Asus A8N-E A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911
Asus A8N-E Manual
View all Asus A8N-E manuals
Add to My Manuals
Save this manual to your list of manuals |
Asus A8N-E manual content summary:
- Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 1
A8N-E Motherboard - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 2
INC. ("ASUS"). Product warranty or service will not ERROR IN THIS MANUAL OR PRODUCT. SPECIFICATIONS AND INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL ARE FURNISHED FOR INFORMATIONAL USE ONLY, AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE, AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY ASUS. ASUS - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 3
direction 1-8 1.5.2 Screw holes 1-8 1.5.3 Motherboard layout 1-9 1.6 Central Processing Unit (CPU 1-10 1.6.1 Overview 1-10 1.6.2 Installling the CPU 1-10 1.6.3 Installing the heatsink and fan 1-12 1.7 System memory 1-15 1.7.1 Overview 1-15 1.7.2 Memory Configurations 1-15 1.7.3 Installing - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 4
2.1.5 ASUS EZ Flash utility 2-8 2.1.6 ASUS Update utility 2-9 2.2 BIOS setup program 2-12 2.2.1 BIOS menu screen 2-13 2.2.2 Menu bar 2-13 2.2.3 Legend bar 2-14 2.2.4 Menu items 2-14 2.2.5 Sub-menu items 2-14 2.2.6 Configuration fields 2-14 2.2.8 General help 2-15 2.2.7 Pop-up window 2-15 - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 5
2.6.5 Boot Settings Configuration 2-38 2.6.6 Security 2-39 2.7 Exit menu 2-41 Chapter 3: Software support 3.1 Installing an operating system 3-2 3.2 Support CD information 3-2 3.2.1 Running the support CD 3-2 3.2.2 Drivers menu 3-3 3.2.3 Utilities menu 3-4 3.2.4 Manuals menu 3-6 3.2.5 ASUS - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 6
Contents 3.4 RAID configurations 3-21 3.4.1 Installing hard disks 3-22 3.4.2 NVIDIA® RAID configurations 3-23 3.5 Creating a RAID driver disk 3-30 3.6 Cool 'n' Quiet!™ Technology 3-31 3.6.1 Enabling Cool 'n' Quiet!™ Technology 3-31 3.6.2 Launching the Cool 'n' Quiet!™ software 3-32 vi - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 7
used in accordance with manufacturer's instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures: • Reorient or of the monitor to the graphics card is required to assure compliance with FCC regulations. Changes or - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 8
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 - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 9
the BIOS parameters are also provided. • Chapter 3: Software support This chapter describes the contents of the support CD that comes with the motherboard package. Where to find more information Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product and software updates. 1. ASUS - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 10
manual. D A N G E R / W A R N I N G : Information to prevent injury to yourself when trying to complete a task. C A U T I O N : Information to prevent damage to the components when trying to complete a task. I M P O R T A N T : Instructions supply the required item or value enclosed in brackets Example - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 11
A8N-E specifications summary CPU Socket 939 for AMD Athlon™ 64FX/AMD Athlon™ 64 processor Supports AMD 64 architecture that enables simultaneous 32-bit and 64-bit architecture Supports AMD® Cool 'n' Quiet! Technology Chipset NVIDIA® nForce™ 4 Ultra System Bus 1600/2000 MT per second Memory - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 12
A8N-E specifications summary Internal connectors LAN AI Audio USB Rear panel BIOS features Power Requirement 1 x Floppy disk drive connector 2 x IDE connectors 4 x Serial ATA connectors 1 x CPU fan connector 1 x Power fan connector 2 x Chassis fan connector 1 x Chipset fan connector 1 x Serial - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 13
A8N-E specifications summary Form Factor Support CD contents ATX form factor: 12 in x 9.6 in (30.5 cm x 24.4 cm) Device drivers ASUS PC Probe ASUS Live Update utility ASUS Cool'n'Quiet! utility Anti-virus utility (OEM version) NVIDIA® nTune™ utility *Specifications are subject to change without - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 14
xiv - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 15
This chapter describes the motherboard features and the new technologies it supports. 1Product introduction ASUS A8N-E 1-1 - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 16
module USB 2.0 + GAME port module Cables 4 x Serial ATA signal cables 2 x Serial ATA power cables (dual plugs) Ultra DMA/133 cable 40-conductor IDE cable Floppy disk drive cable Accessories I/O shield A p p l i c a t i o n C D s ASUS motherboard support CD D o c u m e n t a t i o n User guide - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 17
only safe data packets are passed on the network. Additionally, it boosts overall system performance by offloading the CPU from the rigorous task of filtering data packets. See page 3-18 for details. AMD Cool 'n' Quiet!™ Technology The motherboard supports the AMD Cool 'n' Quiet!™ Technology that - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 18
