diskette A Language Primary IDE Master Primary IDE Slave Secondary IDE Master Secondary IDE Slave System Information +Tab F1 F10 ESC [11:51:19] [Thu 08/05/2003] [1.44M, 3.5 in] [English] :[ST320413A] :[ASUS CD-S340] :[Not Detected] :[Not Detected] Use [ENTER], [TAB] or [SHIFT-TAB] to select a field. Use [+] or [-] to configure system time.
Select Screen Select Item Change Field Select Field General Help Save and Exit Exit

Main menu items

2.2.5 Sub-menu items
An item with a sub-menu on any menu screen is distinguished by a solid triangle before the item. To display the sub-menu, select the item and press <Enter>.
2.2.6 Configuration fields
These fields show the values for the menu items. If an item is user-configurable, you may change the value of the field opposite the item. You can not 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 2.2.7 Pop-up window.

2.2.7 Pop-up window

Select a menu item then press <Enter> to display a pop-up window with the configuration options for that item.

2.2.8 Scroll bar

A scroll bar appears on the right side of a menu screen when there are items that do not fit on the screen. Press Up/ Down arrow keys or PageUp/PageDown keys to display the other items on the screen.
Advanced Chipset settings WARNING: Setting wrong values in the sections below may cause system to malfunction. Configure DRAM Timing by SPD Memory Acceleration Mode DRAM Idle Timer DRAm Refresh Rate Graphic Adapter Priority Graphics Aperture Size Spread Spectrum ICH Delayed Transaction MPS Revision [Enabled] [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [AGP/PCI] [ 64 MB] [Enabled] [Enabled] [1.4] +F1 F10 ESC
Select Screen Select Item Change Option General Help Save and Exit Exit

Pop-up window Scroll bar

2.2.9 General help
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 2.2.1 BIOS menu screen for information on the menu screen items and how to navigate through them.
System Time System Date Legacy Diskette A Language Primary IDE Master Primary IDE Slave Secondary IDE Master Secondary IDE Slave Third IDE Master Third IDE Slave Fourth IDE Master Fourth IDE Slave System Information

[11:51:19] [Thu 08/05/2003] [1.44M, 3.5 in] [English] : [ST320413A] : [ASUS CD-S340] : [Not Detected] : [Not Detected] : [Not Detected] : [Not Detected] : [Not Detected] : [Not Detected]
2.3.1 System Time [xx:xx:xxxx]
Allows you to set the system time.
2.3.2 System Date [Day xx/xx/xxxx]
Allows you to set the system date.
2.3.3 Legacy Diskette A [1.44M, 3.5 in.]
Sets the type of floppy drive installed. Configuration 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.]

2.3.4 Language [English]

Allows you to choose a BIOS language version. Configuration options: [Franais] [German] [English]
2.3.5 Primary and Secondary IDE Master/Slave
While entering Setup, BIOS auto-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.
Primary IDE Master Device : Hard Disk Vendor : Maxtor 6Y080L0 Size : 81.9GB LBA Mode : Supported Block Mode : 16 Sectors PIO Mode : 4 Async DMA : MultiWord DMA-2 Ultra DMA : Ultra DMA-5 SMART Monitoring: Supported Type LBA/Large Mode Block(Multi-sector Transfer) PIO Mode DMA Mode Smart Monitoring 32Bit Data Transfer [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Disabled] Select the type of device connected to the system
The values opposite the dimmed items (Device, Vendor, Size, LBA Mode, Block Mode, PIO Mode, Async DMA, Ultra DMA, and SMART monitoring) are autodetected by BIOS and are not user-configurable. These items show N/A if no IDE device is installed in the system.

Type [Auto]

Selects the type of IDE drive. Setting to Auto allows automatic selection of the appropriate IDE device type. Select CDROM if you are specifically configuring a CD-ROM drive. Select ARMD (ATAPI Removable Media Device) if your device is either a ZIP, LS-120, or MO drive. Configuration options: [Not Installed] [Auto] [CDROM] [ARMD]

LBA/Large Mode [Auto]

Enables or disables the LBA mode. Setting to Auto enables the LBA mode if the device supports this mode, and if the device was not previously formatted with LBA mode disabled. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Auto]
Block (Multi-sector Transfer) [Auto]
Enables or disables data multi-sectors transfers. When set to Auto, the data transfer from and to the device occurs multiple sectors at a time if the device supports multi-sector transfer feature. When set to Disabled, the data transfer from and to the device occurs one sector at a time. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Auto]

The CPU FSB Frequency item appears only when the AI Overclock Tuner field is set to Manual.

CPU FSB Frequency [220]

Allows you to adjust the CPU FSB operating frequency. The FSB frequency configuration ranges from 200 to 300 MHz. Use the plus <+> or minus <-> keys to adjust the values.
Selecting a very high CPU frequency may cause the system to become unstable! If this happens, revert to the default setting.
AGP Overclock in MHz [ 66]
Allows you to adjust the AGP slot clock. The AGP frequency configuration ranges from 66 to 75 MHz. Use the plus <+> or minus <-> keys to adjust the values.

FID/VID Change [Auto]

When set to Auto, the Frequency ID and Voltage ID will be based on the rated frequency and voltage. If you want to adjust the Processor Frequency Multiplier and CPU voltage, set this item to Manual. Configuration options: [Auto] [Manual]
Processor Frequency Multiplier [xxxxMhz]
Allows you to set the processor frequency multiplier. The default value and configuration options depend on the CPU installed.

