1. Manuals
  2. Brands
  3. Asus Manuals
  4. Motherboard
  5. M4A785G HTPC Series
  6. User manual

Asus M4A785G HTPC Series User Manual

User manual
Hide thumbs
Table of Contents

Advertisement

Quick Links

M4A785G HTPC
Series

Advertisement

Table of Contents
loading

Related Manuals for Asus M4A785G HTPC Series

Summary of Contents for Asus M4A785G HTPC Series

  • Page 1 M4A785G HTPC Series...
  • 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

    Contents Contents ...................... iii Notices ......................vi Safety information ..................vii About this guide ..................viii M4A785G HTPC Series specifications summary ........ix Chapter 1 Product introduction Welcome! ..................1-1 Package contents ................. 1-1 Special features ................1-1 1.3.1 Product highlights ............1-1 1.3.2...

  • Page 4: Contents

    BIOS information Managing and updating your BIOS ..........2-1 2.1.1 ASUS Update utility ............2-1 2.1.2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility ........... 2-2 2.1.3 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility ........2-3 BIOS setup program ..............2-3 2.2.1 BIOS menu screen ............2-4 2.2.2...
  • Page 5 Boot Device Priority ............2-19 2.7.2 Boot Settings Configuration .......... 2-19 2.7.3 Security ................. 2-20 Tools menu ................. 2-21 2.8.1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 ............2-21 2.8.2 Express Gate [Auto] ............2-21 2.8.3 AI NET 2................ 2-21 Exit menu ..................2-22...

  • Page 6: Notices

    Complying with the REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals) regulatory framework, we published the chemical substances in our products at ASUS REACH website at http://green.asus.com/english/REACH.htm. DO NOT throw the motherboard in municipal waste. This product has been designed to enable proper reuse of parts and recycling.

  • Page 7: 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. If possible, disconnect all power cables from the existing system before you add a device.

  • Page 8: About This Guide

    Where to find more information Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product and software updates. ASUS websites The ASUS website provides updated information on ASUS hardware and software products. Refer to the ASUS contact information. Optional documentation Your product package may include optional documentation, such as warranty flyers, that may have been added by your dealer.

  • Page 9: M4A785G Htpc Series Specifications Summary

    CPU limitation, DDR2 1200/1066 are ® supported by AM3 / AM2+ CPUs for one DIMM per channel only. Refer to www.asus.com or this user manual for the Memory QVL (Qualified Vendors Lists). ** Due to OS limitation, when installing total memory of 4GB capacity or more, Windows 32-bit operation system may only recognize less than 3GB.
  • Page 10 AI HTPC Unique ASUS HTPC Features: Features - ASUS Absolute Pitch Hi-Fi - ASUS Home Theater Gate - ASUS Tranquil Mode (AM3/AM2+ CPUs only) - DTS Surround Sensation UltraPC (supports Windows ® Vista™ and Window 7 only) ®...
  • Page 11 M4A785G HTPC Series specifications summary ASUS Exclusive Precision Tweaker: Overclocking Features - vCore: Adjustable CPU voltage at 0.0125V increment SFS (Stepless Frequency Selection): - FSB tuning from 200MHz up to 600MHz at 1MHz increment - GPU tuning from 500MHz up to 1500MHz...
  • Page 12 M4A785G HTPC Series specifications summary BIOS features 16 Mb Flash ROM, AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI 2.0, WfM2.0, SM BIOS 2.5, ACPI 2.0 Support DVD contents Drivers ASUS Home Theater Gate ASUS Express Gate ASUS PC Probe II ASUS Update Anti-Virus Utility (OEM version) Form factor uATX form factor: 9.6 in x 9.6 in (24.4 cm x 24.4 cm)

  • Page 13: Chapter 1 Product Introduction

    ® 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 14: Innovative Asus Features

    Absolute Pitch Hi-Fi You can easily experience home theater enjoyment on your computer with the revolutionary ASUS Absolute Pitch Hi-Fi technology, which features ENVY HD, Absolute Pitch BD192/24, and DTS Surround Sensation UltraPC. ENVY HD feaures prodigious 9.1 high definition audio and fine-textured graphic user interface that simply brings the professional surround acoustic level to your computer.

  • Page 15: Asus Unique Features

    The ASUS Home Theater Gate, specially designed for the HTPC series, allows you to easily and quickly launch media applications to enjoy your music and movies. For RC Edition: Use the bundled remote controller to launch the ASUS Home Theater Gate and start media applications. ASUS Unique Features...

