Asus A7N8X-XE User Manual
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Asus A7N8X-XE User Manual

Asus A7N8X-XE User Manual

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  • Page 1 A7N8X-XE User Guide...
  • Page 2 Product warranty or service will not be extended if: (1) the product is repaired, modified or altered, unless such repair, modification of alteration is authorized in writing by ASUS; or (2) the serial number of the product is defaced or missing.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Welcome! ..................1-2 Package Contents ................1-2 Special Features ................1-2 1.3.1 Product highlights ............1-2 1.3.2 Innovative ASUS features ..........1-4 Before You Proceed ............... 1-5 Motherboard Overview ..............1-6 1.5.1 Motherboard layout ............1-6 1.5.2 Placement direction ............1-7 1.5.3...
  • Page 4 2.1.3 Using AFUDOS to update the BIOS ....... 2-3 2.1.4 ASUS CrashFree BIOS utility ......... 2-5 2.1.5 Using ASUS EZ Flash to update the BIOS ..... 2-6 2.1.6 ASUS Update utility ............2-7 BIOS Setup Program ..............2-9 2.2.1 BIOS menu bar ............... 2-8 2.2.2...

  • Page 5: Notices

    Notices 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.

  • Page 6: Safety Information

    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.

  • Page 7: About This Guide

    ASUS websites The ASUS websites worldwide provide updated information on ASUS hardware and software products. Refer to the ASUS contact information. Optional documentation Your product package may include optional documentation, such as warranty flyers, that may have been added by your dealer. These documents are not...

  • Page 8: A7N8X-Xe Specifications Summary

    CPU/Chassis FAN connectors Front panel audio connector BIOS features 4 Mb Flash ROM, AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0, SM BIOS 2.3, ASUS EZ Flash, ASUS CrashFree BIOS PCI 2.2, USB 2.0/1.1 Industry standard Manageability WfM 2.0, DMI 2.0, WOL by PME, WOR by PME...
  • Page 9 A7N8X-XE Specifications Summary Support CD Drivers ASUS PC Probe Anti-Virus Software ASUS LiveUpdate Accessary Userʼs Manual UltraDMA cable FDD cable I/O shield SATA cable Form factor ATX, 12” x 7.8” (30.5cm x 19.8cm) * Specifications are subject to change without notice.

  • Page 11: Chapter 1: Product Introduction

    This chapter describes the motherboard features and the new technologies it supports. Product Introduction...

  • Page 12: Welcome

    A7N8X-XE motherboard! The motherboard delivers a host of new features and latest technologies, making it another standout in the long line of ASUS quality motherboards! Before you start installing the motherboard, and hardware devices on it, check the items in your package with the list below.
  • Page 13 See pages1-17 & 1-20 for details. AGP8X AGP8X (AGP 3.0) is the mainstream VGA interface specification that enables enhanced graphices performance with high bandwidth up to 2.13 GB/s. See page 1-14 for details. ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard...

  • Page 14: Innovative Asus Features

    ROM. See page 2-5 for details. ASUS EZ Flash BIOS With ASUS EZ Flash, you can update BIOS before entering operating system. No more DOS-based flash utility and bootable diskette required. See page 2-6 for details.

  • Page 15: Before You Proceed

    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. ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard...

  • Page 16: Motherboard Overview

    Motherboard overview 1.5.1 Motherboard layout 19.9cm (7.8in) PS/2KBMS PS2USBPW Socket 462 CPU_FAN T: Mouse B: Keyboard SPDIF_O COM1 USB34 nVidia nForce 2 Ultra 400 LAN_USB12 FSB_SEL0 FSB_SEL1 Top:Line In Center:Line Out Bottom:Mic In ATXPWR CLRTC CR2032 3V Lithium Cell CMOS Power REALTEK RTL8201BL PCI1...

  • Page 17: Placement Direction

    Place seven screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the motherboard to the chassis. Do not overtighten the screws! Doing so can damage the motherboard. Place this side towards-- the rear of the chassis A7N8X-XE ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard...

  • Page 18: Central Processing Unit (Cpu)

    Central Processing Unit (CPU) 1.6.1 Overview The motherboard has a Socket A for installation. The AMD Athlon™/Sempron™ /Duron™ CPU has a “marked” corner. This corner is usually indicated with a notch, and/or a golden square or triangle. Refer to this indicator when orienting the CPU. A fan and heatsink should be installed on top of the CPU to prevent overheating.

  • Page 19: System Memory

    4. For optimum compatibility, it is recommended that you obtain memory modules from qualified vendors. See the next page for a list of qualified DDR400 DIMM vendors. 5. Visit ASUS website (www.asus.com) for latest DDR400 Qualified Vendor List. ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard...
  • Page 20 DDR400 Qualified Vendors List Size Vendor Model CL Brand SS/DS Component DIMM socket support (Optional) 256MB Kingston KVR333X64C25/256 N/A Kingston D3208DH1T-6 Pass Pass Pass 256MB Kingston KVR333X64C25/256 N/A Hynix HY5DU56822BT-J Pass Pass Pass 256MB Kingston KVR333X64C25/256 N/A Hynix HY5DU56822BT-D43 Pass Pass Pass 512MB...

