Motherboard

E3155 First Edition V1 May 2007
Copyright 2007 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.... vii Safety information... viii About this guide... ix P5KC specifications summary.. xi
Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.1 1.2 1.3

Welcome!.... 1-1 Package contents... 1-1. Special features... 1-2. 1.3.1 1.3.2 1.3.3 Product highlights.. 1-2 ASUS AI Lifestyle features.. 1-3 ASUS Special features.. 1-5
Chapter 2: Hardware information

2.1 2.2

Before you proceed... 2-1 Motherboard overview... 2-2 2.2.1 2.2.2 2.2.3 2.2.4 2.2.5 2.3.1 2.3.2 2.3.3 2.4.1 2.4.2 2.4.3 2.4.4 2.5.1 2.5.2 2.5.3 2.5.4 2.5.5 2.5.6 2.5.7 Placement direction.. 2-2 Screw holes... 2-2 ASUS Stack Cool 2... 2-3 Motherboard layout... 2-4 Layout contents... 2-5. Installing the CPU.. 2-8 Installing the CPU heatsink and fan. 2-10 Uninstalling the CPU heatsink and fan. 2-12 Overview.. 2-14 Memory configurations.. 2-15. Installing a DDR2/DDR3 DIMM.. 2-20. Removing a DIMM.. 2-20 Installing an expansion card.. 2-21 Configuring an expansion card.. 2-21 Interrupt assignments.. 2-22 PCI slots.. 2-23. PCI Express x1 slot.. 2-23. Two PCI Express x16 slots.. 2-23 AI Slot Detector.. 2-25

P5KC ATX power connectors
For a fully configured system, we recommend that you use a power supply unit (PSU) that complies with ATX 12 V Specification 2.0 (or later version) and provides a minimum power of 400 W. Do not forget to connect the 4-pin ATX12V power plug; otherwise, the system will not boot.
The ATX 12 V Specification 2.0-compliant (400W) PSU has been tested to support the motherboard power requirements with the following configuration: CPU: Intel Pentium Extreme 3.73GHz Memory: 512 MB DDR2 (x4) Graphics card: ASUS EAX1900XT Parallel ATA device: IDE hard disk drive Serial ATA device: SATA hard disk drive (x2) Optical drive: DVD-RW If you want to use two high-end PCI Express x16 cards, use a PSU with 500W to 600W power or above to ensure the system stability.
Use of a PSU with a higher power output is recommended when configuring a system with more power-consuming devices. The system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is inadequate.
14. System panel connector (20-8 pin PANEL) This connector supports several chassis-mounted functions.

PLED+ PLED-

SPEAKER
+5V Ground Ground Speaker
IDE_LED+ IDE_LEDReset Ground PWR Ground

IDE_LED

RESET PWRSW
P5KC System panel connector
* Requires an ATX power supply.
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. ATX power button/soft-off button (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 (2-pin RESET) This 2-pin connector is for the chassis-mounted reset button for system reboot without turning off the system power.
Q-Connector (system panel) You can use ASUS Q-Connector to connect / disconnect chassis front panel cables by only a few steps. Directions below shows how to install ASUS Q-Connector. Step1. Connect correct front panel to ASUS Q-Connector first. You can refer to the marking on Q-Connector itself to know the detail pin definition.
Step2. Properly install the ASUS Q-Connector to the System panel connctor.
Step3. Front panel functions are enabled.
This chapter describes the power up sequence, the vocal POST messages, and ways of shutting down the system.

Powering up

Starting up for the first time.. 3-1 Turning off the computer... 3-2.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Starting up for the first time
After making all the connections, replace the system case cover. Connect the power cord to the power connector at the back of the system chassis. Connect the power cord to a power outlet that is equipped with a surge protector. Turn on the devices in the following order: a. Monitor Be sure that all switches are off.
b. External SCSI devices (starting with the last device on the chain) c. System power
After applying power, the system power LED on the system front panel case lights up. For systems with ATX power supplies, the system LED lights up when you press the ATX power button. If your monitor complies with green standards or if it has a power standby feature, the monitor LED may light up or switch between orange and green after the system LED turns on.
The system then runs the power-on self tests or POST. While the tests are running, the BIOS beeps (see BIOS beep codes table below) or additional messages appear on the screen. If you do not see anything within 30 seconds from the time you turned on the power, the system may have failed a power-on test. Check the jumper settings and connections or call your retailer for assistance.

AMI BIOS beep codes

BIOS Beep One short beep One continuous beep followed by two short beeps then a pause (repeated) One continuous beep followed by three short beeps One continuous beep followed by four short beeps Description VGA detected Quick boot set to disabled No keyboard detected No memory detected No VGA detected Hardware component failure
At power on, hold down the <Delete> key to enter the BIOS Setup. Follow the instructions in Chapter 4.

Turning off the computer

Using the OS shut down function
If you are using Windows XP or later version: 2. Click the Turn Off button to shut down the computer. 1. Click the Start button then select Turn Off Computer. The power supply should turn off after Windows shuts down.
If you are using Windows Vista: 1. Click the Start button then select ShutDown. 2. The power supply should turn off after Windows shuts down.
Using the dual function power switch
While the system is ON, pressing the power switch for less than four seconds puts the system to sleep mode or to soft-off mode, depending on the BIOS setting. Pressing the power switch for more than four seconds lets the system enter the soft-off mode regardless of the BIOS setting. Refer to section 4.5 Power Menu in Chapter 4 for details.

This function can support devices such as USB flash disk, or floppy disk with FAT 32/16 format and single partition only.
Do not shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS to prevent system boot failure!

AFUDOS utility

The AFUDOS utility allows you to update the BIOS file in DOS environment using a bootable floppy disk with the updated BIOS file. This utility also allows you to copy the current BIOS file that you can use as backup when the BIOS fails or gets corrupted during the updating process.

Copying the current BIOS

To copy the current BIOS file using the AFUDOS utility:
Make sure that the floppy disk is not write-protected and has at least 1024KB free space to save the file. The succeeding BIOS screens are for reference only. The actual BIOS screen displays may not be same as shown.
Copy the AFUDOS utility (afudos.exe) from the motherboard support CD to the bootable floppy disk you created earlier. Boot the system in DOS mode, then at the prompt type: afudos /o[filename]
where the [filename] is any user-assigned filename not more than eight alphanumeric characters for the main filename and three alphanumeric characters for the extension name.
A:\>afudos /oOLDBIOS1.rom

Main filename

Extension name
Press <Enter>. The utility copies the current BIOS file to the floppy disk.
A:\>afudos /oOLDBIOS1.rom AMI Firmware Update Utility - Version 1.19(ASUS V2.07(03.11.24BB)) Copyright (C) 2002 American Megatrends, Inc. All rights reserved. Reading flash.. done Write to file. ok A:\>
The utility returns to the DOS prompt after copying the current BIOS file.

