Asus M2N MX User Manual

M2N-MX  
Contents  
Notices................................................................................................ vi  
Safety information ..............................................................................vii  
M2N-MX specifications summary........................................................viii  
Chapter 1: Product introduction  
1.1  
1.2  
1.3  
Welcome!.............................................................................. 1-2  
Package contents ................................................................. 1-2  
Special features.................................................................... 1-2  
1.3.1  
1.3.2  
Product highlights................................................... 1-2  
Innovative ASUS features ...................................... 1-5  
1.4  
1.5  
Before you proceed .............................................................. 1-6  
Motherboard overview.......................................................... 1-7  
1.5.1  
1.5.2  
1.5.3  
Motherboard layout ................................................ 1-7  
Placement direction ................................................ 1-8  
Screw holes............................................................. 1-8  
1.6  
1.7  
Central Processing Unit (CPU) .............................................. 1-9  
1.6.1  
1.6.2  
Installing the CPU.................................................... 1-9  
Installing the heatsink and fan..............................1-11  
System memory.................................................................. 1-13  
1.7.1  
1.7.2  
1.7.3  
1.7.4  
Overview............................................................... 1-13  
Memory configurations .........................................1-13  
Installing a DIMM ...................................................1-15  
Removing a DIMM..................................................1-15  
1.8  
Expansion slots................................................................... 1-16  
1.8.1  
1.8.2  
1.8.3  
1.8.4  
1.8.5  
Installing an expansion card..................................1-16  
Configuring an expansion card..............................1-16  
PCI slots................................................................ 1-18  
PCI Express x1 slot ...............................................1-18  
PCI Express x16 slot .............................................1-18  
1.9  
Jumpers .............................................................................. 1-19  
1.10 Connectors ......................................................................... 1-21  
1.10.1 Rear panel connectors ..........................................1-21  
1.10.2 Internal connectors...............................................1-22  
iii  
Contents  
Chapter 2: BIOS setup  
2.1  
Managing and updating your BIOS ........................................ 2-2  
2.1.1  
2.1.2  
2.1.3  
2.1.4  
2.1.5  
Creating a bootable floppy disk.............................. 2-2  
ASUS EZ Flash utility............................................... 2-3  
AFUDOS utility ........................................................ 2-4  
ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 utility ................................ 2-6  
ASUS Update utility ................................................ 2-8  
2.2  
BIOS setup program............................................................ 2-11  
2.2.1  
2.2.2  
2.2.3  
2.2.4  
2.2.5  
2.2.6  
2.2.7  
2.2.8  
2.2.9  
BIOS menu screen.................................................2-12  
Menu bar............................................................... 2-12  
Navigation keys.....................................................2-12  
Menu items ........................................................... 2-13  
Sub-menu items....................................................2-13  
Configuration fields...............................................2-13  
Pop-up window......................................................2-13  
Scroll bar............................................................... 2-13  
General help..........................................................2-13  
2.3  
Main menu........................................................................... 2-14  
2.3.1  
2.3.2  
2.3.3  
2.3.4  
2.3.5  
2.3.6  
2.3.7  
System Time.........................................................2-14  
System Date .........................................................2-14  
Legacy Diskette A ...............................................2-14  
IDE Configuration ..................................................2-15  
Primary IDE Master/Slave......................................2-15  
SATA1, SATA2, SATA3, and SATA4....................2-17  
System Information...............................................2-18  
2.4  
Advanced menu.................................................................. 2-19  
2.4.1  
2.4.2  
2.4.3  
2.4.4  
2.4.5  
2.4.6  
CPU Configuration.................................................2-19  
Chipset ................................................................. 2-20  
Onboard Devices Configuration.............................2-23  
PCI PnP.................................................................. 2-24  
USB Configuration.................................................2-25  
Jumperfree Configuration .....................................2-26  
2.5  
Power menu........................................................................ 2-28  
2.5.1  
2.5.2  
2.5.3  
Suspend Mode.......................................................2-28  
Repost Video on S3 Resume.................................2-28  
ACPI Support ........................................................2-28  
iv  
Contents  
2.5.4  
2.5.5  
2.5.6  
ACPI APIC Support ................................................2-28  
APM Configuration ................................................2-29  
Hardware Monitor..................................................2-30  
2.6  
Boot menu.......................................................................... 2-31  
2.6.1  
2.6.2  
2.6.3  
Boot Device Priority..............................................2-31  
Boot Settings Configuration .................................2-32  
Security................................................................. 2-33  
2.7  
2.8  
Tools menu......................................................................... 2-35  
2.7.1 ASUS EZ Flash 2....................................................2-35  
Exit menu............................................................................ 2-35  
Chapter 3: Software support  
3.1  
3.2  
Installing an operating system.............................................. 3-2  
Support CD information........................................................ 3-2  
3.2.1  
3.2.2  
3.2.3  
3.2.4  
3.2.5  
3.2.6  
3.2.7  
Running the support CD.......................................... 3-2  
Drivers menu........................................................... 3-3  
Utilities menu.......................................................... 3-4  
Make Disk menu...................................................... 3-5  
Manual menu........................................................... 3-6  
ASUS Contact information...................................... 3-7  
Other information ................................................... 3-7  
3.3  
Creating a RAID driver disk ................................................... 3-9  
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 adapter 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.  
