®
P4B266-M
User Guide
Contents
FCC/CDC statements ..................................................................... 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
ASUS contact information ................................................................x
Chapter 1: Product introduction ........................................... 1-1
1.1 Welcome! ............................................................................ 1-1
1.2 Package contents ............................................................... 1-1
1.3 Overview ............................................................................. 1-2
1.3.1 Identifying the motherboard components ................ 1-2
1.3.2 Pre-installed accessory ........................................... 1-5
1.4 Special features .................................................................. 1-6
Chapter 2: Hardware information ......................................... 2-1
2.1 Motherboard installation ...................................................... 2-1
2.1.1 Placement direction ................................................ 2-1
2.1.2 Screw holes ............................................................ 2-1
2.2 Motherboard layout ............................................................. 2-2
2.3 Before you proceed ............................................................. 2-3
2.4 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ............................................ 2-4
2.4.1 Overview ................................................................ 2-4
2.4.2 Installing the CPU ................................................... 2-5
2.4.3 Installing the heatsink and fan ................................. 2-7
2.4.4 Connecting the CPU fan cable ................................ 2-9
2.5 System memory ................................................................ 2-10
2.5.1 Overview .............................................................. 2-10
2.5.2 Memory configurations ......................................... 2-10
2.5.3 Installing a DIMM ...................................................2-11
2.5.4 Removing a DIMM ................................................ 2-12
2.6 Expansion slots ................................................................. 2-13
2.6.1 Installing an expansion card.................................. 2-13
2.6.2 Configuring an expansion card ............................. 2-14
2.6.3 PCI slots ............................................................... 2-15
iii
Contents
2.6.4 AGP slot ............................................................... 2-15
2.6.5 CNR slot ............................................................... 2-16
2.7 Switches and jumpers ....................................................... 2-17
2.7.1 Switch settings...................................................... 2-17
2.8 Connectors ....................................................................... 2-19
Chapter 3: Powering up ........................................................ 3-1
3.1 Starting up for the first time.................................................. 3-1
3.3 Powering off the computer................................................... 3-2
Chapter 4: BIOS setup .......................................................... 4-1
4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS...................................... 4-1
4.1.1 Using the computer system for the first time ........... 4-1
4.1.2 Updating BIOS procedures ..................................... 4-3
4.2 BIOS Setup program ........................................................... 4-5
4.2.1 BIOS menu bar....................................................... 4-6
4.2.2 Legend bar ............................................................. 4-6
4.3 Main Menu .......................................................................... 4-8
4.3.1 Primary and Secondary Master/Slave ..................... 4-9
4.3.2 Keyboard Features ............................................... 4-13
4.4 Advanced Menu ................................................................ 4-15
4.4.1 Chip Configuration ................................................ 4-17
4.4.2 I/O Device Configuration ....................................... 4-19
4.4.3 PCI Configuration ................................................. 4-21
4.5 Power Menu...................................................................... 4-24
4.5.1 Power Up Control ................................................. 4-26
4.5.2 Hardware Monitor ................................................. 4-28
4.6 Boot Menu ........................................................................ 4-29
4.7 Exit Menu .......................................................................... 4-31
Chapter 5: Software support ................................................ 5-1
5.1 Install an operating system .................................................. 5-1
5.1.1 Windows 98 first time installation ............................ 5-1
5.2 Support CD information ....................................................... 5-1
5.2.1 Running the support CD ......................................... 5-1
5.2.2 Main menu ............................................................. 5-2
5.2.3 Software menu ....................................................... 5-3
iv
Contents
5.2.4 Drivers menu .......................................................... 5-5
5.2.5 DOS Utilities menu ................................................. 5-6
5.2.6 ASUS Contact Information ...................................... 5-6
5.2.7 Other information .................................................... 5-7
5.3 Software information ........................................................... 5-9
5.3.1 ASUS Update ......................................................... 5-9
Glossary ................................................................................ G-1
Index ........................................................................................ I-1
v
FCC/CDC statements
Federal Communications Commission Statement
This device complies with FCC Rules Part 15. 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 the
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard.
How this guide is organized
This manual contains the following parts:
•
Chapter 1: Product introduction
This chapter describes the features of the P4B266-M motherboard. It
includes brief descriptions of the special attributes 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 switches, jumpers, and connectors on the motherboard.
•
Chapter 3: Powering up
This chapter describes the power up sequence and gives information
on the BIOS beep codes.
•
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.
Glossary
This part lists the technical terms that you may encounter when
reading this document.
Index
This part contains an alphabetical list of the topics found in this
document.
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.
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. The ASUS websites are listed in the
ASUS Contact Information on page x.
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
ASUS contact information
ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (Asia-Pacific)
Address:
150 Li-Te Road, Peitou, Taipei, Taiwan 112
+886-2-2894-3447
+886-2-2894-3449
General Tel:
General Fax:
General Email:
Technical Support
MB/Others (Tel):
Notebook (Tel):
+886-2-2890-7121 (English)
+886-2-2890-7122 (English)
Desktop/Server (Tel): +886-2-2890-7123 (English)
Support Fax:
Support Email:
Web Site:
+886-2-2890-7698
cscnews.asus.com.tw
Newsgroup:
ASUS COMPUTER INTERNATIONAL (America)
Address:
6737 Mowry Avenue, Mowry Business Center,
Building 2, Newark, CA 94560, USA
+1-510-608-4555
General Fax:
General Email:
Technical Support
Support Fax:
Notebook (Tel):
Web Site:
+1-510-608-4555
1-877-918-ASUS (2787)
Support Email:
ASUS COMPUTER GmbH (Europe)
Address:
Harkortstr. 25, 40880 Ratingen, BRD, Germany
General Fax:
General Email:
+49-2102-442066
[email protected] (for marketing requests only)
Technical Support
Support Hotline:
Notebook (Tel):
Support Fax:
MB/Others: +49-2102-9599-0
+49-2102-9599-10
+49-2102-9599-11
Support (Email):
Web Site:
x
Chapter 1
This chapter describes the features of the
P4B266-M motherboard. It includes brief
explanations of the special attributes of the
motherboard and the new technology it
supports.
Product introduction
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard
1.1
Welcome!
®
Thank you for buying the ASUS P4B266-M motherboard!
The ASUSP4B266-M motherboard delivers a host of new features and
latest technology making it another standout in the long line of ASUS
quality motherboards!
®
®
The P4B266-M incorporates the Intel Pentium 4 Processor in 478-pin
®
package/Northwood Processor coupled with the Intel 845D (Brookdale)
chipset to set a new benchmark for an effective desktop platform solution.
Supporting up to 2GB of system memory with PC2100/1600 ECC/non-
ECC DDR SDRAM, high-resolution graphics via an AGP 4X slot,
communication and networking options through a CNR slot, high-speed
data transfers using the ATA100 protocol, and AC ‘97-compliant audio
features, the P4B266-M is your perfect vehicle to get 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 P4B266-M package for the following items.
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard (micro-ATX form factor: 9.6-in x 9.6-in)
ASUS P4B266-M support CD
ASUS 2-port USB module
80-conductor ribbon cable for UltraDMA 100/66 IDE drives
Ribbon cable for a 3.5-inch floppy drive
I/O shield (for LAN models only)
Bag of extra jumper caps
User Guide
If any of the above items is damaged or missing, contact your retailer.
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
1-1
1.3
Special features
Latest processor technology
The P4B266-M motherboard supports the latest Intel Pentium 4 478/
Northwood Processor, also known as P4, via a 478-pin surface mount ZIF
socket. The Pentium 4 processor utilizes the advanced 0.18 micron
processor core in FC-PGA2 package for a 2.0GHz frequency, while the
Northwood processor uses the 0.13 micron processor core with 512KB L2
cache for up to a speedy 2.4GHz frequency. The P4 offers optimized
performance for audio, video, and Internet applications.
DDR memory support
Employing the Double Data Rate (DDR) memory technology, the
P4B266-M motherboard supports up to 2GB of system memory using
PC2100/1600 DDR DIMMs. The ultra-fast 266MHz memory bus doubles
the speed of the PC133 SDRAM to deliver the required bandwidth for the
latest 3D graphics, multimedia, and Internet applications. See page 2-10.
Onboard LAN
The motherboard incorporates the RealTek 8100 PCI LAN chip to support
10BASE-T/100BASE-TX Fast Ethernet networking.
AGP warning LED
A red warning LED is onboard to serve as a smart burn-out protection.
This LED lights up if you plug in any 3.3V AGP card into the AGP slot.
When this LED is lighted, there is no way you can turn on the system
power even if you press the power button.
1-2
Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.4
Over view
Before you install the P4B266-M motherboard, take some time to
familiarize yourself with its physical configuration and available features.
This will facilitate the motherboard installation and future upgrades. A
sufficient knowledge of the motherboard specifications will also help you
avoid mistakes that may damage the board and its components.
This section presents the motherboard components and points out their
specific locations. A brief description of each component follows. Refer to
Chapter 2 for detailed information on these components.
1.4.1 Identifying the motherboard components
4
5
3
6
7
8
2
9
1
29
10
28
27
11
12
26
25
24
23
22
21
13
14
20
19
18
177
16
15
Proceed to the succeeding pages for a brief description of each
component.
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
1-3
1
2
CPU socket. A 478-pin surface mount, Zero Insertion Force (ZIF)
®
socket called mPGA478 B. This socket accommodates the Intel
®
Pentium 4 478/Northwood Processor with 400MHz system bus.
North bridge controller. This controller called the Intel Memory
Controller Hub (MCH) is one of the two major components of the
Intel 845D (Brookdale) chipset. The MCH along with the south
bridge Intel I/O Controller Hub 2 (ICH2) are interconnected through
the Intel proprietary Hub interface. The MCH provides the
processor interface, system memory interface, AGP interface, and
Hub Interface.
