Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista Motherboard Installation Guide
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- Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 1
Motherboard M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation 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. ASUS PROVIDES THIS MANUAL "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 3
ix M2N-Plus SLI Vista Editionspecifications summary xi Chapter 1: Product introduction 1.1 Welcome 1-1 1.2 Package contents 1-1 1.3 Special features 1-2 1.3.1 Product highlights 1-2 1.3.2 ASUS AI Lifestyle features 1-4 1.3.3 ASUS Special features 1-5 1.3.4 ASUS features and the supporting OS - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 4
function 3-2 3.2.2 Using the dual function power switch 3-2 Chapter 4: BIOS setup 4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS 4-1 4.1.1 ASUS Update utility 4-1 4.1.2 Creating a bootable floppy disk 4-4 4.1.3 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility 4-5 4.1.4 Updating the BIOS 4-6 4.1.5 Saving the current BIOS file - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 5
4-40 Chapter 5: Software support 5.1 Installing an operating system 5-1 5.2 Support CD information 5-1 5.2.1 Running the support CD 5-1 5.2.2 Drivers menu 5-2 5.2.3 Utilities menu 5-3 5.2.4 Make Disk menu 5-5 5.2.5 Manual menu 5-6 5.2.6 ASUS Contact information 5-6 5.2.7 Other information - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 6
5-24 5.4 Windows® Vista feature 5-32 5.4.1 ASAP (ASUS Accelerated Propeller 5-32 5.5 RAID configurations 5-33 5.5.1 Installing hard disks 5-34 5.5.2 NVIDIA® RAID configurations 5-35 5.6 Creating a RAID driver disk 5-42 Chapter 6: NVIDIA® SLI™ technology support 6.1 Overview 6-1 6.2 Dual - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 7
. 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 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 8
service technician or your retailer. Operation safety • Before installing the motherboard and adding devices on it, carefully read all the manuals stable surface. • If you encounter technical problems with the product, contact a qualified service technician or your retailer. This symbol of - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 9
. • Chapter 6: NVIDIA® SLI™ technology support This chapter tells how to install SLI-ready PCI Express graphics cards. Where to find more information Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product and software updates. 1. ASUS websites The ASUS website provides updated - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 10
manual. DANGER/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: Instructions , the key names are linked with a plus sign (+). Example: Means - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 11
M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition specifications summary CPU Chipset System bus Memory Expansion slots Scalable Link Interface (SLI™) Storage LAN Audio IEEE 1394a USB 2.0 Socket AM2 for AMD Athlon™ 64 FX / AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 / AMD Athlon 64™ / AMD Sempron™ processors Supports AMD Cool 'n' Quiet™ - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 12
M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition specifications summary ASUS AI Lifestyle features Overclocking features Special features Rear panel I/O ports Internal connectors ASUS AI Lifestyle Vista Edition features: - AI Remote - ASAP (ASUS Accelerated Propeller) - TPM Support (the module is purchased separately) - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 13
M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition specifications summary BIOS features Manageability Accessories Support CD Form factor 4 Mb BIOS ROM, AWARD BIOS, PnP, DMI 2.0, WfM2.0, SM BIOS 2.3 WOL by PME, WOR by PME, Chassis intrusion, PXE 1 x SLI bridge 1 x UltraDMA 133/100/66 cable 2 x SATA cables 1 x SATA power - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 14
xiv - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 15
This chapter describes the motherboard features and the new technologies it supports. 1Product introduction - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 16
Chapter summary 1 1.1 Welcome 1-1 1.2 Package contents 1-1 1.3 Special features 1-2 ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 17
Floppy disk drive cable I/O shield ASUS SLI™ Bridge 1 x ASUS Q-Connector Kit (USB, System panel; Retail version only) AI Remote (Retail version only) ASUS motherboard support CD User guide If any of the above items is damaged or missing, contact your retailer. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 1- - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 18
features include NVIDIA® LinkBoost™ technology to automatically increase the bus speed and NVIDIA® SLI™ technology for scalable graphics performance. AMD Cool 'n' Quiet!™ Technology The motherboard supports the AMD Cool 'n' Quiet!™ Technology that dynamically and automatically changes the CPU speed - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 19
your Internet, LAN, and file sharing requirements. See page 2-22 for details. IEEE 1394a support The IEEE 1394a interface provides high-speed and flexible PC connectivity to a wide range of details. This function can only work under C-Media official driver. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 1- - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 20
with your PC from a distance! See page 5-24 for details. ASAP (ASUS Accelerated Propeller) ASAP gets you to your destination ASAP. ASAP supports the Windows® ReadyBoost™ technology which improves system performance under Windows® Vista. Enjoy greater efficiency and get more productivity out of your - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 21
ASUS Q-Connector allows you to connect or disconnect chassis front panel cables in one easy step with one complete module. This unique adapter eliminates the trouble of plugging in one cable at a time, making connection quick and accurate. See page 2-33 for details. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 22