CPU Voltage [x.xxxx V]

Allows you to set the CPU voltage. The default value and configuration options depend on the CPU installed. This item appears only when the Cool N Quiet feature is Enabled.

DDR RAM Voltage [Auto]

Allows you to automatically detect or select from a list the DDR operating voltage. Configuration options: [Auto] [2.5V] [2.6V] [2.7V]

AGP Voltage [1.5V]

Adjusts the AGP voltage setting. Configuration options: [1.5V] [1.6V] [1.7V]

2.4.3 CPU Configuration

The items in this menu show the CPU-related information auto-detected by BIOS.
: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3200+
AMD Cool N Quiet Configuration GART Error Reporting [Disabled] HT Ratio [4]
Displays the processor type and properties installed in your system.
AMD Cool & Quiet Configuration
AMD Cool & Quiet Configuration Cool NQuiet [Disabled] Enable/Disable AMD K8 Cool NQuiet function.

Cool N Quiet [Disabled]

Allows you to enable or disable the AMD Cool n Quiet! Technology feature. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]

Make sure that the above item is set to Enabled if you want to use the AMD CPU Cool n Quiet! Technology feature. This feature requires the AMD CPU heatsink and fan assembly with monitor chip. If you purchased a separate heatsink and fan package, use the ASUS Q-Fan Technology feature to automatically adjust the CPU fan speed according to your system loading.
GART Error Reporting [Disabled]
Enables or disables the GART Error Reporting feature. This option should always be disabled for normal operation. Device driver developers may enable it for testing purpose. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

HT Ratio [4]

Sets the Hyper-Transport (HT) ratio. Configuration options: [1] [2] [3] [4]

2.4.4 Chipset

The items in this menu show the chipset-related information auto-detected by BIOS.
Memory CLK : 200 MHz CAS Latency : 2.5 DRAM RAS TO CAS Delay : 3 CLK DRAM ACTIVE TIME : 8 CLK DRAM RAS PRECHANGE TIME : 3 CLK MemClock Mode CAS Latency (CL) DRAM CAS to CAS Delay DRAM RAS PRECHANGE Time DRAM ACTIVE TIME 1T/2T Timing Master ECC Enabled Audio CODEC Interface Primary Video Aperture Size AGP FW Enable AGP SideBand Address Onboard Device USB Configuration
[Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Disabled] [Auto] [PCI] [ 128 MB] [Auto] [Auto]
MEMCLK can be set by the code using AUTO, or if you use LIMIT, you can set one of the standard values.

Memclock Mode [ Auto]

Allows you to set the memory clock mode. Set by the code using [Auto] or select [Manual] to set using one of the standard values. Configuration options: [Auto] [Manual]

MemClock Value [200 MHz]

Sets the Memory clock value. This item appears only when the MemClock Mode item is set to Manual. Configuration options: [200 MHz] [266 MHz] [333 MHz] [400 MHz]

CAS Latency (CL) [Auto]

Sets the CAS Latency value. Configuration options: [Auto] [2.0] [3.0] [2.5]
DRAM RAS TO CAS Delay [Auto]
Sets the DRAM RAS TO CAS Delay. Configuration options: [Auto] [2 CLK] [3 CLK] [4 CLK] [5 CLK] [6 CLK]
DRAM RAS PRECHANGE Time [Auto]
Sets the DRAM RAS PRECHANGE Time. Configuration options: [Auto] [2 CLK] [3 CLK] [4 CLK] [5 CLK] [6 CLK]

DRAM ACTIVE TIME [Auto]

Sets the DRAM ACTIVE TIME. Configuration options: [Auto] [5 CLK] [6 CLK] [7 CLK] [8 CLK] [9 CLK] [10 CLK] [11 CLK] [12 CLK] [13 CLK] [14 CLK] [15 CLK]

1T/2T Timing [Auto]

Sets the DRAM command timing. When set to Auto, the DRAM timing is set to 2T if the CPU installed can support 2T timing. Configuration options: [1T] [Auto]
Master ECC Enable [Disabled]
Enables or disables support on all nodes for ECC error detect and correction. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Audio CODEC Interface [Auto]
Allows you to set the onboard audio CODEC interface. [Auto] allows the BIOS to detect whether you are using any audio device. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] [Auto]

Primary Video [PCI]

Switches the PCI Bus scanning order while searching for a video card. This allows you to select the type of Primary VGA in case of multiple video controllers. Configuration options: [PCI] [AGP]

Aperture Size [ 128 MB]

Allows you to select the size of mapped memory for AGP graphic data. Configuration options: [32 MB] [64 MB] [128 MB] [256 MB] [512 MB]

AGP FW Enable [Auto]

Disables or sets to automatic the AGP Fast Write feature. Configuration options: [Auto] [Disabled]
AGP Sideband Address [Auto]
Disables or sets to automatic the AGP Sideband address. Configuration options: [Auto] [Disabled]

Onboard Device

The items in this sub-menu allows you to change the settings of the onboard devices.
MAC Interface Onboard LAN Boot ROM Internal SATA IDE Interface RAID Option ROM
[Enabled] [Disabled] [Enabled] [Disabled]

MAC Interface [Enabled]

Allows you to enable or disable the internal 802.3 MAC interface. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]
OnBoard LAN Boot ROM [Disabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the onboard LAN Boot ROM. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Internal SATA IDE Interface [Enabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the onchip Serial ATA and IDE interface. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]
RAID Option ROM [Disabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the onchip NVIDIA Serial ATA boot ROM. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
The following items appear only when RAID Option ROM item is set to Enabled.