DDR DIMM sockets. These two 184-pin DIMM sockets support up
to 2GB using ECC/ non-ECC PC2100/1600 DDR SDRAM DIMMs.
3
4
Super I/O chipset. This Low Pin Count (LPC) interface provides
the commonly used Super I/O functionality. The chipset supports a
high-performance floppy disk controller for a 360K/720K/1.44M/
2.88M floppy disk drive, a multi-mode parallel port, two standard
compatible UARTs, a Standard Infrared (SIR), one MPU-401 UART
mode compatible MIDI/game port, and a Flash ROM interface.
ATX power connector. This 20-pin connector connects to an ATX
12V power supply. The power supply must have at least 1A on the
+5V standby lead (+5VSB).
5
6
IDE connectors. These dual-channel bus master IDE connectors
support up to four Ultra DMA/100/66, PIO Modes 3 & 4 IDE
devices. Both the primary (blue) and secondary (black) connectors
are slotted to prevent incorrect insertion of the IDE ribbon cable.
Floppy disk connector. This connector accommodates the
provided ribbon cable for the floppy disk drive. One side of the
connector is slotted to prevent incorrect insertion of the floppy disk
cable.
7
8
9
Flash EEPROM. This 2Mb firmware contains the programmable
BIOS program.
DIP switches. This 5-switch Dual Inline Package (DIP) allows you
to set the CPU external frequency.
1-4
Chapter 1: Product introduction
South bridge controller. Referred to as the Intel I/O Controller
Hub 2 (ICH2) of the Intel 845D chipset, this controller provides the
I/O subsystem that allows access to the rest of the system. The
ICH2 integrates I/O functions such as system bus interface, Ultra
ATA/100, Low Pin Count (LPC) interface, Universal Serial Bus
(USB) 1.1 interface, PCI interface, and CNR interface.
10
ASUS ASIC. This chip performs multiple system functions that
include hardware and system voltage monitoring, power
management routing, among others.
11
12
AGP warning LED. Serving as a smart burn-out protection for the
motherboard, this red LED lights up if you plug in any 3.3V AGP
card into the AGP slot. When this LED is lit, there is no way you
can turn on the system power even if you press the power button.
Onboard LED. This onboard LED lights up if there is a standby
power on the motherboard. This LED acts as a reminder to turn off
the system power before plugging or unplugging devices.
13
14
CNR slot. This slot is specifically designed for the Communications
and Networking Riser (CNR) card. The CNR supports V.90 analog
modem, HPNA, USB Hub, and the 10BASE-T/100BASE-T Ethernet
networking.
Audio CODEC. This AC ‘97 audio codec provides stereo analog
I/O on the motherboard and peripheral devices to deliver high
quality audio to PC-connected speakers, headphones, and
microphones. The codec includes analog-to-digital and digital-to-
analog sample rate converters, as power amplifiers and
programmable gain blocks. (on audio models only)
15
PCI slots. These three 32-bit PCI 2.2 expansion slots support bus
master PCI cards like SCSI or LAN cards with 133MB/s maximum
throughput.
16
17
LAN controller. This RealTek 8100 PCI LAN controller fully
supports 100BASE-TX Ethernet networking. (on LAN models only)
18
19
AGP slot. This Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) slot supports 1.5V
AGP4X mode graphics cards for 3D graphical applications.
Microphone jack. This Mic (pink) jack connects a microphone.
(on audio models only)
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
1-5
Line In jack. This Line In (light blue) jack connects a tape player or
other audio sources. (on audio models only)
20
Line Out jack. This Line Out (lime) jack connects a headphone or
a speaker. (on audio models only)
21
22
Game/MIDI connector. This connector supports a joystick or a
game pad for playing games, and MIDI devices for playing or
editing audio files. (on audio models only)
ATX 12V connector. This power connector connects the 4-pin
+12V plug from the ATX 12V power supply.
23
24
Serial ports. These two 9-pin COM1/COM2 ports are for pointing
devices or other serial devices.
25
26
Parallel port. This 25-pin port connects a parallel printer, a
scanner, or other devices.
USB ports. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports are
available for connecting USB devices such as a mouse and PDA.
27
28
29
RJ-45 port. This port allows connection to a Local Area Network
(LAN) through a network hub. (on LAN models only)
PS/2 keyboard port. This purple 6-pin connector is for a PS/2
keyboard.
PS/2 mouse port. This green 6-pin connector is for a PS/2 mouse.
1-6
Chapter 1: Product introduction
Chapter 2
This chapter describes the hardware setup
procedures that you have to perform when
installing system components. It includes
details on the switches, jumpers, and
connectors on the motherboard.
Hardware information
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard
2.1 Motherboard installation
Before you install the motherboard, study the configuration of your chassis
to ensure that the motherboard fits into it. The P4B266-M uses the micro-
ATX form factor that measures 9.6 inches x 9.6 inches, a standard fit for
most chassis.
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.
2.1.1 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. Refer to the image below.
2.1.2 Screw holes
Place eight (8) screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the
motherboard to the chassis.
Do not overtighten the screws! Doing so may damage the
motherboard.
Place this side towards
the rear of the chassis
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
2-1
2.2 Motherboard layout
24.4cm (9.60in)
PS/2KBMS
T: Mouse
B: Keyboard
CPU_FAN
Super
I/O
Socket 478
Bottom:
Top:
USB1
USB2
RJ-45
COM1
SYS_FAN
COM2
Intel 845
Line
Out
Memory
Controller
Hub (MCH)
Line
In
ATX12V
Mic
In
®
0
1
2
3
Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP)
HDDLED
2Mbit
Firmware
Hub
Intel I/O
Controller
Hub
PCI1
P4B266-M
(ICH2)
CR2032 3V
Lithium Cell
CMOS Power
MODEM
PCI2
LED1
AUX
IR
CD_IN
ASUS
Mozart
PCI3
WARNING
Audio
Codec
USB1102
CLRTC(R200A)
CNR_SLOT
AUD_EN1
PANEL
The audio and LAN features are optional and are grayed out in the
above motherboard layout.
2-2
Chapter 2: Hardware information
2.3 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 and do not to touch 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.
When lit, the green LED (LED1) indicates that the system is ON, in
sleep mode, or in soft-off mode, a reminder that you should shut down
the system before removing or plugging in any motherboard
component.
The red LED (WARNING) is a smart protection from motherboard burn
out caused by an incorrect AGP card. If you plug in any 3.3V AGP card
into the 1.5V AGP slot, this LED lights up thus preventing the system to
power up. This LED remains off if you plug in a 1.5V AGP card.
LED1
ON
OFF
Standby
Power
Powered
Off
®
WARNING
P4B266-M
ON
OFF
Incorrect
AGP Card
Correct
AGP Card
P4B266-M Onboard LED
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
2-3
2.4 Central Processing Unit (CPU)
2.4.1 Overview
The motherboard comes with a surface mount 478-pin Zero Insertion
®
Force (ZIF) socket. This socket is specifically designed for the Intel
Pentium 4 478/Northwood Processor.
®
The Intel Pentium 4 Processor in the 478-pin package uses the Flip-Chip
®
Pin Grid Array 2 (FC-PGA2) package technology, and includes the Intel
NetBurst™ micro-architecture. The Intel NetBurst micro-architecture
features the hyper-pipelined technology, rapid execution engine, 400MHz
system bus, and execution trace cache. Together, these attributes improve
system performance by allowing higher processor frequencies, faster
execution of integer instructions, and a data transfer rate of 3.2GB/s.
Gold Mark
Note in the illustration that the CPU has a gold triangular mark on one
corner. This mark indicates the processor Pin 1 that should match a
specific corner of the CPU socket.
Incorrect installation of the CPU into the socket may bend the pins and
severely damage the CPU!
2-4
Chapter 2: Hardware information
2.4.2 Installing the CPU
Follow these steps to install a CPU.
1. Locate the 478-pin ZIF socket on the motherboard.
2. Unlock the socket by pressing the lever sideways, then lift it up to a
90°-100° angle.
Socket Lever
90 - 100
Make sure that the socket lever is lifted up to 90°-100° angle,
otherwise the CPU does not fit in completely.
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
2-5
3. Position the CPU above the socket such that its marked corner
matches the base of the socket lever.
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!
Gold Mark
5. When the CPU is in place, press it firmly on the socket while you push
down the socket lever to secure the CPU. The lever clicks on the side
tab to indicate that it is locked.
2-6
Chapter 2: Hardware information
2.4.3 Installing the heatsink and fan
®
®
The Intel Pentium 4 478/Northwood Processor requires a specially
designed heatsink and fan assembly to ensure optimum thermal condition
and performance.
When you buy a boxed Intel Pentium 4 478/Northwood Processor, the
package includes the heatsink, fan, and retention mechanism.
In case you buy a CPU separately, make sure that you use only Intel
certified heatsink and fan.
Follow these steps to install the CPU heatsink and fan.
1. Place the heatsink on top of the installed CPU, making sure that the
heatsink fits properly on the retention module base.
The retention module base is already installed on the motherboard
upon purchase.
You do not have to remove the retention module base when installing
the CPU or installing other motherboard components.
CPU Heatsink
Retention Module Base
Your boxed Intel Pentium 4 478/Northwood Processor package should
come with installation instructions for the CPU, heatsink, and the
retention mechanism. If the instructions in this section do not match the
CPU documentation, follow the latter.
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
2-7
2. Position the fan with the retention mechanism on top of the heatsink.
Align and snap the four hooks of the retention mechanism to the holes
on each corner of the module base.
Make sure that the fan and retention mechanism assembly perfectly
fits the heatsink and module base, otherwise you cannot snap the
hooks into the holes.
