BIOS setup

BIOS setup program.. 2-12

Main menu... 2-15

Advanced menu... 2-20 2.4.2 2.4.3 2.4.4 2.4.5 2.4.6 2.4.7 2.4.1 CPU Configuration.. 2-22 Chipset... 2-23 Onboard Devices Configuration.. 2-27 PCI PnP... 2-28 USB Configuration.. 2-29 Trusted Computing... 2-30. Suspend Mode.. 2-31
Power menu... 2-31 2.5.2 2.5.1 ACPI 2.0 Support.. 2-31
2.5.3 2.5.4 2.5.5 ACPI APIC Support... 2-31 APM Configuration.. 2-32 Hardware Monitor... 2-33 Boot Device Priority.. 2-34
Boot menu... 2-34 2.6.2 2.6.1 Boot Settings Configuration.. 2-35 Security... 2-36 ASUS EZ Flash 2... 2-38
Tools menu.... 2-38 2.7.2 2.7.1 Express Gate... 2-39 AI NET 2.. 2-39

2.8 3.1

Exit menu... 2-40 Installing an operating system.. 3-2 Support DVD information... 3-2 3.2.1 Drivers menu.. 3-3. Utilities menu.. 3-4 Make Disk menu.. 3-6 Manual menu.. 3-8 ASUS Contact information.. 3-8 Other information... 3-9 Creating a RAID driver disk without entering the OS.3-11 Running the support DVD.. 3-2

Chapter 3:

Software support
3.2.2 3.2.3 3.2.4 3.2.5 3.2.6 3.3 3.2.7
Creating a RAID driver disk.. 3-11. 3.3.2 3.3.1 Creating a RAID driver disk in Windows..3-11

Chapter 4:

4.1 4.1.1
NVIDIA Hybrid SLI Technology.. 4-2 4.1.2 Enabling Hybrid SLI.. 4-3 System requirements.. 4-2
NVIDIA technology support

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. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with manufacturers instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures: Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

Typography

Bold text Indicates a menu or an item to select. Used to emphasize a word or a phrase. Keys enclosed in the less-than and greater-than sign means that you must press the enclosed key. Example: <Enter> means that you must press the Enter or Return key. <Key1+Key2+Key3> If you must press two or more keys simultaneously, the key names are linked with a plus sign (+). Example: <Ctrl+Alt+D> Command Means that you must type the command exactly as shown, then supply the required item or value enclosed in brackets. Example: At the DOS prompt, type the command line: afudos /i[filename] afudos /iM3N78-VM.ROM

Italics

<Key>
M3N78-VM specifications summary
CPU Supports AMD socket AM2+ / AM2 for AMD PhenomFX / Phenom / Athlon / SempronTM processors AMD64 architecture enables simultaneous 32-bit and 64-bit computing Supports AMD Cool n Quiet Technology NVIDIA GeForce 8200 (MCP78S) Up to 5200 MT/s HyperTransport 3.0 interface for AM2+ CPU Dual-channel memory architecture 4 x 240-pin DIMM sockets support up to 8 GB of unbufferred ECC and non-ECC 1066 / 800 / 667 / 533 MHz DDR2 memory modules
* Only AM2+ CPU supports DDR2 1066.
Chipset System bus Memory

Expansion slots Graphics

1 x PCI Express x16 slot 1 x PCI Express TM x1 slot 2 x PCI slots Intergrated NVIDIA GeForce Series DirectX10 graphics processor Hybrid SLI support (supports Windows Vista only) Supports HDMI interface with HDCP compliant with max. resolution up to 1920 x 1200 Supports DVI interface with HDCP compliant with max resolution up to 1600 x 1200 Supports D-Sub with max. resolution up to 1920 x 1440 (@75Hz) Supports Microsoft DirectX 10, OpenGL 2.0, and Pixel Shader 4.0 Supports PCIe 2.0 / 1.0 Architecture Maximum shared memory of 256 MB
Note: The suggested system configuration when playing HD DVD and Blu-ray disc: DDR1GB x 2 / Althon 64 x 2 4400+ / Graphic shared memory 256 MB / Purevideo HD support.

Storage

Chipset - 1 x Ultra DMA 133 / 100 interface - 5 x Serial ATA 3 Gb/s hard disk drives supporting RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 0+1, and JBOD configuration VT1708B High Definition Audio 8-channel CODEC Supports Optical S/PDIF out ports at back I/O Supports Jack-detect, and Multi-streaming
(continued on the next page)

High Definition Audio

USB LAN ASUS Unique Features 12 USB 2.0 / 1.1 ports (6 ports at mid-board, 6 ports at rear panel) NVIDIA nForce built-in Gigabit MAC with external Realtek8211CL-GR PHY ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution: - ASUS Q-Fan ASUS EZ DIY: - ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 - ASUS EZ Flash 2 ASUS Express Gate: - Web browser, file downloading and uploading* - Further free features upgradable Other features: - ASUS MyLogo 2 - ASUS AI NET 2

DDR2 DIMM_B2 (64 bit,240-pin module)

Socket AM2+

VGA_DVI

USB34_ESATA

EATXPWR
SATA5 SATA4 SATA3 SATA2 SATA1

LAN1_USB12

Nvidia MCP78S

PCIEX1_1

Realtek 8211CL-GR

PCI1 PCI2

SPDIF_OUT AAFP

Super I/O

8Mb BIOS

USB78 USB1112 TPM USB910

VT1708B

FLOPPY

CHASSIS

PRI_IDE

PCIEX16
CR2032 3V Lithium Cell CMOS Power

PWR_FAN

CHA_FAN

Placement direction

When installing the motherboard, ensure 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 eight (8) 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
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
The motherboard comes with a 940-pin AM2+ / AM2 socket designed for the AMD Athlon 64 / Sempron / Athlon FX / Athlon 64 X2 / AM2+ / Phenom FX / Phenom processor.
The AM2+ / AM2 socket has a different pinout from the 940-pin socket designed for the AMD Opteron processor. Ensure that you use a CPU is designed for the AM2+ / AM2 socket. The CPU fits in only one correct orientation. DO NOT force the CPU into the socket to prevent bending the connectors on the socket and damaging the CPU!

Installing the CPU

To install a CPU. Locate the CPU socket on the motherboard.

M3N78-VM CPU Socket 940

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

Socket lever

Ensure that the socket lever is lifted up to 90-100 angle, otherwise the CPU does not fit in completely.
Position the CPU above the socket such that the CPU corner with the gold triangle matches the socket corner with a small triangle. Carefully insert the CPU into the socket until it fits in place.
Small triangle Gold triangle
The CPU fits only in one correct orientation. DO NOT force the CPU into the socket to prevent bending the pins and damaging the CPU!
When the CPU is in place, push down the socket lever to secure the CPU. The lever clicks on the side tab to indicate that it is locked. 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.
CPU FAN PWM CPU FAN IN CPU FAN PWR GND

Except when clearing the RTC RAM, never remove the cap on CLRTC jumper default position. Removing the cap will cause system boot failure!

