Asus M2N68 PLUS User Manual

Asus M2N68 PLUS Manual

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  • Asus M2N68 PLUS | User Manual - Page 1
    M2N68 PLUS Motherboard
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    express written permission of ASUSTeK Computer Inc. ("ASUS"). Product warranty or service will not be extended if: (1) the ASUS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES ARISING FROM ANY DEFECT OR ERROR IN THIS MANUAL OR PRODUCT. SPECIFICATIONS AND INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL
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    About this guide vii M2N68 PLUS specifications summary ix Chapter 1: Product introduction 1.1 Welcome 1-1 1.2 Package contents 1-1 1.3 Special features 1-1 1.3.1 Product highlights 1-1 1.3.2 Innovative ASUS features 1-3 1.4 Before you proceed 1-4 1.5 Motherboard overview 1-5 1.5.1 Placement
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    Support DVD information 1-24 Chapter 2 BIOS information 2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS 2-1 2.1.1 ASUS Update utility 2-1 2.1.2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility 2-2 2.1.3 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility 2-3 2.2 BIOS setup program 2-4 2.2.1 BIOS Configuration 2-9 2.4.2 CPU Configuration 2-12 2.4.3
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    Contents 2.5.2 ACPI 2.0 Support [Disabled 2-15 2.5.3 ACPI APIC Support [Enabled 2-15 2.5.4 APM Configuration 2-15 2.5.5 Hardware Monitor 2-16 2.6 Boot menu 2-17 2.6.1 Boot Device Priority 2-17 2.6.2 Boot Settings Configuration 2-17 2.6.3 Security 2-18 2.7 Tools menu 2-19 2.7.1 ASUS EZ Flash
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    that may cause undesired operation. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a and used in accordance with manufacturer's instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio Canadian ICES-003. DO NOT throw the motherboard in municipal waste. This product has been
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    . • If you encounter technical problems with the product, contact a qualified service technician or your retailer. About this guide This user guide contains the information you need when installing and configuring the motherboard. How this guide is organized This guide contains the following parts
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    . IMPORTANT: Instructions that you MUST follow to complete a task. NOTE: Tips and additional information to help you complete a task. Where to find more information Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product and software updates. 1. ASUS websites The ASUS website
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    M2N68 PLUS specifications summary CPU Chipset System bus Memory Expansion slots Storage Audio USB LAN ASUS special features AMD® Phenom™ X4 / Phenom™ X3 / Athlon™ X2 / Athlon™ / Sempron™ processors (socket AM2+/AM2) Compatible with Phenom™ II / Athlon™ X4 / Athlon™ X3 / Athlon™ X2 processors (AM3
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    M2N68 PLUS specifications summary Back panel I/O ports Internal I/O connectors BIOS Accessories Form Factor Support DVD 1 x PS/2 Keyboard port 1 x PS/2 Mouse port 1 x LAN (RJ45) port 4 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports 6-channel Audio ports 1 x LPT port 1 x COM port 3 x USB 2.0/1.1 connectors support additional
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    . 1.2 Package contents Check your motherboard package for the following items. Motherboard Cables Accessories Application DVD Documentation ASUS M2N68 PLUS motherboard 1 x Serial ATA cable 1 x Ultra DMA 133/100/66 cable 1 x I/O shield ASUS motherboard support DVD User guide If any of the above
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    ™ x3 / Athlon™ x2 / Athlon™ / Sempron™ (socket AM2+/AM2) This motherboard supports AMD® Socket AM2+ multi-core processors. It features dual-channel DDR2 1066 memory support, data transfer rate up to 5200MT/s via HyperTransport™ 3.0-based system bus, and supports AMD® Cool 'n' Quiet Technology. Dual
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    are reported back up to 100 meters at 1 meter accuracy. ASUS Q-Fan ASUS Q-Fan technology intelligently adjusts CPU fan speeds according to system loading to ensure quiet, cool, and efficient operation. Green ASUS This motherboard and its packaging comply with the European Union's Restriction on the
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    motherboard components or change any motherboard settings. • Unplug the power cord from the wall socket the ATX motherboard component. The illustration below shows the location of the onboard LED. M2N68 PLUS SB_PWR ON OFF Standby Power Powered Off M2N68 PLUS Onboard LED 1-4 ASUS M2N68 PLUS