Retention Hole
Retention Lock
Retention Hook Snapped
to the Retention Hole
Keep the retention locks lifted upward while fitting the retention
mechanism to the module base.
2-8
Chapter 2: Hardware information
3. Push down the locks on the retention mechanism to secure the
heatsink and fan to the module base.
When secure, the retention locks should point to opposite directions.
2.4.4 Connecting the CPU fan cable
When the fan, heatsink, and the retention mechanism are in place,
connect the CPU fan cable to the connector on the motherboard labeled
CPU_FAN.
CPU Fan Connector
(CPU_FAN)
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
2-9
2.5 System memory
2.5.1 Overview
The motherboard comes with two Double Data Rate (DDR) Dual Inline
Memory Module (DIMM) sockets. These sockets support up to 2GB
system memory using 184-pin unbuffered ECC or non-ECC PC2100/1600
DIMMs.
80 Pins
®
104 Pins
P4B266-M
P4B266-M 184-Pin DDR DIMM Sockets
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.
The DDR SDRAM technology evolved from the mainstream PC66, PC100,
PC133 memory known as Single Data Rate (SDR) SDRAM. DDR memory
however, has the ability to perform two data operations in one clock cycle,
thus providing twice the throughput of SDR memory. For example, a
200MHz DDR DIMM will support a 100MHz memory bus, and a 266MHz
DDR DIMM will support a 133MHz memory bus.
A DDR DIMM has the same physical dimensions as an SDR DIMM, but it
has a 184-pin footprint compared to the 164-pin of the SDR DIMM. Also, a
DDR DIMM is single notched while an SDR DIMM is double notched.
Therefore, a DDR DIMM is not backward compatible with SDR, and should
be installed only in a socket specially designed for DDR DIMMs.
2-10
Chapter 2: Hardware information
2.5.2 Memory configurations
You may install any DDR DIMMs with 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, and
1GB densities into the two DIMM sockets.
DIMM Location
184-pin DIMM (DDR)
Total Memory
Socket 1 (Rows 0&1) 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB x1
Socket 2 (Rows 2&3) 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB x1
Total system memory (Max. 2GB)
=
2.5.3 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.
Follow these steps to install a DIMM.
1. Unlock a DIMM socket by 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
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
2-11
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
2.5.4 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.
2-12
Chapter 2: Hardware information
Chapter 3
This chapter describes the power up
sequence and gives information on the
BIOS beep codes.
Powering up
ASUS P4B266-M 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.
Award BIOS Beep Codes
Beep
Meaning
One short beep when
displaying logo
No error during POST
Long beeps in an endless loop
No DRAM installed or detected
One long beep followed by
three short beeps
Video card not found or video card
memory bad
High frequency beeps when
system is working
CPU overheated;
System running at a lower frequency
7. At power on, hold down <Delete> to enter BIOS Setup. Follow the
instructions in Chapter 4.
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
3-1
3.2 Powering off the computer
You must first exit the operating system and shut down the system before
switching off the power. For ATX power supplies, you can press the ATX
power switch after exiting or shutting down the operating system. If you
use Windows 95/98/2000/XP, click the Start button, click Shut Down, then
click the OK button to shut down the computer. The power supply should
turn off after Windows shuts down.
The message “You can now safely turn off your computer” does not
appear when shutting down with ATX power supplies.
3-2
Chapter 3: Powering up
Chapter 4
This chapter tells how to change system
settings through the BIOS Setup menus.
Detailed descriptions of the BIOS
parameters are also provided.
BIOS setup
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard
4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS
4.1.1 Using the computer system for the first time
It is recommended that you save a copy of the original motherboard BIOS
along with a Flash Memory Writer utility (AFLASH.EXE) to a bootable
floppy disk in case you need to reinstall the BIOS later. AFLASH.EXE is a
Flash Memory Writer utility that updates the BIOS by uploading a new
BIOS file to the programmable flash ROM on the motherboard. This file
works only in DOS mode. To determine the BIOS version of your
motherboard, check the last four numbers of the code displayed on the
upper left-hand corner of your screen during bootup. Larger numbers
represent a newer BIOS file.
1. Type FORMAT A:/S at the DOS prompt to create a bootable system
disk. DO NOT copy AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS to the disk.
2. Type COPY D:\AFLASH\AFLASH.EXE A:\ (assuming D is your
CD-ROM drive) to copy AFLASH.EXE to the boot disk you created.
AFLASH works only in DOS mode. It does not work in the DOS prompt
within Windows, and does not work with certain memory drivers that
may be loaded when you boot from the hard drive. It is recommended
that you reboot using a floppy disk.
3. Reboot the computer from the floppy disk.
BIOS setup must specify “Floppy” as the first item in the boot
sequence.
4. In DOS mode, type A:\AFLASH <Enter> to run AFLASH.
If the word “unknown” appears after Flash Memory:, the memory chip
is either not programmable or is not supported by the ACPI BIOS and
therefore, cannot be programmed by the Flash Memory Writer utility.
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
4-1
5. Select 1. Save Current BIOS to File from the Main menu and press
<Enter>. The Save Current BIOS To File screen appears.
6. Type a filename and the path, for example, A:\XXX-XX.XXX, then
press <Enter>.
4-2
Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
4.1.2 Updating BIOS procedures
Update the BIOS only if you have problems with the motherboard and
you are sure that the new BIOS revision will solve your problems.
Careless updating may result to more problems with the motherboard!
1. Download an updated ASUS BIOS file from the Internet (WWW or
FTP) (see ASUS CONTACT INFORMATION on page x for details) and
save to the boot floppy disk you created earlier.
2. Boot from the floppy disk.
3. At the “A:\” prompt, type AFLASH and then press <Enter>.
4. At the Main Menu, type 2 then press <Enter>. The Update BIOS
Including Boot Block and ESCD screen appears.
5. Type the filename of your new BIOS and the path, for example,
A:\XXX-XX.XXX, then press <Enter>.
To cancel this operation, press <Enter>.
6. When prompted to confirm the BIOS update, press Y to start the
update.
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
4-3
7. The utility starts to program the new BIOS information into the Flash
ROM. The boot block is updated automatically only when necessary.
This minimizes the possibility of boot problems in case of update
failures. When the programming is done, the message “Flashed
Successfully” appears.
8. Follow the onscreen instructions to continue.
If you encounter problems while updating the new BIOS, DO NOT turn
off the system because this may cause boot problems. Just repeat the
process, and if the problem persists, load the original BIOS file you
saved to the boot disk. If the Flash Memory Writer utility is not able to
successfully update a complete BIOS file, the system may not boot. If
this happens, call the ASUS service center for support.
4-4
Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
4.2 BIOS Setup program
This motherboard supports a programmable EEPROM 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 make changes to 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 EEPROM.
The EEPROM 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 among the predetermined choices.
Because the BIOS software is constantly being updated, the following
BIOS setup screens and descriptions are for reference purposes only,
and may not exactly match what you see on your screen.
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
4-5
4.2.1 BIOS menu bar
The top of the screen has a menu bar with the following selections:
MAIN
Use this menu to make changes to the basic system
configuration.
ADVANCED Use this menu to enable and make changes to the
advanced features.
POWER
BOOT
EXIT
Use this menu to configure and enable Power Management
features.
Use this menu to configure the default system device used
to locate and load the Operating System.
Use this menu to exit the current menu or to exit the Setup
program.
To access the menu bar items, press the right or left arrow key on the
keyboard until the desired item is highlighted.
4.2.2 Legend bar
At the bottom of the Setup screen is a legend bar. The keys in the legend
bar allow you to navigate through the various setup menus. The following
table lists the keys found in the legend bar with their corresponding
functions.
Navigation Key(s)
<F1> or <Alt + H>
Function Description
Displays the General Help screen from any-
where in the BIOS Setup
<Esc>
Jumps to the Exit menu or returns to the main
menu from a sub-menu
Left or Right arrow
Up or Down arrow
- (minus key)
Selects the menu item to the left or right
Moves the highlight up or down between fields
Scrolls backward through the values for the
highlighted field
+ (plus key) or spacebar Scrolls forward through the values for the high-
lighted field
<Enter>
Brings up a selection menu for the highlighted
field
<Home> or <PgUp>
<End> or <PgDn>
<F5>
Moves the cursor to the first field
Moves the cursor to the last field
Resets the current screen to its Setup Defaults
Saves changes and exits Setup
<F10>
4-6
Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
General help
In addition to the Item Specific Help window, the BIOS setup program also
provides a General Help screen. You may launch this screen from any
menu by simply pressing <F1> or the <Alt> + <H> combination. The
General Help screen lists the legend keys and their corresponding
functions.
Saving changes and exiting the Setup program
See “4.7 Exit Menu” for detailed information on saving changes and exiting
the setup program.
Scroll bar
When a scroll bar appears to the right of a help window, it indicates that
there is more information to be displayed that will not fit in the window. Use
<PgUp> and <PgDn> or the up and down arrow keys to scroll through the
entire help document. Press <Home> to display the first page, press
<End> to go to the last page. To exit the help window, press <Enter> or
<Esc>.
Sub-menu
Note that a right pointer symbol (as shown on the
left) appears to the left of certain fields. This pointer
indicates that you can display a sub-menu from this
field. A sub-menu contains additional options for a
field parameter. To display a sub-menu, move the
highlight to the field and press <Enter>. The sub-
menu appears. Use the legend keys to enter values
and move from field to field within a sub-menu as
you would within a menu. Use the <Esc> key to
return to the main menu.
Take some time to familiarize yourself with the legend keys and their
corresponding functions. Practice navigating through the various menus
and sub-menus. If you accidentally make unwanted changes to any of the
fields, use the set default hot key <F5> to load the Setup default values.
While moving around through the Setup program, note that explanations
appear in the Item Specific Help window located to the right of each menu.