Updating the BIOS file

To update the BIOS file using the AFUDOS utility: 1. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) and download the latest BIOS file for the motherboard. Save the BIOS file to a bootable floppy disk.
Write the BIOS filename on a piece of paper. You need to type the exact BIOS filename at the DOS prompt.

2. 3.

Copy the AFUDOS utility (afudos.exe) from the motherboard support CD to the bootable floppy disk you created earlier. Boot the system in DOS mode, then at the prompt type: afudos /i[filename]
where [filename] is the latest or the original BIOS file on the bootable floppy disk.

A:\>afudos /iP5KC.ROM

The utility verifies the file and starts updating the BIOS.
A:\>afudos /iP5KC.ROM AMI Firmware Update Utility - Version 1.19(ASUS V2.07(03.11.24BB)) Copyright (C) 2002 American Megatrends, Inc. All rights reserved. WARNING!! Do not turn off power during flash BIOS Reading file. done Reading flash. done Advance Check. Erasing flash. done Writing flash. 0x0008CC00 (9%)
The utility returns to the DOS prompt after the BIOS update process is completed. Reboot the system from the hard disk drive.
A:\>afudos /iP5KC.ROM AMI Firmware Update Utility - Version 1.19(ASUS V2.07(03.11.24BB)) Copyright (C) 2002 American Megatrends, Inc. All rights reserved. WARNING!! Do not turn off power during flash BIOS Reading file. done Reading flash. done Advance Check. Erasing flash. done Writing flash. done Verifying flash. done Please restart your computer

A:\>

ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility
The ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 is an auto recovery tool that allows you to restore the BIOS file when it fails or gets corrupted during the updating process. You can update a corrupted BIOS file using the motherboard support CD, the floppy disk, or the USB flash disk that contains the updated BIOS file.
Prepare the motherboard support CD, the floppy disk or the USB flash disk containing the updated motherboard BIOS before using this utility. If you use a SATA optical drive, always connect the SATA cable to the SATA1 / SATA 2 connector; otherwise, the utility will not function.
Recovering the BIOS from the support CD
To recover the BIOS from the support CD: 1. 2. 3. Turn on the system.
The utility displays the following message and automatically checks the CD for the BIOS file.
Bad BIOS checksum. Starting BIOS recovery. Checking for floppy.
Insert the motherboard support CD to the optical drive.
When found, the utility reads the BIOS file and starts flashing the corrupted BIOS file.

Menu items

BIOS menu screen

Menu bar

Configuration fields
BIOS SETUP UTILITY Boot Tools Exit [10:55:25] [Fri 03/09/2007] [1.44M, 3.5 in] [WDC [Not [Not [Not WD800JD-00LSA0] Detected] Detected] Detected]

General help

Advanced
System Time System Date Legacy Diskette A SATA SATA SATA SATA 3 4
Use [ENTER], [TAB] or [SHIFT-TAB] to select a field. Use [+] or [-] to configure system Time.
SATA Coniguration System Information

+- Tab F1 F10 ESC

Select Screen Select Item Change Field Select Field General Help Save and Exit Exit
v02.58 (C)Copyright 1985-2007, American Megatrends, Inc.

Sub-menu items

Navigation keys

Main Power

For changing the basic system configuration For changing the advanced power management (APM) configuration For changing the system boot configuration For Configuring options for special functions For changing the advanced system settings
The menu bar on top of the screen has the following main items: Advanced

Boot Tools Exit

For selecting the exit options and loading default settings
To select an item on the menu bar, press the right or left arrow key on the keyboard until the desired item is highlighted.
At the bottom right corner of a menu screen are the navigation keys for that particular menu. Use the navigation keys to select items in the menu and change the settings.
Some of the navigation keys differ from one screen to another.
System Time System Date Legacy Diskette A SATA SATA SATA SATA [06:22:54] [Fri 03/09/2007] [1.44M, 3.5 in] [Not [Not [Not [Not Detected] Detected] Detected] Detected] Use [ENTER], [TAB], or [SHIFT-TAB] to select a field. Use [+] or [-] to configure system Time.
The highlighted item on the menu bar displays the specific items for that menu. For example, selecting Main shows the Main menu items. The other items (Advanced, Power, Boot, and Exit) on the menu bar have their respective menu items.
IDE Configuration System Information

Main menu items

A solid triangle before each item on any menu screen means that the iteam has a sub-menu. To display the sub-menu, select the item and press <Enter>.
These fields show the values for the menu items. If an item is user- configurable, you can change the value of the field opposite the item. You cannot select an item that is not user-configurable. A configurable field is enclosed in brackets, and is highlighted when selected. To change the value of a field, select it then press <Enter> to display a list of options. Refer to 4.2.7 Pop-up window.

Some of the following items appear when you set AI Overclocking to [MANUAL] or [N.O.S.]. The items vary depending on which option you select.
N.O.S. Mode [Auto] Allows you to set the Non-Delay Overclocking System mode. Configuration options: [Auto] [Standard] [Sensitve] [Heavy Load] Turbo N.O.S. [Overclock 5%] Allows you to set the maximum overclock percentage for the selected N.O.S. mode. Configuration options: [Overclock 3%] [Overclock 5%] [Overclock 10%] [Overclock 15%] [Overclock 20%] [Overclock 30%]

CPU Ratio Control [Auto]

Configuration options: [Auto] [Manual].
The following item appears when the CPU Ratio Control item is set to [Manual].
Ratio CMOS Setting [7] This item appears only when you set the CPU Ratio Control item to [Manual]. Allows you to set the ratio between CPU Core Clock and the FSB Frequency. Use the <+> and <-> keys to adjust the ratio between 6 and 7. If an invalid ratio is set in CMOS, then actual and setpoint values may differ.

FSB Frequency [XXX]

Displays the frequency sent by the clock generator to the system bus and PCI bus. Use the <+> and <-> keys to adjust the FSB frequency. You can also type the desired FSB frequency using the numeric keypad. The values range from 200 to 800. Refer to the table below for the correct Front Side Bus and CPU External Frequency settings. FSB/CPU External Frequency Synchronization
Front Side Bus FSB 1333 FSB 1066 FSB 800 CPU External Frequency 333 MHz 266 MHz 200 MHz

PCIE Frequency [XXX]

Allows you to set the PCI Express frequency. Use the <+> and <-> keys to adjust the PCIE frequency. You can also type the desired PCIE frequency using the numeric keypad. The values range from 100 to 150.

