Asus M3N-HD manual

Motherboard M3 N- HD / HDMI[...]

ii E3528 First Edition February 2008 Copyright © 2008 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 purch[...]

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

iv Contents 2.5.5 PCI Express x1 slots ..................................................... 2-18 2.5.6 PCI Express 2.0 x16 slot (blue) .................................... 2-18 2.5.7 Universal PCI Express x16 slot (black) ......................... 2-18 2.6 Jumper .....................................................................................[...]

v Contents 4.3.6 HDD SMART Monitoring ............................................... 4-1 7 4.3.7 Installed Memory ........................................................... 4-17 4.3.8 Usable Memory ............................................................. 4-17 4.4 Advanced menu .................................................................[...]

vi Contents 5.2.7 Other information ............................................................ 5-7 5.3 Software information ................................................................... 5-9 5.3.1 ASUS MyLogo2™ ........................................................... 5-9 5.3.2 Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ T echnology .........................[...]

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 en clos ed i n th e le ss-t han and grea ter- than sig n mea ns t hat yo[...]

xi M3N-HD/HDMI specications summary (continued on the next page) CPU AMD ® Socket AM2+ Phenom™ FX / Phenom™ / Athlon™ / Sempron™ processors AMD ® Socket AM2 Athlon Series / Sempron processors AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet™ T echnology Chipset NVIDIA ® nForce 750a SLI System bus Up to 5200 MT/s; HyperT ransport™ 3.0 interface for AM2+ CPU[...]

xii ASUS AI Lifestyle unique features ASUS Express Gate Lite: - Web browser , le downloading and uploading* - Further free features upgradable * File downloading and uploading through USB devices only . ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution: - ASUS 4+1 Phase Power Design - ASUS AI Gear 2 - ASUS AI Nap - ASUS Fanless Design: Heat-pipe solution - ASUS Q-Fan[...]

xiii M3N-HD/HDMI specications summary Rear panel I/O ports 1 x PS/2 keyboard port (purple) 1 x S/PDIF Out (Coaxial) 1 x HDMI Out 1 x IEEE 1394a port 1 x LAN (RJ-45) 6 x USB 2.0/1.1 8-channel audio I/O Internal I/O connectors 3 x USB connectors support additional 6 USB ports 1 x Floppy disk drive connector 1 x COM connector 1 x IDE connector 6 x [...]

xiv[...]

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

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI Chapter summary 1 1.1 Welcome! ...................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Package contents ......................................................................... 1-1 1.3 Special features ............................................................................ 1-2[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 1-1 1.1 Welcome! Thank you for buying an ASUS ® M3N-HD/HDMI 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 motherboard, and hardware devices on it, check the items in your package with th[...]

1-2 Chapter 1: Product Introduction 1.3 Special features 1.3.1 Product highlights Green ASUS This motherboard and its packaging comply with the European Union’s Restriction on the use of Hazardous Substances (RoHS). This is in line with the ASUS vision of creating environment-friendly and recyclable products/packaging to safeguard consumers’ he[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 1-3 NVIDIA ® Hybrid SLI T echnology Hybrid SLI™ T echnology is a unique hybrid multi-GPU technology . It includes two primary features: GeForce Boost and HybridPower™. GeForce Boost turbo-charges performance of discrete graphics cards when combined with M3N series motherboard GPUs. HybridPower™ unleashes graphics performance[...]

1-4 Chapter 1: Product Introduction S/PDIF digital sound ready This motherboard provides convenient connectivity to external home theater audio systems via the coaxial S/PDIF (SONY -PHILIPS Digital Interface) Out jack. It allows digital audio transferring without converting it to analog format, and therefore well preserves signal quality . See page[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 1-5 AI Nap With AI Nap, the system can continue running at minimum power and noise when you are temporarily away . T o wake the system and return to the OS environment, simply click the mouse or press a key . See page 5-27 for details. Q-Fan 2 ASUS Q-Fan2 technology intelligently adjusts both CPU fan and chassis fan speeds accordin[...]

1-6 Chapter 1: Product Introduction ASUS Q-Shield The specially designed ASUS Q-Shield does without the usual “ngers”— making it convenient and easy to install. With better electric conductivity , it ideally protects your motherboard against static electricity and shields it against Electronic Magnetic Interference (EMI). ASUS Q-Connector [...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 1-7 1.3.3 ASUS intelligent performance and overclocking features Precision T weaker This feature allows you to ne tune the CPU/memory voltage and gradually increase the memory , Front Side Bus (FSB) and PCI Express frequency at 1MHz increment to achieve maximum system performance. AI Booster The ASUS AI Booster allows you to ove[...]

1-8 Chapter 1: Product Introduction[...]

2 Chapter 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.[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI Chapter summary 2 2.1 Before you proceed ..................................................................... 2-1 2.2 Motherboard overview ................................................................. 2-2 2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ................................................... 2-6 2.4 System memory ...............[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 2-1 Onboard LED The motherboard comes with a standby power LED. The green LED lights up to indicate that the system is ON, in sleep mode, or in soft-off mode. This 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 [...]

