A7N8X-E
Deluxe
User Guide
Contents
Notices ........................................................................................... vi
Safety information ......................................................................... vii
About this guide............................................................................ viii
How this guide is organized ................................................ viii
Conventions used in this guide ............................................. ix
Where to find more information ............................................. ix
A7N8X-E Deluxe specifications summary .......................................x
Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.1 Welcome! ........................................................................... 1-1
1.2 Package contents ............................................................... 1-1
1.3 Special features.................................................................. 1-2
1.3.1 Product Highlights.................................................. 1-2
1.3.2 Unique ASUS features ........................................... 1-3
Chapter 2: Hardware information
2.1 Before you proceed ............................................................ 2-1
2.2 Motherboard overview ........................................................ 2-2
2.2.1 Placement direction ............................................... 2-2
2.2.2 Screw holes ........................................................... 2-2
2.2.3 Motherboard layout ................................................ 2-3
2.2.4 Layout Contents..................................................... 2-4
2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU)........................................... 2-6
2.3.1 Overview ................................................................ 2-6
2.3.2 Installing the CPU .................................................. 2-6
2.4 System memory ................................................................. 2-8
2.4.1 Overview ................................................................ 2-8
2.4.2 Memory configurations .......................................... 2-8
2.4.3 Installing a DIMM ................................................. 2-10
2.4.4 Removing a DIMM ............................................... 2-10
2.5 Expansion slots .................................................................2-11
2.5.1 Installing an expansion card .................................2-11
2.5.2 Configuring an expansion card .............................2-11
2.5.3 Interrupt assignments .......................................... 2-12
2.5.4 PCI slots .............................................................. 2-13
2.5.5 AGP slot ............................................................... 2-13
2.5.6 Wi-Fi slot .............................................................. 2-14
iii
Contents
2.6 Jumpers............................................................................ 2-15
2.7 Connectors ....................................................................... 2-18
2.7.1 Rear panel connectors ......................................... 2-18
2.7.2 Internal connectors .............................................. 2-19
Chapter 3: Powering up
3.1 Starting up for the first time ................................................ 3-1
3.2 Powering off the computer ................................................. 3-2
3.2.1 Using the OS shut down function .......................... 3-2
3.2.2 Using the dual function power switch .................... 3-2
3.3 ASUS POST Reporter™ .................................................... 3-3
3.3.1 Vocal POST messages .......................................... 3-3
3.3.2 Winbond Voice Editor ............................................ 3-5
Chapter 4: BIOS setup
4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS .................................... 4-1
4.1.1 Creating a bootable floppy disk ............................. 4-1
4.1.2 AwardBIOS Flash Utility......................................... 4-2
4.1.3 ASUS Update ........................................................ 4-5
4.2 BIOS Setup program .......................................................... 4-7
4.2.1 BIOS menu screen ................................................ 4-8
4.2.2 Menu bar ................................................................ 4-8
4.2.3 Navigation keys ..................................................... 4-8
4.2.4 Menu items ............................................................ 4-9
4.2.5 Sub-menu items..................................................... 4-9
4.2.6 Configuration fields ................................................ 4-9
4.2.7 General help .......................................................... 4-9
4.2.8 Pop-up window ...................................................... 4-9
4.2.9 Scroll bar ................................................................ 4-9
4.3 Main menu........................................................................ 4-10
4.3.1 System Time [xx:xx:xxxx]..................................... 4-10
4.3.2 System Date [Day xx/xx/xxxx] ............................. 4-10
4.3.3 Legacy Diskette A [1.44M, 3.5 in.] ....................... 4-10
4.3.4 Halt On [All Errors] ............................................... 4-10
4.3.5 Primary and Secondary Master/Slave ..................4-11
4.4 Advanced menu ............................................................... 4-14
4.4.1 Advanced BIOS Features .................................... 4-15
4.4.2 Advanced Chipset Features ................................ 4-18
4.4.3 Integrated Peripherals ......................................... 4-22
iv
Contents
4.4.4 Power Management Setup .................................. 4-24
4.4.5 PnP/PCI Configurations ....................................... 4-26
4.5 Security Menu .................................................................. 4-27
4.6 Hardware Monitor Menu ................................................... 4-29
4.7 Exit Menu ......................................................................... 4-30
Chapter 5: Software support
5.1 Install an operating system................................................. 5-1
5.2 Support CD information ...................................................... 5-1
5.2.1 Running the support CD ........................................ 5-1
5.2.2 Drivers menu ......................................................... 5-2
5.2.3 Utilities menu ......................................................... 5-3
5.2.4 ASUS Contact Information..................................... 5-4
5.2.5 Other information ................................................... 5-5
5.3 NVIDIA® nForce control panel ............................................ 5-7
5.3.1 Launching the NVIDIA® control panel .................... 5-7
5.3.2 Main ....................................................................... 5-7
5.3.3 Speaker Setup ....................................................... 5-7
5.3.4 MIDI ....................................................................... 5-9
5.3.5 Environment........................................................... 5-9
5.3.6 Applications ........................................................... 5-9
5.3.7 Information ........................................................... 5-10
5.4 NVIDIA® NVSwap 1.0 Utility ..............................................5-11
5.5 RAID 0/RAID 1 Configurations ......................................... 5-13
5.5.1 Install the hard disks ............................................ 5-13
5.5.2 Creating and Deleting RAID sets ......................... 5-14
5.6 Onboard LAN drivers for Windows 98SE/ME................... 5-16
5.7 Marvell® Virtual Cable Tester™ (VCT) Technology........... 5-17
5.8 I’m InTouch™ Remote Access Application ....................... 5-18
5.8.1 Installing I’m InTouch™....................................... 5-18
5.8.2 Using I’m InTouch™............................................ 5-20
Quick Reference Card
v
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
manufacturer’s 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.
• Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to
which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
The use of shielded cables for connection of the monitor to the
graphics card is required to assure compliance with FCC regulations.
Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the
party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to
operate this equipment.
Canadian Department of Communications Statement
This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise
emissions from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference
Regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications.
This class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.
vi
Safety information
Electrical safety
• To prevent electrical shock hazard, disconnect the power cable from
the electrical outlet before relocating the system.
• When adding or removing devices to or from the system, ensure that
the power cables for the devices are unplugged before the signal
cables are connected. If possible, disconnect all power cables from the
existing system before you add a device.
• Before connecting or removing signal cables from the motherboard,
ensure that all power cables are unplugged.
• Seek professional assistance before using an adpater or extension
cord. These devices could interrupt the grounding circuit.
• Make sure that your power supply is set to the correct voltage in your
area. If you are not sure about the voltage of the electrical outlet you
are using, contact your local power company.
• If the power supply is broken, do not try to fix it by yourself. Contact a
qualified service technician or your retailer.
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.
vii
About this guide
This user guide contains the information you need when installing and
configuring the motherboard.
How this guide is organized
This manual contains the following parts:
• Chapter 1: Product introduction
This chapter describes the motherboard features of the and the new
technologies 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, the vocal POST
messages, 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 CD that comes with
the motherboard package.
viii
Conventions used in this guide
To make sure that you perform certain tasks properly, take note of the
following symbols used throughout this manual.