to the following table for the OS that supports ASUS features. AI Remote AP Trigger ASAP AI Gear AI Nap PC Probe II Win 2000 XP 32bit XP 64bit v v v v Function as USB Flash only v v v v v v v v v Vista 32bit v v v v v v Vista 64bit v v v v v v 1- Chapter 1: Product introduction - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 23
This chapter lists the hardware setup procedures that you have to perform when installing system components. It includes description of the jumpers and connectors on the motherboard. 2 Hardware information - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 24
Chapter summary 2 2.1 Before you proceed 2-1 2.2 Motherboard overview 2-2 2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU 2-6 2.4 System memory 2-11 2.5 Expansion slots 2-17 2.6 Jumper 2-20 2.7 Connectors 2-22 ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 25
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. M2N-PLUS SLI ® SB_PWR ON M2N-PLUS SLI Onboard LED Standby Power OFF Powered Off ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 2- - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 26
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 M2N-PLUS SLI ® 2- Chapter 2: Hardware information - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 27
(12.0in) PARALLEL PORT CPU_FAN COM1 1394_USB34 USBPW12 LAN1_USB12 USBPW34 AUDIO2 M2N-PLUS SLI EATXPWR AUDIO1 CD FP_AUDIO PCIEX16_1 SPDIF_OUT PCIEX1_1 PCIEX1_2 VIA VT6308P Super more information about rear panel connectors and internal connectors. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 2- - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 28
2.2.4 Layout contents Slots 1. 2. 3. 4. DDR2 DIMM slots PCI slots PCI Express x 1 slot PCI Express x16 slots Page 2-11 2-18 2-18 2-19 Jumper 1. 2. 3. Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC) USB device wake-up (3-pin USBPW12, USBPW34, USBPW56, USBPW78) Keyboard power (3-pin KBPWR) Page 2-20 2-21 2-21 Rear - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 29
(34-1 pin FLOPPY) 2. IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE, SEC_IDE) 3. NVIDIA® nForce® 500 SLI Southbridge Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA1 [red], SATA2 [red], SATA3 [red], SATA4 [red]) 4. 2-24 2-24 2-25 2-26 2-27 2-27 2-28 2-28 2-29 2-29 2-30 2-30 2-31 ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 2- - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 30
the connectors on the socket and damaging the CPU! 2.3.1 Installing the CPU To install a CPU: 1. Locate the CPU socket on the motherboard. M2N-PLUS SLI ® M2N-PLUS SLI CPU Socket AM2 2. Unlock the socket by pressing the lever sideways, then lift it up to a 90º angle. Socket lever Make sure that - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 31
lever to secure the CPU. The lever clicks on the side tab to indicate that it is locked. 6. Install a CPU heatsink and fan following the instructions that came with the heatsink package. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 2- - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 32
bracket Retention bracket lock 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. 2- Chapter 2: Hardware information - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 33
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 M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 2- - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 34
PWM 5. When the fan and heatsink assembly is in place, connect the CPU fan cable to the connector on the motherboard labeled CPU_FAN. CPU_FAN M2N-PLUS SLI ® M2N-PLUS SLI CPU fan connector • Do not forget to connect the CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring errors can occur if you fail to plug this - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 35
DIMM sockets. Recommended Memory Configurations Mode Single-Channel Dual-channel (1) Dual-channel (2) DIMM_A1 - Populated Populated Populated Sockets DIMM_B1 DIMM_A2 Populated - - - Populated - Populated Populated DIMM_B2 - Populated ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 2-11 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 36
comments on this issue: http://dlsvr01.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/4GB_Rev1.pdf http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/server/sb/cs-016594.htm This motherboard can support 8 GB physical memory under Windows® XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows® Vista x64 Edition operating systems. You may install - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 37
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 1 with extra force. 2. Remove the DIMM from the socket. 2 1 DDR2 DIMM notch ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 2-13 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 38
M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition Motherboard Qualified Vendors Lists (QVL) DDR2-800 MHz capability Size 512MB 1024MB 1024MB 512MB 256MB 512MB DS M20AD6G3I4170G1E53 SS BL6464AA804.8FD SS BL6464AA804.8FD3 DS AHU512E800C5K1C DS AHU01GE800C5K1C SS TS64MLQ64V8J DS TS128MLQ64V8J DIMM support - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 39
Package Heat-Sink Package G64M8XB3ITIX4TUE G64M8XB3ITIX4TUE SS/ Part No. DS DIMM support A* B* C* SS KVR667D2N5/256 ••• SS KVR667D2N5/512 ••• DS KVR667D2N5 -6 ••• SS T6UA512C5 ••• DS T6UB1GC5 ••• SS TB3D2667C58S ••• DS TB4D2667C58D ••• ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 2-15 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 40
slots or the black slots as one pair of Dual-channel memory configuration. • C*: Supports 4 modules inserted into both the yellow and black slots as two pairs of Dual-channel memory configuration. Visit the ASUS website for the latest DDR2-800/667/533 MHz QVL. 2-16 Chapter 2: Hardware information - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 41
the expansion card. 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 M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 2-17 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 42