This window displays the help text for the currently highlighted field.
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
4-7
4.3 Main Menu
When you enter the Setup program, the following screen appears.
System Time [XX:XX:XX]
Sets the system to the time that you specify (usually the current time). The
format is hour, minute, second. Valid values for hour, minute and second
are Hour: (00 to 23), Minute: (00 to 59), Second: (00 to 59). Use the <Tab>
or <Shift> + <Tab> keys to move between the hour, minute, and second
fields.
System Date [XX/XX/XXXX]
Sets the system to the date that you specify (usually the current date). The
format is month, day, year. Valid values for month, day, and year are
Month: (1 to 12), Day: (1 to 31), Year: (up to 2084). Use the <Tab> or
<Shift> + <Tab> keys to move between the month, day, and year fields.
Legacy Diskette A, Legacy Diskette B [1.44M, 3.5 in.]
Sets the type of floppy drive installed. Configuration options: [None] [360K,
5.25 in.] [1.2M , 5.25 in.] [720K , 3.5 in.] [1.44M, 3.5 in.] [2.88M, 3.5 in.]
Floppy 3 Mode Support [Disabled]
This is required to support older Japanese floppy drives. The Floppy 3
Mode feature allows reading and writing of 1.2MB (as opposed to 1.44MB)
on a 3.5-inch diskette. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
4-8
Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
4.3.1 Primary and Secondary Master/Slave
Type [Auto]
Select [Auto] to automatically detect an IDE hard disk drive. If automatic
detection is successful, Setup automatically fills in the correct values for
the remaining fields on this sub-menu. If automatic detection fails, this may
be because the hard disk drive is too old or too new. If the hard disk was
already formatted on an older system, Setup may detect incorrect
parameters. In these cases, select [User Type HDD] to manually enter the
IDE hard disk drive parameters. Refer to the next section for details.
Before attempting to configure a hard disk drive, make sure you have
the correct configuration information supplied by the drive
manufacturer. Incorrect settings may cause the system to fail to
recognize the installed hard disk.
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
4-9
[User Type HDD]
Manually enter the number of cylinders, heads and sectors per track for
the drive. Refer to the drive documentation or on the drive label for this
information.
After entering the IDE hard disk drive information into BIOS, use a disk
utility, such as FDISK, to partition and format new IDE hard disk drives.
This is necessary so that you can write or read data from the hard disk.
Make sure to set the partition of the Primary IDE hard disk drives to
active.
If no drive is installed or if you are removing a drive and not replacing it,
select [None].
Other options for the Type field are:
[CD-ROM] - for IDE CD-ROM drives
[LS-120] - for LS-120 compatible floppy disk drives
[ZIP] - for ZIP-compatible disk drives
[MO] - for IDE magneto optical disk drives
[Other ATAPI Device] - for IDE devices not listed here
After making your selections on this sub-menu, press the <Esc> key to
return to the Main menu. When the Main menu appears, the hard disk
drive field displays the size for the hard disk drive that you configured.
4-10
Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
Translation Method [LBA]
Select the hard disk drive type in this field. When Logical Block Addressing
(LBA) is enabled, the 28-bit addressing of the hard drive is used without
regard for cylinders, heads, or sectors. Note that LBA Mode is necessary
for drives with more than 504MB storage capacity. Configuration options:
[LBA] [LARGE] [Normal] [Match Partition Table] [Manual]
Cylinders
This field configures the number of cylinders. Refer to the drive
documentation to determine the correct value. To make changes to this
field, set the Type field to [User Type HDD] and the Translation Method
field to [Manual].
Head
This field configures the number of read/write heads. Refer to the drive
documentation to determine the correct value. To make changes to this
field, set the Type field to [User Type HDD] and the Translation Method
field to [Manual].
Sector
This field configures the number of sectors per track. Refer to the drive
documentation to determine the correct value. To make changes to this
field, set the Type field to [User Type HDD] and the Translation Method
field to [Manual].
CHS Capacity
This field shows the drive’s maximum CHS capacity as calculated by the
BIOS based on the drive information you entered.
Maximum LBA Capacity
This field shows the drive’s maximum LBA capacity as calculated by the
BIOS based on the drive information you entered.
Multi-Sector Transfers [Maximum]
This option automatically sets the number of sectors per block to the
highest number that the drive supports. Note that when this field is
automatically configured, the set value may not always be the fastest
value for the drive. You may also manually configure this field. Refer to the
documentation that came with the hard drive to determine the optimum
value and set it manually. To make changes to this field, set the Type field
to [User Type HDD]. Configuration options: [Disabled] [2 Sectors] [4
Sectors] [8 Sectors] [16 Sectors] [32 Sectors] [Maximum]
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
4-11
SMART Monitoring [Disabled]
This field allows you to enable or disable the S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring,
Analysis and Reporting Technology) system that utilizes internal hard disk
drive monitoring technology. This parameter is normally disabled because
the resources used in the SMART monitoring feature may decrease
system performance. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
PIO Mode [4]
This option lets you set a PIO (Programmed Input/Output) mode for the
IDE device. Modes 0 through 4 provide successive increase in
performance. Configuration options: [0] [1] [2] [3] [4]
Ultra DMA Mode [Disabled]
Ultra DMA capability allows improved transfer speeds and data integrity for
compatible IDE devices. Set to [Disabled] to suppress Ultra DMA
capability. To make changes to this field, set the Type field to [User Type
HDD]. Configuration options: [0] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [Disabled]
4-12
Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
4.3.2 Keyboard Features
Boot Up NumLock Status [On]
This field enables users to activate the Number Lock function upon system
boot. Configuration options: [Off] [On]
Keyboard Auto-Repeat Rate [6/Sec]
This controls the speed at which the system registers repeated keystrokes.
Options range from 6 to 30 characters per second. Configuration options:
[6/Sec] [8/Sec] [10/Sec] [12/Sec] [15/Sec] [20/Sec] [24/Sec] [30/Sec]
Keyboard Auto-Repeat Delay [1/4 Sec]
This field sets the time interval for displaying the first and second
characters. Configuration options: [1/4 Sec] [1/2 Sec] [3/4 Sec] [1 Sec]
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
4-13
Main menu items continued...
Language [English]
This field displays the BIOS language version.
Supervisor Password [Disabled] / User Password [Disabled]
These fields allow you to set passwords. To set a password, highlight the
appropriate field and press <Enter>. Type in a password then press
<Enter>. You can type up to eight alphanumeric characters. Symbols and
other characters are ignored. To confirm the password, type the password
again and press <Enter>. The password is now set to [Enabled]. This
password allows full access to the BIOS Setup menus. To clear the
password, highlight this field and press <Enter>. The same dialog box as
above appears. Press <Enter>. The password is set to [Disabled].
A note about passwords
The BIOS Setup program allows you to specify passwords in the Main
menu. The passwords control access to the BIOS during system
startup. Passwords are not case sensitive, meaning, passwords typed
in either uppercase or lowercase letters are accepted. The BIOS Setup
program allows you to specify two different passwords: a Supervisor
password and a User password. If you did not set a Supervisor
password, anyone can access the BIOS Setup program. If you did, the
Supervisor password is required to enter the BIOS Setup program and
to gain full access to the configuration fields.
Forgot the 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. See section
“2.7 Switches and jumpers” for information on how to erase the RTC
RAM.
Halt On [All Errors]
This field specifies the types of errors that will cause the system to halt.
Configuration options: [All Errors] [No Error] [All but Keyboard] [All but
Disk] [All but Disk/Keyboard]
Installed Memory [XXX MB]
This field automatically displays the amount of conventional memory
detected by the system during the boot process.
4-14
Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
4.4 Advanced Menu
CPU Speed
This parameter displays the auto-detected CPU speed.
CPU Frequency Multiple
This field is for unlocked processors only. If your processor frequency
multiple is locked, you cannot access this field. This field sets the
frequency multiple between the CPU’s internal frequency (CPU speed)
and external frequency.
CPU/PCI Frequency (MHz)
This feature tells the clock generator what frequency to send to the system
bus and PCI bus. The bus frequency (external frequency) multiplied by the
bus multiple equals the CPU speed.
CPU/Memory Frequency Ratio [Auto]
This field determines whether the memory clock frequency is set to be in
synchronous or asynchronous mode with respect to the system frequency.
The options that appear in the popup menu vary according to the CPU/PCI
Frequency (MHz). Configuration options: [Auto] [1:1] [3:4]
CPU Level 1 Cache, CPU Level 2 Cache [Enabled]
These fields allow you to choose from the default of [Enabled] or choose
[Disabled] to turn on or off the CPU Level 1 and Level 2 built-in cache.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
4-15
BIOS Update [Enabled]
This field functions as an update loader integrated into the BIOS to supply
the processor with the required data. When set to [Enabled], the BIOS
loads the update on all processors during system bootup. Configuration
options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
PS/2 Mouse Function Control [Auto]
The default setting [Auto] allows the system to detect a PS/2 mouse at
startup. If a mouse is detected, the BIOS assigns IRQ12 to the PS/2
mouse. Otherwise, IRQ12 can be used for expansion cards. When you set
this field to [Enabled], BIOS reserves IRQ12, whether or not a PS/2 mouse
is detected at startup. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Auto]
USB Legacy Support [Auto]
This motherboard supports Universal Serial Bus (USB) devices. The
default of [Auto] allows the system to detect a USB device at startup. If
detected, the USB controller legacy mode is enabled. If not detected, the
USB controller legacy mode is disabled.