Clear RTC

Normal (Default)
M3N78-VM Clear RTC RAM 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.

1.10 Connectors

1.10.1

Rear panel connectors

1. 2. 3. 4.
PS/2 keyboard/mouse combo port (purple). This port is for a PS/2 keyboard or mouse.
Video Graphics Adapter (VGA) port. This 15-pin port is for a VGA monitor or other VGA-compatible devices. USB 2.0 ports 3 and 4. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports are available for connecting USB 2.0 devices.
LAN (RJ-45) port. Supported by Marvell Gigabit LAN controller, this port allows Gigabit connection to a Local Area Network (LAN) through a network hub. Refer to the table below for the LAN port LED indications.
Speed LED Status Description OFF 10 Mbps connection ORANGE 100 Mbps connection GREEN 1 Gbps connection

ACT/LINK LED SPEED LED

LAN port LED indications
Activity/Link LED Status Description OFF No link ORANGE Linked BLINKING Data activity

LAN port

6. 7. 8. 9.
5. Rear Speaker Out port (black). This port connects the rear speakers in a 4-channel, 6-channel, or 8-channel audio configuration. Center / Subwoofer port (orange). This port connects the center / subwoofer speakers.
Line In port (light blue). This port connects the tape, CD, DVD player, or other audio sources. Line Out port (lime). This port connects a headphone or a speaker. In 4-channel, 6-channel, and 8-channel configuration, the function of this port becomes Front Speaker Out. Microphone port (pink). This port connects a microphone.
10. Side Speaker Out port (gray). This port connects the side speakers in an 8-channel audio configuration.
Refer to the audio configuration table below for the function of the audio ports in 2, 4, 6 or 8-channel configuration.
Audio 2, 4, 6, or 8-channel configuration
Port Light Blue Lime Pink Orange Black Gray Headset 2-channel 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 Center/Subwoofer Rear Speaker Out 8-channel Line In Front Speaker Out Mic In Center/Subwoofer Rear Speaker Out Side Speaker Out
12. External SATA port. These port connect to an external a Serial ATA hard disk drive. To configure a RAID0, RAID1, RAID 0+1, RAID 5, or JBOD set, connect external Serial ATA hard disk drives to the External SATA port.

To use hot-plug, set the SATA Mode Select in the BIOS settings to [AHCI Mode]. See section 2.3.5 Storage Configuration for details. When the AHCI mode is turned on, SATA 1/2/3/5/6 and ESATA are all in AHCI mode, and DOS cannot detect HDD in drivers installation.
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.
13. DVI port. This port is for any DVI-D compatible device. DVI-D cant be converted to output RGB Signal to CRT and isnt compatible with DVI-I.
14. HDMI port. This port is for a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) connector, and is HDCP compliant allowing playback of HD DVD, Blu-Ray and other protected content.
This motherboard comes with dual-VGA output. If you connect 2 monitors to both VGA and DVI-D / HDMI out ports, each controller can drive same or different display contents to different resolutions and refresh rates. Due to the chipset limitation, simultaneous output for DVI and HDMI is not supported. To play HD DVD or BLU-Ray Disc, ensure to use an HDCP compliant monitor.
Playback of HD DVD and Blu-Ray Discs
The speed and bandwidth of the CPU/Memory, DVD player, and drivers will affect the playback quality. Using the CPU/Memory of higher speed and bandwidth with the higher-version DVD player and drivers will upgrade the playback quality. 15. Optical S/PDIF Out port. This port connects an external audio output device via an optical S/PDIF cable. 16. USB 2.0 ports 5 and 6. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports are available for connecting USB 2.0 devices.

1.10.2

Internal connectors
Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY) This connector is for the provided floppy disk drive (FDD) signal cable. Insert one end of the cable to this connector, then connect the other end to the signal connector at the back of the floppy disk drive.
Pin 5 on the connector is removed to prevent incorrect cable connection when using an FDD cable with a covered Pin 5.
NOTE: Orient the red markings on the floppy ribbon cable to PIN 1.

Bad BIOS checksum. Starting BIOS recovery. Checking for floppy.
When found, the utility reads the BIOS file and starts flashing the corrupted BIOS file.
Bad BIOS checksum. Starting BIOS recovery. Checking for floppy. Floppy found! Reading file M3N78-VM.ROM. Completed. Start flashing.
DO NOT shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS! Doing so can cause system boot failure!
Restart the system after the utility completes the updating process.
Recovering the BIOS from the support DVD
To recover the BIOS from the support DVD: 1. 2. 3. Remove any floppy disk from the floppy disk drive, then turn on the system. The utility displays the following message and automatically checks the floppy disk for the original or updated BIOS file.
Insert the support DVD to the optical drive.
When no floppy disk is found, the utility automatically checks the optical drive for the original or updated BIOS file. The utility then updates the corrupted BIOS file.
Bad BIOS checksum. Starting BIOS recovery. Checking for floppy. Floppy not found! Checking for DVD-ROM. DVD-ROM found! Reading file M3N78-VM.ROM. Completed. Start flashing.
The recovered BIOS may not be the latest BIOS version for this motherboard. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS file.
Recovering the BIOS from the USB flash disk
To recover the BIOS from the USB flash disk: 1. 2. 3. 4. Insert the USB flash disk that contains BIOS file to the USB port. The utility will automatically checks the devices for the BIOS file When found, the utility reads the BIOS file and starts flashing the corrupted BIOS file. Restart the system after the utility completes the updating process.

Turn on the system.

Only the USB flash disk with FAT 32/16 format and single partition can support ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3. The device size should be smaller than 8GB. DO NOT shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS! Doing so can cause system boot failure!

ASUS Update utility

The ASUS Update is a utility that allows you to manage, save, and update the motherboard BIOS in Windows environment. The ASUS Update utility allows you to: Save the current BIOS file Download the latest BIOS file from the Internet Update the BIOS from an updated BIOS file View the BIOS version information. Update the BIOS directly from the Internet, and
This utility is available in the support DVD that comes with the motherboard package.