The symbol of the crossed out wheeled bin indicates that the product  
(electrical and electronic equipment) should not be placed in municipal  
waste. Please check local regulations for disposal of electronic products.  
vii  
M2N-MX specifications summary  
Support AMD socket AM2 for AMD Athlon™ 64/  
CPU  
Athlon™ FX/Athlon™ X2/Sempron processors  
AMD64 architecture enables simultaneous 32-bit and  
64-bit computing  
Supports AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet™ Technology  
NVIDIA® nForce 430/GeForce6100  
2000/1600 MT/s  
Chipset  
Front Side Bus  
Memory  
Dual-channel memory architecture  
4 x 240-pin DIMM sockets support up to 4 GB of  
unbufferred/non-ECC 800/667/533 MHz  
DDR2 memory modules  
1 x PCI Express™ x16 slot  
1 x PCI Express™ x1 slot  
2 x PCI slots  
Expansion slots  
Graphics  
Integrated in the NVIDIA® GeForce™ 6100 Graphics  
Processing Unit (GPU)  
High definition video processing with maximum  
resolution of 1920 x 1440 x 32bpp pixels (@75Hz)  
NVIDIA® nForce™430 media and communications  
processor (MCP) supports:  
Storage  
- 1 x Ultra DMA 133/100 interfaces for two (2) hard  
disk drives  
- 4 x Serial ATA 3 Gb/s hard disk drives Supports  
RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, RAID 5, JBOD  
SoundMAX® ADI AD1986A 6 channels CODEC  
Supports Jack-Sensing & Enumeration technology  
S/PDIF OUT interface  
High Definition Audio  
ATTANSIC Gigabit LAN PHY  
LAN  
USB  
Supports up to 10 USB 2.0/1.1 ports  
(continued on the next page)  
viii  
M2N-MX specifications summary  
Manageability  
Special features  
ASUS Q-Fan  
ASUS C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)  
ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2  
ASUS EZ Flash  
ASUS MyLogo2™  
Stepless Frequency Selection (SFS) allows FSB tuning  
from 200 MHz to 230 MHz at 1 MHz increment  
Note: ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 and ASUS EZ Flash 2 only  
support VGA/RGB output.  
BIOS features  
Rear panel  
4 Mb Flash ROM, Award BIOS,Green, PnP, DMI, Wfm2.0,  
ACPI v 2.0a, SM BIOS v 2.3  
1 x Parallel port  
1 x LAN (RJ-45) port  
4 x USB 2.0 ports  
1 x VGA port  
1 x COM1 port  
1 x PS/2 keyboard port  
1 x PS/2 mouse port  
6-channel audio ports  
Internal Connector  
1 x 10-pin Azalia Analog Front panel connector  
1 x CD audio in connector  
1 x CPU fan connector  
1 x Chassis fan connectors  
1 x Floppy disk drive connector  
1 x S/PDIF Out connector  
1 x PRI_IDE connectors  
4 x Serial ATA connectors  
3 x USB 2.0 connectors for 6 additional USB 2.0 ports  
1 x 24-pin ATX power connector  
1 x 4-pin x ATX 12V power connector  
1 x System panel connector  
Power Requirement  
Form Factor  
ATX power supply (with 24-pin and 4-pin 12 V plugs)  
ATX 12 V 2.0 compliant  
uATX: 9.6 in. x 8.8 in.  