requirement. See pages 1-25. RAID solution The NVIDIA® nForce™ 4 Ultra RAID controller onboard provides the motherboard with RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 1+0 and JBOD configuration for four SATA and two PATA connectors. See page 3-21 for details. PCI Express™ interface The motherboard fully supports PCI - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 19
During the bootup process, AI NET 2 immediately diagnoses the LAN cable(s) and reports shorts and faults up to 100 meters at 1 meter accuracy. See pages 2-30 and 3-11 for details. AI Audio technology The motherboard supports 8-channel audio through the onboard ALC850 CODEC with 16-bit DAC, a stereo - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 20
you to restore the original BIOS data from the support CD in case when the BIOS codes and data are corrupted. This protection eliminates the need to buy a replacement ROM chip. See details on page 2-5. ASUS Q-Fan technology The ASUS Q-Fan technology smartly adjusts the fan speeds according to the - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 21
precautions before you install motherboard components or change any motherboard settings. • Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any component. • Use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded object or to a metal object, such as the power supply case, before handling - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 22
power cord before installing or removing the motherboard. Failure to do so can cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components. 1.5.1 Placement direction When installing the motherboard to secure the motherboard to the chassis. Do not overtighten the screws! Doing so can damage the - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 23
FP_AUDIO Marvell 88E1111 PCIEX16_1 ACL850 PCIEX1_1 PCIEX1_2 A8N-E nForce4 ultra PCIEX4_1 ® PCI1 CHIP_FAN PCI2 PCI3 SB_PWR CR2032 3V Lithium Cell CMOS Power CLRTC Super I/O USB78 USB56 USB910 SATA4 SATA3 SATA2 SATA1 4Mb BIOS CHA1_FAN CHASSIS GAME COM1 PANEL ASUS A8N-E 1-9 - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 24
. This mark should match a specific corner on the socket to ensure correct installation. Gold triangle 1.6.2 Installling the CPU To install a CPU: 1. Locate the CPU socket on the motherboard. A8N-E ® A8N-E CPU Socket 939 Before installing the CPU, make sure that the socket box is facing towards you - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 25
triangle The CPU fits only in one correct orientation. DO NOT force the CPU into the socket to prevent bending the pins and damaging the CPU! 5. When the CPU is in place, push down the socket lever to secure the CPU. The lever clicks on the side tab to indicate that it is locked. ASUS A8N-E 1-11 - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 26
is properly applied to the CPU heatsink or CPU before you install the heatsink and fan assembly. CPU Fan CPU Heatsink Retention Module Base Retention bracket Retention bracket lock Your boxed CPU heatsink and fan assembly should come with installation instructions for the CPU, heatsink, and the - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 27
in place. Make sure that the fan and heatsink assembly perfectly fits the retention mechanism module base, otherwise you cannot snap the retention bracket in place. 4. Push down the retention bracket lock on the retention mechanism to secure the heatsink and fan to the module base. ASUS A8N-E 1-13 - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 28
and heatsink assembly is in place, connect the CPU fan cable to the connector on the motherboard labeled CPU_FAN. CPU_FAN A8N-E ® A8N-E CPU fan connector Do not forget to connect the CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring errors can occur if you fail to plug this connector. 1-14 Chapter 1: Product - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 29
. • Due to chipset resource allocation, the system may detect less than 4 GB of system memory when you installed four 1 GB DDR memory modules. • Due to CPU limitation, DIMM modules with 128 Mb memory chips or double-sided x16 memory chips are not supported in this motherboard. ASUS A8N-E 1-15 - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 30
into either the blue slots or the black slots as one pair of Dual-channel memory configuration. C - support for 4 modules inserted into the blue and black slots as two pairs of Dual-channel memory configuration. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) for the latest DDR 400 Qualified Vendors List - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 31
1.7.3 Installing a DIMM Make sure to unplug the power supply before adding or removing DIMMs or other system components. Failure to do so may cause severe damage to both the motherboard and the components. 1. Unlock a DIMM socket by pressing the retaining clips outward. 2. Align a DIMM on the - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 32
