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ASUS M3N78-CM User's Manual

1. 2 10 2 3 5 Storage Configuration o oooooooooooooo 2 11 2 3 6 System Information Advanced menu eene nennen tnn nennen nnns 2 4 1 JumperFree Configuration sss 2 12 2 4 2 CPU Configuration oooooocooooooo 2 15 E Ce E 2 15 2 4 4 Onboard Devices Confouraton seinere 2 17 245 POLPAP en ER det 2 17 2 4 6 USB Configuration oooocoooooooo 2 18 Contents 2 5 2 6 2 7 2 8 POWOM IMO E 2 5 1 Suspend Mode 2 5 2 ACPI 2 0 Support 2 5 8 ACPI APIC Support 2 5 4 APM CGonfouratton seen 2 5 5 Hardware Monitor Boot menu nana 2 6 1 Boot Device Priority 2 6 2 Boot Settings Configuration ooooo 2 21 2 6 3 Security Tools MENU wo 2 7 1 ASUS EZ Flash Z anena eee 2 23 2 42 Express Gate is RI eec rennet 2 24 Exit MENU Hina oa anak 2 25 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 been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
2. mp SATA pos SATA RXP2 GAD BATA pao We ap Lll SATA2 D SATA4 E I SATA6 8H M3N78 CM SATA Connectors A Install the Windows XP Service Pack 1 before using Serial ATA Z For detailed instructions on how to configure RAID 0 RAID 1 RAID 5 and RAID 10 and JBOD refer to the RAID manual in the support DVD If you intend to create a Serial ATA RAID set using these connectors set the SATA Mode select item in the BIOS to RAID Mode See the page 2 11 for details Due to the chipset s limitation SATA 5 and SATA 6 do not support IDE mode only support AHCI and RAID mode Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 21 USB connectors 10 1 pin USB78 USB 910 USB1112 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 specification that supports up to 480 Mbps connection speed o M3N78 CM USB 2 0 Connectors GND NC ud ot ad Soo ass Bae Bai deel Se domo ano BOGZO DOD 55562 555 USB1112 1 USB45V USB P11 USB_P11 USB_P10 GND USB 5V USB P10 NC USB910 1 USB45V USB P9 USB_P9 8 GND 8 GND Never connect a 1394 cable to the USB connectors Doing so will damage
3. CR2032 3V Lithium Cell CMOS Power rn mp LE SATA 5 Le Z G Refer to 1 10 Connectors for more information about rear panel connectors and internal connectors ASUS M3N78 CM 1 5 4 Layout contents Connectors Jumpers Slots ATX power connectors 24 pin EATXPWR 8 pin ATX12V AMD CPU 940 pin Socket CPU fan connector 4 pin CPU_FAN DDR2 DIMM slots Serial ATA connectors 7 pin SATA1 6 IDE connector 40 1 pin PRI EIDE USB connectors 10 1 pin USB78 USB910 USB1112 LPT connector Clear RTC RAM 3 pin CLRTC Onboard LED System panel connector 20 8 pin PANEL Floppy disk drive connector 34 1 pin FLOPPY Front panel audio connector 10 1 pin AAFP Optical drive audio connector 4 pin CD Digital audio connector 4 1 pin SPDIF OUT Chassis and power fan connectors 3 pin CHA FAN 3 pin PWR FAN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 6 Central Processing Unit CPU The motherboard comes with an AM2 AM2 socket designed for AMD AM2 AM2 Phenom FX Phenom Athlon Sempron processor The AM2 AM2 socket has a different pinout from the 940 pin socket designed for the AMD Opteron processor Ensure that you use a CPU that is designed for the AM2 AM2 Socket The CPU fits in only one correct orientation DO NOT force the CPU into the
4. PWR Ground DiD Z e IDE_LED IDE LED M3N78 CM System Panel Connector 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 the HDD Activity LED Connect the HDD Activity LED cable to this connector The IDE LED lights up or flashes when data is read from or written to the HDD System warning speaker 4 pin SPEAKER This 4 pin connector is for the chassis mounted system warning speaker The speaker allows you to hear system beeps and warnings Power Soft off button 2 pin PWRSW This 2 pin connector is for the system power button Pressing the power button turns the system ON or puts the system in SLEEP or SOFT OFF mode depending on the BIOS settings Pressing the power switch for more than four seconds while the system is ON turns the system OFF Reset button 2 pin Reset This 2 pin connector is for the chassis mounted reset button for system reboot without turning off the system power Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 25 1 26 1 11 Software support 1 11 1 Installing an operating system This motherboard supports Windows XP Vista Operating Systems OS Always in
5. Disabled Enabled Cool n Quiet Enabled Allows you to enable or disable the generation of ACPI PPC PSS and PCT objects Configuration options Disabled Enabled 2 4 3 Chipset The Chipset menu allows you to change the advanced chipset settings Select an item then press lt Enter gt to display the sub menu NorthBridge Configuration Memory Configuration Bank Interleaving Auto Allows you to enable the bank memory interleaving Configuration options Disabled Auto Channel Interleaving Disabled Allows you to enable the channel memory interleaving Configuration options Disabled Address bits 6 Address bits 12 XOR of Address bits 20 16 6 XOR of Address bits 20 16 9 Chapter 2 BIOS setup 2 15 Enable Clock to All DIMMs Disabled Enables or disables clock to all DIMMs Configuration options Disabled Enabled MemCik Tristate C3 ALTVID Disabled Enables or disables the MemClk Tristate C3 ALTVID Configuration options Disabled Enabled Memory Hole Remapping Enabled Enables or disables the memory remapping around memory hole Configuration options Disabled Enabled DCT Unganged Mode Auto Allow you to enable or disable Unganed mode Configuration options Auto Always Power Down Enable Enabled Enables or disables the DDR power down mode Configuration options Disabled Enabled ECC Configuration ECC Mode Disabled Enables or disables
6. Recovering the BIOS from a floppy disk To recover the BIOS from a floppy disk 1 Turn on the system 2 Insert the floppy disk with the original or updated BIOS file to the floppy disk drive Chapter 2 BIOS setup 2 5 2 6 4 The utility displays the following message and automatically checks the floppy disk for the original or updated BIOS file Bad BIOS checksum Starting BIOS recovery Checking for floppy When found the utility reads the BIOS file and starts flashing the corrupted BIOS file Bad BIOS checksum Starting BIOS recovery Checking for floppy Floppy found Reading file M3N78CM ROM Completed Start flashing DO NOT shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS Doing so can cause system boot failure Restart the system after the utility completes the updating process Recovering the BIOS from the support DVD To recover the BIOS from the support DVD 1 2 3 4 Turn on the system Insert the motherboard support DVD to the optical drive The utility displays the following message and automatically checks the DVD for the BIOS file Bad BIOS checksum Starting BIOS recovery Checking for floppy If no floppy disk is found the utility automatically checks the optical drive for the original or updated BIOS file The utility then updates the corrupted BIOS file Bad BIOS checksum Starting BIOS recovery Checking for floppy Floppy not found Checki
7. When set to Power Off the system goes into off state after an AC power loss When set to Power On the system goes on after an AC power loss Configuration options Power On Power Off Power On By PCI Device Disabled When set to Enabled this parameter allows you to turn on the system through a PCI PCIE Onboard LAN or modem card This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides at least 1A on the 5VSB lead Configuration options Disabled Enabled Chapter 2 BIOS setup 2 19 Power On By Ring Disabled Enable or disable RI to generate a wake event Configuration options Disabled Enabled Power On By PS 2 KB MS Disabled Enable or disable PS 2 Keyboard Mouse to generate a wake event Configuration options Disabled Enabled Power On By RTC Alarm Disabled Allows you to enable or disable RTC to generate a wake event When this item is set to Enabled the items RTC Alarm Date RTC Alarm Hour RTC Alarm Minute and RTC Alarm Second appear with set values Configuration options Disabled Enabled 2 5 5 Hardware Monitor CPU Temperature xxx C xxx F MB Temperature xxx C xxx F 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 Fan Speed xxxxRPM or Ignored The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the CPU chassis and power fan speed in rot
8. 1 Doanyone ofthe following to create a bootable floppy disk DOS environment a Inserta 1 44MB floppy disk into the drive b At he DOS prompt type format A S then press Enter Windows XP environment a Inserta 1 44 MB floppy disk to the floppy disk drive Click Start from the Windows desktop then select My Computer Select the 3 1 2 Floppy Drive icon 29 p Click File from the menu then select Format A Format 3 1 2 Floppy Disk window appears e Select Create an MS DOS startup disk from the format options field then click Start Windows Vista environment a Insert a formatted high density 1 44 MB floppy disk to the floppy disk drive rt b Click from the Windows desktop then select Computer c Right click Floppy Disk Drive then click Format to display the Format 3 1 2 Floppy dialog box ASUS M3N78 CM d 2 2 1 3 Select the Create an MS DOS startup disk check box e Click Start Copy the original or the latest motherboard BIOS file to the bootable floppy disk ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility The ASUS EZ Flash 2 feature allows you to update the BIOS without having to go through the long process of booting from a floppy disk and using a DOS based utility The EZ Flash 2 utility is built in the BIOS chip so it is accessible by pressing Alt F2 during the Power On Self Tests POST To update the BIOS using EZ Flash 2 1 4 Visit the ASUS website at www asus com to download th
9. Expansion slots Storage High Definition Audio USB LAN BIOS ASUS Overclocking Features AMD socket AM2 AM2 for AMD Phenom FX Phenom Athlon Sempron processors AMD64 architecture enables simultaneous 32 bit and 64 bit computing Supports AMD Cool n Quiet Technology Support CPU up to 140W NVIDIA GeForce 8200 MCP78S Up to 5200 MT s HyperTransport 3 0 interface for AM2 CPU 2000 1600 MT s for AM2 CPU Dual channel memory architecture 4 x 240 pin DIMM sockets support up to 8 GB of unbufferred ECC and non ECC 1066 800 667 533 MHz DDR2 memory modules Notes Due to AMD CPU limitation DDR2 1066 is supported by AM2 CPU for one DIMM per channel only When installing total memory of 4GB capacity or more Windows 32 bit operation system may only recognize less than 3GB Hence a total installed memory of less than 3GB is recommended Refer to www asus com for the memory QVL Qualified Vendors List 1 x PCI Express x16 slot 1x PCle x 1 slot 2 x PCI slots Southbridge 1x Ultra DMA 133 100 interface 6x Serial ATA3 Gb s hard disk drives supporting RAID 0 RAID 1 RAID 5 RAID 0 1 and JBOD configuration VT1708B High Definition Audio 8 channel CODEC Supports S PDIF out interface Jack detect and multi streaming Supports up to 10 USB 2 0 1 1 ports 6 ports at mid board 4 ports at back panel NVIDIA nForce built in Gigabit MAC with external Real
