Asus E3374 manual

Motherboard Maximus Formula (Special Edition)/ Maximus Formula[...]

ii E3374 First Edition V1 September 2007 Copyright © 2007 ASUST eK COMPUTER INC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this manual, including the products and software described in it, may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form or by any means, except documentation kept by the p[...]

iii Contents Contents ...................................................................................................... iii Notices ........................................................................................................ vii Safety information .................................................................................... [...]

iv Contents 2.5.2 Conguring an expansion card ..................................... 2-21 2.5.3 Interrupt assignments ................................................... 2-22 2.5.4 PCI slots ........................................................................ 2-23 2.5.5 PCI Express x1 slots ....................................................[...]

v Contents 4.2.8 Scroll bar ........................................................................4-1 1 4.2.9 General help .................................................................. 4-1 1 4.3 Main menu .................................................................................. 4-12 4.3.1 System T ime ...............................[...]

vi Contents Chapter 5: Software support 5.1 Installing an operating system ................................................... 5-1 5.2 Support DVD information ............................................................ 5-1 5.2.1 Running the support DVD ............................................... 5-1 5.2.2 Drivers menu .........................[...]

vii Notices Federal Communications Commission Statement This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: • This device may not cause harmful interference, and • This device must accept any interference received including interference that may cause undesired operation. This equipment has [...]

viii Safety information Electrical safety • T o prevent electrical shock hazard, disconnect the power cable from the electrical outlet before relocating the system. • When adding or removing devices to or from the system, ensure that the power cables for the devices are unplugged before the signal cables are connected. If possible, disconnect a[...]

ix About this guide This user guide contains the information you need when installing and conguring the motherboard. How this guide is organized This guide contains the following parts: • Chapter 1: Product introduction This chapter describes the features of the motherboard and the new technology it supports. • Chapter 2: Hardware informatio[...]

x Conventions used in this guide T o make sure that you perform certain tasks properly , take note of the following symbols used throughout this manual. T ypography Bold text Indicates a menu or an item to select. Italics Used to emphasize a word or a phrase. <Key> Key s encl osed i n the less- than a nd gre ater-t han s ign mea ns tha t you [...]

xi Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula specications summary CPU LGA775 socket for Intel ® Core™2 Quad / Core™2 Extreme / Core™2 Duo / Pentium ® Extreme / Pentium ® D / Pentium ® 4 processors Supports Intel ® next-generation 45nm multi-core CPUs Compatible with Intel ® 06/05B/05A processors * Refer to www .asus.com for[...]

xii ROG Exclusive Overclocking features Fusion Block System (for Special Edition only) Extreme T weaker 2-Phase DDR2 Loadline Calibration Intelligent overclocking tools: - CPU Level Up - AI Gear 3 - AI Overclocking (intelligent CPU frequency tuner) - AI Booster Utility - O.C. Prole Overclocking protection: - COP EX (Component Overheat Protection[...]

xiii BIOS Features 16 Mb Flash ROM, AMI BIOS, PnP , DMI2.0, WfM2.0, SM BIOS 2.4, ACPI 2.0a Multi-Language BIOS Manageability WOL by PME, WOR by PME, Chassis Intrusion, PXE Accessories Fusion Block System Accessory (for Special Edition only) LCD Poster ASUS Optional Fan SupremeFX II Audio Card 3 in 1 ASUS Q-connector kit UltraDMA 133/100/66 cable Fl[...]

xiv[...]

1 Product introduction This chapter describes the motherboard features and the new technologies it supports.[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula Chapter summary 1 1.1 Welcome! ...................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Package contents ......................................................................... 1-1 1.3 Special features ....................................................[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 1-1 1.1 Welcome! Thank you for buying an ASUS ® Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula motherboard! The motherboard delivers a host of new features and latest technologies, making it another standout in the long line of ASUS quality motherboards! Before you start installing the m[...]

1-2 Chapter 1: Product Introduction 1.3 Special features 1.3.1 Product highlights Republic of Gamers The Republic of Gamers consists only the best of the best. We of fer the best hardware engineering, the fastest performance, the most innovating ideas, and we welcome the best gamers to join in. In the Republic of Gamers, mercy rules are only for th[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 1-3 Native DDR2 1066 memory support T o attain top performance, ASUS engineers have successfully unleashed the true potential of DDR2 memory . While in DDR2 1066 mode, ASUS’s exclusive technology offers a choice of FSB 1333, providing great performance for 3D graphics and other memory demand[...]

1-4 Chapter 1: Product Introduction IEEE 1394a support The IEEE 1394a interface provides high speed digital interface for audio/video appliances such as digital television, digital video camcorders, storage peripherals & other PC portable devices. See pages 2-28 and 2-32 for details. High Denition Audio Enjoy high-end sound quality on your P[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 1-5 ASUS EPU The ASUS EPU utilizes innovative technology to digitally monitor and tune the CPU power supply with improved VR responses in heavy or light loadings. It automatically provides power for higher performance or improve efciency by 7% when the PC is running low intensity applicatio[...]

1-6 Chapter 1: Product Introduction C.P .R. (CPU Parameter Recall) When the system hangs due to overclocking failure, there is no need to open the system chassis to clear CMOS data. Simply reboot the system, and the BIOS automatically restores the CPU default settings for each parameter . Due to the chipset behavior , AC power off is required befor[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 1-7 Fanless Design–Heat-pipe The ASUS fanless design allows multi-directional heat ow from major thermal sources in the motherboard to lower overall system temperature, resulting in quieter operation and longer system life. ASUS has devoted special efforts to address the thermal issues ac[...]

1-8 Chapter 1: Product Introduction Optional Fan (for water-cooling/passive-cooling only) The optional fan is specically designed to provide sufcient airow over the CPU power modules and chipset area when water-cooling or passive-cooling is utilized, ensuring effective heat dissipation for the entire system. See pages 2-15 and 2-33 for det[...]

2 Hardware information 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.[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula Chapter summary 2 2.1 Before you proceed ..................................................................... 2-1 2.2 Motherboard overview ................................................................. 2-4 2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ..................................................[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 2-1 2.1 Before you proceed T ake note of the following 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 a m[...]