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. We recommended to install the memory modules first before installing a PCI Express x16 card. 1.8.1 Installing - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 33
will arise between the two PCI groups, making the system unstable and the card inoperable. 1.8.4 PCI slots The PCI slots support cards such as a LAN card, SCSI card, USB card, and other cards that comply with PCI specifications. The figure shows a LAN card installed on a PCI slot. ASUS A8N-E 1-19 - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 34
Express black slot functions as a PCI Express x1 slot. 1.8.6 PCI Express x1 slot This motherboard supports PCI Express x1 network cards, SCSI cards and other cards that comply with the PCI Express specifications. The figure shows a network card installed on the PCI Express x1 slot. 1.8.7 Universal - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 35
(CLRTC) This jumper allows you to clear the Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM in CMOS. You can clear the CMOS memory of date, time, and system setup parameters by erasing the CMOS RTC RAM data. The onboard button cell battery powers the RAM data in CMOS, which include system setup information such as system - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 36
Supported by the NVIDIA® nForce™ 4 Gigabit MAC with external Marvell® PHY, this port allows Gigabit connection to a Local Area Network (LAN) through a network audio configuration. 6 . L i n e I n p o r t ( l i g h t b l u e ) . This port connects the tape, CD, DVD player, or other audio sources - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 37
an external audio output device via an optical S/PDIF cable. 1 3 . C o a x i a l S / P D I F O u t p o r t . This port connects an external audio output device via a coaxial S/PDIF cable. 1 4 . P S / 2 k e y b o a r d p o r t ( p u r p l e ) . This port is for a PS/2 keyboard. ASUS A8N-E 1-23 - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 38
cable. Insert one end of the A8N-E Floppy disk drive connector 2 . IDE connectors (40-1 pin PRI_IDE, SEC_IDE) These connectors are for Ultra DMA 133/100/66 signal cables. The Ultra DMA 133/100/66 signal cable has three connectors: a blue connector for the primary IDE connector on the motherboard - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 39
SATA2, SATA3, SATA4) Supported by the NVIDIA® nForce™ 4 Ultra chipset, these connectors are for the Serial ATA signal cables for Serial ATA hard disk drives that allows up to 3Gb/s of data transfer rate. If you installed Serial ATA hard disk drives, you can create a RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 1+0, or JBOD - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 40
system may damage the motherboard components. These are not jumpers! DO NOT place jumper caps on the fan connectors! • The ASUS Q-Fan function is supported using the CPU Fan (CPU_FAN) and Chassis Fan 1 (CHA1_FAN) connectors only. • The chipset fan is synchronized with the CPU fan. GND +12V Rotation - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 41
a slot opening at the back of the system chassis. These USB connectors comply with USB 2.0 specification that supports up to 480 Mbps connection speed. USB+5V USB_P10USB_P10 + GND NC A8N-E ® A8N-E USB 2.0 connectors USB+5V USB_P7USB_P7+ GND USB+5V USB_P8USB_P8+ GND NC USB78 1 USB56 1 USB910 - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 42
. • Use of a power supply unit (PSU) with a higher power output is recommended when configuring a system with more powerconsuming devices. The system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is inadequate. • Make sure that your PSU can provide at least the minimum power required by your - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 43
allow you to receive stereo audio input from sound sources such as a CD-ROM, TV-tuner, or MPEG card. CD (black) AUX (white) Right Audio Channel Ground Ground A8N-E Left Audio Channel ® Left Audio Channel Ground Ground Right Audio Channel A8N-E Internal audio connectors The function of - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 44
(10-1 pin FP_AUDIO) This connector is for a chassis-mounted front panel audio I/O module that supports legacy AC '97 audio standard. Connect one end of the front panel audio I/O module cable to this connector. A8N-E ® FP_AUDIO BLINE_OUT_L BLINE_OUT_R +5VA AGND Line out_L NC Line out_R MICPWR - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 45
This connector supports several chassis-mounted functions. PLED SPEAKER PLED+ PLED+5V Ground Ground Speaker PANEL IDE_LED+ IDE_LED- PWR Ground Reset Ground A8N-E ® A8N-E System panel connector IDE_LED RESET PWRSW * Requires an ATX power supply. The sytem panel connector is color-coded for easy - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 46
1-32 Chapter 1: Product introduction - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 47
