Asus M4A78 PLUS User Manual
Asus M4A78 PLUS - Motherboard - ATX Manual
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Asus M4A78 PLUS manual content summary:
- Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 1
M4A78 PLUS Motherboard - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - 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 M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 3
this guide vii M4A78 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 1-4 1.4 Before you proceed 1-6 Onboard LED 1-6 1.5 Motherboard overview - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 4
system 1-30 1.11.2 Support DVD information 1-30 Chapter 2 BIOS setup 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 menu screen 2-5 2.2.2 Menu - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 5
2-16 2.5.3 ACPI APIC Support 2-16 2.5.4 APM Configuration 2-16 2.5.5 HW Monitor Configuration 2-17 2.6 Boot menu 2-18 2.6.1 Boot Device Priority 2-18 2.6.2 Boot Settings Configuration 2-18 2.6.3 Security 2-19 2.7 Tools menu 2-20 2.7.1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 2-20 2.7.2 Express Gate 2-21 2.7.3 AI - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 6
and used in accordance with manufacturer's instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio for connection of the monitor to the graphics card is required to assure compliance with FCC regulations. with Canadian ICES-003. DO NOT throw the motherboard in municipal waste. This product has been - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 7
. • 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 - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 8
. 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 - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 9
M4A78 PLUS specifications summary CPU Chipset System bus Memory Expansion slots Storage LAN Audio USB ASUS Unique fetures Phenom™ X4 / Phenom™ X3 / Athlon™ X2 / Athlon™ / Sempron™ processors (socket AM2+ / AM2) Compatible with Phenom™ II / Athlon™ X4 / Athlon™ X3 / Athlon™ X2 (AM3 CPU) Support - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 10
ASUS C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall) 8Mb Flash ROM, AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI v2.0, WfM2.0, ACPIv2.0a, SM BIOS v2.5 2 x Serial ATA cables 1 x 2in1 SATA power cable 1 x UltraDMA 133/100/66 cable 1x I/O Shield User manual ATX form factor: 12'' x 8.8'' (30.5cm x 22.3cm) Drivers ASUS LiveUpdate Utility ASUS - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 11
x 2in1 SATA power cable 1 x Ultra DMA 133/100/66 cable 1 x I/O shield ASUS motherboard support DVD User manual 1.3 1.3.1 If any of the above items is damaged or missing, contact your retailer. Special features Product highlights AMD® Phenom™ II / Athlon™ X4 / Athlon™ X3 / Athlon™ X2 (AM3 CPU) This - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 12
. Dual channel DDR2 1066 This motherboard supports native DDR2 1066. It provides faster data transfer rate and more bandwidth to increase memory data transfer rate and computing efficiency, enhancing system performance in 3D graphics and other memory demanding applications. 1-2 ASUS M4A78 PLUS - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 13
at www.asus.com for the supported CPU models. • Due to AM2+/AM3 CPU limitation, only one DDR2 1066 DIMM is supported per channel. When four DDR2 1066 DIMMs are installed, all DIMMs run at 800MHz frequency by default for system stability. PCI Express 2.0 support This motherboard supports the latest - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 14
file. ASUS EZ Flash 2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 is a utility that allows you to update the BIOS without using an OS-based utility. ASUS Q-Fan ASUS Q-Fan technology intelligently adjusts CPU and chassis fan speeds according to system loading to ensure quiet, cool, and efficient operation. 1-4 ASUS M4A78 PLUS - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 15
power and noise when user is temporarily away. It keeps downloading files or running applications in quietest state while you´re sleeping. Simply click keyboard or mouse, you can swiftly wake up the system in few seconds. Green ASUS This motherboard and its packaging comply with the European Union - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 16
is a reminder that you should shut down the system and unplug the power cable before removing or plugging in any motherboard component. The illustration below shows the location of the onboard LED. M4A78 PLUS SB_PWR ON OFF Standby Power Powered Off M4A78 PLUS Onboard LED 1-6 ASUS M4A78 PLUS - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 17