DRAM Frequency [Auto]

Allows you to set the DDR2/DDR3 operating frequency. The configuration options vary depending on the DIMMs you install on the motherboard. (For DDR3 DIMMs) Configuration options: [Auto] [DDR3-800MHz] [DDR3-833MHz] [DDR3-1000MHz] [DDR3-1066MHz] [DDR3-1111MHz] [DDR3-1333MHz] (For DDR2 DIMMs) Configuration options: [Auto] [DDR2-667MHz] [DDR2-800MHz] [DDR2-889MHz] [DDR2-1066MHz]

Refer to the DDR2/DDR3 documentation before adjusting the memory voltage. Setting a very high memory voltage may damage the memory module(s)!
FSB Termination Voltage [Auto]
Allows you to select the front side bus termination voltage. Configuration options: [Auto] [1.20V] [1.30V] [1.40V] [1.50V]
Setting a high FSB termination voltage may damage the chipset and CPU.
North Bridge Voltage [Auto]
Configuration options: [Auto] [1.25V] [1.40V] [1.55V] [1.70V]
North Bridge Voltage Reference [Auto]
Configuration options: [Auto] [0.67x] [0.61x]

USB Configuration

The items in this menu allows you to change the USB-related features. Select an item then press <Enter> to display the configuration options.
Advanced BIOS SETUP UTILITY Options Disabled Enhanced [Enabled] [Enabled] [HiSpeed] [Enabled] [Disabled] [Auto] Select Screen Select Item Change Option F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit USB Configuration USB Devices Enabled: None USB Functions USB 2.0 Controller USB 2.0 Controller Mode BIOS EHCI Hand-off Port 64/60 Emulation Legacy USB Support
USB Mass Storage Device Configuration
The USB Devices Enabled item shows auto-detected values. If no USB device is detected, the item shows None.

USB Functions [Enabled]

Allows you to enable or disable the USB functions. The following sub-items appear when this item is set to [Enabled]. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
USB 2.0 Controller [Enabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the USB 2.0 controller. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]
USB 2.0 Controller Mode [HiSpeed]
Allows you to set the USB 2.0 controller mode to HiSpeed (480 Mbps) or FullSpeed (12 Mbps). This item appears only when you enable the USB 2.0 Controller item. Configuration options: [FullSpeed ] [HiSpeed ]
BIOS EHCI Hand-off [Enabled]
Allows you to enable support for operating systems without an EHCI handoff feature. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Port 64/60 Emulation [Disabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the I/O port 60h/64h emulation support. This item should be enabled for the complete USB keyboard legacy support for non-USB aware OSes. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Legacy USB Support [Auto]
Allows you to enable or disable support for legacy USB devices. Setting to [Auto] allows the system to detect the presence of USB devices at startup. If detected, the USB controller legacy mode is enabled. If no USB device is detected, the legacy USB support is disabled. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] [Auto]

CPU Configuration

The items in this menu show the CPU-related information that the BIOS automatically detects.

PEG Port Control [Auto] Configuration options: [Auto] [Disabled]
PEG Port Force x1 [Disabled] This item appears when the PEG Port Control item is set to [Auto]. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]
ASUS C.G.I Function [Auto] Allows you to enable or disable the ASUS Cross Graphics Impeller function. Configuratiton options: [Auto] [Enabled] [Disabled]
OnBoard Devices Configuration
Advanced BIOS SETUP UTILITY Enable or Disable High Definition Audio Controller
Onboard Device Configuraiton High Definition Audio Front Panel Type Onboard 1394 Controller Onboard PCIE GbE LAN LAN Option ROM J-Micron eSATA/PATA Controller Controller Mode Serial Port1 Address [Enabled] [HD Audio] [Enabled] [Enabled] [Disabled] [Enabled] [IDE] [3F8/IRQ4]
High Definition Audio [Enabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the High Definition Audio. The following item appears only when you enable this item. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]
Front Panel Support Type [HD Audio] Allows you to set the front panel audio connector (AAFP) mode to legacy AC97 or high-definition audio depending on the audio standard that the front panel audio module supports. Configuration options: [AC97] [HD Audio]
Onboard 1394 Controller [Enabled]
Allows you to disable or enable the onboard 1394 device support. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]
Onboard PCIE GbE LAN [Enabled]
Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]
LAN Option ROM [Disabled] This item appears only when you enable the previous item. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
4-24 Chapter 4: BIOS setup
J-Micron eSATA/PATA Controller [Enabled]
Controller Mode [IDE] This item appears only when you enable the previous item. Configuration options: [RAID] [IDE] [AHCI]
Serial Port1 Address [3F8/IRQ4]
Allows you to select the Serial Port1 base address. Configuration options: [Disabled] [3F8/IRQ4] [2F8/IRQ3] [3E8/IRQ4] [2E8/IRQ3]

PCI PnP

The PCI PnP menu items allow you to change the advanced settings for PCI/PnP devices.
Take caution when changing the settings of the PCI PnP menu items. Incorrect field values can cause the system to malfunction.
Advanced BIOS SETUP UTILITY NO: lets the BIOS configure all the devices in the system. YES: lets the Select Screen operating system Select and configure Plug Item Play +Change not (PnP) devices Option F1 General Help required for boot if F10 Save has a Plug your system and Exit ESC Exit and Play operating system.

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. Configuration options: [Setup] [Always]
4-34 Chapter 4: BIOS setup

Tools menu

The Tools menu items allow you to configure options for special functions. Select an item then press <Enter> to display the sub-menu.
Main Advanced Power BIOS SETUP UTILITY Boot Tools Exit Press ENTER to run the utility to select and update BIOS. This utility doesn't support : 1.NTFS format
ASUS EZ Flash 2 ASUS O.C. Profile

+Enter F1 F10 ESC

Select Screen Select Item Change Field Go to Sub Screen General Help Save and Exit Exit

ASUS EZ Flash 2

Allows you to run ASUS EZ Flash 2. When you press <Enter>, a confirmation message appears. Use the left/right arrow key to select between [Yes] or [No], then press <Enter> to confirm your choice. Please see page 4-5, section 4.1.3 for details.
ASUSTek EZ Flash 2 BIOS ROM Utility V3.05 FLASH TYPE: PMC 25LV080 Current ROM BOARD: P5KC VER: 0116 DATE: 04/27/07 A: B: Update ROM BOARD: Unknown VER: Unknown DATE: Unknown
[B] Backup [ESC] Exit [Up/Down/Home/End] Move

ASUS O.C. Profile

BIOS SETUP UTILITY Tools
This item allows you to store or load multiple BIOS settings.
O.C. PROFILE Configuration O.C. Profile 1 Status O.C. Profile 2 Status Save to Profile 1 Load from Profile 1 Save to Profile 2 Load from Profile 2 Start O.C. Profile Enter F1 F10 ESC Select Screen Select Item Go to Sub Screen General Help Save and Exit Exit :Not Installed :Not Installed Save to Profile 1

Save to Profle 1/2

Allows you to save the current BIOS file to the BIOS Flash. Press <Enter> to save the file.
Load from Profile 1/2 Start O.C. Profile
Allows you to load the previous BIOS settings saved in the BIOS Flash. Press <Enter> to load the file. Allows you to run the utility to save and load CMOS. Press <Enter> to run the utility.