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    in the correct orientation. The edge with external ports goes to the rear part of the chassis as indicated in the image below. 1.5.2 Screw holes Place six (6) screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the motherboard to the chassis. Do not overtighten the screws! Doing so can damage the
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    1.5.3 Motherboard layout 1 2 20.3cm(8.0in) KBMS ATX12V COM LPT CPU Socket DDR2-1066 DDR2 DIMM_A1 (64bit, 240-pin module) DDR2 DIMM_B1 (64bit, 240-pin module) EATXPWR 30.5cm(12.0in) 4PHASE POWER 5000HRS VRM USB34 LAN1_USB12 CPU_FAN AUDIO PCIEX1_1 M2N68 PLUS 1000M LAN Realtek PCIEX16
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    . Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin AAFP) 1-18 14. Onboard LED (SB_PWR) Page 1-23 1-20 1-17 1-22 1-17 1-20 1-4 1.6 Central Processing Unit (CPU) The motherboard comes with a CPU socket designed for AMD® AM3 Phenom™ II / Athlon™ X4 / Athlon™ X3 / Athlon™ X2 processors and AM2+ / AM2 Phenom™ X4
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    to section 1.6.2 Installing heatsink and fan for instructions. Gold triangle 7. Connect the CPU fan cable to the CPU_FAN connector on the motherboard. Do not forget to connect the CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring errors can occur if you fail to plug this connector. 1-8 ASUS M2N68 PLUS
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    Retention bracket lock Retention Module Base 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. Attach one end of
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    a DDR DIMM but has a 240-pin footprint compared to the 184-pin DDR DIMM. DDR2 DIMMs are notched differently to prevent installation on a DDR DIMM socket. The figure illustrates the location of the DDR2 DIMM sockets: Channel Channel A Channel B 1-10 Sockets DIMM_A1 DIMM_B1 ASUS M2N68 PLUS
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    made up of 256 megabits (Mb) chips or less. The motherboard supports up to 8GB memory modules on Windows® XP Professional x64 and Vista x64 editions. You may install a maximum of 4GB DIMMs on each slot. M2N68 PLUS Motherboard Qualified Vendors Lists (QVL) DDR2-667MHz capability Vendor Part No
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    Due to AM2+/AM3 CPU limitation, only one DDR2 1066 is supported per channel. • The default DIMM frequency depends on its Serial Presence Detect (SPD), which is the standard way of accessing information from a memory module. Under the default state, some memory modules for overclocking may operate
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    adding or removing DIMMs or other system components. Failure to do so can cause severe damage to both the motherboard and the components. 1. Unlock a DDR2 DIMM socket by pressing the retaining clips outward. 2. Align a DIMM on the socket such that the notch on the DIMM matches the break on the
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    x1 slots This motherboard supports PCI Express x1 network cards, SCSI cards and other cards that comply with the PCI Express specifications. 1.8.5 PCI Express x16 slot This motherboard supports a PCI Express x16 graphics card that complies with the PCI Express specifications. 1-14 ASUS M2N68 PLUS
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    not need to clear the RTC when the system hangs due to overclocking. For system failure due to overclocking, use the CPU Parameter Recall (C.P.R) feature. Shut down and reboot the system so the BIOS can automatically reset parameter settings to default values. Chapter 1: Product introduction 1-15
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    Rear Speaker Out Front Speaker Out Bass/Center Ensure that the audio device of Sound playback is Realtek High Definition Audio (the name may be different based on the OS). Go to Start > Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices > Sound Playback to configure the setting. 1-16 ASUS M2N68 PLUS
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    chassis-mounted system warning speaker. The speaker allows you to hear system beeps and warnings. 2. Optical drive audio connector (4-pin CD) This connector allows you to receive stereo audio input from sound sources such as a CD-ROM, TV tuner, or MPEG card. Chapter 1: Product introduction 1-17
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    DMA 133/100/66 signal cable: blue, black, and gray. Connect the blue connector to the motherboard's IDE connector, then select one of the following modes to configure your device(s). Single device Two devices Select", ensure that all other device jumpers have the same setting. 1-18 ASUS M2N68 PLUS