  • Page 16: Before You Proceed

    ON, in sleep mode, or in soft-off mode. This is a reminder that you should shut down the system and unplug the power cable before removing or plugging in any motherboard component. The illustration below shows the location of the onboard LED. ASUS M4A785G HTPC Series...

  • Page 17: Motherboard Overview

    Motherboard overview 1.5.1 Placement direction When installing the motherboard, ensure that you place it into the chassis in the correct orientation. The edge with external ports goes to the rear part of the chassis as indicated in the image below. 1.5.2 Screw holes Place eight screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the motherboard to the...

  • Page 18: Motherboard Layout

    IEEE 1394a port connector (10-1 pin IE1394_2) 1-32 Audio power connector (4-pin AUDIO_PWR) 1-31 Optical drive audio in connector (4-pin CD) 1-30 Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin AAFP) 1-32 Digital audio connector (4-1 pin SPDIF_OUT) 1-31 ASUS M4A785G HTPC Series...

  • Page 19: Central Processing Unit (Cpu)

    Central Processing Unit (CPU) The motherboard comes with a CPU socket designed for AMD AM3/AM2+/AM2 Phenom™ II / ® Athlon™ II / Phenom™ / Athlon™ / Sempron™ processors. The CPU socket is not compatible with AMD Opteron™ processors. Do not install an ®...

  • Page 20: Installing The Heatsink And Fan

    • If you purchased a separate CPU heatsink and fan assembly, ensure that a Thermal Interface Material is properly applied to the CPU heatsink or CPU before you install the heatsink and fan assembly. CPU Fan CPU Heatsink Retention bracket Retention Module Base Retention bracket lock ASUS M4A785G HTPC Series...
  • Page 21 Your boxed CPU heatsink and fan assembly 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. Attach one end of the retention bracket to the retention module base. Align the other end of the retention bracket to the retention module base.

  • Page 22: System Memory

    • For system stability, use a more efficient memory cooling system to support a full memory load (4 DIMMs) or overclocking condition. 1-10 ASUS M4A785G HTPC Series...
  • Page 23 M4A785G HTPC Series Motherboard Qualified Vendors Lists (QVL) DDR2-1066MHz capability (with AM3 CPU) DIMM socket Chip Timing support (Optional) Vendor Part No. Size Chip NO. Voltage Brand Dimm(Bios) Apacer BoxP/N:CH.02GAF.C0KK2 2048MB(Kit of 2) DS N/A Heat-Sink Package 5-5-5-15 • (78.0AG9S.9KF) Apacer 78.AAGBD.9LZ...
  • Page 24 • G.SKILL F2-6400CL5D-1GBNQ 1024MB(Kit of 2) SS N/A Heat-Sink Package 5-5-5-15 1.8-2.0 • • • G.SKILL F2-6400CL4D-2GBPK 1024MB Heat-Sink Package • • • G.SKILL F2-6400CL5D-2GBNQ 1024MB Heat-Sink Package • G.SKILL F2-6400PHU2-2GBNR 1024MB Heat-Sink Package • 1-12 ASUS M4A785G HTPC Series...
  • Page 25 DDR2-800MHz capability (with AM3 CPU) (continued) DIMM socket Chip Timing support (Optional) Vendor Part No. Size Chip NO. Voltage Brand Dimm(Bios) G.SKILL F2-6400CL4D-4GBPK 4096MB(Kit of 2) DS N/A Heat-Sink Package 2.0-2.1 • • G.SKILL F2-6400CL5D-4GBPQ 4096MB(Kit of 2) DS N/A Heat-Sink Package 1.8-1.9 •...
  • Page 26 Heat-Sink Package 5-5-5-15 • GEIL GB24GB6400C4QC 4096MB(Kitof4) DS GEIL GL2L64M088BA30EB 4-4-4-12 • • GEIL GE24GB800C4QC 4096MB(Kitof4) DS N/A Heat-Sink Package 4-4-4-12 • • • GEIL GE24GB800C5QC 4096MB(Kitof4) DS N/A Heat-Sink Package 5-5-5-15 • • • 1-14 ASUS M4A785G HTPC Series...
  • Page 27 DDR2-800MHz capability (with AM2+ CPU) (continued) DIMM socket Chip Timing support (Optional) Vendor Part No. Size Chip NO. Voltage Brand Dimm(Bios) GEIL GB28GB6400C4QC 8192MB(Kitof4) DS GEIL GL2L128M88BA25AB 4-4-4-12 • • • GEIL GB28GB6400C5QC 8192MB(Kitof4) DS GEIL GL2L128M88BA25AB 5-5-5-15 • • •...
  • Page 28 Kingbox 1024MB DS KINGBOX EPD264082200E-4 • • Kingbox 1024MB DS KINGBOX EPD264082200N-4 • • M 512-667-8 512MB 18D 51280D-30648 • M924-667-16A 1024MB DS MDT 18D 51200D-30646 • Patriot PSD21G6672 1024MB DS PATRIOT PM64M8D2BU-3PAC 5 • 1-16 ASUS M4A785G HTPC Series...
  • Page 29 Dual-channel memory configuration. • C*: Supports four modules inserted into both the yellow slots and the black slots as two pairs of Dual-channel memory configuration. Visit the ASUS website for the latest QVL. Chapter 1: Product introduction 1-17...