DANGER/WARNING: Information to prevent injury to yourself
when trying to complete a task.
CAUTION: Information to prevent damage to the components
when trying to complete a task.
IMPORTANT: Information that you MUST follow to complete a
task.
NOTE: Tips and additional information to aid in completing a task.
Where to find more information
Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product
and software updates.
1. ASUS websites
The ASUS websites worldwide provide updated information on ASUS
hardware and software products. Refer to the ASUS contact
information.
2. Optional documentation
Your product package may include optional documentation, such as
warranty flyers, that may have been added by your dealer. These
documents are not part of the standard package.
ix
A7N8X-E Deluxe specifications summary
CPU
Socket A for AMD Duron™/AMD Athlon™/AMD Athlon™ XP
3200+ processors
Front Side Bus (FSB)
Chipset
400/333/266/200Mhz
Northbridge: NVIDIA® nForce2 Ultra 400
Southbridge: NVIDIA® nForce2 MCP-T
Memory
Dual-channel memory architecture
3 x 184-pin DDR DIMM sockets for up to 3GB memory
Supports PC3200/PC2700/PC2100/PC1600 unbuffered
non-ECC DDR DIMMs
Expansion slots
5 x PCI
1 x AGP Pro/8X (1.5V only)
1 x ASUS proprietary Wi-Fi slot
Storage
Audio
LAN
2 x UltraDMA 133/100/66/33
2 x Serial ATA with RAID 0, 1 support
MCP-T southbridge integrated Audio Processor Unit (APU) +
Realtek ALC650 6-channel audio CODEC
Marvell® 88E8001 Gigabit LAN
MCP-T southbridge integrated controller MAC + Realtek
8201BL LAN PHY
1394
MCP-T southbridge integrated IEEE1394a controller +
Realtek 8801B PHY
Special Features
ASUS Q-Fan Technology
ASUS POST Reporter
ASUS C.O.P. (CPU Overheating Protection)
Power Loss Restart
CPU Throttle
Rear Panel I/O
1 x parallel port
1 x serial port
1 x PS/2 keyboard port
1 x PS/2 mouse port
1 x S/PDIF in/out port
1 x surround L/R audio jack
1 x CNTR/LFE audio jack
1 x audio I/O port
1 x Gigabit RJ-45 Port
1 x Fast Ethernet RJ-45 port
4 x USB 2.0 ports
(continued on the next page)
x
A7N8X-E Deluxe specifications summary
USB 2.0 connector supports additional 2 USB 2.0 ports
Game/MIDI connector
Internal I/O
Connectors
CPU/Power/Chassis fan connectors
2 x IDE connectors
20-pin ATX power connector
2 x SATA connectors
2 x 1394 connectors
Chassis intrusion connector
Infrared module connector
CD / AUX / Modem connector
Front panel audio connector
Serial port 2 connector
S/PDIF connector
4Mb Flash ROM, Award BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, Green
PCI 2.2, USB 1.1/2.0.
BIOS features
Industry standard
Manageability
DMI 2.0, WOL, WOR, Chassis Intrusion
ATX form factor: 12 in x 9.6 in (30.5 cm x 24.5 cm)
Form Factor
Device drivers
Support CD contents
ASUS PC Probe
I’m InTouch™ Remote Access Application
Trend MicroTM PC-cillin 2002 anti-virus software
ASUS LiveUpdate Utility
* Specifications are subject to change without notice.
xi
xii
Chapter 1
This chapter describes the motherboard
features and the new technologies it
supports.
Product introduction
Chapter summary
1.1 Welcome! ........................................................ 1-1
1.2 Package contents .......................................... 1-1
1.3 Special features ............................................. 1-2
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
1.1 Welcome!
®
Thank you for buying the ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard!
The motherboard delivers a host of new features and latest technologies
making it another standout in the long line of ASUS quality motherboards!
The motherboard supports the AMD Athlon™, AMD Athlon™ XP or AMD
Duron™ processors in a Socket A (462-pin) package with the NVIDIA®
nForce2™ Ultra 400 chipset to set a new benchmark for an effective
desktop platform solution.
Supporting up to 3GB of system memory with PC3200/PC2700/PC2100/
PC1600 DDR SDRAM, high-resolution graphics via an AGP 8X slot, SATA,
RAID, IEEE 1394, USB 2.0, and 6-channel audio features, the
motherboard takes you ahead in the world of power computing!
Before you start installing the motherboard, and hardware devices on it,
check the items in your package with the list below.
1.2 Package contents
Check your motherboard package for the following items.
ASUS motherboard
ASUS support CD
2 x SATA cables
1 x 2-port USB module w/ cable
1 x 2-port IEEE1394 module
1 x S/PDIF out module
2 x 80-conductor ribbon cable for UltraDMA/66/100/133 IDE drives
1 x 40-conductor IDE cable
1 x Ribbon cable for a 3.5-inch floppy drive
2 x SATA power cable
WinDVD Suite
I/O shield
Bag of extra jumper caps
User Guide (includes Quick Reference Card)
Quick Setup Guide
Jumper/Connector sticker
If any of the above items is damaged or missing, contact your retailer.
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
1-1
1.3 Special features
1.3.1 Product Highlights
Latest processor technology
The motherboard supports the latest AMD Athlon™, Athlon™ XP and AMD
Duron™ processors via a 462-pin surface mount ZIF socket. The AMD
Athlon™ and AMD Athlon™ XP processors features a 400Mhz front side
bus and the QuantiSpeed™ architecture for rapid execution of
applications.
NVIDIA® nForce™ Platform Processing Architecture
The motherboard combines the power of NVIDIA’s nForce2™ Ultra 400
and nForce2™ MCP-T chipsets that improves processing efficiency and
overall system performance.
Serial ATA solution
The motherboard supports two interfaces compliant to the Serial ATA
(SATA) specification, an evolutionary replacement of the Parallel ATA
storage interface. The Serial ATA specification allows for thinner, more
flexible cables with lower pin count, reduced voltage requirement, up to
150 MB/s data transfer rate. See page 2-21.
AGP 8X support
The motherboard support AGP 8X (AGP 3.0) specification offering 2.12
GB/s bandwidth. See page 2-13.
Dual LAN (Fast-Ethernet and Gigabit) solution
The onboard Marvell® Gigabit LAN controller and Fast-Ethernet LAN
controller integrated in the southbridge supply two separate ports for LAN
on Motherboard (LOM) applications. The Marvell® Gigabit LAN controller is
equipped with the net-diagnosing utility, VCT (Virtual Cable Tester), that
intelligently diagnoses and reports cable faults from a remote location up
to 100 meters. This feature helps maintain a more stable network
connection. See pages 2-18, 5-17.
S/PDIF out
The motherboard’s S/PDIF out function turns your computer into a high-
end entertainment system with digital connectivity.
1-2
Chapter 1: Product introduction
IEEE 1394 support
The IEEE 1394 interface provides high-speed and flexible PC connectivity
to a wide range of peripherals and devices compliant to IEEE 1394a
standards. The IEEE 1394 interface allows up to 400Mbps transfer rates
through simple, low-cost, high-bandwidth asynchronous (real-time) data
interfacing between computers, peripherals, and consumer electronic
devices such as camcorders, VCRs, printers,TVs, and digital cameras.