in the image below. 1.5.2 Screw holes Place six screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the motherboard to the chassis. Do not overtighten the screws! Doing so can damage the motherboard. Place this side towards the rear of the chassis. M4A78 PLUS Chapter 1: Product introduction 1-7 - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 18
2. CPU/Chassis/ audio in connector (4-pin CD) 6. IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_EIDE) 1-24 14. Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin AAFP) 7. Onboard LED 1-5 15. Serial port connector (10-1 pin COM1) 8. Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC) 1-20 Page 1-26 1-27 1-28 1-28 1-28 1-29 1-27 1-8 ASUS M4A78 PLUS - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 19
with AMD® Opteron™ processors. Do not install an Opteron™ processor on this motherboard. 1.6.1 Installing the CPU To install a CPU: 1. Locate the CPU socket on the motherboard. M4A78 PLUS M4A78 PLUS CPU socket 940 2. Press the lever sideways to unlock the socket, then lift it up to a 90 - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 20
the CPU fan cable to the CPU_FAN connector on the motherboard. M4A78 PLUS CPU_FAN GND CPU FAN PWR CPU FAN IN CPU FAN PWM M4A78 PLUS CPU fan connector Do not forget to connect the CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring errors can occur if you fail to plug this connector. 1-10 ASUS M4A78 PLUS - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 21
remove the retention module base when installing the CPU or installing other motherboard components. • If you purchased a separate CPU heatsink and fan assembly, ensure that a Thermal Interface Material is properly applied to the CPU heatsink or CPU before you install the heatsink and fan assembly - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 22
DIMM_A1 DIMM_B1 DIMM_A2 DIMM_B2 M4A78 PLUS M4A78 PLUS 240-pin DDR2 DIMM sockets Mode Single-channel Dual-channel (1) Dual-channel (2) DIMM_A1 - Populated Populated Populated Sockets DIMM_A2 DIMM_B1 - Populated - - Populated Populated Populated DIMM_B2 - Populated 1-12 ASUS M4A78 PLUS - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 23
motherboard supports up to 16GB memory modules on Windows® XP Professional x64 and Vista x64 editions. You may install a maximum of 4GB DIMMs on each slot. M4A78 PLUS Motherboard -A8KB5 DS AU512E667C5KBGC SS AU512E667C5KBGC SS CL Chip No. Chip Brand N/A 7RE22 D9HNL Micron N/A SO1237650821 - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 24
Y5 DS CL Chip No. Chip Brand 5 support A* B* C* · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 1-14 ASUS M4A78 PLUS - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 25
1G 2G 512MB 1G 1G 1G 1G 2G 2G 1G 512MB Vendor Part No. SS/ DS CL Chip No. Chip Brand Kingston KHX6400D2LL/1G DS N/A Heat-Sink Package Kingston Kingston KHX6400D2LLK2/1GN SS N/A Heat-Sink Package Kingston Apacer Micron Micron Transcend Transcend Elpida Transcend Elpida ADATA VDATA DIMM support - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 26
-AC DS 0826.SG CL Chip No. Chip Brand 5 A3R1GE3CFF734MAA0E PSC 5 DIMM support · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 1-16 ASUS M4A78 PLUS - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 27
· • Due to CPU limitation, DDR2 1066 MHz is supported by AM3/AM2+ CPU for one DIMM per memory module. Under the default state, some memory modules for overclocking may operate at a lower frequency than the vendor-marked value. SS - Single-sided / DS - Double - sided DIMM support: • A*: Supports - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 28
cause severe damage to both the motherboard and the components. 1. Press Support the DIMM lightly with your fingers when pressing the retaining 1 clips. The DIMM might get damaged when it flips out with extra force. 1 DDR2 DIMM notch 2. Remove the DIMM from the socket. 1-18 ASUS M4A78 PLUS - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 29
, if any. See Chapter 2 for information on BIOS setup. 2. Assign an IRQ to the card. 3. Install the software drivers for 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 - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 30
You do 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. 1-20 ASUS M4A78 PLUS - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 31
connects the rear speakers in a 4-channel, 6-channel, or 8-channel audio configuration. 6. Line In port (light blue). This port connects the tape, CD, DVD player, or other audio sources. 7. Line Out port (lime). This port connects a headphone or a - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 32