Allows you to enable or disable the onboard LAN to generate a wake event. This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides at least 1A on the +5VSB lead. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

RTC Resume [Disabled]

Allows you to enable or disable RTC to generate a wake event. When this item is set to Enabled, the items RTC Alarm Date, RTC Alarm Hour, RTC Alarm Minute, and RTC Alarm Second appear with set values. This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides at least 1A on the +5VSB lead. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Resume On PS/2 Keyboard [Disabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the keyboard wake-up feature. This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides at least 1A on the +5VSB lead. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Resume On PS/2 Mouse [Disabled]
When set to [Enabled], this parameter allows you to use the PS/2 mouse to resume the system. This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides at least 1A on the +5VSB lead. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Restore on AC Power Loss [Power Off]
When set to Power Off, the system goes into off state after an AC power loss. When set to Power On, the system goes on after an AC power loss. When set to Last State, the system goes into either off or on state whatever was the system state before the AC power loss. Configuration options: [Power Off] [Power On] [Last State]

2.5.6 Hardware Monitor

Hardware Monitor MB Temperature CPU Temperature CPU Fan Speed Chassis Fan Speed Power Fan Speed VCORE Voltage 3.3V Voltage 5V Voltage 12V Voltage Smart Q-Fan Control [35C/95F] [48C/118F] [3260RPM] [N/A] [N/A] [ 1.520V] [ 3.280V] [ 5.086V] [11.742V] [Disabled] CPU Temperature
MB Temperature [xxx C/xxx F] CPU Temperature [xxx C/xxx F]
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the CPU and motherboard temperatures. Select Disabled if you do not wish to display the detected temperatures.
CPU Fan Speed [xxxxRPM] or [N/A] Chassis Fan Speed [xxxxRPM] or [N/A] Power Fan Speed [xxxxRPM] or [N/A]
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the CPU, chassis, and power fan speeds in rotations per minute (RPM). If any of the fans is not connected to the motherboard, the specific field shows N/A.
VCORE Voltage, +3.3V Voltage, +5V Voltage, +12V Voltage
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the voltage output through the onboard voltage regulators.
Smart Q-FAN Function [Disabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the Smart Q-Fan feature that monitors the CPU temperature and smartly adjusts the fan speed according to the temperature. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

S/PDIF digital sound ready
The motherboard supports the S/PDIF Out function through the S/PDIF interfaces on the rear panel and at midboard. The S/PDIF technology turns your computer into a high-end entertainment system with digital connectivity to powerful audio and speaker systems. See page 1-25 for details.

USB 2.0 technology

The motherboard implements the Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 specication, 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 pages 1-19, 1-22 and 1-25 for details.

ASUS K8N-VM

Innovative ASUS features

ASUS EZ Flash BIOS

With the ASUS EZ Flash, you can easily update the system BIOS even before loading the operating system. No need to use a DOS-based utility or boot from a oppy disk. See page 2-3 for details.

ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2

This feature allows you to restore the original BIOS data from the support CD in case when the BIOS codes and data are corrupted. This protection eliminates the need to buy a replacement ROM chip. See page 2-6 for details.

ASUS MyLogo2

This feature allows you to personalize and add style to your system with customizable boot logos. See page 2-35 for details.
C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)
The C.P.R. feature of the motherboard BIOS allows automatic re-setting to the BIOS default settings in case the system hangs due to overclocking. When the system hangs due to overclocking, C.P.R. eliminates the need to open the system chassis and clear the RTC data. Simply shut down and reboot the system, and the BIOS automatically restores the CPU default setting for each parameter.

Before you proceed

Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard components or change any motherboard settings.
Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any component. Use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded object or a metal object, such as the power supply case, before handling components to avoid damaging them due to static electricity Hold components by the edges to avoid touching the ICs on them. Whenever you uninstall any component, place it on a grounded antistatic pad or in the bag that came with the component. Before you install or remove any component, ensure that the ATX power supply is switched off or the power cord is detached from the power supply. Failure to do so may cause severe damage to the motherboard, peripherals, and/or components.

Onboard LED

The motherboard comes with a standby power LED that lights up to indicate that the system is ON, in sleep mode, or in soft-off mode. This is a reminder that you should shut down the system and unplug the power cable before removing or plugging in any motherboard component. The illustration below shows the location of the onboard LED.

SB_PWR

ON Standby Power OFF Powered Off

K8N-VM Onboard LED

Motherboard overview

Motherboard layout

19.3cm (7.6in)

T: Mouse B: Keyboard

PARALLEL PORT

USBPW1234

SEC_IDE

Bottom:

USB3 RJ-45 USB4

4Mb Flash ROM

Realtek

PCIEX1_1

PCIEX16 PCI1
CR2032 3V Lithium Cell CMOS Powe

Super I/O

nVidia nForce 410

SPDIF_OUT

FLOPPY

USBPW5678

PRI_IDE
Top:Line In Center:Line Out Below:Mic In

nVidia GeForce 6100

24.5cm (9.6in)

USB1 USB2

DDR DIMM1 (64 bit, 184-pin module)
DDR DIMM2 (64 bit, 184-pin module)

Socket 754

EATXPWR

ATX12V

CPU_FAN

Placement direction

When installing the motherboard, make sure that you place it into the chassis in the correct orientation. The edge with external ports goes to the rear part of the chassis as indicated in the image below.

