Asus M5A78L-M LX PLUS manual

Motherboard M5A78L-M LX[...]

ii Copyright © 201 1 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 purchaser for backup purposes, without[...]

iii Contents Notices ......................................................................................................... vi Safety information ..................................................................................... vii About this guide ....................................................................................... viii M[...]

iv Contents 1.1 1 Software support ........................................................................ 1-27 1.1 1.1 Installing an operating system ...................................... 1-2 7 1.1 1.2 Support DVD information .............................................. 1-2 7 Chapter 2: BIOS information 2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS ....[...]

v Contents 2.5.3 ACPI APIC Support [Enabled] ....................................... 2-1 7 2.5.4 APM Conguration ........................................................ 2-1 7 2.5.5 HW Monitor Conguration ............................................. 2-1 8 2.5.6 Anti Surge Support [Enabled] ....................................... 2-1 8 2.6 Bo[...]

vi 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 b[...]

vii DO NOT throw the motherboard in municipal waste. This product has been designed to enable proper reuse of parts and recycling. This symbol of the crossed out wheeled bin indicates that the product (electrical and electronic equipment) should not be placed in municipal waste. Check local regulations for disposal of electronic products. DO NOT th[...]

viii Conventions used in this guide T o ensure that you perform certain tasks properly , take note of the following symbols used throughout this manual. DANGER/W ARNING: Information to prevent injury to yourself when trying to complete a task. CAUTION: Information to prevent damage to the components when trying to complete a task. NOTE: T ips and a[...]

ix M5A78L-M LX specications summary (continued on the next page) CPU AMD ® Socket AM3+ for AMD ® FX™ / Phenom™ II / Athlon™ II / Sempron™ 100 series processors AMD ® Cool ‘n’ Quiet™ 2.0 T echnology (depending on CPU type) Supports CPU up to 95W * 32nm AM3+ CPU is supported by BIOS version 0401 and later . ** Refer to www .asus.c[...]

x M5A78L-M LX specications summary Back panel I/O ports 1 x PS/2 Keyboard port 1 x PS/2 Mouse port 1 x COM port 1 x LPT port 1 x D-Sub port 1 x LAN (RJ-45) port 4 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports 3 x Audio jacks Internal I/O connectors 3 x USB 2.0/1.1 connectors support additional 6 USB 2.0/1.1 ports 6 x SA T A connectors 1 x CPU / 1 x Chassis fan connectors[...]

1.2 Package contents Check your motherboard package for the following items. Motherboard ASUS M5A78L-M LX motherboard Cables 2 x Serial A T A cables Accessories 1 x I/O shield Application DVD ASUS motherboard Support DVD Documentation User Manual If any of the above items is damaged or missing, contact your retailer . Chapter 1 Product introduction[...]

HyperT ransport™ 3.0 support HyperT ransport™ 3.0 technology provides 2.6 times more bandwidth than HT1.0 that radically improves system efciency for a smoother and faster computing environment. AMD ® Cool ‘n’ Quiet T echnology This motherboard supports the AMD ® Cool ‘n’ Quiet technology which monitors system operation and automat[...]

1.3.2 Innovative ASUS features 1 2 Core Unlocker ASUS Core Unlocker simplies the activation of a latent AMD ® CPU- with just pressing a key . Enjoy an instant performance boost by simply unlocking the extra cores, without performing complicated BIOS changes. ASUS T urbo Key ASUS T urbo Key allows you to turn the PC power button into an overcloc[...]

C.P .R. (CPU Parameter Recall) The BIOS C.P .R. feature automatically restores the CPU default settings when the system hangs due to overclocking failure. C.P .R. eliminates the need to open the system chassis and clear the RTC data. Simply shut down and reboot the system, and the BIOS automatically restores the CPU parameters to their default sett[...]

1.4 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. • Before handling components, use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded object or a metal object, such as the power s[...]

M5A78L-M LX 1.5 Motherboard overview 1.5.1 Placement direction When installing the motherboard, ensure that you place it into the chassis in the correct orientation. The edge with external ports goes to the rear part of the chassis as indicated in the image below . DO NOT overtighten the screws! Doing so can damage the motherboard. 1.5.2 Screw hole[...]

1.5.3 Motherboard layout 1.5.4 Layout contents Connectors/Jumpers/Slots Page Connectors/Jumpers/Slots Page 1. Keyboard power (3-pin KBPWR) 1-19 8. System panel connector (10-1 pin F_P ANEL) 1-24 2. USB device wake-up (3-pin USBPW1-4, USBPW5-10) 1-19 9. Speaker connector (4- pin SPEAKER) 1-24 3. A TX power connectors (24-pin EA TXPWR, 4-pin A TX12V)[...]

1.6 Central Processing Unit (CPU) This motherboard comes with an AM3+ socket designed for FX™ / Phenom™ II / Athlon™ II / Sempron™ 100 series processors. 1.6.1 Installing the CPU T o install a CPU: 1. Locate the CPU socket on the motherboard. 2. Press the lever sideways to unlock the socket, then lift it up to a 90°-100° angle. Ensure tha[...]

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 it is locked. 6. Install a CPU heatsink and fan following the instructions that comes with the heatsink package. Y ou can also refer to section 1.6.2 Installing heatsink and fan for instructions. 7. Connect the CPU fan cable [...]

1.6.2 Installing the heatsink and fan Ensure that you use only AMD-certied heatsink and fan assembly . T o install the CPU heatsink and fan: 1. Place the heatsink on top of the installed CPU, ensuring that the heatsink ts properly on the retention module base. • The retention module base is already installed on the motherboard upon purchase[...]

3. Align the other end of the retention bracket to the retention module base. A clicking sound denotes that the retention bracket is in place. Ensure that the fan and heatsink assembly perfectly ts the retention mechanism module base, otherwise you cannot snap the retention bracket in place. 4. Push down the retention bracket lock on the retenti[...]

1.7.2 Memory congurations Y ou may install 512MB, 1GB, 2GB, and 4GB unbuffered ECC and non-ECC DDR3 DIMMs into the DIMM sockets. • Y ou may install varying memory sizes in Channel A and Channel B. The system maps the total size of the lower-sized channel for the dual-channel conguration. Any excess memory from the higher-sized channel is th[...]

DDR3-1600(O.C.) MHz capability (continued on the next page) V endor Part No. Size SS/ DS Brand Chip NO. Timing DIMM (BIOS) V oltage DIMM Support A* B* G.SKILL F3-12800CL9D-2GBNQ 2048MB(Kit of 2) SS N/A Heat-Sink Package 9-9-9-24 1.5V~1.6V • • G.SKILL F3-12800CL8T -6GBHK 2048MB DS N/A Heat-Sink Package 8-8-8-21 1.6~1.65 • • G.SKILL F3-12800C[...]

DDR3-1333 MHz capability V endor Part No. Size SS/ DS Brand Chip NO. Timing DIMM (BIOS) V oltage DIMM Support A* B* G.SKILL F3-10600CL8D-2GBHK 1024MB SS G.SKILL Heat-Sink Package • G.SKILL F3-10600CL9D-2GBPK 1024MB SS G.SKILL Heat-Sink Package • • G.SKILL F3-10666CL7T -3GBPK 3072MB(Kit of 3) SS N/A Heat-Sink Package 7-7-7-18 1.5~1.6V • • [...]

DDR3-1066 MHz capability V endor Part No. Size SS/ DS Brand Chip NO. Timing DIMM (BIOS) V oltage DIMM Support A* B* Crucial CT12864BA1067.8FF 1024MB SS Micron 9GF22D9KPT 7 • • Crucial CT12872BA1067.9FF 1024MB SS Micron 9HF22D9KPT(ECC) 7 • • Crucial CT25664BA1067.16FF 2048MB DS Micron 9HF22D9KPT 7 • • Crucial CT25672BA1067.18FF 2048MB DS[...]

1.7.3 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. 3. Firmly insert the DIMM into the socket until the retaining clips snap back in place and the DIMM is properly seated. Locked Retaining Clip 3 1.7.4 Removin[...]

1.8 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. Unplug the power cord before adding or removing expansion cards. Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components. 1.8.1 Installing an expansion card T o[...]

1.9 Jumpers 1. Clear RTC RAM (CLRTC) This jumper allows you to clear the Real T ime Clock (RTC) 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 information such as system passwords. Except [...]

2. USB device wake-up (3-pin USBPW1-4, USBPW5-10) Set these jumpers to +5V to wake up the computer from S1 sleep mode (CPU stopped, DRAM refreshed, system running in low power mode) using the connected USB devices. Set these jumpers to +5VSB to wake up the compurer from S3 and S4 sleep modes (no power to CPU, DRAM in slow refresh, power supply in r[...]

1.10 Connectors 1.10.1 Rear panel ports 1. PS/2 Mouse port (green). This port is for a PS/2 mouse. 2. Parallel port. This 25-pin port connects a parallel printer , a scanner, or other devices. 3. LAN (RJ-45) port. This port allows Gigabit connection to a Local Area Network (LAN) through a network hub. LAN port LED indications Activity/Link LED Spee[...]

7. USB 2.0 ports 1 and 2. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports connect to USB 2.0 devices. 8. USB 2.0 ports 3 and 4. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports connect to USB 2.0 devices. 9. Video Graphics Adapter (VGA) port. This 15-pin port is for a VGA monitor or other VGA-compatible devices. 10. Serial port. This 9-pin COM1 po[...]

2. A TX power connectors (24-pin EA TXPWR, 4-pin A TX12V) These connectors are for an A TX power supply . The plugs from the power supply are designed to t these connectors in only one orientation. Find the proper orientation and push down rmly until the connectors completely t. • We recommend that you use an A TX 12V Specication 2.0-[...]

3. Serial A T A connectors (7-pin SA T A1, SA T A2, SA T A3, SA T A4, SA T A5, and SA T A6) These connectors are for the Serial A T A signal cables for Serial A T A 3Gb/s hard disk and optical disk drives. The Serial A T A 3Gb/s is backward compatible with Serial A T A 1.5Gb/s specication. The data transfer rate of the Serial A T A 3Gb/s is fast[...]

4. System panel connector (10-1 pin F_P ANEL) This connector supports several chassis-mounted functions. • 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[...]

6. USB connectors (10-1 pin USB56, USB78, USB910) 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 480Mbps connection speed. Never connect a 1394 cab[...]

8. CPU and chassis fan connectors (4-pin CPU_F AN and 3-pin CHA_F AN) Conn ect the f an ca bles to th e fan con necto rs on the mothe rboa rd, ens uring th at th e blac k wi re of each cabl e mat ches the groun d pin of t he co nnec tor. Only the 4-pin CPU fan connector supports the ASUS Q-Fan feature. DO NOT forget to connect the fan cables to the[...]

1.1 1 Software support 1.1 1.1 Installing an operating system This motherboard supports Windows ® XP/Vista/7 Operating Systems (OS). Always install the latest OS version and corresponding updates to maximize the features of your hardware. • Motherboard settings and hardware options vary . Refer to your OS documentation for detailed information. [...]

Chapter 1: Product introduction 1-28[...]

ASUS M5A78L-M LX 2-1 Chapter 2 BIOS information 2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS Save a copy of the original motherboard BIOS le to a USB ash disk in case you need to restore the BIOS in the future. Copy the original motherboard BIOS using the ASUS Update utility . • ASUS Update requires an Internet connection either through a network or[...]

2-2 Chapter 2: BIOS information Updating from a BIOS file a. Select Update BIOS from a le , then click Next . b. Locate the BIOS le from the Open window , then click Open . 3. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the updating process. T o update the BIOS using EZ Flash 2: 1. Insert the USB ash disk that contains the latest BIOS [...]

ASUS M5A78L-M LX 2-3 2.1.3 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 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 restore a corrupted BIOS le using the motherboard support DVD or a USB ash drive that contains the BIOS le. • Before using this uti[...]

2-4 Chapter 2: BIOS information 2.2 BIOS setup program Use the BIOS Setup program to update the BIOS or congure its parameters. The BIOS screens include navigation keys and brief online help to guide you in using the BIOS Setup program. Entering BIOS Setup at startup T o enter BIOS Setup at startup: • Press <Delete> during the Power-On S[...]

ASUS M5A78L-M LX 2-5 2.2.1 BIOS menu screen 2.2.2 Menu bar The menu bar on top of the screen has the following main items: Main For changing the basic system conguration Advanced For changing the advanced system settings Power For changing the advanced power management (APM) conguration Boot For changing the system boot conguration T ools [...]

2-6 Chapter 2: BIOS information 2.2.4 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. 2.2.5 Submenu items A solid triangle before each item on[...]

ASUS M5A78L-M LX 2-7 2.3 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 2.2.1 BIOS menu screen for information on the menu screen items and how to navigate through them. 2.3.1 System Time [xx:xx:xx] Allows you to set the system time. 2.3.3 SA T [...]

2-8 Chapter 2: BIOS information LBA/Large Mode [Auto] Enables or disables the LBA mode. Setting this item to [Auto] enables the LBA mode if the device supports this mode, and if the device was not previously formatted with LBA mode disabled. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Auto] Block (Multi-Sector T ransfer) M [Auto] Enables or disables data m[...]

ASUS M5A78L-M LX 2-9 2.4 Advanced menu The Advanced menu items allow you to change the settings for the CPU and other system devices. T ake caution when changing the settings of the Advanced menu items. Incorrect eld values can cause the system to malfunction. v02.61 (C)Copyright 1985-2011, American Megatrends, Inc. M5A78L-M LX BIOS Setup Main A[...]

2-10 Chapter 2: BIOS information Processor Frequency Multiplier [Auto] Sets the processor frequency multiplier . Conguration options: [Auto] [x4.0 800MHz] [x4.5 900MHz] [x5.0 1000MHz] [x5.5 1 100MHz] ~ [x13.0 2600MHz] [x13.5 2700MHz] [x14.0 2800MHz] [x14.5 2900MHz] [x15.0 3000MHz] CPU/NB Frequency [Auto] Sets the CPU/Northbridge frequency . Con?[...]

ASUS M5A78L-M LX 2-1 1 VDDNB Over V oltage [Auto] Sets the VDDNB over voltage. The valid value ranges vary depending on your CPU model. Use <+> / <-> keys to adjust the ratio. Conguration options: [Auto] LoadLine Calibration [Auto] Sets the LoadLine. Conguration options: [Auto] [0%] [3.225%] [6.450%] [9.675%] [12.90%] ~ [87.075%] [...]

2-12 Chapter 2: BIOS information DRAM READ to PRE T ime [Auto] Conguration options: [Auto] [4 CLK] [5 CLK] [6 CLK] [7 CLK] DRAM Row Cycle T ime [Auto] Conguration options: [Auto] [1 1 CLK] ~ [41 CLK] DRAM WRITE Recovery T ime [Auto] Conguration options: [Auto] [5 CLK] [6 CLK] [7 CLK] [8 CLK] [10 CLK] [12 CLK] DRAM RAS# to RAS# Delay [Auto][...]

ASUS M5A78L-M LX 2-13 GART Error Reporting [Disabled] This option should remain disabled for the normal operation. The driver developer may enable it for testing purpose. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Microcode Updation [Enabled] Enables or disables Microcode Updation. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Secure Virtual Machi[...]

2-14 Chapter 2: BIOS information ECC Conguration ECC Mode [Disabled] Allows you to set the ECC mode. Conguration options: [Disabled] [Basic] [Good] Internal Graphics Primary Video Controller [GFX0-GPP-IGFX-PCI] Selects the primary display adapter . Conguration options: [GFX0-GPP-IGFX-PCI] [GPP- GFX0-IGFX-PCI] [PCI-GFX0-GPP-IGFX] [IGFX-GFX0[...]

ASUS M5A78L-M LX 2-15 2.4.4 Onboard Device Conguration Serial Port1 Address [3F8/IRQ4] Allows you to select the Serial Port1 base address. Conguration options: [Disabled] [3F8/IRQ4][2F8/IRQ3] [3E8/IRQ4] [2E8/IRQ3] Parallel Port Address [378] Allows you to select the Parallel Port base addresses. Conguration options: [Disabled] [378] [278] [...]

2-16 Chapter 2: BIOS information 2.4.6 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 Module V ersion and USB Devices Enabled items show the auto-detected values. If no USB device is detected, the item shows None . USB Functi[...]

ASUS M5A78L-M LX 2-17 2.5 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. 2.5.1 Suspend Mode [Auto] Allows you to select the Advanced Conguration and P[...]

2-18 Chapter 2: BIOS information 2.5.5 HW Monitor Conguration CPU T emperature [xxxºC/xxxºF] or [Ignored] MB T emperature [xxxºC/xxxºF] or [Ignored] The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the motherboard and CPU temperatures. Select Ignored if you do not wish to display the detected temperatures. CPU / Chassis Fan Sp[...]

ASUS M5A78L-M LX 2-19 2.6 Boot menu The Boot menu items allow you to change the system boot options. Select an item then press <Enter> to display the submenu. Select Screen Select Item Enter Go to Sub Screen F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit v02.61 (C)Copyright 1985-2011, American Megatrends, Inc. Boot Settings Conguration Securit[...]

2-20 Chapter 2: BIOS information AddOn ROM Display Mode [Force BIOS] Sets the display mode for option ROM. Conguration options: [Force BIOS] [Keep Current] Bootup Num-Lock [On] Selects the power-on state for the NumLock. Conguration options: [Off] [On] W ait for ‘F1’ If Error [Enabled] When this item is set to [Enabled] , the system waits[...]

ASUS M5A78L-M LX 2-21 Change User Password Select this item to set or change the user password. The User 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 User Password: 1. Select the Change User Password item and press <Enter> . 2. On the password box, key in [...]

2-22 Chapter 2: BIOS information 2.7 T ools menu The T ools menu items allow you to congure options for special functions. 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 v02.61 (C)Copyright 1985-2011, American Megatrends, Inc. Press ENTE[...]

ASUS M5A78L-M LX 2-23 Exit & Discard Changes Select this option only if you do not want to save the changes that you made to the Setup program. If you made changes to elds other than System Date, System T ime, and Password, the BIOS asks for a conrmation before exiting. Discard Changes This option allows you to discard the selections you [...]

2-24 Chapter 2: BIOS information[...]

ASUS contact information ASUST eK COMPUTER INC. Address 15 Li-T e Road, Peitou, T aipei, T aiwan 1 1259 T elephone +886-2-2894-3447 Fax +886-2-2890-7798 E-mail info@asus.com.tw Web site www .asus.com.tw T echnical Support T elephone +86-21-3842991 1 Online support support.asus.com ASUS COMPUTER INTERNA TIONAL (America) Address 800 Corporate W ay , [...]

EC Declaration of Conformity We, the undersigned, Manufacturer: ASUSTek COMPUTER INC. Address, City: No. 150, LI-TE RD., PEITOU, TAIPEI 112, TAIWAN R.O.C. Country: TAIWAN Authorized representative in Europe: ASUS COMPUTER GmbH Address, City: HARKORT STR. 21-23, 40880 RATINGEN Country: GERMANY declare the following apparatus: Product name : Motherbo[...]