10. jack detect feature 64 bit CPU support 64 bit computing the technology to replace 32 bit architecture delivers advanced system performance faster memory access and increased productivity This motherboard provides excellent compatibility and flexibility by supporting either 64 bit or 32 bit architecture SI DVI Interface el 3 DVI Digital Visual Interface provides high visual quality of digital display devices such as LCD monitor The interface of this motherboard is HDCP compliant allowing playback of HD DVD Blu ray Disc and other protected content HyperTransport 3 0 support EX S HyperTransport 3 0 technology provides 2 6 times more bandwith than HyperTransport 1 0 radically improving system efficiency to create a smoother faster computing environment ASUS M3N78 CM NVIDIA GeForce 8200 The NVIDIA GeForce 8200 offers the lastest support of Hybrid SLI technology DirectX10 graphics features HD video playback with HDMI DVI output It also supports HyperTransport 3 0 interface PCI Express 2 0 bus architecture Serial ATA 3 GB s devices and is optimized with AMD s latest AM2 and multi core CPUs to provide excellent system performance Hybrid SLI 4 Hybrid SLI technology is a unique hybrid multi GPU technology built upon NVIDIA Hybrid SLI technology today includes two primary feaures GeForce Boost and HybridPower GeForce Boost turbo charges performance of NVIDIA descrete g
11. 44M 3 5 in Use or to Primary IDE Master Not Detected configure system Time Primary IDE Slave Not Detected SATA1 Not Detected SATA2 Not Detected SATA3 Not Detected SATA4 Not Detected Stroage Configuration Select Screen Select Item Change Field Select Field General Help Save and Exit Exit System Information 2 3 1 System Time xx xx xx Allows you to set the system time 2 3 2 System Date Day xx xx xxxx Allows you to set the system date 2 3 3 Legacy Diskette A 1 44M 3 5 in Sets the type of floppy drive installed Configuration options Disabled 360K 5 25 in 1 2M 5 25 in 720K 3 5 in 1 44M 3 5 in 2 88M 3 5 ml 2 3 4 Primary IDE Master Slave SATA1 4 While entering Setup the BIOS automatically detects the presence of IDE SATA devices There is a separate sub menu for each IDE SATA device Select a device item then press Enter to display the IDE device information The BIOS automatically detects the values opposite the dimmed items Device Vendor Size LBA Mode Block Mode PIO Mode Async DMA Ultra DMA and SMART monitoring These values are not user configurable These items show N A if no IDE SATA device is installed in the system Type Auto Selects the type of IDE drive Setting to Auto allows automatic selection of the appropriate IDE device type Select CDROM if you are specifically configuring a CD ROM drive Select ARMD ATAPI Removable Media
12. 7 Tools menu BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main Advanced Power Boot Exit Press ENTER to run the utility to select and update BIOS This utility doesn t support 1 NTFS format Express Gate Enabled Enter OS Timer 10 Seconds Reset User DATA No gt AI NET2 Select Screen tt Select Item Ge Change Field Enter Go to Sub Screen Fl General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2007 American Megatrends Inc 2 7 1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 Allows you to run ASUS EZ Flash 2 When you press lt OK gt a confirmation message appears Use the left right arrow key to select between Yes or No then press lt OK gt to confirm your choice Chapter 2 BIOS setup 2 23 2 24 2 7 2 Express Gate Enabled Allows you to enable or disable the ASUS Express Gate feature The ASUS Express Gate feature is a unique instant on environment that provides quick access to the Internet browser and Skype Configuration options Disabled Enabled Enter OS Timer 10 Seconds Allows you to set the countdown duration that the system waits at the Express Gates first screen before starting Windows or other installed OS Choose Prompt User to stay at the first screen of Express Gate for user action Configuration options Prompt User 1 Second 3 Seconds 5 Seconds 10 Seconds 15 Seconds 20 Seconds 30 Seconds Reset User Data No Allows you to clear Express Gate s user data Configuration options No Reset W
13. A Do not forget to connect the CPU fi SSC fan connector Hardware monitoring Epi errors can occur if you fail to plug this connector o 2 OT L pol 2 E am om az cum jim M3N78 CM CPU Fan Connector ASUS M3N78 CM 1 6 2 Installing the heatsink and fan A Make sure that you use only AMD certified heatsink and fan assembly Follow these steps to install the CPU heatsink and fan 1 Place the heatsink on top of the installed CPU making sure that the heatsink fits properly on the retention module base fo The retention module base is already installed on the motherboard upon purchase You do not have to remove the retention module base when installing the CPU or installing other motherboard components If you purchased a separate CPU heatsink and fan assembly make sure that a Thermal Interface Material is properly applied to the CPU heatsink or CPU before you install the heatsink and fan assembly CPU Fan CPU Heatsink Retention bracket Retention Module Base Retention bracket lock L4 Your boxed CPU heatsink and fan assembly should come with installation instructions for as the CPU heatsink and the retention mechanism If the instructions in this section do not match the CPU documentation follow the latter 2 Attach one end of the retention bracket to the retention module base Chapter 1 Product introduc
14. Athlon 64 X2 Athlon 64 FX Sempron processors with 2MB 1MB 512KB L2 cache which is based on 64 bit architecture It features 2000 1600 MT s HyperTransport System Bus dual channel un buffered DDR2 memory support and AMD Cool n Quiet Technology See page 1 7 for details Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 1 AMD Cool n Quiet Technology E eg The motherboard supports the AMD Cool n Quiet Technology which monitors system operation and automatically adjusts CPU voltage and frequency for a cool and quiet operating environment Dual channel DDR2 1066 support 7777 This motherboard supports DDR2 1066 It provides faster data transfer rate and more bandwidth to increase memory data transfer rate and computing efficiency enhancing system performance in 3D graphics and other memory demanding applications See pages 1 10 for details fo DDR2 1066 is for AM2 only Gigabit LAN solution ra Gigabit LAN is the networking standard for the early future and is ideal for handling large amounts of data such as video audio and voice See page 1 17 for details SERIAL al Serial ATA 3Gb s technology PP The motherboard supports next generation SATA hard drives based on the new SATA 3Gb s storage specification High Definition Audio m Enjoy high end sound quality on your PC The onboard 8 channel HD audio High Definition Audio previously codenamed Azalia CODEC enables high quality 192KHz 24 bit audio output
15. Calculator at http support asus com PowerSupplyCalculator PSCalculator aspx SLanguage en us for details You must install a PSU with a higher power rating if you intend to install additional devices Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 23 10 CPU Chassis and Power Fan connectors 4 pin CPU_FAN 3 pin CHA_FAN 3 pin PWR_FAN The fan connectors support cooling fans of 350mA 740mA 8 88W max or a total of 1A 2 22A 26 64W max at 12V Connect the fan cables to the fan connectors on the motherboard ensuring that the black wire of each cable matches the ground pin of the connector Do not forget to connect the fan cables to the fan connectors Insufficient air flow inside the system may damage the motherboard components These are not jumpers DO NOT place jumper caps on the fan connectors L4 Only CPU Fan supports Q Fan CPU FAN zzco O 2226 262 SS d 1 CHA_FAN Th OU were See 0 N om um 14 PWR_FAN Ct mm om comm om 1 PME M3N78 CM Fan Connectors OND 1 24 ASUS M3N78 CM 11 System panel connector 20 8 pin PANEL This connector supports several chassis mounted functions LE n PANEL i 5V Ground und peaker PLED PLED i Reset round
16. Installing an expansion card 1 8 8 Configuring an expansion Car 1 15 er iiid eaten trt hae 1 15 1 85 PCI Express x1 slots 1 15 1 86 X PCI Express vip Slot ooooooooooooWoW oom 1 15 Jumpers we ena COMMCGUONS it anna ea am naa 1 10 1 Rear panel conneGtOfS ooooooooWoWoomom 1 17 Contents 1 11 1 10 2 Internal connectors Software support onera neas ana 1 11 1 Installing an operating system oooooooo 1 26 1 11 2 Support DVD information sss 1 26 Chapter 2 BIOS information 24 2 2 2 3 24 Managing and updating your BIOS 2 1 2 1 1 ASUS Update utility sss 2 1 2 1 2 Creating a bootable floppy dek 2 2 2 1 8 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility oooooocoo 2 3 2 1 8 AFUDOS Ulility eee 2 4 2 1 55 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility 2 5 BIOS setup program Woman 2 7 2 2 1 BIOS menu SCreen oooooooWo Wan 2 8 2 2 2 AEN 2 8 2 2 3 Navigation keys sse 2 9 224 Menuitems ee eene te tit 2 9 2 25 Sub menu items 2 9 2 2 6 Configuration fields oooooooooooooo 2 9 2 27 General hen 2 9 2 2 8 POP UP window se n 2 9 GE Wel Main menu 2 3 1 System Time 2 3 2 System Date 2 33 Legacy Diskette A ooooocoo oomoooommu 2 10 2 3 4 Primary IDE Master Slave SATA1 4
17. Tools Exit Select the ACPI state ACPI 2 0 Support Disabled used for System ACPI APIC Support Enabled Suspend gt APM Configuration bk Hardware Monitor 2 5 1 Suspend Mode Auto Allows you to select the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface ACPI state to be used for system suspend Configuration options S1 POS Only S3 Only Auto S1 POS Only Enables the system to enter the ACPI S1 Power on Suspend sleep state In S1 sleep state the system appears suspended and stays in a low power mode The system can be resumed at any time S3 Only Enables the system to enter the ACPI S3 Suspend to RAM sleep state default In S3 sleep state the system appears to be off and consumes less power than in the S1 state When signaled by a wake up device or event the system resumes to its working state exactly where it was left off Auto Detected by OS 2 5 2 ACPI 2 0 Support Disabled Allows you to add additional tables as per Advanced Configuration and Power Interface ACPI 2 0 specifications Configuration options Disabled Enabled 2 5 3 ACPI APIC Support Enabled Allows you to enable or disable the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface ACPI support in the Application Specific Integrated Circuit ASIC When set to Enabled the ACPI APIC table pointer is included in the RSDT pointer list Configuration options Disabled Enabled 2 5 4 APM Configuration Restore on AC Power Loss Power Off
18. device jumpers have the same setting PRI IDE 5 Optical drive audio in connector 4 pin CD This connector allows you to receive stereo audio input from sound sources such as a CD ROM TV tuner or MPEG card nu CH el black H Dunogn puna Jeuueu oipny W I jeuueu oipny 437 M3N78 CM Internal Audio Connector 1 20 ASUS M3N78 CM Serial ATA connectors 7 pin SATA1 red SATA2 red SATA3 red SATA4 red SATA5 black SATA6 black These connectors are for the Serial ATA signal cables for Serial ATA 3Gb s hard disk and optical disk drives The Serial ATA 3Gb s is backward compatible with Serial ATA 1 5Gb s specification The data transfer rate of the Serial ATA 3Gb s is faster than the standard parallel ATA with 133 MB s Ultra DMA133 If you install Serial ATA hard disk drives you can create a RAID 0 RAID 1 RAID 5 RAID 0 1 and JBOD configuration through the onboard controller ND SATA FXNS SATA FXPS ND I 5555 SATA TNS os GND 8 3 Ere SATA1 Eri SATA3 Lee SATA5 8