that comply with PCI specifications. Refer to the figure on the next page for the location of the slots. 2.5.5 PCI Express x1 slots This motherboard supports PCI Express x1 network cards, SCSI cards and other cards that comply with the PCI Express specifications. Refer to the figure on the next page - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 43
2.5.6 PCI Express x16 slots This motherboard supports two NVIDIA® SLI™-ready PCI Express x16 graphic cards that comply with PCI Express x16 graphics card x8 Other PCIe devices x8, x4, x1 Two identical NVIDIA® SLI™ Edition graphics cards at x8, x8 speed ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 2-19 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 44
. Except when clearing the RTC RAM, never remove the cap on CLRTC jumper default position. Removing the cap will cause system boot failure! M2N-PLUS SLI ® M2N-PLUS SLI Clear RTC RAM CLRTC 12 23 Normal (Default) Clear RTC • Make sure to re-enter your previous BIOS settings after you clear the - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 45
requires an ATX power supply that can supply at least 1A on the +5VSB lead, and a corresponding setting in the BIOS. See section 4.5.3 APM Configuration. M2N-PLUS SLI ® KBPWR 12 23 +5V (Default) +5VSB M2N-PLUS SLI Keyboard power setting ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 2-21 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 46
6-pin IEEE 1394a port provides high-speed connectivity for audio/video devices, storage peripherals, PCs, or portable devices. 4. LAN (RJ-45) port. Supported by the NVIDIA® nForce™ 500 Gigabit MAC with external Attansic PHY, this port allows Gigabit connection to a Local Area Network (LAN) through - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 47
for connecting USB 2.0 devices. Connect the IR receiver ONLY to USB port 1 and 2, which support remote control function. Plugging any other USB devices to these two ports will turn on the computer. keyboard port (purple). This port is for a PS/2 keyboard. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 2-23 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 48
is removed to prevent incorrect cable connection when using a FDD cable with a covered Pin 5. M2N-PLUS SLI ® FLOPPY NOTE: Orient the red markings on the floppy ribbon cable to PIN 1. PIN 1 M2N-PLUS SLI Floppy disk drive connector 2. IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE, SEC_IDE) The onboard IDE - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 49
GND RSATA_TXN4 RGSNADTA_RXRGNSN4ADTA_TXP4 RSATA_RXP4 GND RSATA_TXN4 RSATA_TXP4 GND RSATA_TXP2 RSATA_TXN2 GND RRGSSNAADTTAA__RRXXRRRGPNSSSN22AAADTTTAAA___TTRXXXPNP222 RSATA_RXN2 GND GND GND M2N-PLUS SLI SATA connectors M2N-PLUS SLI SATA connectors ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 2-25 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 50
the fan connectors! CPU_FAN GND CPU FAN PWR CPU FAN IN CPU FAN PWM M2N-PLUS SLI ® PWR_FAN GND +12V Rotation CHA_FAN GND +12V Rotation M2N-PLUS SLI Fan connectors • Only the CPU_FAN and CHA_FAN connectors support the ASUS Q FAN2 feature. • If you install two VGA cards, we recommend that you plug - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 51
specification that supports up to 480 Mbps connection speed. USB+5V USB_P6USB_P6+ GND NC M2N-PLUS SLI ® ASAP M2N-PLUS SLI ® TPA2GND TPB2+12V GND TPA2+ GND TPB2+ +12V IE1394_2 1 M2N-PLUS SLI IEEE 1394a connector The IEEE 1394a module is purchased separately. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 52
. Remove the jumper caps only when you intend to use the chassis intrusion detection feature. +5VSB_MB Chassis Signal GND M2N-PLUS SLI ® CHASSIS (Default) M2N-PLUS SLI Chassis intrusion connector 8. ATX power connectors (24-pin EATXPWR, 4-pin ATX12V) These connectors are for ATX power supply - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 53
connector (4-pin CD) These connectors allow you to receive stereo audio input from sound sources such as a CD-ROM, TV-tuner, or MPEG card. M2N-PLUS SLI ® CD (black) Right Audio Channel Ground Ground Left Audio Channel M2N-PLUS SLI Internal audio connector ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 2-29 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 54
M2N-PLUS SLI ® SPDIF_OUT GND SPDIFOUT +5V M2N-PLUS SLI Digital audio connector The S/PDIF module is purchased separately. 12. TPM connector (20-1 pin TPM) This connector supports details. M2N-PLUS SLI ® TPM M2N-PLUS SLI TPM connector The TPM module is purchased separately. Use the ASUS TPM - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 55
supports several chassis-mounted functions. M2N-PLUS SLI ® SPEAKER PANEL Speaker Ground Ground +5V Ground Reset Ground PWR RESET PWRSW PLED PLEDPLED+ IDE_LEDIDE_LED+ IDE_LED * Requires an ATX power supply. M2N-PLUS SLI turning off the system power. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 2-31 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 56
Q-Connector to connect/disconnect chassis front panel cables in a few steps. Refer to the instructions below to install the ASUS QConnector. 1. Connect the front panel cables to the ASUS Q-Connector. Refer to the labels on the Q-Connector to know the detailed pin definitions, then match them to the - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 57
This chapter describes the power up Powerin3g up sequence, the vocal POST messages, and ways of shutting down the system. - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 58
Chapter summary 3 3.1 Starting up for the first time 3-1 3.2 Turning off the computer 3-2 ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 59
jumper settings and connections or call your retailer for assistance. 7. At power on, hold down the key to enter the BIOS Setup. Follow the instructions in Chapter 4. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 3- - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 60