See page 2-25.
6-channel digital audio
The Realtek ALC650 AC’97 audio 6-channel CODEC works with the Audio
Processing Unit (APU) integrated in the NVIDIA® NForce2™ MCP-T
southbridge to provide 3D surround audio effects and Dolby® Digital
cinematic-quality audio.
6 USB 2.0 ports
The motherboard implements the Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0
specification to provide up to 480Mbps connection speed. See page 2-24.
1.3.2 Unique ASUS features
ASUS Wi-Fi slot
The ASUS Wi-Fi slot is based on the 802.11b/g wireless standard that is
specifically designed for the ASUS WiFi-b™ add-on card to set up a
wireless LAN environment. The ASUS WiFi-b™ add-on card bundles the
Software AP (Access Point) to save the extra cost of a stand-alone AP.
The card comes with user-friendly utilities and applications that allow quick
connection to notebooks, PDAs, and other wireless LAN peripherals. See
page 2-14.
ASUS Q-Fan technology
The ASUS Q-Fan technology smartly adjusts the fan speeds according to
the system loading to ensure quiet, cool, and efficient operation. See
pages 4-29.
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
1-3
ASUS POST Reporter™
The motherboard offers a new exciting feature called the ASUS POST
Reporter™ to provide friendly voice messages and alerts during the
Power-On Self-Tests (POST). Through an added external speaker, you will
hear the messages informing you of the system boot status and causes of
boot errors, if any. The bundled Winbond Voice Editor software allows you
to customize the voice messages, and provides multi-language support.
See page 3-3.
1-4
Chapter 1: Product introduction
Chapter 2
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.
Hardware information
Chapter summary
2.1 Before you proceed ....................................... 2-1
2.2 Motherboard overview................................... 2-2
2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ..................... 2-6
2.4 System memory ............................................. 2-8
2.5 Expansion slots ............................................2-11
2.6 Jumpers ........................................................ 2-15
2.7 Connectors ................................................... 2-18
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
2.1 Before you proceed
Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard
components or change any motherboard settings.
1. Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any
component.
2. Use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded object or to
a metal object, such as the power supply case, before handling
components to avoid damaging them due to static electricity.
3. Hold components by the edges to avoid touching the ICs on them.
4. Whenever you uninstall any component, place it on a grounded
antistatic pad or in the bag that came with the component.
5. Before you install or remove any component, ensure that the
ATX power supply is switched off or the power cord is
detached from the power supply. Failure to do so may cause
severe damage to the motherboard, peripherals, and/or
components.
Onboard LED
The motherboard comes with a standby power LED. When lit, the green
LED indicates that the system is ON, in sleep mode, or in soft-off mode, a
reminder that you should shut down the system and unplug the power
cable before removing or plugging in any motherboard component. The
illustration below shows the location of the onboard LED.
PWR_LED1
A7N8X-E
®
ON
OFF
Standby
Power
Powered
Off
A7N8X-E Onboard LED
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
2-1
2.2 Motherboard overview
Before you install the motherboard, study the configuration of your chassis
to ensure that the motherboard fits into it.
Make sure to unplug the power cord before installing or removing the
motherboard. Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and
damage motherboard components.
2.2.1 Placement direction
When installing the motherboard, make sure that you place it into the
chassis in the correct orientation. The edge with external ports goes to the
rear part of the chassis as indicated in the image below.
2.2.2 Screw holes
Place nine (9) screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the
motherboard to the chassis.
Do not overtighten the screws! Doing so may damage the
motherboard.
Place this side towards
the rear of the chassis
2-2
Chapter 2: Hardware information
2.2.3 Motherboard layout
24.5cm (9.6in)
PS/2
T: Mouse
B: Keyboard
CPU_FAN1
KBPWR1
Socket 462
USBPW12
Bottom:
Top:
USB3
USB4
RJ-45
COM1
CNTR/
LFE1
SURR1
USBPW34
NVIDIA
nForce2
SPP
SPDIFOUT2
Ultra400
Chipset
Bottom:
USB1
USB2
Top:
RJ-45
CPU_FSB
Top:Line In
Center:Line Out
Below:Mic In
0
1
2
3
4
5
Realtek
RTL8201
PWR_FAN1 CHA_FAN1
Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP Pro)
4Mb
BIOS
PCI 1
NVIDIA
nForce2
MCP-T
Chipset
A7N8X-E
IE1394_2
PCI 2
IE1394_1
®
SPDIF1
GLAN_SW
CLRTC1
CR2032 3V
PCI 3
Lithium Cell
COM2
Realtek
RTL8801
CMOS Power
USB56
SATA_EN1
CD1
PCI 4
GAME1
IR_CON1
ASUS
ASIC
with Hardware
Monitor
SATALInk
Chipset
USBPW56
FPAUDIO1
SB_PWR1
AUX1
PCI 5
Audio
Codec
Speech
Controller
CHASSIS1
MODEM1
SATA_RAID2 SATA_RAID1
WIFI
CTRL_PANEL1
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
2-3
2.2.4 Layout Contents
Slots
1. PCI slots
p. 2-13
p. 2-13
p. 2-14
p. 2-8
2. AGP slot
3. Wi-Fi slot
4. DDR DIMM slots
Jumpers
1. Keyboard wake-up (3-pin KBPWR1)
p. 2-15
p. 2-15
2. Central Processing Unit FSB Setting (3-pin CPU_FSB)
3. USB device wake-up (3-pin USBPW12, USBPW34,
USBPW56)
p. 2-16
p. 2-16
p. 2-17
p. 2-17
4. Gigabit LAN Setting (3-pin CLRTC1)
5. Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC1)
6. Serial ATA setting (3-pin SATA_EN1)
Internal Connectors
1. Primary IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE)
2. Secondary IDE connector (40-1 pin SEC_IDE)
3. Floppy disk connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY1)
4. Chassis intrusion connector (4-1 pin CHASSIS1)
p. 2-19
p. 2-19
p. 2-20
p. 2-20
5. Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA_RAID1, SATA_RAID2 ) p. 2-21
6. CPU fan connector (3-pin CPU_FAN1)
7. Power fan connector (3-pin PWR_FAN1)
8. Chassis fan connector (3-pin CHA_FAN1)
9. Serial Port 2 connector (10-1 pin COM2)
10. ATX power connector (20-pin ATXPWR1)
11. USB headers (10-1 pin USB56)
p. 2-22
p. 2-22
p. 2-22
p. 2-22
p. 2-23
p. 2-24
p. 2-25
p. 2-25
p. 2-25
p. 2-25
12. MODEM connector (4-pin MODEM1)
13. CD connector (4-pin CD1)
14. AUX connector (4-pin AUX1)
15. IEEE 1394 connectors (10-1 pin IE1394_1, IE1394_2)
(Continued on the next page)
2-4
Chapter 2: Hardware information
Internal Connectors
16. Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin FP_AUDIO)
17. Digital audio connector (6-1 pin SPDIF1)
18. GAME/MIDI connector (16-1 pin GAME1)
19. Infrared module connector (10-1 pin IR_CON1)
20. System panel connector (20-pin CTRL_PANEL1)
- System Power LED Lead (Green 3-1 pin PLED)
- Keyboard Lock Lead (Brown 2-pin KEYLOCK)
- System Warning Speaker Lead (Orange 4-pin SPKR)
- Reset Switch (Blue 2-pin RESET)
p. 2-26
p. 2-26
p. 2-27
p. 2-27
p. 2-28
- ATX Power Switch (Yellow 2-pin PWRBTN)
- Hard Disk Activity LED (Red 2-pin IDE_LED)
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
2-5
2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU)
2.3.1 Overview
The motherboard comes with a surface mount 462-pin Zero Insertion
Force (ZIF) socket designed for the AMD Athlon™, AMD Athlon™ XP and
AMD Duron™ processors.