2-2 Chapter 2: Hardware information 2. Memory LED Refer to the illustration below for the location of the memory LED and the table below for LED denition. 3. Northbridge/Southbridge LEDs The northbridge and southbridge LEDs each have two different voltage displays. The northbridge LED displays either the North Bridge V oltage or the FSB T ermina[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 2-3 4. Hard Disk LED The hard disk LED is designed to indicate the hard disk activity . It blinks when data is being written into or read from the hard disk drive. The LED does not light up when there is no hard disk drive connected to the motherboard or when the hard disk drive does not funct[...]

2-4 Chapter 2: Hardware information MAXIMUS FORMULA ® 2.2 Motherboard overview Before you install the motherboard, study the conguration of your chassis to ensure that the motherboard ts into it. Make sure to unplug the power cord before installing or removing the motherboard. Failure to do so can cause you physical injury and damage motherb[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 2-5 2.2.3 Motherboard layout PANEL MAXIMUS FORMULA ® CHASSIS 24.5cm (9.6in) 30.5cm (12.0in) CPU_FAN DDR2 DIMM_A1 (64 bit,240-pin module) OPT_FAN3 FLOPPY Super I/O CLRTC_SW Intel ® ICH9R EA TXPWR CR2032 3V Lithium Cell CMOS Power Intel ® X38 KB_USB56 LAN2_USB34 JMB368 CHA_FAN1 SPDIF_OUT LGA7[...]

2-6 Chapter 2: Hardware information 2.2.5 Layout contents Slots Page 1. DDR2 DIMM slots 2-16 2. PCI slots 2-23 3. PCI Express x 1 slots 2-23 4. PCI Express x 16 slots 2-23 Switch Page 1. Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLR TC_SW) 2-24 Rear panel connectors Page 1. PS/2 keyboard port (purple) 2-27 2. Coaxial S/PDIF Out port 2-27 3. LAN 2 (RJ-45) port 2-27 4. L[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 2-7 Internal connectors Page 1. Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY) 2- 29 2. IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_EIDE) 2- 29 3. ICH9R Serial A T A connectors (7-pin SA T A1~6) 2- 30 4. USB connectors (10-1 pin USB78, USB910, USB1 1 12) 2- 31 5. IEEE 1394a port connector (10-1 pin IE1394_2) 2[...]

2-8 Chapter 2: Hardware information 2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU) The motherboard comes with a surface mount LGA775 socket designed for the Intel ® Core™2 Quad / Core™2 Extreme / Core™2 Duo / Pentium ® D / Pentium ® 4 / Pentium ® Extreme processors. • Upon purchase of the motherboard, make sure that the PnP cap is on the socket and [...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 2-9 3. Lift the load lever in the direction of the arrow to a 135º angle. 2. Press the load lever with your thumb (A), then move it to the left (B) until it is released from the retention tab. Retention tab Load lever This side of the socket box should face you. PnP cap A B T o prevent damage[...]

2-10 Chapter 2: Hardware information 5. Position the CPU over the socket, making sure that the gold triangle is on the bottom-left corner of the socket then t the socket alignment key into the CPU notch. Alignment key Gold triangle mark 6. Close the load plate (A), then push the load lever (B) until it snaps into the retention tab. 7. If install[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 2-1 1 Fastener Motherboard hole 2.3.2 Installing the CPU heatsink and fan The Intel ® LGA775 processor requires a specially designed heatsink and fan assembly to ensure optimum thermal condition and performance. T o install the CPU heatsink and fan: 1. Place the heatsink on top of the install[...]

2-12 Chapter 2: Hardware information 3. Connect the CPU fan cable to the connector on the motherboard labeled CPU_F AN. 2. Push down two fasteners at a time in a diagonal sequence to secure the heatsink and fan assembly in place. B A A A B B DO NOT forget to connect the CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring errors can occur if you fail to plug thi[...]

ASUS Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 2-13 2.3.3 Uninstalling the CPU heatsink and fan 3. Pull up two fasteners at a time in a diagonal sequence to disengage the heatsink and fan assembl y from the motherboard. B B A A A A B B 4. Carefully remove the heatsink and fan assembly from the motherboard. T o uninstall the CPU heatsink a[...]

2-14 Chapter 2: Hardware information 5. Rotate each fastener clockwise to ensure correct orientation when reinstalling. Narrow end of the groove Refer to the documentation in the boxed or stand-alone CPU fan package for detailed information on CPU fan installation. The narrow end of the groove should point outward after resetting. (The photo shows [...]

ASUS Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 2-15 2.3.4 Installing the optional fans Install the optional fan only if you are using a passive cooler or a water cooler . Installing the optional fan with an active CPU cooler will interfere with the airow and destabilize the system. 1. Position the fan above the pipe and heatsink assemb[...]

2-16 Chapter 2: Hardware information Channel Sockets Channel A DIMM_A1 and DIMM_A2 Channel B DIMM_B1 and DIMM_B2 2.4 System memory 2.4.1 Overview The motherboard comes with four Double Data Rate 2 (DDR2) Dual Inline Memory Modules (DIMM) sockets. The gure illustrates the location of the DDR2 DIMM sockets: • *If you install a DDR2-1066 memory m[...]

ASUS Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 2-17 2.4.2 Memory congurations Y ou may install 256 MB, 512 MB, 1 GB, and 2 GB unbuffered ECC and non-ECC DDR2 DIMMs into the DIMM sockets. Recommended Memory Congurations • Y ou may install varying memory sizes in Channel A and Channel B. The system maps the total size of the lower-s[...]

2-18 Chapter 2: Hardware information Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula Motherboard Qualied V endors Lists (QVL) DDR2-800 MHz capability Size V endor Chip No. SS/ DS Part No. DIMM support A* B* C* 512MB KINGSTON K4T51083QC SS KVR800D2N5/512 • • • 1024MB KINGSTON Heat-Sink Package DS KHX6400D2LL/1G • • 1024MB KINGSTON H[...]