Load Setup Defaults

This option allows you to load the default values for each of the parameters on the Setup menus. When you select this option or if you press <F5>, a confirmation window appears. Select [OK] to load default values. Select Exit & Save Changes or make other changes before saving the values to the non-volatile RAM.

ASUS P5KC 4-37

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

Software support

5.2 5.3 5.4
Installing an operating system.. 5-1 Support CD information... 5-1 Software information... 5-9 Creating a RAID driver disk.. 5-37. RAID configurations.. 5-28
Installing an operating system
This motherboard supports Windows XP/64-bit XP/Vista/64-bit Vista 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 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 DVD to locate the file ASSETUP.EXE from the BIN folder. Double-click 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.
ASUS InstAll - Drivers Installation Wizard Intel Chipset Inf Update Program Realtek Audio Driver
Launches the ASUS InstAll driver installation wizard. Installs the Intel Chipset drivers for the Intel chipset. Installs the Realtek ALC883 high definition audio driver and application.
Attansic L1 Gigabit Ethernet Driver
Installs the Attansic L1 Gigabit Ethernet driver.
JMicron JMB36X RAID Controller Driver USB 2.0 Driver

Audio I/O The Audio I/O option allows you configure your input/output settings.
To set the Audio I/O options: 1. 2. 3. From the Realtek HD Audio Manager, click the Audio I/O tab. Click the drop-down menu to select the channel configuration.
The control settings window displays the status of connected devices. Click for analog and digital options. Click <OK> to effect the Audio I/O settings and exit
Microphone The Microphone option allows you configure your input/output settings and to check if your audio devices are connected properly.
To set the Microphone options: 1. 2. 3. 4. From the Realtek HD Audio Manager, click the Microphone tab.
Click the Noise Suppression option button to reduce the static background noise when recording.
Click the Acoustic Echo Cancellation option button to reduce the echo from the front speakers when recording. Click to effect the Microphone settings and exit.
3D Audio Demo The 3D Audio Demo option gives you a demonstration of the 3D audio feature.
To start the 3D Audio Demo: 1. 2. 3. From the Realtek HD Audio Manager, click the 3D Audio Demo tab.
Click the option buttons to change the sound, moving path, or environment settings. Click Click to test your settings. to effect the 3D Audio Demo settings and exit.
PC Probe II is a utility that monitors the computers vital components, and detects and alerts you of any problem with these components. PC Probe II senses fan rotations, CPU temperature, and system voltages, among others. Because PC Probe II is software-based, you can start monitoring your computer the moment you turn it on. With this utility, you are assured that your computer is always at a healthy operating condition.

Installing PC Probe II

To install PC Probe II on your computer: Place the Support CD to the optical drive. The Drivers installation tab appears if your computer has an enabled Autorun feature.
If Autorun is not enabled in your computer, browse the contents of the Support CD to locate the setup.exe file from the ASUS PC Probe II folder. Double-click the setup.exe file to start installation.
Click the Utilities tab, then click ASUS PC Probe II.
Follow the screen instructions to complete installation.

Launching PC Probe II

You can launch the PC Probe II right after installation or anytime from the Windows desktop. To launch the PC Probe II from the Windows desktop, click Start > All Programs > ASUS > PC Probe II > PC Probe II v1.xx.xx. The PC Probe II main window appears. After launching the application, the PC Probe II icon appears in the Windows taskbar. Click this icon to close or restore the application.

RAID 0 (Data striping) optimizes two identical hard disk drives to read and write data in parallel, interleaved stacks. Two hard disks perform the same work as a single drive but at a sustained data transfer rate, double that of a single disk alone, thus improving data access and storage. Use of two new identical hard disk drives is required for this setup. RAID 1 (Data mirroring) copies and maintains an identical image of data from one drive to a second drive. If one drive fails, the disk array management software directs all applications to the surviving drive as it contains a complete copy of the data in the other drive. This RAID configuration provides data protection and increases fault tolerance to the entire system. Use two new drives or use an existing drive and a new drive for this setup. The new drive must be of the same size or larger than the existing drive. JBOD (Spanning) stands for Just a Bunch of Disks and refers to hard disk drives that are not yet configured as a RAID set. This configuration stores the same data redundantly on multiple disks that appear as a single disk on the operating system. Spanning does not deliver any advantage over using separate disks independently and does not provide fault tolerance or other RAID performance benefits.
If you want to boot the system from a hard disk drive included in a created RAID set, copy first the RAID driver from the support CD to a floppy disk before you install an operating system to the selected hard disk drive. Refer to section 5.5 Creating a RAID driver disk for details.
Installing Serial ATA hard disks
The motherboard supports Serial ATA hard disk drives. For optimal performance, install identical drives of the same model and capacity when creating a disk array. To install the SATA hard disks for a RAID configuration: 1. 2. 3. Install the SATA hard disks into the drive bays. Connect the SATA signal cables. Connect a SATA power cable to the power connector on each drive.
JMicron RAID Configuration
The JMicron Serial ATA controller allows you to configure RAID 0, RAID 1 and JBOD sets on the external Serial ATA hard disk drives.
Before creating a RAID set
Prepare the following items: 1. 2. 3. Two SATA HDDs, preferably with the same model and capacity.
A write-enabled floppy disk for Windows XP or a floppy disk/USB device for Windows Vista. Microsoft Windows OS installation disk (Windows XP/Vista) Motherboard support CD with JMB363 driver

P5N-T Deluxe

Motherboard
E3506 Second Edition V2 December 2007
Copyright 2007 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.... vii Safety information... viii About this guide... ix P5N-T Deluxe specifications summary... xi.