the Turn Off button to shut down the computer. 3. The power supply should turn off after Windows® shuts down. If you are using Windows® Vista: 1. Click the Start button then select ShutDown. 2. The power supply should turn off after Windows® shuts down. 3.2.2 Using the dual function power switch - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 61
This chapter tells how to change the system settings through the BIOS Setup menus. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided. 4 BIOS setup - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 62
Chapter summary 4 4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS 4-1 4.2 BIOS setup program 4-10 4.3 Main menu 4-14 4.4 Advanced menu 4-19 4.5 Power menu 4-29 4.6 Boot menu 4-34 4.7 Tools menu 4-39 4.8 Exit menu 4-40 ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 63
To install ASUS Update: 1. Place the support CD in the optical drive. The Drivers menu appears. 2. Click the Utilities tab, then click Install ASUS Update VX.XX.XX. See page 5-3 for the Utilities screen menu. 3. The ASUS Update utility is copied to your system. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 4- - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 64
this utility. Updating the BIOS through the Internet To update the BIOS through the Internet: 1. Launch the ASUS Update utility from the Windows® desktop by clicking Start > Programs > ASUS > ASUSUpdate > ASUSUpdate. The ASUS Update main window appears. 2. Select Update BIOS from the 3. Select the - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 65
ASUSUpdate. The ASUS Update main window appears. 2. Select Update BIOS from a file option from the drop‑down menu, then click Next. 3. Locate the BIOS file from the Open window, then click Open. 4. Follow the screen instructions to complete the update process. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 4- - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 66
Click Start, then select Run. d. From the Open field, type D:\bootdisk\makeboot a: assuming that D: is your optical drive. e. Press , then follow screen instructions to continue. 2. Copy the original or the latest motherboard BIOS file to the bootable floppy disk. 4- Chapter 4: BIOS setup - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 67
and automatically reboots the system when done. • This function can support devices such as USB flash disk, hard disk, or floppy disk with FAT 32/16/12 format only. • Do not shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS to prevent system boot failure! ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 4- - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 68
instructions to update the BIOS using this utility. 1. Download the latest BIOS file from the ASUS from the Software folder of the support CD to the floppy disk, CD ASUS V1.14 (C) Phoenix Technologies Ltd. All Rights Reserved the name of the disk assignment) to switch to For NF590-SLI-M2N-PLUS SLI - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 69
for ASUS V1.14 (C) Phoenix Technologies Ltd. All Rights Reserved For NF590-SLI-M2N-PLUS SLI DATE:03/30/2006 Flash Type - PMC Pm49FL004T LPC/FWH File Name to Program: M2NPLUSV.bin Flashing Complete Press to Continue Write OK F1 Reset No Update Write Fail ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 70
file to the disk, then returns to the BIOS flashing process. Message: Please Wait! AwardBIOS Flash Utility for ASUS V1.14 (C) Phoenix Technologies Ltd. All Rights Reserved For NF590-SLI-M2N-PLUS SLI DATE:03/30/2006 Flash Type - PMC Pm49FL004T LPC/FWH File Name to Program: 0113.bin Now Backup - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 71
. • Only the USB flash disk with FAT 32/16/12 format and single partition can support ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3. The device size should be smaller than 8GB. • DO NOT shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS! Doing so can cause system boot failure! ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 4- - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 72
4.2 BIOS setup program This motherboard supports a programmable Low-Pin Count (LPC) chip that you can update using the 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. 4-10 Chapter 4: BIOS setup - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 73
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 (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS information. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 4-11 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 74
bar with their corresponding functions. Navigation Key Left or Right arrow Up or Down arrow Page Down or - (minus) Page Up or + (plus) Function Displays the General Help screen Loads setup default values Exits the BIOS setup or returns to the main menu from a sub‑menu - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 75
F10: Save and Exit Pop-up menu 4.2.8 General help At the top right corner of the menu screen is a brief description of the selected item. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 4-13 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 76
4.3 Main menu When you enter the BIOS Setup program, the Main menu screen appears, giving you an overview of the basic system information. Refer to section 4.2.1 BIOS menu screen for information on the menu screen items and how to navigate through them. Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 77
already formatted on a previous system, the setup BIOS may detect incorrect parameters. Select [Manual] to manually enter the IDE hard disk drive parameters. If no drive is installed select [None]. Configuration system to fail to recognize the installed hard disk. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 4-15 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 78
Capacity Displays the auto-detected hard disk capacity. This item is not configurable. Cylinder Shows the number of the hard disk cylinders. This item is not configurable. Head Shows the number of the hard disk read/write heads. This item is not configurable. Sector Shows the number of sectors per - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 79