ASUS Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 2-19 Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula Motherboard Qualied V endors Lists (QVL) DDR2-667MHz capability Size V endor Chip No. SS/ DS Part No. DIMM support A* B* C* 256MB KINGSTON HYB18T256800AF3S SS KVR667D2N5/256 • • 256MB KINGSTON 6SBI2D9DCG SS KVR667D2N5/256 • •[...]

2-20 Chapter 2: Hardware information 2.4.3 Installing a DIMM Unplug the power supply before adding or removing DIMMs or other system components. Failure to do so can cause severe damage to both the motherboard and the components. T o install a DIMM: 1. Unlo ck a DIM M so cket by pres sing the retaining clips outward. 2. Align a DIMM on the socket s[...]

ASUS Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 2-21 2.5 Expansion slots In the future, you may need to install expansion cards. The following sub-sections describe the slots and the expansion cards that they support. 2.5.1 Installing an expansion card T o install an expansion card: 1. Before installing the expansion card, read the documen[...]

2-22 Chapter 2: Hardware information 2.5.3 Interrupt assignments IRQ assignments for this motherboard A B C D E F G H PCI slot 1 shared ––––––– PCI slot 2 – shared –––––– LAN (8056) shared ––––––– SA T A (368) shared ––––––– LAN (8056) – shared –––––– PCIe x16_1 shared –––?[...]

ASUS Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 2-23 2.5.4 PCI slots The PCI slots support cards such as a LAN card, SCSI card, USB card, and other cards that comply with PCI specications. Refer to the gure below for the location of the slots. 2.5.5 PCI Express x1 slots This motherboard supports PCI Express x1 network cards, SCSI car[...]

2-24 Chapter 2: Hardware information 2.6 Switch 1. Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC_SW) This onboard switch allows you to enable the clr CMOS switch on the back I/O. Y ou can clear the CMOS memory and system setup parameters by erasing the CMOS RTC RAM data. The clr CMOS switch on the back I/O helps you easily to clear the system setup information such a[...]

ROG M aximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 2-25 2.7 Audio card, I/O shield, and LCD Poster installation 2.7.1 Audio card Installation 1. T ake out the Audio card from the package. 2. Locate the audio slot on the motherboard. 3. Align the card connector with the slot and press rmly until the card sits on the slot completely . 4. The[...]

2-26 Chapter 2: Hardware information 2. Position the motherboard I/O side toward the chassis rear panel and install the motherboard to the chassis. 3. Thread the LCD Poster cable through the opening until its stopper snaps into place. 4. Plug the LCD Poster cable into the onboard connector labeled LCD_CON. 5. This photo shows the LCD Poster install[...]

ROG M aximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 2-27 2.8 Connectors 2.8.1 Rear panel connectors 1. PS/2 keyboard port (purple). This port is for a PS/2 keyboard. 2. Coaxial S/PDIF Out port. This port connects an external audio output device via a coaxial S/PDIF cable. 3. LAN 2 (RJ-45) port. This port allows Gigabit connection to a Local Ar[...]

2-28 Chapter 2: Hardware information 5. Line In port (light blue). This port connects the tape, CD, DVD player , or other audio sources. 6. Line Out port (lime). This port connects a headphone or a speaker . In 4-channel, 6-channel, and 8-channel conguration, the function of this port becomes Front Speaker Out. 7. Microphone port (pink). This po[...]

ROG M aximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 2-29 2.8.2 Internal connectors 1. Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY) This connector is for the provided oppy disk drive (FDD) signal cable. Insert one end of the cable to this connector , then connect the other end to the signal connector at the back of the oppy disk drive. P[...]

2-30 Chapter 2: Hardware information 3. ICH9R Serial A T A connectors (7-pin SA T A1~6) These connectors are for the Serial A T A signal cables for Serial A T A hard disk drives. If you installed Serial A T A hard disk drives, you can create a RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10 conguration with the Intel ® Matrix Storage T echnology through the on[...]

ROG M aximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 2-31 Connect the right-angle side of SA T A signal cable to SA T A device. Or you may connect the right-angle side of SA T A cable to the onboard SA T A port to avoid mechanical conict with huge graphics cards. right angle side Y ou must install the Windows ® XP Service Pack 1 before usin[...]

2-32 Chapter 2: Hardware information 5. IEE E 1394 a port connector (10-1 pin IE1394_2) This connector is for a IEEE 1394a port. Connect the IEEE 1394a module cable to this connector , then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis. Never connect a USB cable to the IEEE 1394a connector . Doing so will damage the motherb[...]

ROG M aximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 2-33 7. CPU, chassis, and optional fan connectors (4-pin CPU_F AN, 3-pin CHA_F AN1~3, 3-pin PWR_F AN, 3-pin OPT_F AN1~3) The fan c onnect ors su pport co oling fans o f 350 mA~1000 mA (24 W max.) or a total of 1 A~3.48 A (41.76 W max.) at +12V . Connect the fan cables to the fan connectors on[...]

2-34 Chapter 2: Hardware information 9. AT X p owe r c on ne cto rs (24-pin EA TXPWR, 8-pin EA TX12V) These connectors are for A TX power supply plugs. The power supply plugs are designed to t these connectors in only one orientation. Find the proper orientation and push down rmly until the connectors completely t. 8. Chassis intrusion con[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 2-35 10. Digital audio con nec tor (4-1 pin SPDIF_OUT for ASUS HDMI VGA card) This connector is for an additional Sony/Philips Digital Interface (S/PDIF) port(s). If you are using an ASUS HDMI-equipped graphics card, connect the HDMI card to this connector with a S/PDIF Out cable. The ASUS HDM[...]

2-36 Chapter 2: Hardware information • System power LED (2-pin PLED) This 2-pin connector is for the system power LED. Connect the chassis power LED cable to this connector . The system power LED lights up when you turn on the system power , and blinks when the system is in sleep mode. • Hard disk drive activity LED (2-pin IDE_LED) This 2-pin c[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 2-37 ASUS Q-Connector (system panel) Y ou can use the ASUS Q-Connector to connect/disconnect chassis front panel cables in a few steps. Refer to the instructions below to install the ASUS Q- Connector . 1. Connect the front panel cables to the ASUS Q-Connector . Refer to the labels on the Q-Co[...]