19. fails or gets corrupted during the updating process Copying the current BIOS To copy the current BIOS file using the AFUDOS utility V Make sure that the floppy disk is not write protected and has at least 1024KB free space lam to save the file The succeeding BIOS screens are for reference only The actual BIOS screen displays may not be the same as shown 1 Copy the AFUDOS utility afudos exe from the motherboard support DVD to a bootable floppy disk 2 Boot the system in DOS mode 3 At the prompt key in afudos o filename where the filename is any user assigned filename of not more than eight alphanumeric characters for the main filename and three alphanumeric characters for the extension name A gt afudos oOLDBIOS1 rom Main filename Extension name then press lt Enter gt to copy the current BIOS file to the floppy disk 4 The utility returns to the DOS prompt after copying the current BIOS file Updating the BIOS file To update the BIOS file using the AFUDOS utility 1 Visit the ASUS website www asus com and download the latest BIOS file for the motherboard Save the BIOS file to a bootable floppy disk L4 We recommend that you write the BIOS filename on a piece of paper you will need to key Gg in the exact BIOS filename at the DOS prompt later 2 Copy the AFUDOS utility afudos exe from the motherboard support DVD to a bootable floppy disk 3 Boot the system in DOS mode ASUS M3N78
20. inoperable Refer to the table on the next page for details aN When using PCI cards on shared slots ensure that the drivers support Share IRQ or that 1 8 4 PCI slots The PCI slots support cards such as a LAN card SCSI card USB card and other cards that comply with PCI specifications 1 8 5 PCI Express x1 slots This motherboard supports PCI Express x1 network cards SCSI cards and other cards that comply with the PCI Express specifications 1 8 6 PCI Express x16 slot This motherboard supports a PCI Express x16 graphics card that complies with the PCI Express specifications Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 15 1 9 Jumpers 1 Clear RTC RAM CLRTC This jumper allows you to clear the Real Time Clock RTC RAM in CMOS You 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 To erase the RTC RAM 1 Turn OFF the computer and unplug the power cord 2 Remove the onboard battery 3 Move the jumper cap from pins 1 2 default to pins 2 3 Keep the cap on pins 2 3 for about 5 10 seconds then move the cap back to pins 1 2 4 Reinstall the battery 5 Plug the power cord and turn ON the computer 6 Hold down the Del key during the boot process and enter BIOS setup to reenter data Except when clearing the RTC RAM never remove
21. 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 metal object such as the power supply case before handling components to avoid damaging them due to static electricity Hold components by the edges to avoid touching the ICs on them Whenever you uninstall any component place it on a grounded antistatic pad or in the bag that came with the component Before you install or remove any component ensure that the ATX power supply is Switched off or the power cord is detached from the power supply Failure to do so may cause severe damage to the motherboard peripherals or components ASUS M3N78 CM Onboard LED a z The motherboard comes with a standby power LED that lights up to indicate that the system is ON f B SB PWR in sleep mode or in soft off mode d This is a reminder that you should E Cc shut down the system and unplug mE LS ON OFF the power cable before removing esch Ze Standoy ios ia or plugging in any motherboard component The illustration below shows the location of the onboard LED M3N78 CM Onboard LED 1 5 Motherboard overview 1 5 1 Placement direction When installing the mot
22. residential installation This equipment generates uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used in accordance with manufacturer s instructions may cause harmful interference to radio communications However there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected Consult the dealer or an experienced radio TV technician for help 4 The use of shielded cables for connection of the monitor to the graphics card is reguired to assure compliance with FCC regulations Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user s authority to operate this equipment Canadian Department of Communications Statement This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications This class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES 003 DO
23. the DRAM ECC that allows the hardware to report and correct memory errors automatically Configuration options Disabled Basic Good Super Max User DRAM ECC Enable Disabled Enables or disables the DRAM ECC Configuration options Disabled Enabled DRAM SCRUB REDIRECT Disabled Enables or disables the DRAM SCRUB REDIRECT feature that allows the system to correct the DRAM ECC errors immediately when they occur Configuration options Disabled Enabled 4 Bit ECC Mode Disabled Enables or disables the ECC chip kill feature Configuration options Disabled Enabled DRAM BG Scrub Disabled Disables or sets the DRAM BG Scrub Configuration options Disabled 40ns BOns 160ns 320ns 640ns 1 28us 2 56us 5 12us 10 2us 20 5us 41 0us 81 9us 163 8us 327 7us 655 4us Data L2 L3 Cache BG Scrub Disabled Disables or sets the Data L2 L3 Cache BG Scrub This item allows the cache RAM to be corrected when idle Configuration options Disabled 40ns BOns 160na 920ns 640ns 1 28us 2 56us 5 12us 10 2us 20 5us 41 0us 81 9us 163 8us 927 7us 655 4us SouthBridge Configuration Primary Graphics Adapter PCIE VGA Card First Display Device Priority from high to low Configuration options PCIE VGA Card First Internal VGA First PCIE VGA Card First Hybrid SLI Mode mGPU Auto Allows you to set the Hybrid SLI mode Configuration options mGPU Auto mGPU always e
24. the cap on CLRTC jumper default position Removing the cap will cause system boot failure g Ll H CLRTC d va UI lt gt 12 23 GE E Normal Clear RTC EEN Default tci mMm m Comm D 4 M3N78 CM Clear RTC RAM fo You do not need to clear the RTC when the system hangs due to overclocking For system 5a failure due to overclocking use the CPU Parameter Recall C P R feature Shut down and reboot the system so the BIOS can automatically reset parameter settings to default values 1 16 ASUS M3N78 CM 1 10 Connectors 1 10 1 Rear panel connectors 14 13 12 11 10 9 1 PS 2 Keyboard port purple This port is for a PS 2 keyboard 2 Video Graphics Adapter VGA port This 15 pin port is for a VGA monitor or other VGA compatible 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 Speed LED ACT LINK SPEED LED LED OFF No link OFF 10 Mbps connection ORANGE Linked ORANGE 100 Mbps connection m BLINKING Data activity GREEN 1 Gbps connection uan LAN port 4 Rear Speaker Out port black This port connects the rear speakers in a 4 channel 6 channel or 8 channel audio configuration 5 Center Subwoofer por
25. until the connectors completely fit ATX12V EATXPWR 12V DC gue 12VDC 43 Volts 8 Ground d GND 3 GND 412 Volts e 5 Volts H 12 Volts H 5 Volts f 5V Standby 2 5 Volts Power OK z 5 Volts Ground 2 x Ground H 5 Volts X Ground O E L Ground Ground SE w LOO n s 3 Volts 3 12 Volts og mmm 43 Volts 3 X 43 Volts GC um oo DECH qm M3N78 CM ATX Power Connector W We recommend that you use an 24 pin EATXPWR Specification 2 0 compliant power supply unit PSU with a minimum of 300 W power rating This PSU type has 24 pin and 4 pin power plugs If you intend to use a PSU with 20 pin and 4 pin power plugs make sure that the 20 pin power plug can provide at least 15 A on 12 V and that the PSU has a minimum power rating of 300 W The system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is inadequate Do not forget to connect the 4 pin ATX 12 V power plug otherwise the system will not boot up We recommend that you use a PSU with higher power output when configuring a system with more power consuming devices The system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is inadequate If you are uncertain about the minimum power supply requirement for your system refer to the Recommended Power Supply Wattage
26. 12 Infineon HYB18T512800AF3733336550 Samsung M378T6553BG0 CD5 Samsung K4T51083QB GCD5 HY HYMP512U64CP8 C4 AB Hynix HY5PS12821CFP C4 Micron MT 16HTF6464AG 53EB2 Micron D9BOM Corsair VS1GB533D2 Corsair 64M8CFEGQIB0900718 Elpida EBE51UD8ABFA 5C E Elpida E5108AB 5C E Transcend 512MB ECC Micron 6ND22D9GCT ECC ADATA M20AD2G3H316611B52 ADATA AD29608A8A 37DG20719 Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 11 DDR2 667 MHz capability Kingston KVR667D2N5 2G Micron DIMM support A B oy 7RE22 D9HNL Samsung M378T6553CZ3 CE6 Samsung K4T51083QC ZCE6 Qimonda HYS64T256020EU 3S B Qimonda HTB18T1G800BF 3S3VV10907 Corsair VS1GB667D2 Corsair MID095D62864M8CEC HY HYMP512U72AP8 Y5 Hynix HY5PS12821AFP Y5 ECC HY HYMP512U64CP8 Y5 AB Hynix HY5PS12521CFP Y5 Kingmax KLCC28F A8KB5 Kingmax KKEA88B4LAUG 29DX Apacer AU512E667C5KBGC Apacer AM4B5708MIJS7E0627B Apacer AU01GE667C5KBGC Apacer AM4B5708MIJS7E0627B ADATA M20AD5G3H316611C52 ADATA AD29608A8A 3EG20648 ADATA M20AD5G3H316611C52 ADATA AD29608A8A 3EG20718 VDATA M2GVD5G3H31A4I1C52 VDATA VD29608A8A 3EC20615 VDATA M2GVD5G3M1C4I1C52 VDATA VD29608A8A 3EC20620 PSC AL7E8E63B 6E1K PSC A3R12E3GEF637BLC5N PSC AL7E8F73C 6E1 PSC A3R1GE3CFF734MAAOJ Nanya NT512T64U88A1BY 3C Nanya NT5TU64MBAE 3C Kingtiger E0736001024667 Qualifie
27. CM 4 Atthe prompt key in afudos i filename where filename is the latest or the original BIOS file in the bootable floppy disk A gt afudos iM3N78CM ROM then press lt Enter gt Do not shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS to prevent system boot s failure 5 The utility returns to the DOS prompt after the BIOS update process is completed Reboot the system from the hard disk drive A gt afudos iM3N78CM ROM AMI Firmware Update Utility Version 1 19 ASUS V2 07 03 11 24BB Copyright C 2002 American Megatrends Inc All rights reserved WARNING Do not turn off power during flash BIOS Reading file Reading flash Advance Check Erasing flash Writing flash Verifying flash Please restart your computer A gt 2 1 5 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility The ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 is an auto recovery tool that allows you to restore the BIOS file when it fails or gets corrupted during the updating process You can update a corrupted BIOS file using the motherboard support DVD a floppy disk or a USB flash disk that contains the updated BIOS file R Prepare the motherboard support DVD the floppy disk or the USB flash disk containing the updated motherboard BIOS before using this utility For the M3N78 CM motherboard this utility will not function when you use a PATA optical drive Always connect the SATA cable to the SATA1 SATA 2 connector otherwise the utility will not function