System Time System Date Legacy Diskette A Primary IDE Master Primary IDE Slave SATA1 SATA2 SATA3 ESATA Storage Configuration System Information
[15:48:16] [Tue 01/08/2002] [1.44M,3.5 in.] :[Not Detected] :[Not Detected] :[ST380011AS] :[Not Detected] :[Not Detected] :[Not Detected]

2.3.1 2.3.2 2.3.3

System Time [xx:xx:xx] System Date [Day xx/xx/xxxx] Legacy Diskette A [1.44M, 3.5 in.]
Allows you to set the system time.
Allows you to set the system date.
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]
Primary IDE Master/Slave, SATA1~3, ESATA
While entering Setup, the BIOS automatically detects the presence of IDE devices. There is a separate sub-menu for each IDE device. Select a device item then press <Enter> to display the IDE device information.
Primary IDE Master Device : Not Detected Type [Auto] LBA/Large Mode [Auto] Block (Multi-Sector Transfer) M [Auto] PIO Mode [Auto] DMA Mode [Auto] SMART Monitoring [Auto] 32Bit Data Transfer [Enabled]
Select the type of device connected to the system
The BIOS automatically detects the values opposite the dimmed items (Device, Vendor, Size, LBA Mode, Block Mode, PIO Mode, Async DMA, Ultra DMA, and SMART monitoring). These values are not user-configurable. These items show 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]
This item does not appear when you select SATA1/SATA2/SATA3/ESATA devices.

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) M [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]

PIO Mode [Auto]

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

DMA Mode [Auto]

Selects the DMA mode. Configuration options: [Auto]

SMART Monitoring [Auto]

Enables or disables the S.M.A.R.T. (Self Monitoring and Reporting Technology) capability of your hard drive. This features allows your system to report read/write errors of the hard drive and to issue warnings when a third party hardware monitor utility is installed. Configuration options: [Auto] [Disabled] [Enabled]

Allows you to enable or disable the ACPI SRAT table. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Chipset

The Chipset menu allows you to change the advanced chipset settings. Select an item then press <Enter> to display the sub-menu.
Advanced Chipset Setting WARNING: Setting wrong values in below sections may cause system to malfunction. NorthBridge Configuration Southbridge Configuration Hyper Transpot Configuraton

Options for NB

NorthBridge Configuration
NorthBridge Chipset Configuration Memory Configuration DRAM Timing Configuration ECC Configuration

Memory Configuration

Memory Configuration Bank Interleaving Channel Interleaving Enable Clock to All DIMMs MemClk Tristate C3/ATLVID Memory Hole Remapping DCT Unganged Mode Power Down Enable [Auto] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Enabled] [Always] [Enabled] Enable Bank Memory Interleaving
Bank Interleaving [Auto] Allows you to enable the bank memory interleaving. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Auto]
Channel Interleaving [Disabled] Allows you to enable the channel memory interleaving. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Address bits 6] [Address bits 12] [XOR of Address bits [20:16,6] ] [XOR of Address bits [20:16,9] ] Enable Clock to All DIMMs [Disabled] Enables or disables clock to all DIMMs. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] MemClk Tristate C3/ALTVID [Disabled] Enables or disables the MemClk Tristate C3/ALTVID. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Memory Hole Remapping [Enabled] Enables or disables the memory remapping around memory hole. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] DCT Unganged Mode [Always] Allow you to enable or disable Unganed mode. Configuration options: [Auto] [Always] Power Down Enable [Enabled] Enables or disables the DDR power down mode. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
DRAM Timing Configuration
DRAM Timing Configuration Memory Clock Mode DRAM Timing Mode [Auto] [Auto] Auto Limit Manual Options
Memory Clock Mode[Auto] Allows you to set the memoery clock mode. Configuration options: [Auto] [Limit] [Manual] DRAM Timing Mode [Auto] Allows you to set the DRAM timing mode. Configuration options: [Auto] [DCT 0]

ECC Configuration

ECC Configuration ECC Mode DRAM ECC Enable DRAM SCRUB REDIRECT 4-Bit ECC Mode DRAM BG Scrub Data Cache BG Scrub L2 Cache BG Scrub L3 Cache BG Scrub [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] DRAM ECC allows hardware to report and correct memory errors automatically maintaining system integrity.
ECC Mode [Disabled] Enables or disables the DRAM ECC that allows the hardware to report and correct memory errors automatically. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Basic] [Good] [Super] [Max] [User]
DRAM ECC Enable [Disabled] Enables or disables the DRAM ECC. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] DRAM SCRUB REDIRECT [Disabled] Enables or disables the DRAM SCRUB REDIRECT feature that allows the system to correct the DRAM ECC errors immediately when they occur. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] 4-Bit ECC Mode [Disabled] Enables or disables the ECC chip kill feature. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] DRAM BG Scrub [Disabled] Disables or sets the DRAM BG Scrub. Configuration options: [Disabled] [40ns] [80ns] [160ns] [320ns] [640ns] [1.28us] [2.56us] [5.12us] [10.2us] [20.5us] [41.0us] [81.9us] [163.8us] [327.7us] [655.4us] [1.31ms] [2.62ms] [5.24ms] [10.49ms] [20.97ms] [42.00ms] [84.00ms] Data/L2/L3 Cache BG Scrub [Disabled] Disables or sets the Data/L2/L3 Cache BG Scrub. This item allows the cache RAM to be corrected when idle. Configuration options: [Disabled] [40ns] [80ns] [160na] [320ns] [640ns] [1.28us] [2.56us] [5.12us] [10.2us] [20.5us] [41.0us] [81.9us] [163.8us] [327.7us] [655.4us] [1.31ms] [2.62ms] [5.24ms] [10.49ms] [20.97ms] [42.00ms] [84.00ms]
SouthBridge Configuration
SouthBridge chipset Configuration Primary Graphics Adapter Hybrid SLI Mode Hybrid SLI Frame buffer Size AZALIA Audio Front Panel Select SPDIF Mode Setting Onboard LAN OnBoard LAN Boot ROM SouthBridge ACPI HPET TABLE [PCIE VGA Card Firs] [mGPU Auto] [128MB] [Internal codec+E} [HD Audio] [SPDIF Output] [Enabled] [Disabled] [Enabled] Options PCI VGA Card First Internal VGA First PCIE VGA Card First

Power On By PCI Device [Disabled]
When set to [Enabled], this parameter allows you to turn on the system through a PCI LAN or modem card. This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides at least 1A on the +5VSB lead. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Power On By Ring [Disabled]
Enable or disable RI to generate a wake event. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Power On By PS/2 KB/MS [Disabled]
Enable or disable PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse to generate a wake event. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Power On By RTC Alarm [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. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Hardware Monitor