2-38 Chapter 2: Hardware information 2.8.3 Onboard switches Onboard switches allow you to ne-tune performance when working on a bare or open-case system. This is ideal for overclockers and gamers who continually change settings to enhance system performance. 1. Power-on switch Press the power-on switch to wake/power up the system. 2. Reset switc[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 2-39 2.8.4 Installing Fusion Block System accessory Install your watercooling system to the motherboard using the bundled accessories to obtain the best thermal solution. Package contents 1 2 For watercooling system with 3/8” ID tubes 1. Firmly press a tube clip and t the tube into the cl[...]

2-40 Chapter 2: Hardware information 5 6 5. Press the clip and connect the assembled tube to the waterblock. When done, release the clip to tighten the two together . 6. Repeat Step 1 to 5 for another tube. Make sure that both tubes are well connected to prevent leak, and then ll the coolant into the reservoir . The picture shows a watercooling [...]

3 Powering up This chapter describes the power up sequence, the vocal POST messages, and ways of shutting down the system.[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula Chapter summary 3 3.1 Starting up for the rst time ........................................................ 3-1 3.2 T urning off the computer ............................................................. 3-2[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 3-1 3.1 Starting up for the rst time 1. After making all the connections, replace the system case cover . 2. Be sure that all switches are off. 3. Connect the power cord to the power connector at the back of the system chassis. 4. Connect the power cord to a power outlet that is equipped wi[...]

3-2 Chapter 3: Powering up 3.2 Turning off the computer 3.2.1 Using the OS shut down function If you are using Windows ® XP: 1. Click the Start button then select T urn Off Computer . 2. Click the T urn 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. C[...]

4 BIOS setup This chapter tells how to change the system settings through the BIOS Setup menus. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided.[...]

Chapter summary 4 ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS ............................................ 4-1 4.2 BIOS setup program .................................................................... 4-9 4.3 Main menu .................................................................................[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 4-1 4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS The following utilities allow you to manage and update the motherboard Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) setup. 1. ASUS Update (Updates the BIOS in Windows ® environment.) 2. ASUS EZ Flash 2 (Updates the BIOS using a oppy disk or USB ash disk.) 3. [...]

4-2 Chapter 4: BIOS setup Quit all Windows ® applications before you update the BIOS using this utility . 3. Select the ASUS FTP site nearest you to avoid network trafc, or click Auto Select . Click Next . Updating the BIOS through the Internet T o update the BIOS through the Internet: 1. Launch the ASUS Update utility from the Windows ® deskt[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 4-3 Updating the BIOS through a BIOS le T o update the BIOS through a BIOS le: 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 a le[...]

4-4 Chapter 4: BIOS setup 4.1.2 Creating a bootable oppy disk 1. Do either one of the following to create a bootable oppy disk. DOS environment a. Insert a 1.44MB oppy disk into the drive. b. At the DOS prompt, type format A: / S then press <Enter>. Windows ® XP environment a. Insert a 1.44 MB oppy disk to the oppy disk drive.[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 4-5 T o update the BIOS using EZ Flash 2: 1. Visit the ASUS website (www .asus.com) to download the latest BIOS le for the motherboard. 2. Save the BIOS le to a oppy disk or a USB ash disk, then restart the system. 4.1.3 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility The ASUS EZ Flash 2 feature allows yo[...]

4-6 Chapter 4: BIOS setup 4.1.4 AFUDOS utility The AFUDOS utility allows you to update the BIOS le in DOS environment using a bootable oppy disk with the updated BIOS le. This utility also allows you to copy the current BIOS le that you can use as backup when the BIOS fails or gets corrupted during the updating process. Copying the curr[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 4-7 2. Copy the AFUDOS utility (afudos.exe) from the motherboard support DVD to the bootable oppy disk you created earlier . 3. Boot the system in DOS mode, then at the prompt type: afudos /i[lename] where [lename] is the latest or the original BIOS le on the bootable oppy disk.[...]

4-8 Chapter 4: BIOS setup 4.1.5 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility The ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 is an auto recovery tool that allows you to restore the BIOS le when it fails or gets corrupted during the updating process. Y ou can update a corrupted BIOS le using the motherboard support DVD or the USB ash disk that contains the updated BIOS le. [...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 4-9 4.2 BIOS setup program This motherboard supports a programmable Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) chip that you can update using the provided utility described in section “4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS.” Use the BIOS Setup program when you are installing a motherboard, recongu[...]

4-10 Chapter 4: BIOS setup 4.2.2 Menu bar The menu bar on top of the screen has the following main items: Main For changing the basic system conguration Extreme T weaker For changing the overclocking settings Advanced For changing the advanced system settings Power For changing the advanced power management (APM) conguration Boot For changing[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 4-1 1 4.2.4 Menu items The highlighted item on the menu bar displays the specic items for that menu. For example, selecting Main shows the Main menu items. The other items (Advanced, Power , Boot, and Exit) on the menu bar have their respective menu items. 4.2.5 Sub-menu items A solid trian[...]

4-12 Chapter 4: BIOS setup 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. 4.3.1 System Time [xx:xx:xx] Allows you to set the system time. 4.3.2 System Date [Day xx/xx/xxxx] Allows you to set the system date. 4.3.3 Legacy Diskette A [1.44M, 3.5 in.] Sets the [...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 4-13 4.3.5 S A T A 1 - 6 While entering Setup, the BIOS automatically detects the presence of Serial A T A devices. There is a separate sub-menu for each SA T A device. Select a device item then press <Enter> to display the SA T A device information. The BIOS automatically detects the va[...]

4-14 Chapter 4: BIOS setup DMA Mode [Auto] Selects the DMA mode. Conguration options: [Auto] [SWDMA0] [SWDMA1] [SWDMA2] [MWDMA0] [MWDMA1] [MWDMA2] [UDMA0] [UDMA1] [UDMA2] [UDMA3] [UDMA4] [UDMA5] SMART Monitoring [Auto] Sets the Smart Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting T echnology . Conguration options: [Auto] [Disabled] [Enabled] 32Bit Data [...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 4-15 If yo u w ant t he Ser ial AT A h ard di sk d riv es to u se the Ad va nc ed Hos t C on tro lle r In ter fac e ( AH CI) , s et thi s i tem to [ AH CI] . Hard Disk Write Protect [Disabled] Disables or enables device write protection. This will be ef fective only if device is accessed throu[...]