This chapter tells how to change the system settings through the BIOS Setup menus. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided. 2 BIOS setup ASUS A8N-E 2-1 - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 48
using a bootable floppy disk or the motherboard support CD when the BIOS file fails or gets corrupted.) 3. A S U S E Z F l a s h (Updates the BIOS in DOS using a floppy disk or the motherboard support CD.) 4. A S U S U p d a t e (Updates the BIOS in Windows® environment.) Refer to the corresponding - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 49
or the latest motherboard BIOS file to the bootable floppy disk. 2.1.2 Updating the BIOS The Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) can be updated using the AwardBIOS Flash Utility. Follow these instructions to update the BIOS using this utility. 1. Download the latest BIOS file from the ASUS web site - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 50
utility verifies the BIOS file in the floppy disk and starts flashing the BIOS file. AwardBIOS Flash Utility for ASUS V1.01 (C) Phoenix Technologies Ltd. All Rights Reserved For NF-KC804-A8N-E-00 DATE: 11 OK 111122223333 No Update 111122223333 Write Fail Warning: Don't Turn Off Power Or Reset - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 51
.bin Message: Please Wait! 4. The utility saves the current BIOS file to the floppy disk, then returns to the BIOS flashing process. AwardBIOS Flash Utility for ASUS V1.01 (C) Phoenix Technologies Ltd. All Rights Reserved For NF-KC804-A8N-E-00 DATE: 11/18/2004 Flash Type - SST 49LF004A/B /3.3V - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 52
ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 is an auto recovery tool that allows you to restore the BIOS file when it fails or gets corrupted during the updating process. You can update a corrupted BIOS file using the motherboard support CD or the floppy disk that contains the updated BIOS file. Prepare the motherboard - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 53
while updating the BIOS! Doing so can cause system boot failure! 4. Restart the system after the utility completes the updating process. The recovered BIOS may not be the latest BIOS version for this motherboard. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS file. ASUS A8N - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 54
chip so it is accessible by pressing + during the Power-On Self Tests (POST). To update the BIOS using EZ Flash: 1. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS file for the motherboard. 2. Save the BIOS file to a floppy disk, then restart the system. 3. Press - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 55
the BIOS version information. This utility is available in the support CD that comes with the motherboard package. ASUS Update requires an Internet connection either through a network or an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Installing ASUS Update To install ASUS Update: 1. Place the support CD in - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 56
e. The ASUS Update main window appears. 2. Select U p d a t e B I O S f r o m 3. Select the ASUS FTP site t h e I n t e r n e t option from the nearest you to avoid network drop-down menu, then click traffic, or click A u t o S e l e c t. N e x t. Click N e x t. 2-10 Chapter 2: BIOS setup - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 57
p d a t e. The ASUS Update main window appears. 2. Select U p d a t e B I O S f r o m a f i l e option from the drop-down menu, then click N e x t. 3. Locate the BIOS file from the O p e n window, then click S a v e. 4. Follow the screen instructions to complete the update process. ASUS A8N-E 2-11 - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 58
password feature or change the power management settings. This requires you to reconfigure your system using the BIOS Setup program so that the computer can recognize these changes and record them in the CMOS RAM of the LPC chip. The LPC chip on the motherboard stores the Setup utility. When - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 59
General help Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main Advanced Power Boot Exit System Time System Date Language [ST321122A] [ASUS CDS520/A] [None] [None] [None] [None] [None] [None] [Disabled] Select Menu Item Specific Help Change the day, month, year and century. Installed Memory 256MB F1: - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 60
highlighted item on the menu bar displays the specific items for that menu. For example, selecting M a i n shows the Main menu items. The other items (Advanced, Power, Boot, and Exit) on the menu bar to display a list of options. Refer to "2.2.7 Pop-up window." 2-14 Chapter 2: BIOS setup - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 61
-up window with the configuration options for that item. Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main Advanced Power Boot Exit System Time System [Disabled] ENTER:Accept ESC:Abort Installed Memory 256MB Select Menu Item Specific Help Specifies the capacity and physical size of ASUS A8N-E 2-15 - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 62