3 and 4. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports are available for connecting USB 2.0 devices. 15. Optical S/PDIF Out port. This port connects an external audio output device via a optical S/PDIF cable. 16. PS/2 Keyboard port. This port is for a PS/2 keyboard. 1-22 ASUS M4A78 PLUS - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 33
connectors completely fit. ATX12V EATXPWR +12V DC +12V DC M4A78 PLUS GND GND +3 Volts +12 Volts +12 Volts +5V . The system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is inadequate. • If you Wattage Calculator at http://support.asus. com/PowerSupplyCalculator/PSCalculator.aspx?SLanguage= - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 34
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 setting. M4A78 PLUS PRI_IDE PIN1 NOTE:Orient the red markings on the IDE ribbon cable to PIN 1. M4A78 PLUS IDE connector 1-24 ASUS M4A78 PLUS - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 35
RSATA_RXN3 GND GND RSATA_TXP6 RSATA_TXN6 GND RSATA_RXP6 RSATA_RXN6 GND M4A78 PLUS SATA connectors Install the Windows® XP Service Pack 1 before using Serial ATA. • For detailed instructions on RAID configurations, refer to the RAID manual in the support DVD. • If you intend to create a Serial ATA - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 36
or flashes beeps BIOS settings. Pressing the power switch for more than four seconds while the system is ON turns the system OFF. • Reset button (2-pin RESET) This 2-pin connector is for the chassis-mounted reset button for system reboot without turning off the system power. 1-26 ASUS M4A78 PLUS - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 37
system chassis. These USB connectors comply with USB 2.0 specification that supports up to 480 Mbps connection speed. USBE12 USBE34 USB910 USB+ +5V USB_P9USB_P9+ GND M4A78 PLUS USB2.0 connectors Never connect a 1394 cable to the USB connectors. Doing so will damage the motherboard! The USB 2.0 - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 38
or MPEG card. CD M4A78 PLUS M4A78 PLUS Internal audio connector 8. Digital audio connector (4-1 pin SPDIF_OUT) This connector is for an additional Sony/Philips Digital Interface (S/PDIF) ports. +5V SPDIFOUT GND M4A78 PLUS SPDIF_OUT M4A78 PLUS Digital audio connector Ensure that the audio device of - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 39
may damage the motherboard components. These are not jumpers! Do not place jumper caps on the fan connectors! CHA_FAN GND +12V Rotation CPU_FAN M4A78 PLUS GND CPU FAN PWR CPU FAN IN CPU FAN PWM PWR_FAN GND +12V Rotation M4A78 PLUS fan connectors Only the CPU fan supports the ASUS Q-FAN feature - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 40
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 comes with the motherboard package contains the drivers, software - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 41
a USB flash disk in case you need to restore the BIOS in the future. Copy the original 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 - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 42
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 - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 43
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! The recovered BIOS may not be the latest BIOS version for this motherboard. Download the latest BIOS file from the ASUS - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 44
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 M4A78 PLUS - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 45
on the keyboard until the desired item is highlighted. • 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 information. Chapter 2: BIOS setup 2-5 - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 46
pop-up 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 APM Configuration v02.61 (C)Copyright 1985-2008, A m e r i c a n Megatrends, Inc. Pop-up window Scroll bar 2-6 ASUS M4A78 PLUS - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 47
BIOS SETUP UTILITY Boot Tools Exit System Time 19:34:30] System Date [Wed 08/27/2008] Primary IDE Master Primary IDE Slave SATA1 SATA2 SATA3 ESATA SATA5 SATA6 SATA Setting to [Auto] enables the LBA mode if the device supports this mode, and if the device was not previously formatted with - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 48
the device occurs multiple sectors at a time if the device supports multi-sector transfer feature. When set to [Disabled], the data [Enabled] 2.3.4 SATA 1, SATA 2, SATA 3, SATA 5, SATA 6, and ESATA While entering Setup, the BIOS automatically detects the : [Disabled] [Enabled] 2-8 ASUS M4A78 PLUS - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 49