  • Page 21: Installing A Dimm

    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. Remove the DIMM from the socket. ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard 1-11...

  • Page 22: Expansion Slots

    Expansion slots In the future, you may need to install expansion cards. The following sub-sections describe the slots and the expansion cards that they support. Make sure to unplug the power cord before adding or removing expansion cards. Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components.

  • Page 23: Standard Interrupt Assignments

    When using PCI cards on shared slots, ensure that the drivers support “Share IRQ” or that the cards do not need IRQ assignments; otherwise, conflicts will arise between the two PCI groups, making the system unstable and the card inoperable. ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard 1-13...

  • Page 24: Agp Slot

    1.8.3 AGP slot The motherboard has an Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) slot that supports +1.5 V 8X AGP graphics card. Note the notches on the card golden fingers to ensure that they fit into the AGP slot. ® A7N8X-XE Keyed for 1.5v A7N8X-XE Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) 1.8.4 PCI slots The PCI slots support cards such as a LAN card, SCSI card, USB card, and other...

  • Page 25: Jumpers

    Please save all data before you exist. Except when clearing the RTC RAM, never remove the cap on CLRTC jumper default position. Removing the cap will cause system boot failure! CLRTC ® A7N8X-XE Normal Clear CMOS (Default) A7N8X-XE Clear RTC RAM ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard 1-15...
  • Page 26 PS2/USB Device Wake-up (3-pin PS2USBPW) This jumper allows you to enable or disable the USB/PS2 keyboard or mouse wake-up feature. Set this jumper to +5V to wake up the computer from S1 sleep mode (CPU stopped, DRAM refreshed, system running in low power mode) using the connected keyboard, mouse or USB devices.

  • Page 27: Connectors

    Serial connector. This 9-pin COM1 port is for pointing devices or other serial devices. 10. S/PDIF Coaxial out jack. This jack connects to external audio output devices with coaxial cable connectors. 11. PS/2 keyboard port (purple). This port is for a PS/2 keyboard. ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard 1-17...

  • Page 28: Internal Connectors

    1.10.2 Internal connectors Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY) This connector is for the provided floppy disk drive (FDD) signal cable. Insert one end of the cable to this connector, then connect the other end to the signal connector at the back of the floppy disk drive. Pin 5 on the connector is removed to prevent incorrect cable connection when using a FDD cable with a covered Pin 5.
  • Page 29 Do not forget to connect the fan cables to the fan connectors. Insufficient air flow inside the system may damage the motherboard components. These are not jumpers! Do not place jumper caps on the fan connectors! CPU_FAN CHA_FAN ® A7N8X-XE A7N8X-XE Fan connectors ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard 1-19...
  • Page 30 USB connectors (10-1 pin USB56, USB78) These connectors are for USB 2.0 ports. Connect the USB module cable to any of these connectors, then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis. The USB module is purchased separately. ®...
  • Page 31 A on the +5 V standby lead (+5VSB). The minimum recommended wattage is 230W, or 300W for a fully configured system. The system may become unstable and may experience difficulty powering up if the power supply is inadequate. ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard 1-21...
  • Page 32 System panel connector (20-pin PANEL) This connector supports several chassis-mounted functions. PLED SPEAKER PANEL ® RESET HD_LED A7N8X-XE EXTSMI PWRS Requires an ATX power supply. A7N8X-XE System panel connector • System power LED (3-1 pin PLED) This connector is for the system power LED. Connect the chassis power LED cable to this connector.

  • Page 33: Chapter 2: Bios Setup

    T h i s c h a p t e r t e l l s h o w t o c h a n g e the system settings through the BIOS Setup menus. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided. BIOS Setup...

  • Page 34: Managing And Updating Your Bios

    ASUS AFUDOS (Updates the BIOS in DOS mode using a bootable floppy disk.) ASUS CrashFree BIOS (Updates the BIOS using a floppy disk when the BIOS file fails or gets corrupted.) ASUS EZ Flash (Updates the BIOS in DOS mode using a floppy disk.) ®...

  • Page 35: Using Afudos To Copy The Current Bios

    floppy diskette. AFUDOS also allows you to copy the original BIOS file to a floppy diskette. To update the BIOS using the AFUDOS.EXE: 1. Download the latest BIOS file from the website provided by the system builder. ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard...
  • Page 36 Write the BIOS filename on a piece of paper. You need to type the exact BIOS file name at the prompt. 2. Copy the AFUDOS.EXE utility from the support CD to the bootable floppy disk that contains the BIOS file. 3.