2-2 Chapter 2: Hardware information 2.2 Motherboard overview Before you install the motherboard, study the conguration of your chassis to ensure that the motherboard ts into it. 2.2.1 Placement direction When installing the motherboard, make sure that you place it into the chassis in the correct orientation. The edge with external ports goes [...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 2-3 2.2.3 Motherboard layout 24.5cm (9.6in) 30.5cm (12.0in) M3N-HD/HDMI ® DDR DIMM_A1 (64bit, 240-pin module) DDR DIMM_B1 (64bit, 240-pin module) DDR DIMM_A2 (64bit, 240-pin module) DDR DIMM_B2 (64bit, 240-pin module) PCIEX16_1 PCIEX16_2 FLOPPY CD ALC883 Attansic F1 AAFP SPDIF_OUT CHA_FAN1 PWR_FAN COM1 IE1394_2 USB78 BIOS USB910 V[...]

2-4 Chapter 2: Hardware information 2.2.4 Layout contents Slots Page 1. DDR2 DIMM slots 2-1 1 2. PCI slots 2-18 3. PCI Express x1 slots 2-18 4. PCI Express 2.0 x16 slot (blue) 2-18 5. Universal PCI Express x16 slot (black) 2-18 Jumper Page Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLR TC) 2-20 Rear panel connectors Page 1. PS/2 keyboard port (purple) 2-21 2. IEEE 1394a[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 2-5 Internal connectors Page 1. Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY) 2-24 2. IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE) 2-25 3. nVIDIA ® nForce 750a SLI Serial A T A connectors (7-pin SA T A1-6) 2-26 4. USB connectors (10-1 pin USB78, USB910, USB1 1 12) USB connectors (10-1 pin USB78, USB910, USB1 1 12) 2-27 5. IEEE 1394a port conn[...]

2-6 Chapter 2: Hardware information 2.3.1 Installing the CPU T o install a CPU: 1. Locate the CPU socket on the motherboard. Make sure that the socket lever is lifted up to a 90º angle; otherwise, the CPU will not t in completely . 2. Unlock the socket by pressing the lever sideways, then lift it up to a 90º angle. 2.3 Central Processing Unit [...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 2-7 3. Position the CPU above the socket such that the CPU corner with the gold triangle matches the socket corner with a small triangle. 4. Carefully insert the CPU into the socket until it ts in place. 5. When the CPU is in place, push down the socket lever to secure the CPU. The lever clicks on the side tab to indicate that i[...]

2-8 Chapter 2: Hardware information 2.3.2 Installing the heatsink and fan The AMD ® Phenom™ FX / Phenom / Athlon™/ Sempron™ processor requires a Phenom™ FX / Phenom / Athlon™/ Sempron™ processor requires a processor requires a specially designed heatsink and fan assembly to ensure optimum thermal condition and performance. T o install [...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 2-9 2. Attach one end of the retention bracket to the retention module base. 3. Align the other end of the retention bracket (near the retention bracket lock) to the retention module base. A clicking sound denotes that the retention bracket is in place. 4. Push down the retention bracket lock on the retention mechanism to secure th[...]

2-10 Chapter 2: Hardware information 5. When the fan and heatsink assembly is in place, connect the CPU fan cable to the connector on the motherboard labeled CPU_F AN. • Do not forget to connect the CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring errors can occur if you fail to plug this connector . • This connector is backward compatiable with old 3-pi[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 2-1 1 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: Channel Sockets Channel A DIMM_A1 and DIMM_A2 Channel B DIMM_B1 and DIMM_B2 M3N-HD/HDMI ® M3N-HD/HDMI 240-pin DDR2 DIMM sockets 2[...]

2-12 Chapter 2: Hardware information This motherboard can support 4 GB physical memory on the operating systems listed below . Y ou may install a maximum of 2 GB DIMMs on each slot. 64-bit Windows ® XP Professional x64 Edition Windows ® Vista x64 Edition Always use identical DDR2 DIMM pairs for dual channel mode. For optimum compatibility , it is[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 2-13 M3N-HD/HDMI Motherboard Qualied V endors Lists (QVL) DDR2-800MHz capability for AM2 CPU Size V endor Chip No. CL Chip Brand SS/ DS Part No. DIMM socket support (Optional) A* B* C* 512MB KINGSTON K4T51083QC 5 SEC SS KVR800D2N5/512 • • • 1GB KINGSTON Heat-Sink Package 4-4-4-12 N/A SS KHX6400D2LLK2/1GN • • 1GB KINGST[...]

2-14 Chapter 2: Hardware information M3N-HD/HDMI Motherboard Qualied V endors Lists (QVL) DDR2-667MHz capability for AM2 CPU Size V endor Chip No. CL Chip Brand SS/ DS Part No. DIMM socket support (Optional) A* B* C* 512MB KINGSTON D6408TEBGGL3U 5 KING STO N SS KVR667D2N5/512 • • • 256MB KINGSTON 6SBI2D9DCG 5 MICRON SS KVR667D2N5/256 • 2[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 2-15 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. Unlock a DIMM socket by pressing the retaining clips outward. 2. Align a DIMM on the socket such that the notch [...]