Take note of the marked corner (with
gold triangle) on the CPU. This mark
should match a specific corner on the
socket to ensure correct installation.
Gold triangle
Do not use processors with core speeds of less than 1GHz on this
motherboard.
2.3.2 Installing the CPU
Follow these steps to install a CPU.
1. Locate the 462-pin ZIF socket on the motherboard.
2-6
Chapter 2: Hardware information
2. Unlock the socket by pressing the
lever sideways, then lift it up to a
90°-100° angle.
90°-100° angle
Socket lever
Make sure that the socket lever is lifted up to 90°-100° angle,
otherwise the CPU does not fit in completely.
3. Position the CPU above the
socket such that the CPU corner
with the gold triangle matches the
base of the socket lever.
Gold triangle
4. Carefully insert the CPU into the
socket until it fits in place.
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!
5. 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.
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
2-7
2.4 System memory
2.4.1 Overview
The motherboard comes with four Double Data Rate (DDR) Dual Inline
Memory Module (DIMM) sockets.
The following figure illustrates the location of the sockets.
104 Pins
A7N8X-E
®
80 Pins
A7N8X-E 184-Pin DDR
DIMM Sockets
2.4.2 Memory configurations
You may install 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, and 1GB DDR DIMMs into
the DIMM sockets using the memory configurations in this section.
Important notes on memory configurations
1. Installing DDR DIMMs other than the recommended configurations
may cause memory sizing error or system boot failure. Use any of
the recommended configurations in Table 1.
2. Always install DIMMs with the same CAS latency. For optimum
compatibility, it is recommended that you obtain memory modules
from the same vendor.
3. DIMMs with more than 18 chips are not supported.
4. DIMMs with more than 8 devices on each side of the module are
not supported.
2-8
Chapter 2: Hardware information
Table 1
Recommended memory configurations
Sockets
Mode
DIMM_A1 DIMM_A2 DIMM_B1
Single-channel
Dual-channel*
(1) Populated
—
Populated
—
—
—
(2)
(3)
—
—
Populated
Populated
(1) Populated
(2)
(3) Populated
—
—
Populated Populated
Populated Populated
Obtain DDR DIMMs only from ASUS qualified vendors for better system
performance. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) for the latest
qualified vendors list.
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
2-9
2.4.3 Installing a DIMM
Make sure to unplug the power supply before adding or removing
DIMMs or other system components. Failure to do so may cause
severe damage to both the motherboard and the components.
1. Unlock a DIMM socket by
DDR DIMM NOTCH
pressing the retaining clips
outward.
2. Align a DIMM on the socket such
that the notch on the DIMM
matches the break on the socket.
Unlocked Retaining Clip
A DDR DIMM is keyed with a notch so that it fits in only one direction.
DO NOT force a DIMM into a socket to avoid damaging the DIMM.
3. Firmly insert the DIMM into the
socket until the retaining clips
snap back in place and the DIMM
is properly seated.
Locked Retaining Clip
2.4.4 Removing a DIMM
Follow these steps to remove a DIMM.
1. Simultaneously press the
retaining clips outward to unlock
the DIMM.
Support the DIMM lightly with your fingers when pressing the retaining
clips. The DIMM might get damaged when it flips out with extra force.
2. Remove the DIMM from the socket.
2-10
Chapter 2: Hardware information
2.5 Expansion slots
Make sure to unplug the power cord before adding or removing
expansion cards. Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and
damage motherboard components.
2.5.1 Installing an expansion card
Follow these steps to install an expansion card.
1. Before installing the expansion card, read the documentation that
came with it and make the necessary hardware settings for the card.
2. Remove the system unit cover (if your motherboard is already installed
in a chassis).
3. Remove the bracket opposite the slot that you intend to use. Keep the
screw for later use.
4. Align the card connector with the slot and press firmly until the card is
completely seated on the slot.
5. Secure the card to the chassis with the screw you removed earlier.
6. Replace the system cover.
2.5.2 Configuring an expansion card
After installing the expansion card, configure the card by adjusting the
software settings.
1. Turn on the system and change the necessary BIOS settings, if any.
See Chapter 4 for information on BIOS setup.
2. Assign an IRQ to the card. Refer to the tables on the next page.
3. Install the software drivers for the expansion card.
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
2-11
2.5.3 Interrupt assignments
Standard Interrupt Assignments
IRQ
0
Priority
Standard Function
System Timer
1
1
2
Keyboard Controller
2
3*
4*
5*
6
7*
8
9*
10*
11*
12*
13
14*
15*
N/A
11
12
13
14
15
3
4
5
6
7
Programmable Interrupt
Communications Port (COM2)
Communications Port (COM1)
Sound Card (sometimes LPT2)
Floppy Disk Controller
Printer Port (LPT1)
System CMOS/Real Time Clock
ACPI Mode when used
IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
PS/2 Compatible Mouse Port
Numeric Data Processor
Primary IDE Channel
8
9
10
Secondary IDE Channel
* These IRQs are usually available for ISA or PCI devices.
IRQ assignments for this motherboard
PCI INT A
shared
—
—
—
shared
—
—
—
shared
PCI INT B
PCI INT C
PCI INT D
PCI slot 1
PCI slot 2
PCI slot 3
PCI slot 4
PCI slot 5
AGP slot
Serial ATA
Gigabit LAN
WiFi slot
—
—
—
—
—
shared
—
—
—
shared
—
—
shared
—
—
—
shared
—
shared
—
—
—
shared
—
—
—
—
When using PCI cards on shared slots, ensure that the drivers support
“Share IRQ” or that the cards do not need IRQ assignments.
Otherwise, conflicts will arise between the two PCI groups, making the
system unstable and the card inoperable.
2-12
Chapter 2: Hardware information
2.5.4 PCI slots
The PCI slots support PCI cards such as a LAN card, SCSI card, USB
card, and other cards that comply with PCI specifications. The following
figure shows a LAN card installed on a PCI slot.
2.5.5 AGP slot
The Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) slot that supports AGP8X/4X cards.
When you buy an AGP card, make sure that you ask for one with +1.5V
specification. Note the notches on the card golden fingers to ensure that
they fit the AGP slot on your motherboard.
Install only 1.5V AGP cards on this motherboard! 3.3V AGP cards are
not supported in this motherboard.