4-16 Chapter 4: BIOS setup 4.3.8 System Information This menu gives you an overview of the general system specications. The BIOS automatically detects the items in this menu. ASUS BIOS Displays the auto-detected BIOS information. Processor Displays the auto-detected CPU specication. System Memory Displays the auto-detected system memory . Sel[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 4-17 4.4 Extreme Tweaker menu The Extreme T weaker menu items allow you to congure overclocking-related items. T ake caution when changing the settings of the Extreme T weaker menu items. Incorrect eld values can cause the system to malfunction. v02.61 (C)Copyright 1985-2007, American Me[...]

4-18 Chapter 4: BIOS setup Some of the following items appear when you set Ai Overclock T uner to [Manual] or [X.M.P]. The items vary depending on which option you select. eXtreme Memory Prole [Prole #1] Allows you to select the memory prole during overclocking between [Prole #1] (high performance) and [Prole #2] (high frequency). Th[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 4-19 FSB Strap to North Bridge [Auto] Conguration options: [Auto] [200MHz] [266MHz] [333MHz] [400MHz] PCIE Frequency [Auto] Allows you to set the PCI Express frequency . Conguration options: [100] [101]~[149] [150] DRAM Frequency [Auto] Allows you to set the DDR2 operating frequency . Co[...]

4-20 Chapter 4: BIOS setup RAS# to RAS# Delay [Auto] Conguration options: [Auto] [1 DRAM Clocks]~[15 DRAM Clocks] ROW Refresh Cycle T ime [Auto] Conguration options: [Auto] [20 DRAM Clocks] [25 DRAM Clocks] [30 DRAM Clocks] [35 DRAM Clocks] [42 DRAM Clocks] Write Recovery Time [Auto] Conguration options: [Auto] [1 DRAM Clocks]~[15 DRAM Clo[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 4-21 CPU PLL V oltage [Auto] Allows you to select the CPU PLL voltage. The text color in the conguration eld corresponds to the onboard CPU LED color , both of which indicate voltage condition. When you set the CPU LED item to [PLL V olt], the onboard CPU LED displays CPU PLL voltage con[...]

4-22 Chapter 4: BIOS setup CPU V oltage Refernece [Auto] Conguration options: [Auto] [0.63V] [0.61V] [0.59V] [0.57V] North Bridge V oltage Refernece [Auto] Conguration options: [Auto] [0.67V] [0.63V] [0.60V] [0.57V] [0.56V] [0.53V] [0.51V] [0.49V] DDR2 Channel A REF V oltage [Auto] Allows you to manually set the memory voltage, or you can set[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 4-23 SB LED Selection [SB V olt] Allows you to switch the onboard southbridge LED display between southbridge voltage [SB V olt] and southbridge 1.5V voltage [SB 1.5 V olt]. Conguration options: [SB 1.5 V olt] [SB V olt] CPU LED [CPU V olt] Allows you to switch the onboard CPU LED display b[...]

4-24 Chapter 4: BIOS setup Select Screen Select Item +- Change Option F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit v02.61 (C)Copyright 1985-2007, American Megatrends, Inc. 4.5.1 CPU Conguration The items in this menu show the CPU-related information that the BIOS automatically detects. CPU Ratio Control [Auto] Conguration options: [Auto] [Manua[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 4-25 Max CPUID V alue Limit [Disabled] Setting this item to [Enabled] allows legacy operating systems to boot even without support for CPUs with extended CPUID functions. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Inter(R) SpeedStep (TM) T ech. [Enabled] The following item appears when the C[...]

4-26 Chapter 4: BIOS setup 4.5.3 OnBoard Devices Conguration High Denition Audio [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the High Denition Audio. The following item appears only when you enable this item. Conguration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] Front Panel Support T ype [HD Audio] Allows you to set the front panel audio connector (A[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 4-27 4.5.4 USB Conguration The items in this menu allows you to change the USB-related features. Select an item then press <Enter> to display the conguration options. The USB Devices Enabled item shows the auto-detected values. If no USB device is detected, the item shows None. USB[...]

4-28 Chapter 4: BIOS setup BIOS EHCI Hand-off [Enabled] Allows you to enable the support for operating systems without an EHCI hand-off feature. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Port 64/60 Emulation [Disabled] Allows you to enable or disable the I/O port 60h/64h emulation support. This item should be enabled for the complete USB keyboar[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 4-29 4.6 Power menu The Power menu items allow you to change the settings for the Advanced Power Management (APM). Select an item then press <Enter> to display the conguration options. 4.6.1 Suspend Mode [Auto] Allows you to select the Advanced Conguration and Power Interface (ACPI[...]

4-30 Chapter 4: BIOS setup 4.6.5 APM Conguration Restore On AC Power Loss [Power Off] When set to Power Off, the system goes into of f state after an AC power loss. When set to Power On, the system goes on after an AC power loss. When set to Last State, the system goes into either off or on state, whatever the system state was before the AC powe[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 4-31 4.6.6 Hardware Monitor v02.58 (C)Copyright 1985-2006, American Megatrends, Inc. Select Screen Select Item +- Change Field F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit Hardware Monitor CPU Temperature [38.5ºC/102ºF] MB Temperature [36ºC/96.5ºF] NB Temperature [35ºC/95ºF] SB Temperature[...]

4-32 Chapter 4: BIOS setup CPU Fan Profile [Optimal] Allows you to set the appropriate performance level of the CPU Q-Fan. When set to [Optimal], the CPU fan automatically adjusts depending on the CPU temperature. Set this item to [Silent Mode] to minimize fan speed for quiet CPU fan operation, or [Performance Mode] to achieve maximum CPU fan speed[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 4-33 Select Screen Select Item +- Change Field F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit OPT_Fan 1 Reading :N/A OPT_Fan1 Q-Fan Control [DUTY CYCLE] Duty Cycle Mode [90%] OPT_Fan 2 Reading :N/A OPT_Fan2 Q-Fan Control [DUTY CYCLE] Duty Cycle Mode [90%] OPT_Fan 3 Reading :N/A OPT_Fan3 Q-Fan Cont[...]