Chapter 1:

1.1 1.2 1.3
Welcome!.... 1-1 Package contents... 1-1. Special features... 1-2. 1.3.1 1.3.2 Product highlights.. 1-2 ASUS AI Lifestyle unique features.. 1-4

Product introduction

1.3.3
ASUS Intelligent Performance and Overclocking features.. 1-7

Chapter 2:

2.1 2.2
Before you proceed... 2-1 Motherboard overview... 2-2 2.2.1 2.2.2 2.2.3 2.2.4 2.3.1 2.3.2 2.3.3 2.4.1 2.4.2 2.4.3 2.4.4 2.5.1 2.5.2 2.5.3 2.5.4 2.5.5 2.5.6 Placement direction.. 2-2 Screw holes... 2-2 Motherboard layout... 2-3 Layout contents... 2-4. Installing the CPU.. 2-7 Installing the CPU heatsink and fan.. 2-9 Uninstalling the CPU heatsink and fan..2-11 Overview.. 2-13 Memory configurations.. 2-13. Installing a DIMM... 2-15 Removing a DIMM.. 2-15 Installing an expansion card.. 2-18 Configuring an expansion card.. 2-18 Interrupt assignments.. 2-19 PCI slot... 2-20 PCI Express x1 slots.. 2-20 PCI Express 2.0 x16 slots... 2-20

Hardware information

Central Processing Unit (CPU).. 2-6

System memory... 2-13

Expansion slots... 2-18.
2.6 2.7 Jumper.... 2-22 Connectors.... 2-23 2.7.1 2.7.2 2.7.3 Rear panel connectors... 2-23 Internal connectors... 2-25 Installing the optional fans.. 2-36

Chapter 3:

3.1 3.2
Starting up for the first time.. 3-1 Turning off the computer... 3-2. 3.2.1 3.2.2 Using the OS shut down function. 3-2. Using the dual function power switch.. 3-2.

Powering up

Chapter 4:
Managing and updating your BIOS.. 4-1 4.1.1 4.1.2 4.1.3 4.1.4 4.1.5 4.2.1 4.2.2 4.2.3 4.2.4 4.2.5 4.2.6 4.2.7 4.2.8 4.3.1 4.3.2 4.3.3 4.3.4 4.3.5 4.3.6 4.3.7 4.3.8 ASUS Update utility.. 4-1 Creating a bootable floppy disk.. 4-4. ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility... 4-5. Updating the BIOS... 4-6 Saving the current BIOS file.. 4-8. BIOS menu screen... 4-10. Menu bar.. 4-10 Legend bar...4-11 Menu items...4-11 Sub-menu items..4-11 Configuration fields..4-11 Pop-up window.. 4-12 General help... 4-12 System Time... 4-13 System Date... 4-13 Language... 4-13 Legacy Diskette A... 4-13 SATA1/2/3/4/5/6...4-16 HDD SMART Monitoring.. 4-17 Installed Memory... 4-17. Primary IDE Master/Slave.. 4-14.

Make sure that your power supply is set to the correct voltage in your area. If you are not sure about the voltage of the electrical outlet you are using, contact your local power company. If the power supply is broken, do not try to fix it by yourself. Contact a qualified service technician or your retailer.

Operation safety

Before installing the motherboard and adding devices on it, carefully read all the manuals that came with the package. Before using the product, make sure all cables are correctly connected and the power cables are not damaged. If you detect any damage, contact your dealer immediately. To avoid short circuits, keep paper clips, screws, and staples away from connectors, slots, sockets and circuitry.
Avoid dust, humidity, and temperature extremes. Do not place the product in any area where it may become wet. Place the product on a stable surface. If you encounter technical problems with the product, contact a qualified service technician or your retailer.
This symbol of the crossed out wheeled bin indicates that the product (electrical, electronic equipment and mercury-containing button cell battery) should not be placed in municipal waste. Check local regulations for disposal of electronic products.

About this guide

This user guide contains the information you need when installing and configuring the motherboard.
How this guide is organized
This guide contains the following parts: This chapter describes the features of the motherboard and the new technology it supports. Chapter 2: Hardware information This chapter lists the hardware setup procedures that you have to perform when installing system components. It includes description of the jumpers and connectors on the motherboard. Chapter 3: Powering up This chapter describes the power up sequence and ways of shutting down the system. Chapter 4: BIOS setup This chapter tells how to change system settings through the BIOS Setup menus. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided. Chapter 5: Software support This chapter describes the contents of the support DVD that comes with the motherboard package and the software. Chapter 6: NVIDIA SLI support This chapter describes the NVIDIA SLI feature and shows the graphics card installation procedures. Appendix: CPU features The Appendix describes the CPU features and technologies that the motherboard supports. Chapter 1: Product introduction
Where to find more information
Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product and software updates. 1. The ASUS website provides updated information on ASUS hardware and software products. Refer to the ASUS contact information. Optional documentation Your product package may include optional documentation, such as warranty flyers, that may have been added by your dealer. These documents are not part of the standard package.

ASUS AI Lifestyle unique features
ASUS Power Saving Solution
ASUS Power Saving solution intelligently and automatically provides balanced computing power and energy consumption. ASUS EPU The ASUS EPU utilizes innovative technology to digitally monitor and tune the CPU power supply with improved VR responses in heavy or light loadings. It automatically provides power for higher performance or improve efficiency by 7% when the PC is running low intensity applications. Working together with AI Gear 3, this can help you attain the best possible power efficiency and energy savings up to 58.6% to help save the environment. See page 5-20 for details. AI Nap With AI Nap, the system can continue running at minimum power and noise when you are temporarily away. To wake the system and return to the OS environment, simply click the mouse or press a key. See page 5-21 for details.
ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution
ASUS Quiet Thermal solution makes system more stable and enhances the overclocking capability. ASUS 3rd Generation 8 Phase Power Design
Longer Life, & Higher Efficiency!
With power efficiency so important to operating temperatures, ASUS' 3rd generation 8-phase VRM design leads the industry with its 95% power efficiency. High quality power components such as low RDS (on) MOSFETs for minimum switching loss & lower temperatures, Ferrite core chokes with lower hysteresis loss, and high quality Japanese-made conductive polymer capacitors all add up to ensure longer component life and lower power loss - creating more energy efficiency. Fanless Design - Stack Cool 2 ASUS Stack Cool 2 is a fan-less and zero-noise cooling solution that lowers the temperature of critical heat generating components. The motherboard uses a special design on the printed circuit board (PCB) to dissipate heat these critical components generate. Fanless Design - Pure Copper Heat-pipe The Heat Pipe design effectively directs the heat generated by the chipsets to the heatsink near the back IO ports, where it can be carried away by existing airflow from CPU fan or bundled optional fan. The purpose of the innovative heat pipe design on this motherboard is that the groundbreaking fanless design does not have lifetime problems as a chipset fan does. Furthermore, it provides options for users to install side-flow fan or passive cooler. The Heat Pipe design is the most reliable fanless thermal solution to date.
DO NOT uninstall the heat-pipe by yourself. Doing so may bend the tubing and affect the heat dissipation performance.
Optional Fan (for Water-Cooling or Passive-Cooling only) The optional fan is specifically designed to provide sufficient airflow over the CPU power modules and chipset area when water-cooling or passive-cooling is utilized, ensuring effective heat dissipation for the entire system. See page 2-36 for details.