28. Connector 3 Digital audio connector 4 1 pin SPDIF OUT This connector is for an additional Sony Philips Digital Interface S PDIF port s Connect the S PDIF module cable to this connector then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis oo LNOAIddS ON AS d SPDIF OUT M3N78 CM Digital Audio Connector Z The S PDIF module is purchased separately Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 19 4 IDE connector 40 1 pin PRI IDE The onboard IDE connector is for 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 the blue connector to the motherboard s IDE connector then select one of the following modes to configure your device s Drive jumper setting Mode of device s Cable connector Single device Cable Select or Master Black Master Black Cable Select Slave Gray Two devices Master Master Black or gray Slave Slave ff Pin 20 on the IDE connector is removed to match the covered hole on the Ultra DMA Z cable connector This prevents incorrect insertion when you connect the IDE cable Usethe 80 conductor IDE cable for Ultra DMA 133 100 66 IDE devices A If any device jumper is set as Cable Select ensure that all other
29. DILOGJOUION Y oO m c D E4309 Second Edition V2 November 2008 Copyright 2008 ASUSTeK 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 the express written permission of ASUSTeK Computer Inc ASUS Product warranty or service will not be extended if 1 the product is repaired modified or altered unless such repair modification of alteration is authorized in writing by ASUS or 2 the serial number of the product is defaced or missing ASUS PROVIDES THIS MANUAL AS IS WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE IN NO EVENT SHALL ASUS ITS DIRECTORS OFFICERS EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT SPECIAL INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS LOSS OF BUSINESS LOSS OF USE OR DATA INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS AND THE LIKE EVEN IF ASUS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES ARISING FROM ANY DEFECT OR ERROR IN THIS MANUAL OR PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS AND INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL ARE FURNISHED FOR INFORMATIONAL USE ONLY AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHA
30. Device if your device is either a ZIP LS 120 or MO drive Configuration options Not Installed Auto CDROM ARMD Q This item does not appear when you select SATA1 SATA2 SATA3 SATA4 devices ASUS M3N78 CM LBA Large Mode Auto Enables or disables the LBA mode Setting to Auto enables the LBA mode if the device supports this mode and if the device was not previously formatted with LBA mode disabled Configuration options Disabled Auto Block Multi Sector Transfer M Auto Enables or disables data multi sectors transfers When set to Auto the data transfer from and to the device occurs multiple sectors at a time if the device supports multi sector transfer feature When set to Disabled the data transfer from and to the device occurs one sector at a time Configuration options Disabled Auto PIO Mode Auto Selects the PIO mode Configuration options Auto 0 1 2 3 4 DMA Mode Auto Selects the DMA mode Configuration options Auto SMART Monitoring Auto Sets the Smart Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology Configuration options Auto Disabled Enabled 32Bit Data Transfer Enabled Enables or disables 32 bit data transfer Configuration options Disabled Enabled 2 3 5 Storage Configuration The Storage Configuration menu allows you to configure your storage device s Select an item then press Enter to display the sub menu Onboard PCI IDE Controller Enabled Al
31. I I 13 Serial port This 9 pin COM1 port is for pointing devices or other serial devices 14 USB 2 0 ports 5 and 6 These two 4 pin Universal Serial Bus USB ports are available for connecting USB 2 0 devices 1 10 2 Internal connectors 1 Floppy disk drive connector 34 1 pin FLOPPY This connector is for a Floppy 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 ofthe floppy disk drive VA Pin 5 on the connector is removed to prevent incorrect cable connection when using an fe FDD cable with a covered Pin 5 The Floppy Disk Drive singal cable is purchased separately d H us 1 FLOPPY Leid nan T pom PIN1 Tm mm NOTE Orient the red markings on Des the floppy ribbon cable to PIN 1 M3N78 CM Floppy Disk Drive Connector ASUS M3N78 CM 2 LPT connector 26 1pin LPT The LPT Line Printing Terminal connector supports devices such as a printer LPT standardizes as IEEE 1394 which is the parallel port interface on IBM PC compatible computers j S Sul jum Com M3N78 CM Parallel Port
32. NGE AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY ASUS ASUS ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS OR INACCURACIES THAT MAY APPEAR IN THIS MANUAL INCLUDING THE PRODUCTS AND SOFTWARE DESCRIBED IN IT Products and corporate names appearing in this manual may or may not be registered trademarks or copyrights of their respective companies and are used only for identification or explanation and to the owners benefit without intent to infringe Contents NOT CeS EET i Safety information About this guide cim eina iki sia cta s ua cans ii M3N78 CM specifications summary Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 4 1 5 1 6 1 7 1 8 1 9 1 10 Welcome eese rre init nenen nnn 1 1 Package content momo Special features Lemak aa 1 3 1 Product highlights see 1 3 2 Innovative ASUS features AEN Before you proceed eene nnns Motherboard Overview oom 1 5 1 Placement direction se 1 5 2 Screw holes ENNEN 1 5 3 Motherboard Jovout EEN 1 5 4 Layout contents Central Processing Unit CPU o o oo o oom 1 6 1 Installing the CDU 1 6 2 Installing the heatsink and fan System memory in aa ak amalan 1 7 1 o I s eege 17 2 Memory eopfouratons 1 7 8 Installing a DIMM sse 1 444 Removing a DIMM sss Expansion slots 1 8 1
33. 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 throw the mercury containing button cell battery in municipal waste This symbol of the crossed out wheeled bin indicates that the battery should not be placed in municipal waste Safety information Electrical safety To 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 all power cables from the existing system before you add a device Before connecting or removing signal cables from the motherboard ensure that all power cables are unplugged Seek professional assistance before using an adapter or extension cord These devices could interrupt the grounding circuit Ensure that your power supply is set to the correct voltage in your area If you are not sure about the voltage of the electrical outlet you are using contact your local power company If the power supply is broken do not try to fix it by yourself Contact a qualified service technician or your retaile
34. _A2 Channel B DIMM_B1 and DIMM_B2 1 10 ASUS M3N78 CM 1 7 2 Memory configurations You may install 256 MB 512 MB 1 GB and 2 GB unbuffered ECC non ECC DDR2 DIMMs into the DIMM sockets Recommended memory configurations Sockets Populated Single Channel Populated Dual channel 1 Populated Populated Dual channel 2 Populated Populated Populated Populated A You 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 configuration Any excess memory from the higher sized channel is then mapped for single channel operation Always install DIMMs with the same CAS latency For optimum compatibility we recommend that you obtain memory modules from the same vendor Due to the memory address limitation on 32 bit Windows OS when you install 4GB or more memory on the motherboard the actual usable memory for the OS can be about 3GB or less For effective use of memory we recommend that you install a 64 bit Windows OS when having 4GB or more memory installed on the motherboard f The motherboard can support 8 GB physical memory on the operating system listed below m You may install a maximum of 2 GB DIMMs on each slot 64 bit Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Windows Vista x64 Edition Qualified Vendors Lists QVL DDR2 533 MHz capability Vendor Component DIMM support A EN Cc Kingston KVR533D2N4 5
35. amage to the components H when trying to complete a task A IMPORTANT Instructions that you MUST follow to complete a task fe NOTE Tips and additional information to help you complete a task Where to find more information Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product and software updates 1 ASUS websites The ASUS website provides updated information on ASUS hardware and software products Refer to the ASUS contact information 2 Optional documentation Your product package may include optional documentation such as warranty flyers that may have been added by your dealer These documents are not part of the standard package Typography Bold text Italics Key lt Key1 gt lt Key2 gt lt Key3 gt Command viii Indicates a menu or an item to select Used to emphasize a word or a phrase Keys enclosed in the less than and greater than sign means that you must press the enclosed key Example lt Enter gt means that you must press the Enter or Return key If you must press two or more keys simultaneously the key names are linked with a plus sign Example lt Ctrl gt lt Alt lt D gt Means that you must type the command exactly as shown then supply the required item or value enclosed in brackets Example At the DOS prompt type the command line afudos i filename afudos iM3N78CM ROM M3N78 CM specifications summary Chipset System bus Memory
36. ations per minute RPM If the fan is not connected to the motherboard the field shows N A Select Ignored if you do not wish to display the detected speed Chassis Power Fan Speed xxxxRPM or N A or Ignored The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the chassis power fan speed in rotations per minute RPM If the fan is not connected to the chassis the specific field shows N A Select Ignored if you do not wish to display the detected speed VCORE Voltage 3 3V Voltage 5V Voltage 12V Voltage The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the voltage output through the onboard voltage regulators Smart Q Fan Function Disabled Allows you to enable or disable the ASUS Q Fan feature that smartly adjusts the fan speeds for more efficient system operation Configuration options Disabled Enabled 2 20 ASUS M3N78 CM 2 6 Boot menu The Boot menu items allow you to change the system boot options Select an item then press lt Enter gt to display the sub menu BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main Advanced Tools Exit Boot Settings Specifies the Boot Device Priority gt sequence A virtual floppy disk drive Floppy Drive B may appear when you set the CD ROM drive as the first boot device gt Boot Settings Configuration gt Security Select Screen t Select Item Enter Go to Sub Screen General Help Save and Exit v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 American Megatrends Inc 2 6 1 Boot Device P