Screw holes

Place six (6) screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the motherboard to the chassis.
Do not overtighten the screws! Doing so can damage the motherboard.
Place this side towards the rear of the chassis

Layout contents

Page 1-17 1-17 1-17 Page 1-18 1-19 1-20 Page
1. PCI slots 2. PCI Express x 1 slot 3. PCI Express x 16 slot Jumpers 1. Clear RTC RAM (CLRTC) 2. USB Device wake-up (3-pin USBPW1234, USBPW5678) 3. Keyboard power (3-pin KBPWR) Rear panel connectors
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
PS/2 mouse port (green) Parallel port LAN (RJ-45) port Line In port (light blue) Line Out port (lime) Microphone port (pink) USB 2.0 ports 3 and 4 USB 2.0 ports 1 and 2 Video Graphics Adapter (VGA) port Serial port PS/2 keyboard port (purple)
1-21 1-21 1-21 1-21 1-21 1-21 1-22 1-22 1-22 1-22 1-22

Internal connectors

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY) IDE connectors (40-1 pin PRI_IDE, SEC_IDE) Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA1, SATA2) Digital audio connector (4-1 pin SPDIF_OUT) USB connectors (10-1 pin USB56, USB78) Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin AAFP) Internal audio connector (4-pin CD) ATX power connectors (24-pin EATXPWR, 4-pin ATX12V) System panel connector (20-1 pin PANEL) System power LED (Green 3-pin PLED) Hard disk drive activity LED (Red 2-pin IDE_LED) System warning speaker (Orange 4-pin SPEAKER) ATX power button/soft-off button (Yellow 2-pin PWRSW) Reset button (Blue 2-pin RESET)
1-22 1-23 1-24 1-25 1-25 1-26 1-26 1-27 1-28
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
The motherboard comes with a surface mount 754-pin Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) socket designed for the AMD Athlon 64 and Sempron processor. The 128-bit-wide data paths of these processors can run applications faster than processors with only 32-bit or 64-bit wide data paths. Take note of the marked corner (with gold triangle) on the CPU. This mark should match a specic corner on the socket to ensure correct installation.

Gold triangle

Installing the CPU
Follow these steps to install a CPU. 1. Locate the 754-pin ZIF socket on the motherboard.

K8N-VM CPU Socket 754

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 t 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 ts in place.
Small triangle Gold triangle
The CPU ts 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. Install a CPU heatsink and fan following the instructions that came with the heatsink package. Connect the CPU fan cable to the CPU_FAN connector on the motherboard.

GND +12V Rotation

K8N-VM CPU Fan Connector
Do not forget to connect the CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring errors can occur if you fail to plug this connector.

System memory

Overview
The motherboard comes with two 184-pin Double Data Rate (DDR) Dual Inline Memory Modules (DIMM) sockets. The following gure illustrates the location of the sockets:
K8N-VM 184-pin DDR DIMM Sockets

Memory configurations

You may install 128 MB, 256 MB, 512 MB, and 1 GB unbuffered ECC/non-ECC DDR DIMMs into the DIMM sockets using the memory congurations in this section.
Installing DDR DIMMs other than the recommended congurations may cause memory sizing error or system boot failure. Use any of the recommended congurations on the next page. Always install DIMMs with the same CAS latency. For optimum compatibility, it is recommended that you obtain memory modules from the same vendor. Refer to the DDR400 Qualied Vendors List on the next page for details. Due to chipset limitation, this motherboard does not support DIMM modules with less than or equal to 128 Mb memory chips.
DDR400 Qualified Vendors List
Size 256MB 256MB 256MB 5126MB 5126MB 5126MB 5126MB 256MB 256MB 256MB 1GB 256MB 5126MB 5126MB 256MB 5126MB 256MB 5126MB 256MB 5126MB 256MB 256MB 5126MB 5126MB 256MB 256MB 5126MB 5126MB 5126MB 256MB 256MB 5126MB 256MB 5126MB 256MB 5126MB 256MB 5126MB 5126MB 256MB 256MB 5126MB 256MB 256MB 256MB Vendor Kingston Kingston Kingston Kingston Kingston Kingston Kingston Kingston Kingston Kingston Kingston Inneon Inneon Inneon Inneon Inneon HY HY HY HY Corsair Corsair Corsair Corsair Corsair Corsair Corsair Corsair Micron Micron Micron Micron Samsung Samsung Samsung Samsung Elpida Elpida Apacer Apacer Apacer Apacer Mode KVR333X64C25/256 KVR333X64C25/256 KVR333X64C25/256 KVR333X64C25/512 KVR400X64C3A/512 KVR400X64C3A/512 KVR400X64C3A/512 KVR400X64C3A/256 KVR400X64C3A/256 KVR400X64C3A/256 KVR400X64C3A/1G HYS64D32300HU-5-C HYS64D64320HU-5-C HYS64D64300HU-5-B HYS64D32300GU-5-C HYS64D64320HU-6-C HYMD232646D8J-D43 HYMD264646D8J-D43 HYMD232646B8J-J HYMD264646B8J-J VS256MB400 XMS3202v3.1 XMS3205v1.2 VS512MB400 XMS2700v1.1 VS256MB333 XMS2702v3.1 XMS2702v1.2 MT8VDDT3264AG-335GB MT8VDDT3264AG-40BGB M368L3223FTN-CCC M368L6423FTN-CCC M368L3223FTN-CB3 M368L6423FTN-CB3 U24256ADEPG6H20 U24512ADEPG6H20 77.90728.U1G 77.10636.46G 77.10636.56G 77.10736.11G Brand Kingston Hynix Hynix Kingston Hynix Kingston Hynix Hynix Kingston PSC Inneon Inneon Inneon Inneon Inneon Inneon Hynix Hynix Hynix Hynix Value select Inneon Winbond Value select Winbond Samsung Mosel Winbond Micron Micron Samsung Samsung Samsung Samsung Elpida Elpida Apacer Samsung Mosel Inneon Samsung Mosel PSC Side(s) SS SS DS DS DS DS SS SS SS SS DS SS DS SS SS DS SS DS SS DS SS SS DS DS SS SS DS DS DS SS SS DS SS DS SS DS SS DS DS SS SS DS SS SS SS Component D3208DH1T-6 HY5DU56822BT-J HY5DU56822BT-D43 D3208DH1T-6 HY5DU56822BT-D43 D3208DH1T-5 HY5DU12822BT-D43 HY5DU56822BT-D43 D3208DL3T-5A A2S56D30BTP HYB25D512800BE-5B HYB25D256800CE-5C HYB25D256800CE-5C HYB25D512800BE-5B HYB25D256800CE-5C HYB25D256800CE-6C HY5DU56822DT-D43 HY5DU56822DT-D43 HY5DU56822BT-J HY5DU56822BT-J VS32M8-5 2B0409 HYB25D256807BT-5B W942508CH-5 VS32M8-5 2B0402 W942508BH-6 K4H5608380-TCB3 V58C2256804SAT6 W942508CH-6 MT46V32M8TG-6TG MT46V32M8TG-6TG MT46V32M8TG-5BG MT46V32M8TG-5BC K4H560838F-TCCC K4H560838F-TCCC K4H560838F-TCB3 K4H560838F-TCB3 DD2508AKTA-5C DD2508AMTA AM3A568AJT-6B K4H560838E-TCCC V58C2256804SAT5B HYB25D256800BT-5B K4H560838F-TCCC V58C2256804SAT5B A2S56D3OBTP DIMM support A B V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V

Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) for the latest DDR 400 Qualied Vendors List.

Installing a DIMM

Make sure to unplug the power supply before adding or removing DIMMs or other system components. Failure to do so may cause severe damage to both the motherboard and the components.
Unlock a DIMM socket by pressing the retaining clips outward. Align a DIMM on the socket such that the notch on the DIMM matches the break on the socket.

DDR DIMM notch

A DDR DIMM is keyed with a notch so that it ts in only one direction. DO NOT force a DIMM into a socket to avoid damaging the DIMM.
Firmly insert the DIMM into the socket until the retaining clips snap back in place and the DIMM is properly seated.

Locked Retaining Clip

Removing a DIMM
To remove a DIMM: 1. Simultaneously press the retaining clips outward to unlock the DIMM.
Support the DIMM lightly with your ngers when pressing the retaining clips. The DIMM might get damaged when it ips out with extra force.
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 it by adjusting the software settings. 1. 2. 3. Turn on the system and change the necessary BIOS settings, if any. See Chapter 2 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.
Standard interrupt assignments
IRQ Priority 10 Standard Function System Timer Keyboard Controller Re-direct to IRQ#9 IRQ holder for PCI steering* 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

You do not need to clear the RTC when the system hangs due to overclocking. For system failure due to overclocking, use the C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall) feature. Shut down and reboot the system so the BIOS can automatically reset parameter settings to default values.
USB device wake-up (3-pin USBPW1234, USBPW5678) Set these jumpers to +5V to wake up the computer from S1 sleep mode (CPU stopped, DRAM refreshed, system running in low power mode) using the connected USB devices. Set to +5VSB to wake up from S3 and S4 sleep modes. The USBPW1234 jumper is for the rear USB ports. The USBPW5678 jumper is for the internal USB connectors that you can connect to additional USB ports.

+5V (Default)

K8N-VM USB Device Wake-Up
The USB device wake-up feature requires a power supply that can provide 500mA on the +5VSB lead for each USB port; otherwise, the system will not power up. The total current consumed must NOT exceed the power supply capability (+5VSB) whether under normal condition or in sleep mode.
Keyboard power (3-pin KBPWR) This jumper allows you to enable or disable the keyboard wake-up feature. Set this jumper to pins 2-3 (+5VSB) to wake up the computer when you press a key on the keyboard (the default is the Space Bar). This feature requires an ATX power supply that can supply at least 500 mA on the +5VSB lead, and a corresponding setting in the BIOS.
K8N-VM Keyboard Power Setting

Connectors

1.10.1 Rear panel connectors
PS/2 mouse port (green). This port is for a PS/2 mouse. Parallel port. This 25-pin port connects a parallel printer, a scanner, or other devices. LAN (RJ-45) port. This port allows Gigabit connection to a Local Area Network (LAN) through a network hub. Line In port (light blue). This port connects a tape, CD, DVD player, or other audio sources. In 4/6-channel mode, the function of this port becomes Surround (Rear Speaker) Out. Line Out port (lime). This port connects a headphone or a speaker. In 4/6-channel conguration, the function of this port becomes Front Speaker Out. Microphone port (pink). This port connects a microphone. In 6-channel mode, the function of this port becomes Bass/Center.
Refer to the audio conguration table for the function of the audio ports in 2, 4, or 6,-channel conguration.