  • Page 30: 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. DDR2 DIMM notch Remove the DIMM from the socket. 1-18 ASUS M4A785G HTPC Series...

  • Page 31: 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. Unplug the power cord before adding or removing expansion cards. Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components.

  • Page 32: Jumpers

    • Due to the chipset behavior, AC power off is required to enable C.P.R. function. You must turn off and on the power supply or unplug and plug the power cord before rebooting the system. 1-20 ASUS M4A785G HTPC Series...

  • Page 33: Connectors

    1.10 Connectors 1.10.1 Rear panel connectors Optical S/PDIF Out port. This port connects an external audio output device via an optical S/PDIF cable. Video Graphics Adapter (VGA) port This 15-pin port is for a VGA monitor or other VGA-compatible devices. USB 2.0 ports 3 and 4.
  • Page 34 DVI-I Out port. This port is for any DVI-I compatible device and are HDCP compliant, allowing playback of HD DVD, Blu-Ray and other protected content. HDMI Out port. This port is for a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) connector. 1-22 ASUS M4A785G HTPC Series...
  • Page 35 Dual display table This table indicates whether the dual display you want to use is supported or not. Dual display output Support Not support DVI + D-Sub • HDMI + D-Sub • DVI + HDMI • Playback of HD DVD and Blu-Ray Discs For better playback quality, we suggest that you follow the system requirements in the suggested list below.

  • Page 36: Troubleshooting On Hdtv Overscaling Or Underscaling

    The Scaling Options function of the DTV (HDMI™) 1 item in the ATI CATALYST Control Center is adjustable only when you are using an HDTV compliance resolution such as 480i, 720i, or 1080i. 1-24 ASUS M4A785G HTPC Series...

  • Page 37: Internal Connectors

    These are not jumpers! DO NOT place jumper caps on the fan connectors. Only the CPU_FAN and CHA_FAN1–2 connectors support the ASUS Q FAN 2 feature and the ASUS Tranquil Mode. Refer to page 2-18 for the fan type setting...
  • Page 38 The system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is inadequate. • If you are uncertain about the minimum power supply requirement for your system, refer to the Recommended Power Supply Wattage Calculator at http://support.asus. com/PowerSupplyCalculator/PSCalculator.aspx?SLanguage=en-us for details. 1-26...
  • Page 39 IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE) The onboard IDE connector is for Ultra DMA 133/100/66 signal cable. There are three connectors on each Ultra DMA 133 / 100 / 66 signal cable: blue, black, and gray. Connect the blue connector to the motherboard’s IDE connector, then select one of the following modes to configure your devices: Drive jumper setting Mode of device(s)
  • Page 40 RAID manual in the support DVD. • If you intend to create a Serial ATA RAID set using these connectors, set the OnChip SATA Type item in the BIOS to [RAID]. See page 2-8 for details. 1-28 ASUS M4A785G HTPC Series...