4-34 Chapter 4: BIOS setup 4.7 Boot menu The Boot menu items allow you to change the system boot options. Select an item then press <Enter> to display the sub-menu. Select Screen Select Item Enter Go to Sub Screen F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit v02.58 (C)Copyright 1985-2007, American Megatrends, Inc. Boot Device Priority Boot Sett[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 4-35 4.7.2 Boot Settings Conguration Quick Boot [Enabled] Enabling this item allows the BIOS to skip some power on self tests (POST) while booting to decrease the time needed to boot the system. When set to [Disabled], BIOS performs all the POST items. Conguration options: [Disabled] [En[...]

4-36 Chapter 4: BIOS setup Change Supervisor Password Select this item to set or change the supervisor password. The Supervisor Password item on top of the screen shows the default Not Installed. After you set a password, this item shows Installed. T o set a Supervisor Password: 1. Select the Change Supervisor Password item and press <Enter>.[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 4-37 User Access Level [Full Access] This item allows you to select the access restriction to the Setup items. Conguration options: [No Access] [View Only] [Limited] [Full Access] [No Access] prevents user access to the Setup utility . [View Only] allows access but does not allow change to [...]

4-38 Chapter 4: BIOS setup Password Check [Setup] When set to [Setup], BIOS checks for user password when accessing the Setup utility . When set to [Always], BIOS checks for user password both when accessing Setup and booting the system. Conguration options: [Setup] [Always] 4.8 Tools menu The T ools menu items allow you to congure options fo[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 4-39 Select Screen Select Item Enter Go to Sub Screen F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit v02.58 (C)Copyright 1985-2007, American Megatrends, Inc. O.C. PROFILE Conguration O.C. Prole 1 Status :Not Installed O.C. Prole 2 Status :Not Installed Save to Prole 1 Load from Prol[...]

4-40 Chapter 4: BIOS setup 4.8.3 AI Net 2 POST Check LAN Cable [Disabled] Enables or disables checking of the LAN cable during the Power-On Self-T est (POST). Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] v02.58 (C)Copyright 1985-2007, American Megatrends, Inc. POST Check LAN cable [Disabled] AI Net 2 Pair Status Length 1-2 N/A 3-6 N/A 4-5 N/A 7-8 N[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 4-41 4.9 Exit menu Pressing <Esc> does not immediately exit this menu. Select one of the options from this menu or <F10> from the legend bar to exit. 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[...]

4-42 Chapter 4: BIOS setup[...]

5 Software support This chapter describes the contents of the support DVD that comes with the motherboard package.[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula Chapter summary 5 5.1 Installing an operating system ................................................... 5-1 5.2 Support DVD information ............................................................ 5-1 5.3 Software information ...................................................................[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 5-1 If Autorun is NOT enabled in your computer , browse the contents of the support DVD to locate the le ASSETUP .EXE from the BIN folder . Double-click the ASSETUP .EXE to run the DVD. 5.1 Installing an operating system This motherboard supports Windows ® XP/64-bit XP/Vista/64-bit V ista [...]

5-2 Chapter 5: Software support 5.2.2 Drivers menu The drivers menu shows the available device drivers if the system detects installed devices. Install the necessary drivers to activate the devices. ASUS InstAll - Installation Wizard for Drivers Launches the ASUS InstAll driver installation wizard. Intel Chipset Inf Update Program Installs the Inte[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 5-3 5.2.3 Utilities menu The Utilities menu shows the applications and other software that the motherboard supports. Click to display the next screen Click to display the previous screen ASUS InstAll-Installation Wizard for Utilities Installs all of the utilities through the Installation Wizar[...]

5-4 Chapter 5: Software support ASUS PC Probe II This smart utility monitors the fan speed, CPU temperature, and system voltages, and alerts you of any detected problems. This utility helps you keep your computer in healthy operating condition. ASUS AI Suite Installs the ASUS AI Suite. ASUS Update The ASUS Update utility allows you to update the mo[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 5-5 5.2.4 Make Disk menu The Make Disk menu contains items to create the Intel ICH9R or JMicron ® JMB368 RAID/AHCI driver disk. Intel ICH9 32/64 bit RAID/AHCI Driver Allows you to create an ICH9R 32/64bit RAID/AHCI driver disk. JMicron JMB36X 32/64 bit RAID/AHCI Driver Allows you to create a [...]

5-6 Chapter 5: Software support 5.2.5 Manuals menu The Manuals menu contains a list of supplementary user manuals. Click an item to open the folder of the user manual. Most user manual les are in Portable Document Format (PDF). Install the Adobe ® Acrobat ® Reader from the Utilities menu before opening a user manual le. 5.2.6 Video menu Cli[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 5-7 5.2.8 Other information The icons on the top right corner of the screen give additional information on the motherboard and the contents of the support DVD. Click an icon to display the specied information. Motherboard Info Displays the general specications of the motherboard. 5.2.7 A[...]

5-8 Chapter 5: Software support Filelist Displays the contents of the support DVD and a brief description of each in text format. T echnical support form Displays the ASUS T echnical Support Request Form that you have to ll out when requesting technical support. Browse this DVD Displays the support DVD contents in graphical format.[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 5-9 5.3 Software information Most of the applications in the support DVD have wizards that will conveniently guide you through the installation. View the online help or readme le that came with the software application for more information. 5.3.1 ASUS MyLogo 3 ™ The ASUS MyLogo 3 ™ util[...]

5-10 Chapter 5: Software support 9. When the screen returns to the ASUS Update utility , ash the original BIOS to load the new boot logo. 10. After ashing the BIOS, restart the computer to display the new boot logo during POST . 8. Adjust the boot image to your desired size by selecting a value on the Ratio box. 7. When the logo images appear[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 5-1 1 3. Click the Run button to perform a cable test. 5.3.2 AI NET 2 The AI NET 2 features the Marvell ® V irtual Cable T ester™ (VCT). VCT is a cable diagnostic utility that reports LAN cable faults and shorts using the T ime Domain Reectometry (TDR) technology . The VCT detects and re[...]