  • Page 37: Asus Crashfree Bios Utility

    2.1.4 ASUS CrashFree BIOS utility The ASUS CrashFree BIOS allows you to update the BIOS file when it fails or gets corrupted. You can update a corrupted BIOS file using a floppy disk that contains the updated BIOS file and the AFUDOS utility.

  • Page 38: Using Asus Ez Flash To Update The Bios

    2.1.5 Using ASUS EZ Flash to update the BIOS The ASUS EZ Flash feature allows you to easily update the BIOS without having to go through the long process of booting from a floppy disk and using a DOS-based utility. The EZ Flash is built-in the BIOS LPC chip so it is accessible by simply pressing <Alt>...

  • Page 39: Asus Update Utility

    2.1.6 ASUS Update utility The ASUS Update is a utility that allows you to manage, save, and update the ® motherboard BIOS in Windows environment. The ASUS Update utility allows you to: • Save the current BIOS file • Download the latest BIOS file from the Internet •...
  • Page 40 To update the BIOS through a BIOS file: ® Launch the ASUS Update utility from the Windows desktop by clicking Start > Programs > ASUS > ASUSUpdate > ASUSUpdate. The ASUS Update main window appears. Select Update BIOS from a file option from the drop-down menu, then click Next.

  • Page 41: Bios Setup Program

    The BIOS setup screens shown in this section are for reference purposes only, and may not exactly match what you see on your screen. • Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS file for this motherboard. ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard...

  • Page 42: Bios Menu Bar

    2.2.1 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.

  • Page 43: General Help

    This window displays the help text for the highlighted field. Saving changes and exiting the Setup program See “2.7 Exit menu” for detailed information on saving changes and exiting the setup program. ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard 2-11...

  • Page 44: Main Menu

    [Disabled] Use [+] or [-] to configure system Time. Primary IDE Master : [WDC WD2500JB-00FUA] Primary IDE Slave : [Not Detected] Secondary IDE Master : [ASUS DVD-E616P2] Select Screen ←→ Secondary IDE Slave : [Not Detected] Select Item ↑↓ Third IDE Master...
  • Page 45 When set to [Disabled], the data transfer from and to the device occurs one sector at a time. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Auto] ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard 2-13...

  • Page 46: System Information

    PIO Mode [Auto] Selects the PIO mode. Configuration options: [Auto] [0] [1] [2] [3] [4] DMA Mode [Auto] Selects the DMA mode. Configuration options: [Auto] [SWDMA0] [SWDMA1] [SWDMA2] [MWDMA0] [MWDMA1] [MWDMA2] [UDMA0] [UDMA1] [UDMA2] [UDMA3] [UDMA4] [UDMA5] If the hard disk supports DMA6, UDMA6 will appears in the configuration options. SMART Monitoring [Auto] Sets the Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology.

  • Page 47: Advanced Menu

    (C)Copyright 1985-2004, American Megatrends, Inc. AI Overclock Tuner [Auto] Allows selection of CPU overclocking options to achieve desired CPU internal frequency. Select either one of the preset overclocking options and the relevant parameters will appear. Configuration options: [Auto] [Manual] ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard 2-15...
  • Page 48 CPU Frequency [166] Allows you to set the CPU host frequency. Range: 100MHz-300MHz. FSB Spread Spectrum [Disabled] Allows you to enable and disable the FSB clock generator spread spectrum. Configuration options: [Auto] [Disabled] AGP Spread spectrum [Disabled] Allows you to enable and disable the AGP clock generator spread spectrum. Configuration options: [Auto] [Disabled] 2.4.2 USB Configuration The USB Configuration menu allows you to adjust the settings for the onboard USB...

  • Page 49: Cpu Configuration

    BIOS SETUP UTILITY NVIDIA nForce2 Chipset Configuration Options for NB NorthBridge Configuration SouthBridge Configuration Select Screen ←→ Select Item ↑↓ Enter Go to Sub Screen General Help Save and Exit Exit v02.58 (C)Copyright 1985-2004, American Megatrends, Inc. ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard 2-17...
  • Page 50 NorthBridge Chipset Configuration BIOS SETUP UTILITY Northbridge Chipset configuration This will switch the PCI Bus scanning order while searching for Primary Graphices Adapter [PCI] video card. Graphics Aperture Size [ 64MB] This allows to select MDA Access Control [PCI] the type of Primary TV Mode Support [Default] VGA in case of...
  • Page 51 Allows you to set the TRAS. Range: 2-15 TRCD [4] Allows you to set the TRCD. Range: 2-7 TRP [2] Allows you to set the TRP. Range: 2-7 CAS# Latency [Auto] Configuration options: [Auto] [2.0] [2.5] [3.0] ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard 2-19...
  • Page 52 South Bridge Chipset Configuration BIOS SETUP UTILITY South Bridge Chipset configuration Enable or Disable Onboard LAN device Onboard LAN [Enabled] MAC Bridge Mode [Enabled] AC97 Audio [Auto] Modem CODEC Interface [Auto] OnBoard SATA Controller [Enabled] SATA Operation Mode [non-RAID] SMBus Interface [Enabled] Select Screen IOAPIC...