AGP Card without Retention Notch
A7N8X-E
®
TOP VIEW
28-pin bay
20-pin bay
Rib (inside slot)
Rib
A7N8X-E Accelerated
Graphics Port (AGP8X)
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
2-13
2.5.6 Wi-Fi slot
The Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) slot will support the ASUS WiFi-b™ module
when available. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) for product
updates.
The Wi-Fi slot conforms to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers (IEEE) 802.11b/g standard for wireless devices operating in the
2.4 GHz frequency band.
A7N8X-E
WIFI
®
A7N8X-E Wi-Fi connector
ASUS WiFi-b™ Setup
•
•
The PCI 5 slot and the WiFi slot can not be used at the same
time.
The Wi-Fi module is purchased separately.
2-14
Chapter 2: Hardware information
2.6 Jumpers
1. Keyboard wake up (3-pin KBPWR1)
This jumper allows you to enable or disable the keyboard wake-up
feature. Set this jumper to pins 2-3 (+5VSB) if you wish to wake up the
computer when you press a key on the keyboard. This feature requires
an ATX power supply that can supply at least 1A on the +5VSB lead,
and a corresponding setting in the BIOS.
KBPWR1
1 2
2 3
+5V
(Default)
+5VSB
A7N8X-E
®
A7N8X-E Keyboard Power Setting
2. Central Processing Unit FSB (CPU_FSB)
When set to pins 1-2 (default), this jumper enables support for
400MHz, 333MHz, or 266MHz Front Side Bus (FSB). Set to pins 2-3 to
support 200 MHz FSB only.
CPU_FSB
1
2
2
3
A7N8X-E
FSB400/333/266
(Default)
FSB200
®
A7N8X-E CPU FSB Jumper Setting
When using an AMD Duron™ processor, change the CPU_FSB jumper
setting to pins 2-3.
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
2-15
3. USB device wake-up (3-pin USBPW12, USBPW34, USBPW56)
Set these jumpers to +5V to wake up the computer from S1 sleep
mode (CPU stopped, DRAM refreshed, system running in low power
mode) using the connected USB devices. Set to +5VSB to wake up
from S3 and S4 sleep modes (no power to CPU, DRAM in slow
refresh, power supply in reduced power mode).
USBPW12
USBPW34
1 2
2 3
+5V
+5VSB
(Default)
USBPW56
A7N8X-E
1
2
®
2
3
+5V
(Default)
+5VSB
A7N8X-E USB Device Wake Up
•
•
The USB device wake-up feature requires a power supply that can
provide 500mA on the +5VSB lead for each USB port. Otherwise,
the system would not power up.
The total current consumed must NOT exceed the power supply
capability (+5VSB) whether under normal condition or in sleep
mode.
4. Gigabit LAN switch setting (3-pin GLAN_SW)
This jumper enables or disables the Gigabit LAN controller.
GLAN_SW
1 2
2 3
A7N8X-E
®
Enable
Disable
(Default)
A7N8X-E Gigabit LAN Switch Setting
2-16
Chapter 2: Hardware information
5. Clear RTC RAM (CLRTC1)
This jumper clears the Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM of date, time, and
system setup parameters in CMOS. The RAM data in CMOS is
powered by the onboard button cell battery.
To erase the RTC RAM:
1. Turn OFF the computer and unplug the power cord.
2. Remove the battery.
3. Move the jumper caps 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. Replace 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.
CLRTC1
1 2
2 3
A7N8X-E
®
Normal
Clear CMOS
(Default)
A7N8X-E Clear RTC RAM
6. Serial ATA setting (3-pin SATA_EN1)
This jumper enables or disables the Serial ATA controllers.
SATA_EN1
1 2
2 3
A7N8X-E
®
Enable
Disable
(Default)
A7N8X-E SATA Setting
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
2-17
2.7 Connectors
2.7.1 Rear panel connectors
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
1. PS/2 mouse port. This green 6-pin connector is for a PS/2 mouse.
2. Fast Ethernet port (RJ-45). This port allows up to 100 Mbps of data
transfer rate to a Local Area Network (LAN).
3. Parallel port. This 25-pin port connects a parallel printer, a scanner, or
other devices.
4. Gigabit LAN port (RJ-45). This port allows up to 1 Gigabit of data
transfer rate to a Local Area Network (LAN).
5. Line In jack. This Line In (light blue) jack connects a tape player or
other audio sources. In 6-channel mode, the function of this jack
becomes Bass/Center.
6. Line Out jack. This Line Out (lime) jack connects a headphone or a
speaker. In 4-channel and 6-channel mode, the function of this jack
becomes Front Speaker Out.
7. Microphone jack. This Mic (pink) jack connects a microphone. In
4-channel and 6-channel modes, the function of this jack becomes
Rear Speaker Out.
8. USB 2.0 ports 1 and 2. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB)
ports are available for connecting USB 2.0 devices.
9. S/PDIF out jack. This jack connects to external audio output devices.
10. Surround L/R audio jack. This (purple) jack connects to the left/right
surround speakers.
11. Center/LFE audio jack. This (yellow-orange) jack connects to the
center speakers or bass speakers.
12. Serial connector. This 9-pin COM1 port is for serial devices.
2-18
Chapter 2: Hardware information
13. USB 2.0 ports 3 and 4. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB)
ports are available for connecting USB 2.0 devices.
14. PS/2 keyboard port. This purple connector is for a PS/2 keyboard.
2.7.2 Internal connectors
1. IDE connectors (40-1 pin PRI_IDE1, SEC_IDE1)
This connector supports the provided UltraATA100 IDE hard disk ribbon
cable. Connect the cable’s blue connector to the primary
(recommended) or secondary IDE connector, then connect the gray
connector to the UltraATA100 slave device (hard disk drive) and the
black connector to the UltraATA100 master device.
1. Follow the hard disk drive documentation when setting the device
in master or slave mode.
2. Pin 20 on each IDE connector is removed to match the covered hole
on the UltraATA cable connector. This prevents incorrect orientation
when you connect the cables.
3. The hole near the blue connector on the UltraATA cable is intentional.
NOTE: Orient the red markings
(usually zigzag) on the IDE
ribbon cable to PIN 1.
A7N8X-E
®
PIN 1
A7N8X-E IDE Connectors
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
2-19
2. Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY1)
This connector supports the provided floppy drive ribbon cable. After
connecting one end to the motherboard, connect the other end to the
floppy drive. (Pin 5 is removed to prevent incorrect insertion when
using ribbon cables with pin 5 plug).
FLOPPY1
NOTE: Orient the red markings on
the floppy ribbon cable to PIN 1
A7N8X-E
®
PIN 1
A7N8X-E Floppy Disk Drive Connector
3. Chassis intrusion connector (4-1 pin CHASSIS1)
This lead is for a chassis designed with intrusion detection feature.
This requires an external detection mechanism such as a chassis
intrusion sensor or microswitch. When you remove any chassis
component, the sensor triggers and sends a high-level signal to this
lead to record a chassis intrusion event.
By default, the pins labeled “Chassis Signal” and “Ground” are shorted
with a jumper cap. If you wish to use the chassis intrusion detection
feature, remove the jumper cap from the pins.