through them. Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main Advanced Power Boot Exit System Time System Date Language Legacy Memory 15 : 30 : 36 Wed, Nov 5 2004 [English] [1.44M, 3.5 in.] [ST321122A] [ASUS CDS520/A] [None] [None] [None] [None] [None] [None] [Disabled] 256MB Select Menu Item Specific - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 63
device information. Main Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Primary IDE [Auto] Select Menu Item Specific Help Press [Enter] to Save and Exit The BIOS automatically detects the is successful, the BIOS automatically fills in the BIOS may detect incorrect parameters. Select [Manual] to manually - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 64
if you set the IDE Primary Master/Slave to [Manual]. Configuration options: [CHS] [LBA] [Large] you have the correct configuration information supplied by the drive manufacturer. Incorrect settings . After entering the IDE hard disk drive information into BIOS, use a disk utility, such as FDISK, to - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 65
Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Extended Drive Access Mode Capacity Primary IDE Master [Auto] [Auto] xxxxx MB Select Menu Item Specific Help drive, make sure you have the correct configuration information supplied by the drive manufacturer. Incorrect settings may cause the . ASUS A8N-E 2-19 - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 66
. This item is not configurable. After entering the IDE hard disk drive information into BIOS, use a disk utility, such as FDISK, to partition and format new IDE hard Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] 2.3.8 Installed Memory Shows the size of installed memory. 2-20 Chapter 2: BIOS setup - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 67
[Auto] Select Menu Item Specific Help DRAM timing and control DRAM Configuration The items in this sub-menu show the DRAM-related information auto-detected by the BIOS. Advanced Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility DRAM Configuration Max Memclock (MHz) 1T/2T Memory Timing CAS# latency (Tcl - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 68
Max Memclock (MHz) [Auto] Sets the maximum operating memory clock. Configuration options: [Auto] [DDR200] [DDR266] [DDR333] [DDR400] [DDR400] [DDR433] [DDR466] [DDR500] [DDR533] [DDR550] [DDR600] 1T/2T Memory Timing [Auto] Sets the memory timing AMD K8 Cool'n'Quiet control [Auto] Enables or disables - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 69
the Plug and Play devices not required for boot. Configuration options: [No] [Yes] Resources Controlled By [Auto] When set to [Auto], the BIOS automatically configures all the boot and Plug and Play compatible devices. Set to [Manual] if you want to assign the IRQ DMA and memory base address fields - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 70
informs the PCI devices that BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Onboard Device Configuration IDE Function Setup NVRAID Configuration USB Configuration Onboard NV LAN Onboard LAN Boot ROM AC97 Audio Specific Help OnChip IDE Channel0 [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the onchip IDE channel 0 controller - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 71
RAID [Disabled] Disabled Disabled Disabled Disabled Disabled Disabled Disabled Disabled Item Specific Help RAID Enabled [Disabled] Enables or disables the onboard RAID controller. When Enabled, the succeeding items becomes user-configurable. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] ASUS A8N - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 72
to display the configuration options. Advanced Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility USB Configuration USB Controller USB2.0 Controller USB Legacy support [Enabled] [Enabled] [Enabled] Select Menu Item Specific Help USB Controller [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the onchip - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 73
to disable the port. Configuration options: [Disabled] [330] [300] Midi Port IRQ [10] Allows you to set the Midi port IRQ address. Configuration options: [5] [10] ASUS A8N-E 2-27 - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 74
.00 100Mhz Auto Auto Auto Select Menu Item Specific Help Overclock Profile [Auto] Allows selection of CPU overclocking options to achieve desired CPU internal frequency. Select either one of the preset overclocking configuration options: Manual Auto Standard AI Overclock AI N.O.S. Allows you to - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 75
100MHz] Allows you to set the PCI Express clock. Key-in a decimal x16.5] [x17] [x17.5] [x18] [x18.5] [x19] [x19.5] [x20] CPU Voltage [Auto] Sets the operating CPU voltage. Configuration options: [Auto] [1.650V] [1.6375V] [1.625V] [1.6125V] [1.600V] 5%] [Overclock 8%] [Overclock 10%] ASUS A8N-E 2-29 - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 76