CPU Temperature [46C/114.5F] [34C/93F] [3276RPM] [N/A] [N/A] [ 1.232V] [ 3.328V] [ 4.915V] [11.916V] [Disabled]
Hardware Monitor CPU Temperature MB Temperature CPU Fan Speed Chassis Fan Speed Power Fsn Speed VCORE Voltage 3.3V Voltage 5V Voltage 12V Voltage Smart Q-FAN Function
CPU Temperature [xxxC/xxxF] MB Temperature [xxxC/xxxF]
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the motherboard and CPU temperatures. Select Ignored if you do not wish to display the detected temperatures.
CPU Fan Speed [xxxxRPM] or [Ignored]
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the CPU fan speed in rotations per minute (RPM). If the fan is not connected to the motherboard, the field shows N/A. Select Ignored if you do not wish to display the detected speed.
Chassis/Power Fan Speed [xxxxRPM] or [N/A] or [Ignored]
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the chassis/power fan speed in rotations per minute (RPM). If the fan is not connected to the chassis, the specific field shows N/A. Select Ignored if you do not wish to display the detected speed.
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 ASUS Q-Fan feature that smartly adjusts the fan speeds for more efficient system operation. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Boot menu

The Boot menu items allow you to change the system boot options. Select an item then press <Enter> to display the sub-menu.
Boot settings Boot Device Priority Boot Settings Configuration Security
Specifies the Boot Device Priority sequence. A virtual floopy disk drive (Floppy Drive B:) may appear when you set the CD-ROM drive as the first boot device.

Boot Device Priority

Specifies the boot sequence from the available devices.
Boot Device Priority 1st Boot Device 2nd Boot Device 3rd Boot Device [1st FLOPPY DRIVE] [SATA:3M-ST380011AS] [CDROM:PS-PIONEER D]

1st ~ xxth Boot Device [1st Floppy Drive]
Select Item These items specify the boot device priority sequence from the available devices. +Change Option F1 General number The number of device items that appears on the screen depends on theHelp F10 Save and Exit of devices installed in the system. Configuration options: [xxth Drive] [Hard Drive] ESC Exit [ATAPI CD-ROM ] [Disabled]

Select Screen

Boot Settings Configuration
Allows BIOS to skip certain tests while booting. This will decrease the time needed to boot the system.
Boot Settings Configuration Quick Boot Full Screen Logo AddOn ROM Display Mode Bootup Num-Lock PS/2 Mouse Support Wait For F1 If Error Hit DEL Message Display Interrupt 19 Capture [Enabled] [Enabled] [Force BIOS] [On] [Auto] [Enabled] [Enabled] [Disabled]

Quick Boot [Enabled]

Enabling this item allows the BIOS to skip some power on self tests (POST) while booting to decrease the time needed to boot the system. When set to [Disabled], BIOS performs all the POST items. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

+F1 F10 ESC

Full Screen Logo [Enabled]
This allows you to enable or disable the full screen logo display feature. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Set this item to [Enabled] to use the ASUS MyLogo 2 feature.
Add On ROM Display Mode [Force BIOS]
Sets the display mode for option ROM. Configuration options: [Force BIOS] [Keep Current]

Bootup Num-Lock [On]

Allows you to select the power-on state for the NumLock. Configuration options: [Off] [On]
PS/2 Mouse Support [Auto]
Allows you to enable or disable support for PS/2 mouse. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] [Auto]
Wait for F1 If Error [Enabled]
When set to Enabled, the system waits for the F1 key to be pressed when error occurs. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Hit DEL Message Display [Enabled]
When set to Enabled, the system displays the message Press DEL to run Setup during POST. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Interrupt 19 Capture [Disabled]
When set to [Enabled], this function allows the option ROMs to trap Interrupt 19. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Security

The Security menu items allow you to change the system security settings. Select an item then press <Enter> to display the configuration options.
Security Settings Supervisor Password User Password : Not Installed : Not Installed
Change Supervisor Password Change User Passward

NVIDIA 32/64bit XP SATA RAID Driver (Disk1/2)
Allows you to create the NVIDIA 32/64-bit XP SATA RAID Driver disks for Windows XP Operating System (OS).
NVIDIA 32/64bit Vista SATA RAID Driver
Allows you to create the NVIDIA 32/64-bit Vista SATA RAID Driver disk for Windows Vista Operating System (OS).
NVIDIA 32/64bit XP AHCI Driver (Disk1/2)
Allows you to create the NVIDIA 32/64-bit XP AHCI Driver disk for Windows XP Operating System (OS).
Click to show the succeeding Make Disk menu on the next page.
Chapter 3: Software support
NVIDIA 32/64bit Vista AHCI Driver
Allows you to create the NVIDIA 32/64-bit Vista AHCI Driver disk for Windows Vista Operating System (OS).
Due to floppy disk capacity limitation, when creating a RAID configuration under Windows Vista, install the AHCI / RAID driver through the motherboard support DVD or a USB device. Find RAID driver in the support DVD through the path below: Drivers\Chipset\Disk\RAID Find AHCI driver in the support DVD through the path below: Drivers\Chipset\Disk\AHCI

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 files are in Portable Document Format (PDF). Install the Adobe Acrobat Reader from the Utilities menu before opening a user manual file.

ASUS Contact information

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

Other information

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

Motherboard Info

Displays the general specifications of the motherboard.

Browse this DVD

Displays the support DVD contents in graphical format.

Technical support Form

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

Filelist

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

* File downloading and uploading is supported through USB devices only.
ASUS Overclocking Features
GPU Overclocking Stepless Frequency Selection (SFS): - HT tuning from 200 MHz to 400MHz at 1MHz increment - Memory tuning from 533 MHz to 1066 MHz - PCIe frequency tuning from 100 MHz to 200 MHz at 1 MHz increment Overclocking Protection: - ASUS CPU Parameter Recall (C.P.R.)
BIOS features Internal I/O connectors
8 Mb Flash ROM, AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0, SM BIOS 2.5, ACPI 2.0a 1 x High Definition front panel audio connector 1 x IDE connector 1 x Floppy disk drive connector 1 x CD audio-in connector 1 x CPU fan connector 1 x Chassis fan connector 1 x Power fan connector 1 x Chassis intrusion connector 1 x COM connector 1 x LPT connector 1 x TPM header 5 x SATA connectors 1 x S/PDIF Out connector 3 x USB 2.0 connectors for 6 additional USB 2.0 ports 1 x 24-pin EATX power connector 1 x 4-pin x ATX 12V power connector 1 x System panel connector
Rear panel I/O 1 x LAN (RJ-45) port 1 x HDMI port 1 x DVI port 1 x VGA port 6 x USB 2.0 / 1.1 ports 1 x External SATA port 1 x PS/2 keyboard / mouse combo port 8-channel audio ports Device drivers Express Gate ASUS PC Probe II ASUS Update utility Anti-virus software (OEM version) 2 x SATA cables 1 x 2-port SATA power cable 1 x UltraDMA 133 / 100 / 66 cable 1 x Floppy Disk Drive cable 1 x I/O Shield Users manual MicroATX: 9.6 in. x 9.6 in. (24.4 cm x 24.4 cm)

Support DVD contents

Accessories

Form Factor

*Specifications are subject to change without notice.
This chapter describes the motherboard features and the new technologies it supports.