37. ced system settings Power For changing the advanced power management APM configuration Boot For changing the system boot configuration Tools For changing the system tools configuration Exit For selecting the exit options and loading default settings To select an item on the menu bar press the right or left arrow key on the keyboard until the desired item is highlighted fo The BIOS setup screens shown in this chapter are for reference purposes only and may not exactly match what you see on your screen Visit the ASUS website at www asus com to download the latest BIOS information ASUS M3N78 CM 2 2 3 Navigation keys At the bottom right corner of a menu screen are the navigation keys for that particular menu Use the navigation keys to select items in the menu and change the settings fo Some of the navigation keys differ from one screen to another 2 2 4 Menu items The highlighted item on the menu bar displays the specific items for that menu For example selecting Main shows the Main menu items The other items Advanced Power Boot Tools and Exit on the menu bar have their respective menu items 2 2 5 Sub menu items A solid triangle before each item on any menu screen means that the iteam has a sub menu To display the sub menu select the item and press lt Enter gt 2 2 6 Configuration fields These fields show the values for the menu items If an item is user configurable you can change the value of th
38. d Vendors Lists QVL DDR2 800 MHz capability Vendor Kingston KHX6400D2LL 1G Kingtiger Kingston KTG667PS6408NST C6 GDBTX Component DIMM support A Be Ct Heat Sink Package Samsung KR M378T2953CZ3 CE7 Samsung K4T510830C ZCE7 Samsung KR M391T2953CZ3 CE7 Qimonda HYS64T64000EU 2 5 B2 Samsung Qimonda K4T51083QC ZCE7 ECC HYB18T512800B2F25FSS28380 Micron MT18HTF12872AY 80ED4 Micron 6TD22D9GKX ECC Corsair XMS2 6400 Corsair Heat Sink Package HY HYMP512U64AP8 S6 AA Hynix HY5PS12821AFP S6 78 A1GA0 9K4 Apacer AM4B5808CQJS8E0740E M20AD6G3H316011E58 ADATA AD29608A8A 25EG80720 M2GVD6G31417011E53 VDATA VD29608A8A 25EG30647 AL7E8F73C 8E1 PSC A3R1GE3CFF734MAAOE ASUS M3N78 CM DDR2 1066 MHz capability Vendor Component DIMM support A Be Ct Kingston KHX8500D2 512 Kingston Heat Sink Package Kingston KHX8500D2K2 1GN Kingston Heat Sink Package Kingston KHX8500D2K2 2GN Kingston Heat Sink Package Qimonda HYS64T128020EU 19F C Qimonda HYB18T512800CF19FFSS24313 Corsair CM2X1024 8500C5 Corsair Heat Sink Package Corsair CM2X1024 8500C5D Corsair Heat Sink Package ADATA M2OMIDG3H3160INC5Z ADATA Heat Sink Package ADATA M2OMIDG314720INC5Z ADATA Heat Sink Package ocz OCZ2N10662GK ocz Heat Sink Package GEIL M016E2864T2AGXAKT7G330520 5 Micron 7KD22D9GMH LN SS Single sided DS Double
39. e field opposite the item You cannot select an item that is not user configurable A configurable field is enclosed in brackets and is highlighted when selected To change the value of a field select it then press Enter to display a list of options Refer to 2 2 8 Pop up window 2 2 7 General help At the top right corner of the menu screen is a brief description of the selected item 2 2 8 Pop up window Select a menu item then press ETOS PO Y Main Advanced Boot Tools Exit Use ENTER TAB or Enter to display a pop up window se See DE E with the configuration options for that xs consiusation Soe item E 2 2 9 Scroll bar muet fee ue Select Field A scroll bar appears on the right side General Help Save and Exit of a menu screen when there are items that do not fit on the screen Press the Up Down arrow keys or Page Scroll bar Up Page Down keys to display the other items on the screen Pop up window Chapter 2 BIOS setup 2 9 2 10 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 fo Refer to section 2 2 1 BIOS menu screen for information on the menu screen items and Ge how to navigate through them BIOS SETUP UTILITY Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit Use ENTER TAB Ren or SHIFT TAB to System Date Wed 08 27 2008 select a field Legacy Diskette A 1
40. e 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 in DOS mode using a floppy disk or a USB flash disk ASUS AFUDOS Updates the BIOS in DOS mode using a bootable floppy disk ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 Updates the BIOS using a bootable floppy disk a USB flash disk or the motherboard support DVD when the BIOS file fails or gets corrupted Refer to the corresponding sections for details on these utilities Save a copy of the original motherboard BIOS file to a bootable floppy disk or a USB flash disk in case you need to restore the BIOS in the future Copy the original motherboard BIOS using the ASUS Update or AFUDOS utilities 2 1 1 ASUS Update utility The ASUS Update is a utility that allows you to manage save and update the motherboard BIOS in Windows environment The ASUS Update utility allows you to Save the current BIOS file Download the latest BIOS file from the Internet e Update the BIOS from an updated BIOS file e Update the BIOS directly from the Internet and View the BIOS version information This utility is available in the support DVD that comes with the motherboard package ASUS Update requires an Internet connection either through a network or an Internet Service Provider ISP A Installing ASUS Update To install ASUS Update 1 Plac
41. e latest BIOS file for this motherboard Save the BIOS file to a floppy disk or a USB flash disk then restart the system You can launch the EZ Flash 2 in two ways 1 Insert the floppy disk USB flash disk that contains the BIOS file to the floppy disk drive or the USB port Press Alt F2 during POST to display the following ASUSTek EZ Flash 2 BIOS ROM Utility V3 06 FLASH TYPE MEZGN2SESODS BOARD MSNZBSCNI BOARD Pkw VER PHON VER Maknown DATE 09 02 2008 DATE Unknown PATH PRS JL pup i Select or Load Tab Switch V Drive Info pup i Move B Backup ESC Exit 2 Enter BIOS setup program Go to the Tools menu to select EZ Flash 2 and press Enter to enable it You can switch between drives by pressing Tab before the correct file is found Then press Enter When the correct BIOS file is found EZ Flash 2 performs the BIOS update process and automatically reboots the system when done i 1 This function can support devices such as USB flash disk or floppy disk with FAT 32 16 format and single partition only Do not shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS to prevent system boot failure Chapter 2 BIOS setup 2 3 2 1 4 AFUDOS utility The AFUDOS utility allows you to update the BIOS file in DOS environment using a bootable floppy disk with the updated BIOS file This utility also allows you to copy the current BIOS file that you can use as backup when the BIOS
42. e the support DVD in the optical drive The Drivers menu appears 2 Click the Utilities tab then click Install ASUS Update 3 The ASUS Update utility is copied to your system ff Quit all Windows applications before you update the BIOS using this utility Chapter 2 BIOS setup 2 1 2 2 Updating the BIOS through the Internet To update the BIOS through the Internet 1 Launch the ASUS Update utility from the Windows desktop by clicking Start gt Programs gt ASUS gt ASUSUpdate gt ASUSUpdate 2 Select Update BIOS from the Internet from the drop down menu then click Next 3 Select the ASUS FTP site nearest you to avoid network traffic or click Auto Select then click Next 4 From the FTP site select the BIOS version that you wish to download then click Next 5 Follow the screen instructions to complete the update process ff The ASUS Update utility is capable of updating itself through the Internet Always update Ge the utility to avail all its features Updating the BIOS through a BIOS file To update the BIOS through a BIOS file 1 Launch the ASUS Update utility from the Windows desktop by clicking Start gt Programs gt ASUS gt ASUSUpdate gt ASUSUpdate 2 Select Update BIOS from a file from the drop down menu then click Next 3 Locate the BIOS file from the Open window then click Open 4 Follow the screen instructions to complete the update process 2 1 2 Creating a bootable floppy disk
43. es The menu includes setting IRQ and DMA channel resources for either PCI PnP or legacy ISA devices and setting the memory size block for legacy ISA devices Take caution when changing the settings of the PCI PnP menu items Incorrect field values can cause the system to malfunction Plug and Play O S No When set to No BIOS configures all the devices in the system When set to Yes and if you install a Plug and Play operating system the operating system configures the Plug and Play devices not required for boot Configuration options No Yes Chapter 2 BIOS setup 2 17 PCI Latency Timer 64 Allows you to select the value in units of PCI clocks for the PCI device latency timer register Configuration options 32 64 96 128 160 192 224 248 Allocate IRQ to PCI VGA Yes When set to Yes BIOS assigns an IRQ to PCI VGA card if the card requests for an IRQ When set to No BIOS does not assign an IRQ to the PCI VGA card even if requested Configuration options Yes No Palette Snooping Disabled When set to Enabled the palette snooping feature informs the PCI devices that an ISA graphics device is installed in the system so that the latter can function correctly Configuration options Disabled Enabled IRQ xx assigned to PCI Device When set to PCI Device the specific IRQ is free for use of PCI PnP devices When set to Reserved the IRQ is reserved for legacy ISA devices Config
44. files with optimal parameters for stability when overclocking PP The following item appears only when the CPU Overclocking item is set to Manual CPU Frequency MHz 200 Allows you to enter an integer value to over clock for CPU Configuration options Min 200 Max 400 P The following item appears only when the CPU Overclocking item is set to Overclock ion Profile Overcloking Options Auto Allows you to set the overclocking options Configuration options Auto Overclock 3 Overclock 5 Overclock 7 Test Mode ASUS M3N78 CM GPU OverClocking Auto Allows selection of GPU overclocking options to achieve desired GPU frequency Select either one of the preset overclocking configuration options Auto allows you to set overclocking parameters automatically Manual allows you to individually set overclocking parameters A The following two items appear only when the GPU Overclocking item is set to Manual GPU Frequency 500 Allows you to enter an integer value from 500MHz to 999MHz to over clock for GPU Configuration options Min 500 Max 999 Shader Frequency 1200 Allows you to enter an integer value from 1000MHz to 2000MHz to over clock for shader Configuration options Min 1000 Max 2000 PCIE Overclocking Auto Allows selection of PCIE overclocking options to achieve desired PCIE frequency Select either one of the preset overclocking configuration options Aut
45. he Setup program you can change the configuration of your computer in the future For example you can enable the security password feature or change the power management settings This requires you to reconfigure your system using the BIOS Setup program so that the computer can recognize these changes and record them in the CMOS RAM of the SPI chip The SPI chip on the motherboard stores the Setup utility When you start up the computer the system provides you with the opportunity to run this program Press lt Del gt during the Power On Self Test POST to enter the Setup utility otherwise POST continues with its test routines If you wish to enter Setup after POST reboot the system by doing any of the following procedures Restart using the OS standard shut down procedure Press lt Ctrl gt lt Alt gt lt Del gt simultaneously Press the reset button on the system chassis Press the power button to turn the system off then back on Using the power button reset button or the lt Ctrl gt lt Alt gt lt Del gt keys to force reset from a running operating system can cause damage to your data or system We recommend to always shut down the system properly from the operating system The Setup program is designed to make it as easy to use as possible Being a menu driven program it lets you scroll through the various sub menus and make your selections from the available options using the navigation keys A The default BIOS