When you set this field to [Disabled], the USB controller legacy mode is
disabled whether or not you are using a USB device. Configuration
options: [Disabled] [Enabled] [Auto]
OS/2 Onboard Memory > 64M [Disabled]
When using OS/2 operating systems with installed DRAM of greater than
64MB, you need to set this option to [Enabled]. Otherwise, leave to the
default setting [Disabled]. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
4-16
Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
4.4.1 Chip Configuration
SDRAM Configuration [By SPD]
This parameter allows you to set the optimal timings for items 2–5,
depending on the memory modules that you are using. The default setting
is [By SPD], which configures items 2–5 by reading the contents in the
SPD (Serial Presence Detect) device. The EEPROM on the memory
module stores critical information about the module, such as memory type,
size, speed, voltage interface, and module banks.
Configuration options: [User Defined] [By SPD]
SDRAM CAS Latency [2T]
This item controls the latency between the SDRAM read command and
the time the data actually becomes available.
The SDRAM CAS Latency parameter appears only when you set the
SDRAM Configuration to [User Defined].
SDRAM RAS to CAS Delay [3T]
This item controls the latency between the SDRAM active command and
the read/write command.
The SDRAM RAS to CAS Delay parameter appears only when you set
the SDRAM Configuration to [User Defined].
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
4-17
SDRAM RAS Precharge Delay [3T]
This item controls the idle clocks after issuing a precharge command to
the SDRAM.
The SDRAM RAS Precharge Delay parameter appears only when you
set the SDRAM Configuration to [User Defined].
SDRAM Active Precharge Delay [6T]
This item controls the number of SDRAM clocks used for SDRAM
parameters.
The SDRAM Active Precharge Delay parameter appears only when
you set the SDRAM Configuration to [User Defined].
SDRAM Idle Timer [Infinite]
Configuration options: [Infinite] [0T] [8T] [16T] [64T]
Graphics Aperture Size [64MB]
This feature allows you to select the size of mapped memory for AGP
graphic data. Configuration options: [4MB] [8MB] [16MB] [32MB] [64MB]
[128MB] [256MB]
AGP Capability [4X Mode]
When set to [4X Mode], this item allows 1066MB/s video data transfers
through the AGP 4X interface card. When set to [1X Mode], the AGP
interface only provides a peak data throughput of 266MB/s even if you are
using an AGP 4X card. Configuration options: [1X Mode] [4X Mode]
Video Memory Cache Mode [UC]
USWC (uncacheable, speculative write combining) is a new cache
technology for the video memory of the processor. It can greatly improve
the display speed by caching the display data. You must set this to UC
(uncacheable) if your display card does not support this feature, otherwise
the system may not boot. Configuration options: [UC] [USWC]
Memory Hole At 15M-16M [Disabled]
This field allows you to reserve an address space for ISA expansion cards.
Setting the address space to a particular setting makes that memory
space unavailable to other system components. Expansion cards can only
access memory up to 16MB. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
4-18
Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
Delayed Transaction [Disabled]
When set to [Enabled], this feature frees the PCI bus when the CPU is
accessing 8-bit ISA cards. This process normally consumes about 50-60
PCI clocks without PCI delayed transaction. Set this field to [Disabled]
when using ISA cards that are not PCI 2.1 compliant. Configuration
options: [Enabled] [Disabled]
Onboard PCI IDE [Both]
This field allows you to enable either the primary IDE channel or
secondary IDE channel, or both. You can also set both channels to
[Disabled]. Configuration options: [Both] [Primary] [Secondary] [Disabled]
4.4.2 I/O Device Configuration
Floppy Disk Access Control [R/W]
When set to [Read Only], this parameter protects files from being copied to
floppy disks by allowing reads from, but not writes to, the floppy disk drive.
The default setting [R/W] allows both reads and writes. Configuration
options: [R/W] [Read Only]
Onboard Serial Port 1 [3F8H/IRQ4]
Onboard Serial Port 2 [2F8H/IRQ3]
These fields allow you to set the addresses for the onboard serial
connectors. Serial Port 1 and Serial Port 2 must have different addresses.
Configuration options: [3F8H/IRQ4] [2F8H/IRQ3] [3E8H/IRQ4] [2E8H/
IRQ10] [Disabled]
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
4-19
UART2 Use Standard Infrared [Disabled]
This field allows you to select the device on which to assign UART2.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Onboard Parallel Port [378H/IRQ7]
This field sets the address of the onboard parallel port connector. If you
disable this field, the Parallel Port Mode and ECP DMA Select
configurations are not available. Configuration options: [Disabled] [378H/
IRQ7] [278H/IRQ5]
Parallel Port Mode [ECP+EPP]
This field allows you to set the operation mode of the parallel port.
[Normal] allows normal-speed operation but in one direction only; [EPP]
allows bidirectional parallel port operation; [ECP] allows the parallel port to
operate in bidirectional DMA mode; [ECP+EPP] allows normal speed
operation in a two-way mode. Configuration options: [Normal] [EPP] [ECP]
[ECP+EPP]
ECP DMA Select [3]
This field allows you to configure the parallel port DMA channel for the
selected ECP mode. This selection is available only if you select [ECP] or
[ECP+EPP] in Parallel Port Mode above. Configuration options: [1] [3]
Onboard AC97 Audio Controller [Auto]
Onboard AC97 Modem Controller [Auto]
[Auto] allows the BIOS to detect whether you are using any modem/audio
device. If a modem/audio device is detected, the onboard modem/audio
controller is enabled; if no modem/audio device is detected, the controller
is disabled. If there are conflicts with the onboard modem/audio controller,
set the appropriate field to [Disabled]. Configuration options: [Disabled]
[Auto]
Onboard Game Port [200H-207H]
This field allows you to select the I/O address for the game port.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [200H-207H] [208H-20FH]
Onboard MIDI I/O [Disabled]
This field allows you to select the I/O address for the midi port.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [330H-331H] [300H-301H]
4-20
Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
4.4.3 PCI Configuration
Slot 1, Slot 2, Slot 3 IRQ [Auto]
These fields automatically assign the IRQ for each PCI slot. The default
setting for each field is [Auto], which utilizes auto-routing to determine IRQ
assignments. Configuration options: [Auto] [NA] [3] [4] [5] [7] [9] [10] [11]
[12] [14] [15]
PCI/VGA Palette Snoop [Disabled]
Some non-standard VGA cards, like graphics accelerators or MPEG video
cards, may not show colors properly. Setting this field to [Enabled] corrects
this problem. If you are using standard VGA cards, leave this field to the
default setting [Disabled]. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
PCI Latency Timer [32]
Leave this field to the default setting [32] for best performance and
stability.
USB Function [Both]
This motherboard supports Universal Serial Bus (USB) devices. Set this
field to [Both] if you want to connect USB devices. Configuration options:
[Disabled] [Both]
Primary VGA BIOS [PCI VGA Card]
This field allows you to select the primary graphics card. Configuration
options: [PCI VGA Card] [AGP VGA Card]
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
4-21
Onboard LAN Boot ROM [Disabled]
This field allows you to enable or disable the option ROM on the onboard
LAN chipset. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
4.4.3.1 Onboard PCI Devices Control
Onboard LAN
This parameter allows you to enable or disable the onboard LAN
controller. Set this field to [Enabled] if you wish to use the LAN feature.
The LAN card includes a controller chipset.
4-22
Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
4.4.3.2 PCI IRQ Resource Exclusion
IRQ XX Reserved [No/ICU]
These fields indicate whether or not the displayed IRQ for each field is
being used by a legacy (non-PnP) card. The setting [No/ICU] for an IRQ
field indicates that you are using the ISA Configuration Utility (ICU), and
that this particular IRQ is NOT required by a legacy card. Set the IRQ field
to [Yes] if you install a legacy card that requires a unique IRQ and you are
NOT using ICU. Configuration options: [No/ICU] [Yes]
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
4-23
4.5 Power Menu
The Power menu allows you to reduce power consumption. This feature
turns off the video display and shuts down the hard disk after a period of
inactivity.
Power Management [User Defined]
This field allows you to activate or deactivate the automatic power saving
features. When set to [Disabled], the power management features do not
function regardless of the other settings on this menu. The [User Defined]
option allows you to set the period of inactivity before the system enters
suspend mode. Refer to “Suspend Mode” later in this section.
When set to [Max Saving], system power is conserved to its greatest
amount. This setting automatically puts the system into suspend mode
after a brief period of system inactivity. [Min Saving] allows the least power
saving as the system enters suspend mode only after a long period of
inactivity. Configuration options: [User Defined] [Disabled] [Min Saving]
[Max Saving]
You should install the Advanced Power Management (APM) utility to
keep the system time updated even when the computer enters
suspend mode. In Windows 3.x and Windows 95, you need to install
Windows with the APM feature. In Windows 98 or later, APM is
automatically installed as indicated by a battery and power cord icon
labeled “Power Management” in the Control Panel. Select the item
“Advanced” in the Power Management Properties dialog box.
4-24
Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
Video Off Option [Suspend -> Off ]
This field determines when to activate the video off feature for monitor
power management. Configuration options: [Always On] [Suspend -> Off]
Video Off Method [DPMS OFF]
This field defines the video off features. The Display Power Management
System (DPMS) feature allows the BIOS to control the video display card if
it supports the DPMS feature. [Blank Screen] only blanks the screen. Use
this for monitors without power management or “green” features.
Even if installed, your screen saver does not display when you select
[Blank Screen] for the above field.