2-16 Chapter 2: Hardware information 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 documentation that came with it [...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 2-17 2.5.3 Interrupt assignments Standard interrupt assignments * These IRQs are usually available for ISA or PCI devices. IRQ Priority Standard function 0 1 System T imer 1 2 Keyboard Controller 2 – Redirect to IRQ#9 4 12 Communications Port (COM1)* 5 13 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering* 6 14 Floppy Disk Controller 7 15 Reserved 8 3 [...]

2-18 Chapter 2: Hardware information 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 cards and other cards that c[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 2-19 • Currently , only Windows ® Vista operation system supports Hybrid SLI™ mode. • Currently , only NVIDIA ® GeForce ® 8500 GT and GeForce ® 8400 GS graphics cards support GeForce Boost function under Hybrid SLI™ mode. • Currently , only NVIDIA ® GeForce ® 9800 GX2 and GeForce ® 9800 GTX graphics cards support H[...]

2-20 Chapter 2: Hardware information 2.6 Jumper Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC) This jumper allows you to clear the Real T ime Clock (R TC) RAM in CMOS. Y ou can clear the CMOS memory of date, time, and system setup parameters by erasing the CMOS RTC RAM data. The onboard button cell battery powers the RAM data in CMOS, which include system setup infor[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 2-21 2.7 Connectors 2.7.1 Rear panel connectors 1. PS/2 keyboard port (purple). This port is for a PS/2 keyboard. 2. IEEE 1394a port. IEEE 1394a port. This 6-pin IEEE 1394a port provides high-speed connectivity for audio/video devices, storage peripherals, PCs, or portable devices. 3. LAN (RJ-45) port. Supported by Marvell ® 88E1 [...]

2-22 Chapter 2: Hardware information 10. USB 2.0 ports 1 and 2. These 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports are available for connecting USB 2.0 devices. 1 1. USB 2.0 ports 3 and 4. These 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports are available for connecting USB 2.0 devices. 12. HDMI Out port. This port is for a high-denition multimedia interface [...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 2-23 T roubleshooting on HDTV overscaling or underscaling: If your desktop is extending beyond the viewable display area or the desktop or image is not lling the entire display area while using the onboard HDMI out port and the HDMI cable, you can resize the desktop appearing on your HDTV screen. T o resize your HDTV desktop: 1.[...]

2-24 Chapter 2: Hardware information 2.7.2 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. Pin 5 on the connector is [...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 2-25 M3N-HD/HDMI ® PRI_IDE NOTE: Orient the red markings on the IDE ribbon cable to PIN 1. PIN1 M3N-HD/HDMI IDE connector 2. IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE) The onboard IDE connector is for the Ultra DMA 133/100/66 signal cable. There are three connectors on each Ultra DMA 133/100/66 signal cable: blue, black, and gray . Connect [...]

2-26 Chapter 2: Hardware information 3. NVIDIA ® nForce 750a SLI 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 and optical disk drives. If you install SA T A hard disk drives to the SA T A connectors, you can create a RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, RAID 5, or JBOD congura[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 2-27 4. USB connectors (10-1 pin USB 78, USB910, USB1 1 12) These connectors are for USB 2.0 ports. Connect the USB module cable to any of these connectors, then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis. These USB connectors comply with USB 2.0 specication that supports up to 480 Mbps connection spe[...]

2-28 Chapter 2: Hardware information 5. IEE E 13 94a 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. M3N-HD/HDMI ® M3N-HD/HDMI IEEE 1394 connector PIN 1 TPA2- GND TPB2- +12V GND TPA2+ GND [...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 2-29 6. CPU, chassis, and power fan connectors (4-pin CPU_F AN; 3-pin CHA_F AN1; 3-pin PWR_F AN) The fan connectors support cooling fans of 350 mA~2000 mA (24 W max.) or a total of 1 A~7 A (84 W max.) at +12V . Connect the fan cables to the fan connectors on the motherboard, making sure that the black wire of each cable matches the[...]

2-30 Chapter 2: Hardware information 7. Chassis intrusion connector (4-1 pin CHASSIS) This connector is for a chassis-mounted intrusion detection sensor or switch. Connect one end of the chassis intrusion sensor or switch cable to this connector . The chassis intrusion sensor or switch sends a high-level signal to this connector when a chassis comp[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 2-31 • For a fully congured system, we recommend that you use a power supply unit (PSU) that complies with A TX 12 V Specication 2.0 (or later version) and provides a minimum power of 600 W . • Do not forget to connect the 4-pin A TX +12 V power plug; otherwise, the system will not boot. • Use of a PSU with a higher pow[...]