of the LAN cable during the Power-On Self-Test (POST). Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] 2.4.6 PEG Link Mode Advanced Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility JumperFree Configuration PEG Link Mode PEG Root Control PEG Buffer Length [Auto] [Auto] [Auto] Select Menu Item Specific Help - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 77
PCI Express graphics buffer length. Configuration options: [Auto] [Long] [Short] 2.4.7 Instant Music Advanced Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility JumperFree Configuration Instant Music x Instant Music CD-ROM Drive [Disabled] Primary Master Select Menu Item Specific Help If enabled, power - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 78
then press to display the configuration options. Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main Advanced Power Boot Exit ACPI Suspend Type ACPI APIC support APM Configuration Hardware Monitor [S1&S3] [Enabled] Select Menu Item Specific Help Select the ACPI state used for System Suspend. F1 - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 79
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] Power On By External Modems [Disabled] This allows either settings of [Enabled - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 80
to disable the Power On by PS/2 keyboard function or set specific keys on the PS/2 keyboard to turn on the system. This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides at least 1A on the +5VSB lead. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Space Bar] [Ctrl-ESC] [Power Key] 2-34 Chapter 2: BIOS setup - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 81
. CPU Fan Speed CHA1 Fan Speed CHIP Fan Speed The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the Chassis, CPU, and Chip fan speeds in rotations per minute (RPM). If the fan is not connected to the motherboard, the field shows 0. These items are not user-configurable. ASUS A8N - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 82
F10: Save and Exit 2.6.1 Boot Device Priority Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Power Boot Device Priority 1st Boot Device 2nd Boot Device 3rd Boot Device 4th Boot Device [Removable] [Hard Disk] [CDROM] [Disabled] Select Menu Item Specific Help Select your boot device priority 1st ~ xxth - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 83
Drives Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Hard Disk Drives 1. 1st Master: XXXXXXXXX 2. Bootable Add-in Cards Select Menu Item Specific Help 1. CDROM Drives Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot CDROM Drives 1. 1st Slave: XXXXXXXXX Select Menu Item Specific Help 1. 1st Slave: - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 84
Warning Quick Boot Boot Up Floppy Seek Bootup Num-Lock Typematic Rate Setting x Typematic Rate (Chars/Sec) x Typematic Delay (Msec) OS Select For DRAM > 64MB Full Screen LOGO Halt On [Enabled] [Enabled] [Enabled] [On] [Disabled] 6 250 [Non-OS2] [Enabled] [All Errors] Select Menu Item Specific Help - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 85
• See section "3.3.1 ASUS MyLogo2™" for details. Halt On [All Errors] Allows you to error report type. Configuration options: [All Errors] [No Errors] [All, But Keyboard] [All, But Diskette] [All, But Disk/Key] 2.6.6 Security Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Boot Settings Configuration - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 86
Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM. The RAM data containing the password information is powered by the onboard button cell battery. If you need to erase the CMOS RAM, refer to section "2.6 Jumpers" for instructions. Password Check This field requires you to enter the password before entering the BIOS setup - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 87
items, and save or discard your changes to the BIOS items. Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main Advanced Power Boot Exit Exit & Save Changes Exit & Discard Changes Load Setup Default Discard Changes Select Menu Item Specific Help This option save data to CMOS and exiting the setup menu. F1 - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 88
Setup menus. When you select this option or if you press , a confirmation window appears. Select Y e s to load default values. Select E x i t & s 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 - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 89
This chapter describes the contents of the support CD that comes with the motherboard package. 3 Software support ASUS A8N-E 3-1 - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 90
that you install Windows® 2000 Service Pack 4 or the Windows® XP Service Pack 2 or later versions before installing the drivers for better compatibility and system stability. 3.2 Support CD information The support CD that came with the motherboard package contains the drivers, software applications - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 91