K8N-VM Internal Audio Connector
MIC2_L MIC2_R Line out_R NC Line out_L
ATX power connectors (24-pin EATXPWR, 4-pin ATX12V) These connectors are for an ATX power supply. The plugs from the power supply are designed to t these connectors in only one orientation. Find the proper orientation and push down rmly until the connectors completely t.
We recommend that you use an ATX 12 V Specication 2.0-compliant power supply unit (PSU) with a minimum of 300 W power rating. This PSU type has 24-pin and 4-pin power plugs. If you intend to use a PSU with 20-pin and 4-pin power plugs, make sure that the 20-pin power plug can provide at least 15 A on +12 V and that the PSU has a minimum power rating of 300 W. The system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is inadequate. Do not forget to connect the 4-pin ATX +12 V power plug; otherwise, the system will not boot up. We recommend that you use a PSU with higher power output when conguring a system with more power-consuming devices. The system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is inadequate. You must install a PSU with a higher power rating if you intend to install additional devices.

+12V DC GND

+3 Volts
Ground +5 Volts +5 Volts +5 Volts -5 Volts Ground Ground Ground PSON# Ground -12 Volts +3 Volts
+12V DC +12 Volts GND +12 Volts +5V Standby
K8N-VM ATX Power Connectors
Power OK Ground +5 Volts Ground +5 Volts Ground +3 Volts +3 Volts
System panel connector (20-1 pin PANEL) This connector supports several chassis-mounted functions.

SPEAKER

+5V Ground Ground Speaker

IDE_LED+ IDE_LED-

PWR Ground

IDE_LED

K8N-VM System Panel Connector
* Requires an ATX power supply.
The sytem panel connector is color-coded for easy connection. Refer to the connector description below for details.
System power LED (Green 3-pin PLED) This 3-pin connector is for the system power LED. Connect the chassis power LED cable to this connector. The system power LED lights up when you turn on the system power, and blinks when the system is in sleep mode. Hard disk drive activity (Red 2-pin IDE_LED) This 2-pin connector is for the HDD Activity LED. Connect the HDD Activity LED cable to this connector. The IDE LED lights up or ashes when data is read from or written to the HDD. System warning speaker (Orange 4-pin SPEAKER) This 4-pin connector is for the chassis-mounted system warning speaker. The speaker allows you to hear system beeps and warnings. Power/Soft-off button (Yellow 2-pin PWRSW) This connector is for the system power button. Pressing the power button turns the system ON or puts the system in SLEEP or SOFT-OFF mode depending on the BIOS settings. Pressing the power switch for more than four seconds while the system is ON turns the system OFF. Reset button (Blue 2-pin RESET) This 2-pin connector is for the chassis-mounted reset button for system reboot without turning off the system power.

LBA/Large Mode [Auto]

Enables or disables the LBA mode. Setting to [Auto] enables the LBA mode if the device supports this mode, and if the device was not previously formatted with LBA mode disabled. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Auto]
Block (Multi-sector Transfer) [Auto]
Enables or disables data multi-sectors transfers. When set to [Auto], the data transfer from and to the device occurs multiple sectors at a time if the device supports multi-sector transfer feature. When set to [Disabled], the data transfer from and to the device occurs one sector at a time. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Auto]

PIO Mode [Auto]

Selects the PIO mode. Conguration options: [Auto] [0] [1] [2] [3] [4]

DMA Mode [Auto]

Selects the DMA mode. Conguration options: [Auto]

SMART Monitoring [Auto]

Sets the Smart Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology. Conguration options: [Auto] [Disabled] [Enabled]
32Bit Data Transfer [Disabled]
Enables or disables 32-bit data transfer. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

IDE Configuration

The items in this menu allow you to set or change the congurations for the IDE devices installed in the system. Select an item then press <Enter> if you wish to congure the item.
RAID Setup Serial- ATA 1 nVidia RAID Function
Options [Enabled] [Disabled] Enabled Disabled

Serial-ATA 1 [Enabled]

Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
nVidia RAID Function [Disabled]

System Information

This menu gives you an overview of the general system specications. The BIOS automatically detects the items in this menu.
AMIBIOS Version : 0013 Build Date : 10/13/05 Processor Type Speed Count : AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3200+ : 2000 MHz : 1 <-> + Tab F1 F10 ESC Select Screen Select Item Change Field Select Field General Help Save and Exit Exit
System Memory Usable Size : 192MB

AMI BIOS

Displays the auto-detected BIOS information.

Processor

Displays the auto-detected CPU specication.

System Memory

Displays the auto-detected system memory.

Advanced menu

The Advanced menu items allow you to change the settings for the CPU and other system devices.
Take caution when changing the settings of the Advanced menu items. Incorrect eld values can cause the system to malfunction.

AMD Cool n Quiet Conguration JumperFree Conguration CPU Conguration Chipset Onboard Devices Conguration PCIPnP USB Conguration
Congure AMD Cool n Quiet support
AMD Cool n Quiet Configuration
AMD Cool n Quiet Conguration Cool nQuiet [Enabled]
Enabled/Disabled AMD Cool n Quiet
Cool n Quiet Configuraion [Enabled]
Allows you to enabled or disabled the AMD Cool n Quiet technology feature. Conguration options: [Enabled] [Disabled].
The Cool n Quiet Conguration item appears only when you use a CPU that supports this function.