46. he system displays the message Press DEL to run Setup during POST Configuration options Disabled Enabled Interrupt 19 Capture Disabled When set to Enabled this function allows the option ROMs to trap Interrupt 19 Configuration options Disabled Enabled 2 6 3 Security The Security menu items allow you to change the system security settings Select an item then press Enter to display the configuration options 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 To set a Supervisor Password 1 Selectthe Change Supervisor Password item and press Enter 2 From the password box type a password composed of at least six letters and or numbers then press lt Enter gt 3 Confirm the password when prompted The message Password Installed appears after you successfully set your password To change the supervisor password follow the same steps as in setting a supervisor password To clear the supervisor password select the Change Supervisor Password then press Enter The message Password Uninstalled appears A If you forget your BIOS password you can clear it by erasing the CMOS Real Time Clock RTC RAM See section 1 9 Jumpers for information on how to erase the RTC RAM After you have set a supervisor password the other i
47. hen setting this item to Reset the user data is cleared the next time you enter the Express Gate User data includes the Express Gate s settings as well as any personal information stored by the web browser such as bookmarks cookies or browsing history This is useful in the rare case where corrupt settings prevent the Express Gate environment from launching properly IA The first time wizard runs again when you enter the Express Gate environment after clearing its settings When changing any of the Express Gate settings ensure to save the settings to the BIOS 2 7 3 AI NET 2 Check Realtek Phy LAN cable Disabled Enables or disables checking of the Realtek Phy LAN cable during the Power On Self Test POST Configuration options Disabled Enabled ASUS M3N78 CM 2 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 BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit Options Exit system setup after saving the changes Exit amp Discard Changes Si Discard Changes F10 key can be used for this operation Load Setup Defaults P Pressing Esc does not immediately exit this menu Select one of the options from this menu or lt F10 gt from the legend bar to exit Exit amp Save Changes Once you are finished making your selections choose this option from the Exit menu to ensure the
48. herboard 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 1 5 2 Screw holes Place eight 8 screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the motherboard to the chassis AN Do not overtighten the screws Doing so can damage the motherboard Place this side towards the rear of the chassis Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 5 1 6 1 5 3 Motherboard layout o 20 8cm 8 2in 64 bit 240 pin module 64 bit 240 pin module 64 bit 240 pin module 64 bit 240 pin module DDR2 DIMM B1 DDR2 DIMM A2 DDR2 DIMM B2 DDR2 DIMM A1 CLRTC Gl les c ca LG a CLI x E E Elo e ui UG CH CI 5 DO E Saras SATAS UO KB USB56 On CPUFAN I ATXI2V z o o d H lt x a EI amp 9 5 Oo S 9 H USB34 z amp 5 5 LAN1_USB12 z SS 2 PCIEX1 1 m 8211CL PCIEX16 M3N78 CM PCH Super 1 0 va PCI2 e Eller OUT FLOPPY Eze ntn Ze ss ron GEE
49. lows you to enable or disable the onboard PCI IDE controller Configuration options Enabled Disabled OnChip S ATA Controller Enabled Allows you to disable or set the OnChip S ATA devices Configuration options Enabled Disabled SATA Mode select SATA Mode Allows you to select the SATA Mode Configuration options SATA Mode RAID Mode AHCI Mode 2 3 6 System Information This menu gives you an overview of the general system specifications The BIOS automatically detects the items in this menu AMI BIOS Displays the auto detected BIOS information Processor Displays the auto detected CPU specification System Memory Displays the auto detected system memory Chapter 2 BIOS setup 2 11 2 12 2 4 Advanced menu The Advanced menu items allow you to change the settings for the CPU and other system devices AN Take caution when changing the settings of the Advanced menu items Incorrect field ce values can cause the system to malfunction BIOS SETUP UTILITY Power Boot Tools Exit nfiguration v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 American Megatrends Inc 2 4 1 JumperFree Configuration CPU Overclocking Auto Allows selection of CPU overclocking options to achieve desired CPU internal frequency Select either one of the preset overclocking Manual Allows you to individually set overclocking parameters Auto Loads the optimal settings for the system Overclock Profile Loads overclocking pro
50. nable ASUS M3N78 CM iGPU Frame Buffer Size 128 MB Allows you to set the iGPU Frame Buffer Size Configuration options 32 MB 64 MB 128 MB 256 MB PCIE 2 0 Support Auto Allows you to enable or disable the PCIE 2 0 support Configuration options Disabled Auto AZALIA Audio External codec Allows you to set HD Audio mode Configuration options Disabled External codec Front Panel Select HD Audio Allows you to set HD Audio mode Configuration options AC97 HD Audio Onboard LAN Enabled Allows you to set or disable the Onboard LAN Configuration options Enabled Disabled OnBoard LAN Boot ROM Disabled Allows you to enable or disable the OnBoard LAN Boot ROM Configuration options Enabled Disabled SouthBridge ACPI HPET TABLE Enabled Allows you to enable or disable SouthBridge ACPI HPET TABLE Configuration options Disabled Enabled 2 4 4 Onboard Devices Configuration Serial Port1 Address 3F8 IRQ4 Allows you to select the Serial Port base address Configuration options Disabled 3F8 IRQ4 2F8 IRQ3 SE8 IRQ4 2E8 IRQ3 Parallel Port Address 378 Allows you to select the Parallel Port base addresses Configuration options Disabled 378 278 3BC Parallel Port Mode Normal Allows you to select the Parallel Port mode Configuration options Normal EPP ECP EPP ECP 2 4 5 PCI PnP The PCI PnP menu items allow you to change the advanced settings for PCI PnP devic
51. ng different DRAMs Configuration options Auto 0 CLK 1 CLK 2 CLK 3 CLK tWTR Auto Allows you to specify the write to read delay when accessing the same DRAM Configuration options 1 CLK 2 CLK 3 CLK Auto ASUS M3N78 CM tWRWR Auto Allows you to specify the Twrwr time Configuration options Auto 0 CLK 1 CLK 2 CLK 3 CLK tRDRD Auto Allows you to specify the Trdrd time Configuration options Auto 2 CLK 3 CLK 4 CLK 5 CLk tRFCO 1 2 3 Auto Allows you to specify the Trfc0 1 2 3 time Configuration options Auto 75ns 105ns 127 5ns 195ns 327 5ns Memory Over Voltage Auto Allows you to set the Memory Over Voltage Use to adjust the voltage The increment is 0 00625V The standard value is 1 85000V Configuration options Auto Min 1 850000V Max 2 24375V Chipset Voltage Chipset Voltage Auto Allows you to set the Chipset Voltage Configuration options Auto 50mv 100mv 150mv 2 4 2 CPU Configuration GART Error Reporting Disabled This option should remain disabled for the normal operation The driver developer may enable it for testing purpose Configuration options Disabled Enabled Microcode Updation Enabled Allows you to enable or disable the microcode updation Configuration options Disabled Enabled Secure Virtual Machine Mode Enabled Allows you to enable or disable the AMD Secure Virtual Machine mode Configuration options
52. ng for DVD ROM DVD ROM found Reading file M3N78CM ROM Completed Start flashing Restart the system after the utility completes the updating process Z The recovered BIOS may not be the latest BIOS version for this motherboard Visit the ASUS website www asus com to download the latest BIOS file Recovering the BIOS from a USB flash disk To recover the BIOS from a USB flash disk 1 2 3 Insert a USB flash disk that contains BIOS file to the USB port Turn on the system The utility will automatically checks the devices for the BIOS file When found the utility reads the BIOS file and starts flashing the corrupted BIOS file ASUS M3N78 CM 4 Restart the system after the utility completes the updating process Only the USB flash disk with FAT 32 16 format and single partition can support ASUS H CrashFree BIOS 3 The device size should be smaller than 8GB DO NOT shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS Doing so can cause system boot failure 2 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 2 1 Managing and updating your BIOS Use the BIOS Setup program when you are installing a motherboard reconfiguring your system or prompted to Run Setup This section explains how to configure your system using this utility Even if you are not prompted to use t
53. o allows you to set overclocking parameters automatically Manual allows you to individually set overclocking parameters fo The following item appears only when the PCIE Overclocking item is set to Manual CPU Ratio and Voltage Processor Frequency Multiplier Auto Allows you to select the processor frequency multiplier Configuration options Auto x4 0 800MHZ x5 0 1000MHz x6 0 1200MHz x7 0 1400MHZz x8 0 1600MHz x9 0 1800MHz Processor Voltage Auto Allows you to select the processor voltage Configuration options Auto 50mv 100mv 150mv Processor NB Voltage Auto Allows you to select the processor NB voltage Configuration options Auto 50mv 100mv 150mv Hyper Transport Configuration Hyper Transport Speed Auto Allows you to select the Hyper Transport speed Configuration options 200 MHz 400 MHz 600 MHz B00 MHz 1 GHz Auto Hyper Transport Width 16 4 16 4 Allows you to select the Hyper Transport width Configuration options 8 8 4 16 16 4 Chapter 2 BIOS setup 2 13 2 14 Memory Timing and Voltage Memory Clock Mode Auto Allows you to select the Memory Clock mode Configuration options Auto Manual fo The following item appears only when the Memory Clock Mode item is set to Manual Memclock Value 266 MHz Allows you to select the memclock value Configuration options 266 MHz 333MHz 400 MHz 533 MHz DRAM Timing Mode Aut