5-12 Chapter 5: Software support 5.3.3 AI Audio 2 (SoundMAX ® High Denition Audio utility) The ADI AD1988 High Denition Audio CODEC provides 8-channel audio capability through the SoundMAX ® audio utility with AudioESP™ software to deliver the ultimate audio experience on your PC. The software implements high quality audio synthesis/rende[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 5-13 A. SoundMAX BlackHawk (AI Audio 2) If you are using Windows Vista™ operating system, from the taskbar , double-click on the SoundMAX ® BlackHawk icon to display the SoundMAX ® control panel. Enabling AI Audio 2 Click the power button to activate digital signal processing. AI Audio 2, [...]

5-14 Chapter 5: Software support Playback Settings T o congure the playback settings, click the Playback button on the control panel. Y ou can adjust the volume of the Speakers and SPDIF Interface or mute the audio. Preset settings Click and expand the drop-down menu to select your preferred Digital Signal Processing (DSP) preset. Move the slide[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 5-15 More Settings Click for the further congurations. Equalizer Allows you to congure and customize all the DSP presets frequencies. Recording Settings T o change the recording settings, click the Recording button on the control panel. Y ou can adjust the speaker delay of Microphone or [...]

5-16 Chapter 5: Software support Speakers Allows you to adjust the Speaker T rim and Speaker Delay . Bass Allows you to do the Bass management. Preferences Displays the preference options for this utility , version information, AudioESP , etc.[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 5-17 B. SoundMAX If you are using Windows XP operating system, from the taskbar , double-click on the SoundMAX ® icon to display the SoundMAX ® Control Panel. Audio Setup Wizard By clicking the icon from the SoundMAX ® control panel, you can easily congure your audio settings. Simply fol[...]

5-18 Chapter 5: Software support Jack configuration This screen helps you congure your computer’s audio ports, depending on the audio devices you have installed. Adjust speaker volume This screen helps you adjust speaker volume. Click the T est button to hear the changes you have made. Adjust microphone volume This screen helps you adjust micr[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 5-19 Audio preferences Click the icon to go to the Preferences page. This page allows you to change various audio settings. General options Click the General tab to choose your playback and recording devices, enable/ disable the AudioESP™ feature, and enable/disable digital output. Listening[...]

5-20 Chapter 5: Software support Microphone options Click the Microphone tab allows you to optimize your microphone input settings.[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 5-21 5.3.4 ASUS PC Probe II PC Probe II is a utility that monitors the computer’s vital components, and detects and alerts you of any problem with these components. PC Probe II senses fan rotations, CPU temperature, and system voltages, among others. Because PC Probe II is software-based, yo[...]

5-22 Chapter 5: Software support Button Function Opens the Conguration window Opens the Report window Opens the Desktop Management Interface window Opens the Peripheral Component Interconnect window Opens the Windows Management Instrumentation window Opens the hard disk drive, memory , CPU usage window Shows/Hides the Preference section Minimize[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 5-23 Changing the monitor panels position T o change the position of the monitor panels in the desktop, click the arrow down button of the Scheme options, then select another position from the list box. Click OK when nished. Moving the monitor panels All monitor panels move together using a[...]

5-24 Chapter 5: Software support Monitoring sensor alert The monitor panel turns red when a component value exceeds or is lower than the threshold value. Refer to the illustrations below . Large display Small display WMI browser Click to display the WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation) browser . This browser displays various Windows® managemen[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 5-25 PCI browser Click to display the PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) 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 displays real[...]

5-26 Chapter 5: Software support Memory usage The Memory tab shows both used and available physical memory . The pie chart at the bottom of the window represents the used (blue) and the available physical memory . Conguring PC Probe II Click to view and adjust the sensor threshold values. The Cong window has two tabs: Sensor/Threshold and Pre[...]

ASUS Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 5-27 Press to launch AI Gear 3 Press to launch AI Nap Press to launch Q-Fan 2 Pr ess to l aun ch A I Bo ost er Press to restore to normal 5.3.5 ASUS AI Suite ASUS AI Suite allows you to launch AI Gear 3, AI Booster , AI Nap, and Q-Fan 2 utilities easily . Install the ASUS EPU + AI Gear 3 Driv[...]

5-28 Chapter 5: Software support Other feature buttons Click on right corner of the main window to open the monitor window . Click on right corner of the expanded window to switch the temperature from degrees Centigrade to degrees Fahrenheit. Displays the CPU/ system temperature, CPU/memory/PCIE voltage, and CPU/ chassis fan speed Displays the FSB/[...]

ASUS Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 5-29 Auto Mode Calibration T urbo Mode High Performance Mode Medium Power Saving Mode Max Power Saving Mode Settings 5.3.6 ASUS EPU Utility—AI Gear 3 ASUS AI Gear 3 is a utility designed to congure and support all ASUS Energy Processing Unit (EPU) features. This easy-to-use utility provi[...]

5-30 Chapter 5: Software support 5.3.7 ASUS AI Nap This feature allows you to minimize the power consumption of your computer whenever you are away . Enable this feature for minimum power consumption and a quieter system operation. After installing AI Suite from the bundled Support DVD, you can launch the utility by double-clicking the AI Suite ico[...]

ASUS Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 5-31 5.3.8 ASUS Q-Fan 2 This ASUS Q-Fan 2 Control feature allows you to set the appropriate performance level of the CPU Q-Fan 2 or the Chassis Q-Fan 2 for more efcient system operation. After enabling the Q-Fan 2 function, the fans can be set to automatically adjust depending on the tempe[...]

5-32 Chapter 5: Software support 5.3.9 ASUS AI Booster The ASUS AI Booster application allows you to overclock the CPU speed in WIndows ® environment without the hassle of booting the BIOS. After installing AI Suite from the bundled Support DVD, you can launch the utility by double-clicking the AI Suite icon on the Windows ® OS taskbar and click [...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 5-33 5.4 RAID congurations The motherboard comes with the Intel ® ICH9R Southbridge RAID controller that allows you to congure IDE and Serial A T A hard disk drives as RAID sets. 5.4.1 RAID denitions RAID 0 (Data striping) optimizes two identical hard disk drives to read and write da[...]