2-32 Chapter 2: Hardware information M3N-HD/HDMI ® M3N-HD/HDMI Analog front panel connector PIN 1 AAFP GND PRESENCE# SENSE1_RETUR SENSE2_RETUR PORT1 L PORT1 R PORT2 R SENSE_SEND PORT1 L HD-audio-compliant pin definition PIN 1 AGND NC NC NC MIC2 MICPWR Line out_R NC Line out_L Legacy AC’97 compliant definition 9. Front panel audio co nn ec to r ([...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 2-33 10. Optical drive audio con ne ct or (4-pin CD) These connectors allow you to receive stereo audio input from sound sources such as a CD-ROM, TV tuner , or MPEG card. M3N-HD/HDMI ® CD Left Audio Channel GND GND Right Audio Channel M3N-HD/HDMI Internal audio connector 1 1. Serial port connector (10-1 pin COM1) This connector i[...]

2-34 Chapter 2: Hardware information 12. Digital audio con ne ct or (4-1 pin SPDIF_OUT) This connector is for an additional Sony/Philips Digital Interface (S/PDIF) port(s). Connect the S/PDIF Out module cable to this connector , then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis. The S/PDIF module is purchased separately . [...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 2-35 • 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 connector is for[...]

2-36 Chapter 2: Hardware information 15. 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-Connector to know the d[...]

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

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI Chapter summary 3 3.1 Starting up for the rst time ........................................................ 3-1 3.2 T urning off the computer ............................................................. 3-2[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 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 with a surge protector . 5. T urn on the [...]

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 Chapter 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 ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS ............................................ 4-1 4.2 BIOS setup program .................................................................... 4-9 4.3 Main menu .................................................................................. 4-13 4.4 Advanced menu ..............[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 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. ASUS AFUDOS (Updates the BIOS using a b[...]

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[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 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 option from the drop-down menu, then c[...]

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.[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 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 you to update the BIOS without having to [...]

4-6 Chapter 4: BIOS setup 4.1.4 Updating the BIOS The Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) can be updated using the A wardBIOS Flash Utility . Follow these instructions to update the BIOS using this utility . 1. Visit the ASUS website (www .asus.com) and download the latest BIOS le for the motherboard. Save the BIOS le to a bootable oppy disk.[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 4-7 7. Press <N> when the utility prompts you to save the current BIOS le. The following screen appears. 8. The utility veries the BIOS le in the oppy disk, DVD ROM or a USB ash disk and starts ashing the BIOS le. Do not turn off or reset the system during the ashing process! AwardBIOS Flash Utility fo[...]

4-8 Chapter 4: BIOS setup 4. The utility saves the current BIOS le to the oppy disk, then returns to the BIOS ashing process. 3. T ype a lename for the current BIOS le in the Save current BIOS as eld, then press <Enter>. T o save the current BIOS le using the AwardBIOS Flash Utility: 1. Follow steps 1 to 6 of the previous[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 4-9 4.2 BIOS setup program This motherboard supports a programmable Low-Pin Count (LPC) 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guring your system, or prompted to “Run Setup.” This sec[...]

4-10 Chapter 4: BIOS setup 4.2.1 BIOS menu screen Legend bar General help Menu bar Sub-menu items Conguration elds Menu items Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit System Time 15 : 30 : 36 System Date Sat, Oct 26 2007 Legacy Diskette A: [1.44M, 3.5 in.] Primary IDE Master [ST321122A] Primary IDE Slave [ASUS [...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 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, T ools and Exit) on the menu bar have their respective menu items. 4.2.5 Sub-menu items A solid triangle before each item on any menu[...]

4-12 Chapter 4: BIOS setup 4.2.7 Pop-up window Select a menu item then press <Enter> to display a pop-up window with the conguration options for that item. Phoenix-AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit Select Menu Item Specic Help Species the capacity and physical size of diskette drive A. System Time 15 : [...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 4-13 4.3 Main menu When you enter the BIOS Setup program, the Main menu screen appears, giving you an overview of the basic system information. Refer to section 4.2.1 BIOS menu screen for information on the menu screen items and how to navigate through them. 4.3.1 System Time [xx:xx:xx] Allows you to set the system time. 4.3.2 Syst[...]

4-14 Chapter 4: BIOS setup 4.3.4 Primary IDE Master/Slave While entering Setup, the BIOS automatically detects the presence of IDE devices. There is a separate sub-menu for each IDE device. Select a device item then press <Enter> to display the IDE device information. The BIOS automatically detects the values opposite the dimmed items (Capaci[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 4-15 Capacity Displays the auto-detected hard disk capacity . This item is not congurable. Cylinder Shows the number of the hard disk cylinders. This item is not congurable. Head Shows the number of the hard disk read/write heads. This item is not congurable. Sector Shows the number of sectors per track. This item is not c[...]

4-16 Chapter 4: BIOS setup 4.3.5 S A T A 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 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 values opposite the dimmed i[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 4-17 Head Shows the number of the hard disk read/write heads. This item is not congurable. Landing Zone Shows the number of landing zone per track. This item is not congurable. Sector Shows the number of sectors per track. This item is not congurable. After entering the IDE hard disk drive information into BIOS, use a disk[...]