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    a RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, RAID 5, and JBOD configurations through the onboard controller. Install the Windows® XP Service Pack 1 before using Serial ATA. • For detailed instructions on how to configure RAID 0, RAID 1, and RAID 0+1, RAID 5, and JBOD, refer to the RAID manual in the support DVD
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    high-definition audio capability. • By default, this connector is set to [HD Audio]. If you want to connect a High Definition front panel audio module to this connector, set the Front Panel Select item in the BIOS to [HD Audio]. See section "2.4.3 Chipset" for details. 1-20 ASUS M2N68 PLUS
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    firmly until the connectors completely fit. • We recommend that you use an ATX 12V Specification 2.0‑compliant power supply unit (PSU) with a minimum of 300W power Recommended Power Supply Wattage Calculator at http://support.asus. com/PowerSupplyCalculator/PSCalculator.aspx?SLanguage=en-us for
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    Sony/Philips Digital Interface (S/PDIF) port(s). Ensure that the audio device of Sound playback is Realtek High Definition Audio (the name may be different based on the OS). Go to Start > Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices > Sound Playback to configure the setting. 1-22 ASUS M2N68 PLUS
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    supports several chassis-mounted functions. PWR LED PWR BTN PLED+ PLEDPWR GND M2N68 PLUS F_PANEL PIN 1 IDE_LED+ IDE_LED- Ground Reset +HD_LED RESET M2N68 PLUS puts the system in SLEEP or SOFT-OFF mode depending on the BIOS settings. Pressing the power switch for more than four seconds while the
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    you install Windows® XP Service Pack 3 or later versions / Windows® Vista Service Pack 1 or later versions before installing the drivers for better compatibility and system stability. 1.11.2 Support DVD information The Support DVD that came with the motherboard package contains the drivers, software
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    motherboard BIOS using the ASUS Update or AFUDOS utilities. 2.1.1 ASUS Update utility The ASUS Update is a utility that allows you to manage, save, and update the motherboard BIOS in Windows® environment. • ASUS Update requires an Internet connection either through a network or an Internet Service
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    the Open window, then click Open. 3. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the updating process. 2.1.2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility The ASUS EZ Flash 2 feature allows you to update the BIOS without having to use an OS‑based utility. Before using this utility, download the latest BIOS file from
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    or gets corrupted during the updating process. You can update a corrupted BIOS file using the motherboard support DVD or a USB flash disk that contains the updated BIOS file. • Prepare the motherboard support DVD or the USB flash disk containing the updated motherboard BIOS before using this utility
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    under the Exit Menu. See section 2.8 Exit Menu. • The BIOS setup screens shown in this section are for reference purposes only, and may not exactly match what you see on your screen. • Visit the ASUS website at www.asus.com to download the latest BIOS file for this motherboard. 2-4 ASUS M2N68 PLUS
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    keyboard until the desired item is highlighted. • The BIOS setup screens shown in this chapter are for reference purposes only, and may not exactly match what you see on your screen. • Visit the ASUS website at www.asus.com to download the latest BIOS information. Chapter 2: BIOS information 2-5
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    highlighted item on the menu bar displays the specific items for that menu. For example, selecting window with the configuration options for that item. Main Advanced BIOS SETUP UTILITY Power Boot Tools Exit Suspend Mode ACPI 2.0 Support ACPI APIC support window Scroll bar 2-6 ASUS M2N68 PLUS
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    menu screen items and how to navigate through them. Main Advanced Power BIOS SETUP UTILITY Boot Tools Exit System Time 19:34:30] System Date Serial-ATA devices. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Device 0] [Device 0/1] nVidia RAID Function [Disabled] Allows you to enable or disable the nVidia