  • Page 53: Onboard Devices Configuration

    Allows you to set the Parallel Port ECP DMA. This item appears only when the Parallel Port Mode is set to [ECP] or [EPP+ECP]. Configuration options: [DMA0] [DMA1] [DMA3] Parallel Port IRQ [IRQ7] Allows selection of the Parallel Port IRQ. Configuration options: [IRQ5] [IRQ7] ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard 2-21...

  • Page 54: Pcipnp

    2.4.6 PCIPnP The PCIPnP menu allows you to change the settings for installed PCI devices. Select an item then press <Enter> to display the sub-menu. BIOS SETUP UTILITY Advanced PCI/PnP Settings NO: lets the BIOS configure all the WARNING: Setting wrong values in below sections devices in the system.

  • Page 55: Power Menu

    Allows you to enable or disable the Advanced configuration and Power interface (ACPI) support in the Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller (APIC). When set to Enabled, The ACPI APIC table pointer is included in the RSDT pointer list. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard 2-23...

  • Page 56: Apm Configuration

    2.5.1 APM Configuration BIOS SETUP UTILITY Enable or disable Power Management/APM [Enabled] Suspend Power Saving Type [S1] Power Button Mode [On/Off] Video Power Down Mode [Suspend] Hard disk Power Down Mode [Suspend] Manual Throttle Ratio [50%] THRM throttle Ratio [50%] PME Resume [Disabled] Ring-In Power On...
  • Page 57 Power On, the system goes on after an AC power loss. When set to Last State, then system goes into either off or on state whatever the system state was before the AC power loss. Configuration options: [Power Off] [Power On] [Last State] ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard 2-25...

  • Page 58: Hardware Monitor

    2.5.2 Hardware Monitor BIOS SETUP UTILITY Hardware Health Event Monitoring CPU Temperature : 45ºC/113ºF M/B Temperature : 32ºC/89ºF CPU Fan Speed : 3863 RPM Chassis Fan Speed : N/A Vcore : 1.661 V + 3.30V : 3.403 V Select Screen ←→...

  • Page 59: Boot Menu

    Allows you to specify the boot device priority sequence from the available devices. The number of device items that apear on the screen depends on the number of devices installed in the system. Configuration options: [xxxxx Drive] [Disabled] ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard 2-27...

  • Page 60: Boot Settings Configuration

    This allows you to enable or disable the full screen logo display feature. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Set this item to [Enable] to use the ASUS MyLogo™ feature. AddOn ROM Display Mode [Force BIOS] Sets the display mode for option ROM. Configuration options: [Force BIOS] [Keep Current] Boot From Network [Disabled] Allows you to boot from network.

  • Page 61: Security

    The message “Password Installed” appears after you successfully set your password. To change the supervisor password, follow the same steps as in setting a user password. To clear the supervisor passowrd, select the Change Supervisor Password then press <Enter>. The message “Password Uninistalled” appears. ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard 2-29...

  • Page 62: Change User Password

    If you forget your BIOS password, you can clear it by erasing the CMOS Real TMe Clock (RTC) RAM. See section “1.6 Jumpers” for information on how to erase the RTC RAM. Change User Password Select this item to set or change the user password. The Supervisor Password item on top of the screen shows the default Not Installed.

  • Page 63: Exit Menu

    BIOS Setup menus. When you select this option, or if you press <F5>, a confirmation window appears. Select Yes to load the default values. Select Exit & Save Changes or make other changes before saving the values to the non-volatile RAM. ASUS A7N8X-XE Motherboard 2-31...

  • Page 64: Chapter 3: Software Support

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

  • Page 65: Installing An Operating System

    The contents of the support CD are subject to change at any time without notice. Visit the ASUS website(www.asus.com) for updates. 3.2.1 Running the support CD Place the support CD to the optical drive. The CD automatically displays the Drivers menu if Autorun is enabled in your computer.

  • Page 66: Drivers Menu

    3.2.3 Utilities menu The Utilities menu shows the applications and other software that the motherboard supports. ASUS PC Probe This smart utility monitors the fan speed, CPU temperature, and system voltages, and alerts you of any detected problems. This utility helps you keep your computer in healthy operating condition.

  • Page 67: Contacts Menu

    ASUS Update The ASUS Update utility allows you to update the motherboard BIOS in a Windows ® environment. This utility requires an Internet connection either through a network or an Internet Service Provider (ISP). See pages 2-7 to 2-8 for details.

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