4-18 Chapter 4: BIOS setup 4.4 Advanced menu The Advanced menu items allow you to change the settings for the CPU and other system devices. 4.4.1 JumperFree Conguration T ake caution when changing the settings of the Advanced menu items. Incorrect eld values can cause the system to malfunction. Select Menu Item Specic Help Adjust system fr[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 4-19 Overclock Options [Disabled] This item becomes user-congurable only when you set the AI T uning item to [AI Overclock] and allows you to set the overclocking options. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Overclock 3%] [Overclock 5%] [Overclock 8%] [Overclock 10%] CPU VTT V oltage [AUTO] Allows you to set the CPU VTT voltage.[...]

4-20 Chapter 4: BIOS setup 4.4.2 AI Net 2 This menu displays the status of the Local Area Network (LAN) cable connected to the LAN (RJ-45) port. POST Check LAN cable [Disabled] Allows you to enable or disable LAN cable check during POST . When enabled, the menu reports the cable faults or shorts, and displays the point (length) where the faults or [...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 4-21 T iming Mode [Auto] Allows selection of the DRAM timing mode. Conguration options: [Auto] [MaxMemClk] [Manual] Memory Clock Frequency [Auto] This item becomes user-congurable when you set the Timing Mode item to [MaxMemClk] or [Manual] and allows you to adjust the memory clock frequency . Conguration options: [Auto] [[...]

4-22 Chapter 4: BIOS setup 4.4.4 Chipset iGPU Frame Buffer Control [Auto] Allows you to set the onboard GPU frame buffer control mode. Conguration options: [Auto] [Manual] Frame Buffer Size [128M] This item becomes user-congurable when you set the iGPU Frame Buffer Control item to [Manual] and allows you to set frame buffer size for onboard G[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 4-23 SA T A Spread Spectrum [Disabled] Allows you to adjust the SA T A spread spectrum setting. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Down Spread] Primary Display Adapter [PCI-E] Allows you to select which graphics controller to use as the primary boot device. Conguration options: [PCI] [Onboard] [PCI-E] 4.4.5 PCIPnP Plug & Pl[...]

4-24 Chapter 4: BIOS setup IRQ-xx assigned to [PCI Device] When set to [PCI Device], the specic IRQ is free for use of PCI/PnP devices. When set to [Reserved], the IRQ is reserved for legacy ISA devices. Conguration options: [PCI Device] [Reserved] Maximum Payload Size [4096] Sets maximum TLP payload size for the PCI Express devices. The unit[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 4-25 MCP Storage Cong Select Menu Item Specic Help Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Advanced MCP Storage Cong SATA Operation Mode [IDE] SA T A Operation Mode [IDE] Allows you to select the onboard Serial A T A type. Conguration options: [IDE] [RAID] [AHCI] • If you want to use the Serial A T A hard disk drives as[...]

4-26 Chapter 4: BIOS setup HDMI Audio [Auto] Allows you to disable or enable the HDMI Audio function. Conguration options: [Auto] [Disabled] Make sure to set the HDMI Audio item to [Auto] to enable HDMI audio output. Onboard LAN Device [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the OnBoard LAN device. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] [...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 4-27 4.5 Power menu The Power menu items allow you to change the settings for the Advanced Conguration and Power Interface (ACPI) and the Advanced Power Management (APM). Select an item then press <Enter> to display the conguration options. 4.5.1 ACPI Suspend T ype [S1&S3] Allows you to select the Advanced Congur[...]

4-28 Chapter 4: BIOS setup PWR Button < 4 secs [Instant-Off] When set to [Instant-Off], the system goes into Soft-of f mode after you press the power button for less than 4 seconds. When set to [Suspend], the system goes into Suspend mode after you press the power button for less than 4 seconds. Conguration options: [Suspend] [Instant-Off] Po[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 4-29 4.5.4 Hardware Monitor The items in this sub-menu displays the hardware monitor values automatically detected by the BIOS. It also allows you to change CPU Q-Fan feature-related parameters. Select an item then press <Enter> to display the conguration options. CPU Fan T ype [DC] Allows you to select the CPU fan type yo[...]

4-30 Chapter 4: BIOS setup CPU Q-Fan Prole [Performance] 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] to minimize fan speed for quiet CPU fan operation, or [Performance] to achieve maximum CPU fan speed. C[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 4-31 4.6 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. 4.6.1 Boot Device Priority Select Menu Item Specic Help Select Your Boot Device Priority Boot Device Priority 1st Boot Device [Removable] 2nd Boot Device [Hard Disk] 3rd Boot Device[...]

4-32 Chapter 4: BIOS setup 4.6.3 Boot Settings Conguration Case Open W arning [Enabled] Enables or disables the chassis open status feature. Setting to [Enabled] to send warning messages when the chassis is opened. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Quick Boot [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the system quick boot feature. Whe[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 4-33 4.6.4 Security Select Menu Item Specic Help Security Supervisor Password Clear User Password Clear Password Check [Setup] Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Supervisor Password User Password These elds allow you to set passwords: T o set a password: 1. Select an item then press <Enter>. 2. T ype in a passwo[...]