  • Page 41: System Panel Connector

    System panel connector (10-1 pin PANEL) This connector supports several chassis-mounted functions. • System power LED (2-pin PLED) This 2-pin connector is for the system power LED. Connect the chassis power LED cable to this connector. The system power LED lights up when you turn on the system power, and blinks when the system is in sleep mode.
  • Page 42 The USB 2.0 module is purchased separately. Optical drive audio in connector (4-pin CD) This connector allows you to receive stereo audio input from sound sources such as a CD-ROM, TV tuner, or MPEG card. 1-30 ASUS M4A785G HTPC Series...
  • Page 43 Audio power connector (4-pin Audio_PWR) This connector is for a 4-pin power plug from a power supply. Connect a power plug to this audio power connector for better sound quality. • We highly recommend that you connect a power plug to this audio power connector for ensuring effective audio output.
  • Page 44 Never connect a USB cable to the IEEE 1394a connector. Doing so will damage the motherboard! The IEEE 1394a module cable is purchased separately. 1-32 ASUS M4A785G HTPC Series...
  • Page 45 ASUS Q-Connector (system panel) You can use the ASUS Q-Connector to connect/disconnect chassis front panel cables in a few steps. Refer to the instructions below to install the ASUS Q-Connector. Connect the front panel cables to the ASUS Q-Connector. Refer to the labels on the Q-Connector to...

  • Page 46: Software Support

    ASUS website at www.asus.com for updates. • For detailed software instructions, see the Manual menu in the Support DVD or download the latest software manual from the ASUS website at www.asus.com. To run the Support DVD Place the Support DVD to the optical drive. The DVD automatically displays the Drivers menu if Autorun is enabled in your computer.

  • Page 47: Asus Home Theater Gate

    1.11.3 ASUS Home Theater Gate The ASUS Home Theater Gate, specially designed for the HTPC series, allows you to easily and quickly launch media applications to enjoy your music and movies. With the bundled remote controller, you can launch the ASUS Home Theater Gate and start media applications with just one touch.
  • Page 48 Music player Windows Media Player, Winamp, KMPlayer, RealPlayer, iTunes ® • Visit the ASUS website at http://support.asus.com/download/download. aspx?SLanguage=en-us for the latest supported type. XP limitation, you have to install the UDF Reader to recognize the • Due to Window ®...
  • Page 49 Using the remote controller (RC Edition only) Use the remote controller to launch the ASUS Home Theater Gate and start media applications. Connect the IR receiver to the USB 2.0 port 1 or 2 before using the remote controller. Mute...
  • Page 50 1-38 ASUS M4A785G HTPC Series...

  • Page 51: Chapter 2 Bios Information

    BIOS in the future. Copy the original motherboard BIOS using the ASUS Update utility. 2.1.1 ASUS Update utility The ASUS Update is a utility that allows you to manage, save, and update the motherboard BIOS in Windows environment. ®...

  • Page 52: Asus Ez Flash 2 Utility

    2.1.2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility The ASUS EZ Flash 2 feature allows you to update the BIOS without having to use a bootable floppy disk or a DOS-based utility. Before you start using this utility, download the latest BIOS from the ASUS website at www.asus.com.

  • Page 53: Asus Crashfree Bios 3 Utility

    The BIOS file in the motherboard support DVD may be older than the BIOS file published on the ASUS official website. If you want to use the newer BIOS file, download the file at support.asus.com and save it to a USB flash drive.

  • Page 54: Bios Menu Screen

    • 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 at www.asus.com to download the latest BIOS file for this motherboard.

  • Page 55: Navigation Keys

    • The BIOS setup screens shown in this chapter are for reference purposes only, and may not exactly match what you see on your screen. • Visit the ASUS website at www.asus.com to download the latest BIOS information. 2.2.3 Navigation keys At the bottom right corner of a menu screen are the navigation keys for that particular menu.

  • Page 56: Main Menu

    IDE device type. Select [CDROM] if you are specifically configuring a CD-ROM drive. Select [ARMD] (ATAPI Removable Media Device) if your device is either a ZIP, LS-120, or MO drive. Configuration options: [Not Installed] [Auto] [CDROM] [ARMD] ASUS M4A785G HTPC Series...

  • Page 57: Sata 1-5/Esata

    LBA/Large Mode [Auto] Enables or disables the LBA mode. Setting to [Auto] enables the LBA mode if the device supports this mode, and if the device was not previously formatted with LBA mode disabled. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Auto] Block (Multi-Sector Transfer) M [Auto] Enables or disables data multi-sectors transfers.

  • Page 58: Storage Configuration

    This menu gives you an overview of the general system specifications. The BIOS automatically detects the items in this menu. BIOS Information Displays the auto-detected BIOS information. Processor Displays the auto-detected CPU specification. System Memory Displays the auto-detected system memory. ASUS M4A785G HTPC Series...