Q-Fan 2 ASUS Q-Fan2 technology intelligently adjusts both CPU fan and chassis fan speeds according to system loading to ensure quiet, cool and efficient operation. See page 5-22 for details.

ASUS Crystal Sound

This feature can enhance speech-centric applications like Skype, online game, video conference and recording. AI Audio 2 AI Audio 2 creates a virtual center channel that expands the overall sound field without introducing a picket fencing effect. Preserving the dialogue or solo performances with downmixing from multichannels will allow you to experience true-to-life high quality audio. See pages 5-26 to 5-34 for details. Noise Filter This feature detects repetitive and stationary noises (non-voice signals) like computer fans, air conditioners, and other background noises then eliminates it in the incoming audio stream while recording.

ASUS EZ DIY

ASUS EZ DIY feature collection provides you easy ways to install computer components, update the BIOS or back up your favorite settings. ASUS Q-Shield The specially designed ASUS Q-Shield provides conductivity to best protect your motherboard against static electricity damage and shields it against Electronic Magnetic Interference (EMI). Without the usual "fingers" present, this new design is convenient and safe to install. ASUS Q-Connector ASUS Q-Connector allows you to easily connect or disconnect the chassis front panel cables to the motherboard. This unique module eliminates the trouble of connecting the system panel cables one at a time and avoiding wrong cable connections. See page 2-35 for details.
ASUS O.C. Profile The motherboard features the ASUS O.C. Profile that allows users to conveniently store or load multiple BIOS settings. The BIOS settings can be stored in the CMOS or a separate file, giving users freedom to share and distribute their favorite settings. See page 4-40 for details. ASUS EZ Flash 2 EZ Flash 2 is a user-friendly BIOS update utility. Simply press the predefined hotkey to launch the utility and update the BIOS without entering the OS. Update your BIOS easily without preparing a bootable diskette or using an OS-based flash utility. See pages 4-5 and 4-42 for details.

PS/2 mouse port (green)

Page 2-23 2-23 2-23 2-23 2-23 2-23 2-23 2-23 2-24 2-24 2-24 2-24 2-24 2-24 2-24
Center/Subwoofer port (orange) Rear Speaker Out port (black) Line In port (light blue) Line Out port (lime)
Microphone port (pink) USB 2.0 ports 1 and 2 External SATA port USB 2.0 ports 3 and 4
Side Speaker Out port (gray)

Optical S/PDIF Out port

PS/2 keyboard port (purple)
Internal connectors 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 1.
IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE))
Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY)
Page 2-25 2-25 2-26 2-27 2-28 2-28 2-29 2-30 2-30 2-33 2-33 2-34 2-35
Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA1-6)
USB connectors (10-1 pin USB56, USB78, USB910) IEEE 1394a port connector (10-1 pin IE1394_2) Serial port connector (10-1 pin COM1)
CPU, chassis, power, and optional fan connectors (4-pin CPU_FAN, 3-pin CHA_FAN1-2, 3-pin PWR_FAN) ATX power connectors (24-pin EATXPWR, 2 x 4-pin EATX12V) Optical drive audio connector (4-pin CD) ASUS Q-Connector (system panel)
Chassis intrusion connector (4-1 pin CHASSIS) Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin AAFP)
System panel connector (20-8 pin PANEL)
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
The motherboard comes with a surface mount LGA775 socket designed for the Intel Core2 Quad / Core2 Extreme / Core2 Duo / Pentium Extreme / Pentium D/ Pentium 4 processors.
Make sure that all power cables are unplugged before installing the CPU. If installing a dual-core CPU, connect the chassis fan cable to the CHA_FAN1 connector to ensure system stability. Due to the chipset limitation, we recommend you use FSB 800MHz CPU or above. Upon purchase of the motherboard, make sure that the PnP cap is on the socket and the socket contacts are not bent. Contact your retailer immediately if the PnP cap is missing, or if you see any damage to the PnP cap/socket contacts/motherboard components. ASUS will shoulder the cost of repair only if the damage is shipment/transit-related. Keep the cap after installing the motherboard. ASUS will process Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) requests only if the motherboard comes with the cap on the LGA775 socket. The product warranty does not cover damage to the socket contacts resulting from incorrect CPU installation/removal, or misplacement/loss/ incorrect removal of the PnP cap.

Installing the CPU

To install a CPU: Locate the CPU socket on the motherboard.
P5N-T DELUXE CPU Socket 775 Before installing the CPU, make sure that the socket box is facing towards you and the load lever is on your left.
Press the load lever with your thumb (A), then move it to the left (B) until it is released from the retention tab.

shared shared shared shared

The PCI slots support cards such as a LAN card, SCSI card, USB card, and other cards that comply with PCI specifications. Refer to the figure below for the location of the slot.

PCI Express x1 slots

This motherboard supports PCI Express x1 network cards, SCSI cards and other cards that comply with the PCI Express specifications. Refer to the figure below for the location of the slots.
This motherboard has three PCI Express x16 slots that support PCI Express x16 graphic cards complying with the PCI Express specifications. With three graphics cards installed, the motherboard can enable tridisplay. Two (blue slots) of the three PCI Express x16 slots support PCIe 2.0 devices. This motherboard supports 3 SLI-ready Express x16 graphics cards that comply with the PCI Express specifications.
PCI Express x1_2 slot PCIe 2.0 x16_3 slot (blue, @x16) PCI slot PCIe x16_2 slot (black, @x16)
PCI Express x1_1 slot PCIe 2.0 x16_1 slot (blue, @x16)
We recommend that you install a VGA card on the primary (blue) PCI Express slots, and install any other PCI Express device on the PCI Express slot (black). Currently, only NVIDIA SLI-Ready GeForce 8800 Ultra and GeForce 8800 GTX graphics cards support 3-Way SLI mode. Connect a rear chassis fan to the chassis (CHA_FAN1 or CHA_FAN2) connector when using two (or three) graphics cards for better thermal environment. See page 2-29 for details. We recommend that you provide sufficient power when running NVIDIA SLI mode. See page 2-30 for details. In single card mode, we suggest that you use any of the PCIe 2.0 slots (blue) for a PCI Express x16 graphics card to get better performance. In SLI mode, we recommend that you use the PCIe 2.0 slots (blue slots) for PCI Express x16 graphics cards to get better performance. We recommend that you provide sufficient power when running NVIDIA SLI mode. See page 2-30 for details.

Jumper

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. To erase the RTC RAM: 1. Turn OFF the computer and unplug the power cord. 2. Remove the onboard battery. 3. 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. 4. Reinstall the battery. 5. Plug the power cord and turn ON the computer. 6. Hold down the <Del> key during the boot process and enter BIOS setup to re-enter data.