[V/H SYNC+Blank] blanks the screen and turns off vertical and horizontal
scanning. Configuration options: [Blank Screen] [V/H SYNC+Blank]
[DPMS Standby] [DPMS Suspend] [DPMS OFF] [DPMS Reduce ON]
HDD Power Down [Disabled]
Shuts down any IDE hard disk drives in the system after a period of
inactivity as set in this user-configurable field. This feature does not affect
SCSI hard drives. Configuration options: [Disabled] [1 Min] [2 Min] [3
Min]...[15 Min]
ACPI Suspend To RAM [Disabled]
This field allows you to enable or disable the ACPI Suspend-to-RAM
feature. To support this feature, the +5VSB of the power supply should
have the capacity to provide more than 720mA current. Configuration
options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Suspend Mode [Disabled]
Sets the time period before the system goes into suspend mode.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [1~2 Min] [2~3 Min] [4~5 min] [8~9 Min]
[20 Min] [30 Min] [40 Min] [1 Hour]
PWR Button < 4 Secs [Soft Off]
When set to [Soft off], the ATX switch can be used as a normal system
power-off button when pressed for less than 4 seconds. [Suspend] allows
the button to have a dual function where pressing less than 4 seconds
puts the system in sleep mode. Regardless of the setting, holding the ATX
switch for more than 4 seconds powers off the system. Configuration
options: [Soft off] [Suspend]
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
4-25
4.5.1 Power Up Control
AC PWR Loss Restart [Disabled]
This allows you to set whether or not to reboot the system after power
interruptions. [Disabled] leaves your system off while [Enabled] reboots the
system. [Previous State] sets the system back to the state it was before
the power interruption. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
[Previous State]
Wake/Power Up On Ext. Modem [Disabled]
This allows either settings of [Enabled] or [Disabled] for powering up the
computer when the external modem receives a call while the computer is
in Soft-off mode. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
The computer cannot receive or transmit data until the computer and
applications are fully running. Thus, connection cannot be made on the
first try. Turning an external modem off and then back on while the
computer is off causes an initialization string that turns the system
power on.
Power Up On PCI Card [Disabled]
When set to [Enabled], this parameter allows you to turn on the system
through a PCI LAN or modem card. This feature requires an ATX power
supply that provides at least 1A on the +5VSB lead. Configuration options:
[Disabled] [Enabled]
4-26
Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
Automatic Power Up [Disabled]
This allows an unattended or automatic system power up. You may
configure your system to power up at a certain time of the day by selecting
[Everyday] or at a certain time and day by selecting [By Date].
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Everyday] [By Date]
The Automatic Power Up feature does not work if the system is
powered down by an operating system, such Windows 98, that has
Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) support enabled.
Refer to the Glossary for a description of ACPI specification.
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
4-27
4.5.2 Hardware Monitor
CPU Temperature [xxxC/xxxF]
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the MB
(motherboard) and CPU temperatures.
CPU Fan Speed [xxxxRPM]
System Fan Speed
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the CPU and chassis
fan speeds in rotations per minute (RPM).
VCORE Voltage, +3.3V Voltage, +5V Voltage, +12V Voltage
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the voltage output
through the onboard voltage regulators.
If any of the monitored items is out of range, the following error
message appears: “Hardware Monitor found an error. Enter Power
setup menu for details”. You will then be prompted to “Press F1 to
continue or DEL to enter SETUP”.
4-28
Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
4.6 Boot Menu
Boot Sequence
The Boot menu allows you to select among the four possible types of boot
devices listed using the up and down arrow keys. By using the <+> or
<Space> key, you can promote devices and by using the <-> key, you can
demote devices. Promotion or demotion of devices alters the priority which
the system uses to search for a boot device on system power up.
Configuration fields include Removable Devices, IDE Hard Drive, ATAPI
CD-ROM, and Other Boot Device.
Removable Device [Legacy Floppy]
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Legacy Floppy] [LS-120] [ZIP]
[ATAPI MO]
IDE Hard Drive
This field allows you to select which IDE hard disk drive to use in the boot
sequence. Pressing [Enter] will show the product IDs of all connected IDE
hard disk drives.
ATAPI CD-ROM
This field allows you to select which ATAPI CD-ROM drive to use in the
boot sequence. Pressing [Enter] will show the product IDs of all your
connected ATAPI CD-ROM drives.
Other Boot Device Select [INT18 Device (Network)]
Configuration options: [Disabled] [SCSI Boot Device] [INT18 Device
(Network)]
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
4-29
Plug & Play O/S [No]
This field allows you to use a Plug-and-Play (PnP) operating system to
configure the PCI bus slots instead of using the BIOS. When [Yes] is
selected, interrupts may be reassigned by the OS. If you installed a non-
PnP OS or if you want to prevent reassigning of interrupt settings, keep
the default setting [No]. Configuration options: [No] [Yes]
Reset Configuration Data [No]
The Extended System Configuration Data (ESCD) contain information
about non-PnP devices. It also holds the complete record of how the
system was configured the last time is was booted. Select [Yes] if you
want to clear these data during the Power-On-Self-Test (POST).
Configuration options: [No] [Yes]
Boot Virus Detection [Enabled]
This field allows you to set boot virus detection, ensuring a virus-free boot
sector. The system halts and displays a warning message when it detects
a virus. If this occurs, you can either allow the operation to continue or use
a virus-free bootable floppy disk to restart and investigate your system.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Quick Power On Self Test [Enabled]
This field speeds up the Power-On-Self Test (POST) routine by skipping
retesting a second, third, and fourth time. Configuration options: [Disabled]
[Enabled]
Boot Up Floppy Seek [Enabled]
When enabled, the BIOS will seek the floppy disk drive to determine
whether the drive has 40 or 80 tracks. Configuration options: [Disabled]
[Enabled]
Full Screen Logo [Enabled]
This allows you to enable or disable the full screen logo display feature.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Interrupt Mode [APIC]
The Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller (APIC) setting allows
you to distribute interrupt routings other than the 16 IRQs. The
Programmable Interrupt Controller (PIC) setting allows you to use the 16
IRQs only. Configuration options: [PIC] [APIC]
4-30
Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
4.7 Exit Menu
When you have made all of your selections from the various menus in the
Setup program, save your changes and exit Setup. Select Exit from the
menu bar to display the following menu.
Pressing <Esc> does not immediately exit this menu. Select one of the
options from this menu or <F10> from the legend bar to exit.
Exit Saving Changes
Once you are finished making your selections, choose this option from the
Exit menu to ensure the values you selected are saved to the CMOS RAM.
The CMOS RAM is sustained by an onboard backup battery and stays on
even when the PC is turned off. When you select this option, a
confirmation window appears. Select [Yes] to save changes and exit.
If you attempt to exit the Setup program without saving your changes,
the program prompts you with a message asking if you want to save
your changes before exiting. Pressing <Enter> saves the changes
while exiting.
Exit Discarding Changes
Select this option only if you do not want to save the changes that you
made to the Setup program. If you made changes to fields other than
system date, system time, and password, the BIOS asks for a confirmation
before exiting.
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
4-31
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 [Yes] to load default
values. Select Exit Saving Changes or make other changes before saving
the values to the non-volatile RAM.
Discard Changes
This option allows you to discard the selections you made and restore the
previously saved values. After selecting this option, a confirmation
appears. Select [Yes] to discard any changes and load the previously
saved values.
Save Changes
This option saves your selections without exiting the Setup program. You
can then return to other menus and make further changes. After you select
this option, a confirmation window appears. Select [Yes] to save any
changes to the non-volatile RAM.
4-32
Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
Chapter 5
This chapter describes the contents of the
support CD that comes with the
motherboard package.
Software support
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard
5.1 Install an operating system
This motherboard supports Windows 98/ME/NT/2000/XP and OS/2
operating system (OS). Always install the latest OS version and
corresponding updates so you can maximize the features of your
hardware.
Because motherboard settings and hardware options vary, use the
setup procedures presented in this chapter for general reference only.
Refer to your OS documentation for more information.
5.2 Support CD information
The support CD that came with the motherboard contains useful software
and several utility drivers that enhance the motherboard features.
The contents of the support CD are subject to change at any time
without notice. Visit the ASUS website for updates.
5.2.1 Running the support CD
To begin using the support CD, simply insert the CD into your CD-ROM
drive. The CD automatically displays the welcome screen and the
installation menus if Autorun is enabled in your computer.
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
5-1
If the welcome screen did not appear automatically, locate and double-
click on the file ASSETUP.EXE from the BIN folder in the support CD to
display the menus.
5.2.2 Main menu
From the welcome screen, the program takes you directly to the main
menu. The main menu displays an image of the motherboard, and the
buttons and icons that link you to the software, drivers, utilities, and other
information contained in the support CD.
Place your mouse cursor on
an icon and click to display
the specified item
Click on a button to display
the available options
5-2
Chapter 5: Software support
5.2.3 Software menu
The software menu shows the applications and other software that the
motherboard supports. The highlighted items indicate that they are
available for your motherboard. Simply click on a specific item then follow
the installation wizard to install it.
The software menu is composed of two screens. Click on the Next button
on the lower right corner of the first screen to display the second menu
screen. To return to the first menu screen, click on the Back button on the
lower right corner of the second screen.
ASUS Update
This program allows you to download the latest version of the BIOS from
the ASUS website.
Before using the ASUS Update, make sure that you have an Internet
connection so you can connect to the ASUS website.
Intel® LDCM Administrator Setup
This program is for monitoring PC systems on the network within the same
bridge as the installed Client software.
The administrator should install both the Administrator and the Client
software.
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
5-3
Intel® LDCM Client Setup
This program is for monitoring the Client system. Install the LANDesk
Client Manager to use the hardware manager features.
ASUS BIOS Flash Utility
This utility allows you to remotely flash the Client PC’s BIOS when used
with the Intel LDCM Administrator.
ASUS PC Probe
This smart utility monitors the fan speed, CPU temperature, and system
voltages, and alerts you on any detected problems. This utility helps you
keep your computer at a healthy operating condition.
Cyberlink Video and Audio Applications
This item installs the Cyberlink PowerPlayer SE 5.0 and Cyberlink
VideoLive Mail 4.0.
Direct X
This item installs the Microsoft V8.0a driver.
E-Color 3Deep
This item installs the 3Deep software. 3Deep is the first application that
gives online gamers the competitive edge in multi-player skirmishes. This
application eliminates dark washed-out graphics to deliver true vibrant
colors.