the auto-detected hard disk capacity. This item is not configurable. Cylinder Shows the number of the hard disk cylinders. This item is not configurable. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 4-17 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 80
Head Shows the number of the hard disk read/write heads. This item is not configurable. Landing Zone Shows the number of landing zone per track. This item is not configurable. Sector Shows the number of sectors per track. This item is not configurable. After entering the IDE hard disk drive - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 81
Power Boot Tools Exit JumperFree Configuration CPU Configuration PCIPnP Onboard Device Configuration SLI Configuration Select Menu Item Specific Help Adjust system frequency/voltage. F1: Value Enter: Select Sub-menu F5: Setup Defaults F10: Save and Exit ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 4-19 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 82
. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Overclock 3%] [Overclock 5%] [Overclock 8%] [Overclock 10%] The following item becomes user-configurable when you set AI Tuning to [Manual] CPU Frequency [XXX] (value is auto-detected) Indicates the frequency sent by the clock generator to the system bus and PCI - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 83
Defaults F10: Save and Exit Memory Clock Frequency [Auto] Sets the memory clock frequency. Configuration options: [Auto] [DDR2 400] [DDR2 533] [DDR2 667] [DDR2 800] ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 4-21 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 84
Utility DRAM Timing Control Load Fail-Safe Defaults Precomp Landing Zone Precomp Landing Zone Precomp Landing Zone Precomp Landing Zone USB Keyboard Support USB Mouse Support Precomp x Power On By Button Onboard FDC controller CKE Fine Delay CKE Setup Time CS/ODT Fine Delay F1:Help ESC: Exit - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 85
Transport Frequency [Auto] Configuration options: [1x] [2x] [3x] [4x] [5x] [Auto] AMD Live! [Disabled] Enables or disables the AMD Live! technology. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 4-23 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 86
Utility Onboard Device Configuration IDE Function Setup NVRAID Configuration USB Configuration Onboard nVidia LAN Onboard LAN Boot ROM Onboard USB Audio ASUS ASAP Onboard 1394 Serial Port1 Address Parallel Port Address Parallel Port Mode x ECP Mode Use DMA [Enabled] [Disabled] [Enabled] [Disabled - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 87
] SATA DMA transfer [Enabled] Allows to disable or enable to switch to support SATA DMA tranfer Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] SATA Port 3, 4 disable or enable to switch to support SATA2 DMA tranfer Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 4-25 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 88
IDE Prefetch Mode [Enabled] Allows to disable or enable IDE PIO read prefetch mode. When prefetch is enabled, either 16-bit or 32-bit are allowed on IDE bus. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] NVRAID Configuration This item in this sub-menu allows you to set up RAID feature. Advanced - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 89
USB Audio. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] ASUS ASAP [Disabled] Allows you to enable or disable the onboard USB flash module for the ASUS ASAP feature that supports Windows® Vista ReadyBoost™ function. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 4-27 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 90
[Auto] Select Menu Item Specific Help Allow you to select the Scalable Link Interface mode. When set to Auto, BIOS detects the setting of SLI EZ Selector Card. Set to Normal when using single PCI-E graphics card plugged. F1:Help ESC: Exit ↑↓ : Select Item →←: Select Menu -/+: Change Value Enter - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 91
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 M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 4-29 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 92
On PCI/PCIE Devices Power On By External Modems Power On by RTC Alarm x Date(of Month) Alarm x Alarm Time(hh:mm:ss) HPET Support Power Up By PS/2 Mouse Power Up By PS/2 Keyboard [Power-Off] [Instant-Off] [Disabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] 0 0 : 0 : 0 [Enabled] [Disabled] [Disabled] Select Menu Item - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 93
selection (Min=0, Max=23 for the hour field; Min=0, Max=59 for the minutes/seconds field). HPET Support [Enabled] Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Power Up By PS/2 Mouse [Disabled] When set to [ options: [Disabled] [Space Bar] [Ctrl-ESC] [Power Key] ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 4-31 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 94
4.5.4 Hardware Monitor The items in this sub-menu displays the hardware monitor values automatically detected by the BIOS. It also allows you to change CPU Q-Fan feature-related parameters. Select an item then press to display the configuration options. Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 95
Fan Speed warning [ 800 RPM] Allows you to disable or set the CPU fan warning speed. Configuration options: [Disabled] [800 RPM] [1200 RPM] [1600 RPM] ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 4-33 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 96
4.6 Boot menu The Boot menu items allow you to change the system boot options. Select an item then press to display the sub-menu. Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit Boot Device Priority Removable Drives Hard Disk Drives CDROM Drives Boot Settings - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 97
Utility Boot CDROM Drives 1. 1st Slave: XXXXXXXXX Select Menu Item Specific Help 1. 1st Slave: XXXXXXXXX Allows you to assign optical drives attached to the system. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 4-35 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 98