+12V TPB1+ GND TPA1+

P5N-T DELUXE IEEE 1394a connector
Never connect a USB cable to the IEEE 1394a connector. Doing so will damage the motherboard! You can connect the 1394 cable to ASUS Q-Connector (1394, red) first, and then install the Q-Connector (1394) to the 1394 connector onboard.
This connector is for a serial (COM) port. Connect the serial port module cable to this connector, then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis.
Serial port connector (10-1 pin COM1)
P5N-T DELUXE COM port connector The serial port module is purchased separately.
CPU, chassis, power, and optional fan connectors (4-pin CPU_FAN, 3-pin CHA_FAN1-2, 3-pin PWR_FAN)
The fan connectors support cooling fans of 1A~2.2A (26.4 W max.) at +12V. Connect the fan cables to the fan connectors on the motherboard, making sure that the black wire of each cable matches the ground pin of the connector.

PWR_FAN

Rotation +12V GND

CHA_FAN1 CHA_FAN2

GND +12V Rotation
P5N-T DELUXE Fan connectors
DO NOT forget to connect the fan cables to the fan connectors. Insufficient air flow inside the system may damage the motherboard components. These are not jumpers! DO NOT place jumper caps on the fan connectors! Only the CPU_FAN, CHA_FAN1 and CHA_FAN2 connectors support the ASUS Q-FAN 2 feature.
If you install two VGA cards, we recommend that you plug the rear chassis fan cable to the motherboard connector labeled CHA_FAN1 or CHA_FAN2 for better themal environment.
Chassis intrusion connector (4-1 pin CHASSIS)
This connector is for a chassis-mounted intrusion detection sensor or switch. Connect one end of the chassis intrusion sensor or switch cable to this connector. The chassis intrusion sensor or switch sends a high-level signal to this connector when a chassis component is removed or replaced. The signal is then generated as a chassis intrusion event. By default , the pin labeled Chassis Signal and Ground are shorted with a jumper cap. Remove the jumper caps only when you intend to use the chassis intrusion detection feature.

GND Chassis Signal

+5VSB_MB
P5N-T DELUXE Chassis intrusion connector

While the system is ON, pressing the power switch for less than four seconds puts the system to sleep mode or to soft-off mode, depending on the BIOS setting. Pressing the power switch for more than four seconds lets the system enter the soft-off mode regardless of the BIOS setting. Refer to section 4.6 Power Menu in Chapter 4 for details.
Using the dual function power switch

Chapter 3: Powering up

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

4.2 4.3 4.4

Managing and updating your BIOS.. 4-1 BIOS setup program... 4-9 Main menu... 4-13 Advanced menu... 4-25 Power menu... 4-30 Boot menu... 4-35 Tools menu.... 4-40 Extreme Tweaker menu.. 4-18

4.6 4.7 4.8

Exit menu... 4-43
Managing and updating your BIOS
The following utilities allow you to manage and update the motherboard Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) setup. 1. 2. 3. ASUS Update (Updates the BIOS in Windows environment.) ASUS EZ Flash 2 (Updates the BIOS in DOS using a floppy disk or a USB flash disk.)
Refer to the corresponding sections for details on these utilities.
Award BIOS Flash Utility (Updates the BIOS in DOS mode using a bootable floppy disk.)
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 Award BIOS Flash utilities.

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.
ASUS Update requires an Internet connection either through a network or an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

Installing ASUS Update

To install ASUS Update: 1. 2. 3. Place the support DVD in the optical drive. The Drivers menu appears.
Click the Utilities tab, then click Install ASUS Update VX.XX.XX. See page 5-3 for the Utilities screen menu. The ASUS Update utility is copied to your system.

tRAS [Auto]

Configuration options: [Auto] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7].[31]
Command Per Clock (CMD) [Auto]
Configuration options: [Auto] [1 clock] [2 clock]

ASUS P5N-T Deluxe 4-21

tRRD [Auto] tRC [Auto]
**Advanced Memory Settings**
Configuration options: [Auto] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7].[15] Configuration options: [Auto] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7].[31]

tWR [Auto]

Configuration options: [Auto] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]
tWTR [Auto] tREF [Auto] tRD [Auto]
Configuration options: [Auto] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7].[15] Configuration options: [Auto] [1] [2] Configuration options: [Auto] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7].[15]

tRFC [Auto]

Configuration options: [Auto] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7].[127]

Async Latency [Auto]

Select [Auto] to auto detect the smallest latency to use for the asynchronize logic on memory read. Configuration options: [Auto] [1.00nS] [1.25nS] [1.50nS] [1.75nS] [2.00nS] [2.25nS] [2.50nS]

Spread Spectrum Control

Extreme Tweaker Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Select Menu Item Specific Help Spread Spectrum Control [Auto] [Disabled] [Auto]
CPU Spread Spectrum SATA Spread Spectrum LDT Spread Spectrum
CPU Spread Spectrum [Auto]
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Auto] SATA Spread Spectrum [Disabled] Configuration options: [Disabled] [Auto]
LDT Spread Spectrum [Auto]
Configuration options: [Auto] [Disabled]
CPU Internal Thermal Control [Disabled]
Limit CPUID MaxVal [Disabled] Execute Disable Bit [Enabled] LDT Frequency [5x]
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Configuration options: [1x] [2x] [3x] [4x] [5x] [6x] [7x] [8x]

Over Voltage

This sub-menu allows you to adjust the system voltage-related items. Select an item, then press <Enter> to edit.
Extreme Tweaker Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] Select Menu Over Voltage VCore Voltage CPU VTT Voltage Memory Voltage NB BR04 CHIP Voltage 1.2V HT Voltage NB CHIP Voltage SB CHIP Voltage
Item Specific Help Set CPU VID to desired voltage, but it will cause other CPU power management feature such as C1E, EIST, and TM2) fail to control CPU VID. Select [Auto] to let CPU VID keep original value.