options: [Enabled] [Disabled] OnChip SATA Type [SATA] Allows you to select the SATA type. Configuration options: [SATA] [RAID] [AHCI] When SATA is configured as [AHCI] in BIOS, only SATA port 1-3 can be detected. Ensure to install the AHCI driver to detect and use SATA port 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 in AHCI - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 50
CPU type (AM2, AM2+ or AM3), the items on this section may not exactly match what you see on your screen. CPU Overclocking [Auto] Allows selection of CPU overclocking options to achieve desired CPU internal frequency. Select any of the preset overclocking. • Manual ] [+100mv] 2-10 ASUS M4A78 PLUS - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 51
Bit] Memory Clock Mode [Auto] Allows you to set the memory clock mode. Configuration options: [Auto] [Manual] The following item appears only when the Memory clock mode item is set to [Manual]. Configuration options: [Auto] [75ns] [105ns] [127.5ns] [195ns] [327.5ns] Chapter 2: BIOS setup 2-11 - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 52
options: [Disabled] [Enabled] CPU Prefetching [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the CPU prefetching. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] C1E Configuration [Disabled] Allows you to enable or disable C1E configuration. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Auto] 2-12 ASUS M4A78 PLUS - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 53
disables the DRAM ECC that allows the hardware to report and correct memory errors automatically. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Basic] [Good] [GFX-GPP-PCI] Allows you to set the primary display adapter. Configuration options: [GFX-GPP-PCI] [GPPGFX-PCI] [PCI-GFX-GPP] Chapter 2: BIOS setup 2-13 - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 54
. Plug and Play O/S [No] When set to [No], BIOS configures all the devices in the system. When set to [Yes] and if you install a Plug and Play operating system, the operating system configures the Plug and Play devices not required for boot. Configuration options: [No] [Yes] 2-14 ASUS M4A78 PLUS - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 55
the USB controller legacy mode is enabled. If no USB device is detected, the legacy USB support is disabled. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] [Auto] USB 2.0 Controller Mode [HiSpeed] . Configuration options: [Auto] [Floppy] [Forced FDD] [Hard Disk] [CDROM] Chapter 2: BIOS setup 2-15 - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 56
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. loss. Configuration options: [Power On] [Power Off] [Last State] 2-16 ASUS M4A78 PLUS - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 57
motherboard and CPU temperatures. Select Ignored if you do not wish to display the detected temperatures. CPU/Chassis Q-Fan Function [Disabled] Allows you to enable or disable the ASUS Q-Fan feature that smartly adjusts the fan speeds for more efficient ... [74ºC] [75ºC] Chapter 2: BIOS setup 2-17 - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 58
display the submenu. Main Advanced Boot Settings Power Boot Device Priority BIOS SETUP UTILITY Boot Tools Exit Boot Settings Configuration Security Specifies the Boot Device Priority sequence. A pressed when error occurs. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] 2-18 ASUS M4A78 PLUS - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 59
twice. The message "Password Uninstalled" appears. If you forget your BIOS password, you can clear it by erasing the CMOS Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM. See section "1.9 Jumpers" for information on how to erase the RTC RAM. After you have set a supervisor password, the other items appear to - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 60
2.7 Tools menu Main Advanced Power BIOS SETUP UTILITY Boot Tools Exit ASUS EZ Flash 2 Express Gate [Auto] Enter OS Timer [10 Seconds] Reset User Date [No] AI NET2 Press ENTER to run the utility to select and update BIOS. This utility doesn't support : 1.NTFS format Select Screen Select - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 61
disable the ASUS Express Gate feature. The ASUS Express Express Gate's first screen before starting Windows or other installed OS. Choose [Prompt make sure to save the setting to the BIOS so that the user data will be cleared the is useful in the rare case where corrupt settings prevent the Express - Asus M4A78 PLUS | User Manual - Page 62
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. 2-22 ASUS M4A78 PLUS
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Motherboard
M4A78 PLUS