Ultra chipset. Make NVIDIA RAID Driver Disk Creates the NVIDIA® driver disk for Serial ATA and RAID features. Realtek ALC850 Driver Installs the Realtek® ALC850 audio controller and application. AMD Cool'n'Quiet Driver Installs the AMD Cool 'n' Quiet! Technology drivers. USB 2.0 Driver Installs the - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 92
the motherboard supports. NVIDIA Chipset nTune Utility Installs the NVIDIA® nTune™ utility that allows easy and safe system tuning for optimum performance. ASUS PC Probe This smart utility monitors the fan speed, CPU temperature, and system voltages, and alerts you of any detected problems. This - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 93
.com) for updates. Anti-virus Utility The anti-virus application detects and protects your computer from viruses that destroys data. ADOBE Acrobat Reader Installs the Adobe® Acrobat® Reader that allows you to open, view, and print documents in Portable Document Format (PDF). ASUS Screen Saver Bring - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 94
(PDF). Install the Adobe® Acrobat® Reader from the U t i l i t i e s m e n u before opening a user manual file. • Some user manuals listed in this menu may not be applicable for this motherboard model. NVIDIA Firewall Administrator's Guide Allows you to open the NVIDIA® ForceWare Networking and - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 95
guide. 3.2.6 Other information The icons on the top right corner of the screen give additional information on the motherboard and the contents of the support CD. Click an icon to display the specified information. Motherboard Info Displays the general specifications of the motherboard. ASUS A8N - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 96
Browse this CD Displays the support CD contents in graphical format. Technical support Form Displays the ASUS Technical Support Request Form that you have to fill out when requesting technical support. 3-8 Chapter 3: Software support - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 97
boot logo is the image that appears on screen during the Power-On Self-Tests (POST). The ASUS MyLogo2™ is automatically installed when you install the A S U S U p d a t e utility from the support CD. See section "3.2.3 Utilities menu" for details. • Before using the ASUS MyLogo2™, use the Award BIOS - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 98
images appear on the right window pane, select an image to enlarge by clicking on it. 8. Adjust the boot image to your desired size by selecting a value on the R a t i o box. 9. When the screen returns to the ASUS Update utility, flash the original BIOS to load the new boot logo. 10. After flashing - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 99
detects and reports open and shorted cables, impedance mismatches, pair swaps, pair polarity problems, and pair skew problems of up to 100 meters at one meter accuracy. The VCT feature reduces networking and support costs through a highly manageable and controlled network system. This utility can be - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 100
cable connection errors and giving users plug and play convenience. Follow the installation wizard to install the R e a l t e k A L C 8 5 0 A u d i o D r i v e r a n d A p p l i c a t i o n from the support CD that came with the motherboard package. If the Realtek audio software is correctly - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 101
to change your S/PDIF output settings. To set the S/PDIF options: 1. From the Realtek Audio Control Panel, click the S P D I F button. 2. Click the option buttons to change your S/PDIF out settings. 3. Click the Exit (X ) button on the upper-right hand corner of the window to exit. ASUS A8N-E 3-13 - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 102
set your speaker configuration. To set the speaker configuration: 1. From the Realtek Audio Control Panel, click the S p e a k e r C o n f Audio Jack(UAJ®) technology feature. 4. Click the Exit (X ) button on the upper-right hand corner of the window to exit. 3-14 Chapter 3: Software support - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 103
all audio applications before starting this function. 5. When finished, the utility prompts the Realtek® EZ-connection dialog box showing your current audio connections. The text at the bottom of the box explains your audio connection status. An X mark denotes an incorrect connection. ASUS A8N - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 104
there are detected problems, make sure that your audio cables are connected to the proper audio jack and repeat connector sensing. 7. Click the X button to exit EZ-connection dialog box. 8. Click the Exit (X ) button on the upper-right hand corner of the window to exit audio control panel. HRTF Demo - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 105
setting or toggle the SoundEffect icon display on the Windows taskbar. To display the general settings: 1. From the Realtek Audio Control Panel, click the G e n e r , 6-channel or 8-channel audio configuration. See the 8, 6, 4 or 2-channel speaker configuration on page 1-23. ASUS A8N-E 3-17 - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 106