Chapter 1:

Welcome!
Thank you for buying an ASUS M3N78-VM motherboard! The motherboard delivers a host of new features and latest technologies, making it another standout in the long line of ASUS quality motherboards! Before you start installing the motherboard, and hardware devices on it, check the items in your package with the list below.

Package contents

ASUS M3N78-VM motherboard 2 x Serial ATA signal cables 1 x 2-port Serial ATA power cable 1 x Ultra DMA 133 / 100 cable 1 x Floppy disk drive cable I/O shield ASUS motherboard support DVD User guide
Check your motherboard package for the following items. Motherboard Cables Accessories Application DVD Documentation
If any of the above items is damaged or missing, contact your retailer.

Special features

Product highlights

AMD socket AM2+ Phenom FX / Phenom
The motherboard supports AMD socket AM2+ multi-core processors. It features dual-channel DDRmemory support and accelerates data transfer rate up to 5200 MT/s via HyperTransport 3.0 based system bus. See page 1-10 for details.
AMD socket AM2 Athlon 64 / Athlon 64 X2 / Athlon 64 FX / Sempron
The motherboard supports AMD socket AM2 Athlon 64 / Athlon 64 X2 / Athlon 64 FX / Sempron processors with 2MB / 1MB / 512KB L2 cache, which is based on 64-bit architecture. It features 2000 / 1600 MT/s HyperTransport System Bus, dualchannel un-buffered DDR2 memory support and AMD Cool n Quiet Technology. See page 1-10 for details.
Chapter 1: Product introduction
AMD Cool n Quiet Technology
The motherboard supports the AMD Cool n Quiet Technology, which monitors system operation and automatically adjusts CPU voltage and frequency for a cool and quiet operating environment. See page 2-25 for details.

64-bit CPU support

64-bit computing, the technology to replace 32-bit architecture, delivers advanced system performance, faster memory access and increased productivity. This motherboard provides excellent compatibility and flexibility by supporting either 64-bit or 32-bit architecture.

NVIDIA GeForce 8200

The NVIDIA GeForce 8200 offers the lastest support of Hybrid SLI technology, DirectX10 graphics features, HD video playback with HDMI / DVI output. It also supports HyperTransport TM 3.0 interface, PCI Express TM 2.0 bus architecture, Serial ATA 3 GB/s devices, and is optimized with AMDs latest AM2+ and multi-core CPUs to provide excellent system performance.

HDMITM Interface

High-Definiton Multimedia Interface (HDMI) is the first and only industry-supported, uncompressed, all digital audio and video interface via a single cable and is HDCP compliant allowing playback of HD DVD, Blu-ray Disc and other protected content. See page 1-25 for details.

Dual channel DDR2 1066

DDRmemory provides great performance for 3D graphics and other memory demanding applications on next generation memory technology. See page 1-14 for details.

shared

shared shared
When using PCI cards on shared slots, ensure that the drivers support Share IRQ or that the cards do not need IRQ assignments. Otherwise, conflicts will arise between the two PCI groups, making the system unstable and the card inoperable.

PCI slots

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

PCI Express x1 slot

This motherboard supports PCI Express x1 network cards, SCSI cards and other cards that comply with the PCI Express specifications. The following figure shows a network card installed on the PCI Express x1 slot.

PCI Express x16 slot

This motherboard has supports PCI Express x16 graphic cards that comply with PCI Express specifications. The figure shows a graphics card installed on the PCI Express x16 slot.
Currently, only NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT and GeForce 8400 GS graphics cards support GeForce Boost function under Hybrid SLITM mode. Currently, only NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GX2 and GeForce 9800 GTX graphics cards support Hybrid Power function under Hybrid SLITM mode.

Jumper

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 onboard button cell battery powers the RAM data in CMOS, which include system setup information such as system passwords. Turn OFF the computer and unplug the power cord. 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. Reinstall the battery. Plug the power cord and turn ON the computer. Remove the onboard battery.
To erase the RTC RAM: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Hold down the <Del> key during the boot process and enter BIOS setup to re-enter data.
Except when clearing the RTC RAM, never remove the cap on CLRTC jumper default position. Removing the cap will cause system boot failure!

Clear RTC

Normal (Default)
M3N78-VM Clear RTC RAM 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.

1.10 Connectors

1.10.1

Rear panel connectors

1. 2. 3. 4.
PS/2 keyboard/mouse combo port (purple). This port is for a PS/2 keyboard or mouse.
Video Graphics Adapter (VGA) port. This 15-pin port is for a VGA monitor or other VGA-compatible devices. USB 2.0 ports 3 and 4. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports are available for connecting USB 2.0 devices.

CHASSIS M3N78-VM Intrusion Connector

(Default)

12. LPT connector
The LPT (Line Printing Terminal) connector supports devices such as a printer. LPT standardizes as IEEE 1284, which is the parallel port interface on IBM PC-compatible computers.
GND GND GND GND GND GND GND GND SLIN# INIT# ERR# AFD
SLCT PE BUSY ACK# PD7 PD6 PD5 PD4 PD3 PD2 PD1 PD0 STB#
M3N78-VM Parallel Port Connector

Chassis Signal GND

+5VSB_MB
13. ATX power connectors (24-pin ATX-PWRGD, 4-pin ATX12V) These connectors are for an ATX 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.

+12V DC GND

+3 Volts +12 Volts +12 Volts +5V Standby Power OK Ground +5 Volts Ground +5 Volts Ground +3 Volts +3 Volts Ground +5 Volts +5 Volts +5 Volts -5 Volts Ground Ground Ground PSON# Ground -12 Volts +3 Volts
M3N78-VM ATX Power Connector We recommend that you use an ATX 12 V Specification 2.0compliant 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, ensure 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 configuring a system with more power-consuming devices. The system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is inadequate. If you are uncertain about the minimum power supply requirement for your system, refer to the Recommended Power Supply Wattage Calculator at http://support.asus.com/PowerSupplyCalculator/PSCalculator. aspx?SLanguage=en-us for details. You must install a PSU with a higher power rating if you intend to install additional devices.
14. System panel connector (20-8 pin PANEL)
This connector supports several chassis-mounted functions.