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    to display the IDE/SATA device information. The BIOS automatically detects the values opposite the dimmed items (Device, Vendor the appropriate IDE device type. Select [CDROM] if you are specifically configuring a CD-ROM drive. Select [ARMD] (ATAPI Removable Enabled] 2-8 ASUS M2N68 PLUS
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    overview of the general system specifications. The BIOS automatically detects the items in this menu. AMI BIOS Displays the auto-detected BIOS information. Processor Displays the auto-detected CPU specification. System Memory Displays the auto-detected system memory. 2.4 Advanced menu The Advanced
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    the Memory clock mode item is set to [Manual]. Memclock Value [200 MHz] Allows you to set the Memclock value. Configuration options: [200 MHz] [266 MHz [333 MHz] [400 MHz] DRAM Timing Mode [Auto] Allows you to set the DRAM timing mode. Configuration options: [Auto] [DCT 0] 2-10 ASUS M2N68 PLUS
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    : [Auto] [2 CLK] [3 CLK] [4 CLK] [5 CLK] tRFC 0/1/2/3 [Auto] Allows you to specify the Trfc0/1/2/3 time. Configuration options: [Auto] [75ns] [105ns] [127.5ns] [195ns] [327.5ns] Chapter 2: BIOS information 2-11
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    show the CPU-related information that the BIOS automatically detects. GART Error Reporting [Disabled] This option should remain disabled for the normal operation. The driver developer may enable it for testing purpose. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Microcode Updation [Enabled] Allows
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    to report and correct memory errors automatically. Configuration options Audio] Allows you to set HD Audio mode. Configuration options: [AC97] [HD Audio] Onboard LAN [Auto] Allows you to set or disable the Onboard LAN. Configuration options: [Auto] [Disabled] OnBoard LAN BIOS information 2-13
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    memory [No], BIOS configures all support is disabled. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] [Auto] USB 2.0 Controller Mode [HiSpeed] Allows you to configure the USB 2.0 controller in HiSpeed (480 Mbps) or Full Speed (12 Mbps). Configuration options: [FullSpeed] [HiSpeed] 2-14 ASUS M2N68 PLUS
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    When signaled by a wake-up device or event, the system resumes to its working state exactly where it was left off. [Auto] - Detected by OS. 2.5.2 ACPI 2.0 Support [Disabled] Allows you to add more tables for Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) 2.0 specifications. Configuration options
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    start speed temperature. Configuration options: [25ºC] [26ºC] [27ºC] [28ºC] ... [39ºC] [40ºC] Fan Auto Mode Full Speed Temp [70ºC] Allows you to select fan auto mode full speed temperature. Configuration options: [67ºC] [68ºC] [69ºC] [70ºC] [71ºC] [72ºC] [73ºC] [74ºC] [75ºC] 2-16 ASUS M2N68 PLUS
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    Boot [Enabled] Enabling this item allows the BIOS to skip some power on self tests (POST) while booting to decrease the time full screen logo display feature. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Set this item to [Enabled] to use the ASUS MyLogo 2™ feature. AddOn ROM Display Mode [Force BIOS
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    Full Access] No Access prevents user access to the Setup utility. View Only allows access but does not allow change to any field. Limited allows changes only to selected fields, such as Date and Time. Full Access allows viewing and changing all the fields in the Setup utility. 2-18 ASUS M2N68 PLUS
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    select and update BIOS. This utility doesn't support : 1.NTFS format 2.7.1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 Allows you to run ASUS EZ Flash LAN cable [Disabled] Enables or disables checking of the Realtek Phy LAN cable during the Power-On Self‑Test (POST). Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Chapter 2: BIOS
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    other than System Date, System Time, and Password, the BIOS asks for a confirmation before exiting. Discard Changes This option window appears. Select OK to load default values. Select Exit & Save Changes or make other changes before saving the values to the non-volatile RAM. 2-20 ASUS M2N68 PLUS
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Motherboard
M2N68 PLUS