54. o Allows you to set the DRAM timing mode Configuration options Auto DCT 0 P The following items appear only when the DRAM Timing Mode item is set to DCT 0 CAS Latency Auto Allows you to set CAS latency Configuration options Auto 3 CLK 4 CLK 5 CLK 6 CLK 7 CLK DH Only TRCD Auto Allows you to set TRCD Configuration options 3 CLK 4 CLK 5 CLK 6 CLK Auto TRP Auto Allows you to set TRP Configuration options 3 CLK 4 CLK 5 CLK 6 CLK Auto tRTP Auto Allows you to specify the read CAS to percharge time Configuration options Auto 2 4 CLK 8 5 CLK TRAS Auto Allows you to set TRAS Configuration options 5 CLK 6 CLK 7 CLK 8 CLK 9 CLK 10 CLK 11 CLK 12 CLK 13 CLK 14 CLK 15 CLK 16 CLK 17 CLK 18 CLK Auto TRC Auto Allows you to set TRC Configuration options 11 CLK 12 CLK 13 CLK 14 CLK 15 CLK 16 CLK 17 CLK 18 CLK 19 CLK 20 CLK 21 CLK 22CLK 23 CLK 24 CLK 25 CLK 26 CLK Auto tWR Auto Allows you to specify when the last write is registered by the DRAM Configuration options Auto 3 CLK 4 CLK 5 CLK 6 CLK TRAD Auto Allows you to set TRRD Configuration options 2 CLK 3 CLK 4 CLK 5 CLK Auto tRWTTO Auto Allows you to set tRWTTO Configuration options Auto 2 CLK 3 CLK 4 CLK 5 CLK 6 CLK 7 CLK 8 CLK 9 CLK tWRRD Auto Allows you to specify the write to read delay when accessi
55. on 1 3 ek ED Green ASUS Rd 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 health while minimizing the impact on the environment C P R CPU Parameter Recall Qus The C P R feature of the motherboard BIOS allows automatic re setting to the BIOS default settings in case the system hangs due to overclocking When the system hangs due to overclocking 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 default setting for each parameter Express Gate Ezz Taking only 5 seconds to go online from bootup Express Gate is the one stop gateway to instant fun It s a unique motherboard built in OS You can utilize the most popular Instant Messengers IM like MSN Skype Google talk QQ and Yahoo Messenger to keep in touch with friends or quickly check on the weather and e mails just before leaving your house What s more the user friendly picture manager lets you view your pictures without entering Windows at anytime PF The actual boot time depends on the system configuration ASUS Express Gate supports file uploading from SATA HDDs ODDs and USB drive and downloading to USB drives only 1 4 Before you proceed Take
56. or MicroATX 9 6 in x 9 6 in 24 4 cm x 24 4 cm Support DVD Device drivers Express Gate ASUS PC Probe II ASUS Update utility Anti virus software OEM version Specifications are subject to change without notice Product introduction 1 1 Welcome Thank you for buying an ASUS M3N78 CM 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 the list below 1 2 Package contents Check your motherboard package for the following items Motherboard ASUS M3N78 CM motherboard Cables 2 x Serial ATA cables 2 x power cables 1 x Ultra DMA 133 100 cable 1x Floppy disk drive cable Accessories 1 x I O shield Application DVD ASUS motherboard support DVD Documentation User guide L4 If any of the above items is damaged or missing contact your retailer 1 3 Special features 1 3 1 Product highlights AMD socket AM24 Phenom FX Phenom The motherboard supports AMD socket AM2 multi core processors It features dual channel DDR2 1066 memory support and accelerates data transfer rate up to 5200 MT s via HyperTransport 3 0 based system bus See page 1 7 for details AMD socket AM2 Athlon 64 7 Athlon 64 X2 Athlon 64 FX Sempron amp SCH The motherboard supports AMD socket AM2 Athlon 64
57. orce 2 Remove the DIMM from the socket 1 14 ASUS M3N78 CM 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 Ensure to 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 To install an expansion card 1 Before installing the expansion card read the documentation that came with it and make the necessary hardware settings for the card 2 Remove the system unit cover if your motherboard is already installed in a chassis 3 Remove the bracket opposite the slot that you intend to use Keep the screw for later use 4 Align the card connector with the slot and press firmly until the card is completely seated on the slot 5 Secure the card to the chassis with the screw you removed earlier 6 Replace the system cover 1 8 2 Configuring an expansion card After installing the expansion card configure it by adjusting the software settings 1 Turnon the system and change the necessary BIOS settings if any See Chapter 2 for information on BIOS setup 2 Assign an IRQ to the card 3 Install the software drivers for the expansion card the cards do not need IRQ assignments Otherwise conflicts will arise between the two PCI groups making the system unstable and the card
58. r Operation safety Before installing the motherboard and adding devices on it carefully read all the manuals that came with the package Before using the product ensure that all cables are correctly connected and the power cables are not damaged If you detect any damage contact your dealer immediately To avoid short circuits keep paper clips screws and staples away from connectors slots sockets and circuitry Avoid dust humidity and temperature extremes Do not place the product in any area where it may become wet Place the product on a stable surface If you encounter technical problems with the product contact a qualified service technician or your retailer About this guide This user guide contains the information you need when installing and configuring the motherboard How this guide is organized This guide contains the following parts Chapter 1 Product introduction This chapter describes the features of the motherboard and the new technology it supports Chapter 2 BIOS setup This chapter tells how to change system settings through the BIOS Setup menus Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided vii Conventions used in this guide To ensure that you perform certain tasks properly take note of the following symbols used throughout this manual DANGER WARNING Information to prevent injury to yourself when trying to complete a task CAUTION Information to prevent d
59. raphics cards when combined with this series motherboard GPUs HybridPower unleashed graphics performance when needed and enabled discrete GeForce GPU s to the motherboard GPU for a quiet low power PC experience fo Visit the ASUS website www asus com to download the lastest Hybrid SLI driver after NVIDIA get the Hybrid SLI function prepared PCI Express 2 0 support E555 The motherboard supports the latest PCI Express 2 0 devices for double speed and bandwidth which enhances system performance See page 1 15 for details 1 3 2 Innovative ASUS features ASUS MyLogo2 f Turn your favorite photos into 256 color boot logos to personalize your system See page 2 21 for details SS ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 zs The ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 allows users to restore corrupted BIOS data from a USB flash disk containing the BIOS file This utility saves users the cost and hassle of buying a replacement BIOS chip See page 2 5 for details son ASUS EZ Flash 2 Ms EZ Flash 2 is a user friendly BIOS update utility Simply launch this tool and update BIOS from a USB flash disk before entering the OS You can update your BIOS only in a few clicks without preparing an additional floppy diskette or using an OS based flash utility See page 2 3 for details ASUS Q Fan RES ASUS Q Fan technology intelligently adjusts CPU fan speeds according to system loading to ensure quiet cool and efficient operation Chapter 1 Product introducti
60. riority 1st xxth Boot Device These items specify the boot device priority sequence from the available devices The number of device items that appears on the screen depends on the number of devices installed in the system Configuration options 1st FLOPPY DRIVE Hard Drive ATAPI CD ROM Disabled 2 6 2 Boot Settings Configuration 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 Configuration options Disabled Enabled Full Screen Logo Enabled This allows you to enable or disable the full screen logo display feature Configuration options Disabled Enabled fo Set this item to Enabled to use the ASUS MyLogo 2 feature AddOn ROM Display Mode Force BIOS Sets the display mode for option ROM Configuration options Force BIOS Keep Current Bootup Num Lock On Allows you to select the power on state for the NumLock Configuration options Off On PS 2 Mouse Support Auto Allows you to enable or disable support for PS 2 mouse Configuration options Disabled Enabled Auto Chapter 2 BIOS setup 2 21 2 22 Wait for F1 If Error Enabled When set to Enabled the system waits for the F1 key to be pressed when error occurs Configuration options Disabled Enabled Hit DEL Message Display Enabled When set to Enabled t
61. settings for this motherboard apply for most conditions to ensure optimum performance If the system becomes unstable after changing any BIOS settings load the default settings to ensure system compatibility and stability Select the Load Setups Default item under the Exit Menu See section 2 8 Exit Menu The BIOS setup screens shown in this section are for reference purposes only and may not exactly match what you see on your screen Visit the ASUS website at www asus com to download the latest BIOS file for this motherboard Chapter 2 BIOS setup 2 7 2 2 1 BIOS menu screen Menu items Menu bar Configuration fields General help BIOS SETUP UTILITY Advanced Boot Tools Exit pn Use ENTER TAB 7 34 30 or SHIFT TAB to System Date Wed 08 27 2008 select a field Legacy Diskette A 1 44M 3 5 in Use or to configure system Time Primary IDE Master Not Detected Primary IDE Slave Not Detected SATA1 Not Detected SATA2 Not Detected SATA3 Not Detected SATA4 Not Detected Select Screen Select Item Stroage Configuration Change Field Select Field System Information General Help Save and Exit Exit gt La gt gt v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 American Megatrends Inc Sub menu items Navigation keys 2 2 2 Menu bar The menu bar on top of the screen has the following main items Main For changing the basic system configuration Advanced For changing the advan
62. sided DIMM support A Supports one module inserted into any slot as Single channel memory configuration B Supports one pair of modules inserted into either the yellow slots or the black slots as one pair of Dual channel memory configuration C Supports four modules inserted into both the yellow slots and the black slots as two pairs of Dual channel memory configuration A Visit the ASUS website for the latest DDR2 533 667 800 1066MHz QVL Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 7 3 Installing a DIMM H Unplug the power supply before adding or removing DIMMs or other system components 2 Failure to do so can cause severe damage to both the motherboard and the components 1 Unlock a DDR2 DIMM socket by DDR2 DIMM notch pressing the retaining clips outward 2 Align a DIMM on the socket such that the notch on the DIMM matches the break on the socket Unlocked retaining clip A DDR2 DIMM is keyed with a notch so that it fits in only one direction DO NOT force a DIMM into a socket to avoid damaging the DIMM 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 1 7 4 Removing a DIMM To remove a DIMM 1 Simultaneously press the retaining clips outward to unlock the DIMM PF Support the DIMM lightly with your fingers when pressing the retaining clips The DIMM might get damaged when it flips out with extra f