5-34 Chapter 5: Software support 5.4.3 Intel ® RAID congurations This motherboard supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10 (0+1) and Intel ® Matrix Storage congurations for Serial A T A hard disks drives through the Intel ® ICH8R Southbridge chip. Setting the RAID item in BIOS Y ou must set the RAID item in the BIOS Setup before you can cr[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 5-35 Intel ® Matrix Storage Manager Option ROM Utility The Intel ® Matrix Storage Manager Option ROM utility allows you to create RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 10 (RAID 0+1), and RAID 5 set(s) from Serial A T A hard disk drives that are connected to the Serial A T A connectors supported by the Southb[...]

5-36 Chapter 5: Software support Creating a RAID 0 set (striped) T o create a RAID 0 set: 1. From the utility main menu, select 1. Create RAID V olume, then press <Enter>. This screen appears. 2. Enter a name for the RAID 0 set, then press <Enter>. 3. When the RAID Level item is highlighted, press the up/down arrow key to select RAID 0([...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 5-37 6. Use the up/down arrow key to select the stripe size for the RAID 0 array , then press <Enter>. The available stripe size values range from 4 KB to 128 KB. The default stripe size is 128 KB. TIP: We recommend a lower stripe size for server systems, and a higher stripe size for mul[...]

5-38 Chapter 5: Software support Creating a RAID 1 set (mirrored) T o create a RAID 1 set: 1. From the utility main menu, select 1. Create RAID V olume, then press <Enter>. This screen appears. 2. Enter a name for the RAID 1 set, then press <Enter>. 3. When the RAID Level item is highlighted, press the up/down arrow key to select RAID 1[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 5-39 Creating a RAID 10 set (RAID 0+1) T o create a RAID 10 set: 1. From the utility main menu, select 1. Create RAID V olume, then press <Enter>. This screen appears. Intel(R) Matrix Storage Manager Option ROM v5.0.0.1032 ICH9R wRAID5 Copyright(C) 2003-05 Intel Corporation. All Rights R[...]

5-40 Chapter 5: Software support Creating a RAID 5 set (parity) T o create a RAID 5 set: 1. From the utility main menu, select 1. Create RAID V olume, then press <Enter>. This screen appears. Intel(R) Matrix Storage Manager Option ROM v5.0.0.1032 ICH9R wRAID5 Copyright(C) 2003-05 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved. [ CREATE ARRAY MENU ] [[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 5-41 4. The Disks item is highlighted, press <Enter> to select the hard disk drives to congure as RAID. The following pop-up screen appears. [ SELECT DISKS ] [ ↑↓ ]-Previous/Next [SPACE]-Selects [ENTER]-Selection Complete Port Drive Model Serial # Size Status 0 XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX[...]

5-42 Chapter 5: Software support 5.5 Creating a RAID driver disk A oppy disk with the RAID driver is required when installing Windows ® XP operating system on a hard disk drive that is included in a RAID set. For Windows ® Vista™ operating system, use either a oppy disk or a USB device with the RAID driver . 5.5.1 Creating a RAID driver d[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula 5-43 T o install the RAID driver in Windows ® Vista™: 1. Insert the oppy disk/USB device with RAID driver into the oppy disk drive/U SB port. 2. During the OS installation, select Intel ICH9R . 3. Follow the succeeding screen instructions to complete the installation.[...]

5-44 Chapter 5: Software support[...]

A CPU features The Appendix describ es the CPU features and technologies that the motherboard supports as well as the debug code table for the LCD Poster .[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula Chapter summary A A.1 Intel ® EM64T .................................................................................. A-1 A.2 Enhanced Intel SpeedStep ® T echnology (EIST) ........................ A-1 A.3 Intel ® Hyper-Threading T echnology ........................................... A-3 A[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula A-1 A.1 Intel ® EM64T • The motherboard is fully compatible with Intel ® LGA775 processors running on 32-bit operating systems. • The motherboard comes with a BIOS le that supports EM64T . Y ou can download the latest BIOS le from the ASUS website (www .asus.com/ support/download/)[...]

A-2 Appendix: CPU features A.2.2 Using the EIST T o use the EIST feature: 1. T urn on the computer , then enter the BIOS Setup. 2. Go to the Advanced Menu, highlight CPU Conguration, then press <Enter>. 3. Set the Intel(R) SpeedStep T echnology item to [Automatic], then press <Enter>. See page 4-25 for details. 4. Press <F10> t[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula A-3 A.3 Intel ® Hyper-Threading Technology • The motherboard supports Intel ® Pentium ® 4 LGA775 processors with Hyper-Threading T echnology . • Hy per -Thr ead ing Te chn ol ogy is sup por ted und er Win dow s ® Vista/XP and Linux 2.4.x (kernel) and later versions only . Under Linux, [...]

A-4 Appendix: CPU features A.4 Debug Code Table Code Description CPU INIT CPU Initiation DET CPU T est CMOS R/W functionality . CHIPINIT Early chipset initialization: -Disable shadow RAM -Disable L2 cache (socket 7 or below) -Program basic chipset registers DET DRAM Detect memory -Auto-detection of DRAM size, type and ECC. -Auto-detection of L2 cac[...]

ROG Maximus Formula (Special Edition) / Maximus Formula A-5 CPUSPEED 1. Program CPU internal MTRR (P6 & PII) for 0-640K memory address. 2. Initialize the APIC for Pentium class CPU. 3. Program early chipset according to CMOS setup. Example: onboard IDE controller . 4. Measure CPU speed. 5. Invoke video BIOS. TESTVRAM 1. Initialize multi-languag[...]

A-6 Appendix: CPU features CPU CHG CPU change CPR F AIL CPR error F AN F AIL Fan error UCODEERR UCODE error FLOPYERR Floppy error KB ERROR Keyboard error HD ERR HDD error CMOS ERR CMOS error MS ERROR Mouse error 80P ERR 80 port error BOOT CHG Boot device change SMARTERR HDD smart function error HM ERROR Hard monitor error AINETERR AI NET error CASE[...]