4-34 Chapter 4: BIOS setup 2. Press any key to continue. The password eld setting is changed to [Clear]. A note about passwords The Supervisor password is required to enter the BIOS Setup program preventing unauthorized access. The User password is required to boot the system preventing unauthorized use. Forgot your password? If you forget your [...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 4-35 4.7 Tools menu The T ools menu items allow you to congure options for special function s. Select an item then press <Enter> to display the sub-menu. 4.7.1 ASUS O.C. Prole This item allows you to store or load multiple BIOS settings. Load BIOS Prole Load from Prole 1/2 Allows you to load the previous BIOS sett[...]

4-36 Chapter 4: BIOS setup Load from File Allows you to load the previous BIOS le saved in the hard disk/oppy disk/USB ash disk with the F A T32/16/12 format. Follow the instructions below to load the BIOS le. 1. Insert the storage devices that contains the “xxx.CMO” le. 2. T urn on the system. 3. Enter BIOS setup program. Go to [...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 4-37 ASUSTek O.C. Prole Utility B325 BOARD: M3N-HD VER: 0101 DATE: 11/20/2007 Current CMOS Update CMOS BOARD: Unknown VER: Unknown DATE: Unknown PATH: A: A: Note [Enter] Select [S] Save [ESC]: Exit [Tab] Switch [Up/Down/Home/End] Move CMOS backup is done! Press any key to Exit. The BIOS le will be saved as “xxx.CMO“. 4.7[...]

4-38 Chapter 4: BIOS setup 4.7.3 Express Gate Lite Select Menu Item Specic Help Express Gate Lite Express Gate Lite [Enabled] Timeout [10] Reset User Data [No] Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Tools Express Gate Lite [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the ASUS Express Gate Lite feature. The ASUS Express Gate Lite is a unique instant-[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 4-39 4.8 Exit menu The Exit menu items allow you to load the optimal or failsafe default values for the BIOS items, and save or discard your changes to the BIOS items. Select Menu Item Specic Help This option save data to CMOS and exiting the setup menu. Exit & Save Changes Exit & Discard Changes Load Setup Default Disca[...]

4-40 Chapter 4: BIOS setup[...]

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

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI Chapter summary 5 5.1 Installing an operating system ................................................... 5-1 5.2 Support DVD information ............................................................ 5-1 5.3 Software information ................................................................... 5-9 5.4 RAID congurations .........[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 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. Click an item to install 5.1 Installing an operating system This motherboard supports Windows ® XP / 64-bit XP / Vista / 64-bit V ista operatin[...]

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 Installs all of the drivers through the installation wizard. NVIDIA Chipset Driver Program Installs the [...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 5-3 5.2.3 Utilities menu The Utilities menu shows the applications and other software that the motherboard supports. ASUS InstAll - Installation Wizard for Utilities Installs all of the utilities through the Installation Wizard. ASUS PC Probe II This smart utility monitors the fan speed, CPU temperature, and system voltages, and al[...]

5-4 Chapter 5: Software support ASUS Update Allows you to download the latest version of the BIOS from the ASUS website. Before using the ASUS Update, make sure that you have an Internet connection so you can connect to the ASUS website. ASUS Cool‘n’Quiet Utility This item installs the ASUS Cool‘n’Quiet utility . ASUS Express Gate Lite Inst[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 5-5 5.2.4 Make Disk menu The Make Disk menu contains items to create the NVIDIA ® nForce™ 750 SLI SA T A/RAID driver disk. NVIDIA 32/64bit XP SA T A RAID Driver (Disk 1/2) Allows you to create NVIDIA SA T A RAID driver disks for 32/64bit Windows ® XP . NVIDIA 32/64bit XP AHCI Driver (Disk 1/2) Allows you to create an NVIDIA AHC[...]

5-6 Chapter 5: Software support 5.2.5 Manual menu The Manual 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 ASUS Contact inf[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 5-7 5.2.7 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. Browse this DVD Displays the support DVD conte[...]

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

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 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 MyLogo2™ The ASUS MyLogo2™ utility lets you customize the boot logo. The b[...]

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[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 5-1 1 5.3.2 Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ T echnology The motherboard supports the AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ T echnology that dynamically and automatically change the CPU speed, voltage, and amount of power depending on the task the CPU performs. Enabling Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ T echnology T o enable Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ T echnology: 1[...]

5-12 Chapter 5: Software support • Make sure to install the AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ driver and application before using this feature. • The AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ technology feature works only with the AMD heatsink and fan assembly with monitor chip • If you purchased a separate heatsink and fan package, use the ASUS Q-Fan technology f[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 5-13 Launching the Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ software The motherboard support DVD includes the Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ software that enables you to view your system’s real-time CPU Frequency and voltage. T o launch the Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ program: 1. If you are using Windows ® XP , click the Start button. Select Programs > ASU[...]

5-14 Chapter 5: Software support 5.3.3 Audio congurations The Realtek ® ALC1200 audio CODEC provides 8-channel audio capability to deliver the ultimate audio experience on your computer . The software provides Jack-Sensing function, S/PDIF Out support, and interrupt capability . The ALC1200 also includes the Realtek ® proprietary UAJ ® (Unive[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 5-15 Information Click the information button ( ) to display information about the audio driver version, DirectX version, audio controller , audio codec, and language setting. Minimize Click the minimize button ( ) to minimize the window . Exit Click the exit button ( ) to exit the Realtek HD Audio Manager . Conguration options [...]