Support CD contents Device drivers  
ASUS PC Probe II  
AMD Cool ‘n’Quiet™ utility  
ASUS Live Update utility  
Anti-virus software (OEM version)  
*Specifications are subject to change without notice.  
ix  
x
This chapter describes the motherboard  
features and the new technologies  
it supports.  
Product  
1
introduction  
1.1  
Welcome!  
Thank you for buying an ASUS® M2N-MX motherboard!  
The motherboard delivers a host of new features and latest technologies,  
making it another standout in the long line of ASUS quality motherboards!  
Before you start installing the motherboard, and hardware devices on it,  
check the items in your package with the list below.  
1.2  
Package contents  
Check your motherboard package for the following items.  
Motherboard  
Cables  
ASUS M2N-MX motherboard  
1 x Serial ATA signal cables  
1 x Serial ATA power cable  
1 x Ultra DMA 133/100/66 cable  
1 x Floppy disk drive cable  
Accessories  
I/O shield  
Application CD  
Documentation  
ASUS motherboard support CD  
User guide  
If any of the above items is damaged or missing, contact your retailer.  
1.3  
Special features  
1.3.1 Product highlights  
Latest processor technology  
The motherboard supports AMD socket AM2 single-core Athlon 64/  
Sempron and dual-core Athlon 64 X2/Athlon 64 FX processors with  
2MB/1MB/512KB L2 cache, which is based on 64-bit architecture. It  
features 2000/1600 MT/s HyperTransport Bus, dual-channel un-buffered  
DDR2 800 memory support and AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet Technology. See page  
1-9 for details.  
1-2  
Chapter 1: Product introduction  
AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet Technology  
The motherboard supports the AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet Technology, which  
monitors system operation and automatically adjusts CPU voltage and  
frequency for a cool and quiet operating environment.  
NVIDIA® GeForce™ 6100 GPU  
and NVIDIA® nForce™ 430 MCP chipsets  
The NVIDIA® GeForce™ 6100 graphics processing unit (GPU) Northbridge  
supports Microsoft® DirectX 9.0 Shader Model 3.0, and PCI Express  
interface.  
The NVIDIA® nForce™ 430 media and communications processor (MCP)  
Southbridge delivers NVIDIA® Gigabit and NVIDIA® MediaShield storage  
management technology allowing easy RAID configuration (RAID 0, RAID 1,  
RAID 0+1, RAID 5, and JBOD) for Serial ATA 3Gb/s.  
DDR2 memory support  
The motherboard supports DDR2 memory which features data transfer  
rates of 800MHz/667 MHz/533 MHz to meet the higher bandwidth  
requirements of the latest 3D graphics, multimedia, and Internet  
applications. The dual-channel DDR2 architecture doubles the bandwidth  
of your system memory to boost system performance, eliminating  
bottlenecks with peak bandwidths of up to 12.8 GB/s. See pages 1-13 to  
1-16 for details.  
PCI Express™ interface  
The motherboard fully supports PCI Express, the latest I/O interconnect  
technology that speeds up the PCI bus. PCI Express features point-to-point  
serial interconnections between devices and allows higher clockspeeds by  
carrying data in packets. This high speed interface is software compatible  
with existing PCI specifications. See page 1-20 for details.  
ASUS M2N-MX  
1-3  
Serial ATA 3Gb/s technology  
The motherboard supports next-generation SATA hard drives based on  
the new SATA 3Gb/s storage specification. The onboard NVIDIA® nForce  
430 MCP southbridge allows RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, RAID 5, and JBOD  
configurations for four SATA connectors.  
Gigabit LAN solution  
Gb LAN controller delivers transfer speeds up to ten times faster than  
conventional 10/100 Ethernet connections. Gigabit LAN is the networking  
standard for the early future and is ideal for handling large amounts of data  
such as video, audio, and voice.  
USB 2.0 technology  
The motherboard implements the Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0  
specification, dramatically increasing the connection speed from the  
12 Mbps bandwidth on USB 1.1 to a fast 480 Mbps on USB 2.0. USB 2.0 is  
backward compatible with USB 1.1. See pages 1-28 for details.  
High Definition Audio  
SoundMAX is the highest performing, most reliable and user-friendly PC  
audio solution for business professionals, audiophiles, musicians, and  
gamers. Hear crystal-clear quality from all your audio - MP3 playback, home  
theatre, advanced gaming, VOIP and more, and never worry - SoundMAX  
high-definition audio is there to enhance your experience!  