JumperFree Configuration

Select the targe CPU frequency, and the relevant parameters will be auto-adjusted. Frequencies higher than CPU manufacturer recommends are not guaranteed to be stable. If the system becomes unstable, return to the default.
Cong System Frequency/Voltage AI Overclocking [Auto]

AI Overclocking [Auto]

Allows you to select the overclocking options to achieve the desired CPU internal frequency. Select either one of the preset overclocking congiuration options. Manual - allows you to individually set overclocking parameters. Auto - loads the optimal settings for the system. Standard - loads the standard settings for the system.

+F1 F10 ESC

The following item appears only when you set the AI Overclocking item to [Manual].

CPU FSB Frequency [XXX]

Displays the frequency sent by the clock generator to the system bus and PCI bus. The value of this item is auto-detected by the BIOS. Use the <+> and <-> keys to adjust the CPU frequency. You can also type the desired CPU frequency using the numeric keypad. The values range from 200 to 240.

CPU Configuration

The items in this menu show the CPU-related information auto-detected by BIOS.
CPU Conguration Module Version: 14.06 Physical Count: 1 Logical Count : 1 AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3200+ Revision: C0 Cache L1: 64KB Cache L2: 1024KB Speed : 2000MHz Current FSB Multiplier: 10x Maximum FSB Multiplier: 10x Able to Change Freq. : Yes uCode Patch Level : 0x39

<-> + F1 F10 ESC

v02.58 (C)Copyright 1985-2002, American Megatrends, Inc.

PCI Spread Spectrum [Center Spread] Conguration options: [Disabled] [Center Spread] [Down Spread] HT Spread Spectrum [Center Spread] Conguration options: [Disabled] [Center Spread] [Down Spread]
Hyper Transport Geforce 6100 Configuration
Options [800 MHz] [Auto] PCI-> PCIE->IGP IGP-> PCIE->PCI
Hyper Transport Geforce 6100 Conguration LDT(K8) to Geforce 6100(NB) Frequency LDT(K8) to Geforce 6100(NB) LinkWidth Hyper Transport nForce 410 Conguration nForce 410 to Geforce 6100(NB) Frequency nForce 410 to Geforce 6100(NB) LinkWidth [800 MHz] [88]
Hyper Transport Geforcec 6100 Configuration
LDT (K8) to Geforce 6100 (NB) Frequency [800MHz]
Conguration options: [Auto] [200MHz] [400MHz] [600MHz] [800MHz] [1000MHz] [1200MHz] [1400MHz] [1600MHz]
LDT (K8) to Geforce 6100 (NB) LinkWidth [Auto]
Conguration options: [Auto] [88] [1616]
Hyper Transport nForcec 410 Configuration
nForce 410 (SB) to Geforce 6100 (NB) Frequency [800MHz]
nForce 410 (SB) to Geforce 6100 (NB) LInkWidth []
Conguration options: [44] [88] [1616]
Onboard Devices Configuration
Advanced BIOS SETUP UTILITY Allows BIOS to select Serial Port1 Base Addresses.
Congure Winbond W83627EHG-A Super IO Chipset Serial Port1 Address Parallel Port Address Parallel Port Mode ECP Mode DMA Channel Parallel Port IRQ Onboard AUDIO Onboard LAN Onboard LAN Boot ROM [3F8/IRQ4] [378] [ECP] [DMA3] [IRQ7] [Enabled] [Enabled] [Disabled]
Serial Port1 Address [3F8/IRQ4]
Allows you to select the Serial Port1 base address. Conguration options: [Disabled] [3F8/IRQ4] [2F8/IRQ3] [3E8/IRQ4] [2E8/IRQ3]
Parallel Port Address [378]
Allows you to select the Parallel Port base addresses. Conguration options: [Disabled] [378] [278] [3BC]

Parallel Port Mode [ECP]

Allows you to select the Parallel Port mode. Conguration options: [Normal] [Bi-directional] [EPP] [ECP]
ECP Mode DMA Channel [DMA3]
Appears only when the Parallel Port Mode is set to [ECP]. This item allows you to set the Parallel Port ECP DMA. Conguration options: [DMA0] [DMA1] [DMA3]

Parallel Port IRQ [IRQ7]

Conguration options: [IRQ5] [IRQ7]

Onboard AUDIO [Enabled]

Allows you to enable or disable the onboard high denition audio controller. Conguration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]

Onboard LAN [Enabled]

Allows you to enable or disable the onboard LAN. Conguration options: [Enable] [Disabled]
Onboard LAN Boot ROM [Disabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the onboard LAN boot ROM. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

PCI PnP

The PCI PnP menu items allow you to change the advanced settings for PCI/PnP devices. The menu includes setting IRQ and DMA channel resources for either PCI/PnP or legacy ISA devices, and setting the memory size block for legacy ISA devices.
Take caution when changing the settings of the PCI PnP menu items. Incorrect eld values can cause the system to malfunction.
BIOS SETUP UTILITY NO: Lets the BIOS congure all the devices in the system. YES: Lets the operating system congure Plug and Play (PnP) devices not required for boot if your system has a Plug and Play operating system. Select Screen Select Item Change Option General Help Save and Exit Exit
Advanced Advanced PCI/PnP Settings
WARNING: Setting wrong values in below sections may cause system to malfunction. Plug And Play O/S PCI Latency Timer Allocate IRQ to PCI VGA Palette Snooping IRQ-3 assigned to IRQ-4 assigned to IRQ-5 assigned to IRQ-7 assigned to IRQ-9 assigned to IRQ-10 assigned to IRQ-11 assigned to IRQ-14 assigned to IRQ-15 assigned to [No] [64] [Yes] [Disabled] [PCI [PCI [PCI [PCI [PCI [PCI [PCI [PCI [PCI Device] Device] Device] Device] Device] Device] Device] Device] Device]

F1 F10 ESC

v02.58 (C)Copyright 1985-2004, American Megatrends, Inc.