5-16 Chapter 5: Software support Mixer The Mixer option allows you to congure audio output (playback) volume and audio input (record) volume. T o set the mixer options: 1. From the Realtek HD Audio Manager , click the Mixer tab. 2. T urn the volume buttons to adjust the Playback and/or Record volume. The Mixer option activates voice input from a[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 5-17 3D Audio Demo The 3D Audio Demo option gives you a demonstration of the 3D audio feature. T o start the 3D Audio Demo: 1. From the Realtek HD Audio Manager , click the 3D Audio Demo tab. 2. Click the option buttons to change the sound, moving path, or environment settings. 3. Click to test your settings. 4. Click to effect the[...]

5-18 Chapter 5: Software support 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, you can start monitoring your[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 5-19 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 Minimizes the appli[...]

5-20 Chapter 5: Software support 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 magnetic effect. If you wan[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 5-21 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® management informati[...]

5-22 Chapter 5: Software support 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-time information on the CPU[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 5-23 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 Preference. Th[...]

5-24 Chapter 5: Software support 5.3.5 ASUS AI Suite ASUS AI Suite allows you to launch AI Gear 2, AI Booster , AI Nap, and Q-Fan 2 utilities easily . Installing AI Suite T o install AI Suite on your computer: 1. Place the support DVD to the optical drive. The Drivers installation tab appears if your computer has an enabled Autorun feature. 2. Clic[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI M3N-HD/HDMI 5-25 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[...]

5-26 Chapter 5: Software support 5.3.6 ASUS AI Gear 2 ASUS AI Gear 2 provides four system performance options that allows you to select the best performance setting for your computing needs. This easy-to-use utility adjusts the processor frequency and vCore voltage to minimize system noise and power consumption. After installing AI Suite from the b[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI M3N-HD/HDMI 5-27 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 more quiet system operation. After installing AI Suite from the bundled support DVD, you can launch the utility by double-clicking the AI Suite[...]

5-28 Chapter 5: Software support 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 temperature, to decrease fan speed[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI M3N-HD/HDMI 5-29 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[...]

5-30 Chapter 5: Software support 5.3.10 ASUS Express Gate Lite ASUS Express Gate Lite is an instant-on environment that gives you quick access to web and Skype. Within a few seconds of powering on your computer , you will be at the Express Gate Lite menu where you can start the web browser , Skype, or other Express Gate Lite softwares. Installing A[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI M3N-HD/HDMI 5-31 The First Screen Express Gate Lite’s rst screen appears within a few seconds after you power on the computer . From here, you can immediately start the web browser or Skype. Y ou can also choose to continue booting normally (e.g. to your installed OS such as Windows), enter BIOS setup, or power off. If you don[...]

5-32 Chapter 5: Software support Using the Conguration Panel Use the conguration panel to change various Express Gate Lite settings. Click on an icon to open a particular conguration tool. The following tools are available: • Date and Time: set current date and time as well as time zone. • Input Method: choose your preferred input lang[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI M3N-HD/HDMI 5-33 • Screen Settings: Choose the most optimal screen resolution for your display . • V olume Control: Control the volume for your speaker output, microphone input, etc. Using the LaunchBar The LaunchBar has several system icons that show you various system statuses and let you congure individual Express Gate Li[...]

5-34 Chapter 5: Software support How Do I Get on to the Internet If Internet doesn’t seem to be working in the Express Gate Lite environment, check the following: 1. Open the Conguration Panel. 2. Open Network. Click to show “About Express Gate Lite”. Click to open Express Gate Lite Help. Click to bring up power options window to boot to O[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI M3N-HD/HDMI 5-35 3. Make the proper network congurations. Each network interface is enabled immediately when you check the box next to it. • If you use a network cable connected to a home router (which is then connected to your DSL/cable modem), enable both LAN1 and LAN2. Express Gate Lite will automatically use whichever port[...]

5-36 Chapter 5: Software support Conguring Express Gate Lite in BIOS Setup Enter BIOS setup by pressing DEL key after powering on or by clicking on the BIOS setup icon on Express Gate Lite’s rst screen. Express Gate Lite conguration options are under the T ools menu. Refer to section 4.7.2 Express Gate Lite for details. Select Menu Item [...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 5-37 For Windows XP , If you want to boot the system from a hard disk drive included in a RAID set, rst copy the RAID driver from the support DVD to a oppy disk before you install an operating system to a selected hard disk drive. Refer to section 5.5 Creating a RAID driver disk for details. 5.4 RAID congurations The mothe[...]

5-38 Chapter 5: Software support Setting the BIOS RAID items After installing the hard disk drives, make sure to set the necessary RAID items in the BIOS before setting your RAID conguration. T o set the BIOS RAID items: 1. Boot the system and press <Del> during the Power-On Self-T est (POST) to enter the BIOS Setup Utility . 2. Set the SA[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 5-39 Entering the NVIDIA ® RAID utility T o enter the NVIDIA ® RAID utility: 1. Boot up your computer . 2. During POST , press <F10> to display the main menu of the utility . The RAID BIOS setup screens shown in this section are for reference only , and may not exactly match the items on your screen. [F6] Back [F7] Finish [[...]