CHASSIS1
A7N8X-E
®
(Default)
A7N8X-E intrusion connector
2-20
Chapter 2: Hardware information
4. Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA_RAID1, SATA_RAID2)
These Serial ATA connectors support SATA hard disks that you may
configure as a RAID set. Through the onboard Promise® PDC20378
RAID controller, you may create a RAID0, RAID1, RAID0+1, or multi-
RAID configuration together with the RAID ATA133 connector. See
Chapter 5 for details on RAID configuration.
SATA_RAID1
SATA_RAID2
A7N8X-E
®
A7N8X-E SATA Connectors
Important notes on Serial ATA solution:
•
•
Hot plug support for Serial ATA drive and connections are not
available in this motherboard.
Install Windows® XP™ Service Pack 1 when using Serial ATA.
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
2-21
5. CPU, Power and Chassis Fan Connectors
(3-pin CPU_FAN1, PWR_FAN1, CHA_FAN1)
The fan connectors support cooling fans of 350mA~740mA (8.88W
max.) or a total of 1A~2.22A (26.64W 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.
Do not forget to connect the fan cables to the fan connectors. Lack of
sufficient air flow within the system may damage the motherboard
components. These are not jumpers! DO NOT place jumper caps on
the fan connectors!
CPU_FAN1
Rotation
+12V
GND
PWR_FAN1 CHA_FAN1
A7N8X-E
®
A7N8X-E 12-Volt Cooling Fan Power
6. Serial Port connector (10-1 pin COM2)
This connector accomodates a second serial port using a serial port
bracket. Connect the bracket cable to this connector then install the
bracket into a slot opening at the back of the system chassis.
COM2
PIN 1
A7N8X-E
®
A7N8X-E Serial COM2 Bracket
The serial port bracket is purchased separately.
2-22
Chapter 2: Hardware information
7. ATX power connectors (20-pin ATXPWR1)
This connector connects to an ATX 12V power supply. The plugs from
the power supply is designed to fit this connectors in only one
orientation. Find the proper orientation and push down firmly until the
connector completely fits.
Make sure that your ATX 12V power supply can provide 8A on the
+12V lead and at least 1A on the +5-volt standby lead (+5VSB). The
minimum recommended wattage is 300W, or 350W for a fully
configured system. The system may become unstable or may not boot
up if the power is inadequate.
ATXPWR1
+3.3VDC
-12.0VDC
COM
+3.3VDC
+3.3VDC
COM
PS_ON#
COM
+5.0VDC
COM
COM
COM
+5.0VDC
COM
A7N8X-E
-5.0VDC
+5.0VDC
+5.0VDC
PWR_OK
+5VSB
+12.0VDC
®
A7N8X-E ATX Power Connector
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
2-23
8. USB header (10-1 pin USB56)
If the USB ports on the rear panel are inadequate, a USB header is
available for additional USB ports. The USB header complies with USB
2.0 specification that supports up to 480 Mbps connection speed and
allows faster Internet connection, interactive gaming, and simultaneous
running of high-speed peripherals.
You must install the driver before you can use the USB 2.0 capability.
A7N8X-E
®
USB56
1
A7N8X-E USB 2.0 Header
NEVER connect a 1394 cable to the USB connector. Doing so will
damage the motherboard!
2-24
Chapter 2: Hardware information
9. Internal audio connectors (4-pin MODEM1, CD1, AUX1)
These connectors allow you to receive stereo audio input from sound
sources such as a CD-ROM, TV tuner, or MPEG card. The modem
connector allows the onboard audio to interface with a voice modem
card with a similar connector. It also allows the sharing of mono_in
(such as phone) and a mono_out (such as a speaker) between the
audio and a voice modem card.
MODEM1
AUX1 (White)
CD1 (Black)
A7N8X-E
®
A7N8X-E Internal Audio Connectors
10. IEEE 1394 connectors (10-1 pin IE1394_1, IE1394_2)
These connectors are for IEEE 1394 modules. Attach the 10-1 pin
cable plugs to these connectors. You may also connect a
1394-compliant internal hard disk to these connectors.
IE1394_2
IE1394_1
A7N8X-E
®
1
1
A7N8X-E IEEE-1394 Connectors
NEVER connect a USB cable to any of the IEEE 1394 (orange)
connectors. Doing so will damage the motherboard!
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
2-25
11. Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin FP_AUDIO)
This is an interface for the front panel audio cable that allow
convenient connection and control of audio devices.
By default, the pins labeled LINE_OUT_R/BLINE_OUT_R and the pins
LINE_OUT_L/BLINE_OUT_L are shorted with jumper caps. Remove
the caps only when you are connecting the front panel audio cable.
FP_AUDIO
A7N8X-E
®
A7N8X-E Front Panel Audio Connector
12. Digital Audio connector (6-1 pin SPDIF1)
This connector is for the S/PDIF audio module to allow digital sound
output. Connect one end of the S/PDIF audio cable to this connector
and the other end to the S/PDIF module.
1
SPDIF1
A7N8X-E
®
A7N8X-E Digital Audio Connector
2-26
Chapter 2: Hardware information
13. GAME/MIDI connector (16-1 pin GAME1)
This connector supports a GAME/MIDI module. If a GAME/MIDI
module is available, connect the GAME/MIDI cable to this connector.
The GAME/MIDI port on the module connects a joystick or a game pad
for playing games, and MIDI devices for playing or editing audio files.
A7N8X-E
®
GAME1
A7N8X-E Game Connector
The GAME/MIDI module is purchased separately.
14. Infrared Module connector (10-1 pin IR_CON1)
This connector supports an optional wireless transmitting and receiving
infrared module. The module mounts to a small opening on the system
chassis that support this feature.
Make sure to configure the UART2 Use As parameter in the BIOS to
set the UART2 to use with IR.
IR_CON1
Standard Infrared (SIR)
Front View
Back View
SIR
CIR
A7N8X-E
®
+5V
(NC)
IRTX
GND
IRRX
A7N8X-E Infrared Connector
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
2-27
15. System panel connector (20-pin CTRL_PANEL1)
This connector accommodates several system front panel functions.
Keyboard Lock
Power LED
Speaker
Connector
A7N8X-E
Reset SW
®
IDE_LED
ATX Power
Switch*
Requires an ATX power supply.
A7N8X-E System Panel Connectors*
• System Power LED Lead (Green 3-1 pin PLED)
This 3-1 pin connector connects to the system power LED. The LED
lights up when you turn on the system power, and blinks when the
system is in sleep mode.
• Keyboard Lock Lead (Brown 2-pin KEYLOCK)
This 2-pin connector connects to a chassis-mounted switch to allow
the use of the keyboard lock feature.
• System Warning Speaker Lead (Orange 4-pin SPKR)
This 4-pin connector connects to the case-mounted speaker and
allows you to hear system beeps and warnings.
• Reset Switch Lead (Blue 2-pin RESET)
This 2-pin connector connects to the case-mounted reset switch for
rebooting the system without turning off the system power.
• ATX Power Switch / Soft-Off Switch Lead (Yellow 2-pin PWRBTN)
This connector connects a switch that controls the system power.
Pressing the power switch turns the system between ON and SLEEP,
or ON and SOFT OFF, depending on the BIOS or OS settings.
Pressing the power switch while in the ON mode for more than 4
seconds turns the system OFF.