PLED+ PLED-

SPEAKER
+5V Ground Ground Speaker PWR Ground

IDE_LED+ IDE_LED-

+IDE_LED
M3N78-VM System Panel Connector
System power LED (2-pin PLED) This 2-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 LED (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 flashes when data is read from or written to the HDD.

System warning speaker (4-pin SPEAKER) This 4-pin connector is for the chassis-mounted system warning speaker. The speaker allows you to hear system beeps and warnings. Power/Soft-off button (2-pin PWRSW) This 2-pin 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 (2-pin Reset) This 2-pin connector is for the chassis-mounted reset button for system reboot without turning off the system power.

Reset Ground

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

Chapter 2: BIOS setup

Managing and updating your BIOS
The following utilities allow you to manage and update the motherboard Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) setup. 1. 2. ASUS EZ Flash 2: Updates the BIOS using a floppy disk, USB Flash, or the motherboard support DVD during POST. ASUS AFUDOS: Updates the BIOS in DOS mode using a bootable floppy disk.
3. ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3: Updates the BIOS using a bootable floppy disk, USB flash disk or the motherboard support DVD when the BIOS file fails or gets corrupted. 4. Refer to the corresponding sections for details on these utilities. ASUS Update: Updates the BIOS in Windows environment.
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 the ASUS Update or AFUDOS utilities.
Creating a bootable floppy disk
a. Insert a 1.44MB floppy disk into the drive.

DOS environment

Do either one of the following to create a bootable floppy disk.
b. At the DOS prompt, type format A:/S then press <Enter>.

Windows XP environment

a. Insert a 1.44 MB floppy disk to the floppy disk drive. c. Select the 3 1/2 Floppy Drive icon.
b. Click Start from the Windows desktop, then select My Computer.
d. Click File from the menu, then select Format. A Format 3 1/2 Floppy Disk window appears.
e. Windows XP users: Select Create an MS-DOS startup disk from the format options field, then click Start.
Windows Vista environment a. Insert a formatted, high density 1.44 MB floppy disk to the floppy disk drive.
b. Click c. Right-click Floppy Disk Drive then click Format to display the Format 3 1/2 Floppy dialog box. e. Click Start. from the Windows desktop, then select Computer.
d. Select the Create an MS-DOS startup disk check box. 2.

Prepare the motherboard support DVD, the floppy disk or the USB flash disk containing the updated motherboard BIOS before using this utility. Ensure that you rename the original or updated BIOS file in the floppy disk or the USB flash disk to M3N78-VM.ROM.
Recovering the BIOS from a floppy disk
To recover the BIOS from a floppy disk: 1. 2. 3. Turn on the system.
Insert the floppy disk with the original or updated BIOS file to the floppy disk drive. The utility displays the following message and automatically checks the floppy disk for the original or updated BIOS file.
Bad BIOS checksum. Starting BIOS recovery. Checking for floppy.
When found, the utility reads the BIOS file and starts flashing the corrupted BIOS file.
Bad BIOS checksum. Starting BIOS recovery. Checking for floppy. Floppy found! Reading file M3N78-VM.ROM. Completed. Start flashing.
DO NOT shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS! Doing so can cause system boot failure!
Restart the system after the utility completes the updating process.
Recovering the BIOS from the support DVD
To recover the BIOS from the support DVD: 1. 2. 3. Remove any floppy disk from the floppy disk drive, then turn on the system. The utility displays the following message and automatically checks the floppy disk for the original or updated BIOS file.
Insert the support DVD to the optical drive.
When no floppy disk is found, the utility automatically checks the optical drive for the original or updated BIOS file. The utility then updates the corrupted BIOS file.
Bad BIOS checksum. Starting BIOS recovery. Checking for floppy. Floppy not found! Checking for DVD-ROM. DVD-ROM found! Reading file M3N78-VM.ROM. Completed. Start flashing.
The recovered BIOS may not be the latest BIOS version for this motherboard. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS file.
Recovering the BIOS from the USB flash disk
To recover the BIOS from the USB flash disk: 1. 2. 3. 4. Insert the USB flash disk that contains BIOS file to the USB port. The utility will automatically checks the devices for the BIOS file When found, the utility reads the BIOS file and starts flashing the corrupted BIOS file. Restart the system after the utility completes the updating process.

Turn on the system.

Only the USB flash disk with FAT 32/16 format and single partition can support ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3. The device size should be smaller than 8GB. DO NOT shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS! Doing so can cause system boot failure!

tRWTTO [ Auto] Allows you to set tRWTTO. Configuration options: [Auto] [2 CLK] [3 CLK] [4 CLK] [5 CLK] [6 CLK] [7 CLK] [8 CLK] [9 CLK] tWRRD [ Auto] Allows you to specify the write to read delay when accessing different DRAMs. Configuration options: [Auto] [0 CLK] [1 CLK] [2 CLK] [3 CLK] tWTR [ Auto] Allows you to specify the write to read delay when accessing the same DRAM. Configuration options: [1 CLK] [2 CLK] [3 CLK] [Auto] tWRWR [ Auto] Allows you to specify the Twrwr time. Configuration options: [Auto] [1 CLK] [2 CLK] [3 CLK] tRDRD [ Auto] Allows you to specify the Trdrd time. Configuration options: [Auto] [2 CLK] [3 CLK] [4 CLK] [5 CLK] tRFC0/1/2/3 [ Auto] Allows you to specify the Trfc0/1/2/3 time. Configuration options: [Auto] [75ns] [105ns] [127.5ns] [195ns] [327.5ns]
Memory Over Voltage [Auto]
Allows you to select the Memory Over Voltage. The increment is 6.25mV. Configuration options: [Auto] [6.25mV] [12.5mV] [18.75mV] [25mV] ~ [393.75mV]
Chipset Voltage: Chipset Voltage [Auto]
Allows you to set the Chipset Voltage. Configuration options: [Auto] [+ 50mv] [+ 100mv] [+ 150mv]

CPU Configuration

This option should remain disabled for the normal operation. The driver developer may enable it for testing purpose.
CPU Configuration Module Version: 13.20 AGESA Version: 3.1.8.0 Physical Count: 1 Logical Count: 1 AMD Athlon(tm) Processor 3200+ Revision: F2 Cache L1: 128KB Cache L2: 128KB Cache L3: N/A Speed : 1800MHz, NB Clk: N/A HT Frequency : 800MHz Current FSB Multiplier: 9x Maximum FSB Multiplier: 9x Able to Change Freq. : Yes uCode Patch Level : 0x62 GART Error Reporting [Disabled] Microcode Updation [Enabled] Secure Virtual Machine Mode [Enabled]
GART Error Reporting [Disabled]
This option should remain disabled for the normal operation. The driver developer may enable it for testing purpose. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Microcode Updation [Enabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the microcode updation. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Secure Virtual Machine Mode [Enabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the AMD Secure Virtual Machine mode. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Cool n Quiet [Enabled]