5-40 Chapter 5: Software support Creating a RAID V olume T o create a RAID volume: 1. From the NVIDIA ® RAID utility Dene a New Array menu, select RAID Mode then press <Enter>. The following submenu appears. Use the up or down arrow keys to select a RAID mode then press <Enter>. Mirroring Striping Stripe Mirroring Spanning TIP: For [...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 5-41 Rebuilding a RAID array T o rebuild a RAID array: 1. From the Array List menu, use the up or down arrow keys to select a RAID array then press <Enter>. The RAID Array details appear . [Ctrl-X]Exit [ ↑↓ ]Select [B]Set Boot [N]New Array [ENTER]Detail NVIDIA RAID Utility Oct 5 2004 - Array List - Boot Id Status Vendor A[...]

5-42 Chapter 5: Software support A new set of navigation keys is displayed on the bottom of the screen. 2. Press <R> to rebuild a RAID array . The following screen appears. 3. Use the up or down arrow keys to select a RAID array to rebuild, then press <F7>. The following conrmation message appears. [ ↑↓ ] Select [F6] Back [F7] Fi[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 5-43 Deleting a RAID array T o delete a RAID array: 1. From the Array List menu, use the up or down arrow keys to select a RAID array then press <Enter>. The RAID Array details appear . [R] Rebuild [D] Delete [C] Clear Disk [ENTER] Return Array 1 : NVIDIA MIRROR XXX.XXG - Array Detail - RAID Mode: Mirroring Striping Width: 1 [...]

5-44 Chapter 5: Software support Clearing a disk data T o clear disk data: 1. From the Array List menu, use the up or down arrow keys to select a RAID array then press <Enter>. The RAID Array details appear . [R] Rebuild [D] Delete [C] Clear Disk [ENTER] Return Array 1 : NVIDIA MIRROR XXX.XXG - Array Detail - RAID Mode: Mirroring Striping Wid[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 5-45 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 the motherboard support DVD or a USB device with the RAID driver . 5.5.1 Creating a RAID driver[...]

5-46 Chapter 5: Software support T o install the RAID driver in Windows ® Vista™: 1. Insert the motherboard support DVD or USB device with RAID driver into the optical drive or USB port. Find RAID driver in the support DVD through the path below: DriversChipsetDiskRAID Find AHCI driver in the support DVD through the path below: DriversChipse[...]

6 Chapter 6: NVIDIA ® SLI™ technology support This chapter tells how to set up NVIDIA ® SLI™ graphics cards to avail of nVIDIA ’s Multi-Video Processing technology .[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI Chapter summary 6.1 Overview ....................................................................................... 6-1 6.2 Installing CrossFire™ graphics cards ....................................... 6-2 6.3 Software information ................................................................... 6-5[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 6-1 6.1 Overview The motherboard supports the NVIDIA ® SLI™ (Scalable Link Interface)-Intel ® Edition technology that allows you to install two identical PCI Express™ x16 graphics cards. Follow the installation procedures in this section. Requirements • Y ou should have two identical SLI-ready graphics cards that are NVIDIA[...]

6-2 Chapter 6: nVIDIA ® SLI™ technology support 6.2 Dual graphics card setup 6.2.1 Installing SLI-ready graphics cards Install only identical SLI-ready graphics cards that are NVIDIA ® -certied. Different types of graphics cards will not work together properly . T o install the graphics cards: 1. Prepare two graphics cards. Each graphics car[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 6-3 4. Insert the second graphics card into the other slot. Make sure that the card is properly seated on the slot. If required, connect an auxiliary power source to the PCI Express graphics cards. 3. Insert one graphics card into either the blue or black slot. Make sure that the card is properly seated on the slot.[...]

6-4 Chapter 6: nVIDIA ® SLI™ technology support 7. Connect a VGA cable or a DVI-I cable to the graphics card/s. We recommend to install an additional chassis fan for better thermal environment. 5. Align and insert the SLI connector to the goldngers on each graphics card. Make sure that the connector is rmly in place. 6. When installing two[...]

ASUS M3N-HD/HDMI 6-5 NVIDIA Settings icon T o enable the multi-GPU feature: 1. Click the NVIDIA Settings icon on your Windows taskbar . 2. From the pop-up menu, select nView Desktop Manager then click nView Properties. Make sure that your PCI Express graphics card driver supports the NVIDIA SLI technology . Download the latest driver from the NVIDI[...]

6-6 Chapter 6: nVIDIA ® SLI™ technology support 5. From the Display Properties dialog box, select the Settings tab then click Advanced. 6. Select the NVIDIA GeForce tab. 7. Click the slider to display the following screen, then select the SLI multi-GPU item. 8. Click the Enable SLI multi-GPU check box. 9. Click OK when done. Slider[...]