• Hard disk activity LED (Red 2-pin IDE_LED)
This connector supplies power to the hard disk activity LED. Any read
or write activity of an IDE device cause this LED to light up.
The System Panel connector is color-coded for easy and foolproof
connection. Take note of the specific connector colors as described.
2-28
Chapter 2: Hardware information
Chapter 3
This chapter describes the power up
sequence, the vocal POST messages and
ways of shutting down the system.
Powering up
Chapter summary
3.1 Starting up for the first time.......................... 3-1
3.2 Powering off the computer ........................... 3-2
3.3 ASUS POST Reporter™................................. 3-4
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
3.1 Starting up for the first time
1. After making all the connections, replace the system case cover.
2. Be sure that all switches are off.
3. Connect the power cord to the power connector at the back of the system
chassis.
4. Connect the power cord to a power outlet that is equipped with a surge
protector.
5. Turn on the devices in the following order:
a. Monitor
b. External SCSI devices (starting with the last device on the chain)
c. System power (if you are using an ATX power supply, you need to
switch on the power supply as well as press the ATX power switch on
the front of the chassis).
6. After applying power, the power LED on the system front panel case lights
up. For ATX power supplies, the system LED lights up when you press the
ATX power switch. 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 tests. While the tests are running, the BIOS beeps
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.
7. At power on, hold down <Delete> to enter BIOS Setup. Follow the
instructions in Chapter 4.
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
3-1
3.2 Powering off the computer
3.2.1 Using the OS shut down function
If you are using Windows 98/98SE/ME/NT/2000, click the Start button,
click Shut Down..., make sure that the Shut down option button is
selected, then the OK button to shut down the computer. The power
supply should turn off after Windows shuts down.
If you are using Windows XP, click the Start button, click Turn Off
Computer, then the Turn Off button to shut down the computer. The
power supply should turn off after Windows shuts down.
3.2.2 Using the dual function power switch
While the system is ON, pressing the power switch for less than 4 seconds
puts the system to sleep mode or to soft-off mode, depending on the BIOS
setting. Pressing the power switch for more than 4 seconds lets the
system enter the soft-off mode regardless of the BIOS setting. See section
“4.5 Power Menu” in Chapter 4.
3-2
Chapter 3: Powering up
3.3 ASUS POST Reporter™
This motherboard includes the Winbond speech controller to support a
special feature called the ASUS POST Reporter™. This feature gives you
vocal POST messages and alerts to inform you of system events and boot
status. In case of a boot failure, you will hear the specific cause of the
problem.
These POST messages are customizable using the Winbond Voice Editor
software that came with your package. You can record your own
messages to replace the default messages.
3.3.1 Vocal POST messages
Following is a list of the default POST messages and their corresponding
actions:
POST Message
Action
No CPU installed
• Install an AMD Processor
into the CPU socket.
System failed CPU test
• Check the CPU if properly installed.
• Call ASUS technical support for
assistance. See the “ASUS contact
information” on the inside front
cover of this manual.
System failed memory test
• Install 184-pin unbuffered
PC3200/2700/2100 DIMMs into the
DIMM sockets.
• Check if the DIMMs on the DIMM
sockets are properly installed.
• Make sure that your DIMMs are
not defective.
• Refer to section “2.4 System
memory” for instruction on installing
a DIMM.
System failed VGA test
• Install a PCI VGA card into one of
the PCI slots, or a 1.5V AGP card
into the AGP slot.
• Make sure that your VGA/AGP card
is not defective.
System failed due to CPU
over-clocking
• Check your CPU settings in BIOS
and make sure you only set to the
recommended settings. See section
“4.4 Advanced menu.”
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
3-3
POST Message
Action
No keyboard detected
• Check your keyboard if properly
connected to the purple PS/2
connector on the rear panel.
• See section “2.7.1 Rear panel
connectors” for the location of the
connector.
No floppy disk detected
• Make sure you have connected a
floppy disk to the floppy disk
connector on the motherboard.
No IDE hard disk detected
• Make sure you have connected an
IDE hard disk drive to the one of the
IDE connectors on the motherboard.
CPU temperature too high
CPU fan failed
• Check CPU fan if working properly.
• Check the CPU fan and make sure
it turns on after you applied power
to the system.
• Make sure that your CPU fan
supports the fan speed detection
function.
CPU voltage out of range
• Check your power supply and
make sure it is not defective.
• Call ASUS technical support for
assistance. See the “ASUS contact
information” on the inside front
cover of this manual.
System completed Power-On Self Test • No action required
Computer now booting from operating • No action required
system
You may disable the ASUS POST Reporter™ in the BIOS setup. See
section “4.4.6 Speech Configuration”.
3-4
Chapter 3: Powering up
3.3.2 Winbond Voice Editor
The Winbond Voice Editor software allows you to customize the vocal
POST messages. Install the software from the utilities menu of the support
CD. See section “5.2.3 Utilities menu” for details.
To avoid conflicts, do not run the Winbond Voice Editor while running
the ASUS PC Probe.
Follow these steps to use the Winbond Voice Editor.
Launching the program
Launch the program either from the Winbond Voice Editor icon on your
desktop, or from the Windows Start menu, Programs/Winbond Voice Editor/
Voice Editor
.
The Winbond Voice Editor screen appears.
Default Messages
POST Events
Playing the default wave files
To play the default wave files, simply click on a POST event on the left
side of the screen, then click the Play button.
The default language setting is English.
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Changing the default language
1. Click on the Load button. a
window showing the available
languages appears.
2. Select your desired language then
click Open. The event messages
for the language you selected
appear on the Voice Editor screen.
For some languages, not all events have a corresponding message
due to file size constraints.
3. Click on the Write button to update
the EEPROM.
4. Click Yes on the confirmation
window that appears.
The next time you boot your computer, the POST messages are
announced in the language that you selected .
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Chapter 3: Powering up
Customizing your POST messages
If your language is not in the selection or if you wish to record your own
POST messages to replace the pre-installed wave files, you may easily do
so.
Follow these steps to customize your POST messages.
1. Launch the Voice Editor and take note of the list of POST events on
the leftmost column of the screen.
2. Prepare your message for each event.
The total compressed size for all the wave files must not exceed 1Mbit,
so make your messages as short as possible.
3. Use a recording software, such as Windows Recorder, to record your
messages.
4. Save the messages as wave files (.WAV). It is recommended that you
save your files in low quality to keep them small. For example, use
8-bit, mono quality at 22Khz sampling rate.
You may want to create a separate folder for your wave files so you
can locate them easily in one place.
5. From the Voice Editor screen,
click on the Add button to display
the Add Wave File window.
6. Copy the wave files that you
recorded to the database. Close
the window when done.
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7. Click a POST event on the Voice
Editor screen, then on the Edit
button. The Event Sound Editor
window appears.
8. Locate and select your wave file
for the event then click on the
arrow opposite Voice1. The file
you selected appears on the
space next to it.
9. Click OK to return to the Voice
Editor screen.
10. Do steps 7 to 9 for the other
events.
11. When done, click the Save
button. A window appears
prompting you to save your
configuration.
12. Type a file name with a .flh
extension, then click Save.