Allows you to enable or disable the generation of ACPI_PPC, _PSS, and _PCT objects. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Chipset

The Chipset menu allows you to change the advanced chipset settings. Select an item then press <Enter> to display the sub-menu.
Advanced Chipset Setting WARNING: Setting wrong values in below sections may cause system to malfunction. NorthBridge Configuration Southbridge Configuration

Options for NB

NorthBridge Configuration
NorthBridge Chipset Configuration Memory Configuration ECC Configuration

Memory Configuration

Memory Configuration Bank Interleaving Channel Interleaving Enable Clock to All DIMMs MemClk Tristate C3/ATLVID Memory Hole Remapping DCT Unganged Mode Power Down Enable [Auto] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Enabled] [Auto] [Enabled] Enable Bank Memory Interleaving
Bank Interleaving [Auto] Allows you to enable the bank memory interleaving. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Auto] Channel Interleaving [Disabled] Allows you to enable the channel memory interleaving. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Address bits 6] [Address bits 12] [XOR of Address bits [20:16,6] ] [XOR of Address bits [20:16,9] ] Enable Clock to All DIMMs [Disabled] Enables or disables clock to all DIMMs. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] MemClk Tristate C3/ALTVID [Disabled] Enables or disables the MemClk Tristate C3/ALTVID. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Memory Hole Remapping [Enabled] Enables or disables the memory remapping around memory hole. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] DCT Unganged Mode [Auto] Allow you to enable or disable Unganed mode. Configuration options: [Auto] [Always] Power Down Enable [Enabled] Enables or disables the DDR power down mode. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

ECC Configuration

ECC Configuration ECC Mode DRAM ECC Enable DRAM SCRUB REDIRECT 4-Bit ECC Mode DRAM BG Scrub Data Cache BG Scrub L2 Cache BG Scrub L3 Cache BG Scrub [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] Set the level of ECC protection. Note: The Super ECC mode dynamically sets the DRAM scrub rate so all of memory is scrubbed in 8 hours.
ECC Mode [Disabled] Enables or disables the DRAM ECC that allows the hardware to report and correct memory errors automatically. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Basic] [Good] [Super] [Max] [User]
DRAM ECC Enable [Disabled] Enables or disables the DRAM ECC feature that allows the hardware to report and correct memory errors automatically to maintain system integrity. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] DRAM SCRUB REDIRECT [Disabled] Enables or disables the DRAM SCRUB REDIRECT feature that allows the system to correct the DRAM ECC errors immediately when they occur. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] 4-Bit ECC Mode [Disabled] Enables or disables the ECC chip kill feature. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] DRAM BG Scrub [Disabled] Disables or sets the DRAM BG Scrub. Configuration options: [Disabled] [40ns] [80ns] [160ns] [320ns] [640ns] [1.28us] [2.56us] [5.12us] [10.2us] [20.5us] [41.0us] [81.9us] [163.8us] [327.7us] [655.4us] [1.31ms] [2.62ms] [5.24ms] [10.49ms] [20.97ms] [42.00ms] [84.00ms] Data/L2/L3 Cache BG Scrub [Disabled] Disables or sets the Data/L2/L3 Cache BG Scrub. This item allows the cache RAM to be corrected when idle. Configuration options: [Disabled] [40ns] [80ns] [160na] [320ns] [640ns] [1.28us] [2.56us] [5.12us] [10.2us] [20.5us] [41.0us] [81.9us] [163.8us] [327.7us] [655.4us] [1.31ms] [2.62ms] [5.24ms] [10.49ms] [20.97ms] [42.00ms] [84.00ms]

Suspend Mode [Auto]

Allows you to select the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) state to be used for system suspend. Configuration options: [S1 (POS) Only] [S3 Only] [Auto] [S1(POS) Only] - Enables the system to enter the ACPI S1 (Power on Suspend) sleep state. In S1 sleep state, the system appears suspended and stays in a low power mode. The system can be resumed at any time. [S3 Only] - Enables the system to enter the ACPI S3 (Suspend to RAM) sleep state (default). In S3 sleep state, the system appears to be off and consumes less power than in the S1 state. When signaled by a wake-up device or event, the system resumes to its working state exactly where it was left off. [Auto] - Detected by OS.
ACPI 2.0 Support [Disabled]
Allows you to add additional tables as per Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) 2.0 specifications. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
ACPI APIC Support [Enabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) support in the Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). When set to Enabled, the ACPI APIC table pointer is included in the RSDT pointer list. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

APM Configuration

Options Power On Power Off
APM Configuration Restore on AC Power Loss Power Power Power Power On On On On By By By By PCI Device Ring PS/2 KB/MS RTC Alarm [Power Off] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled]
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. Configuration options: [Power On] [Power Off]
Power On By PCI Device [Disabled]
Allows you to enable or disable PCI/PCIE/Onboard LAN devices to generate a wake event. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Power On By Ring [Disabled]
Allows you to enable or disable RI to generate a wake event. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Power On By PS/2 KB/MS [Disabled]
Allows you to enable or disable PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse to generate a wake event. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Power On By RTC Alarm [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. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

To create a RAID driver disk without entering the OS: 2. Press <Del> during POST to enter the BIOS setup utility. Set the optical drive as the primary boot device. Insert the support DVD into the optical drive. Save changes and exit BIOS. Boot your computer.
Press any key when the system prompts Press any key to boot from the optical drive. When the menu appears, press <1> to create a RAID driver disk. Follow succeeding screen instructions to complete the process. Insert a formatted floppy disk into the floppy drive then press <Enter>.
Creating a RAID driver disk in Windows
To create a RAID driver disk in Windows: 2. 3. 4. Start Windows. Place the motherboard support DVD into the optical drive.
Follow the succeeding screen instructions to complete the process.
Write-protect the floppy disk to avoid computer virus infection.
Insert a floppy disk / USB device into the floppy disk drive / USB port.
Go to the Make Disk menu, then click NVIDIA 32 / 64bit XP SATA RAID Driver to create a NVIDIA 32 / 64 bit XP SATA RAID driver disk.
To install the RAID driver in Windows XP: 1. 2. 3. During the OS installation, the system prompts you to press the F6 key to install third-party SCSI or RAID driver.
Press <F6> then insert the floppy disk with RAID driver into the floppy disk drive. Follow the succeeding screen instructions to complete the installation.
Using the driver disks you created: Insert Disk1 when you see the following instruction in Windows Setup. DO NOT remove Disk1 until you are asked to insert Disk2.