Plug And Play O/S [No]

When set to [No], 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]

PCI Latency Timer [64]

Allows you to select the value in units of PCI clocks for the PCI device latency timer register. Conguration options: [32] [64] [96] [128] [160] [192] [224] [248]
Allocate IRQ to PCI VGA [Yes]
When set to [Yes], BIOS assigns an IRQ to PCI VGA card if the card requests for an IRQ. When set to [No], BIOS does not assign an IRQ to the PCI VGA card even if requested. Conguration options: [No] [Yes]

If you forget your BIOS password, you can clear it by erasing the CMOS Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM. See section 1.9 Jumpers for information on how to erase the RTC RAM.
After you have set a supervisor password, the other items appear to allow you to change other security settings.
BIOS SETUP UTILITY Boot Security Settings Supervisor Password User Password : Not Installed : Not Installed [Full Access] [Setup] Select Screen Select Item Change General Help Save and Exit Exit <Enter> to change password. <Enter> again to disabled password.
Change Supervisor Password User Access Level Change User Password Clear User Password Password Check
User Access Level (Full Access]
This item allows you to select the access restriction to the Setup items. Conguration options: [No Access] [View Only] [Limited] [Full Access] No Access prevents user access to the Setup utility. View Only allows access but does not allow change to any eld. Limited allows changes only to selected elds, such as Date and Time. Full Access allows viewing and changing all the elds in the Setup utility.

Change User Password

Select this item to set or change the user password. The User Password item on top of the screen shows the default Not Installed. After you set a password, this item shows Installed.
To set a User Password: 1. 2. 3. Select the Change User Password item and press <Enter>. On the password box that appears, type a password composed of at least six letters and/or numbers, then press <Enter>. Conrm the password when prompted.
The message Password Installed appears after you set your password successfully. To change the user password, follow the same steps as in setting a user password.

Clear User Password

Select this item to clear the user password.

Password Check [Setup]

When set to [Setup], BIOS checks for user password when accessing the Setup utility. When set to [Always], BIOS checks for user password both when accessing Setup and booting the system. Conguration options: [Setup] [Always]

This chapter describes the contents of the support CD that comes with the motherboard package.

Software support

Installing an operating system
This motherboard supports Windows 2000/XP operating systems (OS). Always install the latest OS version and corresponding updates to maximize the features of your hardware.
Motherboard settings and hardware options vary. Use the setup procedures presented in this chapter for reference only. Refer to your OS documentation for detailed information. Make sure that you install Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 or the Windows XP Service Pack 2 or later versions before installing the drivers for better compatibility and system stability.

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 Drivers menu if Autorun is enabled in your computer.
Click an icon to display support CD/motherboard information

Click an item to install

If Autorun is NOT enabled in your computer, browse the contents of the support CD to locate the le ASSETUP.EXE from the BIN folder. Doubleclick the ASSETUP.EXE to run the CD.

Drivers menu

The drivers menu shows the available device drivers if the system detects installed devices. Install the necessary drivers to activate the devices.

AMD Cool n Quiet Driver

Installs the AMD Cool n Quiet Driver.

NVIDIA Chipset Drivers

Installs the NIVIDIA Chipset Drivers.

SATA RAID Driver

Installs the SATA RAID Dirver

ADI Audio Driver

Installs the ADI Audio Driver.

VGA Driver

Installs the VGA 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.

ASUS PC Probe II

This smart utility monitors the fan speed, CPU temperature, and system voltages, and alerts you of any detected problems. This utility helps you keep your computer in healthy operating condition.

ASUS Update

The ASUS Update utility allows you to update the motherboard BIOS in a Windows environment. This utility requires an Internet connection either through a network or an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

ASUS Screen Saver

Installs the ASUS screen saver.
ADOBE Acrobat Reader V7.0
The Adobe Acrobat Reader V7.0 is for opening, viewing, and printing documents in Portable Document Format (PDF).

Microsoft DirectX

Installs the Microsoft DirectX 9.0c driver. The Microsoft DirectX 9.0c is a multimedia technology that enhances computer graphics and sound. DirectX improves the multimedia features of you computer so you can enjoy watching TV and movies, capturing videos, or playing games in your computer. Visit the Microsoft website (www.microsoft.com) for updates.

Anti-virus utility

The anti-virus utility scans, identies, and removes computer viruses. View the online help for detailed information.
ASUS Cool n Quiet Utility
This item installs the ASUS Cool n Quiet utility.
The screen display and utilities option may not be the same for different operating system versions.

Manual menu

The Manual menu contains a list of supplementary user manuals. Click an item to open the folder of the user manual.
Most user manual les are in Portable Document Format (PDF). Install the Adobe Acrobat Reader from the Utilities menu before opening a user manual le.
Raid SATA Quick Setup Guide
Allows you to open the Raid SATA Quick Setup Guide.

ASUS Contact information

Click the Contact tab to display the ASUS contact information. You can also nd this information on the inside front cover of this user guide.