Acrobat Reader
This item installs the Adobe Acrobat Reader V5.0. The Acrobat Reader
software is for viewing files saved in Portable Document Format (PDF).
ASUS Screen Saver
This item installs the ASUS screen saver.
PC-cillin
This item installs the PC-cillin 2000 V7.61 anti-virus software. View the
PC-cillin online help for detailed information.
The above PC-cillin version supports Windows XP operating system
and maintains backward compatibility with Windows 95.
5-4
Chapter 5: Software support
5.2.4 Drivers menu
The drivers menu shows the available device drivers if the system detects
installed devices. Install the necessary drivers to activate the devices.
INF Driver
®
This item installs the Intel Chipset Software Installation Utility that enables
Plug-n-Play INF support for Intel chipset components. This utility installs to
the target system the Windows INF files that outline to the operating
system how the chipset components will be configured.
You may install this utility in three modes: interactive, silent, and
unattended preload. The interactive mode requires user input during
installation. This is not required in the silent and unattended preload
modes.
Refer to the online help or readme file that came with the utility.
Intel® Application Accelerator
®
®
This item installs the Intel Application Accelerator for Microsoft Windows
98/98SE/ME/NT4.0/2000. This program is designed to improve
performance of the storage sub-system and overall system performace.
Install the INF Driver before installing the Intel Application Accelerator.
LAN
This item installs the RealTek 8100 PCI Fast Ethernet driver.
Audio
This item installs the AC’97 audio CODEC driver.
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
5-5
5.2.5 DOS Utilities menu
The DOS utilities menu includes items that you can run in DOS mode.
These items are also present in the software menu.
5.2.6 ASUS Contact Information
Clicking the ASUS Contact Information button displays as stated. You may
also find this information on page x of this user guide.
5-6
Chapter 5: Software support
5.2.7 Other information
The icons on the left side of the screen give additional information on the
motherboard and the contents of the support CD. This section shows the
pop-up windows that appear when you click the icons.
The pictures in this section are for reference only and may not exactly
reflect the details you see on your screen.
Motherboard Info
The window displays the general specifications of the P4B266-M
motherboard.
Browse this CD
The window displays the support CD contents in graphical format.
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
5-7
Technical Support Form
The window displays the ASUS Technical Support Request Form that you
have to fill up when requesting technical support.
Readme
The window displays the contents of the support CD and a brief
description of each in text format.
5-8
Chapter 5: Software support
5.3 Software information
Most of the applications in the support CD have wizards that will
conveniently guide you through the installation. View the online help or
readme file that came with the software for more information.
This section provides details on the new software applications that the
motherboard supports.
5.3.1 ASUS Update
The ASUS Update is a utility that allows you to update the motherboard
BIOS and drivers. This utility requires an Internet connection either
through a network or an Internet Service Provider (ISP).
Follow these steps to use the ASUS Update.
1. Launch the utility from your Windows
Start menu:
Programs/AsusUpdate Vx.xx.xx/
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.
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
5-9
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.
5-10
Chapter 5: Software support
Glossary
This part lists the technical terms that you
may encounter when reading this
document.
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard
This glossary also includes some terms that are not found in this
document but might be of help to you when operating, upgrading, or
reconfiguring your computer.
AC’97 (Audio Codec '97). AC '97 is the next step in enabling PCs with
audio quality comparable to consumer electronics devices. The
specification defines new cost-effective options to help integrate the
components necessary to support next-generation auto-intensive PC
applications such as DVD, 3-D multiplayer gaming and interactive music.
The specification also defines new extensions supporting modem and
docking to help both desktop and mobile manufacturers adopt these new
technologies more quickly and cost-effectively. This specification uses
software emulation to compete with the PCI SoundBlaster specification.
ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface). The ACPI
specification defines a cross-platform interface designed to support many
operating systems. ACPI defines a flexible and abstract hardware interface
that provides a standard way to integrate power management features in a
PC system, including hardware, operating system and application
software. This enables the system to automatically turn ON and OFF
peripherals such as CD-ROMs, network cards, hard disk drives, and
printers, as well as consumer devices connected to the PC such as VCRs,
TVs, phones, and stereos. With this technology, peripherals are also able
to activate the PC. For example, inserting a tape into a VCR can turn on
the PC, which could then activate a large-screen TV and high-fidelity
sound system.
AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port). An interface specification that enables
high-performance 3D graphics on mainstream PCs. AGP was designed to
offer the necessary bandwidth and latency to perform texture mapping
directly from system memory.
Bus
Bus Frequency
Bandwidth
Data Transfer Rate
PCI
AGP 1X
AGP 2X
33MHz
66MHz
66MHz
33MHz
66MHz
133MHz
133MByte/sec
266MByte/sec
512MByte/sec
AGP 4X
66MHz
266MHz
1024MByte/sec
Backup. A copy of a file, directory, or volume on a separate storage device
from the original. This copy is for the purpose of data retrieval in case the
original is accidentally erased, damaged, or destroyed.
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
G-1
BIOS (Basic Input/Output System). BIOS is a set of routines that control
how the computer transfers data between computer components, such as
memory, disks, and the display adapter. The BIOS instructions are built
into the computer’s read-only memory. BIOS parameters are configurable
through the BIOS Setup program. You can update the BIOS using the
AFLASH utility by copying a new BIOS file into the EEPROM.
Bit (Binary Digit). Represents the smallest unit of data used by the
computer. A bit can have one of two values: 0 or 1.
Boot. Boot means to start the computer operating system by loading it into
system memory. When the manual instructs you to “boot” your system (or
computer), it means to turn ON your computer. “Reboot” means to restart
your computer. When using Windows 95 or later, selecting “Restart” from
“Start | Shut Down...” will reboot your computer.
Bus Master IDE. PIO (Programmable I/O) IDE requires that the CPU be
involved in IDE access and waiting for mechanical events. Bus master IDE
transfers data to/from the memory without interrupting the CPU. Bus
master IDE driver and bus master IDE hard disk drives are required to
support bus master IDE mode.
Byte (Binary Term). One byte is a group of eight contiguous bits. A byte is
used to represent a single alphanumeric character, punctuation mark, or
other symbol.
Cache Memory. A type of RAM that allows a faster from the CPU than a
regular RAM. The cache memory eliminates the CPU wait state. When the
CPU reads data from the main memory, a copy of this data is stored in the
cache memory. The next time the same address, the data is transferred
from the cache memory instead of from the main memory.
CODEC (Compressor/Decompressor). A software component that
translates video or audio between its uncompressed form and the
compressed form in which it is stored.
COM Port. A connector with the accompanying circuitry that supports
serial devices such as printers, mice, modems, and infrared modules.
Each COM port is configured to use a different IRQ and address
assignment. COM port is short for communication port, and is also called
a serial port.
CPU (Central Processing Unit). The CPU, also called “Processor,”
actually functions as the “brain” of the computer. It interprets and executes
program commands and processes data stored in the system memory.
G-2
Appendix C: Glossary
Device Driver. A software routine that links a peripheral device to the
operating system. It acts as a translator between the device and the
applications that use it. Each device has its own set of specialized
commands known only to its driver while the applications access devices
using high-level generic commands. The driver translates these
commands into the commands required by the devices.
DOS (Disk Operating System). A software that organizes how a
computer reads, writes, and communicate to the disks and various input/
output devices (such as keyboards, screens, serial and parallel ports,
printers, modems, etc.) connected to it. DOS was the most popular PC
operating system until the introduction of Windows.
DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory). A type of RAM that requires
refresh cycles to prevent the loss of the data stored in it. See also RAM
and SDRAM.
Expansion Card. A printed circuit card suchas an audio card, a video
card, or a LAN card that plugs into an expansion slot on the motherboard.
An expansion card add functions that are not present in the motherboard.
Flash ROM. A non-volatile memory device that retains its data even when
power is removed. This device is similar to EPROM, but unlike EPROM
which can be erased only using an ultra-violet light, flash ROM can be
electrically erased. Flash ROM is normally used for system BIOS, which
initiates hardware devices and sets up necessary parameters for the OS.
Since the flash ROM contents can be modified, you can update the BIOS
by yourself.
IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics). IDE devices integrate the drive
control circuitry directly on the drive itself, eliminating the need for a
separate adapter card (in the case for SCSI devices). UltraDMA/100/6633
IDE devices can achieve up to 100MB/sec transfers.
Internet. The global computer network composed of WANs and LANs that
uses TCP/IP to provide worldwide communications to homes, schools,
businesses, and the government.
I/O (Input/Output). The data transfers from the input devices like a
keyboard, mouse, or scanner, to the output devices like a printer or the
monitor screen.
I/O Address. The specific memory location for a particular device. Two
devices cannot share the same I/O address space.
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
G-3
IrDA (Infrared Data Association). An internaltional organization that
creates and promotes inter-operable, low cost, infrared data
interconnection standards that support a walk-up, point-to-point model.
The IrDA protocol is designed to support transmission of data between two
devices over short-range point-to-point infrared at speeds between
9.6Kbps and 4Mbps.
ISP (Internet Service Provider). A company that provides customer
access to the Internet and the World Wide Web for a fee. The ISP also
provides Internet utilities and services like e-mail, newsgroup, weather
reports, and a host of others. The user can connect to the ISP using a
modem installed in the computer and connected to a phone line.
LAN (Local Area Network). A network technology designed to connect
computers that are separated by a short distance. The local group of
linked computers are normally connected to a single server. See also
WAN (Wide Area Network)
Modem. A device that allows a computer to talk to another computer
through the phone system.
Network. An interconnected computer system linked by telephone wires,
or other means.
OS (Operating System). The software that controls the overall operation
of a computer system. The OS tasks include memory allocation, input and
output distribution, interrupt processing, job scheduling, and various other
duties.