computer code by controlling the connections to and from your computer and alerting you for attempted intrusions. The following sections describe how to use the NVIDIA® Firewall™. Launching the NVFirewall™ summary After you install the NVFirewall™ application from the motherboard support CD, it - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 107
menu, click the C u r r e n t F i r e w a l l P r o f i l e combo list box then select a security profile. The following confirmation box appears. 2. Click C h a n g e P r o f i l e to apply settings or D o n ' t C h a n g e P r o f i l e to return to previous menu. ASUS A8N-E 3-19 - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 108
: 1. From the NVIDIA Firewall summary menu, click the Current Firewall Profile combo list box then select O f f. The following confirmation box appears. 2. Click T u r n F i r e w a l l O F F. 3-20 Chapter 3: Software support - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 109
. If you want to boot the system from a hard disk drive included in a RAID set, copy first the RAID driver from the support CD to a floppy disk before you install an operating system to a selected hard disk drive. Refer to section "3.5 Creating a RAID driver disk" for details. ASUS A8N-E 3-21 - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 110
the drive bays. 2. Connect the SATA signal cables. 3. Connect a SATA power cable to the power connector on each drive. Refer to the RAID controllers user manual in the motherboard support CD for detailed information on RAID configurations. See section "3.2.4 Manuals menu". 3-22 Chapter 3: Software - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 111
3.4.2 NVIDIA® RAID configurations The motherboard includes a high performance IDE RAID controller integrated in the NVIDIA® nForce 4 Ultra southbridge chipset. It supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 1+0, and JBOD with four independent Serial ATA channels. Setting the BIOS RAID items After installing the - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 112
To enter the NVIDIA® RAID utility: 1. Boot up your computer. 2. During POST, press to display the main menu of the utility. The RAID BIOS setup screens shown in this section are for reference only, and may not exactly match the items on your screen. NVIDIA RAID Utility Oct 5 2004 - Define - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 113
keys to select the stripe size for your RAID 0 array then press .The available . For multimedia computer systems used mainly for audio and video editing, a higher array block size assign the array disks. 4. Press to create RAID set. The following message box appears. Clear disk data - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 114
Array Model Name MIRROR XXX.XXG [Ctrl-X]Exit [↑↓]Select [B]Set Boot [N]New Array [ENTER]Detail A new set of navigation keys is displayed on the bottom of the screen. 6. Press to save settings and exit. Rebuilding a RAID array To rebuild a RAID array: 1. From the Array List menu, use the up - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 115
to rebuild a RAID array. The following screen appears. Array 1 : NVIDIA MIRROR XXX.XXG - Select Disk Inside Array - RAID Mode: Mirroring Striping [F7] Finish 3. Use the up or down arrow keys to select a RAID array to rebuild, then press . The following confirmation message appears. Rebuild - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 116
RAID array then press . The RAID Array details appear. Array 1 : NVIDIA MIRROR XXX.XXG - Array Detail - RAID of the screen. 2. Press to delete a RAID array. The following confirmation message appears. Delete this option. All data on the RAID drives will be lost! 4. If you selected Yes - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 117
appears. Clear disk data? [Y] YES [N] 5. Press to clear the disk data or press to cancel. Take caution in using this option. All data on the RAID drives will be lost! ASUS A8N-E 3-29 - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 118
3.5 Creating a RAID driver disk A floppy disk with the RAID driver is required when installing Windows® 2000/XP operating system on a hard disk drive that is included in a RAID set. To create a RAID driver disk: 1. Place the motherboard support CD into the CD-ROM drive. 2. When the D r i v e r s - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 119
Power Menu" in the user guide. 4. Save your changes and exit BIOS Setup. 5. Reboot your computer and set your Power Option Properties depending on your operating system. Windows® 2000/XP 1. From the Windows® 2000/XP Cool 'n' Quiet!™ driver and application before using this feature. ASUS A8N-E 3-31 - Asus A8N-E | A8N-E English edition user's manual, version E1911 - Page 120
real-time CPU Frequency and voltage. Make sure to install the Cool 'n' Quiet!™ software from the motherboard support CD. Refer to section "3.2.3 Utilities menu", for details. To launch the Cool 'n' Quiet!™ program: 1. If you are using Windows® 2000, click the S t a r t button. Select Programs > ASUS
Motherboard
A8N-E