  • Page 59: Ai Tweaker Menu

    Ai Tweaker menu The Ai Tweaker menu items allow you to configure overclocking-related items. Be cautious when changing the settings of the Ai Tweaker menu items. Incorrect field values can cause the system to malfunction. The default values of the following items vary depending on the CPU and memory modules you install on the motherboard.

  • Page 60: Cpu/Nb Frequency [Auto]

    Configuration options: [Channel] [Chip Select] 2.4.7 DRAM Timing Configuration Allows you to change the advanced DRAM timing settings. The configuration options for some of the following items vary depending on the DIMMs you install on the motherboard. 2-10 ASUS M4A785G HTPC Series...
  • Page 61 DRAM Command Rate [Auto] Allows selection of the DRAM command rate. Configuration options: [Auto] [1T] [2T] DRAM Timing Mode [Auto] Allows selection of the DRAM Timing Mode. Configuration options: [Auto] [Manual] The following sub-items appear only when you set the DRAM Timing Mode item to [Manual].

  • Page 62: Cpu Voltage [Auto]

    Set to [Disabled] to enhance FSB overclocking ability or [Enabled] for EMI control. Configuration options: [Auto] [Disabled] [Enabled] 2.4.14 PCIE Spread Spectrum [Auto] Set to [Disabled] to enhance PCIE overclocking ability or [Linear Down] for EMI control. Configuration options: [Auto] [Disabled] [Enabled] 2-12 ASUS M4A785G HTPC Series...

  • Page 63: Advanced Menu

    Advanced menu The Advanced menu items allow you to change the settings for the CPU and other system devices. Be cautious when changing the settings of the Advanced menu items. Incorrect field values can cause the system to malfunction. BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main Ai Tweaker Advanced...

  • Page 64: Chipset

    Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Surround View [Auto] If you set the PCI Express device as the primary display and enable this item, you may use the internal graphics as the secondary display. Configuration options: [Auto] [Enabled] [Disabled] 2-14 ASUS M4A785G HTPC Series...

  • Page 65: Onboard Devices Configuration

    FB Location [Above 4G] Allows you to select the FB Location. Configuration options: [Below 4G] [Above 4G] AMD 785G HD Audio [Enabled] Allows you to disable or enable the AMD 785G HD Audio. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Primary Display Adapter [PCI-E] Allows you to select the graphics controller to use as the primary boot device.

  • Page 66: Pcipnp

    System ACPI APIC support [Enabled] Suspend. Chassis LED [On] EuP Ready [Disabled] APM Configuration Hardware Monitor Select Screen ←→ Select Item ↑↓ Change Option General Help Save and Exit Exit v02.61 (C)Copyright 1985-2009, American Megatrends, Inc. 2-16 ASUS M4A785G HTPC Series...

  • Page 67: Suspend Mode [Auto]

    2.6.1 Suspend Mode [Auto] Allows you to select the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) state to be used for system suspend. [S1(POS) Only] - Enables the system to enter the ACPI S1 (Power on Suspend) sleep state. In S1 sleep state, the system appears suspended and stays in a low power mode.

  • Page 68: Hardware Monitor

    Chassis fan automatically adjusts depending on the Chassis temperature. Set this item to [Silent] to minimize fan speed for quiet Chassis fan operation, or [Performance] to achieve the maximum Chassis fan speed. Configuration options: [Performance] [Optimal] [Silent] 2-18 ASUS M4A785G HTPC Series...

  • Page 69: Boot Menu

    Configuration options: [Removable Dev.] [Hard Drive] [ATAPI CD-ROM] [Disabled] • To select the boot device during system startup, press <F8> when ASUS Logo appears. • To access Windows OS in Safe Mode, do any of the following: - Press <F5>...

  • Page 70: Security

    When set to [Setup], BIOS checks for user password when accessing the Setup utility. When set to [Always], BIOS checks for user password both when accessing Setup and booting the system. Configuration options: [Setup] [Always] 2-20 ASUS M4A785G HTPC Series...

  • Page 71: Tools Menu

    (C)Copyright 1985-2009, American Megatrends, Inc. 2.8.1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 Allows you to run ASUS EZ Flash 2. When you press <OK>, a confirmation message appears. Use the left/right arrow key to select between [Yes] or [No], then press <OK> to confirm your choice.

  • Page 72: Exit Menu

    When you select this option or if you press <F5>, a confirmation window appears. Select OK to load default values. Select Exit & Save Changes or make other changes before saving the values to the non-volatile RAM. 2-22 ASUS M4A785G HTPC Series...

Table of Contents