13. Click on the Write button to
compress the file and copy into
the EEPROM.
14. Click Yes on the confirmation
window that appears.
If you receive an error message telling you that the files exceed the total
allowable size, do one or all of the following.
• Try to modify your messages to make them shorter
• Save the wave files at a lower quality
• Skip lesser used events like FDD Detection, IDE HDD Detection, etc.
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Chapter 3: Powering up
Chapter 4
This chapter tells how to change the system
settings through the BIOS Setup menus.
Detailed descriptions of the BIOS
parameters are also provided.
BIOS setup
Chapter summary
4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS .............. 4-1
4.2 BIOS Setup program...................................... 4-7
4.3 Main Menu .................................................... 4-10
4.4 Advanced Menu ........................................... 4-14
4.5 Security Menu .............................................. 4-27
4.6 Hardware Monitor Menu .............................. 4-29
4.7 Exit Menu ...................................................... 4-30
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard
4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS
The following utilities allow you to manage and update the motherboard
Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) setup.
1. Award Flash BIOS Utility (Updates the BIOS using a floppy disk or during POST.)
2. ASUS Update (Updates the BIOS in a Windows® environment.)
Refer to the corresponding sections for details on these utilities.
Important notes
It is recommended that you save a copy of the original motherboard
BIOS file to a bootable floppy disk in case you need to restore the
BIOS in the future. Copy the original motherboard BIOS using the ASUS
Update or AFLASH utilities.
Visit the ASUS website and download the latest BIOS file for this
motherboard using the ASUS Update utility.
4.1.1 Creating a bootable floppy disk
1. Do either one of the following to create a bootable floppy disk.
DOS environment
Insert a 1.44 MB floppy disk into the drive. At the DOS prompt, type:
format A:/S then press <Enter>.
Windows® 98SE/ME/2000/XP environment
a. Insert a 1.44 MB floppy disk into the floppy disk drive.
b. From your Windows desktop, click on Start, then select My
Computer.
c. Select the 3 1/2 Floppy Drive icon.
d. Click File from the menu, then select Format. A Format 3 1/2
Floppy Disk window appears.
e. If you are using Windows™ XP, select Create an MS-DOS startup
disk from the format options field, then click Start.
OR
If you are using Windows™ 98SE/ME/2000, select Full option
button from the format type, then click Start.
2. Copy the original (or the latest) motherboard BIOS to the bootable
floppy disk.
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4.1.2 AwardBIOS Flash Utility
Updating BIOS via the Built-in AwardBIOS Flash Utility
The built-in AwardBIOS Flash Utility allows you to easily update the BIOS
without having to go through the long process of booting from a floppy disk
and using a DOS-based utility. Press <Alt>+<F2> during the Power-On
Self Tests (POST) to launch the AwardBIOS flash utility.
Write down the BIOS file name to a piece of paper. You need to type
the exact BIOS file name at the prompt.
1. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS
file for your motherboard and rename it to A7N8X-E.ROM. Save the
BIOS file to a floppy disk.
2. Reboot the computer.
3. To use AwardBIOS Flash Utility, press <Alt> + <F2> during POST to
display the following screen.
The BIOS information in the above screen is for reference only. what you
see on your screen may not be exactly the same as shown.
4. Insert the disk that contains the new BIOS file into the floppy drive. You
will receive the error message, “WARNING! Device not ready!” if you
proceed to step 5 without the disk in the drive.
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Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
5. Type the name of the new BIOS file, for example: “AW0702.BIN” then
press <Enter>. The program asks if you want to save the previous BIOS.
Select <Y> since it is advisable to back-up the original BIOS in case you
need to reprogram it.
6. The program asks to save the previous BIOS to a separate file. Type a
file name for the old bios and then press <Y>. The AWDFLASH
program backs-up the file.
7. AWDFLASH proceeds to check the new BIOS file and asks the user to
program (flash) the new BIOS file to the motherboard.
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8. Type <Y> and Press <Enter> to flash the new Bios file. NOTE: Do not
shut off system power or unplug the supply during the flash process.
9. The BIOS flashes and displays the results. Press <F1> to restart.
Updating BIOS via Bootable Floppy Disk
1. Boot from the floppy disk.
2. At the A:\ prompt, type C:\ then press <Enter>.
3. At the C:\ prompt, type AWDFLASH /qi BIOSFilename then <Enter> to
display the AWDFLASH screen.
4. Type the name of the new BIOS file, for example: “AW0702.BIN” then
press <Enter>. The program prompts if you want to save the previous
BIOS. Select <Y> to back-up the original BIOS in case you need to
reprogram it.
5. Follow steps 6 to 9 of the “Updating BIOS via the Built-in Award BIOS
Flash Utility.” section.
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Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
4.1.3 ASUS Update
The ASUS Update is a utility that allows you to update the motherboard
BIOS in Windows® environment. This utility is available in the support CD
that comes with the motherboard package. ASUS Update requires an
Internet connection either through a network or an Internet Service
Provider (ISP).
To install ASUS Update:
1. Insert the support CD into the CD-ROM drive. The Drivers menu
appears.
2. Click the Utilities tab, then click Install ASUS Update VX.XX.XX. See
page 5-3 for the Utilities menu screen.
3. The ASUS Update utility is copied into your system.
To update the BIOS using the ASUS Update:
1. Launch the utility from the Windows desktop by clicking Start > Programs
> ASUS > ASUSUpdate > ASUSUpdate. The ASUS Update initial screen
appears.
2. Select your desired update
method, then click Next.
3. If you selected updating/
downloading from the Internet,
select the ASUS FTP site
nearest you to avoid network
traffic, or choose Auto Select.
Click Next.
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4. From the FTP site, select the
BIOS version that you wish to
download. Click Next.
5. Follow the instructions on the
succeeding screens to complete
the update process.
If you selected the option to update
the BIOS from a file, a window pops
up prompting you to locate the file.
Select the file, click Save, then
follow the screen instructions to
complete the update process.
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Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
4.2 BIOS Setup program
This motherboard supports a programmable firmware chip that you can
update using the provided utility described in section “4.1 Managing and
updating your BIOS.”
Use the BIOS Setup program when you are installing a motherboard,
reconfiguring your system, or prompted to “Run Setup”. This section
explains how to configure your system using this utility.
Even if you are not prompted to use the Setup program, you may want to
change the configuration of your computer in the future. For example, you
may want to enable the security password feature or change the power
management settings. This requires you to reconfigure your system using
the BIOS Setup program so that the computer can recognize these
changes and record them in the CMOS RAM of the firmware hub.
The firmware hub on the motherboard stores the Setup utility. When you
start up the computer, the system provides you with the opportunity to run
this program. Press <Delete> during the Power-On Self Test (POST) to
enter the Setup utility. Otherwise, POST continues with its test routines.
If you wish to enter Setup after POST, restart the system by pressing
<Ctrl> + <Alt> + <Delete>, or by pressing the reset button on the system
chassis. You can also restart by turning the system off and then back on.
Do this last option only if the first two failed.
The Setup program is designed to make it as easy to use as possible. It is
a menu-driven program, which means you can scroll through the various
sub-menus and make your selections from the available options using the
navigation keys.
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