4.6.5 Boot Settings Configuration Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Boot Settings Configuration Case Open 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 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 99
] Make sure that the above item is set to [Enabled] if you want to use the ASUS MyLogo2™ feature. Halt On [All, But Keyboard] Allows you to error report type. Configuration options of a maximum of eight (8) alpha- numeric characters, then press . ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 4-37 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 100
the password information is powered by the onboard button cell battery. If you need to erase the CMOS RAM, refer to section "2.6 Jumper" for instructions. Password Check This field requires you to enter the password before entering the BIOS setup or the system. Select [Setup] to require the password - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 101
Utility B318 FLASH TYPE: PMC Pm49FL004T LPC/FWH Current ROM BOARD: M2N-PLUS SLI VER: 0104 DATE: 12/20/2006 Update ROM BOARD: Unknown VER: Unknown DATE: Unknown PATH: A:\ A: Note [Enter] Select [Tab] Switch [S] Save [ESC] Exit [Up/Down/Home/End] Move ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 4-39 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 102
4.8 Exit menu The Exit menu items allow you to load the optimal or failsafe default values for the BIOS items, and save or discard your changes to the BIOS items. Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit Exit & Save Changes Exit & Discard Changes Load Setup Default - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 103
This chapter describes the contents of the support CD that comes with the motherboard package. 5 Software support - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 104
Chapter summary 5 5.1 Installing an operating system 5-1 5.2 Support CD information 5-1 5.3 Software informtion 5-9 5.4 Windows® Vista feature 5-32 5.5 RAID configurations 5-33 5.6 Creating a RAID driver disk 5-42 ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 105
an icon to display support CD/motherboard information Click an item to install If Autorun is NOT enabled in your computer, browse the contents of the support CD to locate the file ASSETUP.EXE from the BIN folder. Double-click the ASSETUP.EXE to run the CD. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 5- - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 106
drivers to activate the devices. ASUS InstAll-Installation Wizard for Drivers Installs Chipset drivers for the NVIDIA® nForce® 500 SLI chipset. C-Media CM6501 Audio Driver Installs the Cool 'n' Quiet! driver and application. ASUS AI Remote Installs the ASUS AI Remote driver and application. USB - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 107
can connect to the ASUS website. ASUS AI Gear Installs the ASUS AI Gear. ASUS AI Nap Installs the ASUS AI Nap. ASUS AMD Cool 'n' Quiet Utility Installs the AMD® Cool 'n' Quiet! software. ASUS Accelerated Propeller Installs the ASUS Accelerated Propeller (ASAP). ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 5- - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 108
You can also install the following utilities from the ASUS Superb Software Library CD. ADOBE Acrobat Reader V7.0 Installs the Adobe® WinDVD Copy5 Trial Installs the WinDVD Copy5 Trial version. Corel Snapfire Plus SE Installs the Corel Snapfire Plus SE software. 5- Chapter 5: Software support - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 109
5.2.4 Make Disk menu The Make Disk menu contains items to create the NVIDIA® nForce™ 500-SLI SATA RAID driver disk. NVIDIA 32/64bit 2000/XP/Vista SATA RAID Driver Allows you to create an NVIDIA® Serial ATA RAID driver disk for a 32/64-bit 2000/ XP/Vista system. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 5- - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 110
® Reader from the ASUS Superb Software Library CD before opening a user manual file. 5.2.6 ASUS Contact information Click the Contact tab to display the ASUS contact information. You can also find this information on the inside front cover of this user guide. 5- Chapter 5: Software support - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 111
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. Browse this CD Displays the support CD contents in graphical format. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 5- - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 112
Technical support Form Displays the ASUS Technical Support Request Form that you have to fill out when requesting technical support. Filelist Displays the contents of the support CD and a brief description of each in text format. 5- Chapter 5: Software support - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 113
BIOS from a file from the drop down menu, then click Next. 5. When prompted, locate the new BIOS file, then click Next. The ASUS MyLogo2 window appears. 6. From the left window pane, select the folder that contains the image you intend to use as your boot logo. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 5- - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 114
by clicking on it. 8. Adjust the boot image to your desired size by selecting a value on the Ratio box. 9. When the screen returns to the ASUS Update utility, flash the original BIOS to load the new boot logo. 10. After flashing the BIOS, restart the computer to display the new boot - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 115
5.3.2 Cool 'n' Quiet!™ Technology The motherboard supports the AMD Cool 'n' Quiet!™ Technology that dynamically and automatically change the CPU speed, From the Power schemes combo list box, select Minimal Power Management. 6. Click OK to effect settings. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 5-11 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 116