Windows Setup

Please insert the disk labeled Manufacturer-supplied hardware support disk into Drive A: * Press ENTER when ready.

ENTER=Continue

ESC=Cancel

F3=Exit

Remove Disk1, and insert Disk2 when you see the following instruction in Windows XP Setup.
Windows XP Professional Setup
Insert the disk labeled: NVIDIA RAID DRIVER <SCSI> disk 2 into Drive A: * Press ENTER when ready.
Follow the succeeding screen instructions to complete the setup.
To install the RAID driver in Windows VistaTM: 1. Insert the motherboard support DVD or a USB device with RAID driver into the optical drive / USB port. Find RAID driver in the support DVD through the path below: Drivers\Chipset\Disk\RAID Drivers\Chipset\Disk\AHCI Find AHCI driver in the support DVD through the path below: Follow the succeeding screen instructions to complete the installation.

The first-time Wizard will run again when you enter the Express Gate environment after clearing its settings.
Screen Settings: Choose the most optimal screen resolution for your display. Volume Control: Control the volume for your speaker output, microphone input, etc.

Using the LaunchBar

The LaunchBar has several system icons that show you various system statuses and let you configure individual Express Gate settings. The LaunchBar can be configured to auto-hide, if you want more screen space for the softwares. It can also be configured to dock on any of the four sides of the screen.
Starts the Web Browser for quick access to the World Wide Web. Starts the Photo Manager album / organizer tool. Starts the Chat instant messaging tool. Start the Skype software, which lets you call other people on Skype for free, as well as offering affordable, high quality voice communications to phones all over the world. Opens Configuration Panel, which lets you specify network settings and other preferences.
In the rare case that one of the above softwares stops responding, you can rightclick on its icon and then select Close to force it to close. The smaller icons on the right side of the LaunchBar are: Click on this icon to open the File Manager window, which lets you conveniently access the files on a USB drive. If a USB device is detected, the icon contains a green arrow.
ASUS Express Gate supports file uploading from SATA HDDs, ODDs and USB drive and downloading to USB drives only.
Shows network status; click to configure network. Shows mute status; click to change volume.
Click to choose input language and method as well as keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl-Space by default). Click to change LaunchBar options (auto-hide, docking position, etc). Click to show the ASUS Utility panel. Click to show About Express Gate. Click to open Express Gate Help. Click to bring up power options window to boot to OS, restart or power down. This window is also shown when you press Ctrl-Alt-Del on the keyboard.
Power off Enter OS Check to save user profile Cancel and return to Express Gate Restart
How Do I Get on to the Internet
If Internet doesnt seem to be working in the Express Gate environment, check the following: 1. Open the Configuration Panel.

Open Configuration Panel

Open Network.

Network

Each network interface is enabled immediately when you check the box next to it.
Make the proper network configurations.
If you use a network cable connected to a home router (which is then connected to your DSL/cable modem), enable both LAN1 and LAN2. Express Gate will automatically use whichever port (LAN1 or LAN2) is connected.
If you plug the network cable into a different port while Express Gate is running (e.g. move the cable from LAN1 to LAN2), you may need to press the Refresh button to detect the change.

System requirements

Before using Hybrid SLI, ensure if your system meets the following requirements: For best GeForce Boost performance AMD Phenom 9600 CPU (operating at 1800Mhz or higher) 2 x 1024MB of DDR2-800 DRAM Discrete GPU recommended for GeForce Boost
At least 256MB of Frame Buffer carve out for the motherboard GPU
For best HybridPower benefits AMD Athlon X2 3800+ CPU (operating at 1800Mhz or higher) 2 x 1024MB of DDR2-667 DRAM Discrete GPU recommended for HybridPower
Chapter 4: NVIDIA technology support

Enabling Hybrid SLI

Before enabling GeForce Boost and HybridPower, ensure that you have installed a dGPU recommended for GeForce Boost on your motherboard. Ensure that you have connected your display to the dGPU. Otherwise, the motherboard cannot detect your display and no image appears.
To enable Hybrid SLI 1. 2.
Turn on the system and press <Del> during the Power-On Self-Test (POST) to enter the BIOS Setup Utility.
Go to Advanced > Chipset > SouthBridge Configuration. Set the Primary Graphics Adapter item to [Internal VGA First], and Hybrid SLI Mode item to [mGPU always enable]. See section 2.4.3 Chipset for details.
SouthBridge chipset Configuration Primary Graphics Adapter Hybrid SLI Mode Hybrid SLI Frame buffer Size PCIE 2.0 Support AZALIA Audio Front Panel Select Onboard LAN OnBoard LAN Boot ROM SouthBridge ACPI HPET TABLE [Internal VGA Firs] [mGPU always enable] [128MB] [Auto] [Internal codec+E} [HD Audio] [Auto] [Disabled] [Enabled]
Options PCI VGA Card First Internal VGA First PCIE VGA Card First

3. 4. 5. 6.

Save your changes and Exit Setup. Turn off the system, disconnect your display from the dGPU, and connect your display to the onboard VGA port at the rear panel.
Turn on the system and press <Del> during the Power-On Self-Test (POST) to enter the BIOS Setup Utility. Go to Advanced > Chipset > SouthBridge Configuration. Set the Hybrid SLI Frame buffer Size item to [256MB]. See section 2.4.3 Chipset for details.
SouthBridge chipset Configuration Primary Graphics Adapter Hybrid SLI Mode Hybrid SLI Frame buffer Size PCIE 2.0 Support AZALIA Audio Front Panel Select Onboard LAN OnBoard LAN Boot ROM SouthBridge ACPI HPET TABLE [Internal VGA Firs] [mGPU always enable] [256MB] [Auto] [Internal codec+E} [HD Audio] [Auto] [Disabled] [Enabled]

7. 8. 9.

Save your changes and Exit Setup. From the Windows desktop, go to Start > Control Panel > User Accounts and Family Safety to turn off User Account Control. Place the support DVD into the optical drive, and go to the Drivers menu to install the NVIDIA Chipset Driver Program.

10. Restart the system.

11. If the driver is correctly installed, you will find the Hybrid SLI icon on the taskbar. The Hybrid SLI icon indicates that the system is in Performance mode and that GeForce Boost is enabled. The onboard GPU will share the rendering load with the dGPU and boost the performance of the dGPU.
12. Click the Hybrid SLI icon and select Save Power item. 13. The icon will change state (from to ) to indicate that the system is in Power Saving mode, which means that the dGPU is turned off and the mGPU is both rendering and displaying.
14. When the Power Saving mode is enabled, the dGPU does not show in the Windows Device Manager.
Power Saving mode is disabled.
When the Power Saving mode is enabled, the dGPU is turned off and does not appear in the Device Manager.