PC100/PC133. This is an industry-standard designation for memory
capacity as a measure of the speed of the memory bus. New platform
requirements ensure that memory does not become a bottleneck to
system performance.
PCI Bus (Peripheral Component Interconnect Local Bus). PCI bus is a
specification that defines a 32-bit data bus interface. PCI is a standard
widely used by expansion card manufacturers.
PCI Bus Master. The PCI Bus Master can perform data transfer without
local CPU help and furthermore, the CPU can be treated as one of the Bus
Masters. PCI 2.1 supports concurrent PCI operation to allow the local CPU
and bus master to work simultaneously.
G-4
Appendix C: Glossary
POST (Power On Self Test). When you turn ON the computer, it will first
run through the POST, a series of software-controlled diagnostic tests. The
POST checks system memory, the motherboard circuitry, the display, the
keyboard, the diskette drive, and other I/O devices.
PS/2 Port. PS/2 ports are based on IBM Micro Channel Architecture. This
type of architecture transfers data through a 16-bit or 32-bit bus. A PS/2
mouse and/or keyboard may be used on ATX motherboards.
RAM (Random Access Memory). The computer’s primary storage area
used to write, store, and retrieve information and program instructions
which are passed to the CPU for processing. The information in RAM can
be repeatedly re-written with new data. Compared to other storage media
like magnetic tape, floppy disk, and hard disk, RAM has an extraordinarily
fast access rate. RAM, however, is volatile, which means that the data
stored in it are lost when the system power is turned off, or if power
glitches occur. See also DRAM and SDRAM.
ROM (Read Only Memory). An integrated circuit chip containing program
and data that can be accessed and read but not modified.
SCSI (Small Computer System Interface). High speed multi-threaded I/
O interface defined by the X3T9.2 committee of the American National
Standards Institute (ANSI) for connecting many peripheral devices. The
standard covers 10MBytes/sec to 160MBytes/sec data rates.
SDRAM (Synchronous DRAM). A type of DRAM with access signals that
are synchronized with the CPU clock, eliminating the delay associated with
data transfers between the CPU and memory. SDRAM takes memory
access away from the CPU control; internal registers in the memory
accept the request, and lets the CPU do something else while the data
requested is assembled for the next time the CPU talks to the memory.
SIR (Serial IrDA). A SIR specification defines a short-range infrared
asynchronous serial transmission mode with one stat bit, eight data bits
and one stop bit. The maximum data rate is 115.2Kbps.
SPD for SDRAM module. Serial Presence Detect (SPD) is most like an
ID detect for SDRAM module, it uses an EEPROM component on a DIMM
for storing module configuration information inside. The Serial Presence
Detect function is implemented using a 2048 bit EEPROM component.
This nonvolatile storage device contains data programmed by the DIMM
manufacturer that identifies the module type and various SDRAM
organization and timing parameters.
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
G-5
System Disk. A system disk contains the core file of an operating system
and is used to boot up the operating system.
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol). The
communications protocol used by the UNIX system and the Internet. TCP
checks for lost packets, puts the data from multiple packets into the correct
order, and requests that missing or damaged packets be resent.
USB (Universal Serial Bus). A 4-pin serial cable bus that allows up to 127
Plug-n-Play computer peripherals (such as keyboard, mouse, joystick,
scanner, printer, modem, and monitor) to share bandwidth through a host
scheduled token-based protocols. This allows attaching or detaching while
the host and other peripherals are in operation. Supports synchronous
and asynchronous transfer types over the same set of wires up to 12Mbit/
sec. USB 2.0 provides 40 times the transfer rate compared to USB 1.0 and
competes with the 1394 standard.
WAN (Wide Area Network). A geographically dispersed network formed
by linking several computers or Local Area Networks (LANs) together over
long distances. WANs usually use leased long-distance lines to connect
systems across towns, in different cities, or in different regions of the
world.
G-6
Appendix C: Glossary
Index
This part contains an alphabetical list of the
topics found in this document.
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard
fan connector 2-9
installation 2-5
Level 1/Level 2 Cache 4-16
Speed 4-15
A
Accelerated Graphics Port 2-15
Acrobat Reader 5-4
ASUS ASIC 1-7
ASUS EZ Plug™ 1-3, 1-6
ASUS iPanel 1-3, 2-30
ASUS MyLogo™ 1-2, 5-10
ASUS PC Probe 5-4
ASUS POST Reporter™ 1-2, 1-7
ASUS Update 5-9
CPU socket 1-6
Chip Configuration 4-18
Clear RTC RAM 2-24
Connectors
HDD LED 2-24
CODEC 1-4
Communications and Networking
Riser 1-7, 2-16
Connectors
ATAPI CD-ROM 4-30
Audio controller 1-7
Automatic Power Up 4- 29
ASUS EZ Plug™ 1-3, 1-6, 2-29
ASUS iPanel 2-33
ATX 12V 1-6
ATX power 1-6, 2-29
chassis alarm 2-27
digital audio 2-33
fan 2-28
floppy disk 1-6, 2-27
front panel audio 2-32
game/MIDI 1-5
B
BIOS
Advanced Menu 4-15
Boot Menu 4-30
Boot Sequence 4-30
Exit Menu 4-33
Language 4-14
Legend Bar 4-6
Main Menu 4-8
Menu Bar 4-6
HDD LED 2-25
IDE 1-6, 2-26
Power Menu 4-25
Setup Defaults, loading 4-34
Setup Program 4-5
Sub-menu launching 4-7
Updating 4-1
infrared module 2-35
internal audio 2-31
Line In 2-32
Memory Stick (MS) 2-34
panel 2-36
BIOS Beep Codes 3-1
BIOS Flash Utility 5-4
Boot Device
selection 4-29
Boot Up NumLock Status 4-13
Boot Virus Detection 4-30
power supply thermal 2-35
S/PDIF 2-33
Secure Digital (SD) 2-34
Smart Card Reader 2-34
SMBus 2-31
USB headers 2-30
CPU bus frequency 2-18
CPU frequency 2-19
C
Card Reader support 1-3
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
I-1
D
I
DDR SDRAM technology 2-10
Digital audio interfaces
S/PDIF 1-3
Interrupt Assignments 2-14
IRQ assignments 2-14
J
DIMM
installing 2-11
removing 2-12
JumperFree mode 2-17
Jumpers
DIMM sockets 1-6
DIP switches 1-7, 2-17
Double Data Rate (DDR)
memory 1- 2
Bass/Center setting 2-23
DDR voltage 2-20
keyboard power 2-20
Line Out selector 2-23
speaker selector 2-22
USB 2.0 setting 2-24
USB device wake-up 2-21
VCORE over-voltage 2- 22
E
Expansion card
installation 2-13
configuration 2-14
Expansion slots 1-8, 2-13
AGP 1-8
CNR 1-7
PCI 1-8
E-Color 3Deep 5-4
K
Keyboard
Auto-Repeat Delay 4-13
Auto-Repeat Rate 4-13
Features 4-13
F
L
Flash EEPROM 1-7
Floppy 3 Mode 4-8
LEDs
AGP warning 1-6
onboard power 1-7
Legacy Diskette 4-8
H
Hard Disk Drives (HDDs)
CHS Capacity 4-11
Cylinders 4-11
M
Motherboard
Heads 4-11
components 1-4
IRQ Table 2-14
layout 2-2
placement 2-1
screws 2-1
LBA Capacity 4-11
Primary/Secondary Master 4-9
Primary/Secondary Slave 4-9
Sectors 4-11
Types 4-9
Multi-Sector Transfers 4-11
Hardware Monitor 4-29
Heatsink
installation 2-7
Heatsink retention module 1-5
I-2
Index
Idle Timer 4-19
RAS Precharge Delay 4-19
RAS to CAS Delay 4-18
Serial Ports 1-8, 4-21
Slots
O
Onboard LED 2-3
Operating system
installation 5-1
Overclocking features 1-3
AGP 2-15
CNR 2-16
PCI 2-15
P
Parallel Port 1-8, 4-21
Modes 4-21
Password
Smart Card Reader 2-34
SMART Monitoring 4-12
Sony/Philips Digital Interface
(S/PDIF) 1-3
SPDIF audio 2-31
Super I/O chipset 1-4
Support CD 5-1
Supervisor 4-14
User 4-14
PC-cillin 5-4
PCI Configuration 4-23
PCI Latency Timer 4-23
PCI/VGA Palette Snoop 4-23
PIO Mode 4-12
ASUS Update 5-3
Boot Logo 5-12
DOS Utilities 5-6
Plug & Play O/S 4-31
Power Management 4-25
Power On Self Test 4-31
POST Messages 3-2
customizing 5-15
Drivers menu 5-5
Main menu 5-2
motherboard information 5-7
multi-channel audio 5-17
readme file 5-8
PS/2 Keyboard Port 1-8
PS/2 Mouse Port 1-8
PS/2 Mouse
Software menu 5-3
Technical Support Form 5-8
Welcome screen 5-1
Winbond Voice Editor 5-13
Suspend Mode 4-26
System Controller
North Bridge 1-6
Function Control 4-17
R
Retention Mechanism 2-8
RJ-45 port 1-8
RTC RAM
South Bridge 1-6
System Date 4-8
clearing 2-24
System memory
configurations 2-11
System Time 4-8
S
SCSI BIOS 4-22
SDRAM
Active Precharge Delay 4-19
CAS Latency 4-18
Configuration 4-18
ASUS P4B266-M motherboard user guide
I-3
U
UART2 4-23
Ultra DMA Mode 4-12
Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 1-2
USB Legacy Support 4-17
USB ports 1-8
USWC 4-20
V
Video Memory 4-20
Z
ZIF socket 2-4
I-4
Index
|