If you purchased a separate heatsink and fan package, use the ASUS Q-Fan technology feature to automatically adjust the CPU fan speed voltage. Make sure to install the Cool 'n' Quiet!™ software from the motherboard support CD. Refer to section 5.2.3 Utilities menu for details. To launch the Cool - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 117
/rendering, 3D sound positioning, and S/PDIF Out support. Follow the installation wizard to install the C-Media CM6501 Audio Driver from the support CD that came with the motherboard package. If to stop the speaker test. Click to effect the settings and exit. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 5-13 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 118
tabs and dragging the sliders up and down to get the desired volume levels. Click OK to effect the settings and exit. 5-14 Chapter 5: Software support - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 119
buttons or the drop-down menus for options on changing the acoustic environment. You may manually adjust the equalizer or select a predefined mode according to music genre. To select an audio codec, audio driver version, audio controller, and DirectX version. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 5-15 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 120
, browse the contents of the support CD to locate the setup.exe file from the ASUS PC Probe II folder. Double-click the setup.exe file to start installation. 2. Click the Utilities tab, then click ASUS PC Probe II. 3. Follow the screen instructions to complete installation. Launching PC Probe - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 121
section Minimizes the application Closes the application Sensor alert When a system sensor detects a problem, the main window right handle turns red, as the illustrations below show. When displayed the box before each preference to activate or deactivate. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 5-17 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 122
the Config window. You cannot adjust the sensor threshold values in a small monitoring panel. Click to increase value Click to decrease value 5-18 Chapter 5: Software support - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 123
from the left panel to display on the right panel. Click the plus sign (+) before WMI Information to display the available information. You can and system information. Click the plus sign (+) before DMI Information to display the available information. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 5-19 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 124
browser. This browser provides information on the PCI devices installed on your system. Click the plus sign (+) before the PCI Information item to display available information. Usage The Usage browser window represents the used (blue) and the available HDD 5-20 Chapter 5: Software support - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 125
temperature scale. Loads the default threshold values for each sensor Applies your changes Cancels or ignores your changes Loads your saved configuration Saves your configuration ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 5-21 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 126
AI Gear ASUS AI Gear provides four system performance options that allows you to frequency and vCore voltage to minimize system noise and power consumption. After installing AI Gear from the bundled support CD, you can launch AI Gear by double-clicking the AI Gear icon on your Windows OS taskbar - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 127
icon on the OS taskbar and click Use power button. Unclick the item to switch the function back. • Refer to page 1-6 for the OS that supports this utility. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 5-23 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 128
Have AI Remote in your hand and do more with your PC at a distance away. Overview of the ASUS AI Remote 1. Power 2. Full Screen 5. AP-1/2 Trigger 7. Media Control Zone 3. AI Gear 4. AI Nap application menu. 7. Media Control Zone: Controls the media application. 5-24 Chapter 5: Software support - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 129
the software after the infrared receiver installation. Simply click and install the file ASUS AI Remote from Drivers menu of the Motherboard Support CD package for the first time, and it will launch automatically everytime you start up your PC. ASUS AI Remote ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 5-25 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 130
click System and Maintenance. 3. Click Device Manager. 4. Select HID-compliant device. 5. Check the box of Allow this device to wake the computer. 5-26 Chapter 5: Software support - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 131
. • Power On/Off button does not support MS-DOS Mode. • You have to check the box of Enable Power Key before using the ASUS AI Remote to turn on and off your PC or to have it hibernate or standby. Visit www.microsoft.com for details about Hibernate and Standby. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 5-27 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 132
the AP-1 button. (4) Follow the same instructions to configure the AP-2 button. (5) Click Power Point. (Default applications in the ASUS AI Remote software may change without notice.) the User Define applications need to be located manually before you using the ASUS AI Remote. • Save after the .exe - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 133
press to confirm. • For music listening, making playlists beforehand is suggested. • Press again to close the application and again to re-launch the profile menu. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 5-29 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 134
from the drop-down menu and rename it by pressing Rename. The ASUS AI Remote software has correctly set up nine popular applications and defined the default hotkeys definition. • After the initial setup, you will find an ASUS AI Remote icon on the Windows OS taskbar. Click the icon and select Settings - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 135