VCore Voltage [Auto]

Configuration options: [Auto] [1.90000V] [1.89375V] [1.88750V] [1.88125V] [1.87500V].[0.83750V] [0.83125V]

Serial-ATA Controller [Enabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the onboard Serial ATA controller. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

RAID Enabled [Disabled]

Enables or disables the onboard RAID controller. When set to [Enabled], the succeeding items become user-configurable. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
SATA1/2/3/4/5/6 RAID [Disabled]
Enables or disables the RAID function of the first to sixth SATA master drive. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

HD Audio [Auto]

Allows you to disable or set the High-Definition audio function. Configuration options: [Auto] [Disabled]
Front Panel Support Type [HD Audio]
Allows you to set the front panel audio connector (AAFP) mode to legacy AC`97 or high-definition audio depending on the audio standard that the front panel audio module supports. Configuration options: [AC97] [HD Audio]
Onboard nVidia LAN [Enabled]
Enables or disables the onboard NVIDIA LAN controller. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Marvell SATAII Controller [Enabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the extended SATAII controller. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]
Onboard LAN Boot ROM [Disabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the onboard LAN boot ROM. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]
Power Up By PS/2 Mouse [Disabled]
When set to [Enabled], this parameter allows you to use the PS/2 mouse to turn on the system. This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides at least 1A on the +5VSB lead. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Serial Port1 Address [3F8/IRQ4]
Allows you to select the Serial Port1 base address. Configuration options: [Disabled] [3F8/IRQ4] [2F8/IRQ3] [3E8/IRQ4] [2E8/IRQ3] [Auto]

Onboard 1394 [Enabled]

Allows you to enable or disable the onboard 1394 device support. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

USB Configuration

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

Item Specific Help Enable or Disable USB 1.1 and 2.0 Controller

USB Controller [Enabled]

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

Power menu

The Power menu items allow you to change the settings for the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) and the Advanced Power Management (APM). Select an item then press <Enter> to display the configuration options.
Main Extreme Tweaker Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit [S1&S3] Enabled Select Menu
ACPI Suspend Type ACPI APIC support APM Configuration Hardware Monitor
Item Specific Help Select the ACPI state used for System Suspend.
ACPI Suspend Type [S1&S3]
Allows you to select the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) state to be used for system suspend. Configuration options: [S1 (POS)] [S3(STR)] [S1&S3]
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

Power Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility [Power-Off] [Instant-Off] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] : 40 : 0 [Enabled] [Disabled] Select Menu
APM Configuration Restore on AC Power Loss PWR Button < 4 secs Power Up On PCI/PCIE Devices Power On By External Modems USB Resume from S5 Power On by RTC Alarm x Date(of Month) Alarm x Alarm Time(hh:mm) HPET Support Power Up By PS/2 Keyboard
Item Specific Help Press [Enter] to select whether or not to restart the system after AC power loss
Restore on AC Power Loss [Power-Off]
Allows you to enable or disable the Restore on AC Power Loss function. Configuration options: [Power-Off] [Power-On] [Last State]

Power Up By PS/2 Keyboard [Disabled]
Allows you to disable the Power On by PS/2 keyboard function or set specific keys on the PS/2 keyboard to turn on the system. This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides at least 1A on the +5VSB lead. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Space Bar] [Ctrl-ESC] [Power Key]

Hardware Monitor

The items in this sub-menu displays the hardware monitor values automatically detected by the BIOS. It also allows you to change CPU Q-Fan feature-related parameters. Select an item then press <Enter> to display the configuration options.
x x Power Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility [Disabled] [Silent] [Disabled] Performance [ 1.34V] [ 3.20V] [ 4.83V] [11.52V] Select Menu
Hardware Monitor CPU Q-Fan Control CPU Q-Fan Profile Chassis Q-Fan Control Chassis Q-Fan Profile Vcore Voltage 3.3V Voltage 5V Voltage 12V Voltage
Item Specific Help Press [Enter] to enable or disable
CPU Temperature 48C M/B Temperature 36C CPU Fan Speed 2667 RPM CHA_FAN1 Speed 0 RPM CHA_FAN2 Speed 0 RPM PWR_FAN Speed 0 RPM CPU Fan Speed Warning [600 RPM] F1:Help : Select Item -/+: Change Value ESC: Exit : Select Menu Enter: Select SubMenu
CPU Q-Fan Control [Enabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the CPU Q-Fan controller. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
The CPU Fan Profile item becomes user-configurable when you enable the CPU Q-Fan Control feature.
CPU Q-Fan Profile [Optimal]
Allows you to set the appropriate performance level of the CPU Q-Fan. When set to [Optimal], the CPU fan automatically adjusts depending on the CPU temperature. Set this item to [Silent Mode] to minimize fan speed for quiet CPU fan operation, or [Performance Mode] to achieve maximum CPU fan speed. Configuration options: [Performance] [Optimal] [Silent]
Chassis Q-Fan Control [Enabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the Chassis Q-fan. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
The Chassis Q-Fan Profile item becomes user-configurable when you enable the Chassis Q-Fan Control feature.
Chassis Q-Fan Profile [Auto]
Allows you to set the appropriate performance level of the Chassis Q-Fan. Configuration options: [Performance] [Optimal] [Silent]
Vcore Voltage, 3.3V Voltage, 5V Voltage, 12V Voltage
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the voltage output through the onboard voltage regulators. Select [Ignored] if you do not want to detect this item.
CPU Temperature [xxxC/xxxF] M/B 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] CHA_FAN 1/2 Speed [xxxxRPM] PWR_FAN Speed [xxxxRPM]

Select the password field and press <Enter> twice. The following message appears:
PASSWORD DISABLED !!! Press any key to continue.
Press any key to continue. The password field setting is changed to Clear. A note about passwords The Supervisor password is required to enter the BIOS Setup program preventing unauthorized access. The User password is required to boot the system preventing unauthorized use. Forgot your password? If you forget your password, you can clear it by erasing the CMOS Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM. The RAM data containing the password information is powered by the onboard button cell battery. If you need to erase the CMOS RAM, refer to section 2.6 Jumper for instructions.

Password Check

This field requires you to enter the password before entering the BIOS setup or the system. Select [Setup] to require the password before entering the BIOS Setup. Select [System] to require the password before entering the system. Configuration options: [Setup] [System]

Tools menu

The Tools menu items allow you to configure options for special functions. Select an item then press <Enter> to display the sub-menu.
Main Extreme Tweaker Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit Select Menu
ASUS O.C. Profile ASUS EZ Flash 2

ASUS O.C. Profile

Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Tools Select Menu
This item allows you to store or load multiple BIOS settings.

ASUS BIOS Profile

Load BIOS Profile Save BIOS Profile
Item Specific Help Press [Enter] to select.

Load BIOS Profile

Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Tools Select Menu
Load from Profile 1 Load from Profile 2 Load from File
Item Specific Help Load BIOS Profile from Profile 1.

Load from Profile 1/2

Allows you to load the previous BIOS settings saved in the BIOS Flash. Press <Enter> to load the file.

Load from File

Allows you to load the previous BIOS file saved in the hard disk/floppy disk/USB flash disk with the FAT32/16/12 format. Follow the instructions below to load the BIOS file. 1. Insert the storage devices that contains the xxx.CMO file. 2. Turn on the system. 3. Enter BIOS setup program. Go to the Tools menu to select ASUS O.C. Profile > Load from File. Press <Enter> then the setup screen will appear. 4. Press <Tab> to switch between drives before the correct xxx.CMO file is found. Then press <Enter> to load the file. 5. A pop-up message will inform you when the loading process finishes.