1-4  
Chapter 1: Product introduction  
1.3.2 Innovative ASUS features  
ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2  
This feature allows you to restore the original BIOS data from the support  
CD in case when the BIOS codes and data are corrupted. This protection  
eliminates the need to buy a replacement BIOS chip. See page 2-6 for  
details.  
ASUS EZ Flash 2  
With the ASUS EZ Flash, you can easily update the system BIOS even  
before loading the operating system. No need to use a DOS-based utility or  
boot from a floppy disk. See page 2-3 for details.  
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 page 2-31 for details.  
C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)  
The C.P.R. feature of the motherboard BIOS allows automatic re-setting to  
the BIOS default settings in case the system hangs due to overclocking.  
When the system hangs due to overclocking, C.P.R. eliminates the need  
to open the system chassis and clear the RTC data. Simply shut down and  
reboot the system, and the BIOS automatically restores the CPU default  
setting for each parameter.  
ASUS MyLogo2™  
This feature allows you to personalize and add style to your system with  
customizable boot logos.  
ASUS M2N-MX  
1-5  
1.4  
Before you proceed  
Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard  
components or change any motherboard settings.  
Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any  
component.  
Use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded object or  
a metal object, such as the power supply case, before handling  
components to avoid damaging them due to static electricity  
Hold components by the edges to avoid touching the ICs on them.  
Whenever you uninstall any component, place it on a grounded  
antistatic pad or in the bag that came with the component.  
Before you install or remove any component, ensure that the ATX  
power supply is switched off or the power cord is detached from  
the power supply. Failure to do so may cause severe damage to the  
motherboard, peripherals, and/or components.  
Onboard LED  
The motherboard comes with a standby power LED that lights up to  
indicate that the system is ON, in sleep mode, or in soft-off mode.  
This is a reminder that you should shut down the system and unplug  
the power cable before removing or plugging in any motherboard  
component. The illustration below shows the location of the onboard  
LED.  
R
SB_PWR  
M2N-MX  
ON  
Standby  
Power  
OFF  
Powered  
Off  
M2N-MX Onboard LED  
1-6  
Chapter 1: Product introduction  
1.5  
Motherboard overview  
1.5.1 Motherboard layout  
22.4cm (8.8in)  
PS/2KBMS  
T: Mouse  
B: Keyboard  
ATX12V  
USB12  
PS2_USB_PWR  
Super I/O  
R
LAN_USB34  
AUDIO  
4Mb BIOS  
M2N-MX  
CPU_FAN  
PCIEX16  
CR2032 3V  
Lithium Cell  
CMOS Power  
PCIEX1_1  
ATTANSIC  
F001  
CLRTC  
NVIDIA MCP61G  
PCI1  
PCI2  
USB56  
AD1986A  
SB_PWR  
PANEL  
USB910  
SPDIF_O  
FLOPPY  
AAFP  
USB78  
ASUS M2N-MX  
1-7  
1.5.2 Placement direction  
When installing the motherboard, make sure that you place it into the  
chassis in the correct orientation. The edge with external ports goes to the  
rear part of the chassis as indicated in the image below.  
1.5.3 Screw holes  
Place six (6) screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the  
motherboard to the chassis.  
Do not overtighten the screws! Doing so can damage the motherboard.  
Place this side towards  
the rear of the chassis  
R
M2N-MX  
1-8  
Chapter 1: Product introduction  
1.6  
Central Processing Unit (CPU)  
The motherboard comes with a 940-pin AM2 socket designed for the AMD  
Athlon™ 64 X2/Athlon™ 64/Athlon™ FX/Sempron™ processor.  
The AM2 socket has a different pinout from the 940-pin socket designed  
for the AMD Opteron™ processor. Make sure you use a CPU is designed  
for the AM2 socket. The CPU fits in only one correct orientation. DO NOT  
force the CPU into the socket to prevent bending the connectors on the  
socket and damaging the CPU!  
1.6.1 Installing the CPU  
To install a CPU.  
1. Locate the CPU socket on the motherboard.  
R
M2N-MX  
M2N-MX CPU Socket M2  
2. Unlock the socket by pressing the  
lever sideways, then lift it up to a  
90°-100° angle.  
Socket lever  
Make sure that the socket lever is lifted up to 90°-100° angle, otherwise  
the CPU does not fit in completely.  
ASUS M2N-MX  
1-9