The Function Buttons and AP Profile The ASUS AI Remote software helps you set up the correspondence between the function buttons on the remote to , you are able to rename the 5 sets User Define and create your preferred applications and favorable setups. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 5-31 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 136
Accelerated Propeller) This motherboard is equipped with the ASUS Accelerated Propeller (ASAP) feature. ASAP supports the Windows® ReadyBoost™ technology that improves system performance under Windows® Vista. Refer to page 1-6 for the OS that supports ASAP. Before activating ASAP, install the ASAP - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 137
comes with the NVIDIA® SLI Southbridge RAID controllers that allow you to configure IDE and Serial ATA hard disk drives as RAID sets. The motherboard supports the following RAID configurations. not provide fault tolerance or other RAID performance benefits. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 5-33 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 138
5.6 Creating a RAID driver disk for details. 5.5.1 Installing hard disks The motherboard supports Ultra DMA /133/100/66 and Serial ATA hard disk drives. For optimal . Refer to the RAID controllers user manual in the motherboard support CD for detailed information on RAID configurations. See section - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 139
. • For detailed descriptions on the NVIDIA® RAID configuration, refer to the "NVIDIA® RAID User's Guide" found in your motherboard support CD. • When using Windows 2000 operating system, make sure to install the Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 or later versions. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 5-35 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 140
following submenu appears. Use the up or down arrow keys to select a RAID mode then press . Mirroring Striping Stripe Mirroring Spanning 5-36 Chapter 5: Software support - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 141
recommend using a lower array block size. For multimedia computer systems used mainly for audio and video editing, we recommend a higher array block size for optimum performance. 3.` Press to select the option. All data on the RAID drives will be lost! ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 5-37 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 142
: 64K Adapt Channel M/S 2 1 1 0 Master Master Index Disk Model Name 0 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 1 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Capacity XXX.XXGB XXX.XXGB 5-38 [R] Rebuild [D] Delete [C] Clear Disk [ENTER] Return Chapter 5: Software support - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 143
array? [ENTER] OK [ESC] Cancel 4. Press to start rebuilding array or press to cancel. 5. After the rebuild process, the Array list menu appears. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 5-39 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 144
using this option. All data on the RAID drives will be lost! 4. If you selected Yes, the Define a New Array menu appears. 5-40 Chapter 5: Software support - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 145
[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 M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 5-41 - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 146
2000/XP/ Vista 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 instructions to complete the installation. Due to chipset limitation, the Serial ATA ports supported by the NVIDIA chipset doesn't support - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 147
This chapter tells how to install SLI‑ready 6 PCI Express graphics cards. NVIDIA® SLI™ technology support - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 148
Chapter summary 6.1 Overview 6-1 6.2 Dual graphics cards setup 6-2 ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 149
® XP™ 32-bit/64bit operating system. Visit the NVIDIA website (www.nvidia.com) for the NVIDIA® SLI™ technology under Windows® Vista™ • Visit the NVIDIA zone website (http://www.nzone.com) for the latest certified graphics card and supported 3D application list. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 6- - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 150
Dual graphics card setup 6.2.1 Installing SLI-ready graphics cards Install only identical SLI-ready graphics cards that are NVIDIA®- two graphics cards. Each graphics card should have goldfingers for the SLI connector. Goldfingers 2. Remove the metal bracket covers opposite the two PCI Express - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 151
slot. Make sure that the card is properly seated on the slot. If required, connect an auxiliary power source to the PCI Express graphics cards. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 6- - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 152
goldfingers on each graphics card. Make sure that the connector is firmly in place. SLI connector 6. When installing two VGA cards using a 20-pin ATX PSU with sufficient We recommend to install an additional chassis fan for better thermal environment. 6- Chapter 6: NVIDIA® SLI™ technology support - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 153
to install the device drivers. Make sure that your PCI Express graphics card driver supports the NVIDIA SLI technology. Download the latest driver from the NVIDIA website (www.nvidia. com). tab. 4. Click Properties to display the Display Properties dialog box. ASUS M2N-Plus SLI Vista Edition 6- - Asus M2N-Plus SLI Vista | Motherboard Installation Guide - Page 154
box, select the Settings tab then click Advanced. 6. Select the NVIDIA GeForce tab. 7. Click the slider to display the following screen, then select the SLI multi‑GPU item. Slider 8. Click the Enable SLI multi-GPU check box. 9. Click OK when done. 6- Chapter 6: NVIDIA® SLI™ technology support
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Motherboard
M2N-Plus SLI
Vista Edition