63. socket to prevent bending the connectors on the socket and damaging the CPU 1 6 1 Installing the CPU To install a CPU 1 Locate the CPU socket on the motherboard 8 x P q d ms Titi CU Pi A LT SS je EAE ca mm om To om M3N78 CM CPU Socket AM2 Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 7 2 Unlock the socket by pressing the lever sideways then lift it up to a 90 100 angle Socket lever R Ensure that the socket lever is lifted up to 90 100 angle otherwise the CPU will not fit in D completely Position the CPU above the socket such that the CPU corner with the gold triangle matches the socket corner with a small triangle Carefully insert the CPU into the socket until it fits in place The CPU fits only in one correct orientation DO NOT force the CPU into the socket to prevent bending the pins and damaging the CPU Small triangle 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 came with the heatsink package You can also refer to section 1 6 2 Installing heatsink and fan for instructions 7 Connect the CPU fan cable to the CPU FAN connector on the motherboard s E PUFAN 3250
64. stall the latest OS version and corresponding updates to maximize the features of your hardware Motherboard settings and hardware options vary Use the setup procedures presented in this chapter for reference only Refer to your OS documentation for detailed information Ensure that you install Windows XP Service Pack 1 or later versions before installing the drivers for better compatibility and system stability 111 2 Support DVD information The Support DVD that came with the motherboard package contains the drivers software applications and utilities that you can install to avail all motherboard features The contents of the Support DVD are subject to change at any time without notice Visit the ASUS website at www asus com for updates To run the Support DVD Place the Support DVD to the optical drive The DVD automatically displays the Drivers menu if Autorun is enabled in your computer A The following screen is used for reference only Dives Lues L vaste LL Manuals Contact Click an icon to Drivers aj display Support DVD motherboard information Please select items on the fight side Click an item to install L4 If Autorun is NOT enabled in your computer browse the contents of the Support DVD to Gamm locate the file ASSETUP EXE from the BIN folder Double click the ASSETUP EXE to run the DVD ASUS M3N78 CM BIOS information 2 1 Managing and updating your BIOS Th
65. t orange This port connects the center subwoofer Speakers 6 Line In port light blue This port connects the tape CD DVD player or other audio sources 7 Line Out port lime This port connects a headphone or a speaker In 4 channel 6 channel and 8 channel configuration the function of this port becomes Front Speaker Out Microphone port pink This port connects a microphone Side Speaker Out port gray This port connects the side speakers in an 8 channel audio configuration Ff Refer to the audio configuration table below for the function of the audio ports in 2 4 6 or 8 channel configuration Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 17 Audio 2 4 6 or 8 channel configuration Headset 4 channel 6 channel 8 channel 2 channel Light Blue Line In Line In Line In Line In Lime Line Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out Center Subwoofer Center Subwoofer Orange Black Gray m Side Speaker Out Pink Men Mic In Mic In Mic In Rear Speaker Out Rear Speaker Out Rear Speaker Out 10 USB 2 0 ports 1 and 2 These two 4 pin Universal Serial Bus USB ports are available for connecting USB 2 0 devices 11 USB 2 0 ports 3 and 4 These two 4 pin Universal Serial Bus USB ports are available for connecting USB 2 0 devices 12 DVI port This port is for any DVI D compatible device DVI D can t be converted to output RGB Signal to CRT and isn t compatible with DV
66. tek8211CL PHY 8 Mb Flash ROM AMI BIOS PnP DMI2 0 WiM2 0 SM BIOS 2 5 ACPI 2 0a Precision Tweaker vDIMM 8 step DRAM voltage control Stepless Frequency Selection SFS SB tuning up to 300MHz at 1MHz increment Overclocking Protection ASUS CPU Parameter Recall C P R continued on the next page M3N78 CM specifications summary Back panel I O ports 1 x LAN RJ 45 port 1 x COM port 1 x DVI port 6 x USB 2 0 1 1 ports 1 x VGA Out port 1 x PS 2 keyboard port 8 channel audio ports ue ein 1x High Definition front panel audio connector 1 x IDE connector 1 x Floppy disk drive connector 1 x CD audio in connector 1 x CPU fan connector 1 x Chassis fan connector 1 x LPT connector 6 x SATA connectors 1 x S PDIF Out connector 3 x USB 2 0 connectors for 6 additional USB 2 0 ports 1 x 24 pin EATX power connector 1 x 4 pin x ATX 12V power connector 1 x System panel connector ASUS Unique Features ASUS Express Gate Access the Internet in 5 second boot time without entering Windows A built in OS offers instant fun platform for Internet and Instant Messenger The actual boot time depends on the system configuration ASUS Quiet Thernal Solution ASUS Q Fan ASUS EZ DIY ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 ASUS EZ Flash 2 Other Feature ASUS MyLogo 2 AINET2 Accessories 2 x SATA cables 2 x power cables 1 x UltraDMA 133 100 66 cable 1 x Floppy Disk Drive cable 1 x I O Shield User s manual Form Fact
67. tems appear to allow you to change other security settings User Access Level Full Access This item allows you to select the access restriction to the Setup items Configuration 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 any field Limited allows changes only to selected fields such as Date and Time Full Access allows viewing and changing all the fields in the Setup utility ASUS M3N78 CM 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 To set a User Password 1 Select the Change User Password item and press Enter 2 Onthe password box that appears type a password composed of at least six letters and or numbers then press Enter 3 Confirm the password when prompted The message Password Installed appears after you set your password successfully To change the user password follow the same steps as in setting a user password Clear User Password Select this item to clear the user password 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 Configuration options Setup Always 2
68. the motherboard The USB 2 0 module is purchased separately Front panel audio connector 10 1 pin AAFP This connector is for a chassis mounted front panel audio I O module that supports either High Definition Audio or AC 97 audio standard Connect one end of the front panel audio I O module cable to this connector Oo Azalia compliant pin definition PRESENSE MIC2 JD HP HD AGND AAFP MIC2 R MIC2 L HP_R Jack_Sense HP_L Legacy AC 97 compliant pin definition AGND NC NC NC E MIC2 L MIC2 R Line out R NC Line out L M3N78 CM Azalia Analog Front Panel Connector K 1 22 We recommend that you connect a high definition front panel audio module to this connector to avail of the motherboard high definition audio capability If you want to connect a high definition front panel audio module to this connector ensure that the Front Panel Select item in the BIOS is set to HD Audio if you want to connect an AC 97 front panel audio module to this connector set the item to AC97 ASUS M3N78 CM 9 ATX power connectors 24 pin EATXPWR 4 pin ATX12V These connectors are for an ATX power supply The plugs from the power supply are designed to fit these connectors in only one orientation Find the proper orientation and push down firmly
69. tion 1 9 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 A Make sure that the fan and heatsink assembly perfectly fits the retention mechanism module base otherwise you cannot snap the retention bracket in place 4 Push down the retention bracket lock on the retention mechanism to secure the heatsink and fan to the module base 5 When the fan and heatsink assembly is in place connect the CPU fan cable to the connector on the motherboard labeled CPU_FAN A Do not forget to connect the CPU fan connector Hardware monitoring errors can occur if you fail to plug this connector 1 7 System memory 1 7 1 Overview The motherboard comes with four Double Data Rate 2 DDR2 Dual Inline Memory Modules DIMM sockets A DDR2 module has the same physical dimensions as a DDR DIMM but has a 240 pin footprint compared to the 184 pin DDR DIMM DDR2 DIMMs are notched differently to prevent installation on a DDR DIMM socket The figure illustrates the location of the DDR2 DIMM sockets d 2 DIMM A1 DIMM B2 DIMM A2 128 Pins l i SS 112 Pins O L mmm LC ES m omm m oo M3N78 CM 240 pin DDR2 DIMM Sockets Channel Socket Channel A DIMM_A1 and DIMM
70. uration options PCI Device Reserved 2 4 6 USB Configuration The items in this menu allows you to change the USB related features Select an item then press Enter to display the configuration options fo The Module Version and USB Devices Enabled items show the auto detected values If no USB device is detected the item shows None USB Functions Enabled Enables or disables the USB functions Configuration options Enabled Disabled USB 2 0 Controller Enabled Enables or disables the USB 2 0 Controller Configuration options Enabled Disabled Legacy USB Support Auto Allows you to enable or disable support for Legacy USB storage devices including USB flash drives and USB hard drives Setting to Auto allows the system to detect the presence of USB devices at startup If detected the USB controller legacy mode is enabled If no USB device is detected the legacy USB support is disabled Configuration options Disabled Enabled Auto USB 2 0 Controller Mode HiSpeed Allows you to configure the USB 2 0 controller in HiSpeed 480 Mbps or Full Speed 12 Mbps Configuration options Full Speed HiSpeed ASUS M3N78 CM 2 5 Power menu The Power menu items allow you to change the settings for the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface ACPI and the Advanced Power Management APM Select an item then press lt Enter gt to display the configuration options BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main Advanced Power Boot
71. values you selected are saved to the CMOS RAM An onboard backup battery sustains the CMOS RAM so it stays on even when the PC is turned off When you select this option a confirmation window appears Select OK to save changes and exit PP If you attempt to exit the Setup program without saving your changes the program Gen prompts you with a message asking if you want to save your changes before exiting Press lt Enter gt to save the changes while exiting Exit amp 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 fields other than System Date System Time and Password the BIOS asks for a confirmation before exiting Discard Changes This option allows you to discard the selections you made and restore the previously saved values After selecting this option a confirmation appears Select OK to discard any changes and load the previously saved values Load Setup Defaults This option allows you to load the default values for each of the parameters on the Setup menus When you select this option or if you press lt F5 gt a confirmation window appears Select OK to load default values Select Exit amp Save Changes or make other changes before saving the values to the non volatile RAM Chapter 2 BIOS setup 2 25 2 